SEPTEMBER 2020
MAGAZINE
INDIANAPOLIS C O LT S M A S C O T TREY MOCK SHARES HISTORY & LIFE OF BLUE
TRUE COLORS Local Painting Prodigy Embraces an Artistic Life WELL-OILED MACHINE Plainfield Equipment Celebrates 45-Year History
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Tr u e Color s: Local Pain tin g Prod ig y E mbraces an Ar tistic Life Tr u e B lu e : In d ian ap olis Colts Mascot Trey Mock S h are s H istor y & Life of B lu e
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s children, we often form an identity in one way or another. For example, we are known perhaps as the athlete, the animal lover or the reader. Stephanie Paige Thomson, a Brownsburg native, was deemed the artist in her family. “I was always drawing as a kid,” says Thomson, one of five girls. “My sisters all had their own thing, but mine was art.” Though she began painting master copies of Van Gogh and Monet at age 14, it wasn’t until she graduated from high school in 2015 after being home schooled that she realized she still had a lot to learn. Though she longed for formal training, she didn’t
necessarily want to attend a traditional art school where she would have to study a variety of mediums. She wanted to focus solely on painting. Therefore, she sought out workshops and local master artists such as C.W. Mundy. “I’ll never forget walking into my first class,” Thomson says. “I showed up, 17 years old, the youngest one there. Everyone else was a professional painter or had been doing it a while.” She describes feeling overwhelmed with all the information thrown at her during the seven-hour class, without a clue as to the various techniques to which she was being introduced. “It leveled any ego I had,” recalls Thomson, who was on the verge of tears by the end of the day. However, the experience didn’t deter her. “I told my mom, ‘I don’t know anything about painting, but I’m going to figure this out,” Thomson says. “It was a huge blessing to start what would become my career in that mindset.” Over the course of the next year, Thomson enrolled in six intense, five-day workshops in various parts of the country. “For the next four years I took classes and workshops, treating it like my college education because that’s what it was,” says Thomson, who loves to paint people first and foremost, followed by landscapes and still-life images. In April of 2016 Thomson received a scholarship to attend a Portrait Society of America conference, which attracts huge names in the art
8 / AVON MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2020 / AvonMagazine.com
world from all over the country. “I was 17 sitting in this demonstration hall watching living masters paint up on stage,” Thomson says. “I turned to my mom and whispered, ‘I’m going to be up there one day.’” Through the years Thomson, 22, has entered several local art competitions, winning awards along the way. The first time she was accepted into the Hoosier Art Salon show, Indiana’s most prestigious art show, was in August of 2016, and she has been accepted every year since then. In August of 2019 she received Best of Show and third-place honors for her two entries in the annual show. Thomson broke into her first national show in 2017, at the American Impressionist Society’s national show hosted at Montgomery-Lee Fine Art in Park City, Utah. She was thrilled to compete against a bigger pool of talent. “There are no bad paintings in a national show, so this opened my eyes to what’s out there,” says Thomson, who in March of 2020
was notified that her painting “Maine Man” had been accepted into her first international show - the Portrait Society of America’s 22nd annual International Portrait Competition. At the international show, 24 finalists are chosen from 3,000 applicants. Thomson received a certificate of excellence for her work.
Though Thomson paints Monday through Friday, the number of hours she spends on her craft varies widely. Some days it might only be a few hours, and on other days she’ll look at the clock and realize she’s been at it for nine hours straight. The length of time it
takes to complete a painting also differs. She has spent as long as six months on a single work, and as little as three hours on another. “A master artist once said, ‘Some paintings are haikus, some are poems and some are novels,’” Thomson says.
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One reality every artist has to learn to face is the fear of messing up.
paintings and ideas that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
“It’s sort of a plague of creative people, but you can’t begin creating something if you have a feeling of fear,” Thomson says. “My vision for what I want my painting to be is always several steps ahead of what my skill level will allow me to do, which is good. Otherwise, I’d probably plateau. It’s a good thing to want more, but it can plague you if you can’t appreciate what you can do currently.”
Though she sometimes suffers from painter’s block, mostly in the month of January, she also finds the craft to be so consuming that it occasionally fills her subconscious mind.
Unfortunately, like the rest of the world, Thomson suffered some disappointments due to the coronavirus pandemic, including a cancellation of a trip to Italy in June. She has, however, found a silver lining in a difficult situation. “Being forced to slow down was not such a bad thing, as I was wildly over-scheduled before,” Thomson says. “The shutdown allowed me to spend more time on
“I’ll go to sleep and dream about how to finish a painting,” Thomson says. “It’s crazy and so interesting. I have way more paintings in my mind than I could ever paint.”
world. To teach in Italy is my dream.” Her long-term goals are both simple and beautiful - to completely support herself on painting alone. “I’d love to be teaching and painting, because looking at the world in a visual way is a really beautiful way to live.” Check out Thomson’s work at stephaniepaigethomson.com.
During the coronavirus-related shutdowns, Thomson was grateful to be able to offer something she feels is vital to the health of society. “People looked to movies, dance, paintings, music, books and all kinds of art as a way to calm their anxiety, and cope with all that was happening,” says Thomson, who recently began teaching portrait workshops at the urging of her artist friends. “Someday I hope to teach workshops all over the
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SEPTEMBER 2020
I N D I A N A P O L I S C O LT S M A S C O T TREY MOCK SHARES HISTORY & LIFE OF BLUE Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided by Amy Payne & the Indianapolis Colts
hen Trey Mock attended freshman orientation at Auburn University, his eyes immediately gravitated to Aubie the Tiger, the university’s mascot who was both athletic and entertaining. “He was hilarious, and I thought that looked like fun so I set out to learn how mascoting works,” says Mock, who, his sophomore year, auditioned and landed one of four student slots who shared the costume. “I learned a lot about how to become a mascot and performer while at Auburn,” says Mock, who, in 2003, won the Collegiate Nationals Mascot championship. Since Auburn’s rule only allows a student to act as mascot for a two-year term, when he finished his second year, he didn’t want to quit. “I felt like I had more in the tank,” he says. A number of former Aubies had gone on to become professional mascots so he followed in their footsteps and became the Atlanta Falcon’s mascot in 2004 and the Buffalo Bill’s mascot in 2005. Neither felt like the right fit for him, however, so he moved back home to Marietta, Georgia, and was considering going back to school when the phone rang in March 2006. The Indianapolis Colts had plans to launch their own mascot and encouraged him to apply SEPTEMBER 2020
Trey Mock
for the position. Mock was flattered but uninterested and declined the offer. They told him that if he changed his mind to submit his resume by a certain date. That night, he found himself sketching out Blue on a legal pad, and over the next few days, he felt conflicted. “The night before the application due date, I had this overwhelming dread wash over me that I had made a mistake,” Mock says. He shared his regret with his dad, who told him to get his resume together. He then drove his son to the Atlanta airport so he could ensure his package made it on a FedEx plane to arrive in Indy the next day. “That’s a small ounce of the support my parents have given me through the years,” Mock adds. Reviewing resumes and highlight tapes, the Colts narrowed the field down to 58 people, then from there cut it to 12. They flew in their top five to perform a two-minute skit and impromptu session, followed by an interview. The next day, they offered him the position.
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Mock shared his sketch of Blue with the organization and explained the type of character he envisioned. “They initially wanted a rough, tough, mean mascot because that’s football, but I
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SEPTEMBER 2020
got them on board with my vision of Blue,” Mock says. That vision was an approachable anthropomorphic horse with blue fur and big eyeballs. Blue was first introduced on September 17, 2006, in the Colts’ first home regular-season game. People may assume Mock has little to do in the off-season, but the truth is he stays plenty busy. “This is a 365-day-a-year business,” he says. “We work on content creation and new promotions, not to mention community day events and schools shows.” Through the years, Blue has presented shows about anti-bullying, energy conservation, literacy and authenticity. By next year, Mock will have performed 2,000 school shows in the state of Indiana.
He cultivates each show to be meaningful for children while still interesting to adults. “I go for that Pixar movie vibe where there is something for everyone,” Mock says. “People mistakenly assume my demographic only serves kids but really my demographic is the kid in all of us.” In 2016, he published “Blue’s Road Trip Through Indiana,” a story that shares all the hidden gems in the state that many people may not be aware exist such as Amish Acres in Nappanee or the Grissom Air Museum near Peru. He’s now working on his second children’s book about Blue, an anti-bullying story scheduled to be released in 2021. Over the past 14 years, Mock has earned a number of accomplishments, including winning the NFL Mascot of the Year in 2016 and 2019. In addition, Blue was scheduled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in June SEPTEMBER 2020
of this year. Nevertheless, Mock maintains that it’s not these accolades that mean the most to him. In fact, he recalls how years ago, he was always chasing a thrill that seemed to elude him. “I loved interacting with fans and throwing footballs from the upper deck and all of that, but after the game was over, I’d feel empty inside,” he says. "It’s like I was creating joy but not finding true fulfillment.” Then in 2010, a Make-a-Wish appearance changed his entire outlook on life. Karen’s wish was to have access to the Colts field so her family could play on it. She added, “If Blue could come down to the field and take a picture with us, that would be the icing on the cake!” Mock still recalls running through the tunnel of Lucas Oil Stadium and seeing a mom, dad and twins and wondering which of the kids was Karen. He then learned Karen was the mom.
SEPTEMBER 2020
“Her one wish was to create the perfect day for her family,” says Mock, who spent two hours dancing and throwing the football with the family. “When I waved goodbye, I had the most amazing feeling wash over me, and that feeling stayed with me for weeks after.”
including his career and his wife Ali, a former Colts cheerleader. Now their family has grown to include two children: Tegan (4) and Gunnar (7). He’s eternally grateful to represent the
Several months later, while at a Colts game, a policeman told Mock that there was a woman in the stands who was begging to see him. Though he usually doesn’t venture into the stands for fear of creating pandemonium, something told him he should go. When he approached the lady, she threw her arms around him and started crying, then said, “You don’t know me, but you met my daughter Karen. I wanted you to know that she lost her battle with cancer, but Blue, I’ll never be able to thank you for what you did for my family that day.” Mock says that, at that moment, the thousands of fans around them melted away. “I don’t remember if we won or lost that game, but I remember the light switch that flipped in my head when I realized that my purpose in life was not to get laughs or applause from fans but to give them my time and my love,” Mock says. He cites renowned psychologist Karl Menninger, who had stated that the best way to overcome depression is to find someone in need and do something for them. “I get to do that every single day through a silly blue horse, and it’s not lost on me that that is a massive blessing and responsibility,” Mock says. Mock, 39, says he’d like to continue playing Blue for as long as possible, though he admits that the wear and tear on his body is not inconsequential. “I’ve had four surgeries due to Blue — both knees, shoulder, a staph infection in my right hand,” Mock says. But he feels he owes so much to Blue, SEPTEMBER 2020
Colts as a goodwill ambassador. “I love impacting other’s lives in a positive way,” Mock says. “It’s been a great life.”
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From left to right: Production Manager Logan Williams, Sales Manager Joel Sackett, General Manager John Francis and Owner Andy Danforth Writer / Jamie Hergott Photographer / Amy Payne
Andy Danforth, owner of Elite Pro Painting in Avon, started his business in 2008 with family members and friends, and says he and his staff will soon paint their tenthousandth home.
which he learned a few valuable lessons, Danforth worked for his dad at a pallet company. He founded Elite Pro Painting twelve years ago as a local, family-owned, professional painting company that offers interior and exterior painting in the central Indiana area.
Over the course of his year in the pallet shop, Danforth spoke with his longtime best friend, who had worked at the same job for fifteen years. Once he heard what Danforth was doing, he dropped everything to help, and he’s now Elite Pro’s Danforth says the truth of how his business general manager. started is actually somewhat embarrassing. “We’re really proud of that,” Danforth says. “If you look at our company overall online, the reviews are great. When it’s hard to find the bad, that says a lot.”
“I actually worked for a competitor for a while, and I learned what not to do when it comes to running a painting company,” he says. “I saw something that could be improved upon, so we started a paint company to do just that.” After leaving the painting company at
“Our first year was really hard,” Danforth says. “In fact, the first eight years we didn’t see our families much. We just poured everything into it. I would change that a little bit if I could go back, but at the same time, I think that’s why we’re here today.” As a business owner, Danforth’s business philosophy has shifted over time. At the SEPTEMBER 2020
start, his focus was heavily on financial gains. “The focus was always that we wanted that boat, we wanted that pool, or whatever it was,” Danforth says. “We never got those things, but five years ago we changed our focus. We began to understand the servant attitude. If we make people’s lives better, it’s more beneficial for everyone. And that’s
literally how we wake up every day and look at this.” Danforth insists that this servant attitude not only sets his company apart from others, but has also been the reason behind much of the company’s success. Anytime the staff has experienced hardship, they’ve fallen back on serving the community while waiting for business to get back on track. They also focus day-to-day business operations on making customers are 100% happy.
Andy & wife Kathy
“We offer supervision on jobs,” Danforth says. “Most companies don’t have project managers, but we dictate that process because we have a vision of quality for our customers. If it’s not something I’d do in my own house, I don’t allow them to paint.” In fact, Danforth’s customers don’t pay a dime until the job is done and the customer is 100% satisfied. “It’s more expensive to do it that way, but it’s the right thing to do,” he says. Danforth also says his warranties are different than most painting companies, and cover nearly anything that would need to be fixed. “We’ve changed the way warranties work in the painting industry in Indianapolis,” Danforth says. “If you tell us you’re not happy, we’ll come fix it. I’ve never denied a warranty claim, and I’ll continue to do that. But if we do things right on the front end, which is why our supervision is there, then it shouldn’t happen at all.” In addition to serving customers wholeheartedly, Danforth and his family believe in serving the community as well, and 10% of what Elite Pro makes on any job goes toward Gift Kindness, a ministry that helps to feed those in need throughout the community. When the coronavirus pandemic shut the doors of many businesses this past March, SEPTEMBER 2020
Danforth found a creative way to lend a helping hand to those in need. “Painting was the last thing on everyone’s mind,” Danforth says of the coronavirusrelated shutdown period this year. “No one wanted us in their house, so we shifted our focus again and decided to deliver meals to the community. We delivered a few thousand meals to local people who were laid off or lost their jobs. Our theory was, when the smoke settles, we want everyone to know we’ve got their backs and we’re part of this community.” The experience was extremely eye-opening for Danforth, and he has continued to look for opportunities to give, donating to the Avon Education Foundation and sponsoring events for Misty Eyes Animal Center. These acts of service continue to impact
Danforth and connect him to others in the community. During the winter, Danforth often provides free painting services for local churches, business and charities. One particular winter, his staff painted the senior services building in Danville, and simply seeing what this local organization was doing has stuck with Danforth for years.
has our best interest in mind, and not everyone’s family is that way. They’ve been amazing.”
“That was a turning point,” Danforth says. “I didn’t realize what those people were doing. It’s just awesome seeing their heart out there in the community and how they’re helping others.”
The Elite Pro staff offers no-touch, noappointment quotes, and uses Zoom calls to discuss quotes and work that needs to be done.
Danforth owns Elite Pro along with his family, and works with his wife, mom, dad, nephew, his cousin’s husband, and others. “A lot of people try to separate themselves from family in their work,” Danforth says. “It’s been an amazing blessing. Everyone
Three years ago, Danforth added commercial painting to Elite Pro’s list of services. He is looking forward to getting started on painting The Barlow, a mixed-use development in Plainfield.
“You have to pivot, or you’re done,” Danforth adds. “We are willing to work to literally give you anything you want, and we love our community. I really do think people want good things around here. We really want to be a part of keeping it that way.”
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Writer / Jamie Hergott Photographer / Amy Payne
Rex Roseboom II has been in the equipment industry since he was a toddler. As co-owner of Plainfield Equipment with his father, Rex senior, Roseboom’s earliest memories include coming to the shop after school, and on The family-owned business has been through many changes Saturdays when his dad would make him sweep floors, wash equipment, take out the trash, and do other odds through the years. Roseboom’s grandfather Russell was a farmer in the Pittsboro, Indiana, area more than forty years ago. He eventually and ends for the family business. recognized a need for quality farm equipment in his community, “I’ve always worked here,” Roseboom says. “It’s kind of in my blood. and started Roseboom Farm Supply in 1975. He offered farm supplies and equipment for local farmers. I’ve worked here since I was big enough to hold a broom, and it’s always been what I wanted to do.” In the early 1980s, Russell sold his business to his son, Rex senior, who had worked there with his three brothers throughout the Plainfield Equipment offers a wide variety of outdoor power equipment. Customers can find push mowers, handheld equipment, years. At that point the business name officially became Plainfield Equipment. agriculture products and construction machinery. The largest machines available are full-size backhoes and 300-horsepower The shop branched out into the lawn-and-garden sector, selling tractors. lawnmowers, chainsaws and trimmers. Roseboom always had plans to join the business, and brought his innovative and entrepreneurial These outdoor power products help customers with simple yard spirit with him when he did. He studied accounting and finance at work, the federal government with road projects and farmers with crops, among other tasks. The Plainfield Equipment staff has found IUPUI, and became co-owner with his dad in 2002. itself contributing to multiple industries including landscaping, “I’ve always had ideas to grow the business,” Roseboom says. “Some agriculture and construction. of those ideas allowed us to branch out to other brands and other SEPTEMBER 2020
markets as far as machinery goes, like ag machinery, construction machinery, commercial products, landscaping machinery, and other high-dollar items to fit the contractor, the farmer or the landscape contractor.” Roseboom and his dad are involved with orders and deal with customers daily, and Roseboom wouldn’t have it any other way. He says it’s what makes their business different than others in the industry. “We are hands-on and involved as owners,” Roseboom says. “When you come in, you could get us at the parts counter or selling machines. We don’t step out of the scenes - we’re always involved.” One of the best parts of the job for Roseboom is working with his dad. “We typically have lunch together, even though we never leave and are always busy,” he says. “I have lots of memories here with him as a kid.” The company has been through three generations, and Roseboom continues the tradition by exposing his three-yearold son Silas to the fun of the family business. While Silas loves tractors and everything on the Plainfield Equipment lot, Roseboom plans to support his son on whatever career path he chooses. “He wants to drive everything,” Roseboom says with a laugh. “He loves when grandpa drives him around in anything he desires. He knows the names of all the equipment. He loves getting in the excavators and the skid steers, and he loves the enclosed cabs. We just want him to be happy and follow his dreams. If this business is what he wants as a career, then we will fully support him.” Roseboom is proud of Plainfield Equipment’s high-quality customer service. He and his dad put the customer’s needs first and try to be as accessible as possible, even beyond closing time. “We don’t leave until the last person stops coming in,” Roseboom says. “I think that’s the success of this place, us just being here every day. It’s about fulfilling promises. If we tell someone we’ll do it, we’ll do it.” The coronavirus pandemic, which has disrupted many American businesses, has hardly affected the daily operations at Plainfield Equipment. If anything, business has picked up, bringing new challenges. “The biggest challenge has been keeping up with business in the past four months,” Roseboom says. Because of booming business, the Plainfield Equipment staff has never closed the company’s doors, working in the store SEPTEMBER 2020
and offering curbside pickup as well as delivery of equipment as small as chainsaws and handheld items. “Even a pandemic won’t stop us from supporting our clients and customers,” Roseboom says. “We were deemed essential by the Department of Agriculture for the state of Indiana. We had to help keep these farms going, keep the roads open and keep the infrastructure operational.” Plainfield Equipment sees a wide variety of clients, from farming to construction to the federal government, and Roseboom partially attributes this to the company’s location. He feels that Plainfield’s proximity to rural communities and large property owners, as well as its accessibility to the city, have contributed to his diverse clientele. “We can service anyone, no matter what size project you have,” Roseboom says. “We want you to feel comfortable and confident buying from us, and that you’ll have our support down the road.”
While day-to-day life and business are forever changing, Roseboom appreciates many of the familiar faces that he deals with. His staff’s strong work ethic has carried the company through one of its most challenging seasons. He attributes Plainfield Equipment’s success to the hard work and dedication of his staff members, and values the staff’s commitment to the company. “I’ve been very pleased,” Roseboom says. “We couldn’t do it without them. We told them during the pandemic, ‘If you don’t want to work, don’t work.’ Everybody wanted to work. They adapted but we never closed. We are friendly and easy to do business with. If you ever have a problem, we’ll take care of you.” Plainfield Equipment is located at 716 West Main Street in Plainfield. For more info, call 317-839-2448 and visit plainfieldequipment.com.
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We are using cell phones and computers now more than ever, so it is imperative to remember the damage that these devices can cause to our eyes. This damage occurs because of blue light, which is found on all digital screens from computers to tablets to gaming systems. Shawn Stout, a physician assistant at IU Health West Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center, shares tips for preventing damage to your eyes. Signs of Damage Due to Blue Light Oftentimes we spend too much time on our screens throughout the day and force our eyes to work extra hard to cope with the blue light, which can cause eye strain. When our eyes are constantly tracking and looking at a screen projecting blue light, the stress on the eyes can lead to headaches or migraines. If you are already sensitive to light, be extra cautious when using screens for extended periods of time. Blue light can also disrupt sleeping patterns because it interferes with our circadian rhythm, the natural release of melatonin that makes us tired. The blue light tricks our brain into thinking it is daytime, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Disruption of circadian rhythms can lead to increases in obesity, depression and poor overall health. Over time, continued exposure to blue light can also lead to damaged retinal cells, which can cause long-term vision problems.
Tips for Preventing Blue Light Damage • Your risk of blue light damage decreases if you are proactive about prevention: • Decrease screen time, especially at night when you are going to bed. • Wear blue light glasses. They have yellow-tinted lenses that block blue light. • Download a blue light filter smartphone application to help reduce glare and eye fatigue. • Take a break from screens. Even when it’s a busy day, take frequent breaks to give your eyes rest. • Blink more often. When staring at a digital screen, blink more times to keep your eyes moist and refreshed.
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10 IDEAS TO SPICE UP YOUR AUTUMN Writer / Abigail Hake Photography Provided
The time has finally come to tackle those favorite fall activities we all love, and it’s the perfect time to come together and enjoy them with family and friends. With fall comes a great mix of warm and cool weather, and getting outside is a must. Enjoy time outside exploring during the day, and then grab a blanket and get cozy around a fire at night. Here are a few ideas - some new, and some tried and true - for that fall to-do list of yours.
Apple Picking
One of the best parts of fall is the apples. Head over to your local orchard and have fun picking apples as a family. While you’re there, enjoy some ice-cold apple cider and maybe even some apple cider donuts. Then take your pickings home to make your own apple sauce, apple pie or apple crumble.
Corn Mazes
Corn mazes are all the rage these days. They keep getting bigger, better and more creative. Some people prefer scary mazes, but the ones you can get lost in for hours without being scared half to death are just fine too. If you take kids, keep them close or maybe grab a megaphone before you go, just in case. However you like your corn mazes, this is a great fall activity to do as a family. Look up a museum or farm nearby to see what they have to offer.
Nature Scavenger Hunts
The crisp fall weather is great for exploring, and why not add a little challenge to it? Print off a great fall scavenger hunt list, pack some snacks, and pick your favorite trail to search on. One list for the family will do just fine, but take pictures with your finds to make it a little more fun. You could even make this a yearly tradition and put all the photos together in a memory book.
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Pumpkin Power
Just like apples, it’s the time of year for pumpkin everything - pies, lattes, rolls, muffins, and don’t forget those pumpkin seeds. When this time of year rolls around, there’s no limit to what you can do with pumpkin, so have fun with it.
Decorate Pumpkins
Another fall must-do is pumpkin decorating. Head to your favorite pumpkin patch and pick a few pumpkins of various sizes. Look for pumpkins with unique shapes and interesting markings. Bring them home and have at it. Get creative with carving, painting and adding accessories.
Go Geocaching
If you don’t already know what this is, you are in for a real treat. It’s like treasure hunting but close to home, and while the treasure might just be documenting your name on a tiny piece of paper and putting it back, this is fun for everyone. Download a geocaching app and begin your hunt. This is something fun to do that’s a little different, and provides a good time for the whole family. Sometimes there are hidden gems very close to home.
Go Hiking
Spring and summer are not the only times to hike. Fall is actually ideal with its cooler temperatures. Pick a state park to explore together as a family. Take in the gorgeous, changing scenery while enjoying a little outdoor exercise.
Sit Around the Campfire
What’s a better way to stay warm on a cool fall evening than sitting around a fire? Add some wood to your campfire, and sit out this fall roasting marshmallows and creating unique versions of s’mores. Add to your evening around the fire by telling ghost stories while wrapped in blankets.
Fall Foliage Drives
The leaves on the trees in the fall are just the best, and while there are some locations that may have more vibrant colors than others, there’s an amazing amount of beauty to be found in the trees this time of year. Challenge yourself and keep a count of how many different colors you can find.
Be Thankful
Lastly, start your very own thankful jar. Decide how often you want to write down what you are thankful for. Try jotting down notes every day for the month of September or October, and then pull your notes out and read them for Thanksgiving. Write down events, memories or even small treats you enjoyed. It’s a sweet and easy way to remind yourself that it’s a wonderful life, and to enjoy the little things. Hopefully this gives you a starting point for fall activities to try with the family. Take in as much as you can and have a great, safe and fun-filled fall!
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SHAWLS THAT SPEAK LOVE PRAYER SHAWL PROGRAM BRINGS COMFORT TO IU HEALTH PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided
In 2009, Nancy Murray took up crochet as a hobby and began delivering crocheted shawls to local cancer centers in Florida, where she was living at the time. Murray’s daughter Genina Miller, a clinical education coordinator at IU Health West Hospital, was busy creating end-of-life education content and assembling bereavement packets. “One day I was talking to mom on the phone and she said, ‘I’ll send you some prayer shawls to give to your patients,’” Miller says. From then on, Murray began sending a box of shawls to Hendricks County every month, and the prayer shawl program at IU Health West was born. Six years ago, Murray moved back to Indiana to be close to family. “She crocheted her little heart out,” says Miller, who describes her mother as a kind and loving soul - someone who never forgot a birthday, and who people sought out for advice. “She always was doing stuff to help people, whether it was taking groceries to them when they were sick, or volunteering at church.” Since IU Health West is interfaith and AvonMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020 / AVON MAGAZINE / 35
nondenominational, it supports all faith traditions including those who don’t subscribe to a particular religion. As such, Miller worked to create an appropriate prayer message to attach to each shawl. Each shawl’s card reads, “May this shawl be encircling, warming and comforting. May this mantle be a safe haven, a place of security and well-being, sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones. May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace, and wrapped in love.”
Bedside nurses have shared stories with Miller about how much the prayer shawls mean to families. For example, a critical care nurse gave one to her patient, and the patient’s husband expressed his gratitude. A few days later when the patient began running a fever, the nurse removed the shawl to keep her cool. Right away the husband asked, “Where’s the prayer shawl? We need to put it back on her.”
Each shawl is delivered in a purple bag, and chaplains and nurses read the accompanying card as they place the shawl on a patient or present it to a family member. Michael Gilbert, chaplain at IU Health West, is a primary deliverer of prayer shawls to patients. The hospital staff began by giving shawls to patients having a particularly difficult day. Perhaps they received bad news, were feeling poorly, or experiencing pain. The staff also began giving shawls to those nearing the end of their life. Though sometimes such patients are not alert, the gesture means a great deal to friends and families. “It’s a small but special gift of warmth and comfort - a tangible way to say we care about you,” says Miller, who admits that when the hospital started the program, she wondered if it would make a difference. “It truly does.” Miller, who served as a critical care nurse for 15 years, initially became interested in end-of-life care because she dealt with it so frequently. “As a critical care nurse, I believe that patients can hear even when they have progressed to a coma,” Miller says. “There were times when I took care of a patient in a coma, and they would wake up several days later and tell me that they remembered my voice. We really think that your loved ones can hear you, so when we lay these shawls on them, even if they are unconscious, we believe they can feel the love.” 36 / AVON MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2020 / AvonMagazine.com
“It’s hard to articulate how it makes people feel,” Miller says. “The best way to describe it is an act of love, kindness and caring.” According to Miller, families sometimes keep the shawls as a memento once their loved one has passed. Others place it in the casket.
Murray worked full time as an executive secretary until she was 72 years old. After retiring, she remained active and energetic as a barista at the Warm Glow Candle Outlet off of Interstate 70, where she was beloved by coworkers and patrons. In July of 2019 she suddenly fell ill at work, and was rushed to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. She quickly went downhill and lapsed into a coma. A few
days later, critical care doctors delivered the devastating news that Murray wasn’t going to make it. “After hearing that, I walked down the hall and as I was passing the elevator, the doors opened and Michael stepped off with a purple bag,” Miller says. “The timing could not have been better.”
Gilbert placed the shawl on Murray, and it was a powerful moment of love as Murray’s prayer shawl outreach had come full circle. “My mom had lovingly made shawls for so many people through the years and now it was her turn to get one,” Miller says. Murray passed away two hours later.
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“Getting that shawl from Michael was such a kind blessing for all of us,” says Miller, who finally understood what the gesture felt like as a shawl recipient. “It’s like getting a hug, having this shawl wrapped around you.” Murray was the biggest contributor to the prayer shawl program at IU Health West. However, members of local churches have also donated, as have staff members from several area hospitals.
“An ER physician from Methodist drove all the way here to deliver four of the most beautiful shawls I’ve ever seen,” Miller says. “She told me she crochets to relax after work.”
Genina Miller is actively seeking volunteers who knit, crochet or sew. If you would like to donate a shawl to IU Health West Hospital, email Miller at gmiller1@iuhealth.org.
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