Center Grove Magazine March 2023

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“Mike was the perfect REALTOR® for us. He patiently showed us homes in a volatile market. His guidance and experience was invaluable. He knows the market, but more importantly, he took the time to know us and what we wanted. He was available to ‘rush’ to a new listing, return my calls and communicate on a regular basis. Once we found our ‘new’ home, he listed our existing home. It was on the market for 24 hours, we received 5 offers and sold it for above asking. Once again, Mike’s knowledge of the current market allowed us to navigate a very difficult market successfully. Mike is, by far, the best agent I have worked with and I highly recommend him.”

Terry & Courtney L.

The only problem? Snodgrass lost money as a subcontractor for that first show. The Babbs had a solution.

They brought Snodgrass on as a staff member, and together they’ve watched Slamology grow into an event like no other. “Since then,” Snodgrass says, “Donnie and Ginger have become family to me, my wife, and my three daughters.”

“We’ve grown from 120 cars that first year to over 2,000 custom vehicles last year,” says Snodgrass. “We have vehicles register for the event from all over the world and spectators who travel from all over, too, just to be at the event to witness history.”

SLAMOLOGY AUTOMOTIVE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL TURNS 20 THIS JUNE

Center Grove resident Rob Snodgrass has been working behind the scenes at one of the world’s top lifestyle events for the past 20 years.

Snodgrass has booked Indiana bands for various venues since college, and has developed relationships with hip-hop, country, singer-songwriters and rockand-roll artists, as well as DJs, specific to Indiana. He’s also a local graduate of Indiana University - Kelley School of Business.

“I was doing a car event at German Park with another car show promotion team and met Donnie and Ginger Babb,” Snodgrass says. “They’ve owned Gauge Magazine, an online car culture and automotive industry monthly magazine, for over 24 years. I booked the bands for the German Park event and Donnie asked me if I could do the same for their upcoming show, Slamology.” That first year, Snodgrass and his partner at the time brought in nearly 30 acts to the main stage at the Marion County Fairgrounds with just under 45 days to plan. The event was a massive success.

This June, they’ll celebrate Slamology’s 20th anniversary at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on June 10 and 11.

In the past, well over 15,000 attendees have come out to enjoy the massive car show and live music event. They’ve welcomed visitors from 42 states and seven countries. They also present more than 60 Class awards at the end of the weekend.

Slamology has become one of the world’s largest car audio contests which brings representation from some of the largest audio organizations in the country for their car audio sound-offs.

Other attractions include a tattoo contest, a car/truck/contraption limbo contest, hydraulic hopper demonstrations, a big

Writer / Melissa Gibson

Photography Provided

rig roundup semi show, a family fun zone and more than 100 vendors offering items ranging from apparel to customized car accessories.

Snodgrass emcees a variety of the contests and produces radio commercials with local music producer, Seany D. Team members call him the voice of Slamology and Snodgrass enjoys every minute of it, particularly the music pumping through the massive crowd.

“We’ve always tried to bring in bands from Indiana,” he says. “We want to present an Indiana vibe for our global audience and promote our own music industry culture. We have amazing artists that live in Indiana.” Each year, more than 100 performer applications pour in.

Snodgrass and the team listen to music, lyrics and content to select 13 to 20 bands to perform. It’s important to them to limit foul language to ensure the event remains family friendly.

“We try to have the guy in the ‘now’ as a headliner and fill in with a variety of artists for a very eclectic stage,” he says. “We want to give everyone a chance to be heard. No matter what genre the audience likes, there’s probably someone on stage that you’ll enjoy.”

Snodgrass has worked with American Bombshell, Indianapolis-based rapper Trajik, national recording artist Hosier, and Center Grove’s own UG Skywalkin, a performer on NBC’s ‘American Song Contest’.

While the lineup is still being formed for the 2023 stage, they know for sure is that this anniversary year will be the biggest and best lineup ever.

Snodgrass, like many on the Slamology staff, still holds a full-time job as President of AquaFinesse, a pool and spa chemical manufacturing company. He works alongside his father, Bob Snodgrass, who is a 40 year veteran of the pool and spa industry.

“When I was promoted to president, the owners in the Netherlands said, ‘We love the passion you have for Slamology. Keep doing what you do there.’ Having their support and being able to continue to pursue and provide music and entertainment at the event has been a blessing and I am truly humbled. It’s a labor of love. There’s an entire team at Slamology that has been with us through thick and thin and we couldn’t do it without them and our sponsors. We all absolutely love getting together every year for it.”

When the event began, the majority of the team were just starting to have kids, prompting the desire to make Slamology an event that all families could enjoy.

Kids 10 and under are admitted free. The Family Fun Zone includes cornhole and other games, coloring, crafts and family activities.

Tickets are available at the gate. The staff has worked to maintain affordability for everyone with tickets at $15 per person for one day or $20 per person for both days.

Visit Slamology.com for additional information, an entire event lineup, and a coupon for free spectator parking. Participants can register a vehicle online or stop by the 64th annual World of Wheels inside the Gauge Magazine Lifestyle Hall to see a mini version of Slamology at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, March 24 through 26 and register at the Slamology booth.

With factory scan tools for American, Asian and European vehicles, Christian Brothers Automotive provides complete mechanical and electrical maintenance and repair services for all makes and models.

Best of Both Worlds

ANTILOGY RESTAURANT MERGES TWO CULINARY IDEAS INTO A SINGLE CONCEPT

Are you an early bird or a night owl? An extrovert or introvert?

Regardless of where you see yourself, the owners of Greenwood’s new Antilogy restaurant hope to satisfy everyone.

Bob Sendelbach and Willie Roegner have known each other for a decade. These long-time Center Grove residents enjoy being members of the community and are excited to be part of it’s growth. Supporting other local businesses and community organizations is a core value shared by both. When they met at a small group gathering through their church, the two learned they both had a history in food service and things just clicked. After many dreams and discussions, Sendelbach and Roegner decided to take a leap into the independent restaurant industry.

Antilogy offers a unique dining experience. Brunch is served in the morning and into the afternoon, and at night the restaurant transforms into a bourbon and wine bar with a speakeasy vibe.

“The definition of antilogy is contradicting ideas,” Sendelbach says. “We have two totally different thoughts happening at the restaurant.”

The idea is unique but has taken some extra

Writer / Melissa Gibson

Photography / Provided

planning for the full experience.

“I’d say the biggest struggle was creating two different environments,” says Sendelbach.

“We want a bright breakfast vibe with the lights up in the morning, and then switch to a warm, comfortable lounge-like feeling in the evening.”

Though Roegner has been part of opening restaurants in the past, with Antilogy there was a lot of thought and additional planning in order to create a space perfect for both concepts.

“As a co-owner, this has been a totally different experience,” Roegner says. Roegner has been in the food service industry since 1996 and fell in love with creating unique and delicious plates.

“Aside from impeccable service and polished presentation, we’ll offer traditional brunch options with additional signature dishes that I have enjoyed creating,” says Roegner.

The brunch menu includes Antilogy’s signature Beef Tenderloin Benedict – tender beef served on a croissant, topped with arugula, hollandaise and an over-easy egg.

The evening menu is a variety of sharable plates such as the Crispy Burrata, which

includes fresh Italian cheese covered in panko with basil pesto and balsamic reduction, paired with marinated tomato and arugula salad.

“We want to bring different options to the community,” Roegner says. “Close attention will be paid to quality of food, presentation and service.”

The men are hoping to bring unique items to the menu, along with some favorites, and an atmosphere primed for conversations and connecting.

“We’ve been involved in a small group of men on Saturday mornings so we also considered a place that we could do more of that, to create an environment for groups to get together,” Sendelbach says. “We’ll have four-top dining tables, but also lounge furniture such as easy chairs and couches. We won’t have televisions. A bar without a television is unique, but we hope to drive guests to interact with each other in conversation.”

They also plan to offer events that bring the community together, such as tastings.

“Bourbon is such a big thing right now,” says

“A lot of people enjoy the experience. We’ve lined up vendors and distilleries for both bourbon and wine education.”

As everything falls into place, the partners are excited to welcome the community and receive their feedback.

“It’s been exciting to see the end goal,” Sendelbach says. “I like that we are independent and don’t have anyone to

answer to except our guests. We can make changes on the menu and the wine list based on what we find that people really enjoy, and we can make that call without additional oversight.”

With the rise in privately owned restaurants and the community’s interest in unique dining experiences, Sendelbach and Roegner have even started looking to the future.

“We could replicate this in a different community,” says Sendelbach. “That might be interesting and compelling. We believe in the plan we’ve put together for this concept. We could also focus on the Center Grove and Greenwood area and open a different concept. We believe in our growing and thriving community, and we want to pour into it and invest in this area.”

Like the Antilogy Facebook page @ antilogycg for updated information and details on upcoming events.

Back by popular demand, our Annual Directory & Relocation Guide for Geist and Fishers will feature all sorts of local extras to make it a keepsake reference for the entire year. In addition to our regular distribution in April, we will be mailing copies throughout the year to the following people:

Our annual Directory & Relocation Guide for Center Grove will feature DOZENS of categories making it a handy reference guide all year long to find local businesses, services and organizations. In addition to our regular distribution in May, we will mail copies throughout the year to the following people:

þ New movers: We purchase a list of new movers each month and mail them a complimentary copy via First Class USPS.

þ New movers: We purchase a list of new homeowners each month and mail them a complimentary copy via First Class USPS.

• 2022 DIRECTORY & RELOCATION GUIDE CominginApril

•

TARGETED

Direct mailed

DISTRIBUTION

Online requests from new movers

TARGETED TARGET YOUR MOST SOUGHT-AFTER LOCAL CONSUMERS EXISTING and NEW MOVERS in the Center Grove Community DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: MARCH 31, 2023

Getting to the Root Cause

Renewed Wellness Helps Clients Develop a Healthier, Holistic Approach to Living

For six years, Amber Fair worked as a nurse practitioner in conventional medicine. Prior to that, she worked for 15 years in the local emergency department. During that time, she saw a full scale of ailments. She was especially puzzled by the number of women in their 40s and older who complained that they just didn’t feel well. None of them could put their finger on why, and a visit to their GP didn’t solve the mystery. In fact, it often only made them feel frustrated when their doctors shrugged their shoulders and told them, “Your labs look fine. Welcome to menopause!” Or they might underplay it and chalk the brain fog up to “mom brain.”

“It’s hard to tell someone that everything looks good [from a lab perspective] when you know there’s something going on,” says Fair, who was keen on getting to the root of her patients’ physical ailments. Therefore, she began researching functional medicine.

“I wanted answers,” she says. She admits that learning about functional medicine is both fascinating and overwhelming simply because there’s so much to absorb. But it sure beats shrugging one’s shoulders and essentially telling a patient it’s part of life that they’re feeling lousy.

“One major goal of functional medicine is to optimize hormones and other levels,” says Fair, who notes that in conventional medicine we often get caught up on what’s considered “normal” per lab standards, which isn’t always what is best for us.

“Normal ranges are one thing, but we want

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographers / Canaan Sellers & Blake Dieringer

Rob and Amber Fair

optimal ranges because that’s when people feel better,” Fair says. “For instance, a normal Vitamin D level is between 30 and 100, but if your number is 32, you’re closer to the lower end of the spectrum and will likely not feel as well. We want it to be 70 or 80 so you can increase your ability to feel better.”

Therefore, Fair decided to open a place where she could focus on hormones, vitamins, gut health, and overall holistic health. In September 2022, she and her husband Rob, opened Renewed Wellness with a desire to partner with patients on their journey for a healthier, holistic approach to living.

Fair’s sister, Ashley Miller, is a medical

Services Offered:

• Wellness consultation with an integrative approach

• Focused massage therapy

• Children/teen counseling

• Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy including pellets

• Medical grade supplement sales

• IV infusion therapy

• Medically supervised weight loss

• On-site blood draws

massage therapist who was eager to join the staff at Renewed Wellness. Both women— Fair, who just turned 44, and Miller, 42— recognize that life in your 40s and beyond should be rewarding and enjoyable. Even in the later years, it’s all about healthy living.

“It’s called the golden years for a reason,” Fair says. “It’s sad how many people think feeling good as you age isn’t viable.”

Patients who come into Renewed Wellness will engage in a 60-minute new patient wellness consult where they discuss hydration, nutrition, hormones, GI issues, sleep quality and possibly peptides. Blood tests are drawn on-site for most labs and clients have access to extensive advanced

functional medicine testing as well.

Miller brings to the table more than just massage therapy. She incorporates a saying she heard many times while working with Dr. Sidney Dyer of Dyer Chiropractic that “Motion is Lotion”. Her goal is to get people up and moving better. Miller can incorporate her Graston, bamboo, magnet therapy as well as medi-cupping into your session. Medi-cupping has so many benefits including increasing circulation, toxin release from the muscles, inflammation relief and for stimulation of lymphatic drainage. For example, she had a patient who came in with a frozen shoulder that was so bad she was not able to wash her hair. Medi-cupping helped to lift the

restrictions around the joint allowing her range of motion to return. As part of their services, Miller and Fair carefully listen to their clients.

“The main thing people want is to be heard. Then they know you care,” Miller says. “So many places you go to now you feel like just another number, you’re in and out so fast. People feel like, ‘Did the [doctor] even listen to me?’”

Fair maintains that the God created our body with the amazing ability to heal itself with the right nutrients. We often need supplements in addition to whole foods to help facilitate this healing. Often, removing inflammatory foods from our diet makes a huge difference because they trigger inflammation throughout our bodies, not just in the gut as most think.

“One of my clients had a painful baker’s cyst on the back of her knee,” Fair says. “She took out gluten, dairy, and artificial sugars from her diet on her own and her baker’s cyst resolved. When you take away those inflammatory items, the body begins the healing process.”

Adds Miller, “You learn to become an engineer for your body.”

Fair spends a lot of time talking through

these concepts with people, educating them while trying not to overwhelm them. “It’s baby steps,” she says. “You try to make little plans.”

At Renewed Wellness, they refer patients to an outside health coach to help patients navigate their barriers to lifestyle changes. “We teach that everything is in moderation,” Fair says. “It has to be a sustainable lifestyle. You don’t want to go through life feeling like you’ve completely deprived yourself. That’s no way to live, either.”

Fair and Miller have another sister, Audra Gonzalez, who will be joining the team later and offering mental health counseling services for children and teens.

“Sometimes these youth just need someone to talk to outside of their own family. They are facing some big fears and worries” Fair says. “Audra has a heart for working with kids and teens.”

Fair is a graduate of Franklin College (2000), IU School of Nursing (2003) and obtained her Master’s in Nursing from University of Indianapolis in 2015. She is board certified through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners in Family Medicine, a certified Biote provider, A4M Peptide certified, and continues to work towards her certification through the Institute of Functional Medicine

and American Association of Anti-aging.

Miller is a licensed massage therapist with certifications in all the services listed and is seeking certification in physiokinetix so that she can further help her clients get to the source of their ailments. She has been honing her practice over the last 10 years.

Gonzalez is a 2020 graduate of University of Southern Indiana and a 2022 graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. She currently works for Adult and Child in the school systems. She completed her LSW licensure and will be offering evening counseling sessions a couple nights a week.

If you are interested in optimizing your health and wellness, contact Renewed Wellness today to make an appointment. Renewed Wellness is located at 107 N SR135, Suite 202, Greenwood, IN 46142. For more information, call 317-348-3444 or visit https://www.renewedwellnesscg.com.

Renewed Wellness is a faith-based office. Every member of the staff is willing to pray with you if that is something you are wanting and comfortable with. While we may not be able to help you “fix” everything, we pray to a sovereign God that can.

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography / Canaan Sellers

It may sound strange, but Brad Ritter is a big proponent of doing something that sucks every day. Why? Because it forces you to step outside of your comfort zone, which, in turn, promotes self-growth.

He hasn’t always felt this way. He used to

SCHOOL OF GRIT

work at a corporate job, and by society’s standards, led a rather cushy lifestyle. Then, one day in 2013, when he was in his early 30’s, he had what he calls a ‘man in the mirror’ moment when he questioned whether he was living up to his God-given purpose. He began searching the internet for guidance when he came across a TED Talk by Angela Duckworth called “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” which changed his life. Research shows that grit is a leading predictor of success in life. Curious to learn how gritty he was, Ritter took Duckworth’s quiz and was irked to score 2.2 out of 5 on the grit scale. That was good enough to be grittier than 20% of Americans who took the quiz, but not good enough for Ritter.

“I thought, ‘that can’t be right. I’m tough!’” Ritter says. “Then I looked back at the questions and realized it was spot on. Up to that point, I’d start something but not finish it.”

Determined to grow his grit, Ritter enrolled in SEALFit’s Kokoro Camp, which is modeled after Navy SEAL “Hell Week”. The camp is considered the most challenging and tranformative training available to civilians in the world. It’s designed to break you down, expose your weaknesses, then build you back up.

“I felt in my bones that I needed to go to this camp,” says Ritter, who told his wife, Leslie, that she wouldn’t hear from him while he was away. “I had the mindset that I was coming home with my shield or on it because I was not going to give up.”

Kokoro Camp is over 50 hours of continuous physical movement with no sleep and very little food. It pushes participants to and past their limits physically, mentally and emotionally. Ritter, 35 at the time, was nicknamed Gramps by the others. Despite being the oldest participant, he secured the crucible. Of the 50 who started the program, only half graduated.

“After that experience, I was reborn. Ritter, version 2.0,” he says. “Up until that point, I’d never really been tested. I guess you could say that I met myself for the first time.”

People in his sphere noticed the change and commented that something was different about him.

Indeed there was and it was a transformation he wanted to share with others. One of the things he learned at Kokoro Camp is that we can’t make it through life without working as a team. Even when we feel we can’t take another step, by helping others, we, in turn, help ourselves.

Ritter wanted to find a way to replicate that attitude in the real world, so he became certified as an Unbeatable Mind coach. He also wrote “School of Grit: Unlock Your Potential Through Purposeful Adversity,” which became an Amazon bestselling book. Then, in January 2022, he launched School of Grit, an online program for men and women of any age, at any stage of life. Although people from all walks of life can join, it generally attracts those between 30 and 65 who live a

Brad Ritter of School Of Grit

more active lifestyle.

“They like to work out, be part of a team, serve others, and have a growth mindset,” says Ritter, who is now 43. “They’re looking to be the best version of themselves so they’re open to trying new things.”

Members enroll in School of Grit and Ritter gives a free 30-day trial. It’s run like a school in that Ritter presents a class schedule at the beginning of each month. He enlists the help of guest coaches and speakers who talk to the group every month. Ritter also teaches 90 minute workouts on Saturday mornings from his garage gym. In addition, he incorporates four to five crucible-style experiences a year. These represent quarterly tests for the community. For instance, they might do a 4x4x48, which involves running four miles every four hours for 48 hours. They also do an annual ‘long walk’ during which they walk for 24 hours with mini breaks.

“Doing these things tests your body and also tests your mind,” Ritter says. “You want to quit, but persevering is how you grow.”

Ritter has found that with online coaching, people are more willing to open up.

“You wouldn’t believe how quickly a person’s guard goes down when you’re online and it’s just a camera,” says Ritter, who has heard it all – divorce, bankruptcy, drugs and other addictions, and more. Ritter appreciates the

authenticity. “I want people to be real,” he says.

“What we teach here is a lifestyle, and it’s not just the physical area we train, we go deep into the other areas like mental toughness and emotional resiliency. We even touch on spiritual. Nothing is out of bounds. It’s really about training the whole person. All of my coaches are hand selected and we eat our own dog food. We won’t teach something that we haven’t experienced ourselves.”

“We have members from New York to California and everywhere in between. My dream is to bring this training to my own backyard by partnering with the local community right here in Center Grove and surrounding areas. Conducting live events and training will be the next evolution with School of Grit.”

Ritter is developing what he calls a ‘warrior class’.

“Everyone has a warrior in them,” he says. “That’s the ability to take care of yourself, take care of others and tap into your full potential. It’s realizing your God-given purpose and going after it.”

He notes that warriors are not afraid to fail. In fact, they look to lean into a bit of discomfort. This is where the idea of doing something everyday that sucks comes into play.

“We’ve gotten too soft in society,” says Ritter. This is the most comfortable generation that has ever existed. Comfort can be a slow death. We need to get back to the joy of hard work.”

While it’s human nature to fear making mistakes, the truth is that failure is the greatest teacher. When Ritter’s children, Hallie, 12, and Brody, 9, are at the dinner table, he doesn’t ask them how their day was. Instead, he poses the question, “What did you fail at today?”

“If you’re not failing, you’re not learning,” he says.

If you’re looking to train with a team and become the best version of yourself in service to others, check out Ritter’s School of Grit. Visit www.schoolofgrit.org. Or, find him on social media at www.facebook. com/SchoolofGrit or www.instagram.com/ schoolofgrit_bradritter/

317-458-0743

bargersvillewellness.com

with her friend and former colleague, Ashley Auld, to start a business together.

For nearly 14 years, Blythe Potter managed a spa in Greenwood. In 2015 she became a boardcertified massage therapist. After finishing her bachelor’s degree, she earned her Master of Business Administration degree, and this is all in addition to being a veteran and having served in the Army.

Armed with years of experience, earned confidence, oodles of ambition, and a strong desire to make a difference, Potter teamed up

“Neither of us wanted to do this alone and we both had our eye on the same place to rent,” Potter says. They decided to go for it. Auld was adamant that they not leave Bargersville, which ultimately was a fantastic call given that Bargersville is growing rapidly.

In May of 2019, the pair opened Bargersville Wellness, a salon, barber shop and spa that offers massage services and yoga classes. The pair feel strongly that wellness encompasses

17 North Baldwin Street Bargersville, IN

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Brian Brosmer and Provided

mind, body and spirit, and that all are equally important and, therefore, should be equally nurtured.

When they first opened their doors, they had just five employees. Now they have 25 employees, 17 service providers, and are looking to expand their square footage in the next few months. They have eight and a half stylists (one is on maternity leave), four estheticians, two massage therapists, four yoga teachers and a Reiki master. In addition, half of their stylists are dual-licensed, which is not very common. Three of them have their barber license, one has an aesthetician license, and another is lash-certified.

“A lot of our staff is invested in education so that they can take better care of their clients,” Potter says.

They want to nurture learning because they know that while beauty school teaches students how to pass the state board, it does not teach finance, business and taxes.

“It’s bare-minimum basics and then you get 90% of your training after you graduate if someone is willing to teach you,” Auld says.

They also want to nurture women in general. Unfortunately, the hair world has a reputation for being cutthroat. Potter and Auld want to change that by supporting others in the business and building one another up.

“Why wouldn’t I want to help others by sharing my knowledge?” Auld says. “It’s about building relationships, not burning bridges. Blythe and I have connections with so many

salons, barber shops and spas now. We have more friends in the industry than ever before, which is amazing.”

They also wanted to open a business that is friendly to all.

“If someone doesn’t want to support our business because we are LGBTQIA+ safe, then ‘Bye,’” Potter says. “We want everyone to feel comfortable, heard, seen and taken care of, whether that’s staff, clients or someone passing by.”

They strive to be a sustainable business and are proud to be a Green Circle Salon. This means they collect and recycle almost all of their waste including gloves, hair, foils and leftover color.

Potter, an environmentalist and vegan, calls herself a “big green nerd.”

“We can confidently say that we recycle more than 99% of what we produce, including food now that we have a composter in the building,” she says. “We maybe visit the trash can once a month.”

The majority of BW’s skin and hair products are net positive, as they partake in regenerative farming. This means they are giving more back to the planet than they are taking. Not only are their products environmentally friendly, but their clients have also seen vast improvements in their hair and skin since switching.

“With the growth of Bargersville and the way the Death & Taxes event is growing each

year, we want to make sure we’re catering to everyone and that we use the space we have in the best way possible,” Auld says.

The growth BW is experiencing means they now have availability for new clients for hair, makeup applications and lessons (including for prom), facials, massages, lashes, yoga, waxing, barbering, and Reiki.

If you are interested in being a part of the BW team, contact Potter and Auld via email at contact@bargersvillewellness.com. You can also connect with them on Facebook and Instagram @bargersvillewellness. BW is currently hiring a licensed massage therapist and certified yoga teacher.

“It definitely takes a village, but we appreciate and love our staff,” Auld says. “They are some of the most caring, compassionate people I’ve ever met. If one of us is having a bad day, all the loves goes into that person.”

They also feel a tremendous amount of support from fellow business owners in town, as well as clients and community members.

“The town is so supportive,” Potter says. “We have been welcomed with open arms.”

The kindness and productivity of the Bargersville Town Council and other town boards have inspired Potter to run for Town Council at Large this November. She wants to be involved in helping new businesses and families experience the warmth and support of Bargersville.

Working together for you.

We think that’s the key to better health care for you and your family. And that’s why the providers and specialists at JMH and Mayo Clinic have joined forces. We are working together to resolve your hard-to-solve medical problems and help find better answers. Giving you access to the finest medical knowledge, right here at home, at no additional cost. For you, that means peace of mind.

Johnson Memorial Health and Mayo Clinic. Working together. Working for you.

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Great care starts here.

GENEROUS HELPING

EVERY KID EATS INITIATIVE HELPS FAMILIES WITH SCHOOL LUNCH DEBT

Every Kid Eats of Johnson County (EKE) is an initiative that fights food insecurity by raising money to pay off school lunch debt in the Greenwood area. Although a free and reduced lunch assistance program exists for those who qualify, some students incur school lunch debt for several reasons. In some cases they might not be eligible for assistance at the start of a school year, but family situations can change. Parents may lose jobs or experience expensive medical challenges. Parents might not understand how to fill out the paperwork or even know the program is available.

Last November, Suzanne Fortenberry was perusing Facebook when a post caught her eye. Among all the Thanksgiving expressions of gratitude was an interesting suggestion. Someone proposed that

instead of paying it forward by buying coffee for a person waiting in line at a cafe, consider going to a local school and donating that small amount to help pay off a student’s lunch debt.

Fortenberry, who has nephews who are students in Center Grove schools, reached out to Nicole Kemp, an active parent in the district. Kemp is on the Center Grove Education Foundation and substitute teaches in the district. With support from other concerned citizens, the two women created the EKE initiative.

A Facebook page was designed not only to raise awareness that the problem exists, but also to allow individuals to give directly to Center Grove schools. A link provided on the group’s Facebook page takes users to the Center Grove Angel Fund page. Then, other area school districts were included.

“We are happy to say that with the help of Shannon Maples, food and nutrition services director for Center Grove schools, we are in the process of fundraising for all six of the Johnson County school systems,” Fortenberry says. “After beginning with Center Grove, we progressed to Clark-Pleasant and then Greenwood. We hit our goal for Greenwood in February. This put us over $10,000 raised. The remaining three districts are Franklin Community Schools, Indian Creek Schools and Edinburgh Community Schools.”

When Fortenberry began investigating the problem, she found the lunch debt in Center Grove ranged from $5 to $600 per student. However, the most common figure was in between. While a child is never turned away, she suspected that some of the older children, aware that debt is growing, perhaps skip lunch.

Writer / Julie Yates

Photography Provided

Seated L-R: Blythe Potter, Suzanne Fortenberry

Standing L-R: Nicole Kemp, Lucy Bartley, Shannon Maples

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“A 15-year-old kid who knows his family is having money problems might not eat,” she says. “These students need to have lunch to be productive, learn and do their best in school.”

Fortenberry also realizes that awareness of the problem is increasing. Businesses such as Bargersville Wellness and Energy Spot that want to give back to the community have held fund drives. Percentages of profits were donated to the Angel Fund of their choice.

So far thousands of dollars have been raised for each school corporation, and the total amount of money donated slowly grows every day. Going forward, Fortenberry envisions the initiative following a two-pronged approach to the problem. If parents can pay off half the amount their child owes, EKE will match the funds in order to erase the entire debt. The second aspect is providing parents with aid in applying for free and reduced lunch.

“We realize we need to catch this on the front end,” Fortenberry says. “There is a great quote by Desmond Tutu that says, ‘There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.’ Our goal for 2023-24 is to get ahead of the problem by making sure parents know there is a free and reduced lunch program available, and providing them with help they might need in filling out the paperwork.”

In the future the initiative leaders hope it can include other nearby communities. Fortenberry points out that no amount is too small. Even a small donation helps.

“People are suffering everywhere and people want to help,” she says. “We make it easy for people to donate. Kids have no control over the amount of money their parents make. We just want to provide a little bit of relief to these families.”

Carole Veatch Vice President, Treasury Management

Scott McDermott Vice President, Private Banking

Visit Every Kid Eats of Johnson County on Facebook for more information.

CGHS RUNNER TY GARRETT SPRINTS TO COVETED STATE AWARD

Photography Provided

Center Grove High School’s Hall of Fame will soon add another legend. Senior cross country runner, Ty Garrett, not only helped lead the CGHS boys cross country team to a third-place finish in the 2022 State Finals, but also to its best season in school history. Garrett finished fourth in the state meet, earning him First Team AllState honors. Weeks after the finals, he was awarded the most coveted state award for a high school runner, Indiana’s 2022 Mr. Cross Country.

“I am very proud to receive this award,” says Garrett. “It was one of my goals at the start of my senior season to win this award and I am very happy to have achieved my goal.”

“I am super proud to see Ty earn Mr. Cross Country,” says Parker Mimbela, CGHS senior cross country runner and Garrett’s teammate and friend. “It fits him as a runner. He didn’t win every race and wasn’t the state champion, but he was the most consistent worker in practice and dominated every time he raced, especially when it mattered most.” Garrett was CGHS’s top runner in the 2019 state meet as a freshman, with a 22nd place finish, and helping the team place 14th overall. Following his first varsity season, Garrett moved to Colorado for the next two years, returning to CGHS for his senior year.

“Saying goodbye to a friend is tough,” says

CGHS boys cross country head coach Howard Harrell. “But saying welcome back home is so joyous. The team never lost contact with Ty. The texts, the phone calls, the mini trips to Colorado, and the mini trips to Greenwood were numerous. In many ways, he was still a part of the team. In spirit, he was there to celebrate with us when we climbed the podium for the first time in the fall of 2020. In spirit, he was there to comfort us when we fell just short of the podium in 2021. Ty was still a Trojan.”

Garrett was well-respected by his coaches

and teammates for his hard work and leading by example.

“His charisma is so inviting,” says Harrell. “It was like he never left. His presence at practices instantly improved our workouts. Everyone stepped up their game as we began to train for the top. His biggest asset to the team was not his low number stick at the meets, rather it was that he made everyone on the team a better runner at practice.”

“Every day, Ty put in so much work to

Writer / Kevin Conrad

ensure he was the best he could be,” says Mimbela. “Everyone on the team could see how badly Ty wanted to be the best and that pushed all of us to want to be on his level when it came to practicing, mindset, and taking care of his body. Any team that Ty is on, is always going to be a better team.”

Besides the Mr. Cross Country award, Garrett has compiled numerous other running accolades:

• 2022 & 2019 CGHS Most Valuable

Runner

• 2022 & 2019 First Team All-State

• 2020 Fastest Freshman in the 3200 in Indiana history with a time of 9:08.87

• 2022 Named All-American by Running Lane National XC Champions

However, nothing was more rewarding than the bond and joy he had with his coaches and teammates in his final year of high school.

“His Trojan teammates were there for him in the good times”, says Harrell. “They

were there for him in the bad times. He was there for them in the good times. He was there for them in the bad times. Being a good teammate is a two-way street. It’s not about the destination and the hardware you accumulate, it’s about the journey you take with your friends and teammates. Those are the things that will be remembered and treasured the most.”

“The special thing about Ty is that even with all the amazing accolades that he has achieved over the years, he never puts down others, he never trash talks, and he doesn’t cause drama,” says Mimbela. “He knows how good he is, but he never rubs it in our faces. That’s what I love about Ty the most.”

“The biggest thing I will remember from this season is how much fun I had being on a team with everyone I grew up with and have been friends with since freshman year,” says Garrett. “We had huge goals for this season as well as ups and downs in terms of performance; however, what stood out to me was that no matter what the outcome was, my teammates and I always found a way to have fun. Rather this is at practice or races and sometimes

even on the start line, we always made sure to remember to have some fun. I enjoyed spending my final year of high school back where I originally grew up. One of the biggest things that sticks out to me about CG is its competitiveness both athletically and academically. I would like to thank God, my family, my friends, and my coaches for helping and supporting me through my high school cross-country career.”

Garrett has an athletic scholarship to run cross country for Wake Forest. Once again, he has set high goals for himself.

“I plan to study mathematical economics,” says Garrett. “One of my academic goals is to graduate Summa Cum Laude. Athletically, I want to help my team win an NCAA national cross-country championship as well as win an individual NCAA title.”

“Ty is a great representative of Center Grove High School,” says CGHS Principal Jeff Henderson. “His determination and work ethic are second to none. Throughout his high school career, he has continued to grow in pursuit of his goals. We are incredibly proud of Ty and wish him the absolute best as he continues his academic and cross-country career at Wake Forest.”

Garrett has aspirations to continue his passion for running after college.

“I would like to run professionally, hopefully competing in the World Championships and the Olympics.”

Harrell has a team motto: “Aim High. Team.” Garrett indeed took this to heart.