JULY 2020
MAGAZINE
CANCER DOESN’T DO SOCIAL DISTANCING Cancer is hard to quarantine. But we’re inspired to keep you as healthy and safe as possible so cancer stays at a distance from you. If you’ve been putting off cancer screenings, ignoring unusual symptoms or are in need of a second opinion, Franciscan Health is here and ready for you. Always.
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STYLE CENTRAL: JADE STONE BOUTIQUE OPENS IN GREENWOOD
Jade Stone Boutique is a concept driven by a love of local community, and a passion for fashion. Madonna Thompson recently opened the boutique in a charmingly remodeled house on Madison Avenue in Greenwood, and she credits her family’s support and input for the shop’s initial success.
6
Center Grove Valedictorian & Salutatorian 2020
8
Rockin’ It: Youth Leadership Academy Rock Project Promotes Individuality
11 Business Spotlight: Lazin Family Orthodontics
19 Poking Fun: Local Comedian
Sensation & America’s Got Talent Finalist Ryan Niemiller Loves to Entertain
25 A Gut-Busting Good Time: Gutty’s
Comedy Club Offers Entertainment Through Stand-Up, Sketch and Improv
12 Style Central: Jade Stone Boutique 30 Center Grove High School Softball Opens in Greenwood
Senior Tribute
31 Center Grove High School Baseball
Senior Tribute
4 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / JULY 2020 / atCenterGrove.com
Amy Counts / Lindy Scott Kristie Winbun
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Center Grove Valedictorian & Salutatorian 2020 CENTER GROVE HIGH SCHOOL TO GRADUATE 629 STUDENTS IN THE CLASS OF 2020 Center Grove High School (CGHS) plans to graduate 629 students on Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. in the high school’s Ray Skillman Football Stadium. A rain date is planned for Sunday, July 12 at 2:00 p.m.
confident that they have the compassion, conviction, and preparation to leave their mark on the world, no matter what they choose to pursue after high school. I wish them every success as they discover what the future holds for them.”
The CGHS Class of 2020 Valedictorian is Vinay Bhamidipati. Bhamidipati ended the school year with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.846. He plans to attend Purdue University to study Computer Engineering. The 2020 CGHS Salutatorian is Anna Puderbaugh who finished with a GPA of 4.81. Puderbaugh plans to attend the University of Kentucky where she will study Neuroscience/PreMedical.
Among the graduates, 317 seniors will receive Core 40 with Academic Honors diplomas and 25 will receive the Core 40 with Technical Honors diploma. To qualify for Academic Honors, students must meet additional requirements beyond the state mandates for a Core 40 diploma, earn a total of at least 47 credits that are recommended to include additional math, world language, and fine arts credits, and earn a GPA of a B or better. Technical Honors recipients must also meet state mandates for a Core 40 diploma, earn a total of at least 47 credits that are recommended to include additional math and world language credits, earn a GPA of a B or better, and complete either dual credits in a technical area or additional career-readiness criteria.
One graduate plans to attend a US service academy. Philip Golder has accepted an appointment to the US Air Force Academy. Two students are enrolling in an ROTC program, Luke Schmitt (Army) and Lindsey Howard (Air Force). Ten students have shared plans to enlist in the military. “In the most unusual ending to a school year I have ever experienced in my career, I remain optimistic about the future, knowing that this class of fine young adults will be leaders of tomorrow,” said Dr. Jeff Henderson, principal. “They may have left the halls of CGHS prematurely and without so many of the traditional experiences of a “normal” year, but I am
Forty-five seniors will receive an Associate’s Degree in General Studies from Vincennes University, along with their high school diploma, through the CGHS Early College program. Sixty-three students will receive a 30-hour General Education Core Certificate, which means they met all requirements for general education courses at all state universities in Indiana. 6 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / JULY 2020 / atCenterGrove.com
Valedictorian Vinay Bhamidipati 18 years old 4.846 GPA Parents: Rao and Vidya Bhamidipati Purdue University – Computer Science Become an entrepreneur and own a technology start-up
Salutatorian Anna Puderbaugh 18 years old 4.81 GPA Parents: Chris and Cheri Puderbaugh University of Kentucky – Neuroscience Become a Physician
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YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY ROCK PROJECT PROMOTES INDIVIDUALITY Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography / Provided
Sometimes a message really penetrates when it’s written on something concrete — like a rock. Leadership Johnson County (LJC) is an adult leadership class that’s coordinated through Franklin College. The Youth Leadership Academy, the youth division of LJC, has a goal to complete a class community service project each year. These are determined by the Johnson County Community Foundation and voted on by
the current class members. Last fall, the Johnson County Community Foundation presented a few ideas to the students, and they voted on the project that they wanted to complete as a class — one involving rocks. “As a participant of the LJC Youth Leadership Academy, one of our many tasks was to develop a project idea that would include all school corporations in the Johnson county area,” says Savannah Waddick. “We chose to develop a rock garden. The purpose for this project was to
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show how unique individuals could come together to make our community a more inclusive and vibrant place to live, work, lead and play.” The project was called “Only One You” and was inspired by Linda Kranz’s book by the same name. Students in the Youth Leadership Academy painted rocks similar to the fish rocks found on the pages in this book. They involved community groups throughout Johnson County in the painting as well. This rock garden is now showcased at Greenwood’s Independence Park. “As you look at the painted rocks, you will find that each one is unique, much like our students,” says Amy Kelsay, Program Coordinator of Youth Leadership Academy. “We have enjoyed the creativity of our youth, and we hope that park patrons will enjoy this aspect as well.” In November students formed a project steering committee. Then in February 2020, they secured 800 rocks. The Youth Leadership Academy project committee was charged with the task of organizing painting sessions within their respective school corporations. Multiple groups contributed to the painted rocks, including a number of local elementary, middle and high schools as well as bible clubs, 4-H clubs and best buddy programs.
Isaiah Estes enjoyed promoting the “Only One You” message. “It encourages people to be themselves while showing them how their uniqueness creates a beautiful masterpiece,” Estes says. Noah Zahm says the project taught him about how to work collaboratively in the community.
school, whom she works with on a daily basis and with whom she has formed a close bond. “Only One You will hopefully help park visitors understand everyone is unique in their own way, but we’re all worthy of love,” Peters says. Maecee Terhune agrees.
“Working together to build this project has strengthened the community and brought people together to admire one another’s differences and build something grand,” Zahm says.
“I believe that it can help people to realize the importance of being their own unique selves,” Terhune says. “It allows the whole community to see how important it is to embrace yourself and your personality.”
On June 13, the students finished their project by placing the painted rocks in a rock garden near the entrance of Independence Park, which was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
As for Kelsay, she has enjoyed getting to know the students during this program.
The YLA does its part to help students practice networking skills via lunches with businesses and community leaders. “I have witnessed many students stepping up into leadership roles this year and certainly trying things that are out of their comfort zones,” Kelsay says. The Academy Rock Project is close to Emily Peters’ heart because she worked on it with the essential skills students at her atCenterGrove.com / JULY 2020 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 9
“I love that they represent all of our public corporations and a private school in Johnson County,” Kelsay says. “They are amazing people.” The 2021 YLA class kicks off August 8 at its Opening Retreat. Recruitment for the 2022 YLA class begins in January 2021. For more information on LJC Youth Leadership Academy, contact Amy Kelsay at akelsay@franklincollege.edu.
10 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / JULY 2020 / atCenterGrove.com
LAZIN FAMILY ORTHODONTICS 1901 Breckenmore Drive Greenwood 317-888-6090 lazinfamilyorthodontics.com Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Kristie Winbun
This spring Lazin set out a decorated bin and asked patients to donate new or gently Originally from Sarasota, Florida, Dr. Jamie Lazin quickly fell in love with the Greenwood used shoes to Changing Footprints, an organization that collects footwear to area and its residents. send to homeless, disaster-stricken and underprivileged people. “People really look out for each other here, and it’s been so rewarding to plug into this “That bin was full two days later,” says Lazin, community,” says Lazin, a board-certified who holds raffles, contests and giveaways orthodontist who worked with Dr. Donald for gift cards and prizes for patients. A green Darbro and his staff for more than a year screen in the office allows patients to show off before transitioning into ownership. their smiles before sharing photos on social media. “I feel lucky that I learned firsthand from a master clinician while getting to know everyone here,” says Lazin, who is dedicated Because he cares deeply about his patients, Lazin is thrilled to offer state-of-the-art to giving back to his community in multiple technology that has transformed orthodontic ways. treatment. Kids and adults can opt for braces or clear aligners like Invisalign. Having “I was brushing my teeth one night when I multiple options gives Lazin the flexibility to thought how great it would be to fundraise tailor his treatment plan to suit each patient’s for Riley Hospital for Children,” Lazin says. His daughter, who had experienced a seizure needs. when she was just 16 months old, was treated at Riley and he was thoroughly impressed by “There’s no difference between Invisalign and traditional braces in terms of cost, quality the gentle care she received there. or treatment time at my office,” Lazin says. “Some patients come in wanting braces and For years Darbro gave out Darbro Dollars (now Lazin Loot) to reward patients for good are excited about choosing different colors. Others want Invisalign because they play an oral hygiene during treatment. Lazin told patients he would match the total amount of instrument or participate in sports. Some adults are concerned about traveling for work Darbro Dollars donated. with braces. Either way, I have the ability to customize their treatment plan to fit their “In a span of three weeks, we had $2,500 lifestyle.” of donations,” Lazin says. “Eight- and nineyear-olds who had been saving up for gift Additionally, the office’s intraoral scanner cards donated their dollars. It’s this sense and 3D printer have eliminated the need of community and Dr. Darbro’s fostering of these relationships that sold me on the office. for goopy, gaggy impressions. Advances in digital technology allow Dr. Lazin to create When you can have fun at work and serve a higher purpose at the same time, it’s a dream retainers, clear aligners, mouth guards, and TMJ/TMD appliances that not only require come true.” very little of the patient’s time, but also fit and
feel better than ever before. This technology will also allow Dr. Lazin to launch his own clear aligner product this Summer. “I’m incredibly excited for this new product and the team is working so hard on the final details,” Dr. Lazin says. “I’ll be able to combine the high-quality results of a product like Invisalign with the ease and affordability of a direct to consumer aligner like Smile Direct Club.” Dr. Lazin hopes it will be the best of both worlds, something people of all ages can benefit from. “I love what I do because every case is like a puzzle, and no two puzzles are alike,” Lazin says. “I also love getting to know my patients and watching them grow up.” Lazin appreciates that his office has served three generations of Hoosiers. “We have former patients who come in now with kids of their own - [the familiarity] creates a sense of trust,” says Lazin, noting that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children undergo an initial screening at age seven - a great age to evaluate skeletal and overall dental development. If you are interested in orthodontic treatment, then call Lazin Family Orthodontics for a free consultation.
atCenterGrove.com / JULY 2020 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 11
Owner Madonna Thompson with her kids Kennedy Payne and Payton Payne.
Writer / Julie Yates Photographer / Amy Counts
four years as an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader and eight years as a Pacemate for the Indiana Pacers.
Jade Stone Boutique is a concept driven by a love of local community, and a passion for fashion.
Along with her husband Ric Payne, a local hospitality and entertainment entrepreneur, Thompson has enjoyed raising three children who now lend their support and expertise to the boutique.
Madonna Thompson recently opened the boutique in a charmingly remodeled house on Madison Avenue in Greenwood, Her oldest son, Matt Thompson, is the senior manager of social and she credits her family’s support and input for the shop’s initial media and content marketing for Lids, a sports headwear and success. apparel retailer. Thompson’s middle son, Payton Stone Payne, is in charge of social media content for Ric’s businesses, Thompson has lived in the Greenwood area since she was in and is currently helping with Jade Stone’s social media junior high school. She graduated from Center Grove High campaign. School, and participated in the high school’s cheerleading program during all four years. After earning a degree in business Kennedy Jade Payne, Thompson’s youngest child, is on the management from Indiana University in Bloomington, she spent Indiana University RedStepper Dance Team, and besides 12 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / JULY 2020 / atCenterGrove.com
selecting merchandise and helping with social media for Jade Stone Boutique, she serves as the shop’s clothing model. “Although I have owned my own nail salon, Nails by Madonna, for many years here in Greenwood, opening a boutique has been on my dream list for years,” Thompson says. “I have always had a love for clothes and fashion, and I am constantly interested in the latest trends. After Kennedy graduated from high school, I thought now is as good a time as any to chase down my dream.” The boutique caters to girls and women, with Nails by Madonna located in the back. “Ric has been a huge supporter of mine in creating this boutique,” Thompson says. “He has helped me every step of the way. Between the both of us, we designed and created this concept. All the interior work was done by the two of us. My landlord’s company, Platinum Construction Group, LLC, renovated the house. Since I have lived and worked in the Greenwood and Center Grove area for years, I knew this is where I wanted the birth of this boutique to be.” Thompson’s sister Marci Cosner is a major part of the nail salon, and also helps out in the boutique. Input from Cosner, as well as traveling with Kennedy to purchase inventory, have allowed Thompson to provide a wide variety of trendy styles for every age group.
providing customers with the latest and greatest that fashion has to offer, while helping those customers to look and feel better about themselves. “I want [customers] to be excited about their purchase and feel like they can’t wait to come back,” she says. “Being able to help people on a personal level is very satisfying. I want someone to be able to come in and get a shirt or outfit for a Friday or Saturday date night, a special occasion, or maybe a trip they are going on. Making people happy and feel good about themselves is a definite goal.” The boutique hosts special Girls Night Out events. Each individual who hosts a private party at the shop after operating hours receives a percentage of resulting sales for in-store credit.
“Coming up with the right name took some time,” Thompson adds. “We wanted the name to have thought and meaning. It was a family effort. We decided to use the middle names of our two kids, Payton and Kennedy.”
“Greenwood has always been home to me,” Thompson says. “It is a great place to live and raise children. I love the friendly people and the willingness to support the small business owner.”
Thompson says the Jade Stone Boutique concept is simple -
Visit Jade Stone Boutique at 516 North Madison Avenue in Greenwood. For more info, visit facebook.com/jadestoneboutique.
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Call or visit us online for reservations and rates (317) 289-3233 ∙ info@coolercenter.org ∙ www.coolercenter.org ∙ 944 Fry Road Greenwood, Indiana
atCenterGrove.com / JULY 2020 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 15
Now Available! COMMUNITY CLAS To submit your classified
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Local Comedian Sensation & America’s Got Talent Finalist Ryan Niemiller Loves to Entertain
So after graduating in 2006, he packed up his car and drove to L.A. When he arrived out west, he did an internet search on “how Being born with short arms, one might to get started in stand-up comedy” and went expect that Ryan Niemiller would be selffrom there. At just 24 years old, he claims conscious about his disability and do his the “ignorance of youth” helped him push best to blend into the background. However, past his fear of failure. ever since he was young, he has gravitated toward the spotlight. “I think I’m wired backward to the way most Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided
“I watched a ton of stand-up comedy in high school and always wanted to try it,” Niemiller says. “But I mistakenly thought that you could only do it in L.A. or New York. I didn’t know you could start here in the Midwest.”
people are,” Niemiller says. “I just had this feeling that it would all work out.”
He enrolled in an eight-week comedy class, which provided the basic foundation for stand-up. Mining material for his sets has always come easy.
His dream simmered on the back-burner as he studied theatre at Indiana State.
“When you have a disability, a lot of stuff happens for you,” he says. He does what he calls “observational comedy” in which he “I love theatre, but I was getting tired of observes how people treat him or others and telling other people’s stories,” Niemiller says. works it into his set. He notes that stand-up “I was ready to tell my own.” comedy is one of the few art forms in which atCenterGrove.com / JULY 2020 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 19
because if not, that could have affected my confidence and changed the trajectory of my career,” he says. Niemiller lived in L.A. until 2009, at which time he bopped around from Terre Haute to Indianapolis to Pensacola, Fla., taking various “real jobs” to begin saving money to buy a house. He found, however, that as much as he liked having health insurance, he couldn’t stomach a desk job. “My brain just couldn’t do it,” he says.
the only way you know you’re good is by performing in front of other people. “If you want to learn guitar, you could spend 10,000 hours in your bedroom and know you sound pretty good before you ever let another set of ears hear it,” Niemiller says. “With stand-up, however, you may think your material is hilarious, but you don’t actually know until you do it for others.” The first official show Niemiller performed was on October 2, 2006, at an empty coffee shop. “I’d gone to an open mic to get a feel how it worked and found out that my teacher had signed me up to do a set,” Niemiller says. “I was totally put on the spot. I don’t know if it was performer’s pride or stubborn male pride, but I didn’t want to back down from a challenge. He performed in front of four other comics and a barista and scored a few chuckles.
There’s a joke amongst comedians that it typically takes 15 years to become an overnight sensation. “I beat that trend. It only took me 13,” he says with a snicker. His big break came in the summer of 2019 when Niemiller competed on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” (AGT), performing in front of judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Julianne Hough, and Gabrielle Union, along with 3,400 spectators at the Dolby Theatre. The experience didn’t faze him. “That felt at home,” Niemiller says. “Now, if you told me afterward to go ask the girl
out who was sitting in the fifth row, that would be mortifying to me. Large crowds have always been easier than one-on-one interaction.” Though he didn’t get teased much as a child, he suspects that’s because he learned, early on, that if he made the jokes first, people left him alone. “It became my default,” he says. “Whether it’s fair or not, it’s kind of on me to make other people comfortable with me.” It didn’t hurt that he had a natural affinity for easing tension through humor. Though he calls himself the “cripple threat of comedy,” refers to his fan club as “club nub” and regularly incorporates his disability into his sets, he admits that having a disability is difficult. “As much as I’ve come to terms with it and made the best of it, it’s not what I would have chosen,” Niemiller says. “Yes, I use it in my comedy, but it’s not a crutch. It’s me talking about my life.” Niemiller, who recently turned 38, notes that one of the toughest parts of this career is the way it affects the timeline of his life. “Being a touring stand-up comic puts strain on a lot of things,” he says. “When you’re 25, not married, no kids, on the road all the time with no health insurance, that’s easier to power through than when you’re 35 in that same position.” For now, he’s riding the success of AGT
IF YOU WANT TO LEARN GUITAR, YOU COULD SPEND 10,000 HOURS IN YOUR BEDROOM AND KNOW YOU SOUND PRETTY GOOD BEFORE YOU EVER LET ANOTHER SET OF EARS HEAR IT. WITH STAND-UP, HOWEVER, YOU MAY THINK YOUR MATERIAL IS HILARIOUS, BUT YOU DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW UNTIL YOU DO IT FOR OTHERS.” - RYAN NIEMILLER
“I’m lucky that I got a couple of laughs 20 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / JULY 2020 / atCenterGrove.com
after placing third in the show and returning for AGT’s The Champion’s show in January 2020. “If you make the finals on AGT as a standup comedian, your career gets a huge bump,” says Niemiller, noting that his social media following grew throughout the season but doubled between the semifinals and finals. When he made finals, the number of bookings he got quadrupled. Growing up poor in a trailer park and not owning a bed until he was in college,
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Niemiller, who currently lives on the southside of Indy, played several sold-out shows at Avon’s Red Curb Improv Comedy Club earlier this year. He also appeared on WZPL’s Smiley Morning Show and the Pat McAfee Show. He loves performing locally as he says Hoosiers always have his back.
Niemiller found comedy to be his ticket to travel. And travel he has, week after week. Take last November, for instance. He performed 25 out of 30 days that month. Calling himself a “road dog,” he says he has a reputation for doing 14-hour drives to get to the next gig.
“I like to try local restaurants — find at least one place that’s unique to that location,” Niemiller says.
Prior to the pandemic, his day-to-day was driving to shows, hotels, airports and more shows. But he made the best of it, exploring new places whenever his schedule allowed.
“As much of a life-changing experience as AGT was, if I’m still the dude from AGT years down the road, I’ve screwed up somewhere,” Niemiller says. “I want there to be more.”
In the future, he hopes to return to acting, perhaps doing television, movies and podcasts.
“A lot of people have been surprised that I still live here,” Niemiller adds. “They are trained to think that if AGT says I’m from Indiana, that must have been years ago. Then they see me at Kroger and are like, ‘Oh, you’re actually here!’” And he’s happy to be here, as he adores Indy’s small town and big city feel. “There’s theatre, pro sports and great restaurants, but you don’t feel like you’re in this huge metropolis where you have to struggle to get around,” he says. “If there’s traffic in Indy, it adds 10 minutes to your trip whereas in L.A. it can legitimately add four hours.”
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Gutty’s Comedy Club Offers Entertainment Through Stand-Up, Sketch and Improv message to keep the congregation engaged.
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Lindy Scott
Throughout his childhood, every Sunday morning Steve Rivera sat in church listening to his preacher father deliver a heartfelt sermon to his congregants. But that’s not all he delivered. His father always made sure to interject a funny anecdote or joke into his
“He made people laugh so hard,” Rivera says. “I thought, ‘I want to do that.’”
stand-up comedy. He began performing at open mic nights, but never felt like he fit in since he refused to include off-color jokes in his set.
Throughout his school years, Rivera did his best to make someone chuckle. A fan of “The Carol Burnett Show” and “In Living Color”, Rivera appreciated both sketch and
“I didn’t want to compromise what I believed in,” Rivera says. “I wanted to be as pure and creative as possible without using those words as a crutch. Besides, I
atCenterGrove.com / JULY 2020 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 25
think profanity eliminates the cleverness of writing.” While living in Chicago, Rivera was encouraged when he stumbled upon a wave of successful comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, and Sinbad doing clean comedy. Rivera began performing at holiday galas and church events and found that a demographic existed that craved clean comedy. He began to seek out other entertainers in the area, and that’s when he met Dennis Tooley. Rivera shared his vision of one day owning a comedy club, and after some starts and stops in churches and other venues, Rivera opened Gutty’s Comedy Club in 2003, named from the idea of gutbusting laughter. “I wanted the club to house anything comedy, from improv to sketch to stand-up,” explains Rivera, a freelance graphic and web designer by trade. Rivera’s background enabled him to create all the poster boards, logos, signage and other promotional materials for the club. Tooley did all the booking. When Rivera and his wife Valerie moved to the area, he got a job as marketing director for Australian Gold and temporarily put his comedy dreams on the back-burner. Tooley, who also lived in the area, asked Rivera if he had any interest in resurrecting his dream. They tried a few different venues before opening Gutty’s Comedy Club in August of 2019 in the old Catered Cabaret location. Every Sunday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Gutty’s offers its Laff Sabbath stand-up open mic event. The venue offers two prime-time shows on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., in which it showcases a guest comedian, feature comedian, and nationallyknown headliner. Gutty’s also offers workshops for stand-up and improv that cater to all ages. “We had a 13-year-old go through stand-up one-on-one class, then practiced her set here at a real comedy club,” Rivera says. “We also have a young man with autism who comes to every open mic night to break his 26 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / JULY 2020 / atCenterGrove.com
Steve Rivera, Dennis Tooley and Hoss Ridgeway
fear of public speaking. It’s a beautiful thing to see.” The community response to Gutty’s has been overwhelmingly positive across all demographics, from 18 to 88. “We really have connected with the city, and the momentum is starting to rise,” says Rivera, noting that the mayor and chamber of commerce members have been
welcoming as well. “Mostly, people just are thankful to have a comedy club back in Greenwood.”
Rivera loves connecting with new comedians and giving them opportunities to showcase their talent.
The intimate venue comfortably seats 80 the perfect size for a comedy club according to Rivera.
“It gives me joy to feature new comics and see their growth over time,” he says. “I also love to hear the crowd’s laughter envelop the club. That’s what it’s all about.”
“You want the laughs to stay in the room and not escape into the ceiling,” Rivera says. “And you don’t want the crowd too far from the stage.”
Gutty’s Comedy Club is located at 350 South Madison Avenue in Greenwood. For more information, call 317-395-3020 and visit guttyscomedyclub.com.
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Lexi Fair
CENTER GROVE HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SENIOR TRIBUTE
ADDISON OSBORN
“It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t going to miss her spirit in our program. She is one of the toughest kids I have ever seen play. If we asked our team to run through a wall, she would be the first to break it down, get back up and carry on running, all with a smile on her face. She had the skill, and the personality of a great teammate that helped us thrive as a team.”
LEXI FAIR
The IHSAA canceled the 2020 high school Spring sports season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This ended the high school careers of five Center Grove softball seniors. We are honoring these outstanding young ladies with this special salute. CG softball head coach Alyssa Coleman had the following praise for her seniors.
“What a competitor. She played with fire and never let up. I am so thankful to have had the chance to coach an athlete with such fierce passion and desire. What most don’t realize either, she has one of the most nurturing hearts as well. She not only made her teammates better, but as a coach, I feel I got better. She set that bar of expectation so high that we all had to grow to keep up with her.”
JILLIAN RANSDELL
KENNEDY BADER
“The best quality about Jill is that she wore her emotions on her sleeve. There was never a doubt about her energy, focus and allin mentality for her team. The game is meant to be played with emotion, and Jill gave us all she had. Something her teammates, coaches and fans will always remember.”
“The ultimate teammate. I cannot put into words how proud I am of her growth within our program, and how thankful I am to have always had her support as a coach. She is that athlete that never stops working, always listens with her eyes and is as much respected on the field as she is off. She is that leader that doesn’t realize how much of an impact she has always made by just being herself.”
BROOKE YORK
“This senior class has had so much success as a whole,” Coach Coleman adds. “They did it all with so much change along the way, and they still made it seem smooth. They were able to do this because each of them brought something special to the table. Like anything good, their strengths filled one another weaknesses to create something special and memorable. I am just so thankful that they have left this program better than they found it.”
“Brooke’s strongest asset was her consistent stronghold in how she worked. Never too high and never too low. She at times was that perfect piece that made the whole puzzle fit. I will always appreciate her fundamental and consistent approach she brought to our program.”
30 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / JULY 2020 / atCenterGrove.com
CENTER GROVE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SENIOR TRIBUTE The IHSAA canceled the 2020 high school Spring sports season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This ended the high school careers for 11 Center Grove baseball seniors. We are honoring these outstanding young men with this special salute. CG baseball head coach Keith Hatfield had the following praise for his seniors.
We were excited to see what he was going to do at the plate. He was going to be in our line-up either as a catcher or DH.”
DREW DILLON
“Drew is one of the better athletes I have ever coached, really tall and lanky kid. He hit in four different positions last year in the line-up. GRANT HERRON He did everything from play first, played left. He was going to be in “He was co-county player of the year his junior season. He played first the outfield for us this year and possibly play first when Grant was for us every day and was our number one pitcher. He was going to pitching. He’s one of those kids who’s going to work tirelessly at it. be a big part of this year. He’s a really fun kid to be around. He’s very He’s going to Olney Central Community College. I’m excited to see coachable. We are really going to miss Grant. He’s going to Bradley what he does over the next couple of years.” University and will do great things there.”
ALEX DEVANEY
BRYCE EBLIN
“He’s the all-time runs scored record holder at CG. He would have gotten three more records this season if we had played. He started every game of his career at short except one. He’s going to go down as one of the top players in school history. He’s going to Alabama and I’m sure he’ll have a great career there.”
“Alex started his sophomore year a hand-full of games. This winter you could really see the mental aspect at the plate grow. He’s an outfielder and he was going to compete for the right field starting job.”
NOLAN WOLF
“Nolan was an outfielder his first couple of years. Really good arm. He was going to compete for an outfield job again, but he was going ALEX CHRISTIE to figure in on the mound. Last year he really came into his own on “Alex had improved a ton since we got him as a freshman. He was the mound. He was really fun to watch, grew and worked at it. He’s going to be on the mound for us this year. He was competing for a going to U Indy to pitch. His growth over the next few years will be third base starting position. He is going to Hanover College where his significant.” dad went. He’ll continue that legacy. Alex was really fun to have in the program for four years.”
LUKE PIPER
JIMMY WOLFF
“Beast mode definitely brought an intensity to our team. If we were having a sluggish practice, we could always count on him to do something to energize everybody else. He was a starter at third and DH. He had a game winning hit last year early in the season. He was the sparkplug for our team last year and probably the sparkplug this year.”
“Luke actually had a zero point zero ERA as a junior. He did not give up an earned run. That’s another consistent kid we knew exactly what we were going to get out of him. If I had Luke in the bullpen, it was very comforting because I knew he was going to come in and throw strikes to get us out of an inning. He was fun to have to down there.”
ISAAC BARKDULL
ADAM TAYLOR
“Isaac is going to Marian. He’s a kid with really good stuff on the mound. He worked on his craft tirelessly. He really wants to be a good pitcher. He had some great games for us. He arguably had the best stuff on our staff. I’m excited to see him grow over next four years.”
ANTHONY SMITH
“This senior class had a chance to win three conference titles in a row,” Coach Hatfield adds.. “They were very talented, and we were going to win a lot of games. The biggest thing with this group was they were so much fun to be around. This winter was our best offseason since I’ve been at Center Grove. They came to work every day. They really wanted to work and were self-motivated. Great group of parents that I’m going to miss. It was really unfortunate we didn’t get to see what this team was going to do.”
“Adam started for us behind the plate last year. He was competing again this year with Anthony Smith to start behind the plate. He’s going to Franklin College. Adam, extremely hard worker and Mr. Consistency.”
“Anthony is a very talented kid and continued to get stronger every year. He was going to compete for starting position behind the plate this year. He’s also going to Franklin College. He was going to be in the line-up. He was coming into his own at the plate over the winter.
atCenterGrove.com / JULY 2020 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 31
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