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he working world changes when summer rolls around. Some businesses open only when the weather is warm. Many of those companies focus on recreation. Local campground owners attract visitors during the warm months. A carnival company offers rides at festivals around Indiana and Ohio. Exotic animals can be seen in a zoo and animal sanctuary in Preble County. However, hobby farmers, such as Gary Keesling of Pappaw’s Hunny Farm, also have the chance to make money in the summer. Other businesses are open year-round, but are busiest in the summer months. Some restaurants have extra opportunities to lure al fresco eaters with outdoor seating. And students — if they are lucky — take advantage of the time off school to earn a few dollars. Lawn maintenance companies, parks and Richmond RiverRats are among those hiring students. Read more about these local work opportunities in this edition of Maximum Business.
INDEX Page 3..... Campground owners try to customize experience Page 5..... Engaging customers outside: Lessons from outdoor dining Page 6..... Summer jobs help teach students responsibility Page 8..... $1 million award helps Kamp Modoc expand, renovate Page 10..... Exotic animals make their home in Preble County Page 13..... Boys of summer offer family fun Page 15..... It’s not just fun and games for carnival ride operator Page 18..... Customers buzzing about Pappaw’s Hunny Farm Page 20..... Networking conference will bring hundreds to city Page 20..... Upcoming events calendar
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Page 21..... Local business honors and ribbon-cuttings
CENTER CITY
Children and adults enjoy the E.L. “Corky” Cordell Municipal Pool in Richmond. PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
1st summer job offers life lessons, interesting memories At some point in our teenage years, there comes a point where our expenses start to outweigh our spending capabilities, and to avoid the wrath of the parental units the decision is made to finally search out that first summer job. There are a variety Jason of directions this job Whitney search could take. Fast food? Mowing grass? Baby sitting? None of that sounded too appealing to me but luckily I was able to secure a job lifeguarding at the E.L. “Corky” Cordell Municipal Pool — lovingly known as the “muni” or the “municipool” if you are local. It was the perfect fit for me because I was a swimmer and a swim coach for the age group team, so I started my mornings with 6:30 a.m. practice, coached my own team and
team to get through those stretches of five days straight of 100-plusdegree temperatures with a full house. » The most important thing you then had an hour to nap before work learn is to pay attention to the clock started. and be on time because if you failed If you are a fellow muni lifeguard to rotate off break on time, you would alumnus, you can undoubtedly rattle pay for it for the rest of the day. off tale after tale of amazing things The next time you are driving you have seen. I am still puzzled as to down West Main and you see those how some of the stories transpired. young lifeguards baking in the sun, You could always be assured that remember that it is not all fun and something even crazier and more games out there. bizarre was likely to happen the folThey are keeping young swimlowing day. mers safe but they are also learning Although there are a lot of fun valuable job skills that they will times, there is a lot of learning that utilize someday. takes place there too. And if you want a great laugh, ask » You are forced to work at a a former lifeguard what the grossest young age doing some really gross thing they ever saw at the muni was. tasks (women’s bathroom duty in You won’t regret it! particular) with people from all difJason Whitney is executive director of ferent backgrounds. Center City Development Corp. » You learn to work together as a
SUCCESSFUL WOMAN
CAMPGROUND OWNERS TR Y TO
customize experience By Pam Tharp
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Correspondent
C
hicago native Pat Orzechowski never knows who will arrive at Deer Ridge Camping Resort, a Richmond campground she’s operated with husband Scott for 19 seasons. A successful real estate agent in the Windy City, Orzechowski gave up that work after a fall left her with permanent back problems. Part counselor, part enforcer, Orzechowski, who once wanted to be a social worker, enjoys the daily variety she sees at the campground. What led you to buy a campground in Richmond? My husband, Scott, was in middle management and I was in real estate, working seven days a week. After my back injury, I just couldn’t do real estate any more. I wallowed in self-pity, feeling sorry for myself for several years. We started camping with my husband’s aunt and we found it really relaxing. We asked ourselves, ‘Why can’t we do this?’ We started looking for campgrounds, came to Richmond and saw this place and liked it. We were also influenced by what was happening in Oak Park, Ill. The high school was putting in metal detectors and we said it was time to go. What does it take to run a seasonal campground? It’s fun. Sometimes
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Pat Orzechowski, an owner of Deer Ridge Camping Resort on Smyrna Road, at the campground. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM
it’s stressful. Guests come from all over. We try to please everyone, but you sometimes get one who makes everyone else miserable. It took years for us to realize that our campground isn’t for everyone. We’ve lost business because we aren’t
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set up with automatic reservations, but we try to custom fit the camper to the site. Our sites are varied and some are for pull-thru, for fifth-wheels and motor homes. Do they have kids or dogs? Maybe I don’t want to be next
to dogs. We want them to feel like they’re on vacation. Some drive in and then leave, which is better for both of us. Do we lose business? Yes, but the See CAMP, Page 4
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SUCCESSFUL WOMAN
Camp
AT A GLANCE
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Continued from Page 3
people who stay are usually happy. We get a lot of repeat business. We get a lot of letters saying ‘I can’t tell you how much you helped us.’ Usually they’re happier when they leave than when they came. Who comes to Deer Ridge Camping Resort? “It’s very interesting who comes. We’ve had nuclear physicists and oil well owners. We’re seeing an increase in seasonal campers who stay the entire summer. We have workers here who are erecting windmills in Connersville and Winchester. Their wives come and visit. Each one has his own tent. It’s nice to have them here for most of the summer. We had a homeless family who had been down at Whitewater (Memorial State Park.) They had to move their site there every two weeks. They stayed with us the rest of the summer. They had a cooking tent and a living tent and dogs. I was so thrilled when they could rent a
Deer Ridge Camping Resort 3696 Smyrna Road, Richmond (765) 939-0888 or http://deer ridgecampingresort.com/
house. They threw the tents away and invited us to come for Thanksgiving dinner. What do campers have in common? We meet a lot of people who need someone to talk to. Some of them need more than just the girl behind the counter. Sometimes you need crisis management skills. Everyone has a story. Do you have advice for anyone thinking about campground ownership? A lot of our campers come in and say they’ve thought about owning a campground. Be sure to have a lot of money, because you can’t depend on it for your income. We’ve had drought years when you couldn’t have a campfire. We’ve lost money because it rained every week. Two years of drought and two
Pat Orzechowski, an owner of Deer Ridge Camping Resort on Smyrna Road, in the camp office. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM
years of floods made for four pretty tough years. Camping clubs have also dwindled over the years. The upside is you don’t work all year. We’re open from May 1 to November 1. We’re fortunate to be able to do other things. We travel some in
the winter, something we want to do while we still can. We never considered it a business. My husband needed to get out of the corporate rush and I started feeling valuable again. It was perfect, a nice lifestyle change for us. Many successful women have had interesting first jobs. What was your first job? I worked at Marshall Field’s in downtown Chicago selling antique dolls. I was 16 years old when I walked in as Christmas extra help at night. I quickly memorized each doll’s stock number and I had an interest in the dolls. They were thrilled with me and I learned I could be respected for my knowledge. That experience also helped me in my next job at the Jewel Grocery Store, where I worked as a cashier and at the desk. I had wanted to be a social worker as a kid, but I had to drop out of school to take care of my mom, who was ill. I later got my GED and then attended real estate classes. I seem to be able to bounce back, whatever happens.
more than an art museum
THE RICHMOND GROUP ARTISTS: OUT OF THE SILENCE
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This is the untold story of a group of artists whose interest in fostering art in their community made an authentic contribution to the history of art in America. Taking for their subjects the local people, flora, and landscapes, they developed a distinctive impressionistic style, uninfl uenced by other art movements in Indiana. Richmond, became an important center for art in the Midwest, a place that nourished and inspired the artists whose work this book celebrates.
This is the untold story of a group of artists whose interest in fostering art in their community made an authentic contribution to the history of art in America. Taking for their subjects the local people, flora, and landscapes, they developed a distinctive impressionistic style, uninfluenced by other art movements in Indiana. Richmond, Indiana, become an important center for art in the Midwest.
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Supporting Regional Artists
SUMMER JOBS
Engaging customers outside:
eople love to be seen at their favorite restaurant. Customers love it even more when they can enjoy the summer sunshine at the same time. This unique summertime experience can have a positive impact beyond that, however. As people move outdoors to enjoy their dining experience, the people and their activity become noticeable from the street. As a result, what previously might have gone unnoticed now becomes a brief opportunity to attract new customers and contributes to the ambience of the community. Wayne County has Trevor no shortage of outdoor Oakerson dining selections to enjoy. Each of them also is instantly recognizable during the summer. Ainsley’s Café, Buffalo Wild Wings, Forest Hills Country Club, Fricker’s, Galo’s Italian Grill, Little Sheba’s, Patio at the Country Ribeye, the Olde Richmond Inn and the Tin Lizzie are just a few of the restaurants that provide outdoor seating. Amy Oler Holthouse, president
and CEO of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce, recognizes the benefits of outdoor dining. “It is very exciting to see so many of our area restaurants expanding outdoors, which provides an enjoyable and recognizable experience.” Communities thrive when people are out and about meeting each other. Outdoor dining accommodates this. Other types of businesses, however, can also benefit from thinking outside the storefront. The new Main Street WiFi project is a perfect example of this. Springing from the same sort of idea as outdoor dining, the Stellar Communities Project, the Center City Development Corporation and the Innovation Center have partnered to provide free WiFi on Main Street. Access to the Internet makes the option of enjoying the weather down-
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P
Lessons from outdoor dining
About 55 people recently joined a celebration lunch in honor of the new Center City Public WiFi in front of the Innovation Center. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
town that much more comfortable. The WiFi presents an opportunity to conduct meetings outdoors and enjoy the summer at the same time, which is great if you want to foster creativity. Some businesses, however, are not conducive to offering consumers outdoor experiences. Contributing to or sponsoring some of the outdoor festivals around the community can offer these businesses a new way to interact with customers. Denise Lanman, director of education and events at the chamber, said, “The neat thing about the summer festivals in the area is that they
become a community. Everyone develops a bond over supporting these events and manning booths. A lot of times that energy is noticed by the festival-goers too.” Providing consumers with unique summertime experiences allows businesses to take advantage of unique opportunities. During this season, business leaders should be asking themselves how they can further engage customers in exciting ways. Trevor Oakerson is director of marketing and membership at the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce.
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Students’ summer opportunities changing
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By Louise Ronald
he working world changes when summer rolls around. Some businesses open only when the weather is warm. Others are open year-round, but are busiest in the summer months. And students — if they are lucky — take advantage of the time off school to earn a few dollars. “Being a student in college ... is expensive,” said Dakota Collins, who will be a senior at Earlham College in the fall. Collins has a sumDakota mer job as a part-time Collins executive assistant to Richmond Mayor Sally Hutton. He admits he was fortunate to find the work. “I have a particular advantage because I’m from this area,” Collins said. A spring internship in the municipal building led directly to his summer opportunity. He recommends getting involved in the community to form connections that could lead to jobs. That isn’t always possible. “Companies aren’t as willing (as they used to be) to hire for the summer, unless it’s going to be recurring summer after summer,” said Collins. At the same time, students are reluctant to take unpaid internships when they need money. Richmond Parks and Recreation Superintendent Bill Thistlethwaite heads a department that typically hires 10 to 12 counselors for Bill its Just Us Kids OutThistlethwaite doors program and 20 to 25 lifeguards to work at the E.L. “Corky” Cordell Municipal Pool. Most of those employees are college students. Over the past few years, Thistlethwaite said, the summer population of students has been dwindling because apartments in college towns are shifting from nine-month to 12-month leases. “The kids aren’t coming home,” he said. Even if they do come home, they aren’t home as long. School is starting earlier and earlier in the fall.
Kids, led by a student counselor, play a game during Just Us Kids Outdoors at Glen Miller Park.JOSHUA SMITH/P-I FILE PHOTO
That doesn’t pose a problem for the JUKO or pool jobs, which are linked to school schedules, but it does mean that fewer students are doing maintenance work for the parks. For those jobs, students face a lot of competition from older workers, Thistlethwaite said. And the department wants employees who can stay until the grass stops growing — well after Sharrie the school year starts. Harlin College students aren’t the only ones missing out. “There’s a lot less opportunity for people that are in high school,” said Sharrie Harlin, director of community outreach with Reid Hospital’s Patient Financial Services. Harlin
got her first summer job at age 14 through the Department of Labor’s Summer Program for Economically Disadvantaged Youth, helping with day care at the Townsend Community Center. Harlin said it’s too bad that fewer young people get that kind of experience. “I think it hurts them because ... they don’t get into that work mode,” she said. Rachel Hughes, Rachel development officer Hughes with the Wayne County Foundation, had no trouble getting into work mode, growing up on a 240-acre farm near Jasper, Ind. “When we were big enough to understand, we were working,” she said.
Mowing lawns is one traditional summer job for young people. JOURNAL & COURIER FILE PHOTO
“I probably have a stronger work ethic than some people,” Hughes continued. “It wasn’t a question of if we were going to help, but what we were going to do.”
SUMMER JOBS
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Students and counselors participating in the Just Us Kids Outdoors program form a line during activities. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE PHOTO
Joe Luce
Collins said his job experience has helped him learn about being part of a team and the importance of being on time. “You just have to learn how to have a job, how to be an adult,” he
said. “It’s about maturing.” Richmond High School basketball coach Joe Luce started Red Devil Lawn Care three years ago, in large part so that his children would have an opportunity to have a summer job. His son has been more active than his daughters, and Luce has been able to hire some other RHS
students to help. “The summer job’s a good training ground,” Luce said. It helps young people learn the value of a dollar, the necessity of managing time and the satisfaction of putting in a hard day’s work. “It’s been great personally for the kids that worked for us,” he said.
Harlin remembers learning some of those same lessons from her experience as a teen. “Those jobs just taught us ... responsibility,” she said. Harlin remembers one other lesson as well. “I learned that I liked having my own money,” she said with a laugh.
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$1 million award helps Kamp Modoc expand, renovate Randolph County business hopes to become full-service site By Ron Greeson For Maximum Business
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MODOC, Ind. — For more than half a century, Kamp Modoc has stood as a prominent area camping facility from its location in Randolph County. But the area recreational landmark is now in the process of taking a giant leap forward in many aspects of operation. Owner-operator Jim Swift and his wife, Sandy, purchased the business in January 2003 and came to eastcentral Indiana from the Port Clinton area in northwest Ohio. “We still enjoy the campground business, although it has changed some over the years,” Jim said recently. The biggest change now at Kamp Modoc is the installation of sewers throughout the park, a huge project now under way, but still several years from completion. “Our goal is to make Kamp Modoc a full-service site, something that many new campers are interested in, but there is a lot of engineering and planning still ongoing for the completion of the entire project,” Jim explained. Kamp Modoc now has 230 camping sites, although many are older, smaller sites that were constructed for the smaller units of the past. Swift hopes to increase that number to 285 with the more land now available for sites. “While we are not quite totally filled (all sites taken), we think newer campers will like what we offer with
Families enjoy an unusual, soapy activity at Kamp Modoc in Randolph County.SUPPLIED PHOTO
the new, larger sites being created,” he said. “It is a beautiful park with fantastic amenities, and we are working to make it even better.” A huge help in making the sewer, and other projects, possible was a $1 million award for expansion and renovation received last year from the Indiana Small Business Development Center. “We went to the east-central office (of ISBDC) in Muncie, got help with a business plan, applied and received the award,” Jim Swift explained. Kamp Modoc secured the loan from First Bank Richmond. Among improvements at the park
Though rural, Kamp Modoc is reached easily from Interstate 70, Indiana 1 and U.S. 36. SUPPLIED PHOTO
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SUMMER JOBS AT A GLANCE Kamp Modoc Family Campground and Play Lake 9773 S. 800 W., Modoc, Ind. (765) 853-5290 or www.kampmodoc.com.
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were the building of several new cabins, a bounce pad and water toys in the lake, and the addition of hay rides and other activities to make the campground more family friendly. With growth in overall sales, Swift has added seven employees for the warm-weather business. “We go to winter RV shows in Dayton, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and our location is well-suited for campers from all three of those metropolitan areas,” Swift commented. He cited the site’s proximity to main highways such as U.S. 36, Indiana 1 and Interstate 70 as a real plus, and Kamp Modoc is just 110 miles from Fort Wayne. “With our recreation building at the park’s center, the lake for swimming and fishing, a playground, and even a nine-hole course for Frisbee
The crowd cheers on competitors in a rowing race on the lake at Kamp Modoc in Randolph County.SUPPLIED PHOTO
golf, I like what we offer campers,” Swift added. Swift and his wife have high hopes for what the future might bring. “Once all of the expansion is done, we hope to be able to hire a full-time manager, two full-time employees, and host seminars and conventions for businesses and groups,” he explained. “My wife and I hope to take it easier, and travel some, in the years to come, and we hope to make Kamp Modoc even a greater place along with that.”
Couples dance while kids play in the backgr ound at Kamp Modoc in Randolph County. SUPPLIED PHOTO
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Exotic animals make their home in Preble County
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Zoo, traveling shows seek local supporters to stay in business By Ron Greeson For Maximum Business
W
ho knew? Preble County has two zoos. And warm weather brings with it opportunities to meet with exotic animals that make their home just across the Ohio border.
Heaven’s Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary WEST ALEXANDRIA, Ohio — Kord McGuire is one busy man. “I have a thousand things to do. It never ends. You go in about 11 o’clock at night, then you quit,” McGuire said of his schedule during this busy summer season. McGuire built and operates the Heaven’s Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary at 385 Quinn Road near West Alexandria. Not that far off a main highway, U.S. 35, Heaven’s Corner is a place that seems very far away, indeed. It is a tranquil place, with much of the noise emanating from the approximately 90 animals that live here, and they’re not native to this area. “We built this business one animal, one building at a time,” McGuire said of his family dedication to found, and maintain, such a unique place for southwest Ohio. McGuire and his family open the zoo to the public on the first Saturday of April. Heaven’s Corner closes at the end of August, but is also open on weekends in September. So to see the big cats, like the mountain lion, panther, cougar and traditional lion, the bears, crocodiles and the reptile house, you may come to this place, and get up close and personal to some of the world’s
A black panther greets visitors to Heaven’s Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary near West Alexandria, Ohio. SUPPLIED
A baby gets up close and personal with one of the animals from Valley Exotics Zoo at Apple Fest in New Paris, Ohio. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
most exotic animals. “I’ve been into animals all my life,” McGuire said during a recent morning break on a sparkling June day. “I inherited this love of animals from my dad, and when I left service in the Army in 1976, I went into construction.” But after more than a decade, McGuire made a decision to build a place for the animals he chose to care for. Even as he ran a roofing business at the same time, McGuire collected exotic animals, and built the habitats and buildings to care and house them right near his private residence near this small Preble County community. This place is a small, private zoo to this day. “We have been a (United States Department of Agriculture) USDA-licensed zoo for all of these years,” McGuire said. “But it is difficult to keep that approval. There are costs and attorneys needed to meet all the rules, national and state, that apply to our type of facility.” A consistent challenge is the high cost of feeding many large, meat-eating exotic animals. An example of this, according to McGuire, is the repeated purchase of 500 pounds of chicken leg quarters at a time, a routine purchase for the dietary needs of his animals at Heaven’s Corner. “We need money, to put it simply, now and on an ongoing basis,” McGuire said. “We have had many generous donors over the years, and continue to have friends who help us financially, but it is an issue that is constant.” Helping handle this need of fresh meat is a unique local source, the zoo’s consistent receipt of fresh, road-kill deer from area roads in southwest Ohio. “It is actually cheaper and easier for the state officers here to bring this meat to us than to be required to transport it to stateapproved facilities in other parts of Ohio, so that’s what they do,” he
SUMMER JOBS AT A GLANCE
explained. “Heaven’s Corner saves the state of Ohio thousands of dollars each year by receiving this local meat, and it really helps us as well.” Also, the Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton, a retail store, donates excess meat products to Heaven’s Corner, bringing meat to the Preble County zoo site on a regular basis. McGuire’s son Wes, now 26 years old, runs the family roofing business full-time now, allowing Kord to focus on maintaining Heaven’s Corner, and its unique challenges and opportunities. One of those opportunities recently was filming, on location, some scenes for the movie “The Bear,” with Molly, one of the bear residents at Heaven’s Corner. “We asked for only a moderate fee to work with the Disney people, but I hope that by doing that, we might be asked to do that again in the future,” McGuire said. But the local man is happy to operate his own place for the animals he loves to care for, with his family beside him in the effort. “We like to work with the community, the schools, the kids and families who come to see us each summer,” McGuire said. “There is a lot of opportunity to get involved here. I like to get young people in here, and they can learn about the animals by doing the work, just like I have over all of these years.”
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Heaven’s Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary » Where: 385 Quinn Road near West Alexandria, Ohio » Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. » Admission: Adults, $10; children ages 3-12, seniors 65 and older and active military, $7; children 2 and younger, free. Parking is free. Membership is $30 for an individual or family is $55. » Info: (937) 839-5005 or you can check the zoo’s Facebook page. Valley Exotics Zoo The owners of a traveling petting zoo that offers animal shows can be reached by phone at (937) 545-5175 or e-mail at info@rzoo4u.com. The zoo also has a Facebook page with testimonials from many groups over the years, and pictures of many of the animals.
Niko the tiger gets some exercise at Heaven’s Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary near West Alexandria, Ohio. SUPPLIED
Kord McGuire of Heaven’s Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary with a Persian eagle owl. SUPPLIED
He is understandably proud of Heaven’s Corner, and hopes more people — and donors — will be involved soon. “I can walk around here and point out when and how everything was built here, and the background with
the animals also,” McGuire said. “I am happy with what I’ve been able to do, and it is amazing how it has Animals check out some visitors with happened. I just hope that I can treats at the Valley Exotics Zoo booth at maintain it, so that other people can Apple Fest in New Paris, Ohio.
See ANIMALS, Page 12
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SUMMER JOBS
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Jamie Beneke oversees the pony rides set up by Valley Exotics Zoo at the New Paris, Ohio, Apple Fest. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
Animals
the responsibility of building and maintaining the proper ecosystem and habitat for the animals in his Continued from Page 11 care — even animals in far-flung places on the planet like Madagascar enjoy it like I do.” — and teaching others about these animals. Valley Exotics Zoo The zoo website, EATON, Ohio — Jamie Beneke is a www.rzoo4u.com, describes Valley man on a mission. Exotics in this way: “Valley Exotics On a recent summer morning, offers complete hands-on experithat mission was taking him — and ence to both children and adults with his animals — from Valley Exotics traditional farm animals, and a vaZoo in a secret location near Eaton, riety of exotic animals. Pony rides Ohio, all the way to Pendleton, Ind. are also available and any combinaWhile in Pendleton, Beneke was tion is tailor made for your special scheduled to speak to a group of event. Choose from our large variety home-schooled children. of animals or choose them all. We For Beneke, the interest in anibring the zoo to you.” mals has been virtually lifelong, but “The key to me is the ‘education it wasn’t always in what are called factor’ of talking to people,” Beneke “exotic” animals. said recently. “We do not train these “I started like a lot of kids, with animals. They are conditioned to rabbits and sheep, in 4-H in the third react well around people. It is not grade,” Beneke said recently. possible to change the nature of Now, he has seven years under his these animals, but they are wellbelt with Valley Exotics Zoo, a priconditioned to be safe around the marily warm-weather enterprise he people that we bring the animals to works with wife Dianna, a math every year.” teacher at Miamisburg (Ohio) High Among the exotic animals Valley School, and their three small chilExotics brings for groups and spedren. cial events are kangaroos, pythons, Beneke says he is committed to spiders and lemurs, among others,
ny website: “Raise the awareness of the diversity of animals worldwide and the need of protection of their habitats through providing educational close encounters with representative animal ambassadors.” “It is a challenge to create the right habitat in Preble County, and the area where we are currently creating a habitat has to be kept secret, because in the past, habitat areas have been damaged and were not usable,” Beneke said of his desire to keep the location secret. “We will only make the public aware of the location after everything is in place, and we are able and ready to Gadget the kangaroo at Heaven’s do and maintain that.” Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary near He said he, his family, and two West Alexandria, Ohio. SUPPLIED part-time employees are working now on doing this. as well as more traditional animals Beneke said he eventually would that are usually a part of petting like to open a 16-acre animal park, zoos. and hire five more summer employ“I believe that we have the largest ees to work at the park. petting zoo in the state of Ohio,” The zoo website describes the Beneke said. “We take our mobile Valley Exotics mobile unit in these unit to may places in the spring and words: “(The unit) is perfect for summer months, and the overfairs, festivals, company picnics, whelming majority of our animals grand openings, birthday parties, or have been bottle-raised.” church, school and civic events. The mission of Valley Exotics Zoo Contact us today to reserve us for is spelled out this way on the compa- your event.”
SUMMER JOBS
Boys of summer offer family fun 40 to 50 have seasonal employment because of RiverRats team By Ron Greeson
Adam Reimsnyder, left, and Jon Holland help serve food in the concession stand at McBride Stadium.JOSHUA SMITH / PALLADIUM-ITEM
our website, and become active with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the different uses of technologies,� Beaman added. She noted these new services are “different ways to promote the team� as more people rely on various social media to send and re-
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Richmond RiverRats Partner/General Manager Deanna Beaman watches a game this month against the Chillicothe Paints at McBride Stadium. JESUS F. JIMENEZ / PALLADIUM-ITEM
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t’s about a lot more than just baseball. Richmond’s Prospect League team, the RiverRats, are in the midst of a sixth summer season at Don McBride Stadium on the city’s west side. Partner/general manager Deanna Beaman has seen all the days — and nights — of the RiverRats during those six years, and continues to think the team is a good fit for Richmond and the surrounding area. “I think it (the collegiate woodbat league franchise) is a business model that is more fitting for our market,� Beaman said of the current team. She was an integral part of the Richmond Roosters independent professional baseball franchise here in the Frontier League, a franchise that was ultimately purchased and moved years before the RiverRats came into existence. “The community has reacted well to a different level of baseball,� she explained. Specifically, so have sponsors and fans. “Sponsorships are on the rise, and attendance has been good,� Beaman added. “I am pleased with how things have gone so far. The team has met expectations.� And what has changed for Beaman and the RiverRats organization since its beginning in the summer of 2009? “While the number of sales of season tickets has been fairly consistent overall, the types of plans have changed,� she explained. “We now have half-season plans, flex plans of various types, all in the effort to get people out to the ballpark as often as possible. We strive to make coming to a game as enjoyable as possible.� Also new to the team, and its operations, is the explosion of uses for social media. “We have redone and upgraded
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Richmond RiverRats mascot Ribbie interacts with fans during the 2014 Prospect League baseball season opener at McBride Stadium. JOSH CHAPIN/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
Team
schedule, because McBride is managed by the Richmond Parks and AT A GLANCE Recreation Department. Continued from Page 13 Richmond RiverRats “There are around 160 events each Where: McBride Stadium, 201 N. W. year at McBride,” Beaman comment13th St., Richmond ceive basic communication. ed. “Beside all of the amateur baseCost: Per game, $8 for box seat or $6 Beaman sees RiverRat baseball ball, including high school games, general admission. Free for ages 5 and games as a benefit to the entire comthere is the annual Vintage Base Ball younger. munity. game with the Kiwanis Club each How to purchase: (765) 935-7287 or “We think coming to a game is a summer, and special baseball showtickets@richmondriverrats.com. The great, affordable family event, and cases.” box office opens on game days startwe draw fans from the entire area,” During June, there was a scheding at 10 a.m. Many games have she said. uled 20-team baseball tournament at special promotions. Beaman estimates about 20 perMcBride and adjoining fields, she Info: http://richmondriverrats.com/ cent of fans come to games from explained. outside Wayne County, with a majorAlso, the North-South All-Star ity of local visitors to John Cate Field Series of games and practices for from the city of Richmond itself. like,” Beaman said. high school seniors-to-be returns to And how many people are emAnother economic boon to the McBride in July. ployed annually in work related to area is tourism related to the games, Beaman noted the Prospect RiverRats baseball? including money spent at hotels, League has already awarded the “I would estimate that 40 to 50 restaurants and stores by visiting league All-Star Game to Richmond people each season work in jobs teams, league officials and umpires, for July 2015. related to games, when you include according to Beaman. “So we bring much more than Grace Townsend prepares pretzels in the coaches, ticket-takers, concession A final benefit of RiverRats base- about 30,000 fans to games each concession stand at McBride Stadium. stand workers, merchandising, offiball is the addition of the games to an summer, and we are very proud of JOSHUA SMITH / PALLADIUM-ITEM cial scorers, announcers and the already busy McBride Stadium that,” she said.
SUMMER JOBS
It’s not just fun and games for carnival ride operator www.pal-item.com § Maximum Business §Palladium-Item Media Group, JUNE/JULY 2014
Set-up, maintenance, regulations all present challenges for touring company By Louise Ronald
G
ary Bohlander wishes he could win the lottery so he could do his job just for fun. Bohlander is vice president of Poor Jack Amusements in Milton, which runs carnivals from April to October in Indiana and Ohio. Poor Jack was founded in 1967 by Gary’s father, the late Jack Bohlander, who inherited a small carnival from his father. When Jack Bohlander died in 1997, Gary took over work in the office. His brother, Tim, oversees taking care of the rides and other equipment. Their sisters and their families have concession businesses that travel with the carnival. And Jack’s widow, Patricia Bohlander, is at carnival sites in her RV, keeping an experienced eye on how things are going. There’s plenty to watch. Putting on a carnival is a complicated business. “There’s a lot to it, really,” said Gary Bohlander. “A lot more than what most people realize.” His first task on arriving at a site is figuring out what equipment will go where. Poor Jack’s schedule doesn’t change much from summer to summer, but other things might change. There might be a new ride to fit in, a newly paved parking lot or some other circumstance requiring adjustments. On June 2, Gary Bohlander spent much of his morning coping with a half-block change to his location for the Glass Days festival in Dunkirk, Ind. He paced up and down Main Street measuring out the space needed between rides. He made sure rides and food trucks had access to
Fairgoers smile during a ride at the Wayne County 4-H Fair. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
required electricity and water — all of which is set up by the carnival itself. Poor Jack brings its own generators. It furnishes hoses to hook up to the town’s water supply through fire hydrants. “We just kind of bring a little city,” Gary Bohlander said. That includes not only the carnival itself, but also the workers in
trailers and RVs. They also need access to water and electricity. Once the logistics have been worked out, set-up can begin. “It normally takes about as long as we have,” said Gary Bohlander. That depends on the time they have between carnivals, which can get very tight during the height of the season. Sometimes a carnival can
finish Saturday night and have to be taken down, moved and set up for an event beginning the following afternoon. The company tries to avoid that kind of schedule, but “we do that more often than I’d like,” Gary Bohlander admitted. .
See CARNIVAL, Page 16
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Workers set up the Poor Jack Amusements midway at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. JOSHUA SMITH/PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
Carnival Continued from Page 15
At one point in the summer, Poor Jack has three seven-day fairs in a row. “You’re either going to do (that) or take a week off,” Gary Bohlander said. “It has to be pretty orchestrated.” Ideally, carnival workers are qualified to drive the trucks from one location to the next. In the old days, rides were disassembled between events. Most newer rides are built directly on trailers. Instead of being taken down, they are folded up for travel. Like cars, many newer rides are less mechanical and more computerized than their predecessors. That requires specialized knowledge. What hasn’t changed, though, is the importance of maintenance. A ride’s life span is determined “… by the commitment you have to spend time and money on it,” said Tim Bohlander. “It’s totally dependent on your commitment to keeping it nice. … It’s a huge undertaking.” There’s a strong incentive to keep Brothers Gary, left, and Tim Bohlander examine the layout before Poor Jack Amusements sets up its carnival at Glass Days in Dunkirk, Ind. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM the rides nice. A new one can cost more than half a million dollars. 1950s. As with any business equippeat employees at Poor Jack. AT A GLANCE Poor Jack’s most recent purchase, ment, there comes a point when mon“We really do work them awful the Freak Out, was manufactured in ey for repairs could be better spent hard,” said Gary Bohlander. “I think Poor Jack Amusements Holland and came to $800,000. They on something new. … they just like doing it.” (765) 478-3291 or have ordered a swing ride that Maintenance is ongoing. During Both brothers spoke up for their www.poorjackamusements.com should be ready in April 2015. A bar- the off-season, four to six employees staff. gain at $550,000. work in the shop repainting and oth“All of our employees deserve Tim Bohlander speculated their erwise sprucing up the rides. When April comes, the number of way more credit than they get,” Gary oldest ride is a Sky Fighter kids ride “We basically spend the off-seaemployees skyrockets. This season, said. from the late 1960s. Until recently, son preparing for the next season,” there are 28 people working on rides “We have several people who have the carnival had a carousel from the Gary Bohlander said. alone. Twenty-five of those are rebeen with us for years who have just
SUMMER JOBS
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Jonathon Sum, left, and Braidan Denton ride the Sizzler at the Wayne County 4-H Fair in 2013. JOSHUA SMITH/ PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
become part of the family,� said Tim. Speaking of family, it isn’t clear whether the next generation of the extended Bohlander clan will decide to stay with the carnival business. Tim Bohlander said government regulations and other expenses have made the business very difficult. Fifteen or 20 years ago, there were more than 50 carnivals affiliated with the Indiana Association of Fairs, he said. The association’s website lists 11 in 2014. That’s why Gary Bohlander wants to win the lottery —so he could run the business he loves without worrying about the money, so he could take Poor Jack Amusements to any small town that wanted a carnival. But lottery or no lottery, the carnival is his way of life. “I’m always anxious to go in the spring,� he said, “and plain worn out in the fall.�
Poor Jack Amusements at the 2005 Wayne County 4-H Fair. PALLADIUM-ITEM FILE
Paul Huesman, left, and Tim Bohlander check a problem with a hitch as Poor Jack Amusements sets up at Glass Days in Dunkirk, Ind. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM
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Customers buzzing about Pappaw’s Hunny Farm
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Family puts hobby profits back into business
ABOUT PAPPAW’S HUNNY FARM
By Louise Ronald
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ary Keesling looks forward to having millions of companions when the time comes for him to retire — tiny, honeyproducing companions. Rather to his own surprise. “I never, ever expected to raise bees,” Keesling said. But then he heard about the Indiana Beekeepers Association’s Bee School during a visit to the state fair. “Next thing you know, we had a bee farm.” Pappaw’s Hunny Farm north of Hagerstown is home to Keesling, wife Paula, a dog, about 30 hens, a rooster, a cow, seven beef steers, four rabbits, two pigs, two miniature donkeys and 34 hives of honey bees. At 30,000 to 50,000 bees per hive, that’s a lot of buzz. Keesling started out with four hives in 2010. His ultimate goal is to have 50 hives on the 10-acre hobby farm. ”Once he has a project, he becomes absorbed in it,” Paula Keesling said of her husband. And for much of his spare time from March to November, that project is bees. During nectar season, that involves honey. When the bees cap over a section of the hive with wax, the honey in that frame is ready to extract. Keesling built an extraction room for the purpose. “You have to extract inside because if you do it outside, the bees will swarm you. They want that honey back,” he told a group of Girl Scouts, Brownies and Daisies and their guests from Hagerstown and Liberty who visited the farm in May. “Matter of fact, that’s how we clean our equipment. We leave it outside
Kids check out a safe display of bees at Pappaw's Hunny Farm north of Hagerstown. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM
and the bees remove all the honey.” The children listened with interest as Keesling described the roles of the queen bee, drones, worker bees and forager bees in the life of a hive — and his role as caretaker and honey farmer. “How do you get new bees?” one child asked. One way is to capture a swarm looking for a new home. Keesling is happy to hear about swarms in the area. “If somebody calls us, we’ll try to go catch them,” he said. The other way is to order from other bee farms. Keesling’s hope is that someday Pappaw’s will be big enough to be able to sell bees.
“How do they send the bees?” asked another child, drawing a laugh from Keesling. The bees come in the mail, he admitted, but the local post office prefers not to carry them in their delivery truck. They give him a call when a package arrives. Keesling showed the children a tiny box containing a queen been that had recently arrived in the mail. New queens cost $28, he said. One of his goals this summer is to try to make his own queen. That requires a thorough knowledge of the birthing process. A queen will lay 1,500 to 2,000 eggs a day. To make a queen, 1-day-old
Soon after the Keeslings started their bee operation, they took some of their grandchildren to a Winnie-thePooh movie, where honey has a special spelling. After the movie, Paula said to Gary, “You know, if somebody asked these kids whose honey this is, they’d say Pappaw’s.” And Pappaw’s Hunny Farm got its name. Pappaw’s honey is unfiltered. “It goes from the bee to the bottle, and we don’t touch it,” Gary Keesling said. That is why it’s darker than supermarket honey and has a shorter shelf life. The honey can be purchased at the Shoppes at East Main, 18 E. Main St., Hagerstown; Amish Cheese Shop, 2001 Indiana 1, Cambridge City; Cinnamon Spice Bakery, 6884 U.S. 40, Centerville; and the Wayne County Historical Museum, 1150 N. A St., Richmond. It also is available at Jubilee Days in Hagerstown and at the Liberty Farmers Market. The Keeslings have a Hunny Hut for sales at the farm, 7495 Lacy Road in Hagerstown. If the hut is closed, a selection of honey will be in a box on the porch. Sales are on the honor system. If what you want is not available, leave a note and the Keeslings will put your request in the box as soon as they can.
Honey for sale at Pappaw's Hunny Farm north of Hagerstown. Their products also are sold at Shoppes at East Main in Hagerstown, the Amish Cheese Shop north of Cambridge City, Cinnamon Spice Bakery in Centerville and at the Wayne County Historical Museum in Richmond. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM
SUMMER JOBS
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Gary Keesling demonstrates how a knife is used to collect beeswax for candles at Pappaw’s Hunny Farm north of Hagerstown. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM
Hagerstown and Liberty Girl Scout troops and their guests look over some of the bees at Pappaw’s Hunny Farm north of Hagerstown. LOUISE RONALD/PALLADIUM-ITEM
larvae are grafted to a queen cup — a special brood comb that can be harvested from a hive or purchased from a bee farm — and placed into a queen-builder hive, a small hive that has been queenless for a while. The bees themselves will take care of the rest. “If that sounds easy, it isn’t,” Keesling said. It takes careful work, luck, patience and study. “We have to study,” he said. In fact, Keesling said the major investment he has made in the honey farm is the investment of time to learn about bees. But Paula Keesling said her husband doesn’t give himself enough credit for the hard work he does. The whole process is labor intensive, she said. “I think that’s why a lot of novice beekeepers don’t stick with it.” When the nectar flow stops — usually in August — winterizing begins. Pollen patties are placed in
the hives, which are wrapped in tar paper. Through the cold months, the hives are fed with sugar water. Guards to keep mice out must be checked routinely. Keesling took care of his hives all through last winter, his wife said. “That’s why he lost only 50 percent of his hives. Many lost 70 to 80 percent.” The prolonged cold temperatures were hard on honey bees. Keesling explained why. Bees don’t hibernate, he said. They cluster around the queen to keep her warm. “It’ll be close to 90 degrees” in the center of the cluster. Most winters, the cluster moves to a new food supply within the hive when temperatures rise a little. When the weather stayed cold, the cluster stayed put, the bees starving to death even when food was available just inches away. Some wintertime loss is to be
expected, but last year was bad for bees, said Keesling’s mentor, Joe Smith. Smith has had his own honey farm in rural Hagerstown for 35 years. “The cost keeps going up every year,” Smith said. Keesling said his initial four hives cost $600 to $700. “Like any hobby, it’s going to cost something,” he said. But this is a hobby that produces some profit. Right now, Keesling and his wife are putting the profits back into the business. Their hope is to create supplemental income for their retirement, when it comes. And there are other retirement benefits. Beekeeping keeps you physically active. Going to farmers markets gives you a chance to meet new people and old friends. Plus there are all those sweet, buzzing companions to keep you company. Millions of them.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Networking conference will bring hundreds to city
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Richmond will play host to 300 to 400 visitors in September. That’s how many are expected to attend the 28th Annual Regional Neighborhood Network Conference. Representatives from around Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee will meet Sept. 11-13 at various locations around the city. They also will have opportunities to explore. Conference coordinator Beth Fields would like to hear from individuals or businesses interested in lending a hand with the visitors.
Basic organization for the conference is in place, but volunteers are needed to help with logistics, trans-
portation and other jobs for the fundraising, programming, publications, publicity, registration, facilities, exhibits and local arrangements committees. Anyone interested should contact RNNC2014@gmail.com or call (765) 983-7396. “If they let us know how they want to help, we’ll plug them in,” said Fields. The RNNC is a grassroots organization that serves as a forum for sharing experiences and knowledge among citizens, city staff, the private sector and elected officials for the
strengthening of towns, cities and counties through building the capacity of neighborhoods. Wayne County efforts that will be featured at the conference include Elizabeth Starr Academy, Girls Inc., Innovation Center, Olde North Chapel, Lemonade Day, Kids Fest, Hike Yourself Healthy and more. The conference will coincide with the Starr-Gennett Walk of Fame music festival. Organizers estimate participants will spend nearly $250,000 for lodging, shopping, dining and entertainment during their stay.
CALENDAR » Summer Experience at Earlham, 1-4 p.m. June 27 and July 11. For prospective students and their families. To register, go to www.earlham.edu and click on “Events at Earlham.” Link to registration form is with the event. » Urban Enterprise Association of Richmond board meeting, noon July 9, second floor of the municipal building, 50 N. Fifth St. Info: (765) 9837396. » Funding Options for Small Businesses, 2:30-4 p.m. July 16, 8500 Keystone Crossing, Suite 400, Indianapolis. Information and registration: www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3116. Click on “Find Events and Workshops in Your Area.” » Ivy Tech Community College Fall Express Registration, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 21-25, July 28Aug. 1; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. July 26; 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 9, 16 and 23. At Johnson Hall on the Richmond campus, 2357 Chester Blvd. » Women’s Networking Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. July 22. Location TBA. Info: Wayne County Foun-
dation, (765) 962-1638. » Richmond Redevelopment Commission, noon July 23, community room, first floor of the municipal building, 50 N. Fifth St. Info: (765) 9837342. » Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County board meeting, 4 p.m. Aug. 4, 500 S. A St., Suite 2, Richmond. Info: (765) 983-4769. Upcoming classes from the Indiana Small Business Development Center: To register, go to www.isbdc.org and click on workshops and events. » Launch Your Own Business: A Sound and Proven Path, 9 a.m.-noon July 11, Ivy Tech Community College, 2357 Chester Blvd., Richmond. Cost: $25. » Careers in Franchise Management, 6-8 p.m. July 15, FranNet of Mid-America, 8520 Allison Pointe Blvd., Indianapolis. Free. » Creating Valuable Connections Using Social Media, 8:30-10:30 a.m. July 16, River Point
Office Suites, 210 U.S. 52, Rushville. Free. » How to Create a Business Plan to Fuel Success, 6-7:30 p.m. July 21, 4312 Hobson Road, Fort Wayne. Cost: $25. Upcoming Small Business Administration webinars Information and registration: www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3116. Click on “Find Events and Workshops in Your Area.” » Exploring Business Ownership, 9:30-10:30 a.m. July 2 » Loan Clinic, 9-10 a.m. or noon-1 p.m. July 8 » Open the Door to Bonding, 10-11 a.m. July 9 » Worker Classification, 1-2 p.m. July 9 » How Your Small Business Can Benefit from Federal Contracting Programs, 8:30-11:30 a.m. July 10 » Selling to the Government, 11:30 a.m.-noon July 10 » Creating Budgets for a Financially Successful Business, 11 a.m.-noon July 15
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BUSINESS RECOGNITION
Training, charitable giving, award winners honored
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Members of the evening class of Manufacturing Matters pose after receiving their diplomas June 6 at Ivy Tech Community College. From left: Chris Becker, William Story, Dustan Wilson, Richard Baker and Eric Matthews. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Members of the morning class of Manufacturing Matters pose after receiving their diplomas June 6 at Ivy Tech Community College. From left: Barry Quante, Eric Hampshire, Larry Hampshire, James Barger, Trevor Atkins and Brenda Hollinger. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Dot Foods donated $500 to Hagerstown High School for use of its facility for their Driver Road-eo. Front row, from left: Casey Corbly, Dot transportation supervisor; Brent Lainhart, driver trainer; Mark Childs, HHS principal; Gerry Keesling, HHS athletic director; Randy Templin, Dot general manager; Sean Shelton, driver trainer. Back row, from left: Bob Jones, driver trainer; Sam Andrews, Dot director of transportation; and Becky Reynolds, Dot assistant transportation manager. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Kurt Abshire, left, executive director of Golden Living Center-Richmond, congratulates Tyler Rohrer, second from left, for winning the Golden Ladle Award at the annual Souper Douper Cook-Off fundraiser at Richmond Senior Community Center. Also pictured are Susan Miller, senior council president, and Leslie Hall, senior center director. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Alex Van Zant, director of donor services for the Indiana Lions Eye Bank, presents the Vision Award to representatives of Reid Hospital. More than 90 people received the gift of sight through Reid’s donation program in 2013. SUPPLIED PHOTO
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Representatives of West End Bank and Richmond Art Museum participate in a presentation of a $25,000 grant from the West End Bank Charitable Foundation. SUPPLIED
Richmond Lions Club member Jack Buckland, third from left, received an International President’s Award for Leadership at the Indiana Lions State Convention. Pictured with Buckland are, from left, Wayne Madden, immediate past international president; Reed Fish, governor of District 25F; and Barry Palmer, international president. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Craig Kinyon, center, president and CEO of Reid Hospital, received a Grassroots Champions award from the American Hospital Association. Pictured with Kinyon are, from left, Doug Leonard of the Indiana Hospital Association, Jon Ford and John McBride of Reid’s governing board, and Richard Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association. SUPPLIED PHOTO
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1005 South “Q� St. Richmond (765)962-3577
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Susan Issacs, center left, and representatives of the city of Richmond and the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce at the grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the Grassroots Action Resource Center on April 28.
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Hilling Moving & Storage
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Marianne Kuntz of West End Bank presents Doug Kuntz of Pro’s Players “Fore� Parkinson’s with a check for $506 in May. Each month, bank employees raise money for an area non-profit. SUPPLIED PHOTO
• Banners Vinyl Lettering & Decals • Corrugated & PVC Signs • Magnetic Signs • Vehicle Lettering • Interior & Exterior Signs Name Badges • Rubber Stamps 1001 South E Street • Richmond, IN
PH. 962-3636
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