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Former CEO of Hendricks Regional Health Shares Passion for People, Faith & Community

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A HEALTHY MISSION: FORMER CEO OF HENDRICKS REGIONAL HEALTH SHARES PASSION FOR PEOPLE, FAITH & COMMUNITY

Dennis Dawes was in graduate school in 1972 when he began working as an administrative intern at Hendricks Regional Health (back then called Hendricks County Hospital). For two years, he reported to Harry Haver, the hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CEO, doing various projects while completing his graduate studies at the IU Medical Center. When he graduated in 1974, Haver announced he was retiring.

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6 A Fair Deal: Steve Patterson

Embraces Life as Executive Director of the Hendricks County Fairgrounds

9 Bummer-Free Summer: Tips for Avoiding the Emergency Department

16 Silly Sarfaris: Live Animal

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21 A Healthy Mission: Former CEO

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A Fair Deal Steve Patterson Embraces Life as Executive Director of the Hendricks County Fairgrounds

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

Everyone has their own definition of what it is to be in hog heaven. For Steve Patterson, hog heaven is where the hogs are, and the horses, and the bunnies and the elephant ears. Because Patterson is happiest when he’s at the fairgrounds. In fact, he’s built his life around the fair, having been involved in 4-H since he was 10 years old. A lifelong resident of Hendricks County, Patterson was elected onto the fair board in 1992 where he served until 2014 when he was hired as the Executive Director of the Hendricks County 4-H and Agricultural Fair Association.

Through the years, Patterson has served on the board in every capacity — as treasurer, secretary, vice president, president and was part of the planning committee for the new facilities that opened in 2006. Once doors opened, Patterson served on the operations committee. Why the intense involvement? “I have a passion for fairs — always have,” says Patterson, who also worked at the state fair from 1983 until 1996. After taking a bit of time off, he returned in 2001. In 2007, Patterson was appointed by Governor Daniel’s office to serve on the state fair board, where he stayed for nine years. “I got to experience the behind-thescenes aspect of the 17-day state fair,” says

Patterson, who last year worked in the Gateway counting money. As Executive Director of the HC Fairgrounds, Patterson is responsible for managing the 150-acre facility, booking events and, of course, putting on the annual weeklong county fair. The state-of-the-art facility is outfitted with audio-visual equipment in all of the meeting spaces as well as Wi-fi technology throughout the campus, thanks to Endeavor Communications and Hendricks Power Cooperative. The complex has a main conference building, which houses a 2,010 sq. ft.

6 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / JULY 2019 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

conference room that can be broken up into two separate meeting spaces. The room’s kitchenette makes it ideal for family reunions, business conferences and seminars. About 70 people can comfortably fit in that space. Then there are three classrooms with a total square footage of 2,325. Those rooms, ideal for educational purposes, can each hold up to 150 people theatre-style or 75 people classroom-style. In addition, there is a north/south hall, with 1,170 sq. ft. in the main room that includes a stage. Popular for wedding receptions, it can hold up to 450.

on site.” The old fairgrounds were sitting on just 25 acres and didn’t see much activity. “We booked a wedding here or there,” Patterson says. Oh, how times have changed! “I’m looking at our calendar for the upcoming year and there’s literally not a single day that we don’t have something going on here,” he says.

The Hendricks County Expo Hall is a pole barn with a 16,830 sq. ft. pavilion, great for huge blowouts as it can hold between 600700 people. Though the actual structure is not fancy, Patterson’s staff uses pipe and drape to soften the space. “It’s great for large weddings or for events where people want to have room to move around a lot,” Patterson says. “Sometimes couples divide it up and have their ceremony in one section and their reception in another so everything stays

The HC Fairgrounds hosts everything from craft shows, antique shows and gun & knife shows to huge consignment sales like “Here We Grow Again,” a bi-annual children’s consignment sale that attracts young families in need of gently used clothes at a reasonable price. Other annual events held at the fairgrounds include Relay for Life and the Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District Tox-Away Day where the community is invited to recycle household appliances, chemicals, paints and hazardous household waste.

The fairgrounds are booked year-round as construction and utility companies often hold training seminars, continuing ed classes and trade shows during the winter months when they can’t work outside. Two weekends in February, they hold the Champion’s Cup Gymnastics Invitational, set up in the Expo Hall. “We have a lot of recurring events where groups want to come the same weekend each year,” says Patterson, noting that they’re currently booking into 2021. They host the National Pow Wow, a native Indian dance program that assembles every three years to celebrate the group’s heritage through tribal dancing. In addition, the HC Fairgrounds hosts the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), an international living history group that studies and recreates Medieval European cultures. “They celebrated their 50th anniversary for 10 days at our facility in July 2016,” Patterson says. “They came from all over the world to Hendricks County.” Though the staff does a great job of booking events, every now and then they encounter

BrownsburgMagazine.com / JULY 2019 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / 7

a planning hiccup. For instance, a couple of years ago, they held “Dancing with the Stars of Hendricks County” on the same night as a local prom, which presented a parking challenge. This is never a problem for the annual county fair, however, since there is lots of green space on the north of the property.

inexpensive, family-friendly fun,” Patterson says. “Folks come for the food, the animals, the entertainment and the education.”

The outer grounds, which is in operation from early April until early November, also has rentable event space. There is the rustic tin-frame Cartlidge Barn, which was moved in 2013 from the YMCA property in Avon after a group banded together to preserve the structure for historical purposes. In 2015, a 40x60 shelter was added on to the back of it, making it a popular venue for wedding receptions, family reunions, graduations and other parties.

This past year, they started a new program called the “Ag Experience,” which teaches fair-goers all about where food products come from — from the farm to the refrigerator. For instance, how does milk get to the store? In today’s world, people don’t always understand the agricultural aspect of how things are raised, produced and

processed. Patterson’s three kids — Taylor (25), Mikayla (22) and Robbie (19) — are all indoctrinated into the 4-H program. In fact, Robbie, a firefighter at North Salem, works at the HC fairgrounds, and Taylor works at the Indiana State Fair in the accounting department. “She says that fairs are in our blood, and she’s right,” Patterson says.

Activities also occur in their pavilions and covered horse arena that’s 250 ft. long and has 1,000 seats. Though it’s geared toward equine events, it can be used for cattle shows and other events. It’s connected to a horse barn that has 150 stalls. These spaces are utilized during the seven-day county fair that regularly draws an impressive crowd. This year’s fair will run from July 14-20 and showcase entertainment, livestock, tasty food and competitions. “We pride ourselves on providing a state fair experience at county fair pricing,” says Patterson, noting the free grounds entertainment such as the Dynamo Dog show, the High-Diving Pirates of the Caribbean show, and the beloved Swifty Swine pig racing. “We hosted that for several years, stopped for a year and had a lot of people ask to bring it back,” Patterson says. “It’s basically pigs running around the track racing for an Oreo cookie.” Another successful program they plan to bring back this year is “Hendricks County’s Got Talent.” “People love the county fair because it’s 8 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / JULY 2019 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

Tips for Avoiding the Emergency Department Summer is in full swing, and as you might guess, temperatures in Indiana tend to climb the highest during the month of July. Don’t let increased temperatures increase your risk for a variety of incidents that could land you or a loved one in the emergency department. “The month of July is a fun one, filled with fireworks, barbeques and poolside activities,” Katy Thacker says, clinical manager and RN in the emergency department at IU Health West Hospital. “It also means you should be extra careful to ensure your health and safety, considering dangers that you might not think about any other time of the year.” In 2017, at least eight people died and about 12,900 were injured badly enough to require medical treatment after fireworksrelated incidents, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to leave it to the experts,” Thacker says. “Search for local firework shows near you and watch a public firework display from a distance conducted by professionals, rather than purchasing and lighting fireworks yourself.” The National Safety Council offers the same advice, adding that if

you choose to purchase and use fireworks, you should never use fireworks while impaired, never allow children to handle fireworks, and never attempt to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks. You should always wear protective eyewear, soak unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding, and keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don't go off or in case of fire. Other summertime medical emergencies to avoid include dehydration and skin poisoning. “Take proactive steps against dehydration and skin poisoning to avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency department,” Thacker says. “To stay hydrated, a good rule of thumb is to drink at least 10 8-ounce glasses of water per day, but some people may need more, especially if you’re spending a lot of time in the sun. To avoid sunburn and sun poisoning, limit your time in the sun during the middle of the day, wear sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 and reapply as needed. Look for sunscreen that says ‘broad-spectrum,’ which means it protects against UVA and UVB sun rays.” If you are unsure if you need medical attention, always call your doctor to be safe. Remember to call 9-1-1 if you need immediate medical care. Do not drive yourself or a loved one to the hospital.

JULY 2019

Executive Director, Jaime Bohler

Visit Hendricks County Showcases All the County Has to Offer Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photos provided by VHC

Jaime Bohler Smith, a native of Danville, grew up seeking fun and recreation. But as a kid in the 90s, she struggled to find things to do.

things to do. They want their children to have job opportunities in their hometown if they wish. That will only come if visitors come first. No one invests in a community until they visit it first.”

The Hendricks County Tourism Commission is a nine-member group of “I remember going to the Walmart in tourism professionals, all of whom live in Plainfield or hanging out at the park,” Hendricks County and are appointed by says Smith, Executive Director of Visit the county commissioners and the Town of Hendricks County. “Options were definitely Plainfield. Those nine members, plus Smith limited.” and her staff, are the destination management organization for Hendricks County Over the past decade, however, much has communities. changed, and now there is an explosion of family-friendly options all over Hendricks “We succeed by promoting and developing County — so many, in fact, that folks are the visitor experience to target the markets choosing to move here to raise their families. for sustainable economic growth and quality Before one makes such a decision, first they visit the area to get a taste of the offerings. That’s where Visit Hendricks County (Visit Hendricks County) comes into play.

of life,” Smith says. “Being an influential brand marketing leader, our job is to focus on specialized meeting events, urban and recreation pursuits and food culture. In turn, that develops a quality of place and a sense of community that will ultimately lead to economic growth.”

“You build community when you build visitation, and the only way to do that is to promote the destination,” Smith says. “People Speaking of growth, Smith has witnessed a huge transformation within Visit Hendricks want their kids to have a place to play and JULY 2019

County since she joined the staff in 2002. Back then, Visit Hendricks County had just two employees and an annual budget of $450,000. Today, however, Visit Hendricks County has nine employees and a budget of $2.4M. According to Smith, in 2005, the innkeeper’s tax rate increased from 5 to 8% to support county parks, the county fairgrounds and investment in tourism development — namely a conference center. The way it works is when a guest stays overnight in a hotel they pay a fee that is collected by the hotel, remitted by the county, and is paid to the tourism commission that then uses it to promote the county. Visit Hendricks County was discussing the potential for a conference center development, but then the recession hit, which had a major impact on development for years to come. Just this year, however, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Plainfield Indianapolis Airport opened with an investment from the Hendricks County Tourism Commission. “Not only did the area experience growth in the meetings market as a result of consumer behavior but it also invested in

daughter is all about unicorns and fairies. Events aren’t the only draw in Hendricks County. So are the ever-growing trail systems and culinary explosion in recent years. “We expect even more unique food and drink options to come in the near future,” Smith says.

redevelopment,” Smith says. “Now we have the conference center, the fairgrounds, the CRG event center and several other gathering places. By having more than one facility we’re able to sell all of them.”

event planners and industry partners — meaning our hotels, restaurants and retail shops that promote the visitors,” says Smith, who personally takes full advantage of all that Hendricks County has to offer.

For instance, in the spring she and her 6-year-old daughter attended “Dogs, Cats, & Unicorns, Oh, My!,” a pet rescue event that featured a petting zoo, crafts and goats dressed in pajamas. What’s not to love? They also checked out the Central Indiana Avon 4.75 x 7.125-JUNE-053119-OUTPUT.pdf 1 5/31/2019 9:07:29 AM Fairy Festival because her Enchanted “I have a responsibility to visitors, residents, Smith’s job is unique in that she’s engaging in marketing and visitor promotion as well as in economic development, public relations and politics (since Visit Hendricks County is a governmental agency).

CMY

JULY 2019

The Mayberry Café has been a nostalgic landmark in Danville for the past three decades, not to mention the restored Oasis Diner — the cornerstone of what will eventually be a revitalization in downtown Plainfield. Brownsburg has the newly opened Rush Off Main, which anchors Brownsburg’s new downtown construction. Plus, there’s Food Truck Fridays at Chateau Thomas Winery in Plainfield. We mustn’t forget the shopping. Downtown Danville offers a great mix of locally owned jewelry stores, clothing stores and coffee shops. One can make it an all-day event,

noshing on Reds Donuts in the morning, the Beehive for lunch and Frank’s Place for dinner. Summer ushers in the tasty delights of the various area Farmer’s Markets, plus lots of live music events such as Summer Sounds on the Square in Danville. Labor Day weekend is North Salem’s Old-Fashion Days, a small-town, three-day activity in northwest Hendricks County that offers food, fun and entertainment. Then there’s the Lucas Oil Raceway, which was integral to the industry when Visit Hendricks County launched 20 years ago. “The racetrack was the primary form of entertainment,” says Smith, noting that the NHRA Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals is held over Labor Day weekend. “It’s a great end-of-summer event that attracts lots of people,” Smith says. Heading into September, Hendricks County is well known for its fall festivals— most notably the Heartland Apple Festival at Beasley’s Orchard in Danville, which

continues to advance their offerings each year. Besides the hay ride out to the pumpkin patch, they have also added apple cannons, a corn maze and a massive jump pillow, which is like a huge, open-air bounce house.

Suites, as well as other nice area hotels, Hendricks County can host group businesses and state associations such as the Indiana Medical Examiners’ conference.

“We mustn’t forget the affordability that Hendricks County offers,” Smith adds. “Not everyone can afford a 7-day Disney vacation, but what we offer is reasonable and appropriate for those who live 100-200 miles away.” For instance, a family can enjoy a long weekend at Splash Island Water Park in Plainfield, plus bring their bikes to ride the trails. “Moms Day Out” opportunities are also popular for women who are looking to spend an afternoon shopping, dining and pampering themselves. “We have lots of great boutiques and restaurants — such as Opa! or the Bangkok Kitchen in Avon if you want an ethnic experience,” Smith says. “They can shop and then spend time at our wineries and breweries such as Mind Over Mash Brewing Company in Brownsburg or Brew Link Brewing Company in Plainfield.” Now with the addition of the Embassy

They can also accommodate hobbyist groups. For instance, every three years over the Fourth of July holiday, the National Powwow gathers at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds for American Indian tribal dancing, horseback riding and teepee building. Hendricks County is also home to the only Doctor Who Museum in North America. Located in Camby, the museum and store sells Doctor Who merchandise. Montrose Farms Alpaca Ranch is another hidden gem in Brownsburg that many don’t know exist. “They even do alpaca yoga,” Smith says. To learn more about all Hendricks County has to offer, check out Visit Hendricks County online at visithendrickscounty. com.

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mazon John (as he’s known to the residents of Hendricks County) has adored working with animals for as long as he can remember. In his youth, his dream was to become a veterinarian. Then he got a job working at the zoo doing live animal presentations and a passion was born. After awhile, however, “they left my cage open and I ran,” he jokes. In May 1997, John launched Silly Safaris with a mission of creating positive human animal interactions that inspire responsible pet ownership and wild animal conservation. “I remember telling my wife, Emma, that I didn’t know if this idea would work, but we’d give it five years and see,” John says. He knew that people craved opportunities to get close to nature. The problem is that while one can obtain great information at the zoo, they can’t interact with the creatures. And while pet stores may provide a chance to hold a snake, ferret, or bunny, the educational component is often lacking. “Silly Safaris falls somewhere in between as it’s the perfect blend of facts and fun,” John says. “The phrase the industry uses is ‘edutainment’ because we are both educational and entertaining.” What started in their guest bedroom with a chicken, snake, ferret, dog and hedgehog has grown so substantially that John and Emma

ultimately had to purchase a six-acre farm to hold all of their critters, which now totals more than 100. Such animals include reindeer, rabbits, ferrets, frogs, skunks, snakes, crows, crabs, turtles, tarantulas, alligators and alpaca. “As the business grew, our collection of animals grew along with it,” John says. For a time, the couple ran a summer camp, but it became a bit much to manage, especially since things get so hectic in June and July — their busiest months of the year. Thankfully, they have teachers and college students who join the staff during the summer to help out. Silly Safaris is well-known in Hendricks County as they regularly present at schools, churches, libraries, clubs, parks, birthday parties and annual events like the Heritage Festival. They customize each presentation for the audience they are addressing. For instance, a show at a church is a creation celebration. At a public school, however, the focus revolves around the life science curriculum. “We make every show fun and interactive because audiences don’t want somebody who is going to read the encyclopedia of animal facts to them,” John says. “We provide the audience with a sense of wonder in a safe, guided experience.”

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By utilizing an improvisational approach, the audience better engages with the presenter. “The back-and-forth with the crowd is like a volley of fun,” John says. Nevertheless, they still follow a framework — always bringing to each presentation a mixture of mammals, reptiles, birds and bugs that will make an impact with people. For a birthday party, for instance, they may bring a lizard, a baby alligator, a chicken and a 3-ft. snake. For a bigger format birthday party, they may bring a 10-ft. rather than the 3-ft. snake and an owl instead of a chicken. Crowd favorites are the fox, the anteater, and the adorably cute kinkajou that will eat a gummy bear from the hand of an audience member. One of their kinkajous even pulls a blanket up over its head because in the wild they make their beds out of banana leaves. The “wow” factor of these animal shows is undeniable. “It’s hard to deny the crowd reaction you get when you pull a 10-ft. python out of a cooler,” John says. All of the presenters have selected different silly names for themselves. Besides owner Amazon John, there is also Eagle Emma, Ryan the Lion, Lion Libby, Coyote Chris, Rainforest Randy, Rhino Ryan, Carly Chameleon, and Angicat. In December, they revise their names to reflect the festive season —e.g., Jingle John, Rudolph the

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Red-Nosed Ryan, Christmas Carly, Rooftop Ryan. John hires his staff not based on their history with or study of animals but rather on their people skills. “This isn’t an animal business. Obviously, the animals are the marketing part, but we succeed because we hire people who can make connections with other people,” John says. “Anyone can Google three facts about skunks. What matters is the human part of the interaction.” If someone expresses an interest in joining the Silly Safaris staff, the first thing John does is invite them to observe a presentation. Chris Hansen & Ryan Davis

“It takes the place of a job interview, basically. That’s how we vet people,” John says. Before he hired Coyote Chris, for instance, Chris donned a Silly Safaris vest and rode along to a church event. During the program, John spotted Chris sitting in the audience with a gaggle of kids huddled around him. “He was joking around with them and I was like, ‘Yup, this guy is gonna work out,’” John says. “I’ve had others fall asleep during the program or spend the whole time staring at their phones. Those are not good fits.” Silly Safaris is unlike a talk you’d hear at the zoo or a nature center. Silly Safaris is also not an animal rehab center even though they support such places like A Critters Chance. “We don’t have to rescue animals to be relevant. And we don’t use injured animals in our shows for a reason,” John says. “If we show an owl that’s missing an eye, that’s what kids would remember. We use animals that will be safe and effective for teaching.” One thing they don’t do in a show is try to prompt the startle effect. “We’ll never instruct an audience member to close their eyes so that we can place something in their lap,” John says. “To me, that’s just not responsible.” Following each show, they hold a meet-n-greet so audience members can touch and see the animals up close and take pictures with the giant python or the fuzzy bunny. The feedback John most relishes is when he hears that those with special needs have enjoyed the presentation. “I’ve seen non-verbal autistic children who become calm and even approach us after a show to say something,” John says. “Sometimes they’ll even talk about the animals on the drive home. That’s pretty special.” For more information on Silly Safaris, call 317-862-9003 or visit them online at sillysafaris.com. JULY 2019

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Former CEO of Hendricks Regional Health Shares Passion for People, Faith & Community Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Amy Payne

JULY 2019

ennis Dawes was in graduate school in 1972 when he began working as an administrative intern at Hendricks Regional Health (back then called Hendricks County Hospital). For two years, he reported to Harry Haver, the hospital’s CEO, doing various projects while completing his graduate studies at the IU Medical Center. When he graduated in 1974, Haver announced he was retiring. Fresh out of grad school and just 28 years old, Dawes recognized that he was wet behind the ears, but he decided he’d apply anyway as what did he have to lose? He landed the coveted title and held onto it for a whopping 38 years until his retirement in 2012. Throughout his 40 years at the hospital, he witnessed a massive amount of change. For starters, when he was hired in 1974, the hospital employed roughly 200 people who were all in one location in Danville. When he retired in 2012, however, that number had grown to 1,700 employees spread across seven different hospital locations. Sometime in the 1980s, the name changed from Hendricks County Hospital to Hendricks Community Health. Years later, it changed again to Hendricks Regional Health (HRH), which it still is today. When Dawes was hired, roughly 90 countyowned hospitals existed in the state. Today only 20 remain — HRH is one. As hospital CEO, Dawes was responsible for the entire entity, which includes the employees, the facility and everything else that goes on within the hospital setting. “The buck stopped at my desk,” says Dawes, who relied on a huge staff that consisted of doctors, nurses, administration, cooks and housekeepers. “It’s a big operation. A big undertaking.” It takes lots of moving parts to keep it all running smoothly because a health care facility is more than just a business. “You’re involved in taking care of people’s lives,” Dawes says. “I always made sure we had the right equipment, staff and doctors so that we cared for people in as quality of a fashion as we could given the services we offered.”

Those services evolved throughout the years. In the early days, there was only a part-time emergency room. Today, however, HRH has two full-level, fully-staffed ERs (one in Danville and one in Brownsburg). Technology in operating rooms has also drastically changed, as has the budget.

Fellowship where he met his wife Yao-Hsin. After they married, Dawes was hired by the Indiana Department of Health where he traveled around the state talking primarily to high school students about health careers because in the 1970s there was a tremendous shortage of health care workers.

“The operating budget when I began was $3.5M,” he says. “Today it’s probably $400M. Also, when I began, we had two or three different payment mechanisms whereas today there are around 60. It’s a dramatic shift.”

“The state felt it was important to promote healthcare occupations,” Dawes says. “In talking to high school kids about health care careers, I talked myself into a career in health care administration.”

As CEO at HRH, Dawes was the face of the Even though times were simpler four decades hospital when he was out in the community. ago, Dawes distinctly recalls the stress of Therefore, he felt it was important that running a hospital at the tender age of 28. he get involved in all of the Chambers of Commerce in Hendricks County, including “It was definitely overwhelming,” Dawes Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield and Danville. says. “Soon after I was named president, He was also involved with the Hendricks I remember telling my wife, ‘I’ve had a County Economic Development Partnership. headache for six straight months.’” Post-retirement, Dawes has continued to remain active in the community, serving on Even so, he adjusted and settled in, taking the Brownsburg Police Commission and the comfort in the knowledge that if the Hendricks County solid waste district board. hospital’s board of trustees had confidence He sits on the Brownsburg Chamber board, in hiring him, he should have confidence in is a member of the Rotary Club and is in his himself. fifth year on the Brownsburg Town Council (he will serve an additional three years after Dawes’ undergraduate degree came from this). In addition, he serves as Chairman Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, of both the Indiana Organ Procurement where he earned a degree in religion. Prior Organization and the Life Centers Board. to graduate school, he worked with an Plus, he mows his own grass! organization called Intervarsity Christian JULY 2019

A lifelong avid exerciser, Dawes has run in his fair share of road races, including 30 mini-marathons and 24 full marathons, the last of which he completed at age 65. Now 73, Dawes keeps fit by walking and bicycling. “I used to always tell groups when I spoke to them about health care that the best and easiest way to lower your cost of health care is to become responsible for maintaining your own health through diet and exercise,” says Dawes, who felt that if he was going to talk the talk, he had better walk the walk. “I needed to set a good example since I was involved in the health care industry.” In his free time, Dawes likes playing golf. “I’m not any good, but I enjoy it,” he says. He’s also active in his men’s weekly bible study. This year Dawes and his lovely bride celebrate 51 years of wedded bliss. They have two grown sons, R. Devee and Christian, two grandchildren (and a third arriving soon), and one great-grandchild. R. Devee is an IT consultant, and Christian just started his fourth year of an OBGYN residency.

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All through graduate school and when he was employed at Hendricks, Dawes had a mentor named Alan Hicks who was the CEO of Community Hospital in Indianapolis. A tradition of Hicks’ that Dawes chose to adopt was to go into the hospital on holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Day and Thanksgiving to thank the staff for their commitment to the patients even though it meant sacrificing time away from their own families. “Health care is a people business. They are who make it happen,” says Dawes, who on Mother’s Day also delivered flowers to hospital staff who were moms. “I wanted to personally thank them, and this was just a small way to show my appreciation.” Dawes has thoroughly enjoyed living and working in Hendricks County and has no plans to move anytime soon.

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9-4886 in Florida,” Dawes says. “No. Our winter Main St.home is in Brownsburg. Our summer home m/Plain-eld is in Brownsburg. Hendricks County is our home, period.”

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HOW ONE BROWNSBURG COUPLE BUILT FAMILY THROUGH FAITH AND ADOPTION percent chance to be a mommy.”

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Kyle Duell

Brad and Christee Deardorff were driving down Dan Jones when suddenly Brad told his wife, “I think God wants us to adopt.” They had been married for six years and were eager to start a family. They struggled with infertility for several years. Through much prayer, they decided not to pursue fertility treatments. “You’ll have a 15 percent chance of conceiving,” she was told. “I didn’t like those odds,” says Christee, a nutrition services employee with the Brownsburg school system. “I wanted a 100

So, when Brad suggested adoption, she was immediately on board. After checking out several agencies, the couple began the arduous process of international adoption, filling out scads of paperwork and providing financial and health records, birth and marriage certificates. “I made copies so that when the kids are older, we can show them this stack of papers and tell them this was our labor pains,” Christee says. Next came the waiting game, but when the 9-11 terrorist attacks happened, the Deardorffs wondered if the process would be put on hold. When the phone

rang on September 16 and she saw it was the coordinator of the adoption agency, Christee braced herself for bad news, but that is not what she received. “Are you ready to meet your daughter?” the coordinator asked. In October 2001, they traveled to Russia to meet 13-month-old Anna, though rules stipulated that they must make two trips before they could bring her home. “We got to see her, hold her and love her in person,” says Brad, Controller, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. “But then we had to leave, which was torture.” On Christmas Eve, they got word that they

BrownsburgMagazine.com / JULY 2019 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / 25

could return to Russian to bring Anna home. Though it was thrilling to be able to take their daughter home, the couple was faced with the same frightened feelings all new parents experience, which can best be summed up with the words, “Now what?” “It’s awesome and terrifying all at once because there we were with a 16-month-old who has no idea who we are, and we’re on an airplane and not in her familiar surroundings,” Christee says. “Being brand-new parents, we were like, ‘What are we doing?’” They quickly settled into bliss, however, and in 2005 they chose to adopt again — this time, a special-needs child from China. “It’s not that we were purposefully wanting or not wanting a child with special needs,” Brad says, quick to point out that the term “special needs” is misleading since every child has special needs of some sort. “These kids with medical needs like cleft lip and palate, hand and feet deformities and heart defects are waiting for homes and not getting one. We were eager to provide a home for one of them.” Their second child, Aly, came home with them in 2006 at 19 months old, weighing just 19 pounds. Thin and dehydrated, food wouldn’t stay down and no one knew why. The family was frustrated and fearful as they searched for answers from baffled doctors whose final diagnosis was a congenital birth defect. Aly had surgery to repair the problem as well as surgery on her cleft lip and cleft palate. She also is considered profoundly deaf but has adapted by using a special bone-anchored hearing device. “She was terrified the first time she ever heard water come out of a facet because she had no clue that water had a sound,” Christee says. Though she started out tiny, she has blossomed beautifully. “She’s tough,” Brad says. “What she went through in her first few years of life, including two operations in kindergarten, is astounding.” Being bombarded with one medical issue after another has, at times, been overwhelming. 26 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / JULY 2019 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

“I remember telling Aly, ‘There’s nothing wrong with the way you are. We’re just trying to help you hear better and eat better,’” Christee says. “As a parent, you want to take away their hurt.” In January 2009, while waiting to go to China to adopt their third child, the Deardorffs got the surprise of their lives when they learned they were pregnant. Soon thereafter, they brought 3-year-old Zachary home to the U.S. He also bore health issues, including a cleft lip, cleft palate and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). When their son Nate was born in September 2009 and they jumped from two to four kids in a short span of time, life got really crazy, real fast. “But it’s our crazy and I love it,” says Christee, grinning from ear-to-ear as she and Brad describe their crew. Anna, a 2019 graduate of Brownsburg High School, is creative, quiet, strong-willed and adores animals and playing sports.

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“At three years old, she could hit a ball across the room with a foam bat,” Brad says. Aly, now in ninth grade, likes dancing (tap, ballet and jazz), cooking and baking. “I foresee her being an entrepreneur,” Christee says. “In fact, today she pointed out a building and said, ‘That would be a good spot for me to open my bakery/dance studio.’” Zachary, a seventh-grader, is known as the “Puzzle Master” as he’s inquisitive, intuitive and intensely smart. Though his body is weak due to DMD, his mind is razor sharp. “He wants to become an astronaut or engineer,” Brad says. But for now, he’s their go-to guy whenever the television isn’t working. Or if they need info. “There’s no need for Google with Zachary around,” Christee says. “He’s our Zachopedia.” Fourth-grade Nate loves to engage in sports, play board games, sing and dance. His favorite pastime, however, is hanging out with his siblings. As one might imagine, some days are harder than others at the Deardorff home. But the family navigates each one by relying on God’s strength and provisions. They recently built a house with wider doorways and hallways to accommodate a wheelchair, which Zachary will need in the future. They also praise God for the grants they received to help pay for hearing devices for Aly and a power chair at school for Zachary. The Deardorffs biggest piece of advice to families who are considering adoption is to go for it. Seek out support groups and surround yourself with others who have navigated the process. Most of all, battle through apprehension. “Fear can overcome you, but persist through that and let God lead,” Brad says. “It’s totally a trust thing.” People frequently tell the Deardorff children how lucky they are, but Christee insists that luck has nothing to do with the way their family was formed. “This wasn’t our Plan B,” Christee says. “This family was our Plan A all along.”

28 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / JULY 2019 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

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