Center Grove Community Magazine June 2016

JUNE 2016

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

BROOKE VAN PARIS

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PUBLISHER’S WELCOME We’ve all been there. We are on a mountaintop, enjoying the view. The next moment, we are down in the valley of despair. It’s called living. But when you talk about this month’s cover subject, Brooke Van Paris, the valleys are deeper, and the mountains are higher. After a tragic accident, Brooke fought on to recover, and she reached her most recent mountaintop as a contestant on a network television series competing with other extreme athletes.

Through it all, she has developed a personal conviction to never give up. You can read the full story beginning on Page 28.

Have you ever wanted to contribute to a worthy cause but felt you could never give enough to make an impact? Are you looking

to find like-minded people who want to improve the community and enjoy some interaction as well? You may be looking for 100 Women Who Care. Their goal? They plan to give $10,000 in one hour to a local nonprofit organization four times a year!

This month, Frieda Dowler introduces you to this new club.

Isn’t it amazing when you find something that is hiding in plain sight? You have to ask, “Why didn’t I see that before?” There is a very good chance that you drive near Claybridge Farm & Riding Academy almost every day and have not noticed it. Located just north of the intersection of Fairview and Peterman Roads, Claybridge offers horse training and riding lessons. You can

learn about this hidden treasure starting on Page 22.

Finally, we are featuring four of our primary photographers. I can count on Forrest, Chris, Jim and Ron to come through with top-notch work month in and month out.

I am so pleased that they are willing to share their talents with both Center Grove Community Magazine and Greenwood Community Magazine.

We are already working on stories for the next issue, so I will leave you to enjoy this issue and get back to assembling something special for July.

- Dann Veldkamp

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June 2016 / Vol. 5 / No. 6

COVER STORY

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

Photo / Billy Howard Cover Photo / David Long

28 TRUE GRIT Trials and victories taught Brooke Van Paris to never give up. She says, “When you put every last drop of effort out on the table and give everything you have, you can live with no regrets, knowing you could have done nothing more.”

CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PUBLISHER / Dann Veldkamp Dann@atCenterGrove.com / 317-345-9510 VP OF SALES / Jody Veldkamp Jody@atCenterGrove.com / 317-507-4334

8 100 Women Who Care 12 Are You Ready to Sparty?

14 Center Grove Publications

Coming True

Program

43 From Center Grove to Center

Academy

50 Get to Know the Photographers

23 Claybridge Farm & Riding

COLUMNS 6 52

34 Daddy Daughter Hair Braiding 41 Angelcare, Inc.: A Dream

Gardening Nana Event Calendar

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ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Miranda Stockdall / 317-833-2248 JUNE WRITERS Alaina Sullivan / Brian Herbert / Demi Lawrence Frieda Dowler Jennifer Uhl / Johnette Cruz Jessica Kelly / Kate Rhoten / Kevin Conrad Kris Parker / Nancy Craig JUNE PHOTOGRAPHERS Billy Howard / Chris Williams / David Long Forrest Mellott / Jim Eichelman / Jessica Kelly Ron Stiemert

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INDY METRO 19 Circling Indiana This Summer 37 Summer Getaways in Fort Wayne 39 Talbot Street Art Fair

ADVERTISING DESIGNER / Austin Vance EDITOR / Katelyn Bausman

The Center Grove Community Magazine is published by Chilly Panda Media, Greenwood, under license from TownePost Network, Inc. and is written for and by local Center Grove residents. Submit story ideas to PR@atCenterGrove.com or P.O. Box 1272, Greenwood, IN 46142.

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SHOP LOCAL! Help our local economy by shopping local. Advertising supporters of the Center Grove Community Magazine offset the costs of publication and mailing, keeping this publication FREE. Show your appreciation by thanking them with your business. / BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS ARE SPONSORED CONTENT

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GARDENING NANA

CELEBRATE INDIANA’S 200TH IN FLOWERS Writer / Nancy Craig

This year is the Bicentennial Celebration for Indiana, and we joined the Indiana Garden Club’s Bicentennial Project and planted blue and gold flowers in honor of the Indiana state flag. We made special containers, planted around New Hope Church’s flagpole and added flowers in these colors to our gardens.

Eli just finished the fourth grade where his class studied Indiana history. Read about the state flag and other fun facts at the Indiana Historical Society website: bit.ly/state-flag-facts.

At my church, New Hope Church, the Children of Hope preschool planted gold and blue flowers around the flagpole. We planted yellow marigolds, blue salvia and blue ageratums, plus blue and gold gladiolus. In the church’s Butterfly Garden, we added lots of nasturtiums in gold and more blues with Stokes’ Asters “Klaus Jelitto.” Then in the fall, we will add gold chrysanthemums and blue asters/Aster novae-angliae.

When children plant flowers around a flagpole, you get a flagpole in the picture. No children were lost behind the flagpole!

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My great nephew Eli and I used the “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” technique for our containers. We added to his container that already had the blue elephant ear plant (thriller), gold strawflowers (filler) and blue Calibrachoa/Million Bell petunias (spiller). For my container, I chose gold lantana (thriller), blue fan flowers/Scaevola (filler) and gold nasturtiums (spiller).

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Nancy loves flower gardening almost as much as she does her great nephews and nieces. Her interest in gardening intensified while living in Holland and was perfected with Master Gardener courses.

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Founders, Gail Richards, Carol Phipps, Cheryl Morphew (not present Dorcus Abplanalp)

Betsy DuSold and Jamie Shuel

Lynn Gray 8 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

100 WOMEN WHO CARE Writer / Frieda Dowler . Photographer / Ron Stiemert

Women are nurturers by nature. We start with baby dolls, kittens and puppies, and then our heart grows to include children, school organizations and grandchildren. Just when we think we’ve run out of someone to nurture, we become volunteers and donors in order to help improve our communities.

And in our wildest dreams, we become philanthropists.

A PHILANTHROPIC IDEA

Four women brought a philanthropic idea to Johnson County that will greatly improve this community by leveraging four hours a year and a $500 commitment per person. Combining what the power of 100 women can do, they plan to give $10,000 in one hour to a local nonprofit organization four times a year.

In December 2015, Carol Phipps, Dorcus Abplanalp, Cheryl Morphew and Gail Richards formed a chapter of a national organization named 100 Women Who Care. These ladies believed they could interest 100 women to join together to make a $40,000 annual impact on Johnson County nonprofit organizations.

If each woman would commit to a onehour meeting, $100 per quarter and an additional $100 to be held for a future endowment, it would leverage individual contributions to make a significant impact.

must come prepared to advocate for that organization. Three organizations are chosen in a random drawing process. Each supporter is given five minutes to speak about the needs of that organization and five minutes to answer questions.

Each attendee then choses one of those organizations through a ballot process to be the recipient of the donations that evening. Once the recipient is announced, each woman simultaneously write a check for $100 to that organization.

With 48 women in attendance that first meeting, the total gift was $4,800 to the Interchurch Food Pantry, the first recipient of these women’s generosity.

MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT

In a ceremony two weeks later, the Johnson County Community Foundation, who manages the funds for 100 Women Who Care, presented the Interchurch Food Pantry with a check. One can only imagine the joy from the volunteers upon receiving this gift when shortly before this, the furnaces quit working, and they were operating in the cold of February with only space heaters. This “no strings attached gift” allowed them to have the necessary repairs made to their facility.

At the second meeting May 12, the energy in the room at the Elks Lodge in Franklin was charged. With new members added, 71 women heard strong advocacy as three organizations were nominated.

Garnet Vaughn and Rowana Umbarger

Forty-eight women attended the first meeting in February 2016 at Hillview Country Club in Franklin. They were eager to learn about the needs in the community but also to address those needs with a financial gift at the end of the evening.

THE AGENDA

After a brief social time, each member has the opportunity to silently nominate a nonprofit organization within Johnson County. The organization nominated must have a 501(c)(3) status. The supporter atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 9

After the voting, each wrote a $100 check to Esperanza in Jesus, a missionary organization which helps legal immigrants assimilate into our country through a mentoring process. In one hour, they were awarded a gift of $7,100.

said giving circles are new ventures in philanthropy comprised of mostly females, and 50 percent are under the age of 40 with incomes of $50,000-$99,999, proving you don’t have to be a millionaire to be a philanthropist.

Frieda Dowler is co-owner of The Color Café with husband Bruce.

She is a longtime Johnson County resident, freelance writer and author.

Her third book, “Heaven Bound in a Hollywood World,” was published earlier this year. Friedadowlerbooks.com

Although recipients are not eligible to receive another gift for two years, these organizations are given the financial gift without restriction on how the money can be used. Often a grant writing process is lengthy or fundraising efforts are involved, but this philanthropic group plans to have an immediate impact on a nonprofit organization within Johnson County four times each year.

GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION

The Johnson County Community Foundation ( JCCF) is the perfect partner to handle finances for 100 Women Who Care because JCCF also manages funds for other nonprofits in the community and has the experience and resources to do so.

The next two meetings will be held August 11 and November 10 at the Elks Lodge at 56 E. Jefferson in Franklin. They are seeking to increase the membership. When membership reaches 100, they will change the name to 100+ Women Who Care. Guests are welcome. An RSVP is required along with $10 to cover refreshments. An application for membership can be downloaded from the JCCF website.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The first chapter of 100 Women Who Care was formed in Jackson, Michigan, in 2006 and has grown to 125 chapters nationwide and 350 internationally.

It is affiliated with an international organization named 100 Who Care Alliance which includes men’s and kid’s chapters. A national convention is held every other year where chapter leaders can be in community with one another and share ideas about best practices.

During the 2015 convention, the keynote speaker Marilyn Foster Kirk, a nonprofit fundraising professional, 10 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 11

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ARE YOU READY TO SPARTY? Writer / Brian Herbert

ENTREPRENEUR’S PASSION FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS LEADS TO GREENWOOD SPA After more than two decades as a successful Greenwood business owner, Brian Bauer is turning over a new leaf by combining his entrepreneurial spirit with his passion for health and wellness as he recently opened Silver Fern Day Spa. “I have always been very active in fitness, working out daily, and I believe strongly in the therapeutic qualities of massage,” said Bauer. “After a tough workout or a stressful day at work, a quality massage is just what I need, so I wanted to bring an upscale spa experience to the southside where we really need it.”

Bauer has been a fixture on the southside for years as a resident of the Center Grove area and in the business world as he has grown the investigations company he founded in 1996. Operating out of a corporate office on State Road 135 in Greenwood, Bauer has been dedicated to the southside lifestyle for years. One thing he consistently missed about Greenwood and the surrounding area though was a quality, upscale spa.

“Most of the places to get a massage on the southside are chains or foot spa venues, and I struggled to find a place where I could get a great massage in an environment where I could truly feel relaxed and rejuvenated,” Bauer said.

Like many entrepreneurs, Bauer set about to solve the problem he identified, and Silver Fern Day Spa was born. When space opened up next to his investigations company, Bauer seized the opportunity to create the spa atmosphere he knew the area needs.

CLIENT-CENTERED DESIGN

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of State Road 135, Silver Fern Day Spa is meticulously designed to be completely clientcentered. From the moment a guest walks through the door, the entire experience is designed to disconnect the client from the world outside and transport them into a calming, relaxing atmosphere for a perfect massage experience.

12 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

“I want our guests to forget about work, their phones and all the stress of their day when they walk in and just relax,” said Bauer.

“We’ve worked hard to make every step of the experience relaxing and stress-free.”

Silver Fern Day Spa offers a complete range of massage services to accommodate any ailment or need. The client-centered approach that each therapist takes ensures guests receive a massage customized to them and works to ensure they are pampered each step of the way. Therapists take notes on each massage, so returning clients know their therapist remembers their needs and doesn’t just treat them like another appointment.

Bauer, thanks to his outgoing personality, also designed a spa with a unique service beyond simply providing massages in a relaxing environment. Silver Fern Day Spa is a way to show others the benefits of health and wellness through parties. Silver Fern hosts “Sparties” where six to 16 guests can have exclusive use of the spa for a block of time to celebrate any special occasion.

HOST A SPARTY!

“So many people go to dinner to celebrate birthdays, bachelorette parties and other special occasions, and it can get loud and lacks the personalized touch a special occasion really deserves,” said Bauer.

“I created a concept where you can gather with your best friends to

have the entire spa to yourselves. Everyone gets a great massage and shares a special moment of pampering.”

The concept is a hit. Sparty guests have the exclusive use of the spa, everyone receives a one-hour massage and Silver Fern Day Spa connects those booking parties with local companies to arrange food, desserts and anything else needed to make the event special.

Those at a Sparty get to relax in plush robes throughout the party, and the guest of honor gets a special gift from Silver Fern Day Spa. “The whole concept of the Sparty has been really great, and people truly enjoy the experience,” said spa client relationship manager Suzete Mazza. “It is such a unique way to celebrate a wedding, birthday or other special occasion, and everyone has such a great time.”

Business is bustling at Silver Fern since the spa just opened. They have been overwhelmed by the response from everyone who has had a massage so far. Bauer said he looks forward to continuing to serve the Greenwood community through Silver Fern Day Spa for many years to come.

“We have received such great feedback from everyone as we continue to add therapists and services,” said Bauer. “Everyone really needs to come in and experience the spa for themselves to see all we have to offer.”

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CENTER GROVE PUBLICATIONS PROGRAM

break. The yearbook supplement is then made for the spring sports, clubs and events that cannot be covered in the original yearbook.

“The yearbook is supposed to tell the story of what Center Grove did that year,” co-yearbook editor Kara Nussbaum said. “It’ll go over what the show choir does and all of the show choirs have a page; what sports teams do, like football state champions was a really big thing this year. It goes over all of the clubs, like NHS or Riley Club.”

Writer and Photographer / Jessica Kelly

News magazines are produced for a different kind of coverage than the yearbook.

Center Grove High School is a learning and growing environment for 2,447 students with over 70 different clubs, over 15 sports and hundreds of classes. The school also has Alternative Academy, Central Nine and Early College options. It is a large spectrum of people and activities, and for the Publications class, it is both a challenge and an experience to cover it all.

“Every news magazine has sports cards; we do different athletes from different sports, and we usually do the ones who aren’t very well-known,” news magazine editor Chloe Tyson said. “Then we try to [write stories about] someone who is super unique and [does not participate in many school activities], but they have a super cool talent or something you could never know.”

“It definitely gets crazy sometimes,” managing editor Hayley Griffith Photography editors are in charge of making sure that all the necessary said. “There is a lot going on at once because pictures for covering the yearbook and news everyone has a different job, but it has that magazine are taken and are good enough to use. sense of organization where everyone knows “CENTER GROVE HAS what they’re doing, so we are able to go out and “Most of the pictures I take and help sort are THE ONLY TOTALLY cover most of the students and do the best we used for all sorts of different things, such as CONVERGED can to get everyone involved.” sporting events, musicals, art, clubs, schoolNEWSROOM IN A provided events and special features on HIGH SCHOOL IN As opposed to a newspaper or a yearbook staff, students,” co-photography editor Amanda THE STATE THAT the Publications staff creates a yearbook, a Ward said.

WE’RE AWARE OF. WE yearbook supplement, four news magazines, DID THAT BECAUSE daily broadcast productions and frequent ONLINE PRESENCE WE REALIZED FROM website and Twitter posts each year.

Students make two- to four-minute video OUR ALUMNI THAT features for each CGTV news broadcast. These [A CONVERGED “Center Grove has the only totally converged features can be much more current than either NEWSROOM] WAS newsroom in a high school in the state that the yearbook or news magazine.

THE EXPERIENCE we’re aware of,” said teacher Casey Tedrow.

STUDENTS NEEDED “We did that because we realized from our “I try to put on stories that are good news.

[IN PREPARATION alumni that [a converged newsroom] was the Like, they incorporate the news that’s going FOR THE SKILLS experience students needed [in preparation for on around Center Grove, but also we like NEEDED IN the skills needed in college].” to do features about students,” co-CGTV COLLEGE].” editor Sierra Bansemer said. “Then we also do Two teachers, Tedrow and Melissa Warner, features that are just fun. [Once] we did a ‘preTEACHER CASEY TEDROW are in charge of the class. They and various dance’ [feature] for Homecoming that was student editors help make sure the school gets kind of goofy.” adequately covered, and the work gets done according to AP Style.

The Publications website, centergrovepublications.com, ideally “Our job changes as the year goes on,” Warner said. “Early in the year, posts new stories every day. When a story comes at random, the we are teaching. We’re going over skills that students are going to need website is usually where it is posted. to be successful journalists. But then as the year goes on, we’re hoping that the leadership training that we’ve done with editors removes us “The website is little tidbits of fun, sometimes hard-hitting, stuff from the equation of teaching, and now we’re more advising.” that just doesn’t really fit anywhere else,” co-website editor Bailee Leathers said. “We are kind of a ‘catchall’ for anything that someone CGHS IN PRINT wants to write. We pride ourselves in being a media that can post Almost every person on staff works on the yearbook at some point, whatever we want; we try to be open [to any stories that the class and the finished product gets sent to Jostens, ideally before spring comes up with].” atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 15

There are two Twitter sites, @cg_sports and @cg_ publications, and an Instagram, @cg_publications.

“We are in charge of tweeting and assigning people to tweet the main athletics for the week [on the sports Twitter],” cosports editor Maddie Weeks said.

MORE THAN JUST A CLASS

Journalists are not the only ones in the class either. There are two business editors who manage all the money and collaborate with the businesses who are buying ads to fund the publications.

Skills learned in the class about deadlines and working with people often stretch beyond completing work in high school or even college, and many graduates, from journalists to doctors to actuaries, have found practical applications in the workplace.

Jessica Kelly is the middle daughter of Kip and Julie Kelly. She has lived in the Center Grove area for most of her life and is currently a junior at Center Grove High School. You can find more of her articles at the website she edits, centergrovepublications.com.

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CIRCLING INDIANA THIS SUMMER Writer / Demi Lawrence

Fair Oaks Dairy Farm Distance from Circle: 109 mi.

Fair Oaks Farms is an escape to the country with acres of great outdoor fun, food and learning where you can explore family farms and reconnect with nature, animals and the planet. You can experience The Dairy Adventure at Fair Oaks, in which you will tour the farm and even see a live baby cow be born. A fun adventure for the whole family, Fair Oaks Farms is sure to offer a day full of experiences you cannot find anywhere else.

Indianapolis Museum of Art: 100 Acres Distance from Circle: 5 mi.

Located on 100 acres adjacent to the Museum’s main campus, The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres includes woodlands, wetlands, meadows and a 35-acre lake. The Park is one of the largest museum art parks in the country and one of only a few to feature ongoing commissions of temporary, site-responsive artworks. Public tours are held Saturdays at noon, April through October, free of charge.

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Flat Fork Creek Park Distance from Circle: 24 mi.

Flat Fork Creek Park is a new nature park in Fishers with walking trails, bike trails and a colossal sledding hill for the winter. Beginning its first summer being open, Flat Fork Creek offers beautiful scenery and promotes exercise and wellness to the community. There are wooden lookout towers placed around the park, giving the public a great canopy view. Whether it be walking, biking or nature, Flat Fork Creek can offer great accommodations free of charge.

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Turkey Run State Park

in the state as well as miles of bridle trails.

You’ll enjoy exploring the area on foot or by horseback riding.

Distance from Circle: 24 mi.

Turkey Run State Park has something for everyone to enjoy with hiking trails, bridle trails, camp sites, historic sites, a nature center and conference center. Deep canyons nestled in the shadows of sandstone cliffs and peaceful hemlock groves are some of the most ruggedly beautiful hiking trails

Spencer Farms

Distance from Circle: 27 mi.

Located in Noblesville, Spencer Farms is a farm that offers beautiful berries and fresh produce year round as well as pick-your-

own-berries during the summer. With strawberries ripened by the end of May, black raspberries ready by June and blueberries available through July, this farm ensures that you get the freshest produce possible. Along with the berries, Spencer has a small gift shop that sells ice cream, pies, homemade fudge and other cooking needs such as cookbooks.

Eiteljorg Museum

Distance from Circle: .7 mi.

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The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art was founded

by Indianapolis businessman and philanthropist Harrison Eiteljorg. Its mission is to inspire an appreciation and understanding of the art, history and cultures of the American West and the indigenous peoples of North America.

The Eiteljorg collects and preserves highquality Western art and Native American art and cultural objects. The institution’s contemporary Native art collection has been ranked among the world’s best.

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari

Distance from Circle: 179 mi.

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Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is a theme park located in the infamous Santa Claus, Indiana. Most known for their water rides, Holiday World also offers free soft drinks and sunscreen, has been voted cleanest amusement park for several years in a row and features an all new roller coaster called Thunderbird. With fun shows and affordable lodging, Holiday World is a thrilling park that can make for a great weekend trip for the whole family.

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WEIGHT LOSS • MOTIVATION • ONE ON ONE PERSONAL TRAINING • NUTRITIONAL COACHING

CLAYBRIDGE FARM & RIDING ACADEMY Back in the Saddle

HOBBY AND COMPETITION MERGE OVER A LOVE FOR HORSES AT GREENWOOD RIDING ACADEMY Writer / Jennifer Uhl . Photographer / Forrest Mellott

The white plank fences, iron gates and stately stone entrance at Claybridge Farm & Riding Academy may look like they belong in the rolling hills of our bluegrass state neighbor, but the award-winning equestrian facility just north of where Fairview and Peterman roads meet is only 10 minutes south of downtown Indianapolis.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY Like many little girls, Claybridge director Autumn Harrier grew up loving horses. Her father, Dennis Hunt, enabled his daughter’s relationship with horses on a small farm in Muncie and remembered, “Some girls play with dolls. Autumn always played with horses.”

met American saddlebred trainer Jim Aikman, owner of HideA-Way Farms in Acton, Harrier began riding and competing on American saddlebreds at age 11. The family moved to Johnson County in 1990 and set up Claybridge where Harrier trained in saddle-seat.

She competed in hundreds of competitions, including the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky., where she won the national championship and was a reserve world champion. She began working with outside clients at Claybridge in 2007 and trained and coached riders to the top 10 in national finals.

The saddlebred is naturally gaited with a showy but smooth and precise high-stepping trot. The modern saddlebred was developed in Kentucky in the 1800s and was often used as an officer’s mount during the Civil War. They can look rather imposing at first glance — most are at 15 to 17 hands, or 60 to 68 inches, tall — Her entrance to the world of equestrian sport started with quarter and they’re often referred to as the “peacock of the horse world,” horses owned by her parents and grandfather. But after Hunt thanks to their long necks and slender, well-shaped heads.

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Sarah Wuensch trains horses and gives riding lessons at Claybridge Farms.

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But they’re also known for their good nature, Harrier says.

“They’re like puppy dogs — very people-oriented, and they like to please. They’re like Golden Retrievers.”

Harrier moved to Kauai, Hawaii, almost five years ago due to her husband’s job, and she began a new venture. After talking with a friend about the difficulty in finding riding pants that fit just right, she launched Alympic Equestrian, a line of jodhpurs and breeches, in 2014. She still manages the farm’s business operations and returns to Claybridge several times a year where trainer/instructor Sarah Wuensch now presides over training and riding lessons.

Wuensch started riding after her grandfather bought her a horse when she was 2. “I caught the horse bug really, really early,” she laughed. She teaches 35 to 45 lessons per week, mostly to girls ages 6-19. A good number of the students invest in lessons and training with the intent to compete, though showing is purely optional.

Wuensch usually takes eight to 10 students with her to a show each month where they compete against other barns in different divisions. The horses are also judged on performance, manners, presence, quality and conformation. “Competition is its own little world,” said Wuensch. “All these people know each other.”

Once in the show ring, riders show how they can move their horse into a trot, canter or reverse. “They’re showing how the horse is moving, and the judges are looking at the overall picture of a pleasurable horse to ride,” she explained. Students may show their lesson horse from Claybridge or their own, though owning a horse is not necessary in learning to ride or compete.

A LOOK INSIDE THE BARN

The spacious barn at Claybridge holds 27 stalls, all of which are almost always filled. Harrier and Hunt own around 10 horses, a few are simply boarded and four — Jux, MC, Kiss and Indigo — are Wuensch’s. One or two horses are retired, others are client-owned and kept at Claybridge for lessons and some are there for Wuensch to break and make them safe to ride.

Other horses Wuensch trains alone and lays the groundwork for them to be competition material for owners who live elsewhere.

During sunny weather, Wuensch gives riding lessons in the outdoor arena, while lessons during cold weather take place in the large arena in the middle of the barn.

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And because most clients are in school, lessons are typically later in the day from 3-7 p.m. A competition in Michigan recently had her traveling on a weeknight and returning four days later, highlighting the time and dedication competing can take.

into the barn and rubbing those oh-so-soft noses before getting in the saddle and flying across the soft dirt, says Hunt. “We have 70- and 80-year-old women who have learning to ride on their bucket list.”

But Claybridge is also a haven for those who simply want to turn riding one of the world’s most prominent and prettiest breeds into a hobby. The wall outside the tack room is filled with photos of smiling 6-year-olds and teens holding blue ribbons with their lesson horses, but they’re not the only ones who love walking

Jennifer Uhl is a former associate editor of Indianapolis Monthly Home. Now a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom, Uhl’s work also appears in Indianapolis Monthly and the city’s suburb-based publications. She lives in Center Grove with her husband, two children, and a bluetick coonhound named Naomi.

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BROOKE VAN PARIS

q

Writer / Alaina Sullivan . Photographers / q Jim Eichelman w Billy Howard e David Long

THE AFTERMATH AND RECOVERY

It has been said that you never know how strong you are until it is the only option you have. This saying could not be any truer for Center Grove native, Brooke Van Paris. It took a near-death experience for her to find her own strength and inspire countless others around her.

For the next four years, she had a series of four surgeries every six months which included re-breaking her hands and using internal and external pins, plates and screws. She was without the use of her hands for two years, and as a result, she needed help with even the simplest of tasks.

ACTIVE BEGINNINGS

Growing up in Center Grove, Van Paris was active as a child and gave her all to whatever she did, sports and school. She played softball with the Center Grove Lassie League and basketball for the Center Grove Recreation League. She golfed for the Trojans, cheered as a freshman and ran for the track team. She also competed in gymnastics with Perfect 10 and continued to participate in gymnastics into college.

Van Paris started at Indiana University in the fall of 2008 on a full-ride scholarship through 21st Century Scholars. She lived on campus and enjoyed the new transition in her life.

“I was involved in club gymnastics, in the Kelley School of Business, living with a random roommate in a dorm of all strangers, eating the cafeteria food and trying to figure out life away from my parents.”

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SUDDEN TRAGEDY

Life suddenly changed the evening of October 29, 2009. Van Paris had finished her classes for the day and was heading home. She entered a familiar intersection under a stale green light when she was hit head-on by another driver. Her car did two full 360-degree turns, all four of her tires blew and the windshield shattered.

“I opened my eyes and saw smoke billowing out everywhere and heard a sound — the sound of my own voice — my own screaming that was almost uncontrollable,” said Van Paris. “My body went into fight or flight mode, and all I could think about was getting out of my car. But we had a problem.

When I tried to get out of my car, I realized I was stuck. My engine had broken off its engine mounts and came into the car just enough to cause my pedals to wrap around my feet.

I slowly slid my feet from my shoes and escaped, falling into the arms of strangers while I screamed and cried at the accident.”

She threw all of her focus not only in recovery but also in the one constant in her life: her education. For Van Paris, staying out of school was never an option, and she was adamant that she could do it fulltime with the use of voice activated software.

“I did this because I had set my mind to it. I wasn’t going to give up, and that is something that still holds true today.”

She graduated in 4.5 years with a management degree from the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a certificate in business foundations.

Van Paris found herself discouraged, living a sedentary lifestyle. As a result, she completely lost any muscle mass and gained 40 pounds.

“This person was someone I had never been before. I was living in a body that was not mine. It felt foreign to me.” She needed to reinvent herself and keep fighting. “There was a reason I did not die in that accident that day, and I swore to myself that I would fight until I found out.”

It took her only a few seconds to realize that the accident had completely shattered her hands.

q

“My body’s defense had balled them up into mangled looking fists to prevent me from using them any longer, and I shrieked at the horrific sight. My hands, both of them, were a mangled, disgusting, painful mess.”

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Hesitant at first, Van Paris decided to “let go and let God” and booked her tickets.

“I decided that God wouldn’t put this opportunity in my life if I wasn’t supposed to take it, so I packed my bags and headed out to L.A. for a week,” said Van Paris. “Coincidence or not, but it was actually the six-year anniversary of my accident while I was out there.”

She was chosen to be one of the elite and found herself traveling to Eatonville, Wash., that November.

The challenges were mainly physical.

Upon arrival, they repelled off a bridge and carried ruck bags filled with sand over trials of elevation change until they reached the house where they stayed.

e

BECOMING A COMPETITOR

After much pushing from a friend, she signed up for her first obstacle course race in October 2014 with zero experience. That first race was a struggle, but as she crossed that finish line, she was hooked and went on to do 48 more races. One year later, she was competing in the Obstacle Course World Championships representing the USA.

AMERICAN GRIT

That fall, she was approached about the opportunity to compete in the reality show “American Grit” where 16 elite athletes competed in teams of four doing military-inspired evolutions with the goal of winning up to $1 million.

The first event was called “Ruck Up” where all four members carried a 120-pound log on their shoulders while going through a 3.6 intensity obstacle course.

The “Circus” event took one person from each of the three losing teams to test their “never give up” attitude. It started with a series of 13 obstacles and ended with an endurance event. She was chosen for the endurance event which she said was easily the most grueling thing she has ever done in her life.

Van Paris also goes by the nickname, Beast Mode Barbie. “Although I look cute and innocent, I am a force to be reckoned with on the race course. I am a very fierce competitor — not afraid to get muddy and dirty, not afraid to do what the boys do and try to do it better.”

“These races are personal. For me, it wasn’t about beating the person next to me; it was a race against myself. I would set out on a mission to do my personal best and to always make it across both the start line and the finish line. To never give up.”

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w

The event was an ice bath challenge.

Competitors were to submerge themselves completely into an ice bath, get out of the water and do 10 burpees, repeating until one gave up.

So that cold November day in Washington, topping off at around 25 degrees, she harnessed her “can-do” spirit and jumped feet first into the event with her teammates cheering by her side.

“By about round six, I couldn’t hear anymore. I started becoming delirious, but I kept coming back to the mental images of my accident. If I could get through that, I sure as heck could do this, so I kept pushing and dunking in that freezing water.”

Mentally, Van Paris refused to give up, but her body could only take so much.

At round nine, after completing her 90th burpee, she crashed to the ground completely unconscious. She had gone into hypothermia.

“The entire time, I could feel people touching me and hear people talking to me, but I could not get a word out of my mouth in response and never could move any muscle.” Paramedics searched for 30 minutes before finding a vein, and she was not able to speak for an entire hour.

w

q LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

The event was traumatic, but Van Paris has absolutely no regrets. “I held true to my life mantra, and for that, I am at peace. I can hold my head high and have no regrets because there is nothing else humanly possible I could have done to change the outcome.

My mind was still fighting even when my body could not.”

She carries that “never give up” mindset with her daily.

“When you never give up, when you

put every last drop of effort out on the table and give something, everything you physically have, you can hold your head high and live with no regrets, knowing you could have done nothing more.”

Alaina Sullivan is an attorney in Greenwood, focusing her work on family law and estate planning matters. She is passionate about serving those who are not able to afford normal legal fees and devotes part of her practice to modest means cases. You can reach her by visiting alainasullivanlawoffice.com or email at alaina.sullivan.law@gmail.com.

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34 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

DADDY DAUGHTER HAIR BRAIDING SHARING OUR SMILES: DADDY DAUGHTER HAIR FACTORY

Writer / Kris Parker . Photographer / Jim Eichelman

For many dads, the thought of fixing their daughter’s hair might send them into a tailspin. But this is not the case for Josh Wikel and his 4-year-old daughter Ella Rose.

PONYING UP

“The hair-braiding adventure probably began when Ella Rose was about 2 1/2, and I realized early on that it was something I wanted to learn how to do. As I tied up what little hair she had into something that looked like an insect antenna on the top of her head, I realized I was going to have to learn how to style her hair when it got longer.

we get to chat and plan out the day. We get to trade smiles as her preschool teachers or strangers at the store compliment her. She began calling it ‘sharing our smiles.’ It’s seeing that smile on her face and pride in her eyes that keeps me wanting to learn more,” he said.

Ella Rose echoed this sentiment in her own words. “Sometimes he takes too long. And sometimes he has to start over, and we miss the line at school. But he makes it pretty.”

“Google and YouTube became my best friends as soon as her hair grew long enough. Ella Rose was patient with my efforts from the beginning, and now that I’m home during the week, it has just become our daily routine,” said Wikel.

The goal is that this bond isn’t just for Ella Rose’s childhood, but it will be a tie that connects this father and daughter for life. “It’s my hope that braiding will always provide us with a connection, something we can always come back and share — that no matter what age she is, she will know that she can come to me, and we can sit down for a braid session and talk about whatever is happening in her life at the time,” he said. “And of course, my dream is that she will let me do her hair for prom and maybe even her wedding.”

However, Wikel soon learned through this experience that it was more about his relationship with Ella Rose than how her hair looked. “Braiding provides us with bonding moments daily. We huddle around the phone or look at our hair books while snuggling before bed, looking at pictures for potential styles. In the morning,

Right now, however, Ella Rose isn’t thinking about her wedding; for now, she’s content to look like she stepped out of a “Star Wars” film. She said her favorite hairstyles are “Princess Leia in the snow and Princess Leia in the clouds and Princess Leia buns. And Rey. And pigtails.”

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DON’T BRUSH IT OFF

As a result of his experience, Wikel has not kept his hair-braiding skills to himself. He has since gone on to become one of the founders of Daddy Daughter Hair Factory, a collective group of fathers and daughters across the United States working in their individual communities to promote bonding within the fatherdaughter relationship simply through the act of hair braiding. Wikel and Ella Rose have launched a group here in Greenwood.

Teaching other dads how to braid was not what Wikel set out to do, but when he realized that he wasn’t the only one with this interest, he became inspired. “We were often jokingly told that we should open our own salon or start a class, but with Boy Scouts, gymnastics, school and everything else that comes with having three kids, I didn’t even know where to begin.

“Then someone shared a story on Facebook of a single dad in Florida who had started offering free braiding classes to other dads.

I shared some pictures of our hairdos with him and his daughter, and we quickly struck up a friendship,” Wikel shared. “Soon after, dads from Pennsylvania, Kansas, Texas and Colorado joined in, and we were all spurring each other on to start classes.”

MULTIPLE STRANDS

The classes Wikel offers are not intended to be of the “one-anddone” variety, but so far, many of his dads are at a beginner level. As Wikel explained, “In one class, I had a dad who already knew the basics, so while the rest of the class was going over the three-strand braid, I taught him about the fishtail and French braid. I want dads to be able to jump in at any time and feel like they can come back to learn something new. At the very least, I hope a class can give dads and daughters another moment of one-on-one time.”

The response from dads and their daughters has been nothing short of affirming. “There has been a moment in every class where I stop and just look around the classroom. It is an amazing feeling to watch the smiles forming on everyone’s faces and to see the bond between father and daughter strengthen as the braids come together,” Wikel said. “The dads may come in with a sarcastic attitude, but once they

tie off that first braid and see the smile and pride on their daughter’s face, you can see them try even harder with the next braid.”

With each class, Wikel has specific examples of how relationships were changed. “In one class, I had a dad bring his 11-year-old. I saw him again about a week after the class, and he told me she didn’t have too much faith in him or the class when they came, but he said she kept the braided bun he made in her hair for two straight days, even wearing a shower cap to not mess up his style. That is the power of the bond of braiding,” he said.

Another dad, Jason Howe, joined a recent class with his two youngest daughters. “I thought the class would be fun,” he said.

“Plus I do get the girls ready for school sometimes, and with me, they’ve always been limited to a ponytail. I figured they would like it if I had some more skills.”

And participants don’t leave simply with their newfound skills.

Daddy Daughter Hair Factory has found a sponsor in SoCozy (a New York-based company which makes salon formula product for kids), and dads and their daughters leave the class with a goodie bag including things such as full-size detangler spray, full-size styling cream, a large brush and a comb.

TYING UP LOOSE ENDS

For more information about Daddy Daughter Hair Factory, visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/Daddydaughterhairfactory or their website, www.daddydaughterhairfactory101.com.

To find out about upcoming classes, email Wikel at daddydaughterhairfactoryindy@gmail.com. Wikel and Ella Rose are willing to take their classes “on the road” as well; email him to schedule a class with a group (gymnastics, Scouts, etc.).

A lifetime resident of the Center Grove area, Kris Parker graduated from IU Bloomington with a degree in Journalism. She and her husband, Jimmy, parent two active, home-schooled boys and one foster son. If she had spare time, she would enjoy blogging and thrift-store shopping.

36 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

SUMMER GETAWAYS IN FORT WAYNE Within a few hours’ drive, a heartwarming getaway awaits in Fort Wayne, Indiana!

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JOIN US FOR THE COUNTRY'S FINEST JURIED ART FAIR The Talbot Street Art Fair is the longest running outdoor art fair in central Indiana. Since its beginning in 1956, organizers have strived to make each year better than before.

Celebrating this year its 61st year, the fair features over 250 artists both locally and from across the United States. The artists converge on Talbot Street between 16th and 20th Streets to present their work in many mediums. These include sculpture, glass, painting, jewelry, photography, ceramics, wood, printmaking, mixed media and fiber.

The host neighborhood, Herron-Morton Place, invites several food venues to the site, so refreshments can be purchased while

viewing the art. This is a family-friendly event, and as always, the admission is free!

The fair will be held, rain or shine. Since most artists travel with solid tent protection, this allows the event to master the weather.

Many good conversations have been held in artists’ tents during a rain shower.

This year’s fair will be held June 11-12.

Hours on Saturday are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hours on Sunday are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Talbot Street Art Fair provides scholarship programs to various educational institutions in the fine art disciplines.

For more information about the fair, please visit talbotstreet.org.

TALBOT STREET ART FAIR  June 11-12  Herron-Morton Place  Saturday: 10am-6pm  Sunday: 10am-5pm  talbotstreet.org  Find on 

TownePost.com / JUNE 2016 / INDY METRO

INDY METRO / JUNE 2016 / TownePost.com

Angelcare, Inc.

A DREAM COMING TRUE Writer / Johnette Cruz . Photographer / Chris Williams

Imagine driving down the road, feeling God speaking directly to you — and not just a “feeling” but a clear direction of where His plans are for you. Rita Norwood experienced this in February 2000. As she drove to work praying, she distinctively heard the Lord tell her, “No radio; we will just ride together in quiet.”

Ten days later, Rita heard that voice again.

This time, He said, "We are going to have a home for young pregnant girls. They will choose life. It will be called Angelcare.” At that moment, she felt a soft breeze run across her face with no air or windows opened.

She knew what she had to do but did not move as quickly as God wanted her to. Soon after, she heard the same message again and decided to share the information with her husband, pastor, family and friends. Rita began to pray about this new venture.

Eight years later, she resigned from her job and began to research this type of housing.

In 2009, Rita began to explore homes in several different states and also educated herself with teachers, social workers and ministry teams.

“This place will be a refuge where these young ladies can get an education, help with employment, financial classes, mentorship, create new friendships and heal emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Our ultimate goal is to save the mother and her baby. She may choose to parent or place the baby for adoption.”

“There was a larger need in our community, and it kept increasing,” said Rita. About one year later, Angelcare became an established, Rita also went into some of the rules and faith-based nonprofit organization, managed qualifications these young women will have by an advisory board and board of directors. to adhere to in order to stay in the home.

“While living in our home, the young ladies ANGELCARE IS BORN will attend high school or work on their The mission of Angelcare is to help young GED. They will receive life/vocational skills girls facing a crisis pregnancy. Angelcare training, mentoring and counseling and will will offer these girls a safe home free of also volunteer within the community.” charge and will support them as they attend high school and focus on their The minimum age that Angelcare accepts future, all while showing them the love and is as young as 15 with no history of drugs, compassion of Christ. alcohol or smoking. Everyone will be required to take a medical physical with “This is meant to be a safe haven for a blood work, do an interview and complete mother and her baby,” explained Rita. paperwork for the state and their attorney.

atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 41

Top to bottom: Janice Kernel, Keller Williams Real Estate; Dennis Copenhaver, Copenhaver Custom Homes; Donna Smithers, Northpointe Engineering and Surveying; architect David Julian, Design House, LLC all came on board to make the Angelcare vision a reality. / Rendering of Angelcare house / Key volunteers from The Crossing, Grace Assembly of God and Fair Haven Christian Church take their turns at the groundbreaking.

Top to bottom: Rita took a spin on a three wheeler at the Motorcycle Rally and Hogroast fundraiser last fall. / Rita Norwood (left) turns the first spade of dirt at the Angelcare groundbreaking in Trafalgar. Also digging in are board members Kim LeMasters Baker, Pastor Tim Davis and Heather Little. / Rita Norwood, founder and president of Angelcare, holding the youngest attendee at the 2015 Angelcare Banquet.

42 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

FUTURE OF ANGELCARE

Currently Angelcare is in the process of building this home in Trafalgar with the help and support of hundreds of donors and volunteers. They are blessed to have 100 volunteers from all walks of life to assist with the planning and preparation of the house-build and with ongoing fundraising efforts.

HOW YOU CAN JUNE 11 HELP ANGELCARE 6 p.m.

Jonathan Byrd’s Banquet Room 100 Byrd Way, Greenwood, IN 46143

$20/person Learn more about Angelcare’s mission and vision and support young mothers-to-be in crisis. The evening includes a buffet style dinner, door prizes and a live and silent auction.

The future of Angelcare is filled with needs in many areas. The nonprofit will be in search of two housemothers, a social worker, office assistance, birth coaches and monthly financial support along with many other positions.

One thing is clear: Rita has such a passion for this cause, and she wants to be able to communicate it with others. “I would love to talk with other organizations that are like us. It would be an honor to share with them how we are doing this house and how we, by the grace of God, are changing lives.”

The completion of the house is expected to be in late 2016. Rita is praying that she will be here to see the fruits of her labor.

In a phone conversation I had with her recently, she revealed this to me, “I have cancer,” in a calm yet stern voice.

“God has walked with me through this journey, so this isn’t anything new. I am praying that He will give me the chance to see this house completed, to see these girls move in with the expectancy of hope and love. This is not only my dream but the dream of over 450 people who have supported this organization. Only God could have done this. We thank Him and look forward to working with these young lives.”

For more information on how you can contribute to the dream of Angelcare, visit angelcare-inc.org.

Johnette Cruz is a Multi-Media Professional with experience in TV, radio, ministry and non-profit organizations. She is currently the Communications Director at Mount Pleasant Christian Church and is the Midday On-air Radio Personality at Shine.FM. atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 43

Joel Hale (right)

FROM CENTER GROVE TO CENTER STAGE CELEBRATING LOCAL NATIONALCOLLEGIATE CHAMPIONS Writer / Kevin Conrad . Photos provided

In the past five years, six Center Grove residents have helped lead their teams to national collegiate championships in football, basketball, golf and cheerleading. Through hard work and dedication, these individuals were able to rise to the very top of their respective sports to achieve the ultimate collegiate prize, a national championship.

AN AWESOME JOURNEY: JOEL HALE

Center Grove High School (CGHS) 2011 graduate Joel Hale won three state titles during his years in the Trojan football program.

His first two titles came with the Junior Trojan travel football team when he was in fifth and sixth grades. His third came during his sophomore year when CGHS won the 2008 Class 5A football championship.

Hale received a scholarship to play football at Ohio State University.

In 2014, his junior season, the Buckeyes won the national championship. “It was a great year,” Hale recalls. “It was an awesome journey. It was unbelievable. Something I will never forget.”

During his five years at Ohio State, Hale was an offensive lineman, defensive lineman and team captain his senior season. “Absolutely nothing was handed to me here at Ohio State,” Hale lamented.

“Every time I look back at Center Grove High School football, I always think of Coach Eric Moore and the things he preaches at a young age. All those little things resonated with me and always stuck with me. It helped me become the person I am now. I kept that work ethic that I had in high school all the way through college, and I still have it now. It has always given me an edge, and having that edge has always helped me keep up. And that’s the main thing I learned from Center Grove football.”

Hale graduated from Ohio State in 2015 with a degree in business finance and is now pursuing a playing career in the National Football League.

44 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

Ethan Hedeen

OVERWHELMING EMOTION: KARI MUNN

Indiana University’s basketball success has been well-documented through the years. Kari Munn of CGHS had a courtside view during her four years at IU as one of the Hoosier cheerleaders.

Munn was a CGHS cheerleader for football and basketball from 2005-2008. While at IU, she cheered for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and women’s volleyball. In 2012, Munn’s allfemale Crimson Cheer Squad won the national championship, a first for IU cheer.

SURREAL SUCCESSES: ETHAN HEDEEN AND SEAN EGENOLF

Ethan Hedeen and Sean Egenolf both played on the 2008 CGHS state championship team. Hedeen was a senior cornerback and Egenolf was a junior offensive guard. Both players received scholarships to play football at Marian University. They helped the Knights win their first NAIA football national title in 2012.

“Football taught me so much,” said Hedeen. “I’m extremely fortunate to have been a part of two winning programs, Center Grove and Marian.”

“The feeling of winning a national championship is a feeling like no other. Hearing Indiana University being named the national champions was a moment I will never forget. When we heard our name, we all felt an overwhelming flood of emotion — the hard work, dedication, determination and commitment had paid off. It was a moment to be proud of for our university, coaches, teammates and ourselves.”

Munn graduated from IU in 2012 with a degree in elementary education. She now teaches third grade and serves as the CGHS varsity cheer head coach. “Returning to my alma mater is truly a dream come true. When I started cheering my freshman year at Center Grove, I knew I wanted to come back and be a part of the program. The coaching staff, cheerleaders, parents and administration make it a pleasure to coach at Center Grove.”

Kari Munn

Egenolf credits the winning cultures at both Center Grove and Marian as a factor in the programs’ successes. He said winning a national title was “surreal.” “We had a great coaching staff that created the beast of the NAIA. It’s a great thing for Marian as a school and the city of Indianapolis.”

Hedeen earned a degree in marketing and is a sales representative for a logistics company in Indianapolis. He lives on the southside.

Egenolf earned his degree in exercise science and works for his family business in Indianapolis. He lives in Bargersville.

Sean Egenolf

atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 45

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46 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

Coach Brent Nicoson

UNBELIEVABLE FEELING: BRENT NICOSON

Center Grove resident Brent Nicoson is the head coach behind the University of Indianapolis (UIndy) women’s golf team, the 2015 NCAA Division II national champions. The Greyhounds are the first women’s golf team from a school outside Florida to win the DII national title. Nicoson said he had a young but very talented team in 2015. His five-player tournament team featured just one senior.

“I’m a coach that can feel nerves of the players. We had a sense of calm that whole week, and I can’t explain it. For this group to be so young and not to fall into the pressure of a national championship was amazing to me.”

Nicoson recalled the mixed emotions after his team sank its final putt of the tournament to clinch the school’s first team national championship. “The thing I can remember most are the faces on our players and their parents and the families. It was just an unbelievable feeling.”

Nicoson is a third-generation coach at UIndy. His late grandfather, Angus, and father, Dan, were very successful coaches for the Greyhounds. “I knew my dad was proud.

atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 47

Jonny Marlin

I know my grandfather would have been proud too. A lot of the notes and a lot of the messages I got back was how proud my grandfather would have been because of what he had done for that school. I know the pride that he would have had would have been just like my dad’s.”

SWEET ENDING: JONNY MARLIN

The newest national crown sits atop the head of Jonny Marlin. The 2011 CG graduate helped lead Indiana Wesleyan University’s (IWU) men’s basketball team to the 2016 NAIA championship in March.

Marlin was a four-year starter for CG’s basketball teams from 2008-2011. He earned AP all-state honors his senior season and led the Trojans to both a sectional title and a Hall of Fame Classic championship.

After stints at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and Indiana University Bloomington, Marlin played his last two collegiate seasons at IWU. His junior year, he helped lead the Wildcats to a number one national ranking before being eliminated in the Elite Eight.

Marlin wanted to go out on top with a national title in his last season. “It’s your last time to go around. You are just trying to expect a lot more from your teammates in practices and games. You don’t want to go out knowing that there are things still left on the table.”

The Wildcats made it to the national championship only to face the top-ranked team in the nation and in-state rival, St. Francis. The team had beaten IWU three times during the season. This time, Marlin willed his team to victory.

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“It was cool to end your college career on a win,” Marlin recalled. “Not too many people get to do that. For it to be such a close game and for it to be St. Francis, it doesn’t really work out much better. It was a pretty sweet ending.”

The ending got even sweeter when Marlin was named the Championship Most Outstanding Player. He’s currently completing his master’s in organizational leadership at IWU.

Kevin Conrad has been a southside resident since 1980. He currently resides in Center Grove with his wife and three sons. Kevin is a sales account manager for SlyFoxCreative.com in Greenwood. He is also the voice of the Center Grove Sports Network where he webcasts Center Grove High School football and basketball games.

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48 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

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G E T TO K N OW O U R P HOTO G RA P H E RS FORREST MELLOTT

My hobby in photography began in college but never became serious until I switched to digital around 2000. After retiring from Eli Lilly in 2002, it became more than a hobby.

I enjoy sports, wildlife, landscape and family vacation photography, but working with the magazines and shooting for local community organizations has provided the opportunity to meet some very impressive and interesting people in our community.

I’ve has also been privileged to work for Photo Operations at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 10 years, which has provided amazing access to motorsports at its very highest level and the opportunity to learn from some outstanding photographers.

However, my greatest joy is watching and taking photos of my two older grandsons’ sports activities, and since my third grandson is now 2 years old, I am anticipating a few more years to enjoy this.

As for my current favorite photo, my two oldest grandsons willingly participated in this unusual portrait session but did not understand the intent until I showed them the 1964 “Meet the Beatles” album cover.

CHRIS WILLIAMS

I first became interested in photography in high school as my dad is also an avid photographer. I borrowed his Canon film camera and taught myself about f-stops and apertures. Back then, you shot a roll of photos and waited until a roll was exposed and developed before you could see how you did. The first digital SLR I purchased, a Canon D30, had a whopping 3MP sensor (my phone now has a 12MP sensor – how technology has changed!), and I have upgraded with almost every new iteration of Canon since then.

I love travel and landscape photography as a hobby. For income, I embraced photojournalism, sports in particular. I lived on the westside of Indianapolis then, and my first paying job was with the Hendricks County Flyer, a small newspaper that covered westside sports. I had a particular interest in covering professional sports, and the Flyer was able to get me media passes to the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and Pacer games. After moving to Greenwood in 2002, I continued my photojournalism experience with the Daily Journal where I continue to work.

The photo is Portland Head Light in Portland, Maine. My family has a cabin in Lubec, Maine, the easternmost town in the United States. Maine has become one of my favorite places to photograph landscapes and wildlife.

50 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

PHOTOGRAPHS ARE CRITICAL FOR CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE. MONTH AFTER MONTH, WE NEED COVER SHOTS AND PHOTOS FOR FEATURES. IN MOST CASES, IT IS ONE OF THESE FOUR MEN THAT MEET THOSE NEEDS. THIS MONTH, WE ARE TELLING YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT EACH OF THEM. - DANN VELDKAMP, PUBLISHER JIM EICHELMAN

RON STIEMERT

My interest in photography began at age 9 with a beat-up old Brownie camera found in the back of a closet. Over the years, the focus of my photography has changed with my life situation. The high school yearbook, my lovely wife when we married, our children when they were born and youth and high school sports when the kids participated have all been subjects of my photos.

My interest in photography started during my pre-teen years while traveling on multiple family vacations out west, plus many fishing trips to Canada and other locations. I was inspired by how God had created such beautiful mountains, canyons, vegetation, lakes and streams with brilliant color and a variety of designs. My dad took wedding pictures and had his own dark room, and I learned many things from him along the way.

Currently, I love to photograph landscapes and the geometry of buildings in cityscapes and architecture. People are also a fascinating study, so informal portraits make up a large part of my portfolio.

When I graduated from Purdue in engineering, Cheryl and I married. In our 52 years of marriage, we have three children and eight grandchildren. They have provided many photographic opportunities.

My four older granddaughters have all shown much interest in photography; we will see what the younger ones choose.

With grandchildren now on the scene, my photography, which is all Nikon digital based now, may well revert back 30 years or so to what I was doing when my children were born. But my son has also picked up the camera and is beginning to make his own mark, so we will see.

This photo of a small fishing boat towered over by a glacier in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park is one of my favorites, juxtaposing the immensity of the glacier with the fragility of the small fishing boat.

My interest in digital photography became obvious when one of the first digital cameras came out. I purchased one of the first units and then upgraded continually to what I use now. Digital photography makes it possible to come out with amazing results. I have digitized all of our historical family photographs, which were put into books with stories from many family members to be shared in the years to come.

In the recent years, I have widened my interest to include youth sports, church highlights, magazine shoots and always travel highlights.

Selecting my “favorite photo” was a very difficult task. I selected a vacation picture taken in South Carolina while touring the Magnolia Plantation. What I saw was the beauty of how God displays a breathtaking setting with beautiful color.

atCenterGrove.com / JUNE 2016 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / 51

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52 / CENTER GROVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE / JUNE 2016 / atCenterGrove.com

A Lesson in Greek

WORD SEARCH

Creator / Lucy Stravers

1. ACROPOLIS (CITADEL)

Hidden in the puzzle are words from the country of Greece. An English description is in the parentheses beside the Greek word. Words may appear in a straight line in any direction.

2. AESOP (FABULIST) 3. AGON (ATHLETIC CONTEST) 4. AGORA (ASSEMBLY) 5. ANDRON (APARTMENT)

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21. IONIA (COLONY) 22. LAKONIA (GULF) 23. LOGOS (WORD) 24. MACEDONIA (REGION) 25. MARATHON (BATTLE SITE) 26. MELETUS (CITY)

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Lucy Stravers lives in Pella, Iowa, and is the mother-in-law of Dann Veldkamp.

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 KATE IN THE MIDDLE

TWO CENTS WORTH Writer / Kate Rhoten

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, my two cents worth. In April of this year, you did get two cents back from the United States Parcel Service. Did you miss that bit of news? It is likely you pay most of your bills through online bill pay or drafts out of your checking account. This makes having stamps not that big of a deal.

The price of a single stamp has gone up by a penny or two each time the increase happened over the last 20 years. The recent decrease is only the third time the cost of mailing a letter has been reduced since the Civil War – the last time was July 1919.

It’s like a bull market that has been around for a long time and has only had three corrections. Think about when the USPS introduced the Forever stamp. It sounded slightly crazy, but if you bought a book of stamps before an increase, you feel like you beat the market.

If you are an infrequent user of stamps, it is possible to have purchased stamps in 2012 or 2013 and made money in theory.

In 2012, stamps were 45 cents, and the next year they went up to 46 cents. This is my situation. I have found stamps in a purse that I had not used for quite some time. I had a gain of 20 cents.

On the flip side, if you happened to purchase a book of Forever stamps just before April 10 of this year, you lost on the deal.

You may have spent $9.80 for the books based on the January 2014 price increase to 49 cents. But with the recent decrease, your stamps lost 40 cents in value.

I remember when I lived in Phoenix during the ’90s. There was a local radio show called “Beth and Bill in the Morning,” and whenever there was talk about increasing the cost of stamps, Beth would go off on a tangent. Beth would say something to the effect of, “The post office should just jack it up to 50 cents and be done.” They almost did by hitting 49 cents in 2014, but it took them 11 increases over a period of 24 years. Now we see them moving the other way.

You can laugh at me, but when I started thinking about this column, I found it to be a great lesson in buying and holding as it relates to the market. There is not a quick way to make a buck (or a penny as this case) where you can’t just as easily lose.

This is a time where we lost two cents worth rather unexpectedly.

Kate’s nearing mid-life in the middle of America raising her boys with her hubby building their dream one day at a time while feeling like she’s always in the middle of something.

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