Plainfield Magazine March 2022 by Towne Post Network, Inc.

MAGAZINE

MARCH 2022

ADVOCATING AT AN EARLY AGE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLERS NOMINATED FOR LLS INDIANAPOLIS STUDENTS OF THE YEAR

EFFECTIVE SPRING CLEANING TIPS MAN WITH A PLAN

ALS Survivor Kent Dickerson Promotes Awareness About the Disease

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EFFECTIVE SPRING CLEANING TIPS

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THE ART OF POLITICAL PERSUASION

SPRING GARDENING IN MARCH MADNESS

GOLDEN YEARS

Hendricks County Senior Services Helps a Variety of Demographics

ADVOCATING AT AN EARLY AGE Local High Schoolers Nominated for LLS Indianapolis Students of the Year

MAN WITH A PLAN

ALS Survivor Kent Dickerson Promotes Awareness About the Disease KEY CONTRIBUTORS ABIGAIL HAKE / ALEX PONCE / CHRISTY HEITGER-EWING / JOHN CRANE

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Effective Spring Cleaning Tips

things you need. Make sure you’ve got your mop heads, squeegees, microfiber cloths and cleaning solutions (for carpets, bathrooms, kitchens, floors and windows). Here’s a quick top-10 cleaning supplies list for every home - a good sponge, towels, microfiber cloths, a squeegee, a bucket, a spray bottle, a scrub brush, an old toothbrush, a good broom (with a dustpan) and a good vacuum. With these you’ll be on the right path to clean surroundings for sure.

Writer / Abigail Hake Photography Provided

Clean by Room

It’s that time of year again when everyone around you is cleaning, sorting, organizing and decluttering, right? Yes, spring cleaning is a thing, and we love it because it gives us an opportunity to freshen up our home and get a head start on the coming hectic seasons we tend to have in the spring and summer. We’ve got a few tips to help you survive and dominate cleaning this spring.

Find an Ultimate Checklist

This may sound kind of funny, but lists are very helpful. You can find many different options for this on Pinterest, but find one you like. The nice thing about having an ultimate checklist is that it will get you on the right track and keep you from forgetting about areas like baseboards, vents or those pesky blinds.

Create a Schedule

Just like you might plan out meals each week, try setting up a cleaning schedule. Not only will this help you stay on top of everything much easier, but it also spreads out the work so that you aren’t letting your cleaning take over an entire day. Try doing some tasks every other day of the week, like floors on Mondays, windows on Wednesdays, bathrooms on Thursdays and laundry on Sundays. Spreading out the tasks will help you feel accomplished without feeling overwhelmed.

Have the Right Tools

Nothing is more frustrating than starting a job and not having all the

Sometimes cleaning room by room is the most effective way to deep clean. Grab that ultimate checklist from above to help you see what you need to do in each room, and remind you where you might need to spend extra time in each space. Make sure you focus on areas you may have neglected through the winter months. While in each room, take a few extra minutes to organize the spaces. Sort items into four piles as you go through - trash, give away, store, and/or put away. Get rid of the trash and give-away pile as soon as you can.

Make it Fun

When it comes to cleaning, we aren’t all made the same. While there are some people who really enjoy cleaning, there are plenty of people out there who just plain can’t stand doing it. Unfortunately, we all know it has to be done, so why not make it a little more fun by turning the music up and making it a game with the family? Blast your favorite tunes while scrubbing that toilet or mopping the floors. We all know those long handles make the best faux microphones. While cleaning isn’t always everyone’s favorite, good smells usually make us feel good. Here’s a fun little recipe for DIY garbage disposal cleaner bombs that are sure to make your kitchen smell amazing. You’ll need mainly baking soda, citric acid, essential oils, a mini spray bottle, castile soap diluted with water, and a silicone mold. Castile soap is optional but the water is still necessary, as it’s the binder of the recipe. Start by mixing the dry ingredients - two cups of baking soda and one cup of citric acid - together in a bowl. You can mix together by using a

6 / PLAINFIELD MAGAZINE / MARCH 2022 / TownePost.com

fork, and make sure to break up the little clumps that the baking soda is most likely going to try to form. If using castile soap, pour a small amount in the spray bottle and dilute with water. Next, you’ll add 15 to 20 drops of essential oils to dry the mixture. Be sure to drop all over the mixture and not just in one spot. Top-choice essential oils for this recipe would be citrus burst or lemon, but you can use whatever scent you’d like. Once again, use a fork to mix so you can break up the clumps the oils are sure to create. Distribute the oils as best you can throughout the entire dry mixture. Next, sparingly spray the water over the dry ingredients and start mixing with your hands. You don’t want to add too much water, so go slowly. Remember, you can’t take it back once you drop it in. You’ll know the mix is ready when it starts to clump, which means it’s time to fill the molds. Next, you’ll make balls and push them into the mold. Don’t fill all the way to the top, as the mixture/bombs will most likely expand and puff up when they start to dry out. Give them one to two hours to dry and your garbage disposal bombs will be ready for use, and your garbage disposal is going to smell fresh and clean!

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THE ART OF POLITICAL PERSUASION Writer / Indiana State Senator John Crane Photographer / Todd Scoggins

“I’m not really a political person.” This familiar expression was recently conveyed to me by a friend as he was describing how he and his team creatively persevered to keep their business afloat while navigating the COVID tsunami over the last two years. I’ve often described COVID as the great revealer. One of the most significant outcomes of the COVID aftermath is that it awakened people to the affairs of their government in a whole new way. If the government response to COVID has reminded us of anything, it’s that

government impacts every aspect of our lives, whether we realize it or not. So, everyone has (or should have) a vested interest in decisions being made by our political leaders at the federal, state and local levels. Yet very few citizens take full advantage of their ability to have meaningful influence with their government representatives beyond the ballot box. In my own prior attempts to influence the decisions of lawmakers, I hadn’t realized just how small the keyhole view is for citizens on the outside of the capitol. Once elected to the senate, however, I quickly

MARCH 2022

discovered the considerable knowledge gap between my largely misinformed perception of the legislative process as an average citizen and the complicated reality of that process as an actual legislator. If you had the opportunity to be in the room, around the table with the key political decision-makers, and provide meaningful input on how best to solve our collective problems, would you want to? The fact is, you can. It simply takes proactivity and a thoughtful posture. The intention of this essay, therefore, is to offer some observations in answer to the basic question, “What do I know now as an

elected official on the inside of the political system that I wish I had known when I was a concerned citizen on the outside of the system?” Because Americans typically hold a jaundiced view of politics, they struggle to believe they can actually make a difference. Or, in their frustrated attempts to convey their input to elected officials, they often pursue an antagonistic approach that ultimately becomes self-defeating. But affecting real change is possible if a person understands a couple of key ideas.

THE PUBLIC SERVANT’S DILEMMA

Many people are surprised to learn just how many bills are filed at the beginning of each legislative session. This year was no exception, with more than 850 bills filed collectively in the Indiana House and Senate. Part of the dilemma for any political leader is determining the right decision to make on a given issue. For those in elected office, there is a common scenario that plays out on virtually every issue at every level of government:

Indiana State Senator John Crane

Advocate A passionately talks to their elected official and argues for one position on a given issue, concluding, “You need to do the right thing.” Then, advocate B comes and passionately argues for the opposite side of the same issue, concluding, “You need to do the right thing!” So, who’s right? As someone who is commissioned to represent all of the people in their district, how does the elected official figure out the right path forward amid constantly competing interests? Relatedly, within our democratic form of government, how is the elected official to practically know the will of the people he or she represents? In my own case, for example, my legislative team and I mailed out my annual pre-session survey to the more than 150,000 constituents currently MARCH 2022

responses to how they are treated. We need not look far to see the lack of civility that permeates our social interactions with one another, and this is especially true in the political space. In a free society, we certainly have considerable latitude to criticize (and even publicly shame) our political leaders. But such an approach can often sabotage our ability to

in District 24, asking for input on just six to eight key issues prior to the 2022 legislative session. Of the 43,670 mailers sent out to the households in my district, only 403 surveys were returned. This lessthan-1% return rate was only slightly lower than the typical constituent response every year. The engaged citizen, therefore, will quickly discover that his or her voice can have an outsized influence on the issues being considered by political decision-makers, because so few people actually speak up. Making a meaningful difference is possible for those people willing to engage, depending on how they go about it.

GOVERNMENT IS HUMAN

There is a common tendency to unconsciously assume that government is a disembodied, bureaucratic machine. If we hope to effectively influence our elected officials, however, we must recognize the fact that “government is human.” That is to say, government is made up of human beings - real people who have actual feelings, families and experiences, all of which shape their decision-making and influence their

influence those who are making decisions on our behalf. How might the relational dynamic between us and our elected officials improve if we took a more thoughtful, collaborative approach in our advocacy efforts? What might happen if we employed “Golden Rule” diplomacy, choosing to treat our political leaders the way we would want to

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be treated if we were in their place? There is a certain psychology of influence summarized in the Dale Carnegie strategy of how to win friends and influence people. That same psychology of influence applies to how we interact with our political leaders. So, the next time you find yourself frustrated by political decisions that seem beyond your control, remember that you have the ability to be your own best advocate on issues that matter to you. Thoughtful engagement with elected officials can go a long way toward effecting the changes you seek. This essay is adapted from a compilation of blog posts which can be found at craneleadership.org. Senator John Crane represents District 24. He is the Founder of the Sagamore Leadership Initiative and JBC Leadership Strategies.

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GOLDEN YEARS HENDRICKS COUNTY SENIOR SERVICES HELPS A VARIETY OF DEMOGRAPHICS

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

When Helee Adkins’ neighbor passed away, the family of the deceased invited Adkins over to show her a giant photo album filled with wonderful memories, many of which involved Hendricks County Senior Services (HCSS) and the Hendricks County Senior Center, which is operated by HCSS. Adkins, the resource development coordinator for HCSS, had become great friends with the man who died as well as his late wife. Both were in their mid-90s when they passed, and Adkins was thrilled that the Senior Center had become their second home. “In their younger years, he deejayed at the Center and she was a line dance teacher,” Adkins says. “Flipping through that photo album, it was clear how many lives we have touched through the years.” HCSS, which opened in 1978, is devoted to helping seniors remain independent in the home of their choice. Some people who hear the word “senior” envision a feeble individual who is frail, confused or incapacitated. The truth of the matter is that the definition of “senior” is relative. “We have active seniors of all ages,” Adkins says. “For instance, we have those who are raring to go on the Alaskan cruise we are coordinating. We also serve individuals who require assistance with transportation, exercise and meals.” The common thread is making sure seniors aged 60 and above are not living in isolation. Adkins describes HCSS as a giant melting pot. “There’s a place for everyone to find what they love to do and enjoy doing it with others,” Adkins says. The Senior Center offers health screenings,

MARCH 2022

lunches, and fitness classes such as chair yoga and line dancing. There are also recreational activities including crafts, bingo, cards and woodcarving. There’s also educational programming including seminars, support groups and workshops, in addition to social opportunities from morning coffee to week-long trips. This year, in addition to the Alaskan cruise, they’re planning excursions to Charleston, South Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee. In the past they have been to Maine and Branson, Missouri. All trips are planned by the activities coordinator, which takes the pressure off of seniors who don’t have to sweat the details of driving, booking accommodations and figuring out entertainment. “It’s awesome,” Adkins says. “You pay the amount and then don’t have to think another thing about it.” For those who are newly retired, single or widowed, the Senior Center is a great resource to help them continue to live life

in a fun, fulfilling way. The HCSS is also a resource to caregivers. “Oftentimes, until you are put in a caregiving situation, you don’t know what you need,” Adkins says. “We guide caregivers as they help their loved ones through the aging process.” It’s not unusual for older relatives to visit their children over the holidays, and during that visit their children might notice changes in cognitive or physical abilities. “They see these changes and don’t know where to start or how to get help,” says Adkins, who oversees a Dementia Friends Workshop at the Senior Center where she shares the difference between normal aging and dementia. “We can listen and provide suggestions for what to do or where to go for resources. Dementia is a group of symptoms that affects memory and thinking. People get confused by that, as they think dementia is the disease. The disease is actually labeled as Alzheimer’s,

MARCH 2022

vascular, or Lewy body dementia.” “I teach how to best communicate with someone that has a dementia-related disease,” she continues. “We’re working hard to help make Hendricks County dementia-friendly, so we also offer private classes to companies and organizations that are looking to provide ongoing education for their employees.” Several years ago the Community Foundation did a Hendricks County community needs assessment. According to the study, the number of people 65 and older in Hendricks County is projected to grow by 18% between 2020 and 2025, which is significantly above the 3% increase expected for the total population of Indiana. Seniors are flocking to Hendricks County, and there are many reasons including affordable taxes, great housing options, proximity to top-notch health care, and access to wonderful recreation and fitness options, parks and trail systems.

WHY THE COMMUNITY LOVES HCSS Greg: “I like supporting seniors in Hendricks County. The food pantry really helps those needing that service. Volunteering is a triad for me. I’m helping others, which is rewarding for me, and I’m helping a great organization.” Paula: “I really enjoy leading line dancing at the senior center. I’ve made a lot of new friends and we stay active together and have a great time. It’s a wonderful place to volunteer.” Bertie: “My husband and I thought we would try the Senior Center one day a week and then started coming every day. When he passed, I came back and people were so nice. A lot of people had been through the same thing and that was helpful. The

in-home department also helps me in my home and they do a great job.” Sandy: “Senior Services means more to me than I ever thought they would. The Senior Center started as a fun place, but became a necessity for me. After being diagnosed with an eye disease, I rely on them to take me to the doctor and grocery. They are the reason I can stay independent in my home.” Gayle: “For eight years Senior Services helped my husband as he went through dialysis. As a caregiver I was able to take better care of myself because of the help they provided.” Bonnie: “My mom has dementia and I was struggling with how to help. I attended a

Dementia Friends Workshop and support group, and it was life-changing for me and my family.” Jo: “The trips are amazing. They do a great job with the planning and the price is reasonable. I have made many new friends on the trips and I love staying active.” Elizabeth: “The staff is so friendly and they truly care. I love it here and I have made so many friends.” Pat: “My husband and I love coming here. As a matter of fact, we met here and found love after our spouses died. The staff and the people here are so friendly. It is a great place to be and everyone is welcome here.”

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Membership to HCSS is $55 per year, per person (plus it’s a tax-deductible donation). This enables members to participate in activities and programs, and also receive discounts if there are fees for certain program activities. The HCSS team is always looking for additional volunteers to help with frontdesk administrative support, kitchen assistance to serve hot lunches, food pantry assistance, and event set-up and tear-down. They also recently created a “germ buster” volunteer position for those who want to come in during off hours to sanitize. In addition, they utilize specially trained volunteers to help with Medicare counseling as well as fraud and scam prevention. “If you’ve retired from one of those fields, this could be your niche,” Adkins says. “This is a safe and rewarding place to volunteer.” HCSS front-desk volunteer Juanita Komlanc agrees. “I was amazed when I started volunteering

at how much HCSS had to offer,” Komlanc says. “The staff is so kind to all of the seniors that come in, and treats them with great respect and dignity.” On April 21, HCSS will host a fundraiser at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds, during which 120 people will play musical chairs. “We’ll have a professional deejay, an emcee and an official referee,” Adkins says. “It’ll be a bracketed, double-elimination event that’s open to 280 spectators.” Sponsored by Hendricks Power Cooperative, the event will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and will include beer and wine as well as appetizers and desserts. Adkins hopes that through fundraisers and word of mouth, the community will continue to learn all about what HCSS has to offer. “We’re here to serve and we want to help,

whether that be the older adult, caregivers or community members trying to help their neighbors,” Adkins says. “We want to continue to help people gracefully age in place.” Hendricks County Senior Services is located at 1201 Sycamore Lane in Danville. For more information, call 317-745-4303 or visit hcseniors.org.

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is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. ALS causes stiffness of muscles, muscle twitching and muscle weakness, which results in difficulty speaking, swallowing and eventually breathing. In the majority of cases ALS diagnosis starts with weakness in arms or legs, but in 20% of cases it starts with slurred speech and breathing issues. Over a two-year period, Dickerson endured a battery of tests. “We prayed I had multiple sclerosis because while still being a terrible disease, it wasn’t a death sentence,” says Dickerson, a Hendricks County resident. He didn’t receive the official ALS diagnosis until 2013. Though he had braced himself for the worst, the news was nonetheless difficult to digest. For starters, Dickerson, an adventurer who enjoys hunting, fishing, racing, whitewater rafting, softball and golfing, knew his life was going to drastically change. He spent the first year following his diagnosis railing against the inevitable. “I was mad,” he says. “I was on top of the world, strong as an ox, physically fit, and bam, ALS.” One day someone told him that it wasn’t about diagnosis but rather prognosis, and his attitude changed.

MAN WITH A PLAN ALS SURVIVOR KENT DICKERSON PROMOTES AWARENESS ABOUT THE DISEASE Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

Eyebrows began to raise in August of 2010 when clients called Kent Dickerson’s office and found that he was slurring his speech. They wondered if he had been drinking early in the mornings, which didn’t make sense as it was uncharacteristic. Once the slurred speech was brought to his attention, Dickerson, 47 at the time, was

also concerned. He’d had a friend pass away from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) 10 years earlier, and in the back of his mind he wondered if he was suffering from the same condition. He prayed he was wrong because ALS has no cure. Moreover, statistics are grim, and 80% of ALS patients typically live just two to five years. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, MARCH 2022

“This was the cards dealt to me and I was going to make the best of it,” he says. He didn’t know how quickly his body would deteriorate, as it is different for everyone. Over time he went from walking on his own to using walking sticks. He then adjusted to a walker and then a power chair. Last year he quit driving, so now he must rely on his friends and family for transportation. He’s on a noninvasive ventilator when he sleeps, which he does in a lift chair. Most ALS patients pass away from breathing problems because their chest muscles weaken and they can’t get that last breath. “We all choke real easy, on nothing to water,” Dickerson says. “I can’t count the number of times I thought, ‘I’m not going to get that last breath and it would be over.’ ”

Dickerson feels blessed that he’s not had to use a feeding tube.

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“I can still eat foods though I’m on a strict diet,” says Dickerson, who has had a bad gallbladder for two years. It can’t be removed, however, because he might not wake up breathing on his own following anesthesia.

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He has lost 95% of his speech, but he can still use his arms and hands to a certain extent and can shower by himself. He needs assistance getting dressed and doing most other tasks. “The hardest thing to come to grips with is asking others for help,” he says. “It’s very difficult when you have done everything in life on your own.”

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Still, he recognizes that he’s one of the lucky ones. After all, many ALS patients have become completely paralyzed from the neck down in a couple years. Few people live a somewhat normal life for two or three years, and only 10% of people live past the decade mark. August marks 12 years since Dickerson experienced his first symptoms. That means he’s in the top 10% of people in Indiana who have lived the longest with ALS.

grandchildren. “The four oldest grandchildren have basically grown up their whole life with me having ALS,” Dickerson says.

Despite his limitations, Dickerson still works as the president of Global Constructors Co. Inc., an excavation contractor. He helps with bids, contractor meetings, and disposal and buying of equipment. In his free time he goes deep-sea fishing and hunting. Dickerson maintains that the most important aspect of living with ALS is staying positive, and he does that through faith, family and friends. He and his wife Sandy have been married for 34 years. He calls her the “glue of the family.” The couple has two daughters and six

Each year his grandkids attend an ALS camp that is run at the YMCA called Hope Loves Company. Run by a husband and wife who both lost spouses to ALS, Hope Loves Company is the only nonprofit

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in the country with the mission of providing educational and emotional support to children and young adults who had or have a loved one battling ALS. “My grandchildren all love the camp and cancel any plans so they can attend that week in summer,” Dickerson says. “They talk about ALS, and get their feelings and thoughts out with kids going through the same thing. The oldest will be a camp counselor this year. He’s 18.” Dickerson feels fortunate to have the means to live with the disease, since living with ALS can cost $200,000 per year. With the help of others Dickerson started the Kent Dickerson Ring of Honor, to benefit others without means to get resources they might need to be as comfortable as possible while living with ALS. Every September the ALS Association has a walk for which participants solicit

donations for a cure. Dickerson’s team name is Kent’s Faith, and usually has between 60 and 100 people on it. Last year Dickerson got to cut the starting ribbon for the event. This year marks their tenth year. “We’re fortunate to have an ALS chapter in Indianapolis, which is top notch,” he says. There’s also an ALS clinic in Indianapolis, and Dickerson recommends reaching out to them if you or someone in your family suspects they have ALS. “Most hospitals know very little about ALS,” Dickerson says. “Trust me. I’ve experienced it firsthand more than once.” ALS, in general, seems to be one of the forgotten ailments. Dickerson was thrilled in 2014 when an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge circulated around the internet, raising both awareness and funding

for the disease. According to the ALS Association, more than 17 million people participated in the challenge worldwide, raising $220 million. “It was great,” Dickerson says. “That’s all people talked about in person and on Facebook. It raised the most money ever for research.” His family and friends participated as well, holding an event where they used five tons of ice. Unfortunately, once the challenge was over it seemed that many people forgot about ALS again. “It’s like a lot of people don’t even know what the disease is anymore,” Dickerson says. “We need something like that again to raise the attention to ALS as that did around the world. We have to find a cure.” To learn more about ALS, to make a donation, or to join the Kent’s Faith walk team, visit als.org.

MARCH 2022

TIME TO CLEAN OUT YOUR MEDICINE CABINET FOR NATIONAL POISON PREVENTION WEEK products such as windshield wiper fluids, cleaning products and pesticides should be kept in their original packaging and clearly labeled. Medications should be stored in original containers in a safe place out of reach of children, such as a locked cabinet or a locked container. Keep the phone number for the Indiana Poison Center, 1-800-222-1222, in your phone and contact them if there is concern for an exposure.

Writer / Alex Ponce, Emergency Department Pharmacy Resident at IU Health Photography Provided

The third full week of March each year is National Poison Prevention Week. This week is meant to remind people to stay vigilant about potentially poisonous substances in the home. In 2019 more than two million exposures were reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. With families spending more time indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, children and isolated seniors are even more at risk for accidental poisoning that could lead to injury or death.

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According to the 2020 National Poison Data System annual report, 1.9 million exposures occurred in the home, and a total of 77% of all exposures were unintentional. The most common causes of accidental exposures include children finding products within the house or people making mistakes when taking medications. Exposures to medications for pain, blood pressure and diabetes, as well as household cleaning products and cosmetics, are frequently reported. Poison accidents can be prevented by labeling these substances clearly and storing them properly. STORAGE CAN HELP TO REDUCE ACCIDENTAL POISONINGS.

Things like pesticides, paint, cleaning products and toiletries can be harmful if consumed. One of the best ways to prevent an exposure is to store substances properly within the home. Household

Many people have unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications, over-the-counter medications or herbal supplements in their homes. Proper disposal of these medications helps to reduce the risk of exposure within the home and prevents environmental contamination. The Drug Enforcement Administration holds a National Prescription Drug Take Back Day twice per year, the next one taking place on April 30, 2022. The Indiana state government also maintains a list of year-round take-back locations on their website. Additionally, medication disposal bags may be purchased online or from certain pharmacies to dispose of small quantities of tablets, capsules or liquid medications. Instructions on how to use these products can be found on the package. Many of these locations do not accept syringes, needles or medications that include needles. To dispose of these products, please visit the Indiana Department of Health’s website for more information. With your help, we can reduce the number of accidental poisonings.

MARCH 2022

SPRING GARDENING IN MARCH MADNESS Writer / Carrie Petty

MARCH GARDEN CHORES: (While it is too early to plant, there is much to do!)

Continue to sow seeds indoors. Clean and disinfect garden pots prior to planting. Pick up some Pansies at the garden center. Clean up winter debris.

March madness is the appropriate term this month for any gardener in Indiana! My husband always reminds me it usually snows during bracket season. Don’t you just love the Final Four? Our family does the whole bracket celebration. . A Reader’s Digest article noted that, “this year, American companies would lose $1.9 billion in wages paid to unproductive workers spending company time on betting pool priorities.“ Gardeners also gamble on the chance of snow and spring frost. Spring snow in the garden often causes some panic. Many worry that daffodils will start to sprout too early. “Will they be ok?” Folks often ask me. The answer is usually, “Yes!” Here’s the deal, Mother Nature has the whole timing thing down. She is all about timing. So when you see those little crocus sprouts, or the tips of your tulips begin to emerge, don’t worry too much. They know what they are doing. If you want to cover them with a little newspaper or a sheet, because a blanket of ice is coming, do it! Especially cover if the flower buds are well emerged.

Position birdhouses in high, safe locations. Keep feeding those birds. Improve soil by adding organic mushroom compost. Finalize new garden designs and additions to your flowerbeds. Double-dig any new garden beds now. Pot-up left over bulbs stored in cold garages for Easter bloom. Fertilize Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Fertilize all flower gardens with 10-10-10.

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Now put down your pencil and bracket and get outside! You will get ahead of your game if you accomplish some demanding chores early in the growing season, in order to have more time to enjoy the best months of the Indiana gardening season — April, and most importantly, May!

I adore the perfect timing of it all.

incredible power, particularly the gravitational pull. The Farmer’s Almanac reads, “Folklore is rich among farmers, given their close ties to Earth and her

The English gardeners have long believed in timing when it comes to the moon’s

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natural rhythms. The moon’s new and firstquarter phases, known as the Light of the Moon, are considered good for planting above-ground crops, putting down sod, grafting trees and transplanting in the late spring.” And, you have to love this tip, “Dig your horseradish in the full moon for the best flavor.”

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Let the Madness Begin!

ADVOCATING AT AN EARLY AGE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLERS NOMINATED FOR LLS INDIANAPOLIS STUDENTS OF THE YEAR Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

When a disease, condition or tragedy hits home, that’s often when advocates are born. Such is the case for Kate Simek and Ella Chafin, both juniors at Plainfield High School (PHS). Simek and Chafin each had grandparents who

battled leukemia and lymphoma, forms of blood cancer. While leukemia affects the blood and bone marrow, lymphomas tend to affect the lymph nodes. Simek’s great grandmother, Dorothy Stringer, was diagnosed when Simek was in fourth grade and passed away within one year. “She took care of me and my brother after TownePost.com / MARCH 2022 / PLAINFIELD MAGAZINE / 27

school every day because both my parents worked full time,” Simek says. “She made the best fried chicken and always gave us Twizzlers.” Both of Chafin’s grandparents on her dad’s side had blood cancer. Her grandmother, Jeanette Chafin, had lymphoma before Ella was born, and survived. Sadly,

leukemia took her grandfather, Vernal Chafin, in 2019. Prior to his death, he suffered greatly. “He was sick my whole life, always in and out of hospitals,” Chafin says. “It was hard seeing my grandma sit by him as he was going through treatments and how it affected her. It was also tough seeing both my dad and my uncle watch their dad pass away.”

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In addition, Chafin has had many family friends who have been diagnosed with blood cancer, ranging in age from 20s to 60s. “When my great grandma was sick, she got super weak and tired,” Simek says. “She had to wear a wig because of her treatment. It was hard to see someone I had known to be so strong grow so much weaker.” What the girls, who have known each other since they were 3 years old, have come to realize is that everyone has a cancer story, as cancer touches so many lives. That’s precisely why they wanted to do something to help ease the pain.

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Brian Peterson, a family friend of the Simeks, nominated the girls for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) 2022 Indianapolis Students of the Year program. The LLS is the largest nonprofit funder of blood cancer research, and is the leading source of free education and support for blood cancer patients and families. As for education and support, they provide personalized support and assistance with identifying and enrolling people in clinical trials. “When we found out that we were each nominated, we wanted to team up and do this together,” Simek says. “Our circles are blended so we accepted the nomination and are participating as a co-candidate team.” Simek and Chafin, the first from Hendricks County to be nominated for this program, are team leaders. They then asked others to join their 10-member team.

28 / PLAINFIELD MAGAZINE / MARCH 2022 / TownePost.com

“We have five other students and several adults ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s, who reached out to other companies to help us find additional connections,” Chafin says. “This way we can reach as many people as possible from all different circles and even different cities. We rallied our community around this cause, and they supported us in raising money for it.” The girls learned about their nomination in July of 2021 and had the remainder of the year to plan fundraisers, secure corporate sponsorships and organize their team members. Starting on January 20, 2022, they had seven weeks to hit their goal amount, which they set at $50,000, though they are hoping to double that amount. Simek and Chafin selected $50,000 because that’s the amount they need to be able to direct their donation. They want all funds to support pediatric cancer drug research since there are only four pediatric drugs for cancer that have been discovered in the past three decades. “We were blown away by how low that is,” Chafin says. “If pediatric patients can’t receive one of those four drugs, for whatever reason, then they have to take a lower dose of an adult drug, which can be harmful. That’s why we want to direct the money we raise towards that kind of research to help find more cures for children.” Should they fall short of their $50,000 goal, the money will still get put to good use as it would go to the LLS national headquarters. They rely on active volunteers like Simek and Chafin to help advocate for them, so that the organization can work to drive policy changes that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments and break down barriers to care. To gear up for their seven-week fundraising campaign, last fall the girls approached area businesses requesting sponsorships. They also talked to the PHS administration to get permission to raise funds at the school. For instance, at winter homecoming in January, they

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had a “Red Out” theme and a portion of basketball ticket sales benefitted their cause. Working toward the greater good is something these students have been doing since they were little girls. When Simek’s grandmother was first diagnosed, her elementary school did a “Pennies for Patients” event, for which students collected pennies to donate to a cause. Simek raised $300, and her family members matched it. That was her first involvement with the LLS. Even at such a young age, Simek recognized how uplifting it felt to do something that helped others with their health and well-being. “When I got the message that I could do this on a bigger scale I was so excited,” she says. Chafin, who plans to pursue a career in pediatric medicine, was also honored

to get the chance to do something that would not only help cancer patients but also bring the community together in a positive way. Simek intends to study business and finance, and potentially pursue a career that would involve fundraising, so this endeavor is a great precursor. “I built skills like teamwork and facilitating meetings - skills you wouldn’t get through a program,” Simek says. “Plus, raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society allowed me to honor my grandmother while helping to impact lives. I’m [developing] all of these skills to benefit other people.” The girls also held a silent auction and auctioned off items like Indiana Pacers tickets, Indiana University event tickets, spa trips, gift cards and even tickets to Disney World.

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“We themed our baskets so we had a Tennessee basket and an Ohio basket things that were regional,” Chafin says. Many of the donations for the silent auction came from people who had been personally affected by blood cancers in some way. “Truly, everybody has a cancer story,” Chafin says. “Everyone has that connection.” PHS Principal Patrick Cooney is impressed by these two ambitious students. “Words cannot begin to describe how incredibly proud I am of Kate and Ella,” Cooney says. “They are two dynamic young ladies who have demonstrated a sincere passion for supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. These are two fantastic students.”

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