Center Grove Magazine December 2017 by Towne Post Network, Inc.

DECEMBER 2017

MAGAZINE

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS IS FOCUSED ON HELPING TROJANS WIN IT ALL THIS SEASON

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CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE

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BALL UP: TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS IS FOCUSED ON HELPING TROJANS WIN IT ALL THIS SEASON

Entering his junior year, Center Grove High School’s Trayce Jackson-Davis holds scholarship offers from five Big Ten universities — including Indiana and Purdue — along with other schools from the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conferences. It is pretty good progress for a kid who was on the B team as an eighth grader.

Josh@TownePost.com

DECEMBER WRITERS Cathy Wendorff / Christy Heitger-Ewing Michelle Kaufman / Kara Kavensky Matt Roberts / Lynda Hedberg Thies Carrie Petty / Josh Brown

DECEMBER PHOTOGRAPHERS Brian Brosmer / Jamie Sangar

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Bridal Bliss: The Wedding Studio Opens Up Shop In Greenwood Ball Up: Trayce Jackson-Davis Is Focused on Helping Trojans Win It All This Season

10 Sculpting a Legend: Local Artist

Talks About Creating The Peyton Manning Statue

14 Santa Loves a Gardener

17 IU Basketball Begins New Era Under Archie Miller

20 December’s Luckiest Hoosier Alive:

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25 West Grove Alum Find the Spirit of

‘76: Time Capsule Located More Than 40 Years Later

29 The Bourbon Craze: Indy Bourbon

Experts Explain The Whiskey’s Recent Comeback

atCenterGrove.com / DECEMBER 2017 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 3

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Owner Adrienne Bliss opened the doors to The Wedding Studio in Greenwood this summer. 4 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2017 / atCenterGrove.com

Writer / Michelle Kaufman Photographer / Brian Brosmer

The Wedding Studio Greenwood has allowed owner Adrienne Bliss to fulfill a dream of owning a shop in her hometown and be a boss. She purchased The Wedding Studio in Carmel from the previous owners, and opened in Greenwood in July. Before getting into the bridal industry, Bliss worked in medical sales. She realized she wanted to have her own shop and the ability to pick out what would go in it. She began working at the Carmel location, and the owners eventually offered to sell it to her. “Once I started getting some experience in the bridal industry, I just really fell in love with working with brides,” Bliss says. At The Wedding Studio, brides who make appointments get an hour and a half appointment and a sales associate dedicated just to them. She tries to make the store feel like a living room, and private suites are available for brides to relax with family and friends. Bliss says one of her favorite parts of her job is getting to see different family dynamics. “You really get intimate with these families because you’re involved in a really sweet memory that they’re making with usually their mom and sisters and grandmothers, so you get to know the family dynamic of all these different types of people,” Bliss says. “I think the diversity of that and just getting to see how people interact with each other in a sweet moment is really priceless.”

the bride and how she picks dresses and her family and making her feel beautiful,” Bliss says. “It’s different with each bride.” The Wedding Studio sells wedding gowns, accessories and bridesmaids gowns. Bliss goes to market two to three times per year in New York and Chicago to pick out what she wants to carry in her stores. She can see what styles are available and what will be on trend. “It’s just fun to see what all these designers come up with and create, and then being able to pick out of a huge selection what you want to carry in your store for your brides, and you know what you think your brides in your area are going to fall in love with,” Bliss says. “It’s fun. It’s challenging, but I love it.” Bliss carries plus sizes and starts at a lower price point in Greenwood than she does in Carmel. She works in both of her stores and is currently working on opening a third location.

Bliss says brides are typically nervous when they come in because they’re worried about dresses fitting or looking good. She aims to individualize the experience and encourage her customers.

Family is a huge part of her business, and her niece works at the Greenwood location. Bliss mentors all her employees and trains them to be professional. Having a store in her hometown makes The Wedding Studio even more special for Bliss.

“You’re helping them pick out their outfit for one of the most important days of their life, so you have this great, great opportunity to kind of build these girls up that might not have great self-confidence and get to know

“I love Greenwood,” she says. “Greewnood will always be so close to my heart, so getting to bring a beautiful store to the town really is a dream come true.”

atCenterGrove.com / DECEMBER 2017 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 5

ESPN has ranked CGHS forward Trayce JacksonDavis as a Top-40 recruit in his class. 6 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2017 / atCenterGrove.com

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS IS FOCUSED ON HELPING TROJANS WIN IT ALL THIS SEASON Writer / Matt Roberts Photographer / Brian Brosmer

“More than anything, just being a leader emotionally,” Hahn says. “Last Entering his junior year, Center Grove year, he’d go through games being High School’s Trayce Jackson-Davis unbelievable — one of the top five holds scholarship offers from five Big players in the state as a sophomore Ten universities — including Indiana — and then he’d disappear for a and Purdue — along with other schools couple games. But his maturity from the Big East and Atlantic Coast has grown tremendously over the Conferences. summer, and he understands the game at a very high level.” It is pretty good progress for a kid who was on the B team as an eighth grader. ESPN currently ranks Jackson-Davis “I was a late bloomer,” Jackson-Davis says. “Freshman year I grew four or five inches and started working with Coach Hahn.” Trojans Head Basketball Coach Zach Hahn has seen kids hit growth spurts before, but the increase in height frequently comes at the expense of coordination and basketball skill. “Even as he’s grown, he’s gotten even more athletic,” Hahn says. “He hasn’t lost any skill. A lot of guys growing that fast lose something. I watched Gordon Hayward (of the Boston Celtics) play basketball as a high school sophomore, and he was a pretty good 6-foot guard. Then when he came to Butler two years later, he was a 6-foot-7 freshman that was more athletic, and that made him a very dynamic player. “Something similar has happened with Trayce, and it’s due to his work ethic,” Hahn adds. “He’s put in the effort and the energy, and now he’s reaping the rewards.”

as a Top-40 recruit in his class. To date, he’s visited Indiana (“a few times”), Michigan State (twice), Iowa, Xavier, Butler and Ohio State. But despite all the attention from colleges, the 6-foot-8 forward has pushed the process out of his mind for now. “I’m not really focusing on that since our season started,” he says. “Next year, I’ll get more engaged. By the time I graduate, I could be a completely different player.”

It wasn’t long ago that Center Grove basketball was never mentioned in discussions of Indiana high school powerhouses. Despite its status as one of the largest schools in the state, the Trojans won only one sectional title between 1995 and Hahn’s arrival in 2014. Last season, Center Grove won 17 games and the sectional, falling to eventual state champion New Albany in the Regional semifinal by five points.

The recent success of the program has energized fans and players alike. Hahn’s expectations for improvement in Coach Hahn likes the new swagger his best player are limited but critical. atCenterGrove.com / DECEMBER 2017 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 7

he sees in his team as they begin the season competing in the ultra-tough Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC). “Every team (in the MIC) has at least one, maybe two Division I college players,” Hahn says. “Lawrence has four or five. Carmel has two or three, Ben Davis two or maybe three. Pike will have a couple. Out of eight teams, there are 16 to 20 DI players, and most of the other starters could play NAIA or D2.” Despite the brutal slate, Jackson-Davis thinks his team can compete with anybody in the state right now. “I think we can win every game on our schedule,” he says. “We can make it all the way to the state championship, but we have to grind it out. There are no cupcakes, so we must come ready to play every day. “I like how we’ve become one of the top schools and now both our football and basketball programs are top tier,” Jackson-Davis adds. “We’ve woken people up and they’re not saying, ‘Oh, Center Grove is just a football school’. Now it’s like, ‘those guys can play’.”

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Cathedral alum, Ryan Feeney, landed the Super Bowl of sculpting jobs when he was picked as the lead sculptor of the Peyton Manning statue.

SCULPTING A LEGEND LOCAL ARTIST TALKS ABOUT CREATING THE PEYTON MANNING STATUE Writer / Lynda Hedberg Thies Photographer / Jamie Sangar

His attention to detail and work ethic are legendary. He is humble and kind and has a great sense of humor. He is willing to share the credit for his success, and he has left a legacy in the city. Sounds like Peyton Manning? Meet Ryan Feeney. Ryan Feeney may have never played a day in a Colts jersey, but he won the Super Bowl of sculpting jobs when he was chosen from a very competitive field of artists from both the East and West Coast to create the larger than life statue of the iconic Peyton Manning. Feeney fell in love with art when he was just 5 years old and only 7 when he created his first oil painting. While other kids were out playing games in the neighborhood, Feeney was either working on art projects or taking art classes with his mom. His talent was evident, so his parents enrolled him at Shortridge Junior High School for

their Art Magnet program. While he played sports throughout his childhood, nothing really grabbed his attention, but his parents insisted he participate. Feeney’s involvement in athletics changed when the 5-foot-6 freshman came to Cathedral High School. He knew he was too small to play football, so for three years he ran track and cross country. By his senior year, he was well entrenched in his art classes along with his other academics, but his art teacher, Barb Velonis, took him under her wing and mentored Feeney. She also introduced him to 3D drawing, which sealed the deal on his desire to pursue a college degree in design. But he was also craving the opportunity to play a contact sport, and that is when he discovered rugby. Feeney found a rugby club at Lawrence North but soon realized that the travel time was cutting into his practice time. So, the coaches suggested he start a club at Cathedral. He could have just dropped the idea because he was about to graduate, but that was not Feeney. INDY METRO / DECEMBER 2017 / TownePost.com

So, in 1992, Feeney’s senior year, he started a Rugby Club at Cathedral. He found a couple of coaches, and he advertised the program and invited anyone to play so long as they did not have a school program, they could sign up for the Cathedral program. The first season the program finished in the middle of the pack. Today, the club is one of the premier programs in the country. Royal Irish Rugby, a 25-year-old program, has won four National Championships in the past six years and played the championship game both years they didn’t win. “There is no way to truly measure what rugby has done for this community because it constantly grows. What started as a small club here on the northeast side of Indy has now become a dominant program that has held the number one ranking for most of the last seven years,” says Dave Snyder, Royal Irish Rugby Coach. Feeney’s legacy with the rugby program has led the club to create a “Ryan Feeney Founders Award,” given to players that need support to keep playing the game.

Feeney went to Miami University of Ohio to study Art and Design but was also able to continue playing rugby while a student there. The focus of his time at Miami was working on his skills. He even received his first commission when he was a senior there, and his professors supported him through the process. He graduated from Miami with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and a double major in graphic design and sculpture. He started his career working in the art and graphic design department for a corporation and soon realized that he did not have as much time to work on doing what he loved, which involved designing statues. In 1999, Feeney joined the Indianapolis Fire Department because the 24 hours on, 48 hours off gave him the flexibility to spend more time sculpting. By the time he launched his design business, Indy Art Forge, he already had four bronze statues out around the city. “Most guys at the station had a second job mowing lawns and landscaping, mine just happened to be in a studio,” Feeney says. By the time the Colts announced that they were going to build a Peyton Manning statue, Feeney already had 15 public statues on his resume. But this job was the biggest he had ever tackled, and his competition had bigger portfolio’s and even a staff of people to work on the project. Feeney was working as a firefighter and is a married father of two children, but he went for it anyway. The interview process proved intimidating and the competition’s portfolio’s daunting. Colts Chief Operating Officer Pete Ward told him he had the weakest portfolio of everyone, and the other sculptors had even submitted a scaled down sculpture of Peyton. “I don’t have the portfolio as these big-city sculptors that have five other artists working for me to do the work,” he recalls. ‘How could I compete,’ he thought to himself?” But then he noticed that all the sculptors had left off the helmet. Knowing Peyton

was the ultimate detail person, he promised a statue to them in three days and returned with the replica wearing a helmet and even included the wire strap, which the others had left off. So, he thought he got their attention. “We will not go to step one or step two without your approval or go from two to three without your approval,” Feeney told Pete Ward. “I said, ‘If you hire me, living local, you can have input and involvement at every stage. I won’t get it right the first time, if I do, I’m lucky, but I always like to have other people look at it and tweak it.’” Feeney’s reputation, attention to detail and physical location gave the Colts unprecedented access to work closely on the project without the expense of travelling to another state. They also loved that his vendors worked in the city, which meant it would benefit the community. They chose Feeney and arranged for him to fly to Nashville, Tennessee to photograph Manning in a conference room at the hanger to begin the process. His first meeting was a bit intimidating, but he got right to work as the Colts photographer snapped more than 400 photos. Throughout the process of building the 9-foot-1 Manning figure, he worked with the Colts Equipment Manager, Ward and others to ensure that at every stage everyone was happy with the process and his progress. Like other projects he had worked on, he had a team of people involved, and when he was finished, he was confident Manning would like it but had to wait until the public unveiling of the project before he knew for sure. On Oct. 9, around 25,000 people gathered in Indianapolis to participate in the unveiling. The unveiling ceremony included A-list dignitaries, including David Letterman, former Governor Mitch Daniels, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Colts owner Jim Irsay, former coach Tony Dungy and General Manager Bill Polian along with former players such as Jeff Saturday. Feeney was beyond thrilled. He felt confident

that Peyton would like the statue because he had so many people that participated in the project along the way. Peyton came to the podium, looked over at Feeney and said, “Good job” before delivering his speech. Immediately after the ceremony, Manning, who had been all business at the meeting in Nashville, greeted him warmly and thanked him for his effort. He then asked if he could introduce him to his mom, Olivia Manning. She greeted Feeney warmly and said, “The profile is perfect from where I stand, if he didn’t have the number or name on the jersey, even if it was a silhouette in the middle of the night, just in that stance alone, I would know it was Peyton.” Feeney knew that no one knows Peyton better than his mom, so to have her approval meant a lot.

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The day concluded with a private reception. “It was so cool, I felt like an A- lister,” Feeney says. Before any of the accolades could go to his head, he knew his fire station pals would make sure to bring his feet back to earth. Still, Feeney has taken time to reflect on his success. “Enjoy what you do because then it won’t feel like work,” he says. “Money is money until you work at a job you hate. I have two jobs, I’m not rich, but I love what I do.”

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SANTA LOVES A GARDENER Writer / Carrie Petty

Gift giving can be hard. Don’t you think? But for the gardener or nature lover on your list, it is pretty simple. Make no mistake! Gardeners are always thinking about growing. Give a gardener a new shovel, and she’s happy. I promise. Christmas gifts for a gardener are always about quality and durability. Spend your money on the best tools, not a plastic handled, thin metal cheep-o. Your gardener will appreciate the quality of Felco Pruners or English made, wooden handled Haws Stainless Steel Garden Fork or Trowel. Gift sets are easy to find in the Gardening Centers around Indianapolis. Some items are already wrapped too. I love Allisonville Nursery, Altum Gardens and Habig, just to name a few. These are great gifts and show your gardener that you get it. After all, gift giving is about understanding your recipient fully and showing your love through the well, thought-out gift that you have selected just for them. When the clock strikes midnight on New Years 2018, a gardener will be dreaming of digging. Planning tools and guides are some of the very best gifts for the gardening mindset. We are always looking for better ways to organize our seeds, sketch out our thoughts or study what grows best in the shade or full sun. Sketchbooks and quality drawing tools are a must. As well as reference books and growing guides A subscription to the Indiana Gardening Magazine is a gift that is, “Hyper Local” in the words of editor Michelle Walsh. It is a bi-monthly magazine, full of incredible local gardening content.

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You can use a great terra cotta pot and fill it to the brim with seeds, tools, a journal and some good gardening gloves. And don’t forget the sunscreen and hat in your gift basket. Keeping your loved one protected. Gardening gloves with a packet of seeds tied up in ribbon make excellent hostess gifts for a gardening friend, (hint, hint!) Or they can make a great stocking stuffer too. Books and antiques for the garden are another great way to show your friends you understand their love for the green stuff. Make sure you sign the inside of any book. I have several that bring a smile to my face just remembering a friend’s gift. All a part of helping you, “Grow a Beautiful Life.” Merry Christmas to all of my green thumb people out there, keep planting.

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INDY METRO / DECEMBER 2017 / TownePost.com

Writer / Matt Roberts . Photography provided by IU Athletic Department

n Tom Crean’s final season as head basketball coach at Indiana University, almost 40 percent of the shots were taken by three players now on NBA rosters. On IU Basketball Media Day, reporters asked new head coach Archie Miller an obvious question: Where will the Hoosiers’ scoring come from in the 2017-2018 season? “I think De'Ron Davis is a very gifted offensive player,” Miller says. “He has terrific footwork, amazing hands and great touch. I think he can score the ball for us. Robert Johnson is a proven scorer and will continue to do that, too. “Juwan (Morgan) has to become more of an offensive-minded player from a production standpoint,” Miller adds. “He's got great skills. I look at Devonte (Green) as a guy that can get his own shot, a guy that create for himself off of ball screens, and get to the basket and get to the free throw line. As I look at the shooting on our team, guys like Curtis (Jones), guys like Collin (Hartman), those guys have made shots.”

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Join us for Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum. Hop aboard the Santa Claus Express and share the magic of holidays gone by as you revisit cherished memories and create new ones with the people you love. Hunt for hidden elves in our new holiday mural, savor treats of the season and visit Santa’s House to share your holiday wishes and get a special photo!

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Offense has not been a problem at Indiana in recent years, but there were times when Indiana fans cringed on every defensive possession. Last season, the Hoosiers led the Big Ten in points scored but managed a conference record of only 7-11. Miller recognizes the need to improve defensively but avoided setting any expectations for a quick fix. “We're building,” he says. “We're not as sophisticated as we're going to be, but I think from a base perspective, our team is learning what we're about, especially in the half-court. “I think we'll be a team that hopefully can continue to really improve. Sometimes it's going to take games. These guys are going to have to experience it in a game, see it on film in a game, and that's kind of what's happened throughout my coaching career. You develop defensively as a team just as well as you do offensively.

This is probably as challenging of a schedule as anyone has ever faced. It's going to put a real tax on the bodies. But our early schedule is going to provide a lot of information on what we're going to need to do to be successful through the course of the regular season in Big Ten play. You're playing against major teams who have really good players and great coaches.

I don't expect on day one we're going to be the steel curtain, so to speak, but I think we're going to be a team that prides ourselves on that. Our guys know that and individual defenders will improve just like they do on offense. “But we're sticking to the script,” Miller adds. “I think from our practice perspective right now, we're going to try to be great on both, but we're spending an abnormal amount of time on it.” With early season games scheduled against perennial powers like Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame and Michigan over a two-week stretch, Miller figures to learn quickly about how Indiana has to improve to compete in the Big Ten. “This is probably as challenging of a schedule as anyone has ever faced,” Miller says. “It's going to put a real tax on the bodies. But our early schedule is going to provide a lot of information on what we're going to need to do to be successful through the course of the regular season in Big Ten play. You're playing against major teams who have really good players and great coaches. “We're going to figure out how we respond to those things,” Miller adds. “I think it's going to teach us what we're going to need to be this year.”

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The Hoosiers play Notre Dame on December 16 as part of the Crossroads Classic at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse. TownePost.com / DECEMBER 2017 / INDY METRO

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MR. INVINCIBLE Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing

The track-and-field students he coaches at Center Grove High School call him “The Tank,” and for good reason. Over the past several years, David Mroz has plowed through countless medical hurdles, one after another. Despite them all, he maintains an optimistic outlook and gratitude for life. His indominable spirit was groomed in high school. Besides participating in track, football and basketball, Mroz also meticulously studied his dad’s “Muscle & Fitness” magazines. “I thought it would be great to have massive muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno,” says Mroz, who later competed in Strong Man competitions.

A week after the shoulder surgery, he developed an abscess, which had to be surgically removed. Then came more TIAs, this time leaving him blind in the left eye and numb in the right arm. He couldn’t catch the proverbial break. A month later, Mroz got a call from his doctor letting him know that he needed to see a vascular surgeon immediately.

focused on his wife Pam, children Lauren, Luke and Andrew, and grandson Aden. He also felt great pride as a coach. In 2015 and 2016, one of his students won state in disc, winning the school record, too.

“I had a track meet to coach the following day, so I figured I’d see the surgeon the day after, but my doctor said, ‘Nope. Now,’” recalls Mroz, 45 at the time but with a 99 percent blockage in both carotid arteries.

“I knew it was a heart attack,” Mroz says.

“You’re a walking time bomb,” the doctor told him. After having both carotid arteries cleaned out in May, he described himself as Frankenstein.

In 2016, just before heading to his son’s football game, Mroz turned ghost grey and began sweating profusely.

He was right — 100 percent blockage required another stint. Like a page out of a horror movie, a week later while watching TV, his face started drooping and his right arm went numb. A brain scan revealed that he had suffered a series of seven strokes due to a blood clot.

Though Mroz missed his son’s destination wedding in Jamaica, he was relieved to He joined the Indiana University track team survive yet another health scare without as a walk-on. While at IU, he studied health, “My neck was cut all the way down with metal suffering any debilitating consequences. nutrition and business finance. Post-college, staples binding it,” Mroz says. “Not pretty.” This year, he’s had a third stint put in as well Mroz owned a Gold’s Gym, where he as a knee replacement. trained clients. He’s also worked as a roofer, The following month he learned he had and in 2010 began coaching track at Center an enlarged gall bladder. Determined to Mroz is not sure why he’s been plagued Grove Middle School and three years later whip himself back into shape following that with so many health issues, but doctors at the high school. credit his lifelong exercise habits for having surgery, Mroz made a bet with his son that by the end of basketball season, he’d be able bounced back from so many crises. His In 2013, he had a shoulder replacement — a to dunk again. He was making great strides attitude, no doubt, is a huge factor, too. chronic injury that had bothered him ever when suddenly his left bicep detached. since falling off a roof in 2000. On his way “I enjoy what I’m doing. I love coaching and to the surgery center, Mroz’s right arm went “I looked like Popeye with a unicep rather watching the kids have that ‘a-ha’ moment,” completely numb. says Mroz, whose perspective is predicated than a bicep,” says Mroz with a chuckle. on genuine gratitude. “While we’re on this “I didn’t think much of it because it went earth, we should do our best to impact He continued to keep his positive spirit away after a few moments,” says Mroz, who despite another infection followed by more the people around us. If we can change later learned that he’d suffered a TIA or somebody’s world in a positive way while chest pains and the discovery of another mini stroke. we’re here, that’s what life’s all about.” 90 percent blockage. Through it all, Mroz

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WEST GROVE ALUM FIND THE SPIRIT OF ‘76 TIME CAPSULE LOCATED MORE THAN 40 YEARS LATER Writer / Josh Brown Photography / Josh Brown & Mitchell Jacki

It only took about four decades. In 1976, the West Grove Elementary School students and teachers buried a time capsule in front of the school to be opened in the year 2000. Led by longtime Principal George Broyer, students created several papers, letters, drawings and even audio recordings of every student on the only audio cassette recorder in the school. When 2000 came around, Broyer, West Grove Elementary principal for 32 years, tried to locate the time capsule but with no luck. Trees that were once there as a reference point had long been dug up and removed, making it virtually impossible to pinpoint the area that the time capsule was buried in. “I made up a map of where the time capsule was referencing three birch trees, and I put three bricks on top of the spot where it was buried,” Broyer says. “But those trees died, and when we had them removed, the landscaping company tore out the bricks and stumps and resodded everything.” Still, the memory of burying the time capsule never left Broyer and other West Grove alumni, including Center Grove Magazine Publisher Tom Britt. Britt had a dream that spurred memories of burying the time capsule as a child and wondered if it was ever searched for again. Britt’s interest led to a phone call with his old principal that quickly turned into a search party event for the lost time capsule. On Nov. 6, 50 former West Grove students, teachers and other faculty gathered at Southland Community Church, which atCenterGrove.com / DECEMBER 2017 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 25

Former West Grove Principal George Broyer (left) and Center Grove School Trustee Jack Russell pose for a photo after finding the time capsule.

26 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2017 / atCenterGrove.com

bought the former school in 2012, to search once again for their time capsule. The volunteer effort was led by Britt and aided by Mr. Broyer, Center Grove School Trustee Jack Russell, as well as help from the Center Grove Alumni & Friends. Hopes were high as the search was on. A professional technician with Blood Hound Underground Utility Locators was hired for the day to help search for the time capsule with Ground Penetrating Radar — a device used to scan and map out the ground and pinpoint areas that might have an object underneath. Five hours and one failed digging attempt later, the buried treasure was found — close to where Broyer remembered it.

From L to R: Center Grove Magazine Publisher Tom Britt, former West Grove Principal George Broyer and Center Grove School Trustee Jack Russell led the charge in locating the West Grove time capsule.

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“I’m so happy that we were able to find it,” Broyer says. “Many of us thought we would never see that time capsule again. I’d been wondering for 17 years if we were ever going to find it.” Russell, with the help of another West Grove alum, dug a hole nearly four feet deep before his shovel thudded against the old green trash bucket. The crowd that withstood a chilly day yelled with applause as the time capsule was finally unearthed. “We are pretty excited to finally find this thing and get some closure,” Britt says. “The crowd brought a great atmosphere, and it was fun to catch up with some old classmates. Funny how we all remembered that trash can as being twice as big and half as deep in the ground.” With the crowd anxious to see the contents, the time capsule was moved inside a room in the church. After more than 40 years, much of the contents, especially the papers, were wet, muddy and stuck together in one, big heap. Still, both audio cassette tapes, though wet and muddy, were in decent shape.

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Britt has enlisted the help of the Indiana Historical Society to, hopefully, salvage the time capsule’s contents without causing any more damage than what was already sustained while underground all those years. “We’re going to get the time capsule to an archivist and see if they can help us out,”

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Britt says. “We are hoping to see what kind of shape we can get the contents in. There may be some things that are salvageable. If we can get those audio tapes working, I will get those digitized and up online, but we aren’t sure yet if those are going to work either.” West Grove alumni who are interested in getting back any of their salvageable contents from the time capsule, can visit atCenterGrove.com and fill out the West Grove Wrangler Alumni Form. Donations for the entire volunteer effort, including the locating, archiving and postage for any time capsule contents that are mailed, can also be made online by clicking the “donate” button above the alumni information form. Any surplus moneys will be donated to the Center Grove Education Foundation. A reunion event is in the works to be held at Southland Community Church for anyone that was a student or faculty at West Grove Elementary on May 20, 1976. Britt and his video production crew captured many of the events on Facebook LIVE, which are archived on the Center Grove Magazine Facebook page. For more updates on the West Grove Time Capsule, “Like” the Center Grove Magazine Facebook page or follow us on Twitter at @ atCenterGrove.

28 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2017 / atCenterGrove.com

INDY BOURBON EXPERTS EXPLAIN WHISKEY’S RECENT COMEBACK Writer / Cathy Wendorff / Photography Provided

spirit because of the highly regulated aging process and specifications. Kentucky still produces 95 percent of the world’s supply of Bourbon and generated $8.5 billion in revenue and 17,500 jobs across the state last year, filling 1,886,821 barrels in contrast to the 455,078 back in 1999.

Bourbon can be enjoyed in a variety of ways from neat, at room temperature or on the rocks to being mixed with coke or ginger ale. Many new restaurants and bars have recently opened up with a wide array of Bourbon choices. Mark Henrichs, owner of Revery and BaReV in downtown Greenwood, hand selects his own barrels of Bourbon to As Bourbon sales have fluctuated, so has the have bottled in his label for their signature The movement began in the coastal states supply and demand. cocktails. Cox also enjoys the process of and is sweeping across the Midwest as more selecting barrels to have bottled for his retail distilleries are popping up outside of its “Thirty years ago you couldn’t give Bourbon businesses, Elite Beverages. These types of birthplace in Kentucky. selections are very popular with customers, away, there was a Bourbon Glut,” Cox says. which gives Cox a chance to educate the He credits pioneer distillers like Booker Cox explained that in the late 1700s after the public with specific flavor profiles. Noe and Bill Samuel’s for adapting their Whiskey Rebellion, the distillers settled in marketing techniques and promoting an Kentucky for three reasons — the limestone older, smoother and more mixable product Whether or not Bourbon’s popularity has water, plentiful source of grains and to get peaked, Cox predicts that it will continue to to appeal to women. Packaging became as far away from the government’s taxation be a top choice moving forward. more creative as the red wax covering the as possible. Recipes have been handed Maker Mark’s bottle was invented to stand down through generations of distillers and “There is still a very strong demand in Japan, perfected over the years to maximize flavor. out on store shelves. China and emerging markets,” Cox says. “Bourbon’s popularity will continue to be “There are many, many flavors to Bourbon,” Growing up in Madison, Indiana across pretty good for the next few years.” Cox says. “It’s almost like fine wine, and The Bourbon industry is banking that the the river from Kentucky, Eric Prime is you can kind of compare Bourbon’s rise trend will continue as women and millennials familiar with the rich history of Bourbon, in popularity to fine wine. But in Bourbon are discovering the American-made Whiskey. too. He explained how Bourbon, which was there are all kinds of flavors from mint to As with any consumption of alcohol, the once known as the Southern man’s drink, pepper, banana, floral notes, vanilla and struggled from the 1970s through early 90s. Kentucky Distiller’s Association stresses the carmel.” importance of drinking responsibly while Discussing the craft cocktail movement that sampling the history and flavor poured from started around 2005, where mixologists He spoke about how there are many flavor each bottle. were creating a new version of throwback profiles from the same distillers, due to the cocktails like Manhattans and Old-Fashions nuances of each barrel. using Bourbon, “a lot of people attribute the resurgence of the cocktail culture to the Because no one knows for sure, there are resurgence of Bourbon,” Prime says. plenty of theories on how Bourbon came about. Basically, it is whiskey that can Both Cox and Prime stated that a secondary only be crafted in America with at least 51 percent corn in the mashbill of rye or wheat sales market of scarce and highly sought after bottles also influenced the surge in and malted barley. Aged in new oak barrels popularity. With the help of social media that are charred on the inside to maximize and the internet, old bottles of Pappy Van flavor over years, Bourbon becomes more Winkle are being sold to collectors in the enhanced the longer it stays in the barrel. range of $1,000 to $3,500, depending on the With roots connecting back to 1880, the age. Also fueling the new trend in 1999 was Kentucky Distillers Association fought to the creation of the Kentucky Bourbon trail, which opened up distilleries for touring and protect the industry. In 1964, Congress tasting sessions. declared Bourbon as America’s only native Deep with history and flavor, Bourbon’s recent comeback is ingrained into today’s culture. According to Bourbon enthusiast, Ray Cox, owner of Elite Beverages, “The Bourbon craze has been going on probably close to 10 years.”

atCenterGrove.com / DECEMBER 2017 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 29

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