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Leading the Charge: Cecilia Coble Talks Excitement, Goals As New City Council President

Leading the Charge

CECILIA COBLE TALKS EXCITEMENT, GOALS AS NEW CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Belinda Russell

Cecilia Coble, who was unanimously elected as Fishers City Council president, has been serving on the Fishers City Council since 2014 when Fishers became a city. When Coble was elected president, Mayor Scott Fadness called it an historic day for Fishers since Coble, a Latino woman, is the first female president.

“I feel humbled and honored to represent the Hispanic community in Fishers,” Coble says. “Hopefully the next generation of youth will be inspired by seeing people in these positions that represent them.” Upon joining the City Council, Coble told Fadness that advocating for those with intellectual and physical disabilities was something near and dear to her heart because her daughter, Krysta, has autism and cognitive delays. In fact, the family chose to move to the area in 2011 because of the applied behavior analysis centers in Fishers as well as the school system. Krysta attends the Behavior Analysis Center for Autism in Fishers on a parttime basis.

“I told Mayor Fadness that I wanted to help make Fishers more inclusive and provide opportunities for those with disabilities to become productive members of our

community,” Coble says. “He was so supportive and has been a great champion as well.”

March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Therefore, the city will offer activities all month to educate the public and celebrate the success of those with disabilities. There will be an art reception at Connor Prairie, a series of short films related to disabilities at the JiEun Lee Music Academy, and workshops and support groups at Hamilton East Public Library. In addition, there will be a workshop at Connor Prairie for employers in the community to learn more about hiring people with disabilities.

Things kick off on March 2 at Fishers City Hall Auditorium from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., as area caregivers will share stories about their lives and the lives of their loved ones with disabilities.

Coble is co-chair of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability, along with Kelly Hartman. The committee holds quarterly meetings with sub-committees that work on issues such as housing, accommodations, accessibility and employment. On March 3 the public is invited to attend a meeting at the Fishers

City Hall Auditorium from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., where a discussion will center on how to handle caregiver stress and fatigue. The committee will also share information on how the Fishers Fire Department is helping first responders with innovative programs to help families dealing with stress.

Every year stakeholders and the Advisory Committee on Disability meet with the mayor to discuss issues affecting people with disabilities. “That’s very powerful because we bring in city leaders, elected officials, educators, and the disability community talking in panel discussions about some of their greatest challenges and greatest successes they have had here in Fishers,” Coble says. “Their input helps us determine how we can work together to resolve those challenges.” On March 28 people with disabilities will put on a talent show at the Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy. During the show, awards will be presented to individuals who have gone above and beyond to become champions of inclusion in the Fishers community. Coble says she has enjoyed every minute of being a city councilor. “Every day I grow as a person,” she says. “I love to meet new people and hear about the issues facing our residents.” In the past five years, Fishers leaders have made significant gains that include becoming a city, building an economic tax base, and bringing in amenities for citizens to enjoy. For instance, the new Fishers District offers a wide variety of culinary experiences. “This is something the city and its residents have been waiting patiently for,” says Coble, adding that the Fishers Test Kitchen, located at The Yard at Fishers District, is a unique opportunity for aspiring chefs to create dishes and for people to experience something different. In 2017 the city won the Champions of Inclusion award through the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities.

EVERY DAY I GROW AS A PERSON. I LOVE TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND HEAR ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING OUR RESIDENTS.

CECILIA COBLE

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Coble and her husband of 26 years, Mike, like to travel, attend theater performances, and visit their elder daughter Alexa Capri, a freshman in college.

Coble, who serves as vice president of the Fishers Arts and Culture Commission, has a passion for performing arts, and says she’s excited for what is to come in the next four years.

“It’s been a wonderful experience serving alongside amazing leaders on the City Council,” she says. “I feel honored to have their vote of confidence to lead the City Council into 2020. The culmination of the last five years has put me in a great position to lead my colleagues and help in this next chapter of our city growth and potential.”

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AHEAD OF THE CURVE

MZ3 Golf Academy Uses Modern Technology & Innovative Lessons For All Ages

Writer / Seth Johnson . Photographer / Ron Wise

olf has been a big part of Michael Zedrick III’s life for as long as he can remember.

“Golf was a big deal on my dad’s side of the family, and I really just followed in his footsteps,” Zedrick says.

Now through MZ3 Golf Academy, Zedrick is sharing his love for golf with students young and old. Held at Gray Eagle Golf Club, Zedrick’s golf lessons are open to students of all ages, beginning at age 6.

Zedrick first tried his hand at teaching golf lessons at the age of 16 as part of some service hours he needed to complete for Confirmation.

“Every year since then, I’ve either been involved in junior golf or instruction,” he says. “So basically, for the last 30 years, I’ve been teaching in one form or another.”

Zedrick is known for the many unique ways that he teaches his students. With junior high through adult students, for example, he utilizes the golf simulators at Gray Eagle to help sharpen their skills.

“We have three simulators at Gray Eagle, so every week we’ll play nine holes on the simulator,” he says. “They keep a very detailed scorecard that’s filled with lots of stats, and the following week we pick the lowest hanging fruit to work on.”

With students junior high and younger, Zedrick uses another innovative technique associated with Discover Golf to keep things engaging.

“You know the culture of today’s younger people — most of them are gamers of some sort,” he says. “Every game we play is ‘golf-ish,’ but every game has an element of chance and an element of randomness built into the game.”

These games help Zedrick keep students interested even if they’re brand new to golf.

“Every game is going to cater towards the kid that’s very good but also the kid who has never played golf and maybe doesn’t even want to be there,” Zedrick says. “There are going to be three to five unique choices that will need to be made throughout the game strategy-wise, kind of like playing Monopoly. It’s not just giving them a golf experience — it’s giving them a great experience as a whole.”

Whether he’s instructing an experienced adult or a teenage novice, Michael Zedrick truly finds joy in teaching people how to golf.

“I really do enjoy helping people,” he adds. “Somebody might shoot me an email and say, ‘Hey, I made my first hole-in-one, or I just broke 90 for the first time.’ It’s just those little things that are an affirmation of what I do.”

To learn more about the various courses that Zedrick offers and upcoming golf camps, visit MZ3Golf.com or call 217-304-4964 for more information. Look for his golf tips in subsequent issues of this magazine.

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