The Franklin: March 10, 2017

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restaurant

businesses

feature

Coffee and counseling:

Town expecting new businesses: Meijer, Marshall’s, PetSmart and more coming to Franklin

Man of the hour: Senior earns fellowship, grows hair for donation

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Local coffeehouse puts money toward counseling efforts

Friday, March 10, 2017 | TheFranklinNews.com

Franklin graduate’s letter to Ivanka Trump goes viral SHELBY MULLIS

shelby.mullis@franklincollege.edu

Less than 48 hours is all it took for a mother-to-mother letter to get national attention. Concerned with the safety of her twoyear-old son, Franklin College graduate and Indianapolis mother Lindsay Hadley took to a pen and paper. In a one-page letter addressed to Theodore’s mom—best known as Ivanka Trump, daughter of President Donald Trump—Hadley asked the working 35-year-old mother to use her “influence within the administration” to consider toning down the rhetoric to ensure the safety of the nation’s children. But there’s a story behind Hadley’s motivation to write the letter. When Hadley first discovered bruises on her two-year-old son’s legs, it was as though her worst nightmare had come true. After rushing him to the emergency room, doctors completed a full body scan to check for bone damage, caused by suspected daycare abuse. But after that moment, Hadley, who works as an Indianapolis art director, knew she had to find a new environment for her son, Milo, to feel safe in while she worked during the day. Extensive research led Hadley and Milo’s dad to the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation’s Early Childhood Center. “We finally felt like we didn’t have to worry about him during the day,” Hadley said. For nearly a year, they found comfort in knowing their son was safe. But another nightmare caused that com-

fort to vanish. The Jewish Community Center Indianapolis, just blocks away from Milo’s daycare, was one of several Jewish centers in more than 30 states targeted with a bomb threat earlier this week. The Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation’s Early Childhood Center sent an immediate alert to parents, making them aware of the threat and ensuring their children were safe. But with a mother’s instinct, Hadley found herself fearing for the safety of her child, once again. Due to the lack of funds available to support organizations she is pas-

We’re counting on you to help this administration rise to the occasion. – Lindsay Hadley, addressing Ivanka Trump

sionate about, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Hadley said she wanted to find another way to make a difference that didn’t involve anything but a few minutes and 49 cents for a stamp. “Ms. Trump: We have thoroughly enjoyed looking at photos of Baby Theodore in the White House. Our little boy, Milo, is just about the same age. He has piles

about the safety of our little boy. Who would want to hurt a child? Any child? From one mother to another, I’m begging you to use your influence within the administration to tone down the rhetoric that would inspire someone to hurt children. Please. Thank you for your time, and thank you in advance for your assistance. We’re counting on you to help this administration rise to the occasion. Best, Lindsay Hadley Milo’s Mom Concerned Parent American”

of curly, red hair and he loves giraffes. It was about this time last year that Milo was abused at day care. When While Hadley admits that Ivanka we showed the ER doctors his bruised Trump may never read the handwritlegs, they feared they were broken ten letter, people around the world are and ordered a full-body skeletal scan. As you can imagine, that event seeing it. After posting the letter on shook us to our core. Milo’s bruises her Facebook, Hadley received more healed, and the state investigated the than 300 responses through likes, day care provider. But it took us quite comments and shares. Hadley said her ultimate goal is to some time to trust anyone to care for ensure the safety of children, like Milo, him again. That is, until we found the India- across America. “My hope is that things get better,” napolis Hebrew Congregation’s Early Hadley said. Childhood Center. The night before Milo started his new school, I whispered in his ear, ‘Be nice. Have fun. Be safe. Feel loved.’ I was confident of the center, but I cried from the parking lot to my office every day for two weeks. I’m sure as a working mother you can appreciate knowing your child is in the best of care during the day. Milo loves going to school, and I know they love him. I knew he was safe until yesterday morning when the Jewish Community Center was evacuated because of a bomb threat. Milo’s Photo submitted by Lindsay Hadley school was rattled. Franklin College alumna Lindsay Hadley wrote a letter to Ivanka Trump, daughter Once again, Milo’s of President Donald Trump. Her message revolved around her son, Milo, and his dad and I are worried experience at the Hebrew Congregation’s Early Childhood Center.


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