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TASTE OF HISTORY: RAY’S DRIVE-IN HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME Inside Ray’s Drive-In late on a winter afternoon, the sun lazily creeps through the pickup counter window, bearing silent witness to conversations that have taken place at this location for more than seven decades.
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Taste of History: Ray’s Drive-In Has 18 Stood the Test of Time Women In Business: Meet Some of Kokomo’s Top Business women
13 On The Table: Anomalous
Concepts Crafts Custom Bar & Pub Tables
14 Women Making A Difference: Meet
Gold Fever: Three Generations of Women Own & Operate Successful Jewelry Store 30-Plus Years & Counting
22 Pets About Town 23 Crossword 24 Kokomo February Events
Some of Kokomo’s Women Who are Making a Difference
4 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2020 / atKokomo.com
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• Knee Injuries
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TASTE OF HISTORY Ray’s Drive-In Has Stood the Test of Time Writer / Derek Fisher Photographer / Jim Hunt
Inside Ray’s Drive-In late on a winter afternoon, the sun lazily creeps through the pick-up counter window, bearing silent witness to conversations that have taken place at this location for more than seven decades. There is a voice behind the counter asking a patron about his usual meal. There is goodnatured banter in front of the counter about receiving proper change. There are smiles and good smells, but most of all there is familiarity. Since 1947 Kokomo has become very familiar with Ray’s Drive-In. Always tasty and always affordable, Ray’s has occupied
the same sliver of property between Courtland Avenue and Davis Road on the city’s north side since the Truman administration. Steve Waddell, who purchased Ray’s in 1987 and continues his stewardship today, will begin his thirty-fourth year at the helm of Kokomo’s slice of Americana on February 1. Waddell, much like the restaurant he has overseen for more than a generation, is efficient and to the point. When asked about the genesis of his ownership, he skips the extras in favor of the essentials. “I was in the beer distribution business,” he says. “(My company) was having some hard times and didn’t look like they were going to be there long term. I knew the guys who owned Ray’s at the time. They sold it, then atKokomo.com / FEBRUARY 2020 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / 7
had to take it back, but had other businesses and didn’t want to be there. I talked to them and borrowed money off my cousin to get started off. A month later, I had a turnkey deal and was in business whether I wanted to be or not.” Originally opened by Clyde Ray about 40 years before Waddell’s acquisition, Ray’s Drive-In began as solely that - a drive-in. Ray constructed two log cabins along Davis Road, and the southernmost cabin became the business. In 1965 the cabin burned. Ray rebuilt in its footprint before selling to Waddell’s predecessors, who then erected the dining room addition that houses customers today. At present Ray’s still functions as a carhop concept, but it is inside the dining room
where clues to the charming, stoneand-wood building’s recipe for success are found. Along two walls plaque after plaque hang, each commemorating another year’s victory in a local bestof competition. The subject matter? Tenderloins. “That’s definitely our most popular item,” says Waddell of the King Tenderloin, a serving-tray-sized hunk of breaded pork that makes a normal hamburger look like a silver dollar. “Indiana likes pork. The King Tenderloin is made in-house. We buy pork loin locally from White’s Meat Market, and cube it, beat it and bread it ourselves. It’s the size and the taste that people love. They eat up tenderloins like they’re going out of style.”
MORE SOAKED MOMENTS ARE MADE ON MOHAWK
As popular as the King Tenderloin might be, any restaurant can make a novelty item. According to Waddell, the reasons behind Ray’s longevity in the Kokomo community are, as expected, a little more on the logical side. “Like any restaurant, the key to making it this long is good food, priced reasonably,” he says. “Take care of the customers, good service - that’s what people like.”
Retailer Name & Logo 931 South • www.McCools.com
Next to Harley-Davidson Kokomo Kokomo’s Largest Flooring Store Locations in Kokomo, Carmel & Avon
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Waddell is at Ray’s by 5:30 a.m. every morning opening up, running the front line, making deliveries and doing everything else an owner and operator must do. He says that kind of presence is crucial to being successful in his line of work. “You have to be there,” he says. “If you’re in the restaurant business, you can’t buy it and have someone else run it. You have
got to be there basically all the time. I probably do more work now than when I first bought it.” The longevity surrounding Ray’s doesn’t stop with its 70-plus years in Kokomo, or even with Waddell’s long tenure. In addition to the faces that have become Ray’s regulars over the years, Waddell has seen precious few employees leave. A handful of workers have between 20 and 25 years under their belts at Ray’s, and one waitress actually predates Waddell’s ownership - she works both the breakfast and lunch shifts daily. Of course, not everything has been roses for Ray’s. Kokomo’s dining options have grown by leaps and bounds since 1987, and Waddell counts Golden Corral and Cracker Barrel specifically as competitors. He says advertising hasn’t changed much in his time, but costs passed along to customers due to inflation have. Early this winter ground beef prices shot up $.50 per pound, necessitating a Ray’s menu change - something Waddell tries to do only once every two years.
home is where the heart is
At 65, Waddell has not lived in a time in which Ray’s was absent from the Kokomo landscape. “I’m in good health and I don’t have any issues that I know of,” he says. “Selling, as far as the restaurant business goes, is not easy. I hope I don’t pass away inside Ray’s, but I’m probably going to be there until the end.” Ray’s Drive-In is located at 1900 North Courtland Avenue in Kokomo. For more info call 765-452-3625.
414 North Main Street • Kokomo, IN • 765-271-6875 atKokomo.com / FEBRUARY 2020 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / 9
MEET SOME OF KOKOMO’S TOP BUSINESS WOMEN
AIMEE ROMERO VP. Branch Manager of Ruoff Mortgage I was born and raised in Greentown, where my family still lives and my 90-year-old grandparents still farm today. I graduated from Eastern High School and Indiana University Kokomo. I choose to work in Kokomo to try and make a difference in the lives of people here locally. We are family. “With every closing, we’re opening doors.”
HEATHER JOHNSON Co-Owner of American Tool and Party Rental I graduated from Logansport High School and DePauw University. I’m grateful to my parents for the work ethic they instilled in my brothers and me, who I am blessed to work with on a daily basis.
TARA GALLES MS, OTR Owner of You’re in CONTROL! As a mother of four children and fitness enthusiast, I understand what it’s like to be a pelvic rehab patient. www.youreincontrol.com.
DEE DEE ZECK Co-Owner of North Central Outdoor Power On February 6, Dee Dee and I will celebrate 32 years of marriage and I can assure you that she has been the rock in both our family and our business. She found out in 2007 (while on Spring Break with our girls) that she was in the lawnmower business and she’s been all-in ever since! Words can’t express how blessed we all are to have her. Brad Zeck
KIM TRACY Co-Owner All Pro Plumbing My husband Terry & I have worked sideby-side for almost 30 years now and I still learn something new every day. I love being part of Team All-Pro where I have the opportunity to help people find the solutions they need!
NENA BRONIAK Owner of Nena’s Sassy Girl Boutique I was born in Kokomo, went to Haworth High School and was most influenced by Mr. Steve Daily. I love meeting ladies and helping them pick the right lipsticks and clothing. I give to the women’s domestic shelter, Cam and Urban Outreach, but I’d say the Alzheimers Association and We Care are most near and dear to me. In 2020 I hope to take my business to a new level in women’s clothing.
10 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2020 / atKokomo.com
At The White Bungalow 906 S MAIN STREET KOKOMO, IN 46901
765-271-5774
CAROL WILLS Owner of Hawg Heaven I graduated from Kokomo High School in 1976. I think the teacher that had the most influence on my life was Mr. Cooper, distributive education. The Kokomo Rescue Mission is near and dear to my heart. They helped my mom when I was very young and she was struggling with three little girls. My mom was always my inspiration and her hard work to support five kids, sometimes working three jobs makes me the strong woman I am today. I ride motorcycles with a women’s group called the Motor Maids. They’ve been around since 1940. I’ve been a member for 16 years. My personal goal for 2020 is to share my blessings and remember that we are all in this together.
NICCI PERKINS Owner of Custom Moves Real Estate I graduated from Eastern High School. Kokomo is home! I moved away after high school, but came back home to raise my children. I love taking my grandchildren to Jackson Morrow Park, to the movies and to the City of Firsts Adventure Park. They also really enjoy Gravity Jump and Jackrabbits games. I love charity work in general. I always want to help whenever I can. But I would have to say my favorites are We Care and Habitat for Humanity. We Care because it helps so many children and is such a shining beacon at how wonderful our community truly is! And Habitat because it plays into my strong belief that owning a home changes people’s lives for the better and creates a strong community. If we all do our part, good will always prevail!
ALICIA SHERRELL Owner of Kokomo Olive Bringing Kokomo Olive to Kokomo has been a goal of mine for many years and it feels great to be at this point, with promising growth from the opening on Halloween, 2019, to current. I look forward to bringing something extraordinary and unique to our community and a destination place for people outside of Kokomo to come enjoy the offerings at the shop, such as the Premium Olive Oil and Premium Balsamic Vinegars, Bulk Coffee, Luxury Bath products, and Unique Kitchen Gadgets. I love that Kokomo has grown, in spite of some unexpected growing pains, we as a community have grown together.
RUTH CALDWELL Co-Owner of Caldwell Monument Company I have been married to Troy Caldwell for more than 32 years. We have three daughters, two sons-in-law and one very loved granddaughter. My husband and I joke about one of our earlier dates when I helped dig a foundation hole in a cemetery. I am the Miami County Local Chairman for the national Distinguished Young Woman Scholarship Program, (formerly known as Junior Miss) the oldest and largest scholarship program for high school girls. I also help at the state level that is held in Kokomo in February.
JENNIFER LUCAS WILLIAMS Co-Owner of Moore’s Pie Shop What I love most about Kokomo is how we all come together as a community for important causes and those in need. Personally Open Arms is near and dear to me because I believe everyone deserves a second chance. I graduated from KHS and would have to say Mrs. Graham, my fifth-grade teacher at Maple Crest had the biggest impact on me. My mom and dad are both very independent, hard-working parents. I definitely get my work ethic from them.
MISSY JACKSON Remax Realty One I love being a realtor because of the people. I just love people. I love helping people reach their goals. Kokomo is a very supportive community as a whole. I love that. I’ve been married to Reed for 10 years. Together we have six kids. You’ll find us at a Jackrabbits game in the summer. We love to take in dinner and a movie too. Reed has been my rock and support in my career. Seven years ago we began this journey and I look forward to seeing how I can help people make their dreams come true.
atKokomo.com / FEBRUARY 2020 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / 11
JILL EVERS Owner UPS Store I grew up in Cedar Falls, Iowa and have lived in Kokomo since 1994. I opened the first UPS Store in 1999, second in 2004 and in 2019 purchased the Marion location. Kokomo is a great community. The changes and improvements in the past 20 years have given us a strong start to continued growth and prosperity. I am excited to see Kokomo continue to be a desirable community to live and raise a family.
ANGIE ROE Broker/Owner of Heartland Real Estate I have the wonderful opportunity to help people find or sell their home. The place that will or has provided shelter, a gathering place for making memories and provides refuge and sanctuary from the outside world. Buying a home is the largest investment most people will make in their lives and it’s a privilege to be trusted with such an important aspect of my clients’ lives. Kokomo has been my home all my life. Kokomo is a fantastic place to call HOME.
WHITNEY WRIGHT Assistant Branch Manager for Community First Bank of Indiana (Hoffer Street location.)
As a resident of Kokomo with my husband and two children, I enjoy spending time with my family, baking and reading. One of my favorite things is growing relationships in our community. I have enjoyed working closely with Kokomo Urban Outreach, participating in several local fundraising walks, and I especially have loved working the last several years as an Aquatic Instructor at the YMCA. *Whitney is the 2019 winner for the “Best of Kokomo” award as the “Best Bank Teller”.
DEB COPELAND Owner of Big Ben Coffee My husband and I started our first business(The White Lily Flower Shop), in 2001. We started a business to help shape the work ethic of our four children. Within a year and a half we open Big Ben Coffee in three locations. In 2009 we opened ATEAM Restoration. We contribute the success of our businesses to our very awesome kids, loyal employees, many very kind customers, and A LOT of answered prayer.
KATE RICE Owner of Rice Realty
I went to high school in Lafayette Louisiana, moved around over the years but have lived in Indiana for 18 years and Kokomo is definitely home for the last 6 years and my favorite. I love the family atmosphere that we have with all of the parks and walking trails. My favorite local Kokomo restaurant would have to be Mi Familia and Pastariffic. My 8th grade teacher Mrs. Corbello made the most impact in my life. She was my first teacher after moving from Texas to Louisiana after my mom passed away in 1993. She cared about me as a person and she was just a great person and educator. My goals for 2020 is to make Rice Realty a well known name in Real Estate, while serving the needs of my clients and raising my daughter Kylee with my husband Lance. 12 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2020 / atKokomo.com
SHARON REED Owner of Esther’s Place Boutique The best part of working for my company is that I meet new people. Not just local people, but people who are visiting or passing through that have googled my business. Also I get to meet people who are new to Kokomo for the same reason. I love working with the women to give them an opportunity to try a new look. I want them to feel like the Queen they are! The person that inspired me to the most to help get where I am today is Jesus Christ my Savior. The thing I love most about Kokomo is the way the non-profits work together to help people.
On the Table
Anomalous Concepts Crafts Custom Bar & Pub Tables
Owner Tonya Byrum
“The tables are three feet tall and 24 inches in diameter,” she says.
Writer / Julie Yates Photographer / Heidi Pruitt
Those acquainted with longtime Peru resident Tonya Byrum know that she isn’t interested in sitting still. Even though she works outside the home and is the mother of two sons, she’s always coming up with unique, creative ideas. Her latest endeavor is Anomalous Concepts, which produces custom bar and pub tables from reclaimed wine and whiskey barrels. “I’ve been interested in crafting for years,” Byrum says. “I like to do creative, out-of-the-box concepts that no one else is doing.” According to the Anomalous Concepts Facebook page, the definition of the word anomalous is as follows: “Deviating from a general rule, method or analogy: abnormal; irregular.” The tables produced by Byrum reflect that description. Each one is unique with astonishing detail. “It takes me a week to make one,” Byrum says of her tables. “First I sand and put the first of five layers of epoxy on. I use a blowtorch on the barrel between the application of each layer. It warms up the resin, making air bubbles pop and gives the barrel a smooth, extremely durable surface.” Byrum also uses her blowtorch to burnish antique horseshoes, nail ends and even the barrels themselves. The process gives the metal pieces a rainbow hue and darkens the wood of the barrels. Sometimes she tapes off sections to spray paint the exposed barrel surfaces. She then creates unique, multidimensional designs on the barrels.
“Some parts of designs involve tiny nail art pieces that I have to put on with tweezers. I find other decorative items from Vendor City Flea Market, Rural King and Family Farm and Home. I found a supplier in Tipton for used wine and Jim Beam barrels.” Byrum says the sky is the limit on her table designs. “I can personalize the tables with initials, or kids’ names on game boards such as Scrabble,” she says. “Some designs I’ve made have intricate gears or a motorcycle motif including emblems. These tables have a rustic, cozy look and are great in a man cave or at the end of a couch. A glass topper can be used to extend the diameter to 54 inches.” Byrum is also known for the diverse and different jams and jellies she cans. Not content with making regular flavors, her Butter Rum Peach is famous among her family and friends. Other unique flavors that she produces are Piña Colada, Monkey Butter and Cantaloupe Vanilla. Word gets out through Facebook posts that these delicious treats are ready for distribution. “I’d like to do farmers market events in the future,” Byrum says. “I was at the Russiaville Craft Fair in October. People can phone, email me or get in touch with me on Facebook. I’m really proud of the tables and I stand behind my product. There is nothing out there quite like it. It’s all about the details.” For more info on Anomalous Concepts, call 765-210-6407 or send an email to anomalous.concepts2019@gmail.com.
atKokomo.com / FEBRUARY 2020 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / 13
MEET SOME OF KOKOMO’S WOMEN WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
425 W. Defenbaugh St Winter Hours:
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Nicole Mundy 9th & 11th Grade Engilish at Kokomo High School
Adrienne Partow Market Manager of Kokomo
Angie Bowman Family Nurse Practitioner at
Kylie Young 3rd Grade teacher at Western Intermediate
Angela Host President Angels For Kids, Volunteer SpecIal Olympics Polar Plunge
Wendy Grice Director of Music and Choir at IUK
Tracy Martino Executive Director of Family Service
Jessica Ronk Oliver Volleyball Coach at Western
Becky Varnell President of WeCare
Cat Eason-Gray Founder of Pay It Forward
UAW local 685 Womens Committee
Jamey Henderson Executive Director of Samaritan
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Jennifer Daily Residential Nurse for Bona Vista
3| February 1
9 a.m. - 6
Celena Hawk Kokomo School System various grades
p.m.
Lydia Standish Elementary Developmental Preschool Teacher at Elwood Haynes
Sarah Church Kindergarten teacher at Elwood
Haynes
Save the date for Express Enrollment Day on February 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at our Kokomo campus, 1815 E Morgan St.
Tera Pollard Second Grade teacher at Wallace School of Integrated Arts
On Express Enrollment Day you can learn about assessment, register for classes, and get all your questions answered.
Tricia Foster Harlow PE All Inclusive Playground at Western Primary
RSVP for Express Enrollment Day today at IvyTech.edu/eeday.
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Gold Fever Three Generations of Women Own & Operate Successful Jewelry Store 30-Plus Years & Counting Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided
More than three decades ago, Cleta Hunt and her husband lived in St. Thomas Virgin Islands where they managed a business. After moving to Kokomo, Cleta chose to open a jewelry shop because her brother was a wholesaler and was able to access and buy large amounts of jewelry from suppliers. “He went to Italy and bought chains, so initially we mainly bought gold,” explains Cleta, who opened Gold Fever in 1986. The
jewelry store was located in a small shop on S. Main Street though they outgrew that store within a year and moved to their current location on S. Apperson Way. Serving Logansport, Peru, Marion, Tipton, Greentown, Russiaville, Sharpsville and surrounding areas, it is a family-run business that purposely was not named after the family.
bank,” says Cleta, who learned a lot about determination from her dad. “So often people are afraid to go out on their own, but you can only try. If you fail, try something else.”
“So often families retire and then you have a business with a family name tied to it even though it’s no longer owned by that family. That always seemed silly to me,” Cleta says. “Plus, at the time, we mostly sold 14k, 18k, and 24k gold so we thought Gold Fever was appropriate.” (They later got into diamonds, platinum, silver and more.)
“That was probably the first formal schooling any of us had,” remarks Cleta, whose daughter, Lesley Cannon, started helping out in the store when she was 12 years old;. She began working there full-time at age 18. Cleta’s son, Jason — also a jeweler — started his own store in Hamilton County.
Cleta primarily learned about the jewelry business through personal experience, but she also took the GIA appraisal course so she could appraise jewelry.
“That left just the women here,” Cleta says.
Cleta’s entrepreneurial father helped pave the way for her vision.
One of those women is Lesley’s daughter, Aleysha, who first started running around the store at age 2 trying to sell diamonds to customers. Though Aleysha was an adorable “toddler salesman,” she initially planned
“He was a builder who built 100 homes a year. He also owned a motorcycle shop and a coal mine. He even started his own
Let me help you fall in love with your new home
Use your
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Aimee Romero VP, Branch Manager
NMLS: 452032 2038 S Reed Rd, Kokomo, IN 46902
Kate Rice
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2020 E. Boulevard 765-252-3252
kokomokate@gmail.com
765.860.1084
aimee.romero@ruoff.com Ruoff Mortgage Company, Inc., d/b/a Ruoff Home Mortgage, is an Indiana corporation. For complete licensing information visit: http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/EntityDetails. aspx/COMPANY/141868. This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. All loans must satisfy company underwriting guidelines. Information and pricing are subject to change at any time and without notice. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #141868. 01012020
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to pursue a career in the dental field. The summer after graduating from high school, however, Aleysha (now 20), worked at the store part-time and found she really liked it. So, the family sent her to the GIA school in Carlsbad, California. She is both a graduate bench jeweler and also a graduate master diamond grader. Lesley, who has 28 years of jewelry experience, primarily runs the business now as Cleta considers herself semiretired, living six months of the year in Vero Beach, Florida. This three-generation women-run business caters to three generations of loyal customers.
Available to anyone in Howard and Tipton counties
“We have long-time customers who are now grandparents and their children and grandchildren also buy from us,” Cleta says. “Our customers are our friends.” As is the case with all friendships, they blossom as a result of trust and time. “They know we’re going to do good work for them and always treat them fairly,” Cleta says. “One of our main focuses is not the selling but the service.” They repair jewelry when it gets broken and clean it when it gets dull and dingy. In addition, one thing that people like about Gold Fever is that they can trade in old jewelry that they don’t wear anymore for something new. This includes rings, necklaces, even silver and gold coins — anything in the precious metals. “We’ll take any fine jewelry on trade so they can upgrade or get something they like,” Cleta says.
Celebrating 81 years serving Kokomo 765-459-0758 | www.coffcu.org 1120 South Main Street, Kokomo, IN 46902 atKokomo.com / FEBRUARY 2020 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / 19
Gold Fever also has an online presence on eBay where they keep more than 3,000 pieces of fine jewelry, including rings, necklaces, bracelets and Rolexes, listed at all times. It was an idea borne from Lesley because they took so much jewelry on trade and didn’t have the room to showcase the items in the store. “You either melt them down — and they’re too pretty to melt — or you set them in a drawer and do nothing with them,” Cleta says. “This is a much better way to handle overflow.” Their online superstore ships every week to all over the world, including Europe, Australia and Canada. Cleta maintains that the most important part of running a successful business is hiring honest, smart, personable employees. “Everyone who works here pitches in. Not one of us is immune to emptying the trash or cleaning the bathroom. We work together as a team,” says Cleta, noting that
each of their six employees has been with them for a long time. She recognizes, of course, that business ownership is different now than it was when the store first opened.
the work.
“Mainly it’s the volume,” she says. “We went from selling $100,000 a year to $2M. We have a lot of inventory and it’s much more time-consuming.”
Technology has also evolved. For instance, the owners purchased a diamond tester and a laser welder.
Years ago, however, they employed just two people. That’s back when they hand-wrote their ledgers.
“In times past, jewelers could only use torches to solder with gold,” Cleta says. “That laser welder was the best investment we ever made because now we can get a clean weld.”
“We would be closed one day a week because it would take me a whole day to do all the paperwork. I’d have to look in every book to see what the federal withholding was and then go to the state book and look on the charts,” Cleta says.
01
m/3814
brochuringcopyingboxingdirect-mailing deliveringdesigninglaminatingflyering Dixon Square Boulevard Crossing Collins Plaza 120 N Dixon Rd. 2114 E Boulevard 1301 S Baldwin Ave returningshreddingfreightingreceiving Kokomo, IN 46901 Kokomo, IN 46902 Marion, IN 46953 supplyingconsultingstoringpacking 765.452.2494 765.457.6745 765.573.5430 theupsstore.com/3814 theupsstore.com/4998 theupsstore.com/6808 expertingbanneringsortingcushioning Boulevard Crossing Collins Plaza 2114 E Boulevard Kokomo, IN 46902 765.457.6745 theupsstore.com/4998
ard Crossing Dixon Square 120 N Dixon Rd. Boulevard Kokomo, IN 46901 765.452.2494 o, IN 46902 theupsstore.com/3814 7.6745 store.com/4998
1301 S Baldwin Ave Marion, IN 46953 765.573.5430 theupsstore.com/6808
Collins Plaza Collins Plaza 1301 Ave S Baldwin Ave 1301 S Baldwin Marion, IN 46953 765.573.5430 Marion, IN 46953 theupsstore.com/6808 765.573.5430 theupsstore.com/6808
Boulevard Crossing 2114 E Boulevard Kokomo, IN 46902 765.457.6745 theupsstore.com/4998
As they look to the future, these women are eager to continue serving their content customers. “One of the best parts of working at a jewelry store — the customers are always so happy,” Cleta says.
Her mom, Louise Edlin, who kept the books for her dad’s construction business, helped her set up her bookkeeping and when Cleta got behind on paperwork, she would help her catch up. Through the years, all that has changed as computer programs do much of
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“Now it only takes me 10 minutes to do payroll,” Cleta says.
Gold Fever is located at 1027 S. Apperson Way in Kokomo. For more information, call 765-459-4311 or visit them online at goldfeverinc.com.
Stained Glass • Jewelry Incense • Candles Metaphysicals Essential & Aroma Oils Gemstone Magic & Massage Wands Books (New & Used) • Journals Singing Bowls • Teas & Herbs
206 N. Buckeye St
Historic Downtown Kokomo Tues-Fri: 10am-5pm • Sat: 10am-2pm
Closed Sunday and Monday
765.457.7700
20 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2020 / atKokomo.com
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OVER 35 Different Kinds of Homemade Pies
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765-271-5774
765-438-2781 918 S. MAIN ST. KOKOMO, IN 46901 atKokomo.com / FEBRUARY 2020 / KOKOMO MAGAZINE / 21
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“Welcome Home”
KOKOMO February Events 1-2
7
Kokomo Event & Conference Center; Hours: Sat. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Admission $5; Children ages 12 & under free.
Guests will be treated to movie-themed events, contests and treats; Movie star selfie stands and video art; Downtown Kokomo; 5:30-9:00 p.m.; Free, self-guided arts tour in the Downtown District; For a full list of activities, call 765-457-5301 or visit www. firstfridaykokomo.com.
Central Indiana Gun & Knife Show
2
1st Annual Prompalooza
Prom fashions and style show; Celebrations Banquet & Conference Facility; 1-4 p.m.; Meet vendors for photography options, floral designs, makeup and hair styles; Free entry with registration.
5
Intern Curated Exhibition
IU Kokomo Art Gallery; Exhibit continues through March 6; Hours: Monday 10 a.m. –2 p.m., Tuesday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. & Saturday Noon-4 p.m.; Free admission; Visit www.iuk.edu/gallery.
7
J. Edwards Gourmet presents Chocolate Celebration
Kokomo First Church of the Nazarene; 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Free admission; Tickets 3 for $10; Tickets can be redeemed for a chocolate item of your choice; Call Samaritan Caregivers, 765-453-7611.
First Friday “Movie Night”
7-8
Father Daughter Sweetheart Ball
Dinner, dancing & craft activity; Celebrations Banquet; Conference Facility; 6-9 p.m.; Tickets available at www. sweetheartball.net.
8
22
Kokomo Symphony Orchestra presents Broadway Classics of Rodgers & Hammerstein
IU Kokomo Havens Auditorium;7 p.m.; Kokomo Civic Theatre singers add to the performance; Selections include music from Oklahoma, Carousel,The King and I, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music; For tickets, call 765-236-0251 or visit www.kokomosyphony.net.
22
Mardi Gras Main Street Masquerade
Kokomo Artworks Gallery; 7-11 p.m.; Costume contest, live music & dance, New Orleans cuisine and cocktails; Tickets $35; Visit www.kaaonline.org.
Valentine’s Gala hosted by Preserve Marriage Ministry
29
8
6-9 p.m.; Enjoy music and dance performances by students, international dinner, live and silent auctions, and have the opportunity to meet our international students and Kokomo students who have traveled abroad.
Kokomo Event & Conference Center; 6 p.m.; $50 per couple; semiformal dinner with live music, photos and silent auction. For tickets, visit www.preservemarriages. com/valentines-gala.
Walk a Mile in My Shoes Annual Winter Walk Fundraiser
Downtown Kokomo; One mile walk from Kokomo Rescue Mission Headquarters to Open Arms; 8-10:30 a.m.; Call 765-456-3838
COMMUNITY HOWARD HOSPITAL 1230 WEST JEFFERSON STREET (DRIVE THRU)
765-457-9530
Central Middle International School Art Gala