Broad Ripple July 2016

JULY 2016

SERVING MERIDIAN HILLS, WILLIAMS CREEK AND NORA

SO IT GOES...

HONORING

9 THE LEGACY OF 9

KURT VONNEGUT

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Broad Ripple High School, one of the earliest Indianapolis Public Schools, is located within the district. Some notable Hoosiers raised in or near the Broad Ripple neighborhood include late night talk show host David Letterman, professional football player Rosevelt Colvin, Indiana Pacers guard George Hill, New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson, and astronaut David Wolf.

The Broad Ripple Magazine, published by the TownePost Network, is an active community partner, sponsoring in part, several of the district’s festivals and special events. The Broad Ripple Magazine is direct-mailed to residential homes in Broad Ripple, Meridian Kessler, Meridian Hills, Williams Creek and Nora neighborhoods.

The publication is strategically distributed throughout the district in designated, heavy-traffic locations. Active members of the Broad Ripple Village Association, the Broad Ripple Magazine has a favorable reputation amongst 11,647and business owners, civic leaders Circulation current customers throughout the district. The magazine supports 90% local organizations and Direct volunteers Mail in encouraging a spirit of community cooperation, economic development and beautification of the community. We are also members of the White River10% Yacht Retaillocated Distribution Club, a 75-year social club in Broad Ripple.

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Broad Ripple’s close proximity to Butler University has put the district on the area’s social scene.

Broad Ripple is home to many of Indianapolis’ premier locally owned restaurants, independent art galleries, eclectic boutiques and specialty shops.

The Broad Ripple Art Fair takes place on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center in the Broad Ripple Village Cultural District. This renowned fair attracts visitors and residents from all over the region and state making Broad Ripple a mecca for tourism.

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Welcome to Broad Ripple Village, one of six areas designated as cultural districts in Indianapolis.

Located about six miles north of Downtown Indianapolis, Broad Ripple has a reputation for being socially, economically, and ethnically diverse. The town of Broad Ripple was established on the banks of the White River in 1836. Today, Broad Ripple is known for walks along the canal and the Monon Trail and its offerings of unique shops, dining and nightclubs.

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COVER STORY 25 SO IT GOES...HONORING THE LEGACY OF KURT VONNEGUT

Julia Whitehead created The Vonnegut Library to be more than a tourist destination.

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PUBLISHER / Tom Garriott Tom@atBRip.com / 317-797-8135 CONTENT MANAGER / Kara Reibel Kara@TownePost.com JULY WRITERS Dan Wakefield / Joshua Deisler / Kara Reibel Stephanie Duncan

6 Vonnegut Lives!

9 It's Official: Dan Wakefield Has 10

30 RTV6 Meteorologist Todd

JULY PHOTOGRAPHERS Stephanie Duncan

His Own Park!

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onserving History: Easter C Conservation Works to Restore the Past

35 Impacting Lives Through

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18 Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Project: Honoring Veterans with Jill Fewell

21 Sue Ellspermann is Leading by Example 23 Biking Around the Circle

The Broad Ripple Magazine is published by the TownePost Network and is written for and by local Broad Ripple area residents.

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COMING HOME

DAN WAKEFIELD

VONNEGUT LIVES!

Kurt Vonnegut was a Humanist, but he always spoke of people he loved as being “up in heaven now.” He included in that territory his wife Jane as well as Sam Lawrence, the publisher who he said had saved him “from smithereens.”

That same publisher, with a generous boost from Kurt, saved me from smithereens. In fact, Kurt is still saving me from smithereens, providing me work in collecting, editing and writing introductions to his letters, his graduation speeches and now a book of his complete short stories, so I choose to believe that Kurt “is up in heaven now.” I figure he has a townhouse over in the Humanist neighborhood, just east of the pearly gates.

Books Week” every year when authors and book lovers come and read passages from books that individuals and institutions have tried to ban. People who come to listen are enlightened and often shocked and appalled to hear what silly reasons are given for trying to keep adults, children and students of all ages from reading books that are so powerful and beautiful that fearful people have tried to ban them.

The School Board of Drake, North Dakota, not only tried to ban Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five,” a worldwide bestseller, they actually burned copies of it in the high school furnace. Kurt wrote an eloquent letter to the Chairman of the Drake School Board, in which he said:

From another viewpoint, it seems he is still alive, not only through his books (they are all still in print) but also through the work of The Vonnegut Museum and Library (VM&L) here in Indianapolis. You have to understand that this particular institution is much more than its name suggests – it does a lot more than just house his books and artifacts like his old typewriter and decorate the walls with his quotes (such as “Man is a dancing animal.”). It carries on the work he believed in.

Kurt was always a crusader for the freedom of expression, and he fought against the banning of books. He would be proud to know that the museum and library that bears his name features a “Banned

“…If you were to bother to read my books, you would learn that they are not sexy and do not argue in favor of wildness of any kind. They beg that people be kinder and more responsible than they often are. It is true that some of the characters speak coarsely.

That’s because people speak coarsely in real life. Especially soldiers and hard-working men speak coarsely, and even our most sheltered children know that. And we all know, too, that those words really don’t damage children much. They didn’t damage us when we were young. It was evil deeds and lying that hurt us.”

Once when I went to a reading at Banned Books Week, I heard an

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Dan Wakefield edited and wrote the introduction to “Kurt Vonnegut: Letters” and “If This Isn’t Nice, What Is?: Advice to the Young.” On the homepage of Dan’s website, danwakefield.com, you can press a bar below a photo of Kurt and hear his voice, reading his review of Dan’s novel “Going All The Way” that originally appeared in Life magazine and now is published as an “Afterword” in the IU Press edition of the novel.

eloquent reading by Judy O’Bannon from the wise, lovely novel, “To Tree,” which takes place on “The Home Front” during World War II. Kill a Mockingbird.” The “excuse” for banning it? A character used the word “hell.” If you go to The VM&L during Banned Books Week, you Kurt was a Corporal in the infantry during World War II (he liked are liable to learn something that will shock your socks off. to say he had attained the same rank as Napoleon). He was captured by the Germans during The Battle of The Bulge and survived the One day I went to hear Liza Newman, the granddaughter of the firebombing of Dresden as a prisoner of war in an underground meat labor activist Powers Hapgood of Indianapolis, who I’d read about in locker, a nightmare he transformed 20 years later into his classic novel Vonnegut’s novel “Jailbird.” I happened to get there early, and a panel “Slaughterhouse-Five.” discussion was going on with four Japanese-American citizens who had Kurt was loyal and supportive of been in the U.S. internment camps his fellow veterans, and he’d be during World War II because they proud to know that the museumwere of Japanese ancestry. I found library honoring his name brings their experience so depressingly in thought-provoking speakers and fascinating that I later looked them programs the weekend of every up and interviewed them for an Veterans Day. Last year, I heard article I wrote in NUVO about that the Afghanistan war veteran Luis dark chapter in our history.

Carlos Montalvan, author of “Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and Oh and the talk about Powers The Golden Retriever Who Saved Hapgood – one of Kurt’s heroes Him.” Captain Montalvan came – was terrific too, so I got double with his dog “Tuesday” and told my money’s worth (but I hadn’t how service dogs were making spent a cent – all the programs a new life possible for veterans at The VM&L are free except for who had suffered the physical and dinners and fundraising events). emotional wounds of combat.

There’s a Vonnegut Book Club, and With his faithful Golden Retriever that’s free too. They meet once a at his feet, Montalvan explained month to discuss a book they’ve that “service dogs” are not just for chosen to read, and it may be one blind people but are essential to of Vonnegut’s books, or it may be a some of the wounded vets who book by another author. If the books suffer from PTSD. are by other authors from Indiana, sometimes the author comes and Tim O’Brien, the Vietnam vet who takes part in the discussion. wrote the most acclaimed book of that war, “The Things They Carried,” Once I went to hear James was a featured speaker at The VM&L Alexander Thom who lives in the Veterans weekend several years woods outside of Bloomington ago, and he gave one of the most with his lovely wife Dark Rain; they met while he was researching impassioned anti-war talks I have ever heard (along with Kurt’s talk his novel based on the life of Tecumseh, “Panther in the Sky.” The against the first Iraq war that I heard him give at All Souls Unitarian day I went to hear him at The Vonnegut Library, the book club was Church in New York City). O’Brien is returning this July to speak at discussing his new novel “Fire in the Water,” which is set just at the the “Teaching Vonnegut” program that brings in secondary school end of The Civil War when Lincoln was assassinated. Once I went to and college teachers from around the state and the country who use talk and answer questions about a novel of mine, “Under The Apple his work in their courses. atBrip.com / JULY 2016 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 7

Kurt’s short stories are especially popular with high school students. I learned that personally a few years ago when I went to pick up my goddaughter from Miami Senior High School. She was anxious to tell me about a really “cool story” she had read in her Language Arts class that day. She didn’t remember the name of the story, but she said it was about a boy who lived in the future at a time when the government tried to make everyone equal by wearing weights that kept down their particular talents. This one boy defied the rules and refused to wear the weights, and he was the hero of the story.

“Was that story called ‘Harrison Bergeron?’”

I asked her. “Yes! How did you know?” she said. “I know the guy who wrote it,” I said. “A guy named Vonnegut.”

That course for teachers at The VM&L will introduce other students to the work of “that guy named Vonnegut” whose imaginative stories and novels open up new ways of looking at things, of questioning assumptions and of pointing out “the elephant in the room” that everyone else is embarrassed or afraid to mention. WARNING: His writing is in fact a kind of literary “gateway drug” that makes young people want to read more, discover other authors, maybe even lead to Dostoevsky and the novel Kurt’s wife Jane required him to read on their honeymoon, “The Brothers Karamazov.”

Reading Vonnegut, the odds are you’ll learn something unexpected. It was true of the man as well as his work. In the last 15 years of his life, I was living and teaching in Miami, but at least once a year, I went to New York, and I always looked forward to a lunch with Kurt. I can’t remember a time when he didn’t say something that stuck in my memory.

Once when we were walking back to his house after lunch, he said, out of the blue, “You know, Dan, we never had to leave Indianapolis to be writers because there are people there who are just as smart and just as dumb, just as kind and just as mean, as people anywhere else in the world.” It’s obvious, yes, but I’d never looked at it that way before. Now here I am, living and writing in Indianapolis, and at least several times a week, I hear his voice in my head, saying those words, and I smile.

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IT'S OFFICIAL: DAN WAKEFIELD HAS HIS OWN PARK! Broad Ripple Magazine congratulates Dan Wakefield on being honored with a park bearing his namesake! The dedication ceremony was June 1. We thank Patrick Chastain for the splendid idea of renaming the park where Dan played as a child and served as the location for a scene in the book and movie, “Going All The Way.” Mayor Joe Hogsett, Senator Richard Lugar (a Shortridge classmate of Dan’s), Travis DiNicola, Will Higgins and others honored Dan at the ceremony. A special thanks to Indy Parks for this honor!

Like Dan, we are thrilled he’s still alive to enjoy it!

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CONSERVING HISTORY: EASTER CONSERVATION WORKS TO RESTORE THE PAST

In 2001, she opened Easter Conservation Services at 54th Street and the Monon As Jean Easter was opening her mail, she Indeed, restoring history was a family affair, Trail. The shop offers framing, matting, came across an interesting letter from 1600 which led her to the Fashion Institute of antique frames and conservation of Pennsylvania Avenue. But it was not just a Technology where Jean studied jewelry design paintings, frames, furniture, jewelry and letter; it was an invitation. The challenge: and restoration of decorative objects. Soon, other objects. design an ornament for the White House she began working as an outdoor conservator.

Christmas tree.

Jean and her employees Gina Golden, Jean later found herself in Indianapolis, Warren O’Connell and Jiliana Hughey Jean points to the photo of Laura Bush and working at the IMA in frame restoration. treasure making pieces come back to life for remembers how artists from all over the She enjoyed the intricate process of their clients. “If something’s leaving here, it country gathered at the White House for working with frames, especially the needs to be right,” says Warren, the shop’s the Christmas tree reception. “That was gilding process: “It’s like baking a cake. frame manager. amazing,” says Jean who recalls designing a You have to let the material dictate to Cardinal bird for the tree. you what it needs and when it needs it.”

Historical items often enter the shop in very In fact, one of her most challenging jobs, poor condition. Gina, the conservation But what led her to the White House that she says, was gilding the elevator cars at technician, recalls receiving pieces damaged Christmas started decades earlier in an old Banker’s Life Fieldhouse. from fires or tornadoes. But after careful farmhouse in Syracuse, New York. Day by and patient work, a smoke-damaged day, Jean’s father would work to restore the After 11 years at the IMA, Jean wanted painting and a wind-torn desk are somehow kitchen, the walls, the floors — anything to start her own business. “You work a whole again. “It’s like putting a puzzle that needed work. “He could do everything, whole lot harder and you work more, but together; just figure out where all the pieces and I mean everything,” she says. “I always the benefits are so much richer,” she says. go,” says Gina.

Writer / Joshua Deisler

grew up with doing things by hand.”

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Jean prides herself in her museum training. “Everyone who works here only knows museum methods because that’s all I know to teach them,” she says. “You’re not going to get anything different from the IMA that you’re going to get here.”

Even their method of framing involves only museum techniques.

“Everything that we do is reversible,” says Jean who is a professional associate of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IAC). Over the years, she has received a grant from the Indy Arts Council to study with a frame conservator at the National Portrait Gallery as well as a grant from IAC to study French furniture-making techniques.

BEFORE

Jean and her family of employees at the shop take pride in their work to conserve old pieces. “We work very judiciously with the pieces we have,” she says. Jean is passionate about maintaining an object’s original, historical character.

Over the years, they have all faced their fair share of challenges: they have restored not just paintings and old frames but marriage certificates, World War I uniforms and furniture. They recall the challenge of piecing together a torn Chinese fan and the client’s joy at seeing her old fan restored.

“It’s keeping your family history alive. It’s keeping the whole remembrance of family culture alive,” says Jean.

All-in-all, Jean, Warren, Gina and Jiliana find their greatest joy sharing the responsibility of conserving history.

“Making things fresh and new again is rewarding,” says Warren.

But perhaps Gina says it best: “The greatest thing is the business of making people happy.” And at Easter Conservation, this is what restoring history is about.

Joshua Deisler lives with his family in Broad Ripple. He teaches 7th grade language arts and enjoys running and writing stories.

atBrip.com / JULY 2016 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 11

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COLLEGE MENTORS

for Kids

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Writer / Stephanie Duncan

Abby Udelhofen and Larson Pax are two college students on a mission. As leaders in the Butler University chapter of College Mentors for Kids, they both want to spread the word about this unique program that helps local elementary school students in need.

College Mentors for Kids is a nonprofit program that offers elementary school children weekly after-school activities focused on higher education, diversity/ culture and community service. College students at Butler volunteer as mentors to help their students, or “little buddies,” understand the importance of education, cultural understanding and giving back to their community.

Originally started in 1994 at Indiana University, a second chapter was started at Butler in 1995 and has been helping students for 20 years. Currently the Butler chapter helps 80 kids, ranging from first through fifth grade, from two different Indianapolis schools. The program busses

kids to Butler campus two times a week: students from Indianapolis Public School (IPS) #60 on Wednesdays and students from IPS #43 on Thursdays.

Udelhofen and Pax are both Vice Presidents of Programming for College Mentors and really get to organize and plan all the activities that the “little buddies” and mentors participate in together. Both Udelhofen and Pax started out volunteering as freshmen and quickly fell in love with the program and the kids they got to teach.

“It’s really powerful seeing these kids grow over time,” Udelhofen explained. “They go through so many challenges, and with this program, they get to take a step away from that and just be a kid.”

Pax remembers a particular fifth grader that she’s known since he started the program in first grade. She explained that he was branded as a tough kid, and it was really hard to get him to open up.

“I could see him light up when he would get on the bus every week.” Pax said she is really going to miss kids who graduate this year because they have been a part of the program since she started.

Pax explained why this program is different from other tutoring programs that might be similar. “The kids get bussed to Butler, so they can spend time on an actual college campus,” she said.

While other programs might focus solely on homework from school, College Mentors does not. All activities relate to one of the three themes: higher education, diversity/ culture and community service. “We want to open their minds to new ideas and concepts they might not be exposed to otherwise,” Pax explains.

An example of one of these activities focused on diversity had the little buddies learn an Israeli dance. They had Butler professors teach a unique dance and explain the cultural meaning behind the dance, so “You could see that every week he came the kids learn something new in a fun and back, that wall was breaking down,” she said. interactive way.

atBrip.com / JULY 2016 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 15

Having the kids bussed to campus allows the mentors to use professors as resources to show kids options for higher education.

They also had a Chemistry Magic Day where a professor showed them fun experiment demonstrations.

Pax loves that the kids get exposed to different opportunities. She has seen children have better attendance in school and improved behavior after joining the College Mentors program. “People will always tell these kids that they can’t do something. But I’ve learned they are smart and capable and deal with challenges more maturely than most people,” she said.

Udelhofen also wants to change that mindset. “These kids have so much to offer.

In the right environment with support, a kid can completely change!”

Udelhofen and Pax are excited for the future of College Mentors. "We have been so successful that we are adding another school next year, so we will be helping more kids three days a week instead of two!”

Udelhofen said.

The amount of volunteers they get every year is also telling as to how rewarding this program can be for the mentors as well.

They have to turn people away every year.

You can see how this program helps college students become role models. “You know you’re making a difference in the kids’ lives, but they are also making a difference in yours,” Pax said.

If you’re interested in learning more about College Mentors for Kids or how to help, check out their website at collegementors.org.

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WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS PROJECT: HONORING VETERANS WITH JILL FEWELL

Writer / Kara Reibel Photography provided

Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans is an initiative created by the Department of Defense to honor those who fought for our country during the Vietnam War. 2015-2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the homecoming of our troops from this unpopular war. Their return was far from celebrated, and these recent efforts are better late than never.

Marking this historic anniversary is the creation of a Commemorative Gift to be given to all seven million Vietnam veterans with 150,000 of these brave

men and women in Indiana. The gift is the first of its kind to be given to our veterans and includes a 160-page hardbound book, feature documentary and an interactive eBook.

The organization of this effort extends to the states to take on local fundraising and personalization of a portion of each book, which is a gorgeous, hardback coffee table book specific to each state.

Indiana’s only living Medal of Honor recipient is Sammy L. Davis who is leading the Indiana contingency, and nominated veterans’ events expert and Fishers resident Jill Fewell is our state INDY METRO / JULY 2016 / TownePost.com

coordinator for the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans efforts.

“It’s such an honor and a major undertaking,” says Jill, whose son serves in the Navy. “I’m thrilled to be helping with such a rewarding and important project.”

Jill has been a longtime supporter of veterans and is the founder of VeteranEvents.org. She’s a member of the World War II Roundtable, and if there is an event for veterans in central Indiana, it’s almost guaranteed she played a role in it.

“It’s all about the Veterans, not me,” says Jill, who always spells Veterans with an

“After Mom died, we all began worrying more about Dad.” —Kate Weese “Having raised 10 children in our family, our Mom and Dad were always busy and very active socially, even after we all left their home.

When Mom died suddenly, we knew it would be difficult for Dad to transition into a “new normal” in an empty home. With the help of all the kids, from coast to coast, we sought a retirement community that would provide Dad with a safe and active life. We all agreed Westminster Village North was our best option and to him, a perfect new home.”

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uppercase “V” out of respect. “They come first to me!”

Actor Gary Sinise, Lee Greenwood, Jon Voight, Elizabeth Dole, Paul Page and many other nationally-known celebrities support this effort. Jill’s job is to bring that focus locally to fundraise in order to provide the Commemorative Gift to all 150,000 Indiana Vietnam veterans.

“It’s about time,” says Ponytail Paul Cauley, a Vietnam veteran and President of the World War II Roundtable of the long-awaited honor for those who served in Vietnam. Cauley served with the 101st Airborne, Infantry 3rd of the 506th Currahee. Cauley just returned from a 13th reunion with his unit. He was able to locate some of the men he served with and discovered they had been attending

In a world of change, our focus is steadfast.

reunions since 1995. “I used to not wear anything indicative of my service to my country, but I wear something daily that displays with honor that I served my country, and every day, I have people come up to me to thank me for my service."

Cauley returned home from Vietnam in November of 1971 to a rude awakening. That year was marked by public displays of hostility towards the veterans who fought.

This included horrific accounts of actions by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam

by Senator John Kerry on Capitol Hill and anti-war protests across the country, culminating in the killings of protestors on Kent State campus. Cauley noticed sentiment was changing a couple decades ago during Desert Storm, and the U.S. was starting to support our military.

That’s when he began to proudly wear evidence of his service.

Indiana is an early adopter state for the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans effort; however, many states have raised their funds and are distributing the Gift. In Mississippi, their Governor is spearheading the effort.

Clearly an important effort by all states, the support for this project is unsurpassed. “We hope to experience a similar success in Indiana,” says Jill, who is hopeful that our State Legislature will create a bill allocating a portion of the necessary funding.

Upcoming Vietnam veterans events include the Kokomo Healing Fields reunion in September, which is the largest of its kind.

Visit WHVV.org, VeteranEvents.org, WWIIRoundtable.com or VVA295.com for more information!

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Kara Reibel, a freelance writer and storyteller, is a main contributor for TownePost Network’s magazines. Follow her: Karareibel.com; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @karareibel.

SUE ELLSPERMANN IS LEADING

BY EXAMPLE Writer / Kara Reibel Photography provided

We teach what we’ve been taught. We help others in the manner that we have experienced. Sue Ellspermann shares her mentors and those who have impacted her life along with her plans for leadership of Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution and the largest singly-accredited statewide community college system in the entire country.

The new President of Ivy Tech Community College, Sue Ellspermann hails from the beautiful town of Ferdinand where she’s lived since the age of 2. One of six children, Sue and her two sisters worked in their father’s small jewelry store after school and on weekends through high school.

Ferdinand,” shares Sue, who confided only in Sister Kathy, aside from her husband, Jim, about the upcoming Lt. Governor run for office.

The St. Benedict rules consist of community, prayer, hospitality and work. “Sister Kathy helps me to remain grounded.”

While serving as Lt. Governor, Sue became involved with the Indiana Conference for Women. Now as a member of their Advisory Committee, Sue continues to promote the conference across the state.

Conference co-founder Billie Dragoo served on an Indiana Bicentennial committee with Sue for “Big Ideas,” which not only celebrates Indiana, but it provides a strong vision looking forward to our next 100 years of statehood. The full reveal of this plan will be announced in September.

While studying industrial engineering at Purdue, Sue’s keen interest in unstructured problem-solving and strategic planning began. While working for Frito Lay in Dallas, she met Dr. Min Basadur, a thought leader in the applied creativity realm of corporate innovation.

“Dr. Basadur became not only a mentor, but after leaving Frito Lay, I joined him as a consultant on a colleague level,” shares Sue. Basadur was the founder of the process she used, and it was his research that provided the foundation Sue expanded upon through her own consultation experience.

While Sue was building her consultancy business, another key mentor was Kathy Kleindorfer. “Kathy was an excellent leader,” says Sue. “She emphasized the importance of under-promising and over-delivering.”

Sue’s first big client was Kimball International. Jim Thyen, CEO of Kimball International, had a leadership style that Sue admired. “He always did the right thing, even if that meant lowering profits in lieu of laying off workers,” states Sue of Thyen. “He took care of people and was not overly focused on the profit motive.” Later, Thyen would serve as a friend and trusted advisor while Sue was making the decision to run for State Representative.

After 20 years of consulting and strategic planning, Sue founded and served as Director of the Center for Applied Research and Economic Development at the University of Southern Indiana. Shortly after leaving this position, Sue received a call from then-Congressman Pence to be his Lt. Governor.

“My spiritual director is Sister Kathy Huber (member of the Huber Winery family) and a Prioress with St. Benedict’s Monastery in TownePost.com / JULY 2016 / INDY METRO

“I am beyond excited that one of my initiatives for women was considered,” says Dragoo, who recently attended The Global Entrepreneurship Summit with President Obama and other international business leaders.

“Billie is an amazing leader and role model,” says Sue of Dragoo, who also serves as CEO of RepuCare. “I feel very strongly that

the Indiana Conference for Women is an excellent opportunity for women to network and get inspired to do more.”

Speaking of doing more, as President of Ivy Tech, Sue brings with her a powerful agenda designed to facilitate success for their students. As Lt. Governor, she served as Vice Chair of the Indiana Career Council, which focuses on aligning

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education with workforce needs. The committee set the goal of 60 percent of our Hoosier workforce having postsecondary credentials/degrees by 2025. This means an additional one million Hoosiers need to skill up, and the bulk of those degrees will come from community colleges, such as Ivy Tech.

Currently, there are 20,000 graduates with certificates and/or associate degrees from Ivy Tech Community College each year. That number needs to more than double to meet the goal.

Sue intimately understands the needed flexibility with earning degrees. It took her eight years of commuting to Louisville from Evansville to complete her doctorate in industrial engineering. A high level of patience and persistence, along with family support, carried her through.

The importance of increasing flexibility for degree completion, accompanied with courses that assist with skilling up our workforce such as Ivy Tech’s partnership with Eleven Fifty Academy, are a few ways Ivy Tech is working to elevate the graduation rate for their students.

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“There will be one million tech jobs in 2020,” says Eleven Fifty Academy President John Qualls. “The number is staggering, and the opportunity is there for students to enroll in coding classes.

The partnership with Ivy Tech opens the door for students to reach their potential and bridge this gap.”

At various growth stages of Sue’s life, she has had the pleasure of being around inspiring mentors. She believes strongly in giving back and in being a mentor to others. Before leaving office as Lt. Governor, Sue left a legacy by being a part of many amazing programs. She is walking into leadership with Ivy Tech Community College with the skill set to create, perhaps, her most meaningful impact.

For more information, visit ivytech.edu or in.gov/ibc. To register for the Indiana Conference for Women, visit indianaconferenceforwomen.com.

BIKING AROUND THE CIRCLE MONUMENT CIRCLE HOLDS THE 7TH ANNUAL INDY CRITERIUM BICYCLE FESTIVAL Writer / Demi Lawrence

Downtown Indianapolis’ Monument Circle will be alive and booming on Saturday, July 9 as it holds the 7th Annual Indy Criterium Bicycle Festival from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. This family-oriented event is free to the public, offering amateur and professional bike racing, a Freewheelin’ Family Fun Ride with 1 mile and 3 mile events, BMX stunt shows and so much more.

uses bicycles to teach valuable life and leadership skills along with healthy habits.

There are three route options for beginners through experienced riders at 14 miles, 32 miles or 52 miles. Sign up for these routes at http://bit.ly/28L4VQY. The first 100 participants to register will also be eligible to receive an event T-shirt!

Route maps will be provided on location and can be found at ridewithgps.com/ events/Indy-Crit-Kick-Off-Ride as well.

You can get in touch with Indy Criterium through social media, on Instagram/ Twitter @IndyCrit and their Facebook page, Indy Criterium.

Pre-ride check-in will be from 7:30-8:45 a.m., and the starting location will be on the South Steps of Monument Circle directly after check-in. After the ride, free bicycle parking will be offered on Monument Circle to allow people to stay and enjoy the rest of the day’s festivities.

For cars, free parking will be provided at Central Park at 301 N. Illinois St., granted that you have a parking pass, which will be available for download when you register.

Free showering facilities and towel services will also be provided at the Indy Bike Hub YMCA from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

FREE CYCLE FESTIVAL FAMILY FUN FREE BICYCLE FESTIVAL FREE FAMILY FUN! BICYCLE FESTIVAL 9 MONUMENT CIRCLE 100 percent of the proceeds from this all-day affair will go toward benefiting Freewheelin’ Community Bikes, a local youth development organization that

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HONORING

9 THE LEGACY OF 9

KUR T VONNEGUT Writer / Kara Reibel Photographer / Stephanie Duncan

“Slaughterhouse Five” was Julia Whitehead’s first dive into Vonnegut. She read it during high school for her own curiosity. While in college, she read “Cat’s Cradle” and then reread “Slaughterhouse Five” while she served in the Marine Corps as it was required reading by the military.

“It’s funny to watch people react when they find out I am a Marine,” says Julia with a smile, who is the Founder and CEO of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. “People are surprised to learn of my past military service.”

The idea to serve in the military was inspired by her father’s service and solidified by a comment her mother made while on a drive with their family through Culver when she was a kid. On the trip, Julia spotted a group of young adults on horseback looking regimental and polished along the roadside. Julia asked her mother, “Who are they, and which school is that?” and her mother replied, “That’s where bad girls go.” Julia knew at that moment she would go into the military.

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.” – Kurt Vonnegut Julia majored in English at the University of South Carolina, and upon graduating, she honored her call to serve. Her final assignment in the Marine Corps was at the Marine Corps History Center located on the Marine Corps University campus.

The Marine Corps History Center is an archive that includes personal papers from Marines with many of the items donated by family members atBrip.com / JULY 2016 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 25

after their loved one passed away.

During a Marine Corps History conference she had organized, Julia struck up a conversation with a Vice President of Random House. He offered her a job, saying, “When you get out of the Marines and want to get back into the war of words, call me.” And just like that, Julia marched away from the Marines and straight into a job with Random House.

Random House was interested in military memoirs, and Julia was assigned to acquire war stories. This experience led her to a position with a military nonprofit organization called Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). Julia was offered the assistant editor position and almost didn’t accept the job.

“I will always be grateful that I took that job,” says Julia, who loved working for MOAA. She fought for veterans benefits by working with every state to ensure that they are providing adequate benefits to their service members which totaled around 400,000 at that time.

Julia taught English in Thailand and traveled around Asia, gaining a different perspective on the world that she didn’t get in the military. She journeyed back to Indiana where she worked for Eli Lilly as a medical writer for nine years prior to opening the Vonnegut Memorial Library with the support of her then-employer.

“I am so grateful that John Lichlighter and others [at Lilly] were tremendously supportive of my efforts to start a Vonnegut Museum,” shares Julia, who left Lilly once funding was secured and the doors opened at the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library.

“Vonnegut’s interest in justice and common decency are beliefs that resonate with the Lilly organization.”

“I tell you we are here on earth to fart around.

Don’t let anyone tell you different.”

– Kurt Vonnegut Since its founding in 2009, over 200,000 people have visited the Kurt Vonnegut

Memorial Library or attended its arts programming. In 2015, Lonely Planet listed the Vonnegut Library first in a list of reasons to visit Indianapolis.

The first three months of being open are described by Julia as “crazy.” The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library was featured in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times, plus a feature on Australia’s NPR program.

One of Vonnegut’s books was banned in the rural Missouri town of Republic, so to mark their first anniversary, 75 copies of “Slaughterhouse Five” were given to students in that high school from the Vonnegut Library.

“People really appreciated that kids could access the book,” says Julia of the book ban.

“Many of these kids were possibly going off to serve.”

The incident emphasized the importance of learning more about what is happening with censorship within the arts across our country, precipitating the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library’s Banned Book Week.

“There are still battles to be fought.

Vonnegut was a proponent of sex and reproductive rights. This, coupled with the ban, led to the idea of hosting a ‘Banned Book Week,’” states Julia. This year’s Banned Book Week is scheduled for the end of September.

“Over the years, people I’ve met have often asked me what I’m working on, and I’ve usually replied that the main thing was a book about Dresden.” – Kurt Vonnegut “I confess that my Vonnegut exploration was slower than some,” says Julia, who married into a wonderful library, for her husband had the complete Vonnegut collection.

Julia is far more interested in Vonnegut as a writer and his life story. She enjoys reading his letters and essays. “The best biography is the ‘Letters’ book that was compiled by Kurt’s friend and fellow Shortridge High School graduate, Dan Wakefield. This is my favorite book. It’s

atBrip.com / JULY 2016 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 27

by far the best source of biographical information on Kurt. And thanks to Dan, the letters are placed into context as to the events in Kurt’s life at that time.”

“True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.” – Kurt Vonnegut

the library] and most of the staff started as volunteers. The level of their talent, dedication and trustworthiness is amazing,” says Julia. “And thanks to Matthew, we have evolved faster, thanks to his creativity and skill set.”

“The exciting thing about the library and

Few writers are as beloved as Kurt Vonnegut. “He speaks to the mess of being human with such candor, wit, truth and encouragement. World War II veteran, pacifist, satirist, humanist, environmentalist, visual artist, internationally acclaimed writer and Hoosier, Kurt Vonnegut is one of the most influential American writers and thinkers of the 20th century, and we are thrilled to honor him with his namesake museum,” says Julia. A capital campaign with Kickstarter is underway, along with large donor solicitation, to raise the funds needed to enable the Vonnegut Library to move to a new, larger home along Mass Ave. “We are so grateful to be a popular destination. We feel our mission will be better served in a more accessible location on Mass Ave. This is no small effort and requires vast community support,” says Julia. “We feel confident that this building is the right move for us.”

The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library has two full-time employees, Julia, Founder and CEO, and Matthew Altizer, Deputy Director. Along with several part-time employees, they rely heavily on many volunteers.

“All of the people we have involved [with

”A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.” – Kurt Vonnegut Over the better half of the last year, a writing group facilitated by the Indiana Writer’s Center met in the back conference room of the Vonnegut Library. While groups such as these commonly meet at the Vonnegut Library, this gathering of 14 women (nine participants and five volunteers) was unique in that these women are sharing their stories for an anthology with the Indiana Writer’s Center. Their stories are woven with similarities. They are all military veterans.

Julia’s story is one of them. Others include Marian University School of Nursing Dean Anita Siccardi, Ed.D., and WWII Veteran and fellow Marine Betty Smith. The group was lead by Shari Wagner, Indiana’s Poet Laureate. The anthology is scheduled to be released this fall.

museum is that it truly is a national gym. It’s great that it is located here in Indy, and it’s amazing to hear the stories of college kids going on a cross country tour and having to stop at the Vonnegut Library,” says Matthew.

“We’ve had people fly over from Russia just to see the Vonnegut Library. We are grateful for what it has been able to accomplish in such a short period of time.”

28 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / JULY 2016 / atBRip.com

When Julia is frequently asked by someone what to select if they had to pick just one book of Vonnegut’s books to read, her response is consistently “Letters,” yet she enjoys all of his works. Julia especially loves “Welcome to the Monkey House.” “Given the wide variety of topics covered by this collection of [short] stories, there’s something for anyone in that book.” ”What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” – Kurt Vonnegut So it goes…

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RTV6 METEOROLOGIST TODD KLAASSEN

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BROAD RIPPLE RESIDENT TODD KLAASSEN TALKS WEATHER AND WHY HE LOVES LIVING IN INDIANAPOLIS Writer / Kara Reibel Photographer / Stephanie Duncan

As a kid growing up in New Jersey, Todd Klaassen was fascinated by the weather patterns. His favorites were coastal storms and the influence of the ocean, especially in the winter. "It alway amazed me how this massive storm could produce only rain along the coast and then 10 miles inland over a foot of snow,” shares Todd.

“My parents said that I was discussing details of the weather at a very early age.

It was the one thing that I have always been truly interested in,” shares Todd, who vividly remembers Hurricane Gloria uprooting a large tree from his front yard when he was a kid.

Midwest than the coast where Todd grew up, are always changing. In New Jersey, the coastal storms and warm waters would influence the weather patterns along the shore.

“I love going in every day. There is always something new,” says Todd. “The weather is always changing, and I love the challenges this represents.”

With Todd’s strong science background, he is skilled in forecasting. The CBM, or Certified Broadcast Meteorologist, is the highest certification for a meteorologist.

The CMB Seal is awarded by the American Meteorological Society. Kevin Gregory at RTV6 also holds the CBM Seal.

The first thing Todd does when he gets to work at 4 a.m. is look at what is currently going on with the computer models and Todd attended Kean University, a match up the lines with what is initializing. meteorology school in New Jersey. He Todd literally takes out a sheet of paper and thought he would work with the science and technology aspect in the meteorological draws out the weather pattern for the next seven days. He puts together the forecast field of study. It was after Klaassen got his before he builds anything graphically. This is first job that he was encouraged to enter built prior to seeing this on television. weather broadcasting.

“During college, I started working for a local CBS affiliate in New York City and received mentoring to work on demo tapes,” shares Todd. Once the tapes were distributed, Todd received a couple job offers. He accepted a position in Lansing, Michigan, before moving to Indianapolis in 2007.

“As a meteorologist, you can bank on the computer models if they align,” says Todd, who builds the graphics throughout the morning. As part of the RTV6 weather team, he records radio and weather hits for WIBC in addition to broadcasting across the RTV6 television network.

“My job is multi-faceted,” shares Todd. “One part meteorology, one part graphic artist, one part presenter, and now with the social media component, I find myself posting even when I am not on the clock.”

In addition to work, philanthropy has always been a priority for Todd. Soon after he began working with RTV6, Todd was drawn into supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by some friends. In 2011, Todd ran a campaign for LLS Man of the Year. At that time, Todd had no family or

The weather patterns, although different in the

atBrip.com / JULY 2016 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 31

close ties to blood diseases.

It was four years later that Todd’s father was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive blood cancer. “My parents were visiting and we were hiking in Brown County, and my dad was having a hard time keeping up, which was unusual,” recalls Todd. “He soon received the devastating diagnosis that he had AML Leukemia.” His father passed away last fall.

During the recent campaigns for Man and Woman of the Year with LLS, Todd served as Master of Ceremonies for several events, including an event at The Vogue for Alissa Moody’s Woman of the Year campaign.

“I met Todd through a dear friend of mine, and I instantly knew he was the perfect person to emcee the Yacht Rock Revue benefit concert I was hosting for my LLS Woman of the Year Campaign,” shares Moody. “Not only does Todd have an amazing stage presence, but he ran for Man of the Year before having a connection to leukemia or lymphoma at that time until tragically his dad was diagnosed a few years later.”

When Todd isn’t working at the station or volunteering, he is seen along the Monon in Broad Ripple. “I love it here,” says Todd.

“Indy is a big city with a small town feel.

With the concert venues, conventions and other events and with the explosion of urban living, Indy is booming.”

Kara Reibel is the Content Manager for the Broad Ripple Magazine.

Follow her: Karareibel.com; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @karareibel.

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Kiss Kiss Bang Bang SALON OWNERS MERGE PUNK AND HAIR FASHIONS Writer / Kara Reibel . Photographer / Brian Brosmer

Writer / Kara Reibel Photographer / Brian Brosmer

Since opening in January 2007 in Fishers, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang quickly became an award-winning salon. According to Salon Today Magazine, they have been named a Top 200 Salon four times since 2011.

They’ve also earned nods for Philanthropy in 2014, Growth in 2010, 2012 and 2013 and Best Practices in 2010.

The salon is named for a punk rock song, and true to their name, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

(KKBB) merges punk with hair fashions.

“When we were naming the salon, a friend of ours in L.A. suggested Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” says co-owner Tanya Foster. “Once we heard the name, we were like ‘Yes! That’s it!’”

The name fits perfectly due to Tanya’s boyfriend and salon co-owner, Mike “Cheez” Brown, who has a history of playing in a punk rock band. Cheez grew up outside of Kokomo and traveled back and forth to California as a youth, finishing high school in L.A. atBrip.com / JULY 2016 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 33

Cheez moved back to Indiana to raise his daughter in a more family-friendly environment. Cheez and Tanya met through their girls who became friends. They discovered they had quite a bit in common.

“We both had difficult beginnings but have made the best of it and have not let those events define us,” shares Tanya.

Both entrepreneurs, Tanya and Cheez worked on a business model for a salon.

“When we started this place, Tanya and six other girls wanted to share the same space and all use and sell the same products,” says

Cheez. “Instead of finding another salon, they created their own.”

Most women start their own companies to create their own culture. This is exactly what Tanya did with Cheez’ support.

“When you walk into this business, the energy in this place has to be amazing,” says Cheez with Tanya nodding in agreement. “Drama is left at the door.”

“People come in here to be completely free of whatever else is going on in their lives and to be around like-minded people,” says Tanya. “We are 100 percent about the client who comes in to look beautiful and be taken care of.”

KKBB is a cool, hip and edgy salon that has a vast array of clientele that walk across their threshold. Along the back wall is a collection of signatures from celebrity clientele with names such as Slash, Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance), Sublime, Kid Rock and A. Jay Popoff (Lit).

Cheez is an entertainment manager for multiple bands including Sublime and The Dirty Heads. “The Dirty Heads were literally three kids playing in a bedroom and had to be talked into being a band,” shares Cheez who plays guitar occasionally with Sublime. The Dirty Heads are co-owners of the Carmel location of KKBB. Tanya and Cheez were guests at Adam Levine’s wedding where they surprised the groom with a performance by Sublime (Adam’s favorite band) at the reception.

“We were at a farm outside Cabo, and just off from the main reception area, we had set up Sublime to play,” says Cheez.

“The best man, Jesse Carmichael, never thought he’d say the words, ‘And now let me introduce Sublime!’”

“I’m the luckiest guy on earth,” says Cheez. “I get to do what I want and am grateful for what I have.”

The notoriety of the owners of KKBB isn’t what draws clients. The real attraction is the ambience and stylists who keep their clients happy. The KKBB atmosphere and business model is replicated as the foundation for seven tattoo parlors that Cheez owns in Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Francisco. He was the first to position a tattoo shop inside a mall, which is located in Vegas by Planet Hollywood.

The salons have raised money over the last decade for needy families or for a stylist’s family member going through cancer treatment. Both Tanya and Cheez had rough upbringings, so they are passionate about helping others. Due to their efforts, they have been named one of the Top 200 salons in the country for philanthropy.

“My father was a barber, but I never thought I’d own a hair salon,” shares When asked about the nickname Cheez, Cheez. His life experiences include early the origin is an accident. Literally. “I got rock and roll days with Motley Crue hit by a Frito Lay truck in L.A. when I was and Guns N’ Roses and running Hustler 16 in high school. The name was a joke.

Magazine. He was also a Vice President [People] were making fun of me because it with Calvin Klein, but Cheez claims the was a Cheetos truck,” says Cheez who now happiest time of this life is now. cashes checks under the name “Cheez."

“I’ve learned that happiness is freedom, so Cheez credits his work ethic and common I don’t do things that I don’t want to do,” business sense to the summers he worked says Cheez. on the farms outside of Kokomo at a young age. That experience provided a “I want to build my business on education great deal of education for him. Cheez and building up people,” says Tanya who believes farmers to be the most underhasn’t kept track of how many celebrities respected people on the planet. “No class they have had as clients. “We do have an in college could teach what I learned impressive resume, but the foundation working on a farm,” shares Cheez. is our people and regular clients. The celebrities are the icing on the cake. It’s Keeping a positive mindset, maintaining 10 years later, and we are just now sharing good energy and giving back is the our celebrity connections and stories.” foundation for what Cheez and Tanya instill in their own lives and those of On July 16, Sublime and The Dirty Heads their employees. are performing at White River State Park with Cheez playing guitar with Sublime.

“Amazing things happen in the lives of For tickets, visit inwhiteriver.com. our stylists, so there is a trickle-down effect from the environment that has been For appointments and additional created here,” says Tanya. information, visit kkbbsalon.com.

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IMPACTING LIVES THROUGH

IMPACT 100 Writer / Kara Reibel Photography provided

One hundred women pitch in $1,000 each to award a $100,000 grant to a nonprofit. It’s a rather simple concept with remarkable results. With the tagline, “The Power of Women Giving as One,” the members of Impact 100 vote at their annual dinner to determine the recipient of their main grant of $100,000. This year’s winner is Ascent 121 and Lutheran Child & Family Services with their IMPACT Program to Curb Runaway and Human Trafficking of Young Girls.

“Ascent 121 provides recovery services for teen survivors here in Indiana. We are incredibly blessed to receive this grant,” says Ascent 121 CEO Megan McGuire. “The women of Impact 100 are an exceptional group committed to helping nonprofits get further faster, changing lives in the process. The funds from this grant will raise awareness by empowering our community to recognize the signs of trafficking. In addition, the grant will provide highly specialized training in trauma-informed skills for our staff, so that we can offer the best possible care for the survivors. Thank you, Impact 100!”

The three other finalists, IndyFringe with Ball State University, Art With a Heart and Dove Recovery House, each received residual grants of $18,333, for a total of $155,000 granted in one evening.

Each finalist delivered a seven-minute presentation to the Impact 100 membership. Following the presentations, Impact 100 members cast their ballots. The winner was announced after the votes were tallied, dinner had been served and desserts made available.

“We are a loud group,” says Bev Middaugh, owner of Bright Ideas in Broad Ripple. “But once the presentations begin, you could hear a pin drop.”

According to their Annual Giving Report, Impact 100 has awarded more than $1.7 million to local nonprofits to date. Thirteen $100,000 grants have been given. There are 122 individual members, 20 of which are shared memberships, and Impact 100 welcomes sponsors and other donors.

“Members can split their membership with other women, but it counts as one vote for the finalist,” says Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis President Beth Thomas. Thomas had served on the Board for Indy Reads, who was a recipient of the Impact 100 grant in 2007. She was impressed by the impact it had upon Indy Reads.

“I am honored to help lead this incredible group of generous women. Through our collaborative efforts, we are able to deliver extraordinary gifts to nonprofits that, if done on our own, would not be as impactful. Our annual dinner is a wonderful opportunity

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36 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / JULY 2016 / atBRip.com

to experience the power of women’s philanthropy while learning about the needs of our community and those working hard to make it a better place.”

According to Kelly Hartman, winning the $100,000 grant a couple years ago for her nonprofit, Outside the Box, was the most significant moment of her professional career. “I was overjoyed,” says Hartman, who co-founded the nonprofit to provide much-needed customized services to individuals with special needs. “Because of that grant, we were able to remodel the common areas of our facility. The results have helped so many people. It has been truly amazing.”

was motivated to begin a chapter of Impact 100 in Indianapolis. “I got brave and emailed the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). My co-founder, Kelli Norwalk, and I figured it out and did it. We wanted other women to have the opportunity to review grant requests and experience what I had experienced with prior positions with nonprofit fundraising.

It’s so rewarding.”

“It was a rainy night when Rob MacPherson with CICF stopped by to deliver a stack of 15 to 20 letters for our signatures, containing money from initial members. It was then that we knew we were on to something.”

“Consensus will find the right grantee,” says Oklak of the voting decision. “All of the women feel empowered. We own it. It is ours. It’s not the money you give; it’s the influence of that money and the ripple effects that make the process so powerful. Once a nonprofit makes it through the due diligence process, it gets exciting. When a nonprofit

Founding member Donna Oklak started Impact 100 11 years ago. “Aside from our annual meeting, we have monthly meet-ups,” says Oklak, an experienced philanthropist. Colleen Willoughby was the originator of the concept of Impact 100 in 2002 in Seattle, Washington. Oklak

is promoted to the podium presentation by one of Impact’s focus area committees, there are more eyes on the potential grant project, and the idea is fully vetted. Over the years, Impact women have made many wonderful $100,000 grant selections.”

There is no paid staff for Impact 100.

Their membership base is made up of overqualified volunteers that handle all of the needed tasks to keep the organization running smoothly.

Previous Impact grant recipients include Eskanazai/Pecar Health Center, John P. Craine House, Rock Steady Boxing, Indy Urban Acres, Indy Reads, Indy Urban Acres Flower Farm and the Social Health Association of Indiana.

Always welcoming new members, the next Impact 100 Indianapolis event will be July 11 to “Meet the Finalists” and will be held at Bright Ideas in Broad Ripple. For additional information, visit impact100indy.org.

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new boutique is in South Broad Ripple just off of 54th Street called Junkyard Goddess.

Thoughtfully owned by Michelle Dolon, the boutique offers beautiful home decor that is not only environmentally friendly, but is made from reused, recycled and restyled items that would otherwise find themselves rotting in a landfill.

“My whole concept is that we don’t have to spend a lot of money on our home decor. I combined that with wanting to reuse what we already have on the earth, being environmentally conscious and saving money [to create Junkyard Goddess],” explained Michelle. “You can have a work of art and have that pride that you did it yourself, and you’re also helping save something from going to a junkyard.”

Six years ago, Michelle got the idea to sell items that she herself either created, painted or refurbished on Etsy as a way to support her growing family. Fast forward a few years, and Michelle’s items were selling fast as she began to start a business plan for a boutique she wanted to call Junkyard Goddess.

The Junkyard Goddess sells trunks, wall art, furniture and other home decor items.

One of the big items that the store offers is Milk Paint. This paint comes in several different shades, is free of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and gives any surface an “old world” look like it’s been there for decades upon decades.

Writer & Photographer / Demi Lawrence

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Junkyard Goddess is more than just a boutique though. Michelle wanted her store to be somewhere the community could come in, enjoy a complimentary cookie or coffee and just feel like they’re at home.

“To me, it’s not just about a place to come and shop. I want people to come and think of me if they need a gift or an item for their home,” said Michelle, whose shop is pet-friendly. “More than that, I want to bring the community together and offer classes, workshops and fun events in the evening and just create a space where people can come and feel happy.”

Junkyard Goddess will be celebrating their Grand Opening with a special party July 9 from 5-9 p.m.

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