Columbus November | December 2023 by AIM Media Indiana

November | December 2023

Rewarding service Nonprofit helps people better their lives

Inside

Festive treats Local bakers make holiday creations

Inspiring design Exhibit Columbus showcases 2023 installations

Also

Light up the town Columbus Festival of Lights returns Columbus Magazine

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Columbus Magazine

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contents November | December 2023

24 Profile

Opening doors

Nonprofit helps struggling community members

November | December 2023

Rewarding service Nonprofit helps people who want to better their lives

INSIDE

Festive treats Local bakers make holiday creations

Inspiring design Exhibit Columbus showcases 2023 installations

find light at the end of the tunnel

Columbus Festival of Lights returns Columbus Magazine

On the cover Randy Allman and Diane Doup photographed by Angela Jackson 4

Columbus Magazine

ALSO

Light up the town 1

MEDLEY

8 editor’s note 10 What do you think? 12 BOOK NOOK

14 TASTE

IN-35147778

Holiday cookies

Columbus Magazine

contents

18 18 Exhibit Columbus Community

installations

30 Columbus Festival Goodwill

of Lights returns to town

Columbus Magazine

IN EVERY ISSUE

34 Wedding 36 Our Side of Town 38 THE BIG PICTURE

November 15, 2023 Publisher

Advertising

Reader Services

AIM Media Indiana

Art Director Amanda Waltz

Mailing Address P.O. Box 3011, Columbus, IN 47202

Advertising Design Erin Caplinger Mar Carson Katelin Gephart Rebecca Lecher Josh Meyer Wesley Rowles Robert Wilson

Advertising Inquiries 812-379-5655

Editorial

Editor Rachel Hensley Senior Graphic Designer Keely Spitler Special Projects Assistant Michael Donohue Writers Michael Donohue, Barney Quick, Glenda Winders Photographers Carla Clark, Angela Jackson, Jana Jones, Tony Vasquez

Advertising Operations Manager Stacy Doub Account Executives Rhonda Day Christy Hubbard Roger Schooler Tessa Wetherald

Back Issues To order back issues of Columbus magazine, please send $5 per issue (includes S&H) to the mailing address above or call 800-435-5601. Please include the address to which your copies should be sent. PDF files are available for a fee of $20 per page and are permitted for personal use only. All content ©2023 The Republic. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Columbus Magazine

medley

editor’s note

The most wonderful time of the year This year has flown by! I’m excited for the holiday season and getting to spend time with friends and family. Driving around and looking at Christmas lights is one of my most favorite things to do throughout the season — let me know where to find the best displays! This issue marks my one-year anniversary with Columbus magazine. Thank you to all who have helped along the way and for allowing my team and I to tell your story. When you have some free time in between holiday gatherings, read about small, local bakeries to get holiday sugar cookies this year, reflections on Exhibit Columbus, Randy Allman and Diane Doup’s work at Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center and the return of the iconic Festival of Lights Parade. See you next year, Columbus!

Rachel Hensley rhensley@aimmediaindiana.com

Columbus Magazine

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What Do You Think?

In each issue of Columbus, we ask people for their opinions on a variety of topics. This month’s question:

What traditions and events do you look forward to throughout the holiday season? “Every year, we make treats for the holiday season. We have some favorites every year, but try at least one new recipe. We like to pack them and deliver the treats to our neighbors. We have done it so many years, we have started to streamline our process. It’s such a fun time and we love baking.” — Rachel McCarver “Our Christmas tradition began 13 years ago when our son was born. My husband grew up with artificial and I grew up with real trees. I won the debate and we’ve cut our own tree at Piney Acres Farm ever since. Listening to holiday music on the way, we arrive to enjoy hot chocolate, shopping for gifts, taking photos, visiting Santa, and of course hunting down the perfect tree. One year we even had to tie the tree to the roof of my Outback and had some pretty cool Griswold Family Christmas vibes going.”

“Getting everybody together and the anticipation of opening the presents, and now it is seeing my niece excited about the presents. Also, all the food, we kind of go back and forth between ham and turkey and we always have collard greens and that is my favorite.”

— Shannon Malanoski

— Dontae Owsley

“Christmas has always been my favorite holiday/celebration. There’s just a lot of warmth and fellowship. Last Christmas was the most memorable by far and we couldn’t be happier! Our son was born a month early, on Christmas Day in the late afternoon/early evening. We were expecting this gift, and he still surprised us. And ironically enough, when Milo was born, his nose was pinkish-red. So the first few hours of his life, many of us called him Rudy (Rudolph). We have still never met a baby more merry and bright. Christmas is now promised to bring us so much love and joy.” — Rae Lehman and Milo Lehman

Columbus Magazine

Compiled By Carla Clark

“What I look forward to the most leading up to the holiday season is the community events that we are a part of every year. We love to be a part of the Festival of Lights parade where we get the opportunity to ride with the fire department on the parade route. We also are part of the Fireman’s Cheer Fund delivery day. We love manning our station and loading gifts into everyone’s cars. We also love driving downtown and enjoying the holiday lights on Washington Street and the decorations at City Hall.”

“A number one is getting together with family. Families don’t do that often enough, at least ours doesn’t. The other thing is I just like the time of year. My family, when I was growing up, sold Christmas trees and that was always a treat. I was always just that little kid walking around in the pine trees. I just like the time of year. It is quiet at night, get a little snow on the ground and it absorbs all the sound. It is just a nice charming time.”

— Melissa Wilson

— Dan Fleming

“I look forward to making homemade yeast rolls for the family, which they love, and we always have lasagna. We don’t have the traditional turkey and all that, we always have lasagna because we want to relax at Christmas and enjoy each other. I fix the lasagna and they all come to my house, I really love that. We also have cookies for dessert, not Christmas cookies, but favorites like chocolate chip and peanut butter.” —Zona Matthews

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Columbus Magazine

medley

BOOK NOOK

“Let Us Descend” By Jesmyn Ward Three Pointers — Angie, Kate and Beth — agree that “Let Us Descend” is a must-read for anyone willing to understand what life was like for Annis, a young slave girl stripped from her mother, sold off by her master (also her father) and forced to walk from North Carolina to New Orleans to go to work on a sugar cane plantation. With a hearty dose of what slavery really was like, plus a touch of the mystical, Ward weaves a captivating narrative with such great power and precision that you’ll remain engrossed despite the atrocities. When the journey ends, you will applaud Annis while you ache with the desire to ensure that no one ever again struggles as she did. Accept Jesmyn Ward’s invitation to walk alongside Annis, and your life will never be the same.

Columbus Magazine

“The Family Bucket List”

“The English Experience”

By Nana Luckham and Kath Stathers

By Julie Schumacher

When my kids were young, I promised to take them to all 50 states before they graduated from college. Then we moved to China for two years and traveled Asia instead, and then there was a worldwide pandemic, and we could only dream about travel. Now, they’re 15 and 17, and I’m feeling a bit under the gun. Hopefully, they’ll give me an extension. So when I picked up “The Family Bucket List,” I knew that was going to be tops on my list for Christmas this year. As the weather grows cold and I grow sad, at least I can dream about our next big trip, and this book has it all. Not only does it have fabulous tried-and-true recommendations for bucket list trips for years to come, but it also contains confirmation that many of the incredible memories we have of our Asia travels were experiences that many others dream of. As I read, I recall our family trips, and I am filled with joy and melancholy at the memories … happy we were there; sad they are over … and ready to plan the next one! Universe/Penguin Random House. — Angie Revell

Julie Schumacher, author of “Dear Committee Members,” a longtime Viewpoint bestseller and winner of The Thurber Prize for American Humor, offers this pocket gem of wry humor. While it completes a trilogy, it is just as enjoyable as a standalone work. Stamp your passport with reluctant Professor Fitger as he shepherds a group of study-abroad undergraduates to England. The dialogue, characters and motivations are “spot on” for this motley group. I promise that you’ll laugh out loud, fear for our future and celebrate humanity in equal parts. Teachers will especially appreciate this book. Doubleday/Penguin Random House. — Polly Verbanic

“Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Everything: The Ultimate Guide to the World Around You” By DK This book tops my list of gifts for curious youngsters! All the best that DK has to offer is packaged in one beautifully illustrated reference book. With 380+ pages and a detailed glossary, eager learners will find interesting information packed into sections covering space, earth science, history, culture and more. As a kid, I would have loved to have received this fun, yet educational book! As a kid at heart, it would still be a great gift to unwrap and treasure for years. — Theresa Wilson

Reviews by the staff of Viewpoint Books

“Bloodmarked”

“Pig: Poems”

By Tracy Deonn

By Sam Sax

“Bloodmarked,” the second book of the “Legendborn” series, is an epic, modern-day retelling of King Arthur and Camelot set on a southern college campus. We have copies with signed bookplates available, making this book – ideally complemented by a copy of the first book, “Legendborn” – a great gift for any lover of young adult fiction, legend retelling and Black Girl Magic. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. — Anne Barnhorst

“Pig” really dives into what it means to be human by examining the pig. Sam Sax intertwines their family history and ideas about queerness and masculinity into stories about pigs – mostly. From the ordinary to more obscure references, it’s completely obsessive and brutally honest. Despite the simplicity of the title, this collection is wild, beautiful, witty, sad and is a celebration of being alive. Scribner Book Company/Simon and Schuster. — Kylie Brooks:

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Taste

A batch

made in heaven

Discover the local art of holiday sugar cookies By Barney Quick // Photography by jana jones

Bakers speak of the sugar cookie in a manner similar to the way painters speak of a particular medium, such as oil, acrylic or watercolor. It appeals to those who have a passion for intricate detail — it’s a cookie for designers. This is especially true of the creations bakers come up with for the holiday season. No other time of year offers such a rich array of enchanting imagery, and people never tire of it. Several cookie purveyors around the city are gearing up to create some fare suited to this unique and festive stretch of weeks. Let’s check in with them.

Columbus Magazine

CayPops

caypops.com

For Caylyn Pruitt, the holiday season means the entire year-end stretch, starting with Halloween and moving on to Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Some of the shapes she creates include turkey, leaves, pie, pine trees, presents and ornaments. “I start with a sugar cookie base, roll that out, and then use my various cookie cutters,” she said. “My royal icing consists of powdered sugar, meringue powder and vanilla-almond extract.” She’s currently a senior at North High School,

and she picked up baking as a hobby during the pandemic. Now, she has to vigilantly schedule studies, her baking business and run in cross country and track. Her athletic pursuits have helped make her CayPops more visible to the community. For the past three years, she’s baked cookies as a cross-country team fundraiser, donating 50 percent of sales for T-shirts. She intends to study entrepreneurship upon graduating.

Columbus Magazine

taste

Love, Lea Bakery Leah Joyce, who left the “h” off of her business name so she’d be sure people pronounced the second word as one syllable, is finishing work on a business marketing degree at IUPUC. She intends to stay in Columbus and open a storefront after graduating. So far, she’s had a booth at the downtown Columbus Farmer’s Market, as well as at the Nala Palooza fundraiser and the Pride festival. She focuses on baked goods with buttercream toppings when mass producing, but does make sugar

Columbus Magazine

cookies for children’s birthday parties and holidays. “If I do sugar cookies, I’m going to spend a lot of time making sure they’re really pretty,” she said. For that matter, “a lot of people like a sugar cookie with buttercream icing.” Baking has been her main passion since she was a toddler. “My parents didn’t get me an Easy Bake Oven because I was already using a real one.” For the holiday season, she offers a chocolate cookie with peppermint icing.

Artistry Cookie Co. Proprietor Jessica Robayo gears up for the holiday season right after the summer ends. “As soon as September hits, everybody’s got Christmas cookies on their minds,” she said. The former high school art teacher was drawn to the possibilities of the sugar cookies, speaking of the “coziness of the design,” and citing the “frosted white tips of evergreen branches” as an example. She still brings a teacher’s heart to what she does. “I started teaching baking classes

this spring. Every one’s been sold out,” she said. For attendees, there’s “no baking, no cleaning. Just a nice outing and you have something to show for it.” She’s currently putting together classes specifically for the upcoming season. “I think what makes it a holiday cookie is the sensory experience. Cookies are very experiential. It’s about the memories that go with it.”

Katy-Did Cookies Elizabethtown-based Kate Stein has operated Katy-Did Cookies for eight years, serving the Columbus and Seymour markets. “Christmas is always really busy,” she said, “especially since, with changes to health department rules, I can deliver.” She always enjoys working with royal icing. “It’s made with powdered sugar,” she said. “You can be more elaborate with details since it hardens.” How detailed does she get? Consider the “tiny little cookies that look like an elf made them. I even make tiny little pizza boxes that look like they’re being delivered by elves.” She makes clear the degree of passion she has for making cookies. “It’s addictive,” she said. “It’s better than therapy. I always feel better after I’ve made a batch.”

Columbus Magazine

Community

Check the field map at exhibitcolumbus.org for the locations of the exhibits.

Columbus Magazine

‘Design

in public Realm’ the By Michael Donohue // Photography by Mike Wolanin and Hadley Fruits

Exhibit Columbus brings a community together

In case you’ve been busy this summer and haven’t gotten a chance to see the exhibits showcased throughout downtown Columbus since August, you still have until November 26 to experience breathtaking and thought-provoking exhibits. According to its website, Exhibit Columbus, a program of the Landmark Columbus Foundation, “embodies its mission by being a locally responsive and globally engaged proponent for the modern heritage of Columbus.” So to put his words into action, Richard McCoy, founding executive director, began collaborating with leaders of Columbus in 2022 by simply asking them what they wanted to accomplish with this exhibition. They all agreed that their goal was to support each other’s mission and accomplish the larger goals connected to the future of downtown Columbus. “The theme the last phase prompts is a reflection on the critical role of design in the public realm, inspiring civic engagement, belonging and the kinds of social interaction that bolster a democratic society,” said McCoy.

After setting their goals, they rolled up their sleeves and decided the best way to display their ideas to the public is “through symposia, exhibitions, public events and guided tours, online and print publications and educational activities.” They then began building a team of curators, architects, designers, installers and volunteers and invested and created collaborative relationships with several key organizations and individuals downtown. One year later, through hard work, dedication and community support, the 2023 Exhibit Columbus Exhibition opened on August 26, 2023, and has been a huge success with visitors and locals alike. “They demonstrate that singular entities do not create art and architecture projects, but that the best work is built with the collective power of community engagement and hard work,” McCoy said. “There are questions connected to each installation that will challenge you to connect each back to the theme of ‘Public by Design’ and to find a deeper meaning.”

Columbus Magazine

community

1) Designed by the public Site: Cleo Rogers’s Memorial Library Plaza Community Curator: Jason Hatton Installation Sponsor: Elwood Staffing The exhibit space is fully accessible and located on the sidewalk and plaza. As for her design, Tatiana Bilbaofrom ESTUDIO said,, “From the beginning, it was clear to her team that their role in the intervention at the library plaza was to translate the community’s desires and intentions into a tangible installation.”

2) InterOculus Site: Intersection of Fourth and Washington streets Community Curator: Dave Hayward, executive director of Public Works Installation Sponsor: Tracy L. Haddad Foundation The exhibit is located above street level and can be viewed from multiple accessible sidewalks surrounding the object. Vishaan Chakrabarti, founder and creative director of PAU in New York, said, “The team learned a tremendous amount during their installation’s fabrication, projection, and lighting. The site and

installation are in the most symbiotic dance. Both design and installation were enormous challenges.” Despite the challenges faced, the biggest one being the time factor, he and his team members said there is an intimacy between Columbus and Exhibit Columbus that is unavoidable.

3) THE PLOT PROJECT Site: Mill Race Center Community Curator: Dan Mustard Installation Sponsor: The Schumaker Family Parts of the exhibit are located in grassy areas around the Mill Race Center. The grass may be uneven and damp, due to the weather, but it is relatively flat. The items can be viewed easily from a nearby sidewalk. According to Christopher Marcinkoski and Andrew Moddrell of PORT, their installation was born because “it is civic in scale, has an ecological orientation, offers space for social interaction and is exuberant in its materiality.” The greatest challenge they faced was getting things to grow. Mother Nature does not care about design intent, they said. 2

Columbus Magazine

4) Echoes of the Hill

6) Ground Rules

Site: Mill Race Park Festival Field Curator: Mark Jones, director of the Parks and Recreation Department Installation Sponsor: Deer Crossing Fund Designed by Sarah Zewde of Studio Zewde, this exhibit can be viewed by the public from a nearby sidewalk. For this project, Zewde reconnected with Michael Van Valkenburgh, the designer of Mill Race Park, and designed this thought-provoking piece about the continuous connection of people, places and things.

Site: Cummins Corporate Office Building at Fifth and Brown streets Site Collaborator: Cummins Inc. Installation Sponsor: Columbus Area Visitors Center Jessica Colangelo and Charles Sharpless created this exhibit space that is accessible to viewers via a ramp at the east of the structure. They said they have supplied bocce balls, corn hole games, lawn bowling and big dice to play on the astroturf court.

5) A Carousel for Columbus

7) PRISMA

Site: Ovation Plaza on Fourth Street Site Collaborator: Ovation Technology Group Installation Sponsor: Columbus Area Visitors Center Joseph Altshuler and Zack Morrison designed this general exhibit which is located off of the sidewalk. An interactive carousel that combines 2D graphics and 3D forms can be accessed by stepping up onto the platform or sitting on an external bench.

Site: Cummins parking garage, west site Collaborator: Cummins Inc. Installation Sponsor: Columbus Area Visitors Center Esteban Garcia Bravo and Maria Clara Morales designed this exhibit space that is fully accessible to the public and can be viewed from the sidewalk. The installation features motion lighting and is most visible at night.

Columbus Magazine

community

8) RESPONDER Site and Collaborator: Bartholomew County Public Library Installation Sponsor: Columbus Area Visitors Center Deborah Garcia’s Responder is her largest spatial project to date and one that she is most proud. Her exhibit is a 9-foot sonic structure that simultaneously plays and records to create loud and booming loops of layered sound.

9) Side Effects at the Commons Plaza Site and Collaborator: The Commons Installation Sponsor: Columbus Area Visitors Center Molly Hunker and Greg Corso designed this exhibit space that is fully accessible to the public. For their installation, they wanted to remain cognizant of the context of the city and at The Commons’ site in order to portray the connection of the interior and exterior, a tenet of a lot of modern architecture, and the uniqueness of The Commons as a site.

10) Sylvan Scrapple Site, Collaborator and Installation Sponsor: Columbus Area Visitors Center Katie MacDonald and Kyle Schumann created this exhibit that is located adjacent to and within a raised garden bed and can be viewed from a flat grassy area or a nearby accessible sidewalk. Their idea for the exhibit was drawn from Indiana’s sawmilling history and shows new ways to work with wood through digital technology. 9

Columbus Magazine

11) PIPE UP! Site and Collaborator: Hotel Indigo Columbus Architectural Center Installation Sponsor: Columbus Area Visitors Center Halina Steiner, Tameka Baba, Forbes Lipschitz and Shelby Doyle designed this exhibit that was installed in a grassy area. The structure can be viewed easily from a nearby sidewalk, and the designers said that their intent for their installation was to present the importance of subterranean water infrastructure visible to urban development and agricultural production.

12) Machi Site: Cummins parking garage, west Site Collaborator: Viewpoint Books and Cummins Inc. Installation Sponsor: City of Columbus This exhibit created by the High School Design Team can be viewed easily from a nearby sidewalk. The team, comprised of 38 architectural students from the Columbus Area Career Connection, also known as C4, formally began their project in June 2022 and students worked all summer designing, welding and building this steel structure.

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Profile

Diane Doup and Randy Allman.

Columbus Magazine

A c h i e v in g a

thriving community

Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center never stops giving By gLENDA wINDERS // Photography by aNGELA jACKSON

Randy Allman and Diane Doup work 365 days a year — including evenings, holidays and during the worst weather conditions – often missing important celebrations with their families. They deal with people who are often just out of jail, unable to hold a job or addicted to drugs. All of that being the case, they still say they have the best jobs in town. Allman is the executive director of the Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center (LCNFC), a 501c3 nonprofit, and Doup handles community outreach. Their office is a house in the heart of the neighborhood they serve, whose boundaries go from City Hall on the south to 17th Street to the north, and Mill Race Park on the west to the Green Belt Golf Course on the east. The community comprises some 2,000 households and 5,000 people. About 70% of the residents have low to moderate incomes. As high as 40% live below the poverty line. They have faced problems that most people don’t, and this is where Allman and Doup enter the picture. They don’t say no to anyone who has the motivation to work for a better life.

Columbus Magazine

profile

“There is nothing on earth better than to see someone who has been in the pits of hell come out of that and then flourish and own a home and raise children,” Allman said. “There’s nothing better than that. Nothing.” Allman started the center — which will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year — at the request of Cummins Inc. At the time, he was working in the court system as chief probation officer and partnered with Judge Tim Grogg to start the Community Corrections Program, which involves electronic house arrest, work-release programs and community service. “I came here with that perspective,” Allman said. “The reason behind starting commu26

Columbus Magazine

“The reason behind starting community corrections in the beginning was to get away from just punishing people. That never serves anybody when you just send people to jail and prison.” — Randy Allman

nity corrections in the beginning was to get away from just punishing people. That never serves anybody when you just send people to jail and prison. If they need that, give them a little of it, but also give them an opportunity to work and continue to take care of their families so they don’t become a burden on taxpayers.”

He said handouts don’t work, but the programs they have put into place with community partners to better the lives of less fortunate people do. One of the most significant of those is Bartholomew County Works, which the center runs in conjunction with the United Way (they are a United Way Certified Agency). The plan

helps individuals break the cycle of poverty by becoming self-sufficient citizens. Jobseekers become members of the program by filling out an application, taking a drug-screening test and undergoing a criminal background check. Then, they attend a week-long Job Readiness Workshop, during which they learn about topics such as how to write resumes and fill out applications, how to dress and conduct themselves for an interview, how to manage anger and maintain good relationships, how to budget the money they make and much more. They are assigned a self-sufficiency coach who partners with them every step of the way, giving them feedback and helping them solve problems like having a disagreement with a fellow employee. The center helps provide whatever the person needs to keep the job for at least a year. That could mean steel-toed boots or a new battery when their car doesn’t start. Once the year has passed, they help with planning for further education or training, if that’s what the person wants. The individuals are members for life, so they can always come back for more counseling and advice. Currently, about 130 people who have gone through the

“We can hold these people’s hands until we start to see some light at the end of the tunnel so that they’re not just going from crisis to crisis.” — Randy Allman

program are working full-time, receiving benefits and making an average of $21 per hour. Allman, a Columbus native, graduated from Indiana University with a master’s degree in counseling. He listens and advises people who might be suicidal or on the verge of making harmful decisions or just in need of someone to run interference for them. He said people come to him with relationship issues, problems at work and financial matters. “We think the advocacy that we provide is the biggest thing we do,” he said. “This organization can open doors that somebody who lives in an impoverished neighborhood in a house that’s dark and desolate and has no hope can’t open. We can talk to the right person to start the process in motion. We can hold these people’s hands until we start to see some light at the end of the tunnel so that they’re not just going from crisis to crisis.” Doup, also a Columbus na-

tive, joined the organization not long after it started, just after graduating from Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. Throughout college, she interned with the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp., and one of the assistant superintendents told her about the LCNFC and suggested she try it to get a different type of experience. “Randy was kind enough to bring me in on a temporary basis, and I just loved what I was doing so much that I didn’t want to leave,” she said. “It is a mountaintop experience to be able to see someone overcome the demons in their lives.” But she said they couldn’t do what they do without the help of community partners and the 500 volunteers who work with them annually. San Souci helps with collecting winter coats, the HFBC Women’s Giving Circle enables them to provide no-interest loans and money for bills, the Parks and Recreation Department holds summer

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programs for elementary-age children, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church provides an auto-maintenance clinic and a Christmas Day dinner. In partnership with Cummins, they provide cleaning supplies and hygiene kits once a month to anyone who needs them. “They get a chance to feel a little better about themselves,” Allman said. Their partner for Thanksgiving dinner is the First Christian Church, and St. Peter’s works with Cummins to provide Christmas gifts through Angels 28

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of Love, the second-largest Christmas assistance program in Columbus, after Cheer Fund, and the only one that provides bicycles and other gifts for children up to the age of 18. Last year they served 750 children. Allman and Doup say their goal is to put themselves out of business, but with more families moving into the area, the number of people who need the kind of help they offer keeps growing. And those people are grateful for all they receive. “We have had great experiences working with everyone from Lincoln Central,” said Daniel Bautista and his wife, Emmalee. “They have assisted us with many things, including buying our home. They are a great part of our community.” Another resident, Terese, said, “When I’m not sure where to turn, I always call Lincoln Central Neighborhood Center. Being by myself raising my kids, I just sometimes need fast answers or help. Sometimes I just need to talk. They help me every time or find who can.” They spearhead neighborhood cleanup and improvement projects, teach parents how to deal with head lice, match special-needs children with buddies, tutor students, provide legal consultation, have a tool-lending library, teach neighbors to garden and so on. Thanks to several community partners, they have recently been able to build four homes for people who have become self-sufficient and have the means to purchase a home. The architecture and details are consistent with other homes in the area, so they don’t draw attention to themselves. “We help get people to a level where they can actually

afford the house and take it over,” Allman said. “There are mechanisms in place that allow it to be more affordable than the market value. People who have struggled their entire lives are now becoming first-time homeowners.” They also deal with landlords who don’t take proper care of the buildings they own. “There are landlords who are comfortable putting their heads on their pillows at night knowing that they are doing wrong,” Allman said. “We need to start holding those landlords accountable.” Already, a factory that was causing breathing issues for people has been replaced with an attractive apartment complex for lower-income families, and new condominiums are going to be for sale for those who make good wages. The center’s board of directors is made up of 60% residents, and it was they who established the seven priorities by which the center operates: safety, infrastructure, health and education, positive youth development, parent-child interaction and parent support. “We are a safe place,” Allman said. “A place that residents have grown to trust. Our residents feel a level of trust that they can come in and tell us anything and everything – things they wouldn’t tell the police, governmental agencies or organizations or anyone else, but they feel comfortable talking to us. That’s the reason we exist.” He said starting the organization was the biggest grassroots effort in Columbus’ history, and Doup added that it is different from other groups in important ways.

“Our programs and our ideas are not about pushing families out but rather to give them safe and affordable living opportunities, whether that be through a rental situation or home ownership,” she said. “Homeownership not only creates stability in a neighborhood, but it also gives families a greater level of stability.” Board member Leo Portaluppi, owner of Columbus Auto Group, said he is proud to be associated with the group. “I am inspired by our unwavering dedication to cultivating a thriving community,” he said. “Together we embrace possibility, ignite hope and empower individuals to reach their full potential. It is an honor to be part of this transformative journey, where our collective efforts create a brighter, more inclusive future for all.” About 20 years ago, Allman realized that people coming to them had no skills or understanding of the importance of doing a good job. To remedy the situation, he set out to reopen the Key Cinemas that had just gone out of business. The idea was to hire people and train them so they could be successful in the workplace no matter where they went. To do this, he and Doup learned how to run a business so they could show the groups that helped finance the theater that they could make their own money at the same time they gave jobs to people and trained them to become better employees. “I said to Diane, ‘Let’s show all of the folks in the community that we’re not going to just sit back and take all of this

“It’s different when it feels like a mission to you and when you have fun doing it.” — Diane Doup

money without making some of our own,’” he said, “and Yes Cinema has grown to the point that now it makes a significant amount of money every year. It’s the only fundraiser we do — it just happens to be 365 days a year.” Doup said the cinema opened with grant dollars, and because they didn’t have much money, they couldn’t afford to buy a new sign. One day, she and others were looking at the marquee and trying to decide on a name and how to advertise it. They concluded that they wouldn’t need to spend money for a sign by borrowing the S from “cinemas,” removing the K from “Key” and rearranging the letters. Thus the name is Yes Cinema — singular — even though the business houses two theaters. Over the last decade, it has become self-sustaining because of ticket prices, concessions, events and private rentals, which allows them to finance all the programs at the center. When Allman’s wife, Linda, retired from her position as assistant regional director for the Social Security office, she joined the cinema as events coordinator, negotiating with vendors, arranging meetings and providing food for their special events. Allman wants every dollar to be accountable. “We pay a reputable service to come in and give us a financial review so that if the folks

who donate to us ask where the money went, we can show them down to the penny,” he said. “That’s very important to Diane and me. People deserve that.” Allman said he is grateful to have Doup as his colleague. He said she has become a phenomenal counselor who understands issues and who can relate to people and work with them as well as anybody in the field, and he also admires what he calls her “amazing” work ethic. She credits her family with teaching her that giving back to a community is a gift rather than a responsibility. “It’s different when it feels like a mission to you and when you have fun doing it,” Doup said. “The neighbors we get to interact with are so inspirational in what they do and how they survive every day. I like that every day is different. I like interactions, and I love trying to help people. I love being able to take something off someone’s plate and help make their situation or their day or their life better.” Allman agrees. “We are passionate about what we do and the people we impact,” he said. “Every single person with motivation deserves our best. All you have to do if you want to take this journey is be motivated. If you’re motivated, you can open up a whole new world for yourself.” Columbus Magazine

Goodwill

reviving a

tradition

A long-standing Columbus holiday celebration returns

BY Glenda Winders // photography submitted by Tony Vasquez and Republic file photos

Pictured: The Festival of Lights parade moves through intersection of Third and Washington streets in downtown Columbus on Dec. 1, 2018.

Columbus Magazine

In September 2022, Amy Stoughton Berquist, Sarah Forbes and Crissy Riley were all in a Think Local Columbus meeting at the Chamber of Commerce offices when they received the news that the upcoming Christmas parade had been canceled. The three, who had met and become friends through other community volunteer efforts, couldn’t believe what they were hearing, and they realized on the spot that they could make a change for the better. “We just grabbed hold of each other and said, ‘Here we go!’” Berquist said. “We decided right then. We hit the ground running and we’ve been in a sprint ever since.” The women realized that it was too late to organize a parade for 2022, but they got to work planning a 2023 celebration, renaming it the Columbus Festival of Lights, which will become a reality on Dec. 2. They purposely left out the word “parade” because they have plans to grow the event into something much more significant in the coming years. Within a week, they had spoken to a lawyer, bought a

website set up an email list, written a business plan and worked on a budget — much of it their own money at that time. They met with Mayor Jim Lienhoop to get his blessing, and then Berquist said, “It just kind of snowballed into an avalanche.” They established a 501c3 nonprofit LLC that they named Red Arch to celebrate Columbus. “Red” is a nod to the Robert N. Stewart Bridge and “Arch” to Henry Moore’s “Large Arch” in the library plaza. Other communities have already begun to contact them with requests to do the same type of project. They enlisted the help of

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people and agencies and were overwhelmed with offers of assistance. Attorney Jeff Rocker donated his time, and the Wicked Agency built their website for free, and they received CPA help from Debra Schill. They have a contact list of 75 people who are willing to help and a core group of 35 who meet with the team regularly and divide up the chores that need to be done. Their 30-plus sponsors range from donors of $250 to $10,000, with each level named for a reindeer. Bender Lumber donated wood to build floats, Travis Glick is building Santa’s sleigh and Ivy Tech’s robotics team is also

helping. The women say their employers and spouses have also been supportive. Riley eventually left the group, but between them, Berquist and Forbes have all the background and skills that they need to succeed. CFO Berquist, a Liberty Mutual insurance agent who is married and has an 18-year-old son, deals with the money and paperwork, as well as building community partnerships. President Forbes has a degree in event planning and management from Indiana University and is currently a sales director and customer service manager for Five Star Food Service, as well as

director of events for the festival. She is also married and expecting her first child. “I love events,” she said, “and that’s where I tie into this.” Forbes said that with Berquist’s background in community outreach, getting sponsors and making community connections and her own event-planning expertise, they are a powerful force, and that’s what it takes to put on an event this big. They had to file an event application with the city, and the state’s Department of Transportation was involved because they plan to shut down Third Street. They also

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Amy Stoughton Berquist

had to notify the Department of Homeland Security and tell them their security plans. And security plans there are. Barricades will be heavier, and there will be an increased police presence, as well as other measures that are being put into place so that spectators can enjoy the parade with a sense of security. The team says everyone has a part to play in making sure the parade comes off smoothly. In addition to the steps they have taken to keep everyone safe, parade entries have their part to play in that they’re paying attention, not driving too fast or making sharp turns and not throwing candy into the crowd. The spectators have a job to do, too. If you’re asked to stay behind something, it’s not to inconvenience you but rather to have a safe parade. If you’re 32

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in a crowded area, spread out. The parade will be visible for 11 blocks on both sides of the street, so everyone will be able to have a good view. Be kinder to one another, and appreciate that local volunteers are giving up their day to provide entertainment for the community. Another focus of Red Arch is the inclusion of everyone in the plans and activities. They have reached out to every cultural group, every demographic group and nonprofits to make sure everyone has a chance to be involved. In the past, the occasion has been heavily Christian-focused, and that will continue to be a part of the celebration, but this year, everyone will be recognized so that the true diversity of Columbus will be represented and everyone will be visible in the parade. The result of this effort is that they are seeing new parade entries that have never been part of the holiday before and that show the city’s true cultural makeup. The organizers will have portalets positioned in several locations along the parade route, including some that are wheelchair accessible. They’re also providing maps that indicate the locations of activities and places to park that show specific handicapped parking spots. All three radio stations will be on the job with their emcee spots set up in different areas so that everyone will be able to hear. The Red Arch team has even thought about people who can’t go to the parade and plans to live-stream it so that nursing home residents, hospital patients and people who are home-bound for whatever reason can take part.

Another facet of the festival will be a glove drive so that people of all income levels have the chance to be involved and give back. Totes will be strategically placed to collect the gloves in businesses and other places that are accessible to everyone. One of their committees is calling on downtown merchants to make sure they are aware of what is happening and invite them to participate. Some are planning events such as extended hours, hot chocolate booths and trunk or treat stations. The fun begins at noon on December 2 with pictures with Santa until 2:30 p.m. at The Commons that is sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department. A Nonprofit Showcase, also at The Commons, will provide more activities, such as cookie

Sarah Forbes

decorating, and a model train will be on display for kids to see at the Commons until 4 p.m. Then, it will be time for Reindeer Games — outdoor activities such as Jenga, holiday movies and the Tony Stewart Foundation hosting sleigh races for kids. Meanwhile, a painting of Dessa Kirk’s “Eos” sculpture at the Fifth Street entrance to Mill Race Park by local artist Donna Rosenberg will be auctioned off to raise funds for children’s art programs. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. with 100 floats. “Probably the thing we’re most proud of is that whatever funds are left over from sponsorships and donations — minus a small start for next

year’s event — will be given to a nonprofit that is focused on children,” Berquist said, adding that they anticipate a five-figure donation. “We’re all about the kiddos.” They are, indeed. They have an advisory committee made up of children, and this year’s Grand Marshall will be 10-year-old Willow Estes, leader of that group, who was recently removed from foster care and adopted by her older brother, Isaiah, and his partner. She will lead the parade and serve as an honorary judge along with three celebrity judges. The first Festival of Lights parade was held in Columbus more than 30 years ago, and it included an ice-skating rink,

a Christmas Village at First Christian Church and lights at Mill Race Park. Over time, the women of Red Arch would like to see it evolve back to its heyday. Next year, they hope to add a Christkindl Market and more activities to make the event a true festival, possibly lasting more than one day. They say the city will reap economic benefits, as well as have a great time. “This is probably one of the biggest holiday parades in the state of Indiana,” Berquist said, “so if we can draw people to the parade, and especially if we can expand it to a couple of days, we can also drive up the economics in our city. People stay at local hotels, eat at restau-

rants and shop at downtown merchants. That’s part of our vision, as well.” Forbes pointed out that for every dollar spent in Columbus 67 cents stays here. But all of those plans must wait until this year’s event is over. For now, the women just want to produce such a good festival and parade that people will want them to do it again in 2024. The pair say they have worked hard, but they could not put on the parade and its associated activities without the overwhelming support they have received from the community. “We would like to say thank you for believing in us, and thank you for supporting us,” they said. “Thank you.”

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Olivia Linnemann & Jared Baker Ceremony at First Christian Church and reception at Mill Race Event Center June 3, 2023 Olivia and Jared were born and raised in Columbus. They met when Olivia was six years old and Jared was seven. Olivia’s family had just adopted triplets, and Jared’s mom had just given birth to twins. Their mothers became friends and bonded over having multiples. “Later, we both attended Columbus East High School and were close friends, until we eventually started dating when we were in college,” Olivia said. They both still love Columbus and hope to one day move back once they complete their master’s programs. However, they didn’t allow their pursuit of knowledge to interfere with their love for each other. For their engagement, Olivia said, “Jared and I got engaged in Indianapolis. Jared took me out to dinner, and then on a romantic carriage ride around the city before finally popping the question on the steps of the monument.” The wedding ceremony was performed at First Christian Church and the reception took place at Mill Race Event Center with their colors being sage green and blush pink. “The wedding was such a fun celebration – we loved gathering with so many family and friends to celebrate our love,” Olivia said. Olivia admits to being a big bundle of nerves on her wedding day until she saw her future husband. “I was so excited, nervous, emotional, etc. My nerves completely dissolved when Jared and I had our first look. His steady presence was so calming in the midst of such an emotionally packed day,” she said. Then afterward, they went on a three-day honeymoon adventure in French Lick, Indiana. “Jared and I are both full-time graduate students in Saint Louis, and so on our way to Saint Louis, we stopped at West Baden Springs Resort. It was such a fun adventure,” she said.

Columbus Magazine

Story by Michael Donohue // Photography by Evangeline Renee

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our side of town

Pride Festival

Mill Race Park Sept. 30

1. Festivalgoers peruse booths. 2. Mocha T. Debeaute performs during the Drag Show. 3. Patrick Andrews, at left, Sharon Andrews and Hudson Andrews at the Mill Race Theatre Company booth. 4. Courtney Gaines, clockwise from left, Jagger Mockobee and Juliana Wood contribute to the artwork in the Kids Zone. 5. From left, Hannah Frey, Lisa Porter, Eric Frey, Cindy Frey and Julie Pruitt giving Free Mom Hugs and Free Dad Hugs.

6. Allie Jean Burbrink performs. 7. From left, Riley Ethridg, Elizabeth Carr and Katie Hong. 8. Jessica Hoover, at left, and Valerie Crawford holding Izzy Crawford with Alanna Crawford, in front. 9. Helluna Hellfire performs. 10. Trint Lowman and Raven Rathburn. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARLA CLARK

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The Big Picture

Blue Moon A blue moon shines over Columbus City Hall. Photo BY Tony Vasquez

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