Respond Like Jake: 2nd Annual Deputy Pickett Remembrance Day Returns March 7 at the Boone County Fairgrounds

Jennifer Pickett with retired K9 Brik

2ND ANNUAL DEPUTY PICKETT REMEMBRANCE DAY RETURNS MARCH 7 AT THE BOONE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS

Writer / Josh Brown Photography Provided by Remember this Photography & Snapshots by Sally Jane

March 2, 2018, is a day that will forever be remembered by Jennifer Pickett and all of Boone County.

What started out as a routine arrest warrant being served by Lebanon Police officers, turned into a high-speed chase through the small town. The pursuit tragically ended with the death of Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett, marking the first time in the department’s history that a deputy was shot and killed in the line of duty. Today, Jennifer is encouraging people to Respond Like Jake. That’s the mantra, the hashtag for the Jacob Pickett Response Organization, and it is a fitting one to honor the memory of the late Boone County Deputy. That challenge is one that Jennifer chose when she officially created the organization earlier this year because, she says, it embodies who her husband was.

“Jake always helped out wherever he could,” Jennifer says. “I’ve had friends describe him as someone who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. My mom could call him and he’d go and change her tire. One time, my dad fell off a ladder and had to go to the ER. I was unavailable, but Jake was there with him for hours and helped him get home. He was always picking dogs up off the side of the road and bringing them home, too, regardless of how many we already had.

“He was selfless,” she adds. “He was a protector who loved deeply and cared about the people in his life and would support them in any way that he could. As husband and wife, we were a team. We made decisions and faced the world together. He was someone I could count on.”

REMEMBERING JAKE & SERVING OTHERS

Today, Jennifer, and all of Boone County, remember and celebrate Deputy Pickett’s life through the Deputy Jacob Pickett Remembrance Day. This year, the 2nd Annual event will be held once again at the Boone County Fairgrounds on March 7.

The inaugural event in 2019 served as a memorial and a time for the Pickett family and the Boone County community to heal and gain some closure after such a senseless tragedy. This year, the event will continue to honor Deputy Pickett but will also be providing support for another family in need, as well as plenty of family-friendly events for the community.

Proceeds from this year’s event will support Amanda Farinella and the Farinella family. Amanda was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer last October. Her husband, Joe, is a deputy with the Tipton County Sheriff ’s Department, and the Farinella family has always held a special place in Jake and Jennifer’s hearts.

“The first year of the event was all about sharing memories of Jake and who he was beyond the uniform,” Jennifer says. “Around the time last year that we were thinking about doing this event again and

what the purpose of it would be, I heard the news about my friend, Amanda. I was immediately sad about it. But I thought to myself, ‘If Jake were here, he would drop everything to be there for Joe and their family.’ And my sadness deepened because Jake isn’t here. That’s when I decided to not only do the event again but start an organization that brings to life Jake’s legacy. Our mission is to help law enforcement families by assisting with financial tolls brought on by traumatic events and to help facilitate that support, monetary or not.”

The 2nd annual event will also include plenty of new activities for all ages including a corn hole tournament, a kid’s area with bounce houses, face painting, a photo booth and a DJ, a Red Cross Blood Drive, a chance to meet the BCSO and Tipton County K9s and more. The event will also include a silent auction for attendees and the opportunity to bid on unique items.

Merchandise will also be for sale for fundraising efforts.

A HEART FOR ADOPTION

It takes a special heart to adopt, and adoption is a crucial piece of Jennifer and Jake’s story. Beyond frequently taking in and adopting dogs, the couple felt the call early on to also adopt children.

The Picketts opened their home as foster parents on a few occasions. Today, Jennifer is the proud mother of their two adopted boys. The adoption process was being finalized around the time of Deputy Pickett’s passing.

“Jake and I never thought about how hard it might be,” Jennifer says. “We always just thought that we have love to give and there was a need. So we did it. It made us better people just by being able to give that love and extend our family. I can’t imagine it being any other way.”

As such, Jennifer aims to carry on Jake’s memory so the boys know who their father truly was. On the Jacob Pickett Response Organization website remembering626.org, which launched in February, visitors can find a “Share A Story” button. It allows people to share their memories and stories of how they knew Jake. Jennifer hopes to build up a memory bank of sorts with the stories to pass on to the boys.

“I came up with the idea because the boys were so young when we lost Jake,” she says. “They are going to miss those experiences of Jake with his buddies and reminiscing and sharing stories. I thought this was a way that people could share those stories, and I can collect them. The boys are going to be able to hear those stories about their dad that they would have missed out on. It’s also for me. After Jake passed, so many people reached out to me with their stories about Jake and some that I didn’t even know about. It was very helpful and heart-warming to hear those stories of how he touched people’s lives.”

JEN & BRIK

Deputy Pickett, a Brownsburg High School alum, joined the Boone County Sheriff ’s Office in 2015. He showed a passion early on for the K9 department and started working with his K9 partner, Brik, in 2016. Brik was alongside Jake that fatal day in 2018.

Today, Brik is retired and living at home with Jennifer and the boys. These days, the beloved German shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix can sometimes be found going through the trash or trying to sneak a bite of food off the counter as he continues getting acquainted to home life.

For Jennifer, though, Brik is a piece of Jake that lives on and a comfort to the Pickett family.

here on earth. Jake loved animals. It was his goal to become a K9 handler, and Brik was very important to him. Now, he’s settled in to being a lazy house dog and enjoys lounging around and chewing on things. He’s adjusted well. He does bring a lot of comfort to me and to the boys. They know he was daddy’s partner.”

As March 7 approaches, Jennifer encourages any and all residents and surrounding community members to come out for the 2nd annual event.

“The community response and support has been incredible over the years and more than I could have ever imagined,” she says. “I’m really excited and honored to do this event. We just want to bring people together, have fun and give back to the community.”

For more information, a full list of activities and event times or to donate, visit remembering626.org or visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/ JacobPickettResponseOrg.

PLEASE JOIN US!

DEPUTY JACOB PICKETT 2ND ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE DAY

SPECIAL EVENT:

Jacob Pickett Response Organization Launch - supporting law enforcement families in need.

Join us for community events including silent auction, K-9 demos, corn hole tournament, and much more.

#RESPONDLIKEJAKE

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City Council President Laura Campbell

LEADING THE WAY

NEW CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LAURA CAMPBELL TALKS FAMILY, WOMEN IN OFFICE & GOALS FOR 2020

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Ellie Sophia Photography

When Laura Campbell first moved to Carmel in 1977, she wasn’t a fan. After living in New Jersey and having easy access to the shore and the Big Apple, she found Carmel to be rather dull. She graduated from Carmel High School, and went on to study public relations and journalism at Ball State University, but she always had her sights set on moving back east.

“I told my parents that once I graduated from Ball State, I was never again going to live in Indiana,” says Campbell, who now serves as Carmel’s city council president. “My dad loves to remind me of that story now.” Campbell, an 18-year resident of Carmel, now has a love affair with the city. She thoroughly enjoys the parks, the safe roundabouts, the library, and all the other amenities the area offers.

Campbell landed a college internship at a public relations firm in New York City. Following graduation, however, she found it was much more economical to live in the midwest. She then accepted a position in Indianapolis, working with Mayor William Hudnut.

“It was an exciting time,” Campbell says. “He was open to ideas.”

Later in her career, Campbell got into marketing for a commercial real estate firm, then became the executive director for the Hamilton County republican party where she worked with elected officials at multiple levels.

“Municipal government was what most interested me, and in 2015 the time was right to run for city council,” says Campbell, who took office in 2016.

Campbell served on the planning commission and became council vice president. When she became the new city council president in January of this year, she joined forces with a new female vice president, Sue Finkam, marking the first time Carmel has had all-women council leadership.

City Council Vice President Sue Finkam

“I hope that it encourages more women to run for office, or to serve within their church or whatever volunteer organization they may be involved in,” says Campbell, who is excited to hit the ground running with her new position, and is especially passionate about organizing the Carmel advisory committee on disability.

Campbell’s focus will be on three areas - accessibility, employment and social connections. In terms of accessibility, many people with disabilities, along with their caregivers, have come forward to share which areas of the city are difficult for them to move around in.

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“We get input from the committee on areas where we can make improvements, or where sidewalks need to be added or fixed,” Campbell says.

Regarding employment, Campbell would like to work with employers to provide more opportunities for people with disabilities to be employed locally.

“I’m passionate about disability rights and inclusion, as my daughter has epilepsy,” says Campbell, who has personally felt the sting of fading social connections.

Campbell says her daughter was fortunate to be enrolled in the Carmel school system, but once she graduated her family felt somewhat lost, as many families do.

“We felt like we were dropped off the edge of a cliff when all of my daughter’s social connections went on to college,” Campbell says.

People with disabilities and their caregivers tend to feel isolated. Therefore, Campbell wants to do all she can to make them feel included in the community.

Last year the Carmel Fire Department worked on an initiative called the Specific Response Registry, a voluntary registry that provides advanced notice to emergency response personnel for those with a physical or mental health issue

“We must have conscientious growth in our city and make sure the infrastructure can keep up with that growth.”

that may make it difficult to leave home during an emergency. Campbell and her team are working with John Moriarty of the Carmel Fire Department and Steven Orusa, chief of the Fishers Fire Department.

“It’s great to work with other cities on initiatives like this,” Campbell says. “We also talk with other councils for their input.”

For instance, Campbell regularly talks to Cecelia Coble, city council president in Fishers.

“Cecilia also has a daughter with disabilities,” Campbell says. “She and her employees have been great about giving advice on the disability committee.”

Campbell’s other goals for 2020 include making sure that new council members are integrated into the council, developing good working relationships among the council, and improving communication between the mayor and the council.

Campbell is pleased by the community support she has received thus far. Last fall when she went door to door while campaigning, she enjoyed seeing the city through the eyes of her constituents. Many told her they appreciate the low taxes, the town’s safety, and the schools. They expressed concerns, however, about Carmel becoming overdeveloped.

“We must have conscientious growth in our city and make sure the infrastructure can keep up with that growth,” says Campbell, who is now officially one of Carmel’s biggest fans.

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