Avon Magazine October 2023

For

RESTORE AND REJUVENATE

SHARPER PLASTIC SURGERY LAUNCHES NEW DAY SPA

Writer / Melissa Gibson

Photographer / Amy Payne & & Lukewarm Film Co.

This November, prepare for something truly special from SHarper Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - the grand opening of the SHarper Day Spa in Avon.

They’re taking their already impressive

services to the next level by introducing luxurious treatments like manicures, pedicures, massages and lash enhancements.

“We’re expanding our space and enhancing the experience,” says Dr. Jaime Harper. “There are very few places in

Indianapolis where you and your friends can relax and enjoy exceptional spa treatments.”

The new facility will offer exclusive offers and membership options for a wide range of treatments including facials, manicures, pedicures, massages and even lash

enhancements. But the standout feature? It’s the salt lounge!

The salt lounge is a tranquil haven where you can unwind and breathe in specialized air that’s beneficial for your lungs and skin, and even promotes better sleep. “It’s all about creating a sense of relaxation,” says Harper. “We’ve designed cozy chairs where you can savor some fancy beverages while wrapped in a comfortable spa robe. You can visit on your own or bring your friends along.”

As a member, you’ll unlock fantastic

benefits. Enjoy a 10% discount on all SHarper services including facials, laser treatments, Botox, fillers, and Morpheus8. Additionally, every fourth month you’ll receive a $100 Botox treatment free of charge.

“Whether you enjoy nail and lash treatments or want to incorporate massages into your wellness routine, our new facility offers a comfortable and elegant environment, staffed by highly experienced providers,” says Harper.

The spa’s design has been carefully

curated with the expertise of a Chicagobased designer, to ensure it’s all about making you feel your best. The furniture is custom-made, featuring sophisticated massage and spa chairs, alongside various other elegant touches.

“This is something entirely new to the west side of Indianapolis,” says Harper. “We’ve proudly been a part of Avon for six years, cherishing our community. Our patients are thrilled about this expansion because they’ve been eager for these services right here on the west side.”

But it’s not just about the spa - the SHarper Plastic Surgery team maintains its commitment to excellence, offering services like Botox, facials, lasers and more. They are specialists in the latest technologies and treatments. You might have encountered their before-and-after pictures in national advertisements for treatments such as Morpheus8, DAXXIFY, Botox and Glo2Facial. SHarper stands as a top-tier provider, working with well-known brands like Botox, RHA, CoolSculpting and Morpheus 8. Their expertise and years of training shine across the Indianapolis area.

Dr. Stanley Harper, a board-certified plastic surgeon and longstanding top doctor in Indianapolis, brings his expertise to Avon. He specializes in procedures such as mommy makeovers, tummy tucks, breast augmentation, and additional sought-after plastic surgery techniques. The shared goal of both Dr. Jaime and Dr. Stanley Harper is to uplift your self-esteem, and help you achieve the desired results through the best available treatments.

As the world of plastic surgery evolves, SHarper remains at the forefront, embracing innovative concepts like CoolSculpting, Morpheus8, Emsculpt

NEO, and their combined applications. “Our primary focus is to make you feel confident and fantastic,” says Harper.

Mark your calendar for the grand opening on November 8. Step into the expanded spa, take advantage of exclusive offers, and explore the rejuvenating atmosphere of SHarper Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Medical Spa.

Located at 10090 East U.S. Highway 36, Suite D in Avon, this is your gateway to a truly remarkable experience. Discover more at sharpersurgery.com and prepare to immerse yourself in an extraordinary journey.

Dr. Stanley Harper greets patient

Class Distinction

Her two brothers are also school teachers on the east coast.

Pine Tree Elementary teacher Sarah Valentin has had an exciting year.

In May of 2023, she was named Pine Tree Elementary’s Teacher of the Year. Later in the summer she was named Avon Community School Corporation’s (ACSC) Teacher of the Year, and she was a top 25 finalist for the State of Indiana Teacher of the Year.

Some might say Valentin’s teaching ability comes naturally. Her mother was an elementary school teacher and then a school counselor for more than 30 years.

Valentin knew early on that teaching was her calling. She’s been teaching at ACSC for six years, but the Connecticut native has 20 years of teaching experience, moving across several states before landing in Avon.

Walking into a new school system was always a bit challenging and perhaps intimidating. Making a move to a different state, neighborhood and school could be a challenge for anyone. However, Valentin says moving to Avon was “different.”

“It was just a different feeling,” she says.

“The support at ACSC in terms of new teachers was amazing. They set you up with a mentor and support you in whatever you need. I was new to Avon but had been teaching for years, and I had ideas I wanted to share. I wanted to be a voice and be on a team, and they allowed those opportunities at every turn.”

Valentin attributes her growth as an educator to the supportive climate and open-door environment at ACSC.

“When I first came to Pine Tree, my administrator really encouraged me to be a voice at the table and to not be afraid to share,” Valentin says. “Sometimes, as I moved from one school to another, I

Writer / Melissa Gibson Photography Provided

MEET SARAH VALENTIN, ACSC TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Sarah being awarded ACSC 2023 Teacher of the Year by Superintendent Scott Wyndham

would shy away or stay quiet and people didn’t think I had enough experience, but Avon said they didn’t want me to be quiet, and it’s really pushed me forward and made me who I am today.”

The former second-grade teacher noticed a passion and a need for children who are multilingual.

She went back to school to receive a certificate in English as a New Language (ENL) for students who speak English as a second or even third language, and began a new role as the ENL teacher at Pine Tree Elementary this fall.

“There are 93 languages spoken at ACSC,” Valentin says. “I had students who were multilingual in my classroom and I was able to co-teach and co-plan with our ENL teacher at the time. I love that I get to work with all grade levels and I not only see my multilingual students, but my other students too.”

moment is brought to you by Mathnasium

“Toward the end of last year, Sarah interviewed for our multilingual teacher role,” McCann Thomas says. “She spoke with so much passion about her students, both former and current, about education, and about who she wanted to be as an educator. I later told her that her interview gave me goosebumps. She is what education is all about.”

ACSC Superintendent Dr. Scott Wyndham also congratulated Valentin for her success and dedication to students.

“Her passion for her students and her skill as an educator are going to propel her toward success in this new role,” he says. “She’s perfectly suited for helping this rapidly growing population of students excel.”

Valentin says the school’s culture reflects the idea that all students are everybody’s students, meaning every educator in the building wants to see every student succeed.

In the same way, she believes what’s good for multilingual students is good for all students. Creating opportunities for conversation, sharing with peers and learning about each other’s experiences is beneficial on many levels.

“When working with the ENL teacher last year, we really valued engagement and conversation in our students, and when we planned, we didn’t just plan what we wanted our students to master by the end of each lesson, but the opportunity to talk to each other and express themselves,” Valentin says. “I love being able to support all students and create these peer experiences.”

She works with the teachers too. “It kind of brings me back full circle,” she says. “I was given so much support when coming to ACSC, and now I’m on the other end, supporting teachers and students in the multilingual setting.”

Though Valentine didn’t place in the top 10 state finalists, the ACSC appreciation and peer nominations might mean even more.

“I’ve always felt valued at ACSC,” she says. “Each school nominates a Teacher of the Year for their school and then a committee chooses the corporation’s Teacher of the Year, and it feels amazing to be selected, but I often think it wasn’t all me. Everyone in the school has a piece of it. I can’t do it every day without all the people that make it possible.”

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Make Your Autumn Awesome

VISIT HENDRICKS COUNTY HAS PLENTY OF IDEAS FOR YOUR FALL TO-DO LIST

Writer / Josh Duke Photography Provided

I love the fall season in Hendricks County. The weather is a little cooler, the leaves begin to change and the events pick up.

We’ve created an online tool exclusive to our website at visithendrickscounty.com to help you find your perfect, personalized fall trip ideas. By answering four simple questions, the system will search for and display your perfect fall adventure. We’ve also put together some preplanned, two-day itineraries featuring our most popular things to do for specific groups of people. Either way, you should find the exact fall adventure you’re looking for right here in Hendricks County.

Narrowing down all the festivals, activities and other fall attractions in Hendricks County can prove to be a daunting task because of the sheer number of fun things to see and do. We are here to help, both through our online resources at visithendrickscounty. com, and with the following info.

BEASLEY’S ORCHARD AND HEARTLAND APPLE FESTIVAL

This must-see autumn attraction in Danville also boasts our number-one fall event, the annual Heartland Apple Festival. Always held during the first two weekends in October, visitors can tour the orchard, take a hayride

to the pumpkin patch, pick apples from the U-pick area, enjoy live entertainment, buy fresh produce and other goods in a Civil Warera barn converted to a rustic market, or wind their way through a huge corn maze.

Your children will love hay mountain, the apple cannons and Barnyard Bonanza, which features ball throws, a spider web, a huge jumping pillow and more.

You don’t have to visit Beasley’s during those two weekends to enjoy the fun, as the orchard remains open every day during the fall season with many of the above activities available. If you go during the week, you will usually find fewer people there.

ADDITIONAL FALL EVENTS

Five other events are highlighted in this article, but I would highly recommend visiting our website for many more activities, recommendations and tips.

Harvest Moon Festival

(October 7) - A collaboration for the first time last year between the Town of Avon and Washington Township Parks and Recreation replaced the Avon Heritage Festival, and this second-year event will occur at Avon Town Hall Park with pumpkin carvings, wagon rides, apple launchings, food trucks and much more.

Hendricks County International Festival

(October 7) - In its fourth year, the International Festival moves to a new location in Plainfield to The Shops at Perry Crossing. This free, cultural immersion experience provides fun for the entire family. Enjoy food, dancing and musical performances from various nationalities. Make sure to check out the interactive booths to learn more about other cultures and parts of the world such as India, Pakistan, Poland, Russia and Japan.

Dog Daze at the Maze

(October 14-15) - Beasley’s Orchard turns its popular corn maze over to the dogs, with a weekend dedicated to our four-legged friends.

Fall Colors Festival & Run

(October 21) - Enjoy the best public place to see fall foliage in Hendricks County - McCloud Nature

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Park in North Salem. This event boasts lots of fun activities including 5K and 10K runs in the morning, archery, tree climbing, exploring their squirrel-themed prairie maze, using an atlatl, hayrides and more.

Doctoberfest (October 21) - This is a must for any fan of the TV show “Doctor Who” as it features a costume competition, custom action figure contest, games, merchandise, a visit from an actress from the show, and much more, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Plainfield and presented by Who North America in Camby.

MORE FALL ATTRACTIONS

In addition to all the events, a couple of fall attractions in Brownsburg that I highly recommend include Hogan Farms and Natural Valley Ranch.

Hogan Farms has become a popular spot each fall, with activities during the month of October that include a huge corn maze, a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo and hayrides.

If you’re into horseback riding, there truly is no better season to experience a ride through the scenic woods at Natural Valley Ranch than the fall. The Brownsburg ranch spans 70 scenic acres, and offers guided trail rides along the banks of White Lick Creek.

I briefly mentioned Who North America in the events above. Did you know that it is the only retail store and museum dedicated to the TV show “Doctor Who” in North America? If you love the show, venturing to this attraction in Camby should be on your bucket list.

For more information about any of these attractions, events or other things to do in Hendricks County, or to take our fall quiz, go to visithendrickscounty.com.

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Crafting a Purpose

STUMPF HAUS ARTS & CRAFTS REPRESENTS A LOCAL FAMILY’S BRAVE JOURNEY

Writer / Jamie Hergott Photographer / Amy Payne

ornhole is a great American pastime at many summer cookouts, but for Carolyn Stumpf and her family, it’s so much more than a game. It has provided purpose and healing for her family in recent years, as her veteran husband continues to deal with the aftermath of serving in the Army years ago.

Stumpf, her husband, and their son, Ben, work together to create homemade, regulation-size cornhole sets. Many are custom made, showcasing favorite sports

teams, bands and mascots. The boards are hand cut and sanded out of real pine plywood, and the designs are custom made by Stumpf herself. One of her favorite parts of the job is delivering the boards to customers.

“When I deliver boards and see people’s faces, that speaks volumes to me for what my family did and what my business did to make someone excited,” Stumpf says.

Their business, Stumpf Haus Arts & Crafts, was never on their radar. In fact,

Stumpf worked in sales and customer service for 32 years. Her husband served as a combat engineer in the Army, where he traveled all over Europe building prisons, housing and other structures. He was heavily involved in construction.

Stumpf’s husband was deployed to Afghanistan in March 2004, where he was injured during a mortar attack that summer. He was sent home to heal and was ordered back into the combat zone in November of 2004. During that trip he was detained at the Pakistan airport

by the police and then turned over to the Taliban. During this time he was beaten and tortured for three days. He escaped with the help of a Pakistani taxi driver. He spent the next year and a half in medical hold at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He suffers from physical and psychological injuries from that experience.

He retired from the military in 2006, but the reality of what happened during that time is still a daily challenge, as he deals with health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and a traumatic brain injury.

“It was scary,” Stumpf says. “He didn’t even know himself. Every day he wakes up with all this stuff inside him. Any little thing will trigger him back to those days. But you learn to adapt. You learn that your life is completely different. It’s not like normal people’s life.”

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Once her husband returned home, Stumpf decided it was time to make his lifelong dream of owning a restaurant come true. He received culinary training from the military upon his retirement and they opened Stumpf is Trumpf, a food cart with a menu full of food made from scratch including homemade German bratwursts, sauerkraut, onion jam and spicy mustard. The food cart operated for a couple years until they decided to open a full restaurant on West Washington Street.

“So much was taken away from him due to his injuries in the military that I wanted to fulfill his dreams for him,” Stumpf says. “I can’t take back what happened, but I can move forward. What’s happened is done and over, but we can work on moving forward in a positive direction. I keep that as my focus and goal.”

The pandemic-related shutdowns hit and weren’t kind to their business, so they closed their doors. Right around this time their oldest son called to ask a life-changing question - “Would you

guys be able to make a cornhole set for me?”

“I had never even heard the word in my life,” Stumpf says. “Neither had my husband. We told him we’d do some research.”

After looking into it, they decided it was an easy enough task. In 2020 they made their first set of boards featuring the St. Louis Cardinals.

“He took them to one event and that’s when people started contacting me,” Stumpf says. “It just blew up from there.”

Her husband is incredibly precise, and he does all the measuring, but he also does the painting because he has an art degree. “All the measuring and painting keeps his brain working and intact,” she says.

Her son loves working with his hands. After years of watching his dad do construction and handyman work, helping to build the cornhole set was a natural job. Stumpf does the designing of the boards, working with customers to create a design they love.

“This is our third year making boards,” Stumpf says. “I have been busier this year than the first two years combined. We’ve made around 1,500 sets, which is 3,000 boards. In fact, in just the past two months we’ve made 30 to 40 sets a week.”

This family business has breathed new life not only into her husband, but also into her family. It’s not only provided them purpose, but it has also given them a way to give back to the community.

“It has improved my husband’s mindset,” Stumpf says. “Sometimes he’ll say it’s his saving grace. People like him need to feel worthy and purposeful, or they give up and shut down. I’ve seen it happen.”

Her husband continues to struggle with his health. He was diagnosed with dementia two years ago and cancer in 2017. But he presses on.

Many community members are thrilled to support a veteran-owned business. One customer recently was able to meet Stumpf’s husband, and expressed how meaningful it was to support their business.

“He told me, ‘Your husband is the reason I can go to dinner tonight with my daughter,’” Stumpf says. “People are put in your life for a reason, and comments like that show us we have a purpose.”

Not only do community members feel good about their purchase, but her husband also finds joy in his work.

“I have, in a way, fulfilled my business dream,” Stumpf says. “Every day is a new day for him. It’s so worth it. To see the smile on his face when we’ve accomplished a set of boards and did something unique is priceless.”

Stumpf says they continue to grow their business. She’s deeply proud to be a veteran’s wife, and she uses her business and platforms to encourage others to keep moving forward when life gets hard.

“I want others to know there is help and support,” Stumpf says. “Don’t give up. Fight the battle. Find your purpose. Is it easy? No. Is life easy? No. There’s a story to everyone’s life. No one’s life is perfect. Take all the negatives, find a positive in the situation, learn from it and keep moving forward. If I can help one veteran, by this story, to know they do have a purpose, they can get help and they can live a somewhat normal life, then I’ve accomplished something huge.”

Visit Stumpf Haus Arts & Crafts on Facebook @stumpfistrumpf, by calling (765) 271-4100 or email at carolynstumpf1966@yahoo.com.

SUPPORT IS VITAL

Writer / LaDonna Wattley, Medical Oncology Social Worker at IU Health West Hospital

Photography Provided

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death for women in the United States. There are several forms of breast cancer and symptoms vary greatly. While it does occur in males, most newly diagnosed patients are female with a close biological relative who has also battled cancer.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT MAY TAKE A TOLL.

Though it is imperative to focus on the physical manifestations of cancer, a patient’s mental and emotional health are equally important. Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be incredibly upsetting, and you may not know where to turn for support. This distress may continue from the time of initial diagnosis throughout treatment, which can be a

lengthy process. Consequently, patients discover that their relationships, energy levels and overall mental well-being are negatively impacted.

These factors can lead to chronic stress, anxiety and depression. You should seek help if you experience sleep disturbances, changes in overall mood, lack of joy or interest in activities you usually enjoy, changes in appetite that result in weight gain or loss, difficulty concentrating, or using alcohol or drugs to reduce stress. Taking care of your mental well-being after diagnosis and during treatment can improve your quality of life and help you get through the difficult road ahead.

RETURNING TO “NORMAL” CAN BE DIFFICULT.

Cancer treatment can be stressful, but life after cancer is often tough to manage as well. Post-treatment, many patients struggle to resume pre-cancer life and activities. Ongoing fatigue, fear

of recurrence, relationship changes and uncertainty about the future make it challenging to return to life as usual. These struggles are normal and those dealing with them are not alone. Don’t expect everything to be as it was before diagnosis. Patients should give themselves time to adjust.

THERE ARE OPTIONS FOR SUPPORT.

Though breast cancer can be a frightening experience, you do not have to face it alone. There are oncology social workers on staff at most hospitals and cancer treatment facilities. These professionals provide emotional support, resources and mental health counseling to cancer patients and their caregivers. Additionally, support groups are an emotional lifeline for many breast cancer patients. Though everyone’s journey is unique, connecting with others going through a similar experience can ease feelings of isolation and fear.

The Biz Academy of Musical Theatre and The Biz Theatrical Productions gives youth in the area the opportunity to gain confidence, learn time management, meet new friends, and build singing, acting, and dancing skills; all while sharing their joy of performing with others. The Biz Theatrical Productions is a not-forprofit organization.

Our mission since 1961 is to provide the highest quality Eye Care. As a Woman-Owned Business, we look forward to being a practice that assists in creating happy and healthy patients, in a friendly environment using the latest technology.

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Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treating

Writer / Abigail Hake

Photography Provided

Kids (and parents) love the magic of Halloween. Walking around at night, in costume, collecting candy, what’s not to love? But there’s many aspects of the evening that get parents feeling nervous, which is why safety for the evening is especially important.

Did you know only about one-third of parents discuss Halloween safety with their kids? But keeping Halloween safe is very important, not only for the safety of the kids, but also to keep the magical feeling of the night. Here are a few tips to help keep your little ones safe while trick or treating this year:

CHECK THE WEATHER AND BE PREPARED

Chances are it’ll be chilly, and if it isn’t when you head out, it will be by the time you head back as most fall nights are. Make sure to

layer up if it’s going to be cold because you don’t want to be frozen in the middle of your trick or treating route!

STAY WITH YOUR CHILDREN

Join in on the fun and walk with them, even dress up if you like! At our house we take turns, one person hands out candy for an hour while the other takes the kids out and then we swap. If that’s not an option, maybe try to connect with a group of friends to trick-or-treat together. You might also try to plan to have your kids go out with your neighbors, girl scout or cub scout troop, or even cousins. Always make sure there is some sort of adult supervision.

In case you do get separated from your kids, make sure to review phone numbers, addresses and how to contact 911 in case of an emergency with your kids. Children can easily become lost on a dark Halloween night and these are small and easy reminders to practice and are important

things to know for every day too.

TRICK-OR-TREATING ETIQUETTE

Make sure to only visit homes with a porch light on and only approach doors that are well lit. This one can be tricky these days with automatic lights and decor. Use your best judgment and always remind the kids to never enter a home or car for a treat!

STAY VISIBLE

If your kids are going to be out after dark then blinking LED safety lights are a great addition to the back of their costume or candy bag! Pick them up at any sporting goods store or order from Amazon. Not only will they stand out for you to see, but they’ll also attract the attention of others, keeping them extra safe. Reflective tape is another option that will make your child more visible when added to the back of their costumes or all sides of their candy bag.

BE COMFORTABLE

While we know some costumes require the right shoe (hello Cinderella), let’s be real on Halloween night while trickor-treating, no one wants their feet to be uncomfortable. Most costumes can handle rain boots or tennis shoes depending on the weather. Remember, the longer your feet feel good, the more candy you can get!

Also, try to keep props to a minimum. If it’s part of the costume, make sure they are easily carried and it doesn’t have sharp edges or points. Try adding a strap to a sword, shield or really anything, so they can be thrown over the shoulder or held on your child’s back while walking from house to house.

ADVANCE PLANNING

Decide what streets you want to hit and which you’ll skip before you head out. There’s nothing like walking a route that’s too far for a little and getting stuck carrying

them home. Make sure the route you pick is manageable for whatever ages are heading out the door.

And don’t forget to always use the sidewalk and walk don’t run. Most injuries on Halloween are pedestrian injuries, so make sure to review routes, use flashlights and take your time!

CANDY CHECK

We have all heard the horror stories of the candy that’s made kids sick and had harmful things in it. Maybe they were true,

maybe they weren’t, but it’s still a good idea to check your kids’ candy for safety purposes and maybe pick out some of your favorites while you are doing it. Look for partially opened pieces, ones that look questionable or types the kids might be allergic to. There’s most likely going to be plenty, so pulling out one or two because they don’t seem like great quality will be fine.

By keeping these ways to stay safe, you are sure to have a fun and happy Halloween with family and friends.

Tips for a Stress-Free Moving Experience

Writer / Claire-Anne Aikman Photography Provided

You know what I think is more stressful than selling a home? Purging belongings and then moving the remaining treasures to the next home.

I frequently hear horror stories about bad moving experiences, but this recent one really takes the cake. When two of my friends were looking for a mover to move their belongings out of state, they looked at reviews, asked a few questions, chose their winner and sent a deposit. Once the deposit was sent, things turned wonky. They could not get a firm date for pickup, phone calls were not returned, the movers were late, and upon arrival tried to renegotiate and add upcharges - and those are just the highlights. The only positive was that their belongings were actually delivered (we were all relieved).

I have a few suggestions for you that will hopefully help you avoid a bad moving experience:

• Start researching movers two months before you move. Check their reviews, and look for an assortment of older reviews as well as the most recent ones. Look for consistency between the two. Check with the Better Business Bureau and

see what their rating is with them.

• Narrow the list to your top four and have them come out to give you an estimate.

• Verify their credentials to ensure they have the right license to move your items.

• Make sure you understand what is expected of you (e.g., do you need to wrap and box everything?).

• Ask about their liability insurance and READ the policy. What does it cover? How do you file a claim if needed?

• Be cautious of large deposit requests - 15 to 20% should be plenty.

• Choose your winner and lock in the moving date (ideally, six weeks ahead of your need).

• As you are packing, take pictures of your belongings so there is a visual inventory. This will help if a claim needs to be filed.

And

that’s it! Cheers to a stress-free moving experience!

Now He’s Rolling

TANNER DEFABIS HAS BIG GOALS IN THE RACING WORLD

Writer / Melissa Gibson Photography Provided

Tanner DeFabis is just 17 years old but knows his way around a race car.

The Avon resident is participating in the F4 US Championship series this year, with hopes of becoming a professional driver in the future.

“I’ve loved cars and racing for as long as I can remember,” Tanner says. “Growing up in Indiana, I’ve been going to the Indy 500 since I was 6 or 7, and got into go-karting around that time and I just knew I wanted to do this.”

Motorsports has been a family tradition for decades. His father, John, first took him go-karting for fun and then the Indy 500, cementing his love for the sport.

“He’s always loved being at the track,” John says. “If there’s a car out there, whether it’s an IndyCar, NASCAR or any kind of sports car, he wants to be there. We spent a lot of time out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and eventually he started passing me.”

Tanner’s childhood was not only filled with car-related events, but he also played baseball, basketball and football. John says none of them compared to when his son got the chance to race.

In his early teens, he had success on the go-kart track, winning the X30 division championship at New Castle Motorsports Park, which led to a test drive in a Formula 4 (F4) car in 2022.

F4 cars are open-wheel and similar to what you see at the Indy 500. The championship series was designed to support young drivers taking the first step from go-karting to single-seat racing.

That test drive put him in front of

professionals like race car driver Jay Howard.

“I met Jay Howard and he invited me to join his developmental team,” Tanner says. “In the F4 championship series, we go to six different tracks and race three races per weekend. I feel like being a rookie, I started the season in New Orleans and was doing OK in the middle of the pack. I kept progressing and getting better and better. By the end of the season, I’m in the top 10s and possibly the chance at podium.”

Tanner enjoying some down time at home

In early 2023 Howard welcomed Tanner to the team, and said the young driver has shown steady progression, eventually becoming a threat as the 2023 season continues.

“Tanner has been karting for quite some time and now has the opportunity to begin his climb up the North American motorsports ladder,” Howard told the F4

US Championship program. “Choosing us for our racewinning experience, driver development and advancement program, Tanner is in good hands. He’ll receive the same equipment that propelled Lochie Hughes to win the championship in 2022, and we look forward to making him a future motorsports star.”

Tanner is hopeful that, in May of 2024, he may progress to competing in the USF2000, the next level in the Formula championship series, but either way, the experience of this year will leave a lasting impression.

From NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana to New Jersey Motorsports Park, he has had opportunities to travel, race and meet others in the industry.

“This is my first time traveling across

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the country, and you not only get to see the tracks, but also different foods and cultures,” Tanner says. “I’ve made friends from all over the world and still interact with them daily.”

Teens from multiple countries gather to compete during the F4 US Championship series. They’re racing one minute and hanging out the next - even racing each other on a simulator from their homes across the globe.

Ultimately, the high school student just loves being behind the wheel.

“It’s the thrill of it,” he says. “I like the competition and it’s kind of like being on a roller coaster. That’s what I love about it.”

It’s an expensive thrill, requiring sponsorships and top-of-the-line equipment. John says for those drivers who have made it to IndyCar, millions of dollars have been spent to get there.

“It’s definitely a sponsorship-driven sport and we’re always recruiting for sponsors,” John says. “It’s a lot on the driver, the parents, the sponsors and the team, because if you don’t get sponsored you could be out for the year. You have to have talent, sponsors and a team willing to put you in the car. If you only have two of the three, you’re done.”

Some might also be concerned about safety in one of the most dangerous sports in the world. It’s crossed John’s mind, but like every parent, he also knows fueling his son’s passion is worth the worry.

“I think every single emotion runs through me: pride, worry, mad, excited, frustrated, sad,” John says. “You literally get everything from the highs to the lows. I’m most proud of him doing what he loves to do, getting better and better at it, and I want to support him while he pursues his dreams.”

Heading into his senior year, Tanner is considering colleges and honing his skill, but says he knows he wants to stay in Indiana. The track is his home.

With drivers like Michael Schumacher and Scott Dixon to look up to, Tanner has his sights set high.

“I think they are the best based on results and statistics, and I want to be just like them,” he says. “I hope to one day get to IndyCar. That’s the end goal.”

Catch Tanner live on the F4 US Championship YouTube channel, as well as on Instagram @tannerdefabisracing.

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