KENDALLVILLE — A session of guitar lessons for adults will begin Monday, May 23, and continue weekly through June 27.
The beginner’s course will meet from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by an intermediate course from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. The cost is $20 per person per class.
The beginner class introduces basic guitar skills to players with no prior experience. The intermediate course is designed to pursue guitar skills beyond the first-position chords. In both courses, emphasis is placed on learning guitar skills by playing music of the students’ choice.
ROME CITY — Rome City Alumni invites all graduates, former teachers and any students who attended Rome City School to its 129th annual gathering on Saturday, June 25, at Sylvan Cellars Event Center, Northport Road.
Classmates and friends will register and visit on the patio between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Snacks will be provided, and other food may be purchased on site. Supportive donations for expenses are appreciated.
Chicken barbecue to benefit DAV
KENDALLVILLE — Disabled American Veterans will sell barbecue chicken Saturday at the parking lot at U.S. 6 and S.R. 3 in Kendallville. Chicken will be sold from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until sold out.
4-H club to sell pork burgers
ALBION — Jefferson Township 4-H Clubs will host a pork burger sandwich fundraiser on Friday, May 27, at the stoplight in Albion from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proceeds from this event will help go towards club expenses for 2022.
Prices are $4 for a sandwich and $6 for a full meal.
The Susquehanna Valley is known for its beautiful scenery, but the various geographic features in the area support a wide variety of recreational activities.
Increasing interest in outdoor recreation is one of the reasons the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is hosting the 2022 Outdoor Expo on June 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, at Shikellamy State Park. The demonstrations and displays will take place in the Marina section of the park on ____ Island. However, anyone attending who has never visited Shikellamy Lookout, should do so before you leave the area. The view of the West and North Branches of the Susquehanna River provides an incredible view of the valley.
John Zaktansky of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Assoc, Inc., one of the sponsors of the Expo, said Shikellamy State Park was chosen because it’s a central location along the Susquehanna River — and within Pennsylvania. “So, we thought it’d be the perfect place to bring [the outdoor] community together,” said John Zaktansky of Susquehanna Riverkeepers.
“With the onset of the pandemic,” said Alana Jajko, Director of Communications and Outreach for SGP, “we saw a lot of new folks outside hiking, biking, kayaking.” She continued by explaining that, with so many new recreational opportunities, there is a need for displays, educational exhibits and presentations. Jayjko assures both novices and experts in a sport, that they’ll find something helpful or of interest at the Expo.
SGP is planning an event similar to those held in many other states. Until now, Pennsylvania has gone without one on this scale. To date, more than 50 exhibitors…
In this episode of the UnCapped podcast, host Chris Sands talks with Ethan Barbee, founder of Barrel Culture Brewing and Blending in Durham, North Carolina, about the upcoming Barrel Culture Invitational that is happening on Oct. 15. Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. May 5.
UnCapped: Let’s dive into the details of the Barrel Culture Invitational. When does it take place?
Ethan Barbee: It’ll be Oct. 15, noon to 5. We’re not doing a VIP; there’s just one ticket to purchase, where everybody gets five hours. We want everybody to feel like it’s a VIP experience. You get the same access to the same beers.
UnCapped: The way you have everything laid out, it never felt crowded, and there really weren’t any lines where you had to wait to get beer. Normally, I’m a huge advocate for VIP hour because once there’s general admission, it’s miserable. But it never hit that point at the invitational last year.
Barbee: I think we’re lucky enough that we have such a large space, we can spread around and do some things to alleviate that congestion. This year even more, we’re adding a parking lot that we can use to add even more people. Part of the idea of adding more tickets was we wanted to keep that sam feel. We felt like there was room for us to grow a little bit because of what you just said: It never felt too crowded or you were waiting too long for a beer. We have an opportunity to fit more people in there, and that’s what we want to do — get as many people in there drinking the amazing beer from the amazing breweries we have coming.
UnCapped: Will the disc golf course be open?
Barbee: That’s hard to say. We’ve had to stall a little bit because of a negotiation with our landlord and the landowner. I do think there’s an opportunity for us to get that done in the next four to five months.
UnCapped: It’s a sport where the popularity just seems to keep growing and growing.
Barbee: It really is because it’s such an easy thing that basically anyone can do. You have all of these courses around here. We have a million public courses that are free to play — so you can go to Play It Again Sports and get three discs for under $20, and you’re playing disc golf. You go out to a free course, walk in and get some exercise and have some fun. I’ve picked it up a lot this year. Tyler White — who does all of our social media and artwork and labels, and he’s the head man for the festival, as well — he’s a really good player. He has a nine-hole course in his backyard.
UnCapped: That’s dedication.
Barbee: Yeah, and it’s not a putting course. He’s got a couple acres back there. It’s very nice, but it’s a lot of work, too. That’s something we know — once we do it, it’s still a lot of work to maintain to keep going. But I think you’re right about the market for that. There’s just so many people playing now. So you add that into being at a brewery — it’s like things that go hand in hand. It feels like disc golf and craft beers are neighbors, to some extent, in this world.
UnCapped: I bet I can prove you wrong on your statement “anyone can do it.”
Barbee: Well, I didn’t say anyone could do it well. I can hit trees all day with discs. I’m really good at that.
Hutchinson Police Services reported the following incidents:
APRIL 1: At 3:35 p.m., officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of Adams Street Northeast and Fourth Avenue Northeast. A 2017 Chevrolet Silvarado driven by James Anthony Navratil, 30, of Hutchinson was northbound and stopped at the red traffic light. A 2014 IC Corporation 3000 School Bus driven by Paula Sue Eyman, 64, of Norwood Young America was westbound on Fourth Avenue Northeast and turned northbound onto Adams Street Northeast when the front end struck the rear of the Chevrolet Silverado. The bus had 19 passengers at the time. There were no injuries or tows. No citations were issued. The bus sustained minimal to no damage. The Chevrolet Silverado sustained moderate damage but was functional.
APRIL 11: At 8:57 a.m., officers responded to a report of damage in the concession area at Veteran’s Memorial Field Ball Park. Damage was caused to the door frame and hinges in what appeared to be an attempt to break into the concession area. No items were reported missing. Damage is estimated at $500. There are no suspects at this time.
APRIL 18: At 10:57 a.m., officers responded to a report of theft on the 1100 block of Adams Street Southeast. A 12-foot tandem axel aluminum trailer was taken sometime between the afternoon of April 16 and the early morning of April 18. The trailer is valued at $7,320. There are no suspects. This is an ongoing investigation.
APRIL 20: At 11:46 a.m., officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of the 100 block of Summerset Lane Southeast. A 2020 Ford Transit Cargo Van owned by Herrmann Inc. was aprked on the road, partly blocking a driveway. A 2019 GMC Acadia driven by Merrill Luther Johnson, 89, of Hutchinson backed into the van. There were no injuries or tows. Both vehicles sustained minor damage. No citations were issued.
APRIL 22: At 1:30 p.m., officers responded to a driving complaint in the area of Casey’s General Store on 510 State Highway 7 East. During a traffic stop, Daric Dennis Rossenau, 38, of Atwater was taken into custody. He has been charged with: felony fifth-degree controlled substance possession, second-degree driving while impaired and gross misdemeanor refusal to submit to chemical test. He was taken to McLeod County Jail.
At 9:39 p.m., officers responded to a car vs. deer crash in the area of 640 Highway 7 East. The vehicle was southbound on State Highway 7 when a deer ran out in front of it. The driver and passenger were not injured. The vehicle sustained minor damage. The deer suffered irreparable injuries.
APRIL 23: At 8:07 p.m., officers responded to a report of package theft on the 400 block of High Street Northeast. A man reported a package containing two discs for disc golf was taken from his front door. A neighbor said they saw the package outside the door that day. When the man arrived home the package was gone. The total value of the missing items is $100. There are no suspects at this time.
McLeod County Attorney’s Office
McLeod County Attorney’s Office reported the following:
Brittney Nussbaum, 24, of Hutchinson entered a plea of guilty to one felony count of meth crimes involving children for an offense that occurred on or about Sept. 24, 2020. Judge Maher stayed the imposition of sentence and placed the defendant on probation for three years. The conditions of probation are that the defendant serve 55 days in McLeod County Jail, complete a chemical dependency evaluation and follow its recommendations, have no use or possession of alcohol or non-prescription drugs and pay a surcharge of $85.
Michael McKittrick, 37, of Glencoe entered a plea of guilty to one gross misdemeanor count of driving while impaired for an offense that occurred on or about Aug. 10, 2021. Judge Maher stayed the imposition of sentence and placed the defendant on probation for two years. The conditions of probation are that the defendant serve 10 days in McLeod County Jail, serve 10 days of sentence to service work/community work service, complete a chemical dependency evaluation and follow its recommendations, attend a victim impact panel and pay a fine and surcharge of $500.
Kevin Byrd-Solseth, 32, of St. Paul entered a plea of guilty to two felony counts of assault for an offense that occurred on or about June 26, 2021. Judge Maher ordered the defendant to serve 17 months in prison, pay restitution in the amount of $1,312, and pay a surcharge of $85.
In a second file, Byrd-Solseth entered a plea of guilty to one felony count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and one felony count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for an offense that occurred on or about Dec.11, 2020. Judge Maher ordered the defendant to serve 21 months in prison, pay restitution in the amount of
A destination playground, splash pad, softball fields, Little League Baseball fields, site grading and other upgrades at Lewiston Community Park have an estimated total cost of $95 million.
Lewiston’s city council got its first look at the potential costs of the improvements at a Monday work session.
“I’m looking at this … number, and I’m staggered,” said Councilor Rick Tousley, who emphasized the city is seeking money from sources such as Idaho State Parks and Recreation grants, foundations, private donations and group sponsors.
“We are going to have to be quite creative in how we are able to come up with possible funding sources,” he said.
A step-by-step plan about how to find the revenue would be helpful, said Council President Hannah Liekie, who noted she believes the public sees the improvements as a want, not a need.
“I’m not exactly shocked by the price, but I’m also not ready to go out and sell to the public in the sense of ‘we’ve got it figured out,’ ” she said.
The $95 million includes $10 million in contingencies. The price was broken into seven categories that were listed in order of priority — site grading ($10.3 million), heart of the park ($29.6 million), Little League complex ($19.5 million), softball complex ($24.6 million), amphitheater ($4.1 million), recreational vehicle park ($6.05 million), and other amenities such as a bike park, multiuse field, sand volleyball and disc golf ($800,000).
The heart of the park is a section that would include a destination playground, community gathering area, small stage and splash pad.
Two smaller playgrounds are part of the plan that also adds pavilions, restrooms, concession areas and more features in different parts of the park.
One of the reasons grading is projected to cost so much is because of a 200-foot elevation drop on the site.
More details about how the projects will be paid for are anticipated in June.
In other business, the council heard a presentation from Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Authority Board Chairman Gary Peters about putting a proposed new city fire station on airport land.
The council is expected to decide if it will move forward with constructing the station on the northwest corner of Fifth Street and Bryden Avenue at its Monday meeting. That decision will follow a report last month, where councilors learned the estimated costs of the station had risen from $4 million to $6.9 million for a variety of reasons like increases in labor and material costs.
The city would save money if it constructed the station on airport land between Bryden Avenue and the transportation hub, Peters said.
The city could sell its 1-acre lot at Fifth and Bryden for about $1 million. It could earn about $30,000 a year from property tax revenue, which would equal $1.5 million over 50 years that would be generated by private development of the lot, he said.
That projection of property tax revenue is based on what the dental clinic across the street generates, he said.
The city would pay the airport $10,000 a year to lease the land, which would result in a net savings of $2 million over 50 years, Peters said.
The airport site also has the advantage of having less congestion than the city’s land, which is at an intersection that is getting busier every day, he said.
Even with the fire station on the airport land, there would still be room for a hotel and restaurant development the airport is pursuing, he said.
The council also voted to negotiate with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a union that represents technicians in the water, waste water, street, traffic, sanitation, parks, fleet and facilities departments.
That decision followed a lengthy discussion, some of which focused on how the union has 31 dues-paying members even though it represents 77 employees.
Pat Wilson, a street maintenance technician and executive board member of the union, answered questions at the request of Lewiston Mayor Dan Johnson.
One of the reasons that fewer than half of those eligible for the union belong is because of a high number of retirements, including four in his department in less than a year, Wilson said.
There’s a six-month probationary period before new employees can join, he said.
Some newer employees have “been riding on what the previous contract is and they think that’s just the way it is all the time,” Wilson said.
Wilson’s bargaining unit is one of three for city employees. The others represent police officers and firefighters.
FAIRMONT — The nonprofit Soup Opera got a $10,000 boost from the Seth Burton Memorial Disc Golf Club Monday evening at Morris Park.
Most of the money was raised over the year, but part of it was raised at the 18th Annual Ice Bowl disc golf tournament, which was held on February 26 at Morris Park. There were over 40 tournament participants, according to Phillip Burton, co–founder of the memorial disc golf club. Using the motto “No whimps, no whiners,” the tournament is held each year regardless of the weather conditions.
The Ice Bowl is a national disc golf tournament typically held in winter months. Their goal is to raise local awareness of disc golf and funds for local of regional charities based on helping end food insecurity.
Burton and his wife and cofounder Rebecca Burton and club members presented the funds to Soup Opera staff on Monday.
The Seth Burton Memorial Disc Golf Club selected the Soup Opera the year of their first tournament and it stuck. Since then, they have raised an estimated $60,000 to $70,000 for the Soup Opera, Burton said.
“We just have a special place in our heart for the Soup Opera. They’re so grassroots and truly know the people,” Co–founder Rebecca Burton said.
Soup Opera Kitchen Coordinator Misty Tennant said the donation will be used to purchase food to be served and for items in the grocery bags that are sent on the fourth Friday of the month.
Pre COVID–19, the Soup Opera served between 100 and 120 people a day, Tennant said. They re–opened this week and have an average of 45 patrons, but Tennant expects numbers to increase.
“I think it’s awesome that the community steps up. If it wasn’t for the community, the Soup Opera would not be where it’s at today. They support us every year. In February, when this happens, our donations are down because everyone is recuperating from the holidays and what not,” Tennant said.
Heather Bonecutter, board member and disc golf club member, has been playing disc golf for around four years. She said it’s a great way to get exercise and have fun.
“It’s fun to come out, goof off with our friends and throw some plastic for a good cause…Disc golf for me is like free therapy. You just get out there and throw some stuff and then you feel better,” Bonecutter said.
Rebecca Burton agreed and added that getting to interact with people is the best part.
“What’s really fun is that you meet people that you would never meet. I mean, you meet people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s really a nice melting pot,” Burton said.
The Seth Burton Memorial Disc Golf Club has leagues of varying ages and genders, which meet weekly to practice at Morris Park. Anyone interested in participating can visit their Facebook here or just come out to a practice. Bonecutter said they rent out discs to those interested in pursuing the sport.
Donations for the Soup Opera are always welcome, Tennant said. You can donate food, hygiene products and clothing or your time. The Soup Opera is located at 425 Quincy St. It is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends.
TRAVERSE CITY — More snow may hardly seem thrilling for anyone anxious about spring finally coming to Traverse City.
But Preserve Hickory President and co-founder Laura Ness is excited about a $125,000 grant from the Great Lakes Sports Commission that will help make even more of the frozen stuff for the ski hill, Hickory Hills. Along with $75,000 in funding from Preserve Hickory, the grant will buy additional snowmaking equipment, trail improvements and more.
“We’re really excited to partner with the Great Lakes Sports Commission on this next step for Hickory (Hills),” she said.
Grants like this are right in line with what the Great Lakes Sports Commission aims to achieve, nonprofit board Chairman Fritz Erickson said. The nonprofit, with locations in Marquette and Traverse City, looks to boost sports and recreation to drive economic development. It also aims to drive even more community support for sports and recreation.
Preserve Hickory raised more than $2.5 million for a $4 million-plus overhaul for the city-owned ski hill, with other grants and $1.5 million from a city parks improvement fund providing the rest, as previously reported.
That demonstration of local support for the park was one factor that made Preserve Hickory’s project stand out, Erickson said.
“We’re kind of big fans of different kinds of events that bring people in, particularly around youth,” he said. “We love to see how we can support activities that keep kids active and engaged and so forth, and so the ability to provide this kind of support really fulfills the mission that we have as a sports commission.”
Several parts of the first phase for Hickory Hills’ upgrade aimed squarely at kids, including a bunny hill and “magic carpet” lift to boost young learners uphill before they can handle the tow ropes elsewhere, as previously reported.
Next, Preserve Hickory wants to partner with the city to install lighting on roughly a half-mile of a Nordic cross-country skiing trail, plus other trail improvements to ready them for more high-level official racing events, Ness said.
Downhill racers won’t be left out, either, as part of the second phase will include improvements to the alpine race hill, Ness said. And Preserve Hickory and bicycling advocacy organization El Grupo Norte is partnering on a design for mountain biking trails there, although the development isn’t funded just yet.
It all builds on an effort to make Hickory Hills a four-seasons park, Ness said.
That includes disc golf course improvements and a new lodge available for event rentals — city commissioners in March approved a rental policy and updated fee list.
But the next grant- and Preserve Hickory donor-funded additions that should get underway in the summer aren’t the last step, Ness said. More warm-weather activities are possible, and the grant will help pay for feasibility studies to see which ones will work at the park. A 2014 plan identified some potentials but wasn’t the final word on which ones will be there.
Erickson said he and several board members will tour the hill Thursday to see firsthand the home of what he thinks is a “really cool project.”
“I think most of the board members felt the same way, because what it does is really provides, I think, an exciting set of opportunities for people in the community to be able to really enjoy the outdoors, to be engaged, to promote a variety of events and activities,” he said.
The park sits northwest of city limits at the end of Randolph Street, between Hickory Meadows downhill and the soon-to-be-public Hickory Forest uphill, as previously reported.
NEOSHO, Mo. — The struggle over approving a grant for an annual basketball tournament has the Neosho City Council taking a fresh look at how it spends revenue from its hotel-motel tax.
Future expenditures could be prioritized toward events that have the potential to generate more regular visits to the city, according to council members. Though no vote was taken, council members on April 5 generally agreed with the principle and vowed to formalize it in the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
That direction may lead to some unintended comparisons between organizers pursuing money for future events.
“If you read the actual chapter and verse in Neosho’s books, the tax doesn’t say anything about an event being around a certain number of years,” said Justin Branham, president of Branco Construction Enterprises. “It should be made to the most appropriate use of the funds.”
The tax was established by Neosho voters in 2006. The city assesses a 4% tax on anyone seeking sleeping accommodations at a hotel, motel or tourist court, according to the city’s code of ordinances.
The code offers plenty of leeway on how that money can be spent, as long as it is connected to expenditures that “publicize, advertise and promote tourism and conventions, lodging and other related activities in the city.”
Of about $80,000 in revenues budgeted for the city’s current fiscal year, expenditures include a marketing agreement with the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce worth about $20,000, $15,000 for management of city-run events and advertising on area billboards.
The expenditures also include grants to area groups putting on events that draw people to the city. Recipients of funds this year, decided before the budget was approved last September, include the Neosho Arts Council for its ArtCon event and the Neosho Disc Golf Club for its Little Big Show Disc Golf Tournament.
That list included a $15,000 grant for an annual basketball tournament — until November, when council members pulled it off the table.
Basketball tournament
A proposal to give revenues of the tax to Branco Construction Enterprises for its Neosho Holiday Classic has been a regular discussion item on almost every council agenda since the middle of November. Since Nov. 16, the issue has struggled to get four votes over two meetings.
Council members voiced criticisms that Branco invested too much money in Joplin and not enough in Neosho by accommodating the tournament’s teams in Joplin hotels. After months of discussions, council members on Tuesday gave unanimous initial approval to a reduced grant of $7,500. The measure needs another vote before the expenditure is authorized.
Council members felt on April 5 that the basketball tournament, established in 1954, has become self-sustaining and is not in need of extra development, while newer events, such as ArtCon and the disc golf tournament, could benefit more from the city’s funding.
“The classic has gone on for years and years, and it should be self-sustaining,” said Tyler DeWitt, then a council member and now mayor, on April 5. “I think that our funds are best served bringing new events to town and supporting new ideas, growing the community that way.”
Branham has attended several of those meetings to address concerns. In March he reported that the company spent $79,737.14 to produce the event in December. Of that, $43,911.34 was spent locally for food, workers, T-shirts, travel expenses, broadcasting and lodging for players.
The company received $40,186.38 in sponsorships and ticket sales, he said. Revenue from sales of concessions is collected by Neosho student organizations that staff the stands.
Branham said the tournament operates at a loss every year because it is intended to be an investment in the community. Branco began underwriting the tournament in the late ’90s.
Although the tournament tries to spend money with local businesses as much as possible, it can be difficult finding hotels in Neosho that meet the tournament’s needs, Branham said. The tournament books rooms in blocks, separating boys from girls, he said. Security concerns voiced last year led the tournament’s organizers to use Joplin hotels completely, he said.
The rejection of the grant shocked Branham.
“The city supported a good thing for 10 years, so why it didn’t support an 11th year makes no sense to me,” Branham said. “We see this as an economic impact driver for the city.”
Disc golf
In discussions about the basketball tournament, the council championed the efforts of the Neosho Disc Golf Club and its leader, Frank Hebert. In 2021, the council allocated $4,786 to the group from money originally budgeted to Branco for the 2020 tournament, which was canceled because of the pandemic. That money was used to expand the event from one to two days, and enabled organizers to award bigger cash prizes for winners.
Hebert said that grant was critical for the expansion.
“We had our largest field of players we have ever had, 159,” Hebert said. “Usually the first time a tournament goes to two days, they lose players. Disc golfers are frugal people and won’t travel unless there is value.”
Council members noted that while attendees of the basketball tournament were financially active during their stay, those out-of-state attendees don’t return to Neosho like the participants of the disc golf tournament.
Council members stressed during the April 5 discussion that organizers interested in receiving money from the hotel-motel tax for the upcoming 2023 fiscal year must make their cases before the city concludes its budget procedure. According to the city code, city staff members must present to the council a list of recommended expenditures for the tax revenues by Aug. 31 of each year.
“My goal is not to compete with anyone or take money from anyone,” Hebert said. “Just to improve our offerings the best way I know how, and disc golf is what I have knowledge about and a passion for.”
Branham said the tournament will continue regardless of how much it receives from the city. He said the roster of teams for 2022’s tournament is nearly set.
“We have a great event that is good for the city, its students and its schools,” Branham said. “It is rooted in tradition, and we are going to continue to do it. If the city does not want to be a part of it, that’s fine, because we’ll keep running this the right way, and let the chips fall where they may.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters with a Jesus bent – that’s how Chris Handrick describes Young Life and Wyld Life, two local organizations focused on providing youth with mentorship and a Christian message.
Handrick is the Dane County metro director for the organizations, which includes Mount Horeb, Middleton, Verona and University of Wisconsin-Madison. A Mount Horeb Native and Edgewood College alumni, Handrick has been helping direct the Verona organizations since 2013.
“Young Life is a mentorship organization with a Christian message, it works to walk along students and introduce them to Jesus Christ,” he told the Press. “But we work hard to attract all kids of all backgrounds. They don’t have to believe. While we do have a Christian message that comes through – it’s a range of kids who believe or don’t believe. It’s ecumenical.”
The organizations got started in Texas in 1941 and have since spread to all 50 U.S. states and to around 110 countries, Handrick said. Wyld Life is for middle school students (seventh and eighth grades) and Young Life is for high school and college students.
Between the two orgs in Verona, there are 80 student members. The groups meet weekly at State Bank of Cross Plains, though alternating each week between the middle and high school groups.
On the week when an age group doesn’t meet, their mentors are encouraged to reach out and spend time with their mentees – especially the youths who don’t attend the meetings because they don’t like large groups. Mentors might attend their mentee’s sport matches or take them out for ice cream or coffee.
Verona’s Young Life group provides mentorship to area youth with a Christian message, including supporting student athletes.
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Research shows that youth need five mentors besides their parents for the healthiest overall growth, Handrick said. Those mentors can include school teachers or sport coaches, and the Young and Wyld life mentors hope to be part of that five, he said.
At this time, there are eight mentors for Young Life and seven for Wyld Life. When it comes to connecting with youth, Handrick stresses the importance of mentors “getting on their turf.”
Mentors have to earn the right to be heard, he said, and that’s why on the weeks they don’t meet in large groups, it’s important for them to reach out to their mentee to keep involved in their life.
“This organization is relationship-based, and as that relationship grows, the mentor is supposed to instigate asking about what their mentee enjoys,” Handrick said.
As their relationship grows, the youths tend to want to see their leader more and more, he said. In a fledgling relationship, a mentor might have to ask for their mentee’s sports schedule, but over time the mentees happily send their leaders their schedule, wanting them to attend.
For the most part, mentors are just meant to be a support system alongside a youth’s parents, Handrick said, and he estimates for 60-70% of kids the leaders are an addition to parents. Though, there are 30-40% of youths for whom a leader may be present when a parent is not.
“We’re not trying to replace parents,” Handrick said. “We want to fill a need.”
As a mentorship organization, there’s sometimes the misconception that the org is geared solely to youth at risk, but Handrick said it’s for all youth, regardless of if they are above or below the poverty line, and whether or not they come from a stable home.
“We don’t want to simplify, we want to represent our school district as best we can,” he said.
The Verona group draws in students from not only the Verona Area School District but also from Memorial High School, Madison West High School, Edgewood High School and the Mount Horeb and Oregon school districts.
Verona’s Young Life group provides mentorship to area youth with a Christian message.
Photo Submitted
Get the party started
The Monday night programming is referred to as “club” and offers a party-like atmosphere, Handrick said.
During the nine-month academic season, the two age groups meet every other week – switching off weeks. Club gatherings begin with music, socializing and eating pizza donated by Pizza Ranch.
The group plays team games or trivia, sometimes there’s group singing, and even dance lessons. The high school group have been learning line dances including a traditional Mexican one, The Hustle and Cotton-Eyed Joe.
Verona’s Young Life group provides mentorship to area youth with a Christian message, including through games and a fun atmosphere.
Photo Submitted
There are raffles at every meeting for assorted prizes like candy and shirts.
Sometimes leaders even perform skits.
It finishes with a leader sharing a 10-minute personal story about how scripture or a Christian message relates to their own life. The group often then heads to Icki Sticki or Culver’s for ice cream.
“Club is geared around fun, energy, humor,” Handrick said. “We like to use humor and fun to tear down barriers.”
“It’s tons of energy and so much fun, it really helps kids relax and laugh,” parent Patty Bruni added. “It just kind of gives them a community of supportive people.”
Getting involved
Bruni has two sons who are involved in Young Life. One started when he was a high school freshman and is now a senior, the other joined in middle school and is now a freshman.
Because of her older son’s “phenomenal experience” with the group, Bruni joined the parent committee – a volunteer group who help support the group by organizing fundraisers, such as a trivia night coming up on April 24 at Hawks Landing Golf Club.
Bruni had never heard of the organization before her family moved to Verona in 2019 and her son got involved. Coming from a Catholic background, she said she was used to paying for activities or having to sign permission slips. So the free, drop-in nature of the Club meetings was a bit different for her.
But she came to appreciate what’s referred to as a “party with a purpose.”
“There are so many unhealthy, disparaging messages in the world – to me, Young Life helps counteract the negativity and gives them a positive, supportive place,” she said. “That’s where religion comes in, letting them know they’re valued, created, cared for and loved by God. But it’s not forced or stuffed down their throat.”
As teens aren’t expected to attend every week, the group is respectful of other commitments teens have, she said. And for kids who feel like their parents are no longer cool, a mentor can help fill a supporting role.
While Zoom meetings didn’t lend themselves to the format of the Club parties, the group tried to remain cohesive during the height of pandemic social distancing by offering some outdoor events such as kickball, disc golf and ultimate frisbee, while also hosting online homework help sessions.
“That was the hardest time for adding students,” Handrick said. “We focused on maintaining the students we knew.”
A big part of that was mentors going down the list of students to do check-in phone calls.
“During the pandemic when teens were on their own, Young Life stayed with them, walked with them, saying ‘We’re here and care,’” Bruni said. “It’s an incredible group of volunteers that pour themselves in. It would have been pretty easy for them to back away during the pandemic, but to watch the mentors not give up on it speaks to how much it means to them.”
The national Young Life organization owns approximately 20 resort-like properties around the country, with three in the Midwest including Timber Wolf Lake in Michigan and Castaway Club in Minnesota. Every summer – except for 2020 – groups of around 350 to 450 students and leaders descend on the camps each week.
There is also an annual backpacking trip to the Colorado mountains, which was the only excursion offered in 2020.
Verona’s Young Life group provides mentorship to area youth with a Christian message, including through camping trips.
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It was that life-changing hiking trip experience Bruni’s son attended in 2019 that inspired her to join the parent committee.
“He came back and said, ‘I learned more about God in one week than I had in all of Catholic school’,” she said.
Because of their close relationship with youth, mentors are heavily vetted, Handrick said. There is a six-week hands-on training process, two character references are required, there’s a background check, and there is also a driver certification training.
“We definitely have a long onboarding process for volunteers,” Handrick said.
As the group provides a $30 per mentee stipend a month to help mentors cover grabbing ice cream or coffee, the group does a lot of fundraising.
The group hosts two big fundraisers a year – a trivia night and a golf outing. The last in-person fundraiser was held in February 2020.
The parent committee tries to help fill gaps as needed, making meals or buying gas cards for mentors.
And the mentors help fill gaps for parents.
“My husband and I were able to attend most of our son’s ball games, but when he saw his mentor come to games, our son’s face would light up, it was an amazing and magical thing,” Bruni said. “We try to walk with kids the best we can, but we’re not cool. Mentors help reinforce things like ‘you are going to be okay, you’re worthwhile.’ It means so much to kids to have another adult who cares — they just need to know another adult cares for them and respects them. Young Life isn’t about religion, there are a lot of different religions that are here – it’s just a group that loves kids.”
Verona’s Young Life group provides mentorship to area youth with a Christian message, including trips out for coffee.
GARRETT — The need for a dedicated space for Garrett’s youth football program was brought to the board’s attention by league President Eric Treesh and secretary Mike Combs Tuesday.
Since taking over four years ago, the program has seen an increase from 60-70 to 130 youth, so “everything is beginning to get cramped up,” said Treesh. Hopes are to increase to 200 players in the next five years.
Treesh is requesting the city find a place for another park for the football program and also for the soccer league. Teams currently use the Garrett American Legion yard, baseball fields and land near Zion Lutheran Church. Treesh said some of the sites have safety hazards such big holes.
“My personal option, and I think it has been long overdue, is that we look into having another park area,” he said, noting the discussion of a disc golf course that could possibly be included with the plan.
Following discussion with Mayor Todd Fiandt last week, Treesh said one option is acreage near the city’s wastewater plant south of Warfield Street.
“What can we do, to do this for our kids in the City of Garrett?” Treesh asked.
“As far as finances, we are not asking for free-bees. We are willing to help out with this,” Treesh added. “Financially, we are sitting pretty decent. We would like to work with you guys to make this happen.”
Board members Tom Kleeman and Dave Demske asked for the idea to be tabled until the next session.
Fire Chief Chad Werkheiser presented his first-quarter report. Firefighters have made answered 92 medical assists, two building fires, seven motor vehicle accidents with injuries, four gas leaks.
Code Enforcement Officer Tara Smurr recorded eight violations between April 5-18, six abates complies, 15 abates sent to City Hall for billing and seven third offense notices sent to City Hall. So far this year, 179 abates have been served, according to her report.
Police Chief Roland McPherson reported 180 call for service from April 4-17. Officers issued 31 traffic warnings, seven traffic tickets, and 11 city ordinance calls. Only one arrest was made during the period and 44 business checks were made.
Demolition of a building at 109 S. Randolph St. continues to be halted due to the relocation of NIPSCO gas lines, which is pending until all information is processed by their attorneys, according to City Planner Milton Otero.
Quote requests for a new downtown parking lot on Franklin Street have been sent out with bids due by May 16 to be opened at the May 17 Board of Works meeting, he added,
Apex Engineering has updated all way-finding sign locations on Randolph Street and is waiting on the city designs in order to finish up the INDOT application. Apex is also finishing up the easement legal description and exhibits for the Dircksen property at C.R. 15 north of S.R. 8, with plans for completion by the end of the week for the city attorney to provide to the owners for approval. Once approved, a bidding schedule for the project will be discussed, according to Otero.
Final drafts for the Heritage Estates infrastructure reimbursement have been completed and Otero will be meeting with Custer Farms to go any items before the agreements are signed.
The Redevelopment Commission approved Thurman & Sons Building Restorations to redo all of the tuck-pointing on the east side of the City Hall building, scheduled to begin the second week of May. The RDC also approved the hiring of Dimke Properties Solutions to repair all walls affected by water seeping in through the brickwork.
A quote for $5,981 from Audio Video Systems Inc. of Angola for new, hardwired table microphones for City Hall was approved by the board.
The board also approved a bid from Webb Concrete Construction, the only one received, for this year’s 50/50 sidewalk replacement program following consideration by the board and city attorney. Costs remain the same for removal and disposal of concrete and for labor and materials for Americans with Disabilities Act corners. Costs increased by $1 per square foot for installation of curb-face sidewalks, new sidewalks, new driveways and aprons, installation of new roll curbing and new chair back curbing. Webb Concrete has been the contractor for the project for the past two years.
Two bids were opened for the Judy Morrill Beautification Project Tuesday and will be taken under consideration. They include Webb Concrete Construction at $5 per square foot for removal and $8 for newly installed concrete, compared to a bid of $4.75 per square foot for removal and $5.75 per square foot to install new sidewalk from MF Projects LLC, who handled the project last year.
City Streets and Parks Superintendent Eric Mossberger said some 40 trees have been removed along Randolph Street to Fifth Avenue as part of the project, with 70 trees to be planted in their places. Two large trees have yet to be cut down pending power lines being moved out of the way.
Garrett pool prices for the 2022 season were approved by the board. The pool will open for the season on Saturday, June 4 and will be open from noon to 8 p.m. daily. Family passes for four members will be $150 for in-town residents and $175 for those living out-of-town. Daily prices are $4 for ages 3-17, and $5 for 18 years-and-older. Ages 2 and younger are free and seniors and military are $3 per day. Season passes are $40 for in-town, $50 for out-of-town for ages 3-17. Adult passes are $55 for in-town, $65 for out-of-town and $45 for all seniors.
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