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Table of Contents
7
Middlebury Parks Department
Outdoor Living, 6 Dr. Carla Gull Giving Thanks Through Cleaning Up
14 Pumpkin Race
Scholar Athlete: Chloe Emenhiser , 15
CONTRIBUTORS: PUBLISHER:
10 Loose Parts Dr. Carla Gull
Middlebury Boys & Girls Club Sensory Room, 8
17 Offering Hope Chris Wheeler
Hometown Holidays Premier, 20
Cookies, Carols and Cans, 12 Northridge Raider Dance Team
27 Give a Shout of Gratitude! 27
Middlebury Elementary School students on a field trip to Kercher Sunrise Orchards. – Photo by Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
Don L. Hurd
EDITOR:
Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
ADVERTISING: Scott Faust
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Magdalena Franke
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Carla Gull, Chris Wheeler Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Russ Draper, Dr. Carla Gull, Linnea Wheeler Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher, Kris Mueller
Advertise with us Share your message with every home and business within the Middlebury School Corporation. We mail the magazine to homes and businesses throughout the Middlebury School District and publish it online. Your ad can reach each home for as low as 1.5¢ per address. Design is free with purchase of your ad. Our Account Managers are here to help, just give us a call at 574-228-3080 or email advertising@hurdmedia.com.
Advertising deadline for the December issue
is November 10.
inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 3
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Hello Middlebury!
NOVEMBER
EVENTS
FRI, NOV 19 TUES, DEC 14
Cookies, Carols & Cans, 5:30 p.m. Lerner Theater Red Cross Blood Drive, First Mennonite
WEEKLY WED: Middlebury Exchange Club, Essenhaus – 6:30 a.m. FRI: Optimist Club Breakfast, Essenhaus – 6:30 a.m.
MONTHLY AMERICAN LEGION DINNERS 5 -7 p.m., Public welcome 1st Friday: All-You-Can-Eat Fish by the Legion 2nd Friday: Grilled Smoked Pork Chops by Legion Riders 3rd Friday: Shrimp or Chicken Tender Dinner by SAL 4th Friday: Manhattan Dinner by the Legion 5th Friday: Brats by Boy Scout Troop 7 Last Saturday: Steak Grill – Call 825-5121 for more info
Hello and happy November to everyone in Middlebury! As we go into this holiday season I am really hopeful that the spirit and love of the holidays permeates our town and fills everyone’s hearts with an abundance of grace, love and a sense of togetherness. While on the surface Middlebury may look like a simple little town made up of simple ideals and ambitions, we all know that the inner workings of each individual is a profoundly complex thing. I hope we can try to see those complexities in all their beauty, better understand each other and above all love our neighbors as we love ourselves, even when those complexities differ from our own. A truly Happy Thanksgiving wish from my family to all of yours! - Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
1ST & 3RD MONDAYS: Town Council Meetings at Town Hall – 6 p.m. 1ST & 3RD WEDNESDAYS: Middlebury Men’s Club Meetings at the American Legion – 7 p.m. 2ND AND 4TH MONDAYS: Middlebury Lions Club - 7 p.m., American Legion Hall
Middlebury Then & Now Self-Guided Tours, Year Round Pick up your free tour book at the Middlebury Community Historical Musuem, Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Middlebury Visitors Center or other area locations and walk or drive to various historical homes, businesses, cemeteries, parks and landmarks throughout the Middlebury area. Trail Tales, Year Round Bring the family outdoors to read a children’s book while walking a short path at Riverbend Park; book pages are placed in special kiosks along the path. New books are installed monthly.
4 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
Right now, the American Red Cross has an emergency blood shortage. The Red Cross national blood inventory is the lowest it’s been at this time of year since 2015, with less than a day’s supply of certain blood types in recent weeks. The Red Cross is working around the clock to meet the blood needs of hospitals and patients – but can’t do it alone. While there is not an immediate need for additional blood drive locations, more blood donors are needed now. We need your help! The blood drive at First Mennonite on December 14th is not even half way booked. Please book your appointment to make a positive difference in someone’s life. https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/driveresults?zipSponsor=fmcmid
December Milestones
11/1 11/2 11/6
Zhongjie Peter Liang Logan Otto, 3 Kimberly Coates
Happy Birthday Logan! Love Mom, Dad & Daniel!
Happy Birthday Zhongjie Peter Liang!
11/9 Darcy Ebersol, 11/19 Brooklyn Vitali, 9 11/19 Logan Nagy, 16
Happy Birthday Brooklyn! Love Mom, Bradyn, Kiley & Kagen.
Happy 16th Birthday Logan! We love you!
Happy Birthday Darcy!
Have a celebration in December?
Let us know by November 12 . Email inmiddleburymagazine@gmail.com or call 260-463-3660. Be sure to include Name, Birth or Anniversary Date, Age or Years Celebrating. Don’t forget a photo and a short note if you like. inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 5
GIVING THANKS through
CLEANING UP Part of the crew stands near the trash haul.
OUTDOOR LIVING In September, the BSA Troop 007 and Venturing Crew 727 scouts paddled a 10.1 mile canoe trip on the Elkhart River. They started out the day at Rogers Park in Goshen, donning life jackets, lunch, and paddles. One twist to their journey was they were also picking up trash in the river along the way. On the river we noticed all the turtles basking in the sun, but also saw interesting birds like pileated woodpeckers and belted kingfishers. We also happened upon a beaver river burrow. We connected closely with the turns of the river, seeing the ecology of the space up close. We could understand we are part of this watershed ecosystem. It was really eye-opening to see all the trash amidst all the natural beauty. Common culprits were Styrofoam chunks and drink bottles. The most interesting finds included: • A locked safe • A hatchet • A car’s worth of tires (though there were many more!) • A Thomas the Train child’s sized table The eight canoes were pretty full by the time the
A trio of scouts paddle down the river. 6 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
Dr. Carla Gull blogs at www. insideoutsidemichiana. com and hosts the podcast Loose Parts Nature Play. She is often seen with four tag-along explorers in the greater Michiana area.
One canoe’s haul included a long wooden plank, pool noodle, trash can lid, tire, plastic bat, remains of a float, and lots of bottles!
We found a locked safe in the river! crew hit Ox Bow park. Stacking all the trash in one place really helped see the group impact. As part of the canoe trip/service project, scouts were able to earn conservation service hours which are needed as part of scouting advancement and help our community and natural spaces. The scouting. org website states, “Scouts of today have grown up hearing words such as ecosystem, biodiversity, and climate change. They recognize the need for, and the benefits of, conserving natural resources. Scouts understand that we all must work together for the betterment of the land, forests, wildlife, air, and water.” In addition to helping the environment, the scouts also were trained in water safety. As part of their Safety Afloat training, they had qualified supervision, did a personal health review, completed an annual swim test, used life jackets as needed, checked in on their buddies, demonstrated skill proficiency, planned for weather, reviewed equipment needs, and disciplined themselves to follow the safety guidelines. Despite some grumbling, the scouts also had FUN! They got wet, Paddling with a built friendships, and canoe full of trash helped our natural was cumbersome, yet community! rewarding!
MINI-GOLF @ THE LIBRARY
Thank You!
NOVEMBER 12 & 13
In this month of Thanksgiving, we’d like to say “Thank you!” once again to all those who have helped to make the parks of Middlebury the wonderful community asset that they are. The Park Staff and Park Board couldn’t achieve what they do without strong community support. We would especially like to thank the following committee members: •
Landscape Committee: Marcia Cook, Marla Krider, Char Swoveland, Sara Yob, John McKee, Monica Yoder, Crista Bontrager (staff ), Tom Enright (staff )
•
Riverfest Committee: Jeff Myers, Erin Wagner, Kent Yoder, Gaye Yoder, Lou Anne Hostetler, John McKee, Monica Yoder, Keith Loutzenhiser (LECTU), Kim Clarke (Then & Now), Margaret Easton, Tom Enright (staff )
•
Trails Committee: Brittany Short, Scott Smith, Sally Harshbarger, Barb Spice, John McKee, Tom Enright (staff)
•
Trail Monitors: Char Swoveland, Sally Harshbarger, Jeremy Yawak, Gloria Salavarria, Lou Anne Hostetler, Chuck Hartz, Glenn Goudey.
We also are grateful to our super awesome supporters and partners who have helped us in so many ways: Starfleet (InMiddlebury page sponsor) Indiana Wood Products (mulch), Friends of Middlebury Parks, MCEC, Little Elkhart Chapter of Trout Unlimited (LECTU), Middlebury Then and Now, Middlebury Community Public Library, Linda Pieri Art, Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, Northridge Middle School 8th Grade Civics classes, Lippert Components, The Vinyl Answer, ACTS Youth Group, Myers Design, Yoga for Every Season, Goshen Health (free programs at Summer Fun), Bob Carrico (Friends of the Pumpkinvine), Girl Scout Troop #377, Boy Scout Troop #7, Cub Scout Troop #770, and the Middlebury Tree Board.
Come celebrate the 10th anniversary of Mini Golf @ the Library by playing mini golf on Saturday, Nov. 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tickets holders are entitled to a free hot dog. On Friday night, November 12th from 7 – 9 p.m., adults can enjoy a night out at Friday Night Tee Time which includes a round of mini golf and 19th hole reception with gourmet appetizers. Local craft beer and wine tasting will be available. The Middlebury Community Enrichment Council (MCEC) sponsors both events with proceeds going to Friends of the Middlebury library, Friends of the Middlebury Parks and the Community Museum. Tickets for Friday Night Tee Time are available at the Middlebury Community Museum and the Middlebury Craig and Cheryl Baker Community Public Library. playing mini-golf
SAVE THE
DATE!
The Middlebury Tree Lighting Ceremony will be Saturday, December 4, in Memorial Park.
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inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 7
Sensory Room Helps Kids Deal With Emotional Issues Young people have a lot on their plates these days, and while things may seem calm and cool on the outside, there could be issues under the surface that well up at inappropriate times. That’s why the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County is working to help foster connections and a sense of belonging while they’re at Club. At Middlebury and Goshen Clubs, a sensory room program has been restructured this year to give kids support when they need it most. Kids can be sent to the room when emotions are running high or they simply need a quiet place to reset. When they arrive, they’re asked by Youth Behavioral Specialist Natasha Lantz to identify an emotional zone they’re feeling -- guided by a color-coded chart. Different experiences and emotions are listed, ranging from panicked and angry to happy and focused. Once the emotion has been identified, kids are encouraged to regulate that emotion through breathing and basic physical exercises. “Sometimes they don’t want to regulate themselves right away. It can take many attempts with different activities to get those emotions under control,” Lantz said. “You can’t put kids in a box. You have to be willing to adapt to the individual.” As the emotion is regulated, kids pick three activities to work with -- anything from sensory toys, board games and physical activities. After spending time on those activities, Lantz will ask the kids to re-evaluate their emotional zone, hoping to show them improvement was made. One activity involves sitting quietly inside a teepee Lantz has created in the room. “A boy recently got into the teepee and wrapped himself in a blanket to calm down and it worked. The rest of the session went fine,” she said. Most of the sessions last 20-30 minutes and are done with just one child at a time. “What do kids want? They want someone to listen and guide them. This helps them know they have control over their decisions and the actions they take,” Lantz said. “It also helps them learn how to manage their emotions and
lets them know that an adult is listening to them.” Lantz says programs like this are needed now more than ever. “I think they’re feeling the impact from the pandemic and being isolated for so long. There is sometimes anxiety being around so many kids. I also think parents are more stressed and the kids can pick up on that. Lantz has already built a close relationship with counselors at Middlebury Community Schools so solutions for an individual child are shared between the two organizations. She’s hoping to develop a similar relationship with Goshen Schools soon and expand the program to other Clubs. Because she spends her time travelling between different Elkhart County Clubhouses, Lantz is not always in a particular building when a need arises. In many rooms, they’re setting up “calming corners” with similar tools and zone regulation charts to help during those times. “I’m so excited to see this kind of signage around the Clubhouse to let kids know that it’s OK to talk about our emotions. We can then do things that will help calm the kids down and make them feel better.”
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Loose Parts Q: Loose parts? What does that mean? You know how children often are more intrigued by the box rather than the actual gift or find many uses for a stick? This open-endedness of play is the basis of loose parts. The term was coined by a landscape architect, Simon Nicholson, in 1971; however, the principle is an age-old way of connecting with the materials around as, such as when humans picked up a rock and used it as a tool or something for play. Q: What inspired you to write the book? While I have been in education for over 20 years, I have been working with loose parts and nature specifically for about ten years after using the concept frequently at a local nature center. When my youngest started kindergarten, I found he was doing worksheets and spelling sheets, while a girl from his preschool was spending a full day of school outside at least once a month in a different district. I knew there could be additional options for educators and students. I brought the idea to my research colleagues and we started drafting! As experienced educators, we knew students could meet the standards while using an approach that fosters creativity, innovation, problem solving, and critical thinking. I have been inspired by many great educators in the community who use a more open-ended approach, such as Lois Oyer and her bird studies, York Elementary School and their Day of Play and loose parts kits, Mr. Hamilton and the magnetic cardboard games, Mrs. Coryell exploring outdoor learning, and Mrs. Martin with the many games and plays on words
10 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
as children develop literacy. I see this in the high school classes working with local manufacturing “playing around” with the materials to increase productivity. We have great educators in the area helping students make meaningful connections to the world around them.
Q: Can you give us an example of “Loose Parts Learning”? Sure! I go into a preschool once a week for outdoor education time. They have been studying The Three Little Pigs, so outdoors we read The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale and the children created their own structures for the pigs. Their ingenuity is great! One boy had long bamboo poles and started exploring how they might go through the tree branches. He created a whole tree house to protect the pigs. We used a portable fan to check the structural integrity of the houses—would they really protect the pigs? Many made revisions. Projects like this span many content areas. There was retelling of the story, creating additional endings and characters, engineering design, STEM concepts, and scientific principles. Many standards can be touched upon during these loose parts interactions. Q: Who is this book for? Educators and district leaders who are willing to experiment and explore! While the main STREAM examples in the book align with K-3 standards, the concepts, principles, and topics can be used at earlier and later grade levels. Schools can also embrace these principles to have innovative spaces that promote the 21st Century Skills of collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. Parents and before/after school programs may also find the book helpful. Q: How can parents be involved with loose parts? Children often naturally are drawn toward collecting bits and pieces around them—think
of emptying out pockets full of rocks, acorns, and paper clips! Having a ‘yes’ mentality (within parameters) allows students to make cardboard forts, tinker, and take things apart. Nature is full of loose parts—spend as much time as you can outside! You already have plenty of loose parts at home as well. Gather some together to see how children may interact with them. Q: Can the community embrace loose parts as well? Yes! Middlebury Then & Now hosts the recycled boat regatta each year at Riverfest. This is a great example of using a lot of variables (recyclables, connecting materials, etc.) to create their own boat. I’ve watched this for several years and the children love showing their voice and choice in their creations. No two are alike! I also really like that York Elementary School recently purchased Big Blue Blocks from Imagination Playgrounds. We’ve often used these at museums—they allow the children to create their own play environments and ways of playing. They have hosted a Day of Play and have a Play Committee at the school. I often host Nature Play Days in the summer with lots of loose parts as well. Also, community members might leave behind a little nature art of loose parts for others to find. Q: Are loose parts just for kids? Absolutely not! I see that creativity as adults express themselves through poetry, found object art, design, clay work, dance, quilting, businesses, and the engineering design process. We live in a area of innovators that “play around” with different variables in our environment. We are a county of makers and doers. Loose parts are all around us!
Meet the Local Author Dr. Carla Gull inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 11
5
th
Annual
Cookies, Carols and Cans! is BACK on THE STAGE!
The Northridge Raider Dance Team (NRDT) Teams and CK Dance Company dancers and staff are so excited to be able to host their Annual Holiday Showcase and Fundraiser for the Middlebury Food Pantry this year! Last year due to the Pandemic their Annual Show had to be virtual and the Fundraiser was held in the CK Dance Company Studio, they are so excited to be able to hold it in person again this year. The kids and staff love being able to collect toys and food for the pantry but more importantly shopping for families who can use a little extre help and adding to their Christmas with gifts for the entire family.
“wish for” and wrap and deliver the gifts to these families through the Middlebury Food Pantry! That is what the holiday season is ALL about! Please come enjoy a family friendly show of dance and help us spread Holiday Cheer to those everyone in our community!
Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 at 5:30 pm • Tickets will be on sale to the public Nov. 3, 2021 through the Lerner Theatre Box Office! • All Monetary Donations will go to support local families who need some help.
Giving back to our community is something we look forward to every season, says Casey Nordman. Casey Nordman is the dance director for the Northridge Raider Dance Team as well as CK Dance Company. It’s extremely important to her and her staff to instill the importance of “giving back”!
• All Food & Toy Donations will be collected at the Lerner before the show starts and donated to the Middlebury Food Pantry!
Each year the teams go shopping for local families who are going through a tough time with the donations raised from their showcase. They pick out items they
We hope you will come out and join us for a Magical Holiday Kick-off Celebration!!
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NORTHRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE MONTH CHLOE EMENHISER Chloe Emenhiser is a senior at Northridge High School and is the daughter of Lauri and Kip Emenhiser. Chloe plays on the Northridge’s girls’ varsity soccer team. Outside of soccer, Chloe is involved in National Honor Society, Raider Freshman Mentors, Light Works Crew, and is the Class of 2022 Student Council Secretary. When asked what her favorite part of being involved with sports at North-
ridge, Chloe said, “I enjoy making connections with others, and sports allows me to meet and have fun with new people”. Outside of school, Chloe is a member of the AmeriCorps program where she volunteers at the Middlebury Boys and Girls Club. She also enjoys helping in the classrooms at Jefferson Elementary School. After high school, she hopes to pursue a degree in mathematics.
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E P O H ING eim
R l E G F y F c O d Nan
Rex an
Photos and article from Chris and Linnea Wheeler One of the objects that Rex and Nancy Gleim showed me during our recent conversation was a clay pot, fractured into a dozen pieces and glued back together. On the outside of the pot are images of smiling families and phrases that capture how grieving people sometimes present themselves to others: “We’re doing fine,” or “I know what I’m doing.” On the inside are images and phrases that express their true feelings: deep sadness, brokenness, confusion. One piece remains missing. Rex said, “The pot is broken because your life comes apart at the death of a loved one. We glue it back together, but there’s always a hole. You are never completely whole again. No matter how you glue it together, there’s always a piece missing in your life.” Rex and Nancy lost that piece on April 11, 1992, when their 20-year-old son Ryan, a junior at Manchester College, was killed in a car accident. Nancy recalls how difficult it was to put on a face and go back to teaching at Heritage Middle School; at the time, they gave her a week of recovery time. “I kept telling myself I could cry at 3:30. I don’t remember a lot about what I taught those last few months of school. The students kept coming in and leaving, so I guess it went okay.” Rex had the advantage of a support group at work; several secretaries who had been through the death of a spouse worked with him at the administration building in Elkhart, and helped to shoulder the burden of the work. He recalls spending much of the remainder of the year sitting at his desk in shock.
They contacted Don and Eunice Munn (counselors in Middlebury) to help them process through their grief, and formed relationships with other grieving parents through a community organization called The Compassionate Friends. Through this they learned about the resources and books out there to help those who were grieving, and how to facilitate healing conversations. Even though they had support groups, they had difficulty finding one for their younger son, Damon. Several years after Ryan died, the Munns got into a taxi at a conference in Washington, D. C. with some people who ran a grief center in Michigan. After visiting it with Nancy, all three came back convinced that Elkhart County needed one. Rex pointed out, “I don’t think people realize how lonely grief is. Your friends are there for the first six weeks, then they drift back to their own lives. It was almost like they thought death was contagious.” They were determined to create a place where grieving people and families could find community and healing, and in April of 1999 (a few years before they both retired) they began the process of making that place ‒ Ryan’s Place ‒ a reality. During the following year and a half, the Gleims and the Munns met at the Lutheran Church in Middlebury to strategize and network. They connected with people from across the county, including morticians, lawyers, and other prominent community leaders who
inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 17
them. Eventually we just took over the whole church, meeting in the sanctuary and even the bell tower. We had that many groups!” Meetings were (and still are) held every other Monday, starting with a meal together at 6:30pm. Nancy said, “When someone dies, especially children, families tend to not eat together. So we cooked supper for them.” After the meal, participants break up into groups: children 3-5 years, grades 1-3, grades 4-5, middle school, high school, parents, spouses, and suicide and family support groups. The program starts in August every year and goes for ten months, but each lesson is stand-alone. “It’s open-ended so that if they leave, have something else happen, or slip back into grief, they can come back any time and stay as long as they need to stay.”
would become the board. Both Nancy and Rex asked for contributions to Ryan’s Place for their retirement gifts. Rex laughed, “When all the retirement parties were over, we had about $5000 contributed to an organization that didn’t exist yet! That’s how we started.” They retired on a Friday and left for Portland, OR two days later for an intense six-day training at the oldest grief center in the country, the Dougy Center. They came back home after a stressful week of training with six binders each full of information and a lot of work to do before their January 2002 opening date. Rex would talk with any number of people from 3 to 300 about Ryan’s Place, racking up over 60 presentations in the first year. While they built support and assembled and trained a team of facilitators, they went looking all over the county for a place to meet. Only a handful of months before they were to open their doors, they still didn’t have doors to open. Then, at a September meeting of the Retired Teachers Association, a member of the Goshen Church of the Brethren offered her church to them. On the first evening at the church, seven people showed up. The next meeting there were 10 ‒ one for each facilitator. Rex recalls, “It just kept growing. We took over other rooms in the church as we needed 18 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
At first, the Gleim’s basically ran the place with the Munns, cooking spaghetti, tossing salads, organizing meetings, and training facilitators for two years before they had enough funding to hire a full-time person. Now Ryan’s Place has four full-time employees and many more interns and volunteers, some of whom have gone through the program themselves. “We could never run this program without the facilitators and interns,” Rex said. Nancy added, “God almost hand-picks these people; we couldn’t have picked people like that. He has steered us the whole way.” Nancy, who still volunteers as a facilitator, decided early on that families should discuss the same questions in groups. “When you have a child die, the communication in the family suffers. We needed one issue, one question they could talk about on the way home, or at breakfast the next morning. If we go off in a different direction that’s okay; you don’t know where people are or what’s happened to them. We just facilitate.” Much of the work of facilitating is helping to gently break down walls so communication can occur. Many people (particularly in Asian and Hispanic communities) avoid talking about death due to concerns that if you talk about it, it revisits you. Ryan’s Place works closely with the Hispanic community and provides private counseling for families for whom English is not their first language. Regardless of language or ethnicity, the hardest thing is just to get people to talk about death. Rex stressed the importance of clarity: “People die. They don’t pass away, you don’t lose them. They die. Kids use the language, it’s adults that have trouble.” Nancy added, “It’s okay to talk about it. It’s okay to cry in front of your children. It’s okay for men to cry. Kids need to see that.” Because everyone grieves differently, facilitators encourage people to give others the grace they need to grieve their own way. They never put a time limit on the grieving process. Since kids process so much of their experience through play, they partner with a
toy-making organization to make wooden fire trucks, ambulances, and hearses available for the kids to play with. “They made a bunch of tombstones for us this past summer. The kids loved them, because they could write the names of those who died on them.” Nancy recalled one night when a facilitator came into a room and found the kids playing “funeral,” with one girl laying out on the chairs in front. She joined in and went to the funeral with them. Over the years, Rex and Nancy have seen tremendous growth. When area schools contacted them to help children who had experienced a death but couldn’t come to Ryan’s Place, they started up school programs with interns from Goshen College, IUSB, St. Mary’s, and Notre Dame. Prior to COVID-19, they were running around 25 school groups a semester; this year they began with 21. Their program director eventually wrote their own rotating three-year curriculum for the facilitators to use. A small group of volunteers is on-call to offer support when a death occurs at a business or factory. Ryan’s Place is unique in that it is the only grief center in the United States that the Amish community feels comfortable coming to. Rex and Nancy attribute this to the presence of an Amish couple they met during their journey of grief. Their daughter had been in Nancy’s class when she was killed, and the Gleims picked them up for The Compassionate Friends meetings. When Ryan’s Place started, the couple enthusiastically agreed to be facilitators; as a result, they have continually had Amish families participating in the programs. On the one-year anniversary of the Nickel Mine school shooting, Rex and Nancy were invited to take a group of Amish and English facilitators to stay with the families affected, staying in their homes and learning as much as they could. When one of the Amish girls who had attended Ryan’s Place got married, the Gleims were invited to help out at the wedding along with all of the Amish kids who went through the program with her. Nancy smiled, “We’ve met the most wonderful people on this journey.” Ryan’s Place, which now meets at Silverwood Mennonite Church in Goshen, is coming up on its 20th anniversary in January, and to date has served around 16,000 people from Elkhart County and the surrounding counties. Rex said, “There is absolutely no charge for our services, whether individual counseling or group counseling. Never any charge.” Following a year of meeting with people via Zoom, a record 86 people showed up for their in-person opening night this August. Over the years, Middlebury has been central to Rex and Nancy’s story. They have been married 57 years and lived south of Bristol for 50 of those years, moving to their current house on CR 14 three years ago. Rex has directed Middlebury-area church choirs and served on the library board for multiple terms, and they both volunteer regularly at the Chamber
of Commerce. “I write a lot of thank you notes!” Nancy laughed. What really got them acquainted with Middlebury folks at the beginning was Bridge-oRama, a biweekly area bridge club they participated in for several years. Rex said, “You really get to know people when you’re sitting at the bridge table talking instead of playing bridge. I don’t think we ever won, we just really enjoyed talking to people.” Their first mailing address for Ryan’s Place was a Middlebury address, and their first treasurer was from Middlebury. People in Middlebury continue to donate to the cause. But most of all, Middlebury folks have been a consistent support to them personally from the start. Rex said, “When something tragic happens, they’re there for you. My brother died recently and I couldn’t believe the amount of cards we received. It’s such a supportive, warm community: the phone calls, people stopping you in the street. We feel privileged to live here.” Ryan’s Place was started nine years after Ryan’s death, and Rex and Nancy have found that grief still strikes unexpectedly. Rex recalled, “Our son always wore Drakkar aftershave lotion. One evening, these twin little boys came in wearing Drakkar, because it was their dad’s favorite aftershave. That really tore me up. Things like that happen that you have no control over and then it brings up feelings. It’s good for us to experience that.” Nancy said, “Queen was one of our son’s favorites, Bohemian Rhapsody. Our younger son played that over and over after Ryan’s death; for him it was comforting then ‒ for us, not as much. Now when it comes on it’s a good feeling.” This difference, Rex said, is what Ryan’s Place offers to families and individuals in the grieving process: “We offer hope. Things aren’t normal after death, especially of a child. You work at establishing that new normal, whatever that is.” For more information on the services and programs available at Ryan’s Place, visit www.ryansplace. org or call 574-535-1000.
inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 19
HOMETOWN
s y a d i H ol N W O T E M HO
Friday, November 19, 2021 4:00-8:00 p.m.
It’s that magical night in Middlebury each Friday before Thanksgiving when friends and neighbors gather in town to enjoy food, decorations, shopping and seeing friends and neighbors.
Locally Crafted Wood Furniture Living • Bedroom • Dining • Locally Made Mattresses Downtown Middlebury • 574-825-1902 M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m, Sat. 9a.m.-4 p.m.
Holiday Sale • Nov. 19 – Dec. 5 15% Home Décor • 10% off all furniture orders!
Hometown Holidays
November 19 • 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Drawing for a $400 Gift Card 20 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
Holidays
THE HILLTOP RESTAURANT
Thank you for welcoming us back in the community. We are so glad to We haveals see our customers back again. daily speci Tues.-Sat. • 5am-8pm Sun. • 7am-3pm 300 Wayne St, Middlebury
574-825-3333
the
MILL HOLIDAY EVENTS HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE NOV. 6TH | 10AM - 4PM
Stop by to kick off the Holiday Season with delicious treats and deals, all day long!
HOMETOWN HOLIDAY NOV. 19TH | 4PM - 8PM, NOV. 20TH | 10AM - 4PM Friday night you can enjoy live music, food vendors, and great deals... a cozy evening you don’t want to miss!
BLACK FRIDAY & SHOP SMALL SATURDAY NOV. 26TH | 9AM - 5PM, NOV. 27TH | 10AM - 4PM Come shop small and enjoy refreshments on Saturday with great deals all weekend long!
ORNAMENT DAY DEC. 11TH | 10AM - 4PM Enjoy 20% off ornaments, snacks, and a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus!
402 E. WARREN ST. | MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540
1 1 t h A N N UA L MIDDLEBURY HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS
Christmas Bazaar
Fri, Nov 19th | 4pm-8pm and Sat, Nov 20th | 8am-1pm
MEADOW VALLLEY GOLF CLUB MIDDLEBURY IN Pampered Chef • Tupperware • MaryKay • Twisted Arrow Designs • Norwex Evolve Chiropractic • Homestead Herbal Wellness • Rodan & Fields • Scentsy • Epicurian Freeze Dried Treats • Thirty-One • The Backwoods Gypsy • Discovery Toys Signature Homestyles • Lilla Rose • Pink Zebra • Sass For Cash • 2Fun Sisters Creation and more inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 21
22 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
HOMETOWN Some people begin their holiday countdowns the day after the festivities have come and gone. With 365 days until the next celebration, it may seem like one has all the time in the world to complete holiday tasks. But before long, holiday crunch time arrives and some people find themselves rushing around to buy gifts and other essentials. A 2020 Gallup poll found the average holiday shopper planned to spend $942 on gifts in 2019. The personal finance site Mint.com from Intuit reported roughly $729 billion was spent during the holidays in 2019 - making it the biggest holiday season to date. Though the pandemic changed the holiday shopping landscape in 2020, a return to normalcy appears to be on the horizon for the 2021 holiday shopping season. In fact, the adage of "the early bird catches the worm" could help shoppers scoop up gifts and bargains before the holiday shopping rush begins. Individuals who start their holiday shopping early this year may discover there are many benefits to such an approach. SPREAD OUT SPENDING Those who begin shopping well before the holiday season arrives can spread their spending over several months rather than a short period of time. This can make shopping more affordable for those who may have limited financial leeway. It may be easier to swallow spending an extra $100 per month throughout the year as op-
Order a Thanksgiving Dinner To Go essenhaus2go.com
Holidays
posed to having a $1,000 bill at year's end. SHOP SALES A Coresight Research survey found that more than 25 percent of shoppers expected to start holiday shopping earlier than usual in 2020, when retailers offered their promotions earlier than normal to compensate for a decline in brick-and-mortar shopping. While it remains to be seen what retailers will do this year, shopping early means people are not beholden only to holiday sales promotions; they can take advantage of major sales throughout the year, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, back to school season, tax-free weekends (often offered in August), and even retailer-specific sales like Prime Day. AVOID DELAYS Continued pressure on shipping companies as online shopping has become so prevalent inadvertently leads to delays. Couple this with supply chain disruptions due to the pandemic, and certain items may be out of stock or on back order. Shopping early also assists those who have to ship gifts domestically or internationally. Shopping early ensures those presents get to their recipients on time. Getting a head start on holiday shopping is advantageous to shoppers who want to budget, save and ensure items are available
Tour of Trees Nov 19 & 20
essenhaus.com • 574.825.9471
inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 23
FALL
FLASHBACKS
Photos by Russ Draper
24 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 25
New Members
November Events
Nov. 12 Nov. 13 Nov. 19 Nov. 20 Nov. 20 Nov. 27
Nov. 26-Dec. 18
Mini-Golf @ the Library (Adults Only) Mini-Golf @ the Library (Families Welcome) Essenhaus Tour of Trees Hometown Holidays Middlebury Businesses Christmas Bazaar Meadow Valley Golf Club Small Business Saturday Flamingo Campaign funds circulated in our local businesses A Very Merry Christmas Heritage Hall
THE FLAMINGO FLOCK IS BACK MIDDLEBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & VISITORS CENTER LET'S FLOCK TOGETHER AND CREATE A FLAMBOYANT FLAMINGO SMALL BUSINESS
Jimbo & Co
Board members holding sign: Kent Yoder, Past President, Treasurer(on right) Jim Neff, President (on left). Back Left to Right Jourdan Hansen (Director of Business Development/Owner), James D Hansen (CEO/Co-Founder/Owner), Kenneth McCann (Facilities Manager), Mikeal Miller (Director of Recruiting), Brandon Riddle (Yard Manager), Joshua Vallejo (Director of Logistics). Second Row starting left to right Justine Hansen (COO/Owner), Alyssa Zehr (Director of Safety and Compliance), Chaztine Leer (Office Admin), Renee' Hansen (Owner), James E Hansen (Founder), Michaela Herendeen (Dispatcher). Founded in 2010, We employ 12 office staff and 150 contact owner-operators. We currently have two facilities, one in Middlebury, IN, and one in Bristol, IN.
Driven Automotive
Holding the sign from left to right in the front row pictured are Dr. Jayson Synder; Member, Jeremy Miller; Member, Camden Forbes, Jim Neff; President. Second row left to right: Jim Hansen; Member, Austin Ellis, Macaulay Bontrager, Jamie Miller.
SATURDAY CAMPAIGN. ALL FUNDS WILL BE CIRCULATED IN OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES ON SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.
GRAB YOUR FRIENDS,FAMILY, OR WORK PEEPS, PURCHASE A FLAMINGO (MIN.$25 DONATION) FROM THE CHAMBER, DECORATE, AND HAVE SOME FUN! FLAMINGOS AVAILABLE BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST 201 S. MAIN STREET (CALL TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR FLOCK) 574.825.4300 DECORATE/PERSONALIZE/BEDAZZLE PLEASE MIGRATE BACK TO THE CHAMBER FOR DISPLAY/JUDGING (NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 19TH)
26 inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021
Skinny Guy Campers Back row from left to right: Brodi Mast, Terry Miller Jr., Justin Thompson, Rob Miles, and Trent Mast. Front row from left to right: Jim Hansen Jr.; Member, Cristina Rheinheimer; Secretary, Jason Bontrager, Kent Yoder; Past President, Treasurer, Adrian Drummond. Not pictured Jason Ellinger and Chris Kuntz.
If you know of a community member or group of people whom you would like to offer out a SHOUT of gratitude in a future To everyone in Middlebury who gives magazine, please send your nomination to our editor Desirée me hope for the world we are building Beauchamp-Boucher at Delightfullyhere@gmail.com for our children. – POM Thank you to all the band parents who help feed our kids! – Band Mom A big “Thank You” to the managers of E&S in Shipshewana! They’ve agreed to work with Middlebury Lions Club to be a new collection site for used eyeglasses and hearing aids. These are a great blessing to folks in need both locally and internationally. – Sandi Clark Our vice principals at Northridge High School who go above and beyond each and every day to make Northridge a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning space. – A Thankful Teacher A huge thank you to our school bus drivers who get our kids where they need to go safely. Your services are not taken for granted.
Meet Tami Taylor and her daughter Kaitlyn Miller.
For all of the people that deliver groceries & household supplies to those that can’t get to the food pantry. They not only provide the food but also bring a ray of sunshine, through conversations and compassion, into that persons day.
The Taylor family has made Marching Band season a family affair! Tami has a gift for hospitality. She leads a team that helps set up food and drinks at all marching band contest and events. She also has an amazing spirit! You may have seen her in the stand leading the cheer section as the Raider Band waits to take the field. Tami’s husband Todd volunteers as the semi-truck driver for all away Marching Band contests. Their son Sam Taylor is a senior percussionist this year. Thanks to all band parents that volunteer their time and especially to the Taylor family.
– Anonymous
– Karen Green
– Middlebury Parent Congratulations to the Northridge Raider Band! 5th place at Regional and making it onto Semi-State! Semi-State and State will have come and gone by the time this comes out so good luck! No matter what it has been a fantastic season! – Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
inMiddlebury Magazine | NOVEMBER 2021 27
LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY Global Tax & HealthyPets accounTinG Jan Plummer, CPA
O:574-825-2277 • F: 866-385-7177 globalcpa@aol.com PO Box 1135 Middlebury, IN 46540
574.971.2020 328 N Main St Middlebury, IN 46540 www.DrivenAutoShop.com
Pet Food and Accessories
851 US 20 • Middlebury 574-825-3238
Chris Gunn Groomer
574-849-6401
NISLEY
/ TCC
Home Improvement
202 W. Spring St. • Middlebury, IN
851 US 20 Next To Rulli’s Middlebury 574-358-0146
Phone 260-463-7373
Fax 260-463-4950 4425 W US Highway 20 • LaGrange
11280 US-20, Shipshewana
Specializing in Residential Interior Painting
(574) 825-7281
Steve Nisley 574-849-4788
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Downtown Middlebury • 574-825-1902 M-F 9 am-5 pm, Sat 9 am-4 pm
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Advertise in our Business Directory for as low as $50 a month! 9216, 400 N Main St, Middlebury, IN 46540 For more information call 574-228-3080 or advertising@hurdmedia.com (574) 825-2225 • Mon. - Fri. 8-5 p.m.
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• Bookmarks • Brochures • Brochures w/Direct Mailing • Business cards • Calendars • Catalogs • Club Flyers • Copies • Digital Posters
• Doorhangers • Envelopes 4 color • Envelopes 1 color • Flyers • Flyers w/Direct Mailing • Greeting Cards • Invitations • Labels
• Letterhead • Menus • NCR Forms • Notepads • Perforated Raffle Tickets • POP Displays • Postcards Postcards w/Direct Mailing
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“That’s this community. They just jump. You ask, ‘Can we do this?’ and they say yes.” — JANE ALLEN Retired Superintendent of Middlebury Community Schools
Our community is home to Stable Grounds, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing mental health services to Middlebury Community School students through equine therapy with miniature horses and donkeys.
INSPIRINGGOOD.ORG | (574) 295-8761
Holiday grooming appointment! TIME TO MAKE YOUR
851 US 20, Middlebury • 574-825-3238
Winter Warmth Collection Please help those in need by donating new (or gently used) coats, hats, gloves and blankets. We will make sure that the Middlebury Food Pantry gets them!
/ TCC 851 US 20 • Next To Rulli’s • Middlebury • 574-358-0146