Zionsville MONTHLY - September 2020

MONTHLY

KATHIE HENSCHEN

COLLECTIVE PUBLISHING PUBLICATION

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SEPTEMBER 2020

AMERICA’S NINJA PET GROOMER ON OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

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RODENT SPECIAL

ST A R T ING A T $ 2 00

The LadyBug Pest & Wildlife 317-601-2873 calltheladybug.com

WILDLIFE AND PEST ENTRY INSPECTION

Home pest and wildlife inspection looking for all 1/4" or larger openings that could allow a rodent to gain entry. Along with detailed pictures and an estimate to correct any areas needed.

BAIT STATIONS

Pet and child friendly locked bait stations strategically placed around the exterior of the home to prevent rodents from entering the home.

BAIT STATION REFILL ALL WINTER

We return 90 days after placing the bait stations to unlock and refill and refresh the stations to protect the home all winter.

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See you at Your place!

Now offering our full service menu along with our Take & Bake and Grill-at-Home options delivered to your door.

Steer your hunger (317) 638-tony (8669)

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MONTHLY

22 COVER STORY

Kathie Henschen: America’s Ninja Pet Groomer On Overcoming Obstacles This month’s cover features Kathie (“Kat”) Henschen, a recent contestant on Season 12 of NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior”. Frankly, the story initially was simply going to be about a local resident competing on a national level and appearing on national television. During the interview it became clear that Henschen had much more of a story to tell. Henschen candidly shared the personal struggles she has faced and how she has fought to overcome them.

One cannot help but feel that the ninja competition, where contestants are continually presented with obstacles that they must overcome to be successful, is in many ways a metaphor for Henschen’s life.

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Cover photo // Laura Arick

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It’s Counterintuitive but the Real Estate Market Is Hot Here

ZIONSVILLE MONTHLY

Sym Financial: When Financial “Rules of Thumb” Become Costly

PUBLISHER / Neil Lucas neil@collectivepub.com / 317-460-0803

Campaign Spotlight: Naomi Bechtold: The Right Leadership for Indiana House District 24 Campaign Spotlight: Reelect Donna Schaibley for Indiana House District 24 Carmel’s Dream Store Media Debuts Powerful Diabetes Documentary Glimmer Landscape Lighting: Light Up the Night Indianapolis Racquet Club: Ready to Serve Community, Looking for Safer Way to Stay Active During Pandemic Wasatch Lake Retreat: Where You Will Quickly Become Family Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library Expands to Better Serve Its Communities

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / Neil Lucas neil@collectivepub.com / 317-460-0803 PUBLISHER / Lena Lucas lena@collectivepub.com / 317-501-0418 DIRECTOR OF SALES / Lena Lucas lena@collectivepub.com / 317-501-0418 HEAD WRITER / Janelle Morrison janelle@collectivepub.com / 317-250-7298 SEPTEMBER WRITERS / Janelle Morrrison, Neil Lucas, John Cinnamon Business Spotlight is sponsored content.

Witham Health Services on the Advantages of Telehealth

Stay informed on news and events in Zionsville by following us on Twitter and Facebook ZIONSVILLEMONTHLYMAGAZINE

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@ZionsvilleMag

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For advertisement sales call Lena Lucas 317-501-0418 or email lena@collectivepub.com COLLECTIVE PUBLISHING, LLC - PO BOX 6326 - FISHERS, IN 46037 ZIONSVILLE MONTHLY

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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It’s Counterintuitive but the Real Estate Market Is Hot Here Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Staff

We checked in with a couple of our local real estate experts in the Carmel and Zionsville markets, expecting to hear grim tales about the current state of the local real estate market or, at the very least, less than stellar numbers as compared to the year prior. Instead, Joe Kempler with the Kempler and Pollard Group at WestClay Realty and Robbin Edwards with Edwards Realty Group at F.C. Tucker Company, Inc., shared what their year has been like amid the pandemic and the accompanying economic roller coaster ride that has impacted all of the nation’s industries in a variety of ways.

INVENTORY IS STILL LOW AND CONTINUES TO DRIVE UP DEMAND AND LISTING PRICES

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hen we last checked in with our real estate experts in early spring, the buzz on the streets was that it was a strong seller’s market, and the inventory in both communities was LOW. So, what is the status for sellers and prospective buyers now?

Compiling her data for the Zionsville real estate market from August of 2019 to August of 2020, Edwards shared, “With regard to median price, homes that are cur-

rently for sale, the median price is up 18.2% from last year, and for homes that are under contract, the median price is up 23.1%.

We are seeing homes sell at 98% or higher of list price. Zionsville has been consistently strong in this area, so we aren’t up much from last year, but this shows confidence and consistency in the market.”

Not a cause for concern, Edwards also shared that listings in Zionsville are actually down 28% from last year, illustrating that inventory is low, pushing both demand and price up.

“Even though listings are down, closed sales are up 22.4%, so people are

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buying and homes are selling,” Edwards explained. “I want to caution people that as they read these statistics to realize that there are several factors that go into listing a home and getting quick and strong offers. I wouldn’t want to misguide anyone and give them a false sense of their home’s value in the market. While inventory is low, buyers are more discerning about what they want, and they are willing to wait. In addition, buyers have more information at their disposal than ever before, so they are fairly educated about the market and pricing going into transactions.”

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HOW DOES THE FED’S RECENT DECISION PLAY INTO THIS PANDEMIC MARKET? At the onset of the pandemic, Kempler shared that while the real estate market was strong, he anticipated that people would shy away from making new investments, such as purchasing a new home.

“I would’ve thought that people would have been more withdrawn and that the stock markets would have plunged—which they did for a period of time—but now I think that the Feds have helped [the real estate market] quite a bit by keeping the interest rates lower than they’ve ever been,” Kempler said.

“Ordinarily, I would have thought that after a run like that one we’ve had with low interest rates, they [rates] would be upwards of 6–7%. The lower-than-usual rates have allowed people to buy much more than they ever could have before.”

Another contributing factor to the current lack of inventory is the fact that a lot of homeowners have suddenly had to share their space with their loved ones for extended periods of time throughout the pandemic and have had to work and/ or study from home, utilizing the spaces in their homes they once considered to be unutilized square footage. And so they aren’t in a hurry to sell and downsize their living space. On the flip side, some people are needing more living space and have been actively buying.

“Obviously, the interest rates are a key factor to what’s going on in the market, along with the fact that the pandemic has forced people to work from home, their kids and college-age kids are home more and everybody has been needing more individual space. That has been another driving factor for people to be moving because they suddenly have needed more space.”

Both Edwards and Kempler mentioned that both communities have seen a rise in people relocating from big cities such as Chicago and that has also impacted the demand in both communities.

Kempler concluded, “As of right now, this year is projected to be my personal best in my 15 years in real estate in terms of closed sales. And I have another three months. I would’ve never thought that

would be possible at the beginning of this COVID-19 situation. And I think that it’s going to be a fairly good market in the months to come when we would typically be tapering off right about now, and the fact is, we’re not.”

To contact Robin Edwards with the Edwards Realty Group at F.C. Tucker Company, Inc., email her at robbin.edwards@talktotucker.com or via phone at (317) 508-1806.

To contact Joe Kempler with the Kempler and Pollard Group at WestClay Realty, visit westclayrealtors.com or via phone at (317) 523-6405.

Robbin Edwards

F.C. Tucker Company, Inc.

Edwards Realty Group robbin.edwards@talktotucker.com 317.508.1806

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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WEST CLAY REALTY 2329 FINCHLEY RD.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

WHEN FINANCIAL “RULES OF THUMB” BECOME COSTLY Frank and Fiona Eff are a bright couple who saved diligently for their retirement years throughout their adult lives. Each is 50 years old, their children have been raised and launched, and each loves their respective job at ABC Corporation. Frank and Fiona plan to stay at their careers another fifteen years before enjoying a retirement filled with family, travel, and giving back to their community. Fortunately, each has a pension plan, and each will enjoy relatively generous Social Security benefits.

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am and Sally Ess have also enjoyed a wonderful life. Similarly, they are 50 years of age and successfully raised and launched their family. Sam and Sally are aiming for an early retirement to pursue their passion for the outdoors. They intend to spend their retirement years hiking, enjoying our country’s national parks, and volunteering with local wildlife conservancy. While Sam and Sally were also diligent savers, neither can claim pension plan benefits. Their monthly Social Security income, though comparable to the Effs, will not sustain their current standard of living and for that reason they plan to begin withdrawing from their savings accounts shortly after retirement.

It’s possible that both the Ess family and the Effs had some level of professional financial guidance in preparation for their retirement years. It’s also possible that their retirement planning consisted of no more than a hodge-podge of broker

advice, Google searches, tips from brothers-in-law, or the “strategy” of dividing an equal percentage of their 401(k) contributions into each available fund. And then there’s luck – or a lack of it.

Because retirement planning is complex, people with and without professional advisors frequently rely on “rules of thumb” when determining asset allocation (what percentage of your wealth you apportion to each investment category, one of the most important variables in planning).

Financial Advisors on the other hand are adept at spotting important variables among their clients, and they know how to respond to them in ways that cookie-cutter approaches miss. We see this with the Eff family and the Ess family. These couples have dramatically different needs. However, advisors who follow “standard” asset allocation guidelines do both of them a disservice.

SYM advisors believe investors should structure asset allo-

cation based on their expected near-term need for cash distributions from the portfolio, not their chronological ages. Simply said, dollars an investor wants to access within seven years could be allocated to less volatile investments such as bonds.

Frank and Fiona Eff know their current cash flow needs are met by their salaries. In retirement, they will look forward to their pensions providing a stable and comfortable base of support – with or without distributions from their investment portfolio. As a result, even during precipitous market swings and unfounded calls for disaster, the Effs can invest more aggressively than peers who do not enjoy these post-retirement income sources.

Conversely, Sam and Sally are better served to place 35% to 50% of their portfolio in lower-risk bonds. Because they are leaving steady jobs for an early retirement, the Esses’ need for access to cash is immediate.

Without the safety net of a pension, Sam and Sally will depend upon regular distributions from their investment portfolio to replace their salaries – even when markets are down. It’s been said that the only people who truly lose in a down market are those who sell. At their retirement, if the Esses’ income depends on regular draws from their equity account, they could easily find themselves selling when the markets are not at their best.

Rick Harrison, Principal, Senior Financial Advisor

This wipes out a large percent of their savings, which feels particularly painful because it was avoidable.

Assessing one’s allocation needs is fundamental to SYM’s client service methodology, and when paired with complex strategies around rebalancing and minimizing the tax impact of portfolio gains, this approach increases the likelihood that our clients can enjoy the retirement they strive for.

Wherever you are on the path to retirement, don’t fall into the trap of using overly simplistic rules of thumb for important life decisions. The future will be here faster than you may believe. Appreciate if your situation warrants trusting a professional wealth advisor to help you see the nuances beyond the average.

If you have questions or would like to talk further about asset allocation, your SYM advisory team is here to help.

VISIT US AT WWW.SYM.COM

800.888.7968

Disclosure: The opinions expressed herein are those of SYM Financial Corporation (“SYM”) and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to sell any product. SYM reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs. This is not a recommendation to buy or sell a particular security. SYM is an independent investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about SYM including our investment strategies, fees and objectives can be found in our ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. SYM-20-65.

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CAMPAIGN

PAID FOR BY BECHTOLD FOR INDIANA

Naomi Bechtold: The Right Leadership for Indiana House District 24 Photography // Submitted

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his November, our nation will be tasked with participating in one of the most important elections in our country’s history. Now is the time for action—to vote—and to consider Naomi Bechtold for Indiana House District 24.

Naomi Bechtold brings a fresh perspective, practical voice and extensive experience in academia and public policy.

Bechtold shared that she is running because she cares about improving the state of Indiana and the lives of Hoosiers.

The key issues that Naomi Bechtold is advocating for are • Competitive pay for public school teachers and safety for our children.

• Better, more affordable health care options.

• Fair and secure elections.

• The highest standards for our clean air and water.

• Equal justice reform.

• Economic recovery during and post COVID-19.

• Healthy Hoosier families.

earned her MBA from Lehigh University. Subsequent job moves eventually led Bechtold, her husband and two children to Carmel in 2008.

Since planting roots in her Hoosier community, Bechtold has enjoyed being a community leader and is a dedicated professional educator with Purdue Extension and has served on multiple nonprofit boards.

“In all of these roles, I have consistently proven myself to be an independent thinker, thoughtful listener and a valuable member of the community,” Bechtold expressed. “For over a decade, I’ve listened to the needs of local communities, mediated between sharply divided opinions and worked to find a collaborative path for progress.”

funds to create bridge loans and grants to help the small businesses until we can start getting the economy back on track. These reserves are there for a rainy day, and right now, it’s a deluge.”

BRINGING EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN ACADEMIA TO THE FLOOR

ELECTION REFORM IS A PRIORITY GOING FORWARD

Since establishing herself in Carmel, Bechtold has been employed at Purdue University.

“I’m known as what is called an ‘extension specialist,’” Bechtold explained. “I was a 4-H extension educator for six years, and I moved into health and human sciences in a similar role. My specialty is in the area of personal financial management education. I work with extension educators around the state and provide resources and work on [related] curriculum to help improve the lives of local community members.”

Bechtold is also an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®).

No matter how you plan on voting in this year’s general election, Bechtold’s message is simply to “Vote!”

“It is important that everyone understands that every vote absolutely matters,” Bechtold exclaimed. “I’m telling people to apply for your absentee ballot now and then drive it over and walk it into the Hamilton County or Boone County election offices.”

Bechtold continued, “I would push to make sure that all voting booths throughout Indiana have the paper backup system.

And I would push for no-excuse absentee ballots for the future.”

For more information about Naomi Bechtold for Indiana House District 24 and more about all the issues that she is advocating for, visit bechtoldforindiana.com.

DEDICATED TO SERVING HER CONSTITUENTS AND FELLOW HOOSIERS As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the national and local economies, Bechtold shared how she plans on bringing relief to the constituents of District 24.

Bechtold stated, “There are several things that elected officials can do when it comes to aiding small businesses.

We’re going to have to dive into the state’s reserves and use the

ESTABLISHING STRONG ROOTS IN THE HOOSIER STATE AS A COMMUNITY LEADER Raised in Maryland and a graduate of Duke University, Bechtold majored in public policy. After marrying her husband Marty of 31 years, Bechtold

WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE AND BUILDING COALITIONS Bechtold plans on continuing her proven strategies that include building purposeful and effective coalitions and partnerships with stakeholders.

“I work through partnerships and coalitions because I am not an expert in all areas, but I know people who are,” Bechtold stated. “I understand the idea of building partnerships and working across the aisle—it has to happen.”

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CAMPAIGN

PAID FOR BY DONNA SCHAIBLEY FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Donna Schaibley for Indiana House District 24:

R e p r e s e n t i n g H o o s i e r R o o t s a n d Va l u e s Photography // Submitted authored/co-authored dozens of bills that have been voted into law and has successfully assisted with other important legislation, including:

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for businesses, schools and hospitals. I’m going to be pushing for that, and we can’t wait for the federal government to address the situation. We need to be doing that at the state level.”

TACKLING THE ISSUES AND PUSHING FOR TRANSPARENCY

Schaibley pledges to continue her work on many issues.

“There are several things that I am working on, especially with health care-related issues,” Schaibley emphasized.

“I am also working on human trafficking and sexual assault issues and with victims’ rights.

This area is of major interest to me, and I have worked on legislation in those areas over the last several years.”

Over the course of six years, Schaibley has championed for many issues, including readjusting the school funding formula that increased dollars to our community schools.

“Providing additional funding for local schools is one of the first issues I took up when I first arrived at the statehouse,” Schaibley said. “I worked hard to make it a fair distribution of funds for local schools and continue to work to provide more funding for our schools.”

The issue of health care cost transparency has been a strong area of focus for Schaibley.

“We need more transparency of the cost of health care and health services,” Schaibley expressed. “These have traditionally been shrouded in secrecy.

This year, we passed quite a few transparency-related bills regarding health care, including the good faith estimate language that I authored that allows patients the ability to find out the cost of a procedure prior to having it done.”

Reelect

he general election is fast approaching, and Rep. Donna Schaibley is asking for your vote for her reelection this November. Throughout her six sessions in the Indiana General Assembly, Schaibley has used her skills and experience in using the legislative process to improve the lives of Hoosiers. The successful outcomes of her bills are a testament to the level of commitment and compassion that she brings to the position as a representative in District 24. Schaibley has

B.A in education and political science. Schaibley has been an active volunteer throughout the community. Schaibley has been serving as District 24’s state representative since 2015 and is vice chairman of the Courts and Criminal Code Committee.

• Reforms designed to reduce Hoosier health care costs.

• Increasing school safety.

• Addressing serious crime.

• Increasing access to mental health care.

• Small business tax relief.

• Strengthening Indiana’s workforce.

WORKING THROUGH AND LOOKING BEYOND THE PANDEMIC Working with local businesses and constituents throughout the district, Schaibley empathizes with their pain and suffering and is working with them to find viable solutions.

“Going forward, I think we [legislatures] will have to look at some kind of liability protection,” Schaibley stated. “If you’re following the protocols and doing all the right things, I think that we need to work to provide some kind of liability protection

A LIFELONG HOOSIER REPRESENTING HOOSIER VALUES Rep. Schaibley has resided in Carmel, along with her husband, John, for nearly three decades.

Schaibley and her husband share two children and two grandchildren. She graduated from Purdue University with a

SCHAIBLEY’S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2021

REPRESENTING DISTRICT 24 IS A CALLING AND A PRIVILEGE Looking back at the last six years and looking forward to what comes next, Schaibley expressed her gratitude to be able to serve the people of District 24.

“I’ve been very honored to have this job down at the statehouse,” Schaibley stated.

“It has been an honor, and I am very blessed to represent the district that I do because I have an incredibly involved and extremely interested group of constituents, which is great. All of that has been a very positive thing for me and helps give me the direction that I need to go forward and do what’s best for District 24.”

For more information about Donna Schaibley for State Representative and more about all the issues that she is advocating for, visit schaibleyforindiana.com.

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Carmel’s Dream Store Media Debuts Powerful Diabetes Documentary Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted

Carmel headquartered Dream Store Media shines a light on diabetes with its latest documentary, “Sugar Coated: The Pieces of Diabetes,” that recently debuted and is currently streaming on Prime Video on Amazon.

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he documentary follows four families living with diabetes and features local and medical experts who are working on managing the disease while searching for a cure. The film not only educates viewers on the diabolical affects diabetes has on individuals, families and caretakers, it also reexamines the general public’s understating—or, more importantly, lack of understanding—of diabetes and who is at risk of being diagnosed with it.

Dream Store Media’s Earned Credibility in the Medical and Entertainment Industries We first introduced Dream Store Media to our readers in our July 2017 cover story,

“Hollywood Comes to Carmel.” Dream Store Media is comprised of unique and award-winning production experts who create impactful visual stories. The team masterfully brings together technology, design, cinematography and a marketing mindset, creating impactful and unique media experiences with in-house designers, producers, animators and FX engineers to expertly manage their deep breadth of projects.

Dream Store Media partnered with the Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning on “Sugar Coated: The Pieces of Diabetes.” Their film was funded by an independent medical educational grant from Novo Nordisk. Dream Store Media’s

Brett Gordeau, CEO and producer, and Christopher “Chris” Mapes, CTO and producer, directed “Sugar Coated,” which was co-executive produced by Amanda Kaczerski. The documentary was filmed on location in Carmel, Fishers and Indianapolis, Indiana, Kauai and Honolulu, Hawaii, and Chicago, Illinois.

Insight on Fighting Diabetes from a Local Medical Expert Dr. Rhys Davies Jones, M.D., a family practice specialist with over 40 years of diverse experience in Carmel, Indiana, is one of the medical experts featured in “Sugar Coated.” When asked why Jones felt compelled to contribute to the documentary,

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he replied, “I was convinced that whatever Brett and his team would produce, it would be a wonderful contribution to the public and would be tastefully done.”

Jones continued, “There are between 80 and 120 million Americans [with diabetes or prediabetes] that are totally unaware. The average diabetic has it 10 years before he/she is diagnosed. That’s a lot of damage being done to people’s systems that could have been mitigated and reduced by quite a lot because we’ve

gotten really good at dealing with this now. The public needs to be asking their doctors, ‘Do I have prediabetes? Do I have diabetes? Can you test me?’ And those questions would help a lot. It is important to get the message out about diabetes and especially prediabetes.”

It’s an Important Message That Can Save Lives The documentary itself took about two years to create, but the conception for the project began nearly nine years ago.

“Amanda [Kaczerski] and I have been working on the funding for this [film] for nine years,” Gordeau shared. “I’m a prediabetic and have been for 13 to 14 years now. I work very hard to avoid diabetes, and for me, after my diagnosis, I looked at the world differently. I walk into the grocery store, look around and think, ‘Oh my gosh, everything is sugar and carbohydrates.’ With time and education, I realized that through exercise and diet, I can still have an enjoyable life. So, when the time came to really look at how we would produce this documentary and the ‘message,’ I knew Chris [Mapes] had some pretty interesting ideas and would bring a lot to the table.”

Upon viewing the documentary, I learned that residents of Hawaii and the South Pacific are fighting a huge battle against diabetes.

Dream Store Media’s Chris Mapes lives in Hawaii and shared his knowledge of the area’s current issues with regards to battling the disease and education about it.

“We had to figure out a way to get as much of this content [that we produced] out to the public as possible because [diabetes] is a huge issue here in Hawaii,”

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Mapes stressed. “One in every five people are afflicted with it here because of lack of education on the disease as well as a lack of food education. We wanted to help with this messaging by sharing four stories out of the 10 to 15 that we shot in this documentary.”

Mapes continued, “We tried to keep this documentary as upbeat as possible, but it is diabetes. It is a serious disease. We featured a couple of amazing kids and adults as well as some phenomenal medical doctors who are leading experts in diabetes research. We knew that we couldn’t use

traditional means to get this message out and put our heads together to come up with a way to disseminate it to as many people as possible. Ultimately, we landed on the Amazon model and were approved for distribution on Prime Video.”

Gordeau concluded, “There is a broad and popular misconception that there are just two types of diabetes, and that’s not the truth. We talk about that in the documentary with the experts who discuss how it’s really kind of a group of diseases, and there is a Type 1.5. We always hear that it’s about eating right and exercising, but it’s also about genetics, and we were fortunate to have some of the leading professionals in the entire world share their knowledge on diabetes with us in ‘Sugar Coated’ that we are able to share with our audiences the world over.”

“Sugar Coated: The Pieces of Diabetes” is available now on Prime Video for FREE! It is a compassionate and educational film that is well worth the 45 minutes of your invested time.

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Glimmer Landscape Lighting Adds Beauty and Security to Your Home with a Variety of Landscape Light Options

itable contributions. He is active with Gleaners Food Bank and is a regular supporter of the MIBOR Foundation Ball, an event that raises money to fight homelessness in the Indianapolis area.

Writer // John Cinnamon • Photography // Submitted

You probably love the way your house looks. Beautiful brick exterior, majestic columns on the front porch, perfectly coordinated window shutters and trim, dramatic dormers adding style and dimension. You see it as the pride of the neighborhood. But what happens when the sun goes down?

Does it all get lost in the darkness? It doesn’t have to be that way. A professionally installed landscape lighting system can make all the difference between an invisible house and one that looks just as good at night as it does in broad daylight.

NOT JUST FOR LIGHTING THE HOUSE Landscape lighting isn’t just for illuminating the house. Chances are, you’ve invested a lot in those trees and bushes that beautify your yard, and Glimmer Landscape Lighting has the products to put them in their best light. “We have up-lighting that we use on trees to show them off,” says Cook.

Glimmer can even install underwater lights. For a customer with a waterfall feature in their landscape, Cook was able to place a landscape light under the falls.

“It really made it stand out at night when you otherwise wouldn’t be able to see the waterfall,” says Cook.

LANDSCAPE LIGHTING DESIGN EXPERIENCE

“A

good landscape lighting system really does make the house pop,” says Dustin Cook, owner and operator of Glimmer Landscape Lighting in Indianapolis. “It showcases the home.” Cook goes on to explain that it’s not just about aesthetics.

Adding landscape lighting to patios, pool decks or boat docks extends your outdoor activities and entertaining. And there’s the security factor too. The very thing that makes your home more attractive at night—walkway lights and exterior up-lighting—makes your house an unattractive target for would-be thieves.

What sets Glimmer Landscape Lighting apart from other residential lighting services is Dustin Cook’s extensive training and design experience, having been in the landscape lighting business for more than 10 years. “We take into account each individual house and its unique features so we can highlight it in a way that really makes it stand out and accents the architecture,” says Cook.

ALL LED LIGHTS All fixtures that Glimmer Landscape installs for new projects include high-quality LED bulbs.

The LEDs come with a five-year warranty, though Cook says they often last much longer. And LED bulbs use considerably less energy than traditional incandescent

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED Glimmer Landscape Lighting was created in 2014 and is locally owned and operated. Cook started the company when his wife, Kelly, was pregnant with their first child.

“I wanted to create a business that my kids could be proud of and provide a better future for them,” says Cook, now the father of two.

Something else that Cook’s children can be proud of is his char-

bulbs. As a special offer for new installations this fall, Glimmer Landscape Lighting will include red and green LED lights that you can swap out for the holidays.

THE 90-MINUTE QUOTE Getting a quote for a new landscape lighting system is fast and easy with the Glimmer Landscape Lighting app. “You put in your information and upload pictures and tell us a little bit about what you’re looking for,” says Cook. “We can get you a quote within 90 minutes during regular business hours.”

SERVICE AREA Glimmer Landscape Lighting provides lighting services throughout Central Indiana. Visit glimmerlights.com to see dozens of shining examples of how Glimmer Landscape Lighting can illuminate homes, walkways, patios, landscaping and more.

You’ve invested a lot to make your home and yard look great. Make sure they look just as good—if not better—after sunset with a landscape light system from Glimmer Landscape Lighting. Call Dustin at (317) 989-5193 or email dustin@ glimmerlights.com.

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I n d i a n a p o l i s

R a c q u e t

C l u b

Ready to Serve Community, Looking for Safer Way to Stay Active During Pandemic Writer // Neil Lucas • Photography // Submitted

N

eedless to say, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to significantly change our lifestyles, including the way we exercise. For many, tennis has become a way to get exercise and also be able to maintain a certain level of social distancing that gyms and other forms of group workouts do not. Whether you’re new to the sport, looking to reengage after taking some time away from the sport or a seasoned veteran, the Indianapolis Racquet Club (IRC) is ready to serve your needs. The IRC has a complete package of facilities, teaching programs and equipment offerings that is unmatched in the Indianapolis area.

Facilities If anyone were to write a history of tennis in the Indianapolis area, it would have to include the significant role that the IRC has played over the years. Opened in October 1965, the IRC for several years hosted the RCA Championships, which included players like Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Manuel Orantes and Arthur Ashe.

Although the IRC can boast of having a rich history of tennis, that doesn’t mean that the facilities at the Indianapolis Racquet Club are antiquated. Just this summer, the 24 indoor courts were resurfaced with the same color and exacting

specifications that were used for the courts at the US Open this year. Currently, the IRC is the only tennis club in the country that has this cutting-edge quality of court to offer its members.

Pro Shop Offering Professionalism at Competitive Prices In addition to having the highest-quality courts in the country, the IRC also has a pro shop that has a history as being recognized as one of the finest in the country.

In 2015, the IRC pro shop was named by the Tennis Industry Association as the Tennis Specialty Retailer of the Year.

The IRC pro shop has been headed for the past 24 years by Jeff Rodefeld, director of retail operations. Before coming to the IRC, Rodefeld gained valuable retail experience by working for large retailers such as Macy’s. If you talk with Rodefeld, you will quickly see that he is as passionate about the game of tennis as he is in maintaining the IRC pro shop’s reputation as one of the best in the nation.

Unlike many “pro shops” where a tennis pro is giving lessons one minute and then running over to sell someone a racquet before the next lesson starts, Rodefeld has built a team of 15 dedicated professionals that work just in the pro shop who are knowledgeable about the game of tennis and the newest products available in the

industry. Remarkably, the average tenure of the folks working in the pro shop at the IRC is 11 years. If you want the advantage of having a seasoned professional advising you on your tennis equipment needs, the IRC pro shop is the place to go.

In addition to its stable of experienced professionals, the IRC pro shop has one of the largest selections of racquets, shoes, clothing and accessories available in the country. According to Rodefeld, the IRC pro shop offers products comprising 20,000 different SKUs to choose from at competitive prices. In fact, the IRC has a policy of price matching with local competitors, big-box retailers and most online tennis specialty stores. Additionally, the IRC offers an initial free stringing on select strings.

What many of you new to tennis may not know, but the experienced player appreciates, is that there is a myriad of combinations of materials and tension formulations that can go into stringing a racquet properly. Unique to the IRC is a staff of four full-time Master Racquet Technicians that have been certified by the United States Racquet Stringers Association to make your racquet play the way it was designed.

Instruction to Meet Your Level of Play While IRC prides itself on offering instruction at the highest levels, it also

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understands that it has to be fun. As stated by Jamie Dieveney, director of tennis, “There are so many ways to have fun with tennis. Our goal at IRC is to offer an amazing tennis experience to all ages and levels of play.”

The IRC has 30 professionals on staff to provide the right level of instruction for your game. You would be hard-pressed to find a group of teaching professionals with more experience than the staff at the IRC. The “Dean” of instruction at the IRC, Prem Gupta, has been teaching members there since 1968.

If you’ve spent enough time on the couch the past few months and want to give tennis a try, the IRC offers a program called Tennis 101. It is an eight-week

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program, once a week, that is open to nonmembers and is specifically designed to introduce the basics of tennis to the new player. Think of this program as a tryout or sampler platter to whet your appetite to make tennis a game for the rest of your life.

For those who have advanced from the Tennis 101 level, the IRC offers private instruction and some fun, quicker-paced instructional options. The Live Ball Program is a fast-paced group session that includes a pro offering instruction with an emphasis on strategy and point play while getting a great workout.

For those of you more interested in a cardio workout, the IRC offers its Cardio Tennis. The focus there is less on teaching tennis technique and more on getting that heart rate and cardiovascular system going.

If during this unusual time of social distancing, you have found it harder to get the exercise you need or the competitive juices flowing, call the Indianapolis Racquet Club and let them put you into the proper equipment and instruction level to make tennis a game for the rest of your life.

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Wasatch Lake Retreat:

W h er e Yo u W i ll Quickly B ecom e Family Writer // Neil Lucas • Photography // Supplied and staff

Recently, my wife and I had the pleasure of discovering Wasatch Lake. Located just an hour and a half from the north side of Indianapolis in the rolling hills of Owen County near Spencer, Wasatch Lake is close enough to the Indy area to be very convenient but secluded enough to feel like you’re on a getaway. With its wide-open spaces and private individual cabins, Wasatch Lake is the ideal place for you and your family to escape the confinement of your home during the pandemic or host your extended wedding party or small corporate retreat at a very reasonable cost.

WHAT WASATCH LAKE HAS TO OFFER

W

asatch Lake is a small yearround family-owned and -operated retreat comprised of 300 acres of woodlands and a 50-acre lake surrounded by seven fully furnished cabins.

The lake has been owned by longtime Indianapolis

to prepare and serve a meal.

Additionally, each cabin has an indoor fireplace, an outdoor firepit and a charcoal grill.

Firewood is made available by the staff, as is basically everything you will need to make your stay convenient, cozy and memorable. As fall weather becomes more prevalent, imagine the prospect of curling up in a cabin with a good book and a fire after a brisk walk

resident Turner J.R. Woodard since 1996. Under Woodard’s stewardship, Wasatch Lake has become a retreat for families, weddings and corporate events without losing any of its charm and native feel. One thing you won’t find there is a field full of campers and roving hoards of ATVs. Each cabin has a full kitchen with stove, microwave, refrigerator and utensils needed

around the lake.

The centerpiece of the complex is the lake. It is terrific for swimming or fishing or just enjoying from the deck of your cabin. The owners provide several types of boats, from canoes to paddleboats, for you to use for free to explore the lake.

A UNIQUE PLACE FOR A WEDDING OR CORPORATE EVENT If you’re in the process of

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planning a wedding or small corporate retreat, Wasatch Lake has a lot to offer. In addition to the peaceful surroundings and the individual cabins, Lake Wasatch has the Long House Lodge. The lodge offers ample space for numerous guests, a commercial kitchen for catering, a dance floor and a large T-shaped deck where guests can sit and soak up the wonderful surroundings.

OUR STAY AT WASATCH LAKE Having never heard of Wasatch Lake before, but in need of a change of scenery

after being stuck in our home for what seemed like forever, we stumbled upon information on Lake Wasatch by chance. Our navigation app took us right to the property, even though there were times we had our doubts as to whether it was correct.

Upon arriving at the property, we were greeted warmly by Dawn Schmidt and Jeff Huffman, who are the onsite property managers for Wasatch Lake. They have a wonderful way of making you feel you are home and were super helpful with any questions or

anything we needed.

Immediately after settling in, my wife and I headed for the lake with our dog, my wife’s 74-year-old mother and her 15-year-old niece.

The lake is clean and slowly increases in depth, which was perfect for all involved. After a busy afternoon of swimming and boating, I broke out the fishing equipment and thoroughly enjoyed the quiet and serenity of the lake in the early evening. We topped the night off with cocktails around a firepit.

Our cabin was everything

that we had hoped for—it was roomy enough for four people and our dog.

While having coffee on the deck the next morning, we were greeted by some very friendly visitors, what appeared to be three old potbellied pigs. My mother-in-law and the pigs quickly became fast friends as every time they wandered near, she was looking to find something to feed them. The pigs only added to the charm and bucolic nature of Lake Wasatch.

Lake Wasatch’s proximity to Indy made it possible for a couple of additional family members to join us for a day of swimming, boating and grilling and still be able to conveniently return to Indy that night.

If you’re looking for a quiet and serene place to spend some quality time with your family or are planning a wedding or corporate outing, contact the folks at Lake Wasatch.

You won’t be disappointed.

INFO 7301 Wasatch Lake Rd. Poland, In 47868 317 488 7373 wasatchlake.com kailey@thestutz.com

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Kathie Henschen

AMERICA’S NINJA PET GROOMER ON OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Laura Arick and Submitted

This month we are proud to feature on our cover Boone County’s own Kathie Henschen, “Ninja Groomer,” along with her husband of 23 years, Brent, known as “B.C.” The couple shared their remarkable experience of Kathie’s competing on Season 12 of NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” this summer and the journey they took for Kathie to get there. The Henschens are also the owners of Platinum Paws in Carmel, Indiana, and are dedicated supporters of humane societies and animal rescues, such as the Humane Society for Boone County.

Meet Kathie—An American Ninja Warrior and Award-Winning Groomer

K

athy and B.C. live on a micro farm in Boone County along with their beloved dogs and other animals. Kathie is known to many as the “ninja groomer.” She loves to groom dogs and loves to “ninja.”

“I am built not just to have fun; I am built to compete,” Kathie shared. “‘American Ninja Warrior’ has been a dream of mine since the very first time I saw it years ago. Just like when I was a little

girl at 4 years old, watching gymnastics for the first time on TV, I remember that memory so vividly and knew at that moment it was something I was meant to do.”

The road to success was an arduous one for Kathie, who has had to overcome many heart-wrenching emotional and physically painful obstacles over the decades.

“I’ve had to overcome many obstacles and have blown my left knee out a total of seven times,” Kathie shared. “Each time required surgery. At the age of 13, I had to have ACL reconstruction [surgery], but I

continued to train as best as I could, and I ended up being a national champion on the balance beam, vaults and all-around. I also competed internationally in Germany. My hopes and dreams were about competing in the Olympics, but it didn’t happen because of all my injuries.”

The end of Kathie’s Olympic aspirations took a huge toll on her emotionally.

“Gymnastics was who I was. It defined me,” Kathie expressed. “I left early in high school after half a day to train in the gym six hours a day, five days a week. It

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YOUR DREAMS ARE YOURS, AND THEY’RE GIVEN TO YOU FOR A REASON, AND THAT REASON IS A PURPOSE THAT IS WAY BIGGER THAN YOU. YOU CAN RUN FROM YOUR DREAMS, BUT THEY ALWAYS FIND YOU, AND THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED WITH NINJA.”

was who I was. I reset my goals towards getting a college scholarship, but unfortunately, I was considered a poor business investment because of my injuries. Being told that as an 18-year-old girl whose entire life had been gymnastics was devastating to me. I went to college as a walk-on at Ball State University for gymnastics but was also struggling with some demons I had developed at that time. I went down the road of drugs and alcohol and ended up dropping out of college.”

Persevering Through Every Obstacle Kathie’s life may not have turned out the way she originally envisioned it would be, but fate definitely had a plan for her.

Kathie openly stated, “I had become really lost and broken, and I had to make a decision on if this was the end or was I going to write another chapter. Obviously, I chose to keep writing.”

Kathie met B.C., and the two married.

She spoke about how B.C. helped her out of the darkness she had been existing in, and the two began to build a life together. B.C. had a dream of owning a kennel/ family business, and Kathie would be the groomer. She had always loved animals but had no experience or training as a groomer.

So, Kathie went to trade school for grooming in the evenings after her day job, while B.C. would train dogs at PetSmart after working his corporate day job.

As Kathie was getting ready to graduate from trade school, fate would intervene again and present the couple the opportunity to buy Platinum Paws nearly 15 years ago. But it wasn’t long after finding hope and happiness that the couple would face a new challenge together. B.C. was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

“I was really struggling with accepting everything about it,” Kathie shared. “It’s so painful to watch someone you love go through that, and it’s frustrating for him to lose the ability to do the things he used to do and rely on me. It’s been hard.

There are a lot of chores living on a farm.

I get up at 4 a.m. everyday and train, do the chores, go to work for 12 hours, come home and do more chores, and it gets a little overwhelming.”

A Natural-Born Competitor A lifelong competitor, Kathie enjoys the process of challenging herself to be the best at whatever she puts her mind, heart and soul into. Whether it’s a physical challenge or more mental in nature, Kathie rises to that challenge.

“She’s a competitor at heart,” B.C. said. “She started competing in grooming competitions five or six years ago, and that led us to getting a competition-quality standard poodle, which is one of our favorite pets. Kathie has taken trophies with our poodle, and she also competes in the Rescue Rodeo, where 30 dogs and 30 competitors compete in the show that works with area humane societies. The humane societies select dogs from their adoption floor to be groomed with the hopes that they will be more adoptable afterwards.”

B.C. continued, “The groomers have three to four hours to bathe, cut and groom these dogs from start to finish and are judged on what they did to make the dog more adoptable as well as their handling skills. It takes a special handler, one that is compassionate and knows how to care for the dog its grooming. Kathie has earned compassion awards at the Rescue Rodeo as well.”

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A Dream Fought For and Realized It must be noted that B.C. has been an unwavering supporter of his wife’s endeavors, and having interviewed them both, I can attest they are each other’s rocks and biggest fans. So, knowing her passion for “American Ninja Warrior” and for competing, B.C. located a local American Ninja gym for Kathie to begin obstacle-course training.

“As soon as I walked into the gym, I knew I was home and where I was supposed to be,” Kathie enthused. “Your dreams are yours, and they’re given to you for a reason, and that reason is a purpose that is way bigger than you. You can run from your dreams, but they always find you, and that’s what happened with Ninja.”

Before applying to be on “American Ninja Warrior,” Kathie trained and competed in the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association’s area qualifiers, regional qualifiers and placed in the top 10 in the 40-and-over

class at the World Series Championship Finals in 2019.

Two knee injuries and subsequent surgeries later, both in 2019, Kathie applied to be a contestant on the NBC hit series on her 45th birthday on Nov. 14, 2019.

While her knee healed, she continued to train areas of her body to keep up her strength and mental conditioning. More than 60,000 people applied to be on this season’s show, and Kathie was more than cautiously optimistic about being selected. Then the pandemic hit. Filming for the show had come to an abrupt halt, and no one knew if or when the show would resume filming this year.

And then one day in June, while grooming at her salon, she got that fateful call with an 818 area code.

“My heart just stopped,” Kathie recalled.

“I answered the call, and it was ‘American Ninja Warrior’ telling me they wanted me to come to St. Louis for the show. I was ecstatic and remember just sobbing out in

the lobby. It was a dream come true.”

You will have had to tune into NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” on Sept. 28 to see Kathie’s performance and to see how she did, but regardless of the results on the TV show, Kathie considers the experience and the journey to get there a huge personal victory.

“The experience was just incredible,” Kathie exclaimed. “The fact that I was on the show and that I did the work and got it done, that is my win. To come back from two knee surgeries last year, and all the demons in my head, and balance work and the chores at home, I’m really proud of that. There were 150 [contestants] chosen to be on the show, and I was one of them. I feel so blessed and grateful.”

Kathie concluded, “Someone out there needs to know that no matter how far down you’ve gone and how many times you’ve fallen, you can come back from that. Believe in yourself and you can be whatever you want to be.”

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Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library Expands to Better Serve Its Communities Many of you may have seen the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library’s (HMMPL) announcement on its plans to expand its footprint and provide permanent library services to all Worth Township residents.

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted

T

he Worth Township Advisory Board accepted HMMPL’s service proposal on July 21 and took a final vote on the full resolution on Aug. 10. The plan, which took effect Wednesday, Aug. 12, calls for HMMPL to provide permanent library services to all township residents and build a branch in the area.

HMMPL is also working with the Zionsville mayor and town council to extend services to residents of Perry Township.

DEFINED BY TOWNSHIPS, NOT TOWN OR COUNTY LINES In Boone County, library service areas are defined by townships, not town or county lines. Previously, HMMPL served only Eagle and Union

townships. According to HMMPL, that left a large number of residents in both Zionsville and Whitestown without public library service unless they paid a fee to use the library, as directed by state statute. For several years, township trustees have been able to sign contracts with libraries that allow for a discounted fee. Some even choose to cover a portion or all of the fee for their residents.

HMMPL has been investigating the expansion of their service area into the unserved townships of Worth and Perry for some time. Each year, the library received more and more requests for membership from residents outside of Eagle and Union townships.

Focus groups organized by HMMPL and community con-

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versations in 2019 revealed a strong need and desire by residents for library services in the western portion of the community. Shortly after, a determination was made that building a physical branch would be prudent in providing Worth Township residents with the library services they need.

“One of our guiding principles is to remove barriers and

25

find ways to be a role model for growth and expansion in our community,” HMMPL Executive Director Sarah Moore expressed. “We’re not just building a library; we’re expanding library services for this community that has not had home library services before. This is a generations-long commitment that is being made, and I’m so excited to be a part of that.”

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HOW WILL FUNDING THE EXPANSION IMPACT HOMEOWNERS? With the addition of a new HMMPL branch in Worth Township, Worth Township property owners will see a

HMMPL proposal includes three sizes ranging from 15,000 to 30,000 square feet.

The mid-range rate of $0.0624 would translate into a $61.01* annual library tax for those with a $200,000 home.

Zionsville property owners in Eagle and Union townships will see a temporary tax increase from $0.0211 up to $0.0343 per $100 of adjusted assessed value. For example, at the mid-range rate of $0.0281, a homeowner with a $200,000 home may see a $27.47* increase in their property taxes for one year. This is the amount of time it will take to pay off the library’s current bond. After 2023, property owners will see the

tax rate increase of $0.0554 to $0.0686 per $100 of adjusted assessed value beginning in 2022. The final rate will be determined by the size of the library branch selected. The

increase to their library tax rate drop to $0.0052–$0.0184.

Homeowners who have already met their tax cap will not see an increase in their property taxes. If the proposal to expand services into Perry Township is also approved, these tax rates will decrease even further. Tax changes will not go into effect until closer to the opening of the new branch, which is expected to be in the early part of 2022.

Worth Township residents may register for a library card at the library’s main location, 250 North 5th Street, Zionsville or online at http://bit.ly/ HMMPLcard.

Footnote: *All included tax examples assume the following mortgage deductions have been applied: homestead deduction, supplemental homestead deduction and mortgage deduction. The annual library tax is then calculated based on the resulting net assessed home value. For more information, review HMMPL’s full Worth Township proposal at https://zionsvillelibrary.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/08/Full-Proposal-2020-Worth.pdf.

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W i t h a m

H e a l t h S e r v i c e s o n t h e

Advantages of Telehealth Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted

The onset of the pandemic has not only changed the way we go about our day-to-day activities, it has also changed the way many of us communicate through virtual means with clients, co-workers and even our doctors. For people who are at risk or high risk, going to the doctor’s office for a routine checkup or follow-up may not be as low stress as it was prepandemic. There is a silver lining amid the changes and “pivoting” that many in the health care industry have had to exercise over the last several months, and the mainstream introduction to telehealth services this year has proven to be an effective and time-efficient way for both a medical professional and patient to communicate when an in-person visit may not be necessary.

WITHAM OFFERS TELEHEALTH AND VIRTUAL VISITS

W

itham Health Services began offering telehealth and virtual visits to its patients back in April. Telehealth allows you to talk to your physician from your mobile device or computer in the convenience and comfort of your own home.

The executive director of clinical operation physician practices at Witham Health Services, Geni Klayer, spoke with me about how Witham Health pivoted

quickly to meet the needs of its patients at the onset of the pandemic and how it sees integrating telehealth and virtual visits going forward.

“We really had to pivot on how we were taking care of patients when COVID-19 first hit,” Klayer said. “We kept our offices open, but we were very selective on who was able to come in. It took some of the other health systems a week or two to get onto a telehealth platform, but we were up and running within 72 hours, which was great for both us and our patients.”

Now that the restrictions have

ZIONSVILLE MONTHLY

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somewhat eased up and safety protocols have been in place, Klayer shared that the feedback they’ve received from the majority of their patients has been that they want to come in for in-person visits with their health care providers.

“We still have some folks that are not comfortable coming in, and so we’re able to give them that option with the virtual visits,” Klayer stated. “We’re doing the best we can to keep people socially distanced [for in-person visits], and we are using the virtual visits to screen people who have potential COVID-19 symptoms.

SEPTEMBER 2020

2020-09-24 1:51 PM

While most major insurance companies are covering these visits, we are encouraging patients—whether it’s a telehealth or in-person health care visit—to know their insurance policy, know what’s covered and what’s not because there are so many plans out there.”

Virtual visits are also useful for routine follow-ups that don’t require an exam.

So, for people on medication management whose prescription was recently changed and their doctor wants to check in to make sure their patient is doing OK, a virtual visit is ideal for that kind of follow-up.”

Klayer also mentioned that for the percentage of the population that has transportation issues, virtual visits or telehealth provides a level of access to their medical providers that they may not otherwise be able to easily access in a timely manner.

“Depending on what their needs are for medical care, [virtual visits] give them a better opportunity to stay on task with their care versus not being able to get a ride and having to cancel the appointment,” Klayer added. “For folks that have [potentially serious] issues like abdominal pain, chest pain, breathing issues, muscle/skeletal uses that may require

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X-rays, etc., and symptoms that you really can’t examine over the phone or during a virtual health visit, they really need to come in and have an exam. There are definite advantages with using virtual visits and telehealth, but it’s not 100% for every issue.”

DOES INSURANCE COVER TELEHEALTH AND VIRTUAL VISITS? The Public Health Emergency declaration issued by Gov. Holcomb, in short, made insurance companies cover telehealth and virtual visits.

“That declaration was extended through July 25 and was extended another 90 days through the end of October,” Klayer explained. “Telehealth and virtual visits will be covered, but it’s on a caseby-case basis, so it’s not across the board.”

Witham Health Services understands that navigating one’s insurance benefits can be daunting and confusing for the layman and can be confusing to even

people within the health care industry.

Klayer added, “While most major insurance companies are covering these visits, we are encouraging patients—whether it’s a telehealth or in-person health care visit—to know their insurance policy, know what’s covered and what’s not because there are so many plans out there.”

DON’T BE AFRAID OF TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY AND DON’T WAIT TO GET MEDICAL CARE No matter your level of computer skill and regardless of what kind of smartphone experience you have, Witham Health Services’ staff and medical professionals are there to help walk you through the process.

“Our staff will contact the patient and get them set up ahead of the virtual or telehealth appointment to make sure that they are able to connect and understand the process so that when it is time to visit with their physician, they already know how to connect and what

to expect,” Klayer said. “Talk with your medical provider and find out what your options are and to make sure that your health care need is appropriate for a telehealth or virtual visit.”

Klayer concluded, “Don’t be afraid of technology. If you have a cell phone with internet connection, we can likely get you connected with a physician.

The biggest thing is—don’t wait to get health care. Give us a call, and whether it’s technology or financial issues, we can walk you through those, and we have financial assistance available. Those issues shouldn’t be barriers to health care.”

Please call your physician’s office for more information on telehealth and virtual visits. For more information on Witham Health Services in general, visit witham.org.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

2020-09-24 1:51 PM

The Children’s TherAplay Foundation’s Expansion Status Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted

For nearly two decades, The Children’s TherAplay Foundation, a not-for-profit pediatric outpatient clinic, has been providing physical (PT) and occupational therapies (OT) on horseback for children with diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injury and developmental delay. The foundation’s therapists combine a sensory-rich, child-centered clinic with hippotherapy—a treatment strategy incorporating the movement of horses—to provide carefully graded motor, sensory and neurological input. It is one of the few clinics in the country dedicated to providing innovative PT and OT on horseback.

A

s the population continues to grow and the needs of The Children’s TherAplay Foundation’s clients also continue to grow, the foundation recognized the need to launch a capital campaign and expansion plan that has been underway—despite a global pandemic—and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020.

Progress Amid Pandemic The foundation realized it was outgrowing its current approximately 4,800-squarefoot facility located at 9919 Towne Road in West Carmel about five years ago. With the expansion and renovation of its current facility to an impressive 11,000 square feet— upon completion—it will be able to provide more treatments, options and space for growth and development. It will also be the nation’s largest hippotherapy facility in the country, once completed.

The expansion spaces include • More space for dedicated private evaluation and treatment rooms.

• Addition of speech therapy.

• A dedicated life-skills area, equipped with child-sized kitchenette and restroom.

• Centralized administrative offices.

• Spacious waiting rooms and both family-friendly and quiet areas.

• An all-weather event and meeting space, which will serve as a venue for fundraising events.

We spoke with Kathy Pelletier, executive director of The Children’s TherAplay Foundation, about the status of the construction and how the project has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Children’s TherAplay Foundation is such a special place,” Pelletier said.

“There are still some great things happening here all the time, and we’ve really been able to navigate the uncertainty of the last several months. Interestingly enough, the road to getting to our [construction] kickoff on April 15 was so bumpy and full of so many starts, stops and delays, it was almost comical when the pandemic started. That was literally the first time our [expansion] project continued to move forward without hinderance.”

Pelletier explained that the project was held up for approximately six months after breaking ground in 2019 due to permitting delays.

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“Of all the things that could stop this project from moving forward, a global pandemic was unable to make a dent,” Pelletier expressed. “We actually benefited from it. It just worked out that as we were closed [due to the statewide shutdown] and had switched to telehealth services, the construction crews put the pedal to the medal and probably completed 10 weeks of work in seven to eight weeks.”

The Giddy Up & Grow Capital Campaign As previously stated, the foundation realized that it was outgrowing its current space and was experiencing a growth in children and families that it is servicing.

“To give you some perspective, in 2013, we were roughly 300 sessions per month, and currently, we do over 800 sessions per month—continuously,” Pelletier shared. “It got to the point where we were able to do the great things that we’ve been doing [for nearly 20 years], but we were not able to customize our programming to meet each child’s individual needs.”

The foundation has been raising the necessary funds for the $4.4 million Giddy Up & Grow Capital Campaign through more than 170 generous donors and through its partnership with United Way Central Indiana, which offered a million-dollar match for The Children’s TherAplay Foundation fundraising.

But the goal isn’t quite yet met. The campaign is 75% fulfilled, and the foundation is seeking additional donations to raise the remaining balance.

Pelletier explained that naming rights are still available, or folks can make a legacy gift in honor or memory of someone, and all amounts of monetary donations will go a long way to helping the foundation’s fundraising efforts.

To learn more about The Children’s TherAplay Foundation programs and services, visit childrenstheraplay.org, and to learn more about available naming rights and how to donate, go to childrenstheraplay.org/capital-campaign.

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2020-09-24 3:20 PM

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2020-09-24 9:34 AM