Lt. Governor Skillman Brings Needed Assistance to Fulton County

From Lt. Governor Becky Skillman:

"Our state cannot be divided into the have and the have-nots. That's why Monday was an important day for Indiana's small towns and rural communities. Fulton County, the Town of Fulton and 24 other communities will share more than $11 million to help with infrastructure improvements, downtown revitalization, libraries and fire services.

I awarded Fulton County $500,000 to increase the size of the Grass Creek fire station and community room. The town of Fulton will use their $150,000 grant to replace their 22-year-old fire truck with a new one.

The Office of Community and Rural Affairs, under my direction, administers federal dollars through the Community Development Block Grants. This is the ninth round of CFF grants I have awarded since 2005. I applaud these communities for going through a competitive application process, which encouraged communities to provide a local philanthropic match. I was pleased to see that 35 percent of the communities had this match. It is wonderful to see so many local philanthropic organizations investing in the sustainability of their communities.
Lt. Governor Skillman presents Fulton community leaders with a $150,000 Community Focus Fund grant.

"By strengthening infrastructure or improving quality of life, these Community Focus Fund grants will certainty foster economic success in our smaller communities and open the door to new opportunities. I appreciate the tremendous partnerships and local leadership that are keeping your community growing and thriving."

As your community makes the plans a reality, I look forward to celebrating your successes. Congratulations

Good Works Indiana Announces: The Return of Ike Randolph to WIBC!

Yes Virginia, it is your lucky day. For one day only yours truly will be guest hosting the Greg Garrison Show today on WIBC 93.1 on the FM dial. Oh and it's open phones! That means you pick the topic and I provide the expert commentary. So call in and be adored by your friends and envied by your enemies.

Good Works Indiana Asks: Are We Seeing the Beginning of the End of Small Town America?

As you well know by my blog I travel quite a bit across Indiana, stopping from one town to another enjoying the fact that each one has its own particular identity. As a matter of fact I've grown quite fond for rural communities and love to dig deep into their history. Well as I was doing a little research I ran across this article suggesting that public policy folks are giving serious thoughts to shrinking urban centers in terms of population and land area. S you know we urban-dwellers will go somewhere and the questions is where rural communities or other urban centers?. Then yesterday I found this piece and it made me wonder if this is the beginning of the end for small-town America. What do you think?

Good Works Indiana Announcment: Goshen Gets Glamorous

Just wanted everyone to know that one of my favorite small towns up north is getting a little touch up in the logo department thanks to Mayor Kauffman....

The city of Goshen has a new official logo, released today from the office of Mayor Allan Kauffman.until now, the city had little uniformity to its presentation on stationary and promotional goods. According to a press release on the new logo, the city had gone from many versions of maple trees, maple leaves, various colors and various fonts to the new logo, which will represent the unified city departments in a visual way.

The logo was designed by Brian Brinson of Miles Brinson Brown (MB2 Advertising) of Indianapolis, working alongside Goshen’s department heads.Three departments are exceptions to the new logo. The Goshen Police Department, Goshen Fire Department and Parks & Recreation Department will retain their logos.Promotional products such as coffee cups and note cards will be available soon from the clerk-treasurer’s office, 202 S. Fifth St.

Canada, eat your heart out!

Good Works Indiana Salutes: "LEAAP - Jump Starting the Disadvantaged!

My friends in Brazil Indiana sent me this article asking that I share their latest accomplishments with you...and of course be the kind and thoughtful person that I am I'm obliged to do just that...

"We can teach anyone," Coordinator Mary Yelton said. "Even if they're over 100."

The center provides Adult Basic Education (ABE)/ General Educational Development (GED) and high school classes for parents, quality early childhood education for children ages 6 weeks to 5, interactive literacy activities for the families and parent education. The main goal of the preschool is to prepare children for success in Kindergarten. "Screenings take place so we are able to determine the students who may need that extra boost," Yelton said.

The staff works to help students be successful through developmentally appropriate activities. Something new this year included children learning computer instruction and having the opportunity to take a practice test of the NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association).
The staff also uses peer models in the classrooms, to teach children through examples to other children in certain areas.

The center has also seen success with Positive Behavior Support, in which the staff is looking at the positive and recognizing the behavior. The rules are set in place ahead of time, and the staff is making sure the students understand them.

The success of speech therapy has equipped many students to be able to communicate better.
Students in the preschool take a pre-and-post Individual Development Early Assessment (IDEA), which Yelton said all of the children made improvements.
"It was really a wonderful year," she said. "The staff did a wonderful job in working with the students, we've seen many improvements in all of them."

Parent or family participation is also encouraged throughout the programs offered at the LEAAP Center. Adult Education is offered at the LEAAP Center to provide the nontraditional student with the opportunity to attain their GED.

"These students have the chance to become employed or attend an institution of higher learning," Yelton said. "This can have a huge impact in benefiting the communities economy."
Through the Clay County Literacy Grant, tutors are provided for students in adult education. However, Yelton said not everyone who attends ABE/GED has the goal of a diploma in mind.
"Some students just want to improve their basic, life, and employability skills," she said. "They want to be able to help their children with homework or be able to improve their employment status."

The graduation ceremony for the GED recipients takes place in conjunction with Cumberland Academy.

"The people who plan and put the program together do a fantastic job," she said. "Even if only one student were to get it, by over coming all the obstacles, then they deserve it."

The staff at the center is proud because 100 percent of adults in the Family Literacy Program improved at least one level on TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education).

"We do have a waiting list for the Family Literacy Program," she said. "However, we are still encouraging people to participate." Yelton remarked the success has been to see parents reading to their children, or to see a 3-year-old "reading" to other children.

"Motivation happens at different times and it can take a while," she said. "There is a point where parents being to understand the importance of improving their education level." The LEAAP Center works with Cumberland to provide young mothers the transportation to and from school as well as childcare, parenting classes and child together time.

"This is offered to those that can't find child care," Yelton said.

Another opportunity for success at the LEAAP Center is through Ivy Tech Community College. An average of four-six classes are offered at the center and at North Clay Middle School, so students don't have to drive as far. The center is also considered a test proctoring location for students that take classes online. The COMPASS Test for admission into Ivy Tech is also administered at the LEAAP Center.

Yelton and the staff at the center are grateful for the support of the community for the success of its programs. Some of the donations were made by the Clay County Prosecutors Office, Tri Kappa, Delta Theta Tau, and the United Way-Success by Six, Homemakers Extension Clubs, North Clay Middle School Lancers, area churches and the Exchange Club of Terre Haute. The achievements of the students and children are in part due to the support of the Clay Community School Corporation and the Clay Community Foundation. "Without them no programs would be possible," she said.

The center also received grants from the Indiana Youth Institute Scholarships for Professional Development, Child Welfare Services from the Department of Child Services for family literacy and the Barbara Bush Foundation.

"We tell students that in order to better their lives for their children and themselves, then education needs to begin at birth," Yelton said. For more information, call 446-2536, or stop by the LEAAP Center, 501 E. Jackson St., Brazil.

Good Works Indiana Stop #41: Elizaville- The Early Years

Last Thursday I attended a Faith, Hope and Love Week planning meeting in Elizaville and had an opportunity to pick up a little more history on "the little town that could."

Elizaville was established in 1843 and named after the deceased wife of Hugh Wiley one of its earliest settlers. The first white child born Hugh Sample the great-great grandfather to Carolyn Sue Smith a current resident of Elizaville. There were two school houses within a mile or two of Elizaville one to the north the other to the west. When not in use, surrounding congregations used them for services on Sunday.

Like any small town Elizaville was comprised of some very down to earth and very interesting characters. There was the esteemed members of the Redmen's Lodge who met in the big upstairs room of the Thomlison's General Store located at the corner of 47 and Howard Street in Elizaville. The story goes that the Lodge had a mechanical goat in their meeting hall and that new members were initiated by agreeing to ride the mechanical goat, however unknown to the rider the goat was wired to deliver a shock to the prospective Lodge member.

Another legendary Elizaville denizen was Doctor Jesse Tucker. Ole' Doc Tucker was poised to be gruff old codger but was still cursed with a tender heart. He practiced medicine until the late 1940's and ran his office out of his house just north of the Elizaville Baptist Church.

There's still an old story floating out there about Doc Tucker's sensitivity about having his instructions followed. One day Doc Tucker called on an ailing local resident. He examined the patient and then opened a window and instructed the wife to keep the window open a bit to give the patient some fresh air. A few days later he returned to check on his patient only to find the window closed again. This enraged the old doctor who didn't like anyone ignoring his orders.... old Doc Tucker walked over to the offending closed windows said, " D###!, I told you to leave the window up!" and promptly put his foot through the glass.... "the window was open now!'

This was the personality of Old Doc Tucker...(Kinda' reminds you of Dr. House character a little doesn't it?) Doc Tucker was an important and much loved part of the Elizaville Community and another thread in the tapestry of Elizaville, IN.

From local historian Carol Coy who moved to Elizaville at the age of four:

"In the early wars such as the Civil War and Spanish American War, Clinton Township furnished more than her share of soldiers. During the Wold Wars every young man that was of age and able to fight never faltered to go to the front. Clinton Township had no slackers. We are represented at all times in the Army and Navy. I think, if we of this day are as faithful and true as our forefathers who laid the foundation of our country and fought bravely, we will always be held in reverence by the future generations."

Good Works Indiana Salutes: Vicki Brumett Living Her Dream

From my friends up in Logansport comes a story to start the week off on a good note.

"It’s a miracle that I’m even here,” Vicki Brumett said. “I knew that God saved me for a reason.”

After experiencing two hardships during 2007, Vicki Brumett decided it was time to follow her dream. And so she did with the opening of Brumett’s Attic, an antique store, in May. Brumett was involved in a car accident in November 2007. She was driving home from working at the State Hospital after working a double shift.

“They don’t know if I fell asleep or blacked out,” she said.

Brumett’s vehicle traveled across the center line in front of Caston High School. She was struck head on by one vehicle, spun around and was struck a second time.
After spending four months in Fort Wayne’s Parkview Hospital and another four months in a Kokomo nursing home, Brumett said her doctors didn’t think she would ever be able to walk again.

“They put my leg back together,” she said. “I had fractured ribs, shoulders, and a broken arm. The internal injuries were the most severe.”

Earlier that year, Brumett lost her husband, Terry Price, to cancer. The couple battled the cancer for six months, before he passed away. “That really took a toll on me,” she said.

Brumett thought her days were done after the car accident, but her family helped pull her through the difficult and challenging year. She gives credit to her sons, Jason and Jeromey Brumett, and her mother, Marian Campbell, along with her sisters and grandchildren. Letters of support and calls also helped motivate her.

After her third stomach surgery in January, Brumett knew she wouldn’t be able to go back to work. She also knew she wasn’t supposed to sit around her room. Instead, she began thinking of an alternative.

“This has been my dream to open a store,” she said. “I realized I was going to be okay. I thought, this is it, this is what I want to do.”

On April 26, Brumett established her first business with her mother. The two sold their first item on May 5th. The antique store, known as Brumett’s Attic, is made up of antiques Brumett collected over the years. She said the store is also a way of letting everyone know she survived.

Opening the business was actually something Brumett planned to do once she retired. With the state of the economy, Brumett began to question if it would ever happen. Once she saw the building on South Fifth Street, she knew it was what she was supposed to do.

Her interest in collecting began when she was 17. Brumett’s grandmother had a salt and pepper shaker collection, which she always admired. By the time she was 20, another grandmother gave her a glass piece.

“I love old pieces,” she said. “There’s such history in each one.”

She eventually had to sell her entire first collection when she was 25. It was at that point she decided she wanted to have her own antique shop one day. Brumett began collecting items once again and built her collection up to three garages and an attic full of items.

The store offers a variety of items, including new and used furniture. It is filled with framed art, knickknacks, hats, table lamps, mirrors, glassware in several colors, antique toys, Native American items, Avon bottles, antique kitchen items, and sports collectors items. Two rooms are filled with items for sale and a third room will soon be opened.

“Anything you want, we can find,” Brumett said.

Most of the items for sale in her store were found at auction sales. She has briefly displayed each of the items in her own house.

“This is a collection of my life,” she said.

Some of the items still belong to Brumett, but she wanted to display them to share with others. One of those items includes a trunk made in Logansport on Market Street in 1834. Brumett is willing to sell on consignment. She doesn’t charge a booth fee and once the item is sold, the owner receives a percentage of the profit.

The business is located at 306 S. Fifth St. Brumett had her heart set on a location in downtown Logansport for one specific reason.

“I remember coming to downtown Logansport when I was child. It was the place to be,” Brumett said.

Brumett knows she is taking a chance opening a business during the tough economy, but she remains excited and optimistic.

“It’s a new world to me,” she said. “I just wanted to be here. My life has changed dramatically for the good.”