Kokomo Magazine December 2021 by Towne Post Network, Inc.

MAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2021

Crosses Count

CROSS AMERICA FOUNDER TERRY MERRELL TALKS MISSION BETTER BARNS CUSTOM BUILT BARNS IS POWERED BY FAMILY SOMETHING SWEET CUSTOMERS ARE FAMILY AT JAMIE’S SODA FOUNTAIN

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IN THIS ISSUE

Custom Built Barns is Powered by Family

BETTER BARNS

Scan the QR code to see this magazine’s real-time reach and distribution numbers.

Customers are Family at Jamie’s Soda Fountain

#SPOTLIGHTINGLOCAL FOR FRANCHISE INFORMATION, VISIT franchising.townepost.com

DECEMBER WORD SEARCH

CROSSES COUNT

Cross America Founder Terry Merrell Talks Mission

CLEAR SUCCESS

The House of Glass Has a Rich Local History

DECEMBER PUZZLES

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SOMETHING SWEET

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REAL-TIME ANALYTICS

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BETTER BARNS CUSTOM BUILT BARNS IS POWERED BY FAMILY

Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Jason Graves

Renee McGinnis with Custom Built Barns in Kokomo says the business is a true family operation.

“My brother is Ray Bass, and he is the owner,” McGinnis says. “Our dad, Johnny, started the business in 1975, and Ray has always worked here. I have been here for 24 years. Our father passed away in 2015, so we are trying to make him proud.”

TownePost.com / DECEMBER 2021 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / 7

It’s a goal that keeps McGinnis and Bass moving in the right direction. “Times have changed so much that we have had to change with them,” McGinnis says. “We now get our barns from an Amish family in LaGrange, Indiana.”

The employees at Custom Built Barns pick up the barns and deliver them to their customers already finished. “We used to build barns, but getting good help is hard so we just adjusted,” she says. Bass now delivers new barns, and he also moves existing barns for customers. “I sell the barns, do other things and take care of the office,” McGinnis says. “We also have my nephew, Ray’s son Johnny, that works here. He builds on location when it’s needed. He also replaces barn doors that are in need of it, builds our ramps, and helps his dad on deliveries when needed.” McGinnis also sells Amish wood furniture. “We have swings, A-frames, chairs and gliders usually in stock,” she says. “The furniture is very heavy duty and will last for years.” McGinnis also sells American steel carports. “Carports can just be a canopy for your

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vehicle, or we can enclose one to make a garage out of it,” McGinnis says. McGinnis enjoys her job, and thoroughly loves the business she is in. “I love everything about my job,” she says. “I really do have the best job around. I get to meet new people every day. Ray gets to go to different places daily, so nothing is the same for us day after day. I have been here for a long time, and I still love going to work.” McGinnis especially enjoys working with her customers. “I have the best customers, and I always make new friends from my job,” she says. “Some customers still come to see me just to say hi, or bring me homemade treats. I honestly think working with my brother is what makes my job even better. We have a great relationship and we work well together. We do our best to make our customers happy and become our friends.” When McGinnis isn’t working, she loves spending time with her big family. “I have been married for 28 years, with four grown kids and four grandchildren,” McGinnis says. “Ray has been married 43 years with three grown kids and seven grandchildren.” For more information about Custom Built Barns, located at 2312 North Plate Street in Kokomo, call 765-457-9037 or visit cbbarns.com.

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Something Sweet

CUSTOMERS ARE FAMILY AT JAMIE’S SODA FOUNTAIN

is tickled when young kids come in and sample an old-fashioned drink called the Green River, which is made of lime syrup and carbonated water.

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Jason Graves

For 36 years, Terri Lucas and her dad Jim Whited owned and operated Jamie’s Soda Fountain, named after Whited’s two grandchildren Jason and Michelle combining “Ja” from Jason and “Mi” from Michelle. When Whited passed away in December of 2018, Lucas wasn’t sure if she had it in her to keep the business going. Ultimately, however, it was the community support that prompted her to keep the doors open. She now runs the beloved establishment with the help of Beth Cain (her cousin on her dad’s side), Kylee Pitner (her cousin on her mom’s side), and her husband Jimmy. Customers come for the old-fashioned, hand-pumped fountain Cokes - especially the marshmallow and vanilla flavors. Sometimes they try other flavors. Lucas

“They try it and rave about this new drink,” Lucas says. “I don’t have the heart to burst their bubble and tell them how long the drink has been around.” People also love the breaded tenderloin, along with the homemade ham salad and egg salad, which Lucas makes fresh daily. What draws customers to Jamie’s Soda Fountain most, however, is Lucas herself, because she not only serves great food and drinks, but also great love and respect. Like her dad, Lucas is devoted to the community, donating her time and money to organizations like We Care and Toys for Tots. “I like helping any organization that has to do with children,” Lucas says. Each holiday season, she invites customers to drop off a new, unwrapped toy, and in exchange they get a $5 gift certificate and a free large drink. In December of 2019 the

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staff filled up five boxes. Lucas also gives a lot of gift certificates to local organizations for kids, and has helped with the BobKats this year by not charging them for their meals. She also refuses to let a veteran pay for a meal - ever. This includes military, police and first responders. “I feel that they put their lives on the line,” Lucas says. “Feeding them for free is the least I can do to thank them.” Sometimes these customers try to refuse the hospitality, but Lucas won’t hear of it. As times got tough for restaurants during the pandemic and Lucas was forced to close the dining room for a stretch of time, customers made sure Lucas knew how much they appreciated her by rallying around her. They regularly ordered takeout. Some loyal patrons frequented the establishment daily. In addition, one of them set up a GoFundMe account to help keep her afloat. Lucas was touched by their allegiance. She thinks of her customers as family. A handful of them have keys to the building. One of

them comes in early in the morning to fill her ice. Two other people always replace the Coke boxes that are too heavy for Lucas, Cain and Pitner to lift. Customers also take out the trash and supply Lucas with their phone numbers. “They tell me, ‘If you need anything, call us and we’ll be here,’ and they are,” Lucas says. After his bride of 72 years passed away, a customer named Bernie continued to come to Jamie’s Soda Fountain to be nourished by food, fellowship and free hugs. “After his wife died, Bernie handed me a Coca-Cola bear that belonged to her,” Lucas says.

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“She would want you to have it,” Bernie said at the time. Lucas put the bear on the dining room shelf so that Bernie can see it whenever he comes in, which is usually three times per week for a meal and a hug. Lucas has a Christmas tree up year round, which she decorates for different holidays. On the top she keeps the angel her mom gave her. Lucas not only loves people, but she also has a soft spot for animals. In fact, Jimmy says there is no creature that crosses her path that doesn’t get fed. That may be true - just ask the woodchuck, affectionately named Woody, who has lived beneath their shed for the past four years.

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“I throw corn out there for him and he’ll get on the roof of the shed to eat it,” Lucas says. “We have a huge acorn tree in our backyard and when it produces, he eats what the squirrels don’t eat when they crack them open. It works for me. It clears up the yard before I have to mow.” Though friends have warned her that it’s not a good idea to let a woodchuck enjoy squatter’s rights beneath a wooden shed, she assures them that he doesn’t eat wood. “Believe me, I’ve researched it,” says Lucas, who also has pets of her own

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including cats, which she inherited after her mom passed away. “Having pets makes me laugh. I can have a really rotten day and I’ll go home, and they’ll do something funny to get the grumpiness out of me.” Lucas doesn’t spend much of her time in grumpy mode, and that’s intentional. As she has navigated her way through life, she has learned lessons that took a while to sink in. One of those lessons is to not worry about what you can’t control. “I say enjoy life because you don’t know how long it will last,” Lucas says. “That lesson really hit home when my grandson Ethan died when he was only three days old.” Losing her mother seven years ago was also gut-wrenching. She was in a car with her mom when suddenly her mom suffered a massive heart attack. Now, any chance she gets, she encourages kids to regularly tell their parents that they love them. “I just want people to realize that if your parents are still here, say those words,” Lucas says. “You’ll be glad you did.” When her father died nearly three years ago, it hit her that his death meant that she represents the oldest generation in the family.

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“That’s a strange feeling,” Lucas says. “All I know is that life is precious. Be serious when you have to be, but otherwise have fun.” Jamie’s Soda Fountain is located at 307 North Main Street in Kokomo. For more information, call 765-459-5552 or visit jamiessodafountain.com.

Crosses Count

CROSS AMERICA FOUNDER TERRY MERRELL TALKS MISSION Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Jason Graves

For several years, Terry Merrell says he felt a clear, strong calling from God to go out and complete the Great Commission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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The idea was to send a cross and card of salvation out to every home in America. To him it sounded like a crazy idea. He wondered if it would be possible, how he would begin, and if it would truly make a difference.

Those questions plagued him at first. However, he says the Holy Spirit encourages people to go tell others, not to convert others. Ultimately, Merrell simply couldn’t shake the feeling that this task is what he was called to do. When he asked his wife Nieta her opinion, she said, “If you feel led to do this, you should.” With his wife’s unwavering support, he stopped worrying about what others might think. Once Merrell fully fell into steadfast faith, he says God surrounded him and Nieta with others who shared their passion. “We discovered there was a great thirst for people who want to carry out the Great Commission,” Merrell says. “Not everyone can be a missionary and go overseas, but there are so many people who want to do

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something and make a difference.” The Merrells founded Cross America Community Center in March of 2018. When it opened the staff initially bought 20,000 cards and crosses, thinking that would last a couple of months. In two days they ran out.

from the Bible stamped on the back of them. The passage runs as follows, according to the New International Version of the Bible: “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Merrell found a man in Oregon to make the crosses, and upon receiving the first batch, “We thought maybe we could package 2,000 Merrell looked at the invoice and divided the total dollar amount by the number of a week,” Merrell says. “Now, three years crosses to see how much they paid for each later, we package 2,700 crosses a day.” one. The amount came to 10.9 cents each. A retired machinist from Burlington, Indiana, Most encouraging of all is that even as currently makes the crosses for half that the newness of the mission has waned, price, saving millions of dollars over the life enthusiasm for it continues to grow. of the mission. “People like to do the work of God by using their hands,” Merrell says. “Packaging The cards, which open into the shape of a crosses can be done even if you are 90 years cross, share the salvation message. On the old, in a wheelchair and only have the use of outside they say, “People you don’t even know have prayed for you,” as before the one hand.” packages are sent out, they are prayed over. The card also includes Cross America’s The crosses, which are made out of email address, and the team invites aluminum, have the Romans 10:9 passage

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shared how their son had accepted Christ into his life after getting a cross in the mail. He was later involved in a fatal motorcycle accident and in his wallet was the cross, bent Merrell learned about Every Door Direct from the crash. His family was comforted by Mail from the post office. It enables nonprofits to send items, for very little cost, the knowledge that their son carried the cross to every zip code in America without having with him and had it on him when he died. entire addresses. In addition, a wife recently wrote to say her husband had been diagnosed with As the team has disseminated the crosses, they have realized a 1% success rate, which, pancreatic cancer. in a numbers world, sounds less than ideal. However, success can be defined in different “After two hard months of endless nights ways. Merrell and his team do not consider and tears, my 7- and 9-year-olds both accepted Christ into their heart after recipients mere numbers. receiving a cross in the mail,” she wrote. “If you package 100 crosses and one person’s Their father was dying, but the mother says life is affected by it, that’s a big deal,” he says. he felt peace knowing that one day he would be reunited with his girls in heaven. Every week they learn that this mission is, in Merrell’s team gets feedback from those fact, impacting lives. For instance, they got who invite Christ into their hearts, and they a call from a man who said he was on the hear from atheists as well. verge of suicide, but he asked God for a sign to reveal that he was real, and that day he “They may tell us that they are offended to received a cross in the mail. Another family recipients to reach out with any questions they may have.

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have received a cross in the mail, but we respond back and oftentimes we end up corresponding several different times, which is something that would never happen with a nonbeliever out on the street,” Merrell says. “Usually we end up agreeing to disagree, but we don’t judge them. In fact, we find that often something has happened in their past that has turned them sour, and you realize that had that happened to you, you would probably feel the same.” Merrell notes that regardless of the interaction, the people at Cross America ask the recipient to keep the cross, even if they tuck it away in a drawer. “We feel that down the road someday, they may reach for that cross,” he says. The Cross America Community Center is located at 840 Daniel Drive in Kokomo. For more information, call 765-780-3090 or visit crossamerica.net.

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