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CULTURE COUNTS: AHS FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT PROGRAM GROWS RELATIONSHIPS, ENLIGHTENS MINDS & INSPIRES CONFIDENCE

Avon High School’s (AHS) year-long exchange student program has been around for decades, but according to Judy Garcia, AHS’ Guidance Director, its popularity has grown through the years. When Garcia first started at AHS, the school only had one or two students a year. Now, however, they take up to 10 juniors a year, who hail from all different countries. This year the high school had the most diverse group in its history, with eight countries represented: Germany, Japan, Denmark, Iceland, Pakistan, Sweden, Belgium and Tajikistan.

7 Culture Counts: AHS Foreign

Exchange Student Program Grows Relationships, Enlightens Minds & Inspires Confidence

14 Small Beginnings: The Garden Cycle Begins Within The Seed

16 New Year, New You 19 Country Heritage Winery Offers

Award-Winning Wine

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Mom Spearheads Fight to End Human Trafficking

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Culture Counts AHS Foreign Exchange Student Program Grows Relationships, Enlightens Minds & Inspires Confidence

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Amy Payne

having a student from Egypt, which was unique,” Garcia says.

countries with stronger English speaking, writing and comprehension skills.”

AHS has also hosted students from Italy, France, Brazil, Spain, Slovakia, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea and the Czech Republic.

Garcia maintains that the best way to become more accepting of others is to immerse oneself in that culture.

While visiting the United States, students have the opportunity to share their culture with those at AHS. “It’s a great way for them to learn many things about other countries’ education, weather, food, dress, sports, extracurricular, commerce and government,” Garcia says. “I hope that our exchange students, likewise, go back to their AvonMagazine.com / JANUARY 2020 / AVON MAGAZINE / 7

“Our AHS students should feel fortunate to attend a high school with many different cultures represented,” she says. “What a great learning opportunity in and of itself, to be a citizen of such a diverse school as ours. And the more students are willing to step out of their comfort zone and learn about and interact with people who may not be just like them, the more blessed and enriched human beings they will be.”

Though the experience was a real growth opportunity for her, Romana Smejkalova from the Czech Republic recommends it only for students who are brave, adventurous and ready to embrace life in a foreign country. “You experience a lot of ups and downs throughout the year [as well as] misunderstandings, which is normal. But for some, the culture exchange is a big shock,” Smejkalova says. But then there are the fun memories — like when she got to light the Christmas tree in downtown Indianapolis. “That was an extremely cool thing!” she says. Lena Rosa Nymphius, who visited from Germany, was a little overwhelmed at the enormity of AHS when she first arrived.

patience and understanding for things people do differently, [and recognizing] that there is no right or wrong when it comes to political or religious beliefs,” she says. Laura Fischer, an exchange student from Germany, says that although she was equally nervous and excited about traveling to the United States to live for a year, her host family and school community quickly alleviated her fears. The same was true for Runchidapat Bumrungcheep from Thailand. “My host family was the coolest ever,” she says. “They were friendly and open-minded. They treated me like their actual daughter so it didn’t take long for me to feel at home with them.”

Ron and Natalie Vernick, seasoned hosts who “The high school was so big, I felt anonymous have housed a total of 13 exchange students, used to foster children. After adopting their at first,” Nymphius says. daughter Naïka (currently a junior at AHS), But she soon settled into her new life. they wanted to grow their family and hosting exchange students fit the bill beautifully. “[I liked] getting to know a culture, learning

“This seems to be the way that God has blessed us with lots of kids,” Natalie says. “We try very hard to make them feel like our own child.” Each year before their student arrives, the Vernicks send their exchange student lots of information about their family, including their household rules and basic schedules. “When they arrive, we start getting them used to our schedule right away. We have them get up close to the time we normally do and go to bed around when we do,” Natalie says. “A couple weeks after they arrive, we have an end-of-summer party so they can get to know some people.” The family includes their exchange student in all of their activities, including going to the gym, church, sporting events, family parties and restaurants. “That is what I loved most,” Fischer says.

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“They made me feel welcome from the beginning.” Once she started school and met new people who were open to get to know her and her culture, she was totally at ease. “I love that I can call Avon my second home!” she says.

Stephanie Cotton welcome Anju from Japan

Many folks assume that exchange students are randomly assigned to a host family, but that’s not the way it works. Host families choose their exchange student by reviewing different profiles. “There are people that can help guide you to a student that will fit in your family,” says Natalie, who stresses that one shouldn’t avoid hosting a student for fear of separating at the end of the year. “Yes, it’s hard to let them go, but if it’s an easy goodbye, then you know it was not a good year,” Natalie says. “You want that sad goodbye.”

Vernicks' daughter Naika & current exchange student from Japan.

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2019-20 Exchange Students Pictured: • Anju Aoki (Japan) • Luna Hanselmann (Demark) • Tinna Klemenzdottir (Iceland) • Yuka Mizutani (Japan) • Jule Moeller (Germany) • Justine Ringoet (Belgium) • Lars Hampus Westanau (Sweden) • Khobjikobijon Mamadjonov (Tajikistan)

Avon residents Tim and Stephanie Cotton are currently hosting Anju Aoki, 18, from Japan. Though the couple admits that they were initially a little overwhelmed at the thought of being responsible for someone else’s precious child, the experience has been both fun and rewarding. “Encouraging and helping her to be involved in school activities & clubs, going to events, meeting new people, and having routines gives her a sense of belonging,” Stephanie says. “Planning sightseeing trips gives her something to look forward to.” The Cottons have been pleased with how quickly they all have bonded. “It’s been cool to see how much she accepts us and actually sees us as her ‘parents,’” Stephanie says. “It’s an indescribable feeling.” For Aoki, it’s the little things that have meant so much — watching Netflix with her host

family, going for walks in the neighborhood, attending football games & parties.

The Vernick’s current exchange student, Yuka Mizutani, is from Japan. She has thoroughly enjoyed the kind community, her welcoming host family, her school friends and the great food.

“It’s just everyday life, but I like it!” she says. She also is impressed by how the Avon community embraces its students and how business owners sponsor high school students. “I was not expecting [to find] Chick-fil-A,” Mizutani says. “I’m gonna miss it!” One of the primary reasons students choose Garcia notes that it takes a strong, confident to participate in an exchange program is young person to be away from home for to immerse themselves in the culture and almost a full year, in a foreign country, staying improve their English. Such was the case with a family they have never met. for Veronika Marečková, who traveled from Slovakia. And though the students do enjoy “I’m sure it isn’t easy for their biological learning and growing both culturally and parents, either, but I feel sure that much linguistically, the take-away always goes far planning, research and thought goes into it,” deeper. Garcia says. “These young people definitely “People in States are much happier, have a once-in-a-lifetime experience that spontaneous, and willing to help you,” they will recall and learn from for the rest of Marečková says. “I also like how people are their lives. It wouldn’t surprise me that they friendly and no one is rushing in comparison become worldly travelers in the future.” with my country.” 10 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2020 / AvonMagazine.com

Exchange Students Share the Differences in Life in the U.S. as Opposed to Their Home Country “How huge some American holidays are here — like Halloween and Thanksgiving! Also, people’s passion for sports here!” – Laura Fischer, Germany “Czech stores, schools, houses and almost everything is smaller than in the U.S. Also Czech people don’t go to church and American people do.” – Romana Smejkalova, Czech Republic “There are a lot of fast food commercials, traffic lights are on wires, buildings are larger & wider, dogs are bigger, and I get compliments from strangers about my fashion and makeup.” – Anju Aoki, Japan “Families in the States spend more time together than in Slovakia. The schools seem to be much bigger, more coherent, and the school system more practical and fun, whereas in Slovakia is it more theoretical.” – Veronika Marečková, Slovakia

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“Everything is bigger than in my country: schools, buildings, cars, meals, and so on. Also the dress code [is different]. In my country, students have to wear a school uniform, but here I can wear anything that I want. And [in Japan] students can’t wear makeup, color their hair, or pierce anything. But American students can do it all.” Yuka Mizutani, Japan “Religion: In Germany you get taught in school about different religions and you read the Bible in a more open-minded way. Politics: In the U.S., people are much more patriotic and it seems like it is way more subjective. In Germany, it seems to be more objective, plus you have way more parties to vote for (five major parties).” – Lena Rosa Nymphius, Germany

“Americans have lots of junk food and carbs, but in my country rice is common for food. Also in Avon there is no public transportation. Everyone uses a car, but in my 39-4886country they have train, taxi, or motorcycles that you can use.” Main St. – Runchidapat Bumrungcheep, om/Plain-eld Thailand

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SMALL BEGINNINGS

THE GARDEN CYCLE BEGINS WITHIN THE SEED all over again for the gardener. I love the organic, non-GMO seed providers like, Seed The real birth of any garden begins within Savers Exchange, Seeds of Change, and the seed. Seeds are an incredible thing to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. But my two work with and teach your children about favorites are Renee’s Seeds and Johnny’s particularly when it comes to teaching about Select. They have a fantastic selection and where our food originates. While it is way a great corporate culture. Renee often too soon to begin your seeds for the garden answers her own phone while working in indoors, January is an excellent month to her California garden. I have trusted the begin planning and dreaming a bit about germination (when the seed pops open) what you would like to accomplish once of their seeds for many years. All can be the rush of spring chores arrives. This is the found online. time to get organized! It is so important to select heirloom and This is the month that seed catalogs begin non-GMO varieties. Heirloom seeds are to arrive in the mail. It is like Christmas defined seeds found prior to World War Writer / Carrie Petty

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II and of original origin. Organic nonGMO seeds are defined as seeds that have not been ‘Genetically Modified’ or cross-pollinated with GMO seed pollen. Non-GMO seeds are not owned by mega companies, I think food and seeds are a natural born right, just like food. If you own the seed, you own the food. And if you own the food system…Well now, don’t get me started. Now, I am from a ‘Big Ag’ family, and I appreciate the great need to feed the world. I am a woman who has fought for justice in the poverty arena all her life. But there is a deep need today for balance in the farming

world. More and more companies are seeking agricultural balance, which is wonderful. And in the home garden, where our small batches of food are grown, the organic path is easy to accomplish. Besides, who wants a GMO seed with Salmon DNA in your homegrown tomatoes? Yuck! This is an excellent month to search seed catalogs and find the type of plants you would like to begin indoors in the month of February. In Indianapolis, we are in Zone 5b. Hoosiers begin ‘sowing’ (placing

seeds under the soil) seeds indoors around February 15. You can begin with your ‘cold crops’ like Kale, Spinach, Kohlrabi, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage and more. These veggies are called cold crops because, you guessed it, they love the cold. Cool, fun fact, did you know Pansy flowers are in the Spinach family and are also edible? They are a cold crop too and you may begin sowing Pansy seeds really early. Organization is the key to excellent seed germination and success. Keep a journal and a garden calendar. Note when you started and when you see the first leaves

emerge. The back of your seed envelope will have all the instruction you need, so keep them for further seasonal instructions. Keep your seed packets in an airtight container. I love a product called the Seed Keeper Deluxe. If you need help, ask your local garden center for instruction. Gardeners in general love to teach, and I love sharing these tips with you all to help you learn how to, “Grow a More Beautiful Life!” Happy planting!

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Start 2020 With the Healthiest Version of Yourself While New Year’s resolutions are motivating and often well-intended, they are also easy to forget around end of January. This year, instead of creating a single resolution to eat clean or workout six days a week, kick off 2020 by focusing on being the healthiest version of yourself and creating a lifestyle change. Dr. Gal Marcan, family medicine specialist at IU Health Physicians Primary Care in Avon, suggests the following three tips for changing your lifestyle. Start small. Changing your lifestyle is not going to happen overnight. What small changes can you implement every day? Perhaps you can make a point to skip the elevator and take the stairs, practice 30 minutes of movement each day, or commit to a cut-off time with your eating habits to avoid late night binging or snacking. Practice balanced eating, rather than a strict diet plan. Expecting yourself to eat clean 100% of the time is setting yourself up for failure.

A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule. Try to make healthy choices 80% of the time, allowing yourself to indulge or choose less healthy options 20% of the time. Instead of cutting out carbs and sugar completely from your diet, substitute them with healthier options. Substitute white rice and bread for brown rice and whole grain bread or choose a piece of fruit instead of candy when you’re craving something sweet. Schedule a doctors’ appointment. There is more to a healthy lifestyle than just diet and exercise. You shouldn’t only be going to a doctor when something is wrong. Schedule annual appointments with your doctor to discuss age-appropriate screenings such as heart scans, mammograms and other wellness screenings. Regular visits with your doctor can help detect a problem before it even starts. Remember that it is never too late or too early to take control of your health. Every body and everybody is different. It’s important to create a lifestyle that works for you.

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The heart of bustling Plainfield houses a tasting room of Country Heritage Winery, owned by Jennifer and Jeremy Lutter. But they, and their wine, actually originated in northern Indiana, and it all began with the simple act of growing produce. Jennifer and Jeremy both grew up on family farms. Jeremy especially has a deep love for growing basically anything. “We raised corn, beans, a lot of produce, and we even started a u-pick blueberry and blackberry farm,” Jennifer says. The u-pick berries turned out to be pivotal in their business. When the fruit that didn’t get picked went soft, they sold it to local wineries to make wine. In the process, the Lutters got

to know local winemakers. “We thought about it and figured, hey, we could do this,” Jennifer says. “So, Jeremy decided he wanted to start growing grapes.”

2018 and opened the doors in June, the same time they opened the doors of a new location in Nashville, IN, as well.

“We just knew we needed to make a presence in other areas,” Jennifer says. “The Plainfield After a few years of research, the Lutters location put us right in Indianapolis. We have planted eight acres of grapes. Since then, customers all over, and this is a great midthey’ve grown to 60 acres of grapes that make range location.” up their award-winning wine. They opened the doors to Country Heritage Winery in The Lutters wasted no time renovating the LaOtto in 2011. new tasting room, adding an expansive outdoor patio and renovations inside, The decision to open a wine tasting room including a new entryway, brand new bar in Plainfield came about through their stops and a cozy tasting room. The entryway wholesale relationships and the desire to boasts their philosophy, awards they’ve expand and offer their wines across the state. earned, and the history of their winery, They were wholesaling in the Indianapolis including maps of fruit farms. area and happened upon Chateau Thomas, a popular Hendricks County winery that was “We really want you to feel comfortable and up for sale after being open since 1984. They stay awhile,” Jennifer adds. “Hang out and purchased Chateau Thomas in March of enjoy yourself.” JANUARY 2020

All wines are produced in their production facility in LaOtto and shipped fresh. Their wine philosophy is based on the principle that good fruit makes good wine. “We only use the best fruit,” Jennifer says. “And even if we have to purchase it, we know the vendors, we know the growers, we know their processes. We are very particular about what goes into our wines. You have to start with a good base before it can become anything.” All of their fruits come from their familyowned farm, Blueberry Acres which is also in LaOtto, Indiana. If they have to purchase other fruits, they only purchase from reputable fruit farms across the United States. This method appears to be working. Country Heritage has received numerous awards at the Indy International Wine Competition such as the Governor’s Cup

in 2017, and the Farm Winery of the Year Award in both 2015 and 2016. They were also named the Indiana State Fair’s Winery of the year in 2019. The State Fair also awarded them the Wine of the Year for their Petite Sirah, a dry dark wine, and Traminette of the Year, a dry white wine with hints of melon. But there are tons of options besides these winning wines, and Jennifer insists anyone can find something they like. “We are everybody’s winery,” Jennifer says. “Our servers are great to work with. We have dry red to sweet dessert wines. Whatever your pallet prefers, we have it.” A few of their most popular awarded wines are Marquette, a dry red with flavors of cherry, Vintner’s Cuvee, another dry red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and petite sirah, the Traminette, a semi-dry white JANUARY 2020

with fruity notes, the Cranberry Riesling, a tart and sweet blend and the Heritage Red, which is actually described as Concord Grape Jelly in a glass. The Jug Series (Strawberry Blush, Blackberry Merlot and Peach Chardonnay) are in homage to Dr. Thomas while also memorializing Abe Martin, the 100-year-old fictional character who roams the streets of Nashville and surrounding Brown County areas. Jessica Dennis loves that the winery is accessible and approachable for people from all walks of life. She’s been with Country Heritage for nine years, working her way from tasting room manager to the current Executive Director of all three locations. “Everyone is welcome,” Dennis says. “People from all walks of life are welcome.

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either outside if the weather is pleasant or upstairs above the tasting room when the weather is not ideal. In the past, music has included Black Orchid, The Dukes, Chris and the Social Studs and others. Some like to sit and sip, while others like to be active. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, Country Heritage features Zumba, with a glass of wine to celebrate completion of the class. The cost of the class is $10 and is the perfect opportunity to meet up with friends, get a workout in and check out this new local winery. The people and relationships are Jennifer’s favorite part about being in the winemaking industry. She’s constantly meeting new people, making new connections and loves seeing who comes and goes each day. Between her relational expertise, and her husband’s passion for growing, Country Heritage has a good foundation in processing and networking. “Come and give us a try,” Jennifer says. “I think you’ll be happy when you come in. No matter how experienced or knowledgeable you are, there’s somebody there who can help you. We’ve started JANUARY 2020

from scratch and learned along the way, and we want to share that knowledge with you.” While Country Heritage prioritizes quality over quantity, they still aim to be a household name throughout the state of Indiana and beyond. The past year has been a testament to their growth and hard work, but they aren’t done yet. According to Dennis, 2020 may be an even bigger year than 2019. “Going into the future, we have some big, exciting things happening,” Dennis says. “To give you a teaser, we have some bubbly things coming up. We hope people get excited about some of the surprises we’ll be pulling out of our sleeves.” Country Heritage Winery is located at 6291 Cambridge Way in Plainfield. You can visit them online at countryheritagewinery.com or give them a call at 317-837-9463 for more information.

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Supporters at Purchased's recent annual kickball fundraiser, Kick For One

Hendricks County Mom Spearheads Fight to End Human Trafficking Writer / Jamie Hergott Photography Provided

Trafficking Hotline). This number is up from 96 in 2017 and 86 in 2017.

If you would have told Hendricks County Resident Jessica Evans 10 years ago that by 2020, she would be the founder of one of the state’s leading anti-trafficking organizations, she would have laughed.

While Evans said the numbers are going up most likely because entities are getting better at reporting these situations, it still barely scratches the surface of this multi-billion-dollar industry.

“I would have never dared to lead anything,” Evans says. “I simply picked up a book to learn about something I was interested in. And now here we are.” Evans lives with her husband, Trevor, and their 18-month-old Joshua on the east side of Brownsburg, and she is the founder of Purchased, a local non-profit committed to helping communities fight human trafficking, the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor. While the term human trafficking has become a media buzz word, its presence is very real in the state of Indiana, 142 cases having been reported this year alone (according to the National Human

Purchased’s goal is to raise awareness through education. Staff and volunteers speak at churches, businesses and schools to educate the public on trafficking. Their programs include teaching statewide curriculums to local at-risk youth, training mentors to walk alongside trafficking survivors and providing support to families of survivors. It wasn’t the statistics that originally drew her in, however. Evans graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2003. She taught kindergarten and first grade in Pike Township for nine years. In 2007, she became interested in the topic of human trafficking. Although it was a sobering topic, Evans had always been drawn to the marginalized.

JANUARY 2020

As she was researching the topic of trafficking, Evans participated in a mission trip to Nepal, a country in South Asia, through a local nonprofit. The trip allowed her to meet and work with women who had been rescued from a life of trafficking and were learning trades, such as making jewelry and soap, in order to support themselves and their families. Evans vividly remembers one woman in particular. She was young, in her late teens and stunningly beautiful with shiny dark hair and a dazzling smile. She was making jewelry at the ministry Evans and her friends visited and her joy was palpable. “We were laughing with her and sharing moments together,” Evans says. “I remember thinking, how can you live through what you lived through and still laugh?’” The trip was transformative for Evans. “It put this thing I had been learning about in the flesh,” Evans says. “These girls, literally like you and me, have been through unimaginable things. When I came home, I had to reconcile what to do with that. It was no longer an issue ‘out there.’” Once Evans was back in the states, she took her burden to her small group at church and asked for their ideas and prayers. Within a few months, she felt God calling her to organize a concert to raise money to help anti human trafficking efforts. She gathered a few friends for a breakfast meeting, and by the end of the day their benefit concert was slotted for the fall of 2008. Several hundred concert-goers showed up to hear local artists play, and money was raised for Love 146, a national non-profit that offers survivor care and prevention training. However, when it was over, Evans and her friends didn’t account for the sheer number of people who would approach them after the concert, asking how they could help or get involved. Jessica & Trevor Evans, & son Joshua

“They would send us messages saying, ‘Ok, you told us, so what do we do now?’ And we didn’t have an answer for them,” Evans says. JANUARY 2020

Jessica & the Purchased Staff

Evans pursued another concert the next year, but this time added a movie and discussion night the week before the concert, showing a two-part documentary about trafficking. Soon, raising money didn’t feel like enough. They began volunteering with Indiana Protection for Abused and Trafficked Humans Task Force (IPATH). Then, Evans and her friends were being asked to speak locally about trafficking in churches and businesses. After attending a Love 146 conference, Evans became overwhelmed and decided to dump all her thoughts into her journal to process everything she was learning. “Those notes became our mission and vision statement as an organization,” Evans says. Evans and her team, made up of mostly teachers, decided to press into that vision, naming their group Purchased after scripture in the bible that inspired Evans to dedicate her life to reaching out to at-risk youth and trafficking survivors. The group got their official non-profit status in 2011. Things never slowed down. From movie and discussion nights to book clubs to guest speakers, running Purchased was nearly turning into a full-time job for Evans, who was still a full-time kindergarten teacher in Pike Township schools. The load was taking its toll. With the encouragement of friends, she quit her job and was hired fulltime in 2015. Over the years, Evans, along with the help of her board, guided

Purchased through expanding past education. They began getting trained in My Life My Choice, a curriculum aimed at preventing sexual exploitation in youths by teaching them goals, healthy relationships, perceptions about the commercial sex industry and skills to help reduce their risk of exploitation. This curriculum is for at risk youth, as well as those who have been trafficked and is taught in schools, residential facilities and group homes. Evans helped teach their first MLMC class in 2014 at Paddock View Residential Facility in Marion, the average age of the class being 16 years old. It was the first time Purchased had been able to work with survivors in Indianapolis. The experience shook Evans. Students shared their stories in journals for the teachers to read in between classes. “We read the journals and wept over them each week,” Evans recalls. “It was so humbling and so awesome. We just bonded with those girls.” From then on, Evans did her best to keep her finger on the pulse of what need Purchased could fill. The next need: helping support girls once they’ve taken the MLMC class or have been rescued from trafficking. This led to Purchased writing a mentorship curriculum called Allies. Allies is designed to train volunteer mentors to walk alongside survivors, offering unconditional friendship and support, something

JANUARY 2020

many survivors never had. “Case managers come to an end,” Evans says. “Therapists come to an end. And services end at age 18. Many of these girls have no one. We wanted to provide someone to walk them through all of that.” Allies mentors link their mentees to appropriate community resources and help with academic or career skills. Mentors are also simply there to offer a listening ear, have fun and be a positive presence through the ups and downs of life. For these girls, extreme trauma and often family abandonment they endured at very young ages make it difficult to make wise decisions and commit to a successful path. Quarterly, Purchased provides a gathering for all mentors and mentees, offering painting classes, cooking lessons, cookouts and holiday parties. Mentors are trusted friends for their mentees. Purchased also offers a support group called Thrive, designed specifically for parents and caregivers of trafficking survivors. Purchased still heavily focuses on community education, speaking with businesses, schools, churches, colleges and other groups about the signs of trafficking. They regularly hold fundraising events, such

as their annual Kick For One, a community kickball tournament, Illuminate, a silent auction and dinner held every spring and other seasonal campaigns to encourage involvement. Evans wants people to know that no one is immune to trafficking. “The first girl we ever had in our mentorship program was from Hamilton County,” Evans says. “A common factor of trafficking is relational poverty, and you can have that wherever you live. It’s just a lack of healthy relationships.” That relational aspect is what Purchased strives to provide for survivors. Two hundred and fifty girls have taken the MLMC class, and there are 15 mentors in Indianapolis right now matched with mentees who have survived trafficking. “It’s very difficult to hear these stories,” Evans says. “But there is hope. You can make a difference, whether it’s prevention, giving resources, knowing the red flags or spending time with our mentees. You’re providing healthy relationships that they wouldn’t have otherwise. And that makes all the difference.”

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The Avon Marching Black and Gold recently won its 14th state title at the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Championship. AHS Band Director Jay Webb has won the most titles among band directors in Indiana.Â AMB&G went on to compete nationally in the Bands of America Grand National Championship where the team won the Regional title and came in second at the national level where they have previously won three titles.

30 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2020 / AvonMagazine.com

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Welcome Dr. Emily Cha to our team of highly skilled physicians in Avon. Emily Cha, MD is now accepting new patients. Dr. Cha is fellowship trained in sports medicine and sees general orthopedic patients.

Call to schedule an appointment: 317.944.9400

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RICK SHAW HAS A RICH HISTORY WITH SPORTS GREATS Writer / Jamie Hergott Photography Provided

couldn’t jump,” Shaw says, laughing. “That limits your sports career.”

Rick Shaw has been selling insurance for 15 years, but his real claim to fame comes from his previous career as an athletic trainer. For years, Shaw worked with some of the biggest names in professional sports, from Chris Ballard to Tony Gwynn to Larry Bird.

The school’s basketball coach at the time got Shaw involved as a manager at the high school, taping ankles and helping with minor injuries.

Shaw grew up in Plainfield, attended Plainfield High School, and currently serves as Chairman of the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce Board. Since the seventh grade, Shaw wanted to be an athletic trainer. As much as he loved sports, he felt he lacked a few good things to pursue sports past high school. “I was too short, too fat, too slow, and I

He never dreamed his humble beginnings would lead him not only to brushing shoulders with some of the biggest names in sports but becoming lifelong friends with them. It all started after high school. Shaw went on to become a manager and student trainer at Indiana State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. AvonMagazine.com / JANUARY 2020 / AVON MAGAZINE / 33

He returned for a fifth year as the administrative coach and assistant athletic trainer for the Indiana State Sycamores, one of the school’s greatest men’s basketball teams in history. During the 1978-1979 season, the team was led by Larry Bird, a senior at the time, and undefeated in the regular season. However, they lost the championship game to Michigan State, led by Magic Johnson. Shaw still considers his experience one for the books, having just recently reunited with the team for a 40th anniversary weekend in Terre Haute this summer. “We had a wonderful time,” Shaw says. “These are lifelong friendships. It truly feels like time hasn’t passed, even if it’s been 10 years. It’s like that with all those guys.

Everybody likes each other.” Shaw was particularly impacted by his longtime friendship with Larry Bird. “You can’t talk about me without talking about Bird,” Shaw says. “He’s always been great to me and has opened more doors for me in my life that he doesn’t even know about. He’s just like your neighbor, just a regular guy.” In fact, Shaw’s connection with Bird is showcased at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. “There is a four-foot by six-foot photo of Larry Bird on the bench with his head in his hands at the Championship game,” Shaw says, referring to the 1979 NCAA Championship game. “My whole back and shoulder are in the photo. I was kneeling in front of him. My daughter thought that was so cool.”

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Rick, just to the right of Larry Bird, at an Indiana State game

“Have your dreams. Don’t throw them away. Hang on to them and set yourself up to follow those things. Do the things that interest you because you’re not living someone else’s life. You’re living your life. Make it as fun as you want.” - Rick Shaw

Later in his career, when Shaw was living in Texas, the San Antonio Spurs were in town, and Bird gave him a call to see if he was going to the game. Bird offered him two free tickets, one each for Shaw and his wife. However, when they showed up to the game, they found that seats were actually 10 seats apart with Cedric ‘Cornbread’ Maxwell, a forward for the Boston Celtics at the time, and his entire family sitting between them. “I said to Bird, ‘What gives?’” Shaw says. “Bird told me, ‘Hey, the tickets were free. Shut up.’ We had such a good time at that game though.” That wasn’t the last Shaw would see of sports’ biggest names. After his stint at ISU, Shaw became an athletic trainer for the professional baseball team Pittsburgh Pirates and then the San Diego Padres, serving as Tony Gwynn’s very first athletic trainer in his professional career. Gwynn, nicknamed “Mr. Padre,” was a right fielder who earned eight batting titles, tied for the most in MLB history. “He’s a very good guy,” Shaw says. “Everyone warned me that he would be very difficult to work with, but he was the total opposite. He was very easy to work with. He was such a talent.” Later in his career, Shaw became the head athletic trainer at Texas City High School, where he became friends with yet another significant sports figure in Indianapolis. Chris Ballard, current General Manager of the Indianapolis Colts, was the quarterback of the Texas City High School Team.

AvonMagazine.com / JANUARY 2020 / AVON MAGAZINE / 35

Shaw formed a unique connection with Ballard because of their family background.

during tough practices in the extremely humid air near Galveston Bay.

“We gravitated together,” Shaw says. “His father wasn’t in the picture, so his life and my life were about the same because my father wasn’t in the picture either.”

“He was the best,” Shaw says of Ballard. “He grew up in football and his grandpa was our football coordinator.”

Shaw still remembers how hard Ballard worked at football. He recalls giving Ballard, a severe asthmatic, breathing treatments

As Shaw’s personal life took on more importance with the arrival of a daughter, he wanted to move back to Indiana. He ended up leaving Texas City High school during

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Ballard’s senior year, something Ballard still gives him grief for all these years later. Last November, Ballard spoke at the Annual Chamber dinner and mentioned how Shaw left him during the most important year of his high school career. “He still won’t let me forget it,” Shaw says. Shaw settled down as an athletic trainer at Rose-Hulman for five years, but the constant traveling for games was taking a toll. Shaw’s good friend, Steve Reed, who had been a guard on the’79 Sycamores team, offered Shaw a job starting a sports medicine program at Terre Haute Regional. Shaw still marvels how the connections from athletic training have followed him all his life and paved paths he never saw coming. “You can’t plot this stuff out,” Shaw says shrugging. “I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the world.” After more than eight years in the hospital sports medicine business, Shaw decided to switch gears. “I was kind of a free agent,” he says. “I looked at everything. I looked at buying a bar, I looked at selling smoothies out of my trunk, I looked at buying a McDonald’s. Insurance made sense. It’s a lot like athletic training. You get to help people prepare for bad things to happen, and when they do, you help them rehabilitate to get back to where they were.”

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Shaw loves being back in Hendricks County, serving on the local Chamber of Commerce, Optimist Board and being involved with the local schools. Shaw works hard at improving the world around him. His motto in life is, “Dreams Don’t Have Deadlines.” “Have your dreams,” Shaw says. “Don’t throw them away. Hang on to them and set yourself up to follow those things. Do the things that interest you because you’re not living someone else’s life. You’re living your life. Make it as fun as you want.”

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Dr. Tavel was founded in the 1940s by Dr. David Tavel, a proud Indiana native. He has since passed away but his two sons, Alan and Larry, are continuing his legacy of providing quality and convenient eye care to Hoosiers. Currently, Dr. Alan Tavel is a practicing optometrist with the company, and Larry Tavel, MD, serves as the company president. Helping Hoosiers see better is the mission at Dr. Tavel. “When my father opened our first office, he did so with the goal of making 20/20 vision accessible and convenient for everyone,” says Dr. Larry Tavel. “We’re still driven by this mission every day and look forward to serving the Avon community with the addition of our new location on U.S. 36.” Dr. Tavel, whose practice began in the Claypool Hotel in downtown Indy and expanded over time all around the state, has

offices as far north as Elkhart, as far east as Richmond, as far west as Terre Haute and as far south as Columbus. With a dozen locations in the greater Indianapolis metro area, their 22nd store just opened in Avon. “Over the last 80 years, Dr. Tavel has grown into one of Indiana’s leading privately held practices,” says Kent Iglehart, General Manager. Not only is Dr. Tavel located all over the state and headquartered on the west side of Indy, their eyewear is assembled right here in Indianapolis. “We have a manufacturing facility in Indy where we cut the lenses and put them in the frame, so when you buy from us, your work is not being taken out of state,” Iglehart says. Through January 31st, each patient who visits the newest Dr. Tavel location at 7900 East U.S. Highway 36 and receives an eye exam will also receive a free pair of prescription sunglasses.

One thing that sets Dr. Tavel apart from other eye care centers is that they accept all vision insurance. According to Judy Walrath, OD, Director of Professional Relations, their motto is, “We see everyone.” From a doctor’s standpoint, Dr. Tavel embraces the idea of being a provider that can cover everyone’s vision needs. Dr. Tavel is a leading provider for VSP, which is the single largest vision insurance plan in the United States. “We are a Premier Provider for them and we’re really proud of that,” Iglehart says. “That means that when you come to us as a VSP member, you get more value. We help you maximize your insurance benefits.” They are also proud to take Medicaid and the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), as well as a variety of other commercial insurances such as Anthem and EyeMed. Plus, they provide outstanding quality service to their patients. “We truly do embrace the idea of serving entire communities regardless of insurance and socioeconomic status,” Walrath says. “We are focused on making sure the community is taken care of.” Walrath notes that they do more than just provide glasses and contacts for patients. She stresses the importance of getting regular eye exams in order to check for disease. Though some may scoff at the notion of annual eye exams, Walrath insists that they can make a huge difference in quality of life. “You may be feeling fine, but without us evaluating the back of the eye to ensure there

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is no hole or growth or bleed, you won’t know if there’s a problem because you don’t have pain sensors back there,” Walrath adds. “Take diabetes, which is one of the leading causes of blindness. It’s really important that people get checked.” Even with something as simple as pink eye, for instance, it’s nice to not have to wonder where to go to get that checked out. Urgent Care? The E.R.? No! Simply pay a visit to your local eye doctor. “Whether you think you have a piece of metal in your eye or if you have a red eye or your contact is bothering you, you can always come to us,” says Walrath, who also recommends yearly exams for school-age children, since their vision changes a lot when they are growing.

"When my father opened our first office, he did so with the goal of making 20/20 vision accessible and convenient for everyone. We’re still driven by this mission every day and look forward to serving the Avon community with the addition of our new location on U.S. 36.” - Dr. Larry Tavel

“We want to try to find any vision issues that can hinder learning since one in four kids has a vision issue that can easily mess up how they are reading,” she says. “However, 80% of those visual impairments can be prevented or corrected by your eye doctor.” “We encourage entire families to come in together for an eye exam. Make it a family affair,” Iglehart says. “We are also fully equipped to treat and manage certain diseases, including glaucoma and cataract follow-ups.” Even when a specialist is needed, Dr. Tavel can usually accommodate you. They can offer specialty pediatric care at two Indy locations and offer expansive, comprehensive testing at two of their medical hub locations. The Dr. Tavel group is currently entering its third generation of family ownership with the recent addition of Larry’s daughter, Mollie Tavel, Director of Growth Initiatives & Community Engagement. She notes that the family is thrilled meet the residents of Avon and looks forward to addressing their visual needs. “We are constantly looking for ways to better serve Hoosiers,” she says. “With families growing outward into the Avon area, there’s definitely a need for additional, convenient and affordable vision providers. Given our roots in the Indianapolis area, our goal is to continue to support the neighbors we have grown up with. Please pop in and say hello.”

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