Dubois REC — July 2021 Indiana Connection

A balanced fuel mix promotes power reliability.

Dubois REC’s

One chick and a hammer pages 18–23

MEET BUSINESSWOMAN, HGTV STAR AND AUTHOR MINA STARSIAK HAWK

JULY 2021

from the editor

A preponderance of paper Those who’ve lived in their homes for many years probably have boxes filled with forgotten treasures tucked away in seldomvisited nooks and crannies under the stairs, in the basement or in the attic. I know I have. So, for the past few months, I’ve devoted several hours each weekend to unearthing what’s inside my collection of rediscovered boxes.

Several boxes, including one that I most recently came across, are filled with old magazines and newspapers. They must have been significant to me once, right?

And, I’ve got to admit — it is fun now to flip through them to reacquaint myself with the “good ol’ days.” But I’m starting to wonder: why did I keep these random periodicals and, perhaps more importantly, why do I not remember keeping them?

Maybe, I’ve decided, I didn’t have time to read all this stuff 15 years ago so I just stuffed them in a box for a “rainy day” that never came. In that decade and a half, my always present “to be read” pile continued to grow, augmented by an exploding email inbox and a soft spot for the latest novels from my go-to favorite authors. I think I’m finally starting to realize that there will never be enough rainy days to read everything that I want to!

So, I’m doing what I should have done years ago. I’m turning back the Time magazines from 2006, tossing turn-of-the-millennium Travel and Leisure magazines and bidding adieu to Peoples from the past. It’s easy to get bogged down with “stuff” — stuff you need to do, stuff you hope to do, stuff that you’ll tackle one of these days when you have time. Well, no more! It’s time to lighten the load so to speak and finally take the trash out!

I’m sure I’ll soon run across a few boxes that will actually be worth unpacking. And once I ditch my preponderance of paper, I may have a place to set some actual keepsakes out and enjoy them!

EMILY SCHILLING Editor eschilling@indianaec.org

On the menu: November issue: Pumpkin, deadline Aug. 1.

December issue: Chocolate, deadline Oct. 1. If we publish your recipe on our food pages, we’ll send you a $10 gift card.

Giveaways: We have five prize opportunities this month. Weenee World, which is

showcased on page 14, is providing four $25 restaurant gift cards. Plus, we have an autographed copy of Mina Starsiak Hawk’s new children’s book, “Built Together.” For details and to enter, visit indianaconnection.org/talk-to-us/contests. Entry deadline for giveaways: July 30.

Three ways to contact us: To send us recipes, photos, event listings, letters

and entries for gift drawings, please use the forms on our website indianaconnection.org; email info@indianaconnection.org; or send to Indiana Connection, 8888 Keystone Crossing, Suite 1600, Indianapolis, IN 46240-4606.

VOLUME 71 • NUMBER 1 ISSN 0745-4651 • USPS 262-340 Published monthly by Indiana Electric Cooperatives Indiana Connection is for and about members of Indiana’s locally-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. It helps consumers use electricity safely and efficiently; understand energy issues; connect with their co-op; and celebrate life in Indiana. Over 304,000 residents and businesses receive the magazine as part of their electric co-op membership.

CONTACT US: 8888 Keystone Crossing, Suite 1600 Indianapolis, IN 46240-4606 317-487-2220 info@indianaconnection.org IndianaConnection.org INDIANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OFFICERS: Walter Hunter President Randy Kleaving Vice President Steve McMichael Secretary/Treasurer John Gasstrom CEO EDITORIAL STAFF: Emily Schilling Editor Richard George Biever Senior Editor Holly Huffman Communication Support Specialist Ellie Schuler Senior Creative Services Specialist Taylor Maranion Creative Services Specialist Lauren Carman Communication Coordinator Stacey Holton Director of Creative Services Mandy Barth Vice President of Communication ADVERTISING: American MainStreet Publications Cheryl Solomon, local ad representative; 512-441-5200; amp.coop Crosshair Media 502-216-8537; crosshairmedia.net Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.

UNSOLICITED MATERIAL: Indiana Connection does not use unsolicited freelance manuscripts or photographs and assumes no responsibility for the safe‑keeping or return of unsolicited material.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $12 for individuals not subscribing through participating REMCs/RECs. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: If you receive Indiana Connection through your electric co-op membership, report address changes to your local co-op.

POSTAGE: Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Ind., and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address to: Indiana Connection, 8888 Keystone Crossing, Suite 1600, Indianapolis, IN 46240-4606.

Include key number.

No portion of Indiana Connection may be reproduced without permission of the editor.

JULY 2021

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contents

JULY

10

14

energy

Indiana eats

03 FROM THE EDITOR

11 C ALENDAR

05 CO-OP NEWS Energy news and information from your electric cooperative.

12 INSIGHTS

10 ENERGY Improve your home’s energy use with Wi-Fi-enabled tech.

14 INDIANA EATS

13 COUNTY OF THE MONTH Spotlighting Miami County.

Weenee World serves up hot dogs, ice cream and fun.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Indiana Connection

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food

15 FOOD Spilling the beans.

18 COVER STORY One chick and a hammer: Meet businesswoman, HGTV star and author Mina Starsiak Hawk.

24 SAFETY Electrical receptacle safety is as fundamental as the ABCs.

profile

26 BACKYARD Battling the mighty mite.

(Not in all editions) 27 RECALLS (Not in all editions) 28 PROFILE Bill Wolfe’s sculptures keep heroes and legends alive.

30 H OOSIER ENERGY/ WABASH VALLEY NEWS

On the cover Mina Starsiak Hawk, the daughter in the motherdaughter dynamic duo of Two Chicks and a Hammer and the HGTV show “Good Bones,” talks to Indiana Connection about the success of the show, her restoration work in old Indianapolis neighborhoods and other new projects.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TWO CHICKS AND A HAMMER

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JULY 2021

co-op news www.duboisrec.com CONTACT US Office: 812-482-5454 Billing Dept.: 812-482-1664 Operations Dept.: 812-482-1188 After Hours: 812-482-5455 Fax: 812-482-7015

A balanced fuel mix promotes power reliability

CEO AND GENERAL MANAGER Joe Henson OFFICE HOURS 7 a.m.–4 p.m., Monday-Friday 7 a.m.–3:30 p.m. for Line Dept.

STREET ADDRESS 1400 Energy Drive Jasper, IN 47546 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 610 Jasper, IN 47547-0610 EMERGENCY POWER OUTAGES To report service interruptions, call: 812-482-5454 (during regular hours) or 812-482-5455 (after hours) day or night.

Please have your account number ready when reporting outages.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brad Knies, President Richard A. Wendholt, Vice President Randall L. Stemle, Secretary-Treasurer Mark Montgomery Andy Schwenk Steve Speedy David Rudolph KEY STAFF Matt Brames Manager of Cooperative Communications Greg Dilger Manager of Engineering Ruth Hopf Billing Supervisor Tina Hunter Manager of Finance and Office Services Patrick Lichlyter Manager of Operations CUSTOMER SERVICES Budget billing SmartHub Pay by Phone 24/7 Drive-through window Night depository Medical account watch This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

As I’ve noted before in my past columns, the energy industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation as consumer demand for more renewable energy sources grows, and innovation and technology continue to advance exponentially. You’re likely witnessing this energy evolution first-hand.

While driving across the region, you may have noticed fields of solar panels owned by this co-op and other utilities, along with an increase in solar panels on your neighbors’ roofs. Maybe you’ve heard about the impending changes in the transportation sector with most major vehicle companies announcing plans to offer more electric vehicles at more affordable prices.

Consumer interest in renewable energy is strong and growing. In addition, national studies indicate that consumers expect that companies operate in an ethical and responsible manner — including when it comes to the environment.

At Dubois REC, we have always put the good of our community first. While our primary function is to provide reliable and affordable energy to our members, we are more than an electricity provider. Because we are a co-op, our mission is to enrich the lives of our members and to serve the long-term interests of our community.

We feel we’re doing both by investing in renewable energy sources.

Green energy is certainly not new.

Solar, wind and hydro power have been around for decades. However, the recent innovations and advances in renewable

technology have led to sharp cost decreases, making it more feasible and accessible. In recent years, Dubois REC introduced the MySolar program that allows members to use solar energy at their home or business without installing or maintaining a private solar project.

More information about this community solar project is available at duboisrec.com.

However, while renewable energy use is increasing, we will still depend on traditional forms of energy to keep power flowing reliably to your home. After all, solar and wind energy are referred to as “intermittent” power since the sun does not always shine and the wind does not always blow. This fact, coupled with the growing demand for renewables, creates its own challenges. That’s why there is real value in maintaining a balanced mixture of fuel types to ensure reliability and resiliency, and meet the growing demand for electricity.

As the energy industry continues to evolve, Dubois REC is striving to take advantage of technology advances and market opportunities as they become available.

This means your electric co-op can leverage the flexibility of the grid to offer a wider range of renewable power selections as we continue to bring safe, reliable and affordable power to our community.

Albert Einstein once observed that, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” In order for Dubois REC to meet the growing demand for renewable energy and ensure the reliability of our power supply, we must constantly make operational adjustments as we strive for balance and a brighter future for our members.

JOE HENSON CEO and General Manager JULY 2021

5

co-op news

Rate schedule Service charge Single-phase................................................... $24 Three-phase................................................... $40 Energy charge The first 500 kWh at.......................$.10522 /kWh The next 2,500 kWh at....................$.09772/kWh All remaining kWh at.......................$.09462/kWh Power cost tracker All rate classes All kWh at.................................... $(0.00197)/kWh Security light If you have a security light, add: 175-watt mercury vapor...................$8.32/month 100-watt sodium vapor.....................$7.50/month 100-watt metal halide.......................$8.75/month 70-watt LED......................................$7.50/month Electric bills due by the 20th of each month.

Members who pay by the 15th will be entered in the monthly drawing for a $50 bill credit.

(See details at right.)

Visit www.duboisrec.com for easy ways to pay your electric bill online.

The easiest way to win

a $50 bill credit

GREAT NEWS!

It’s easy to enter our monthly $50 drawing! Now all Dubois REC members who pay their bill by the 15th of the month, using any payment option, will be automatically entered in the $50 monthly drawing. Members who pay by ACH/bank draft and recurring payments are also automatically included in the drawing. (Delinquent payments are not eligible.)

Education is key Electric cooperatives educate consumers about how to get the most from their energy dollar and the safe use of electricity. And, we serve as a and community leaders.

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JULY 2021

The winner will be notified, and his or her name will be published here.

MAY’S WINNER: Donald Leistner, Dubois

co-op news

JULY 2021

7

co-op news

STUDENT ART CALENDAR CONTEST FEATURES SEVERAL LOCAL STUDENTS We were pleased that so many students from the Dubois REC territory earned top spots in the 2022 Cooperative Calendar of Student Art Contest.

Not only was Danielle Sommerman of English the first place winner in the 12th grade E-WASTE division, but her work of art was also selected as “Best of Show.”

Community

Shred and Recycle Day De-clutter your house and recycle old electronics properly at the Dubois REC Community Shred and Recycle Day on Friday, Aug. 20. Drop off your items any time between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Dubois REC headquarters, located at 1400 Energy Drive, Jasper.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: •

We will accept computers, monitors, laptops, tablets, modems, VCRs, DVRs, phones,

Other winners from our area:

fax machines, printers, iPods and MP3 players for recycling.

Grade Division winners Third Grade — Olivia DeSchamp, Jasper

•

Fourth Grade — Jessa Berg, Ferdinand

•

TVs CANNOT be accepted for recycling at this time.

There is a limit of 100 pounds of paper per member for shredding.

Honorable Mention Winners Kindergarten — Ella Lubbers, Ferdinand First Grade — Cora Atkins, Ferdinand More information about the contest and full list of winners are published on page 12.

$50 winners Dubois REC is updating our membership database. Every two months winners will be drawn from completed applications that have been returned.

The most recent winners drawn from the completed applications that were submitted are Betty J. Long and Richard A. Klem.

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JULY 2021

2021 Residential Rebates Deadline is Dec. 15. Installation must be completed and application must be received prior to Dec. 15. Any application received after that date will fall under the 2022 guidelines.

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JULY 2021

JULY

AUGUST

Due to the ever-changing COVID-19 situation, please note that the events below may not occur at their originally scheduled times. Be sure to reach out to the event contacts below to ensure that the programs you are interested in are still taking place.

JULY 15-17: FAMOUS ST. JOE PICKLE FESTIVAL, Saint Joe (Dekalb), Riverdale School. Free. 260-337-5461. facebook.com/stjoepicklefest/ JULY 22-24: BERNE SWISS DAYS, Berne (Adams), downtown. Food, crafts, competitions, family-friendly rides, quilt show, horse pull, musical concerts, tours, polka music, parade and games. Free. 260-589-8080. swissdaysberne.com AUG. 5-8: JASPER STRASSENFEST, Jasper (Dubois), downtown and citywide. German-themed street festival with music and entertainment on three stages. Food, dancing, rides, games, beer and wine garden, and run/walk. Hot air balloon launch, tractor and car show, arts and crafts booths, church tours and more.

Free. 812-482-6866. jasperstrassenfest.org MORE EVENT LISTINGS AT INDIANACONNECTION.ORG/EVENTS

JULY 2021

11

insights

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SHIPSHEWANA FLEA MARKET OPEN NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29 Midwest’s Largest Flea Market Every Tuesday & Wednesday 8 am – 4 pm; Rain or Shine Weekly Antique Auction Every Wednesday, Year-Round ShipshewanaFleaMarket.com

Danielle Sommerman recalled Christmastimes with her grandparents in Florida when she created her Best of Show-winning entry.

Winning works selected for 2022 student art calendar Twenty-five Indiana student artists were selected as first place and honorable mention winners in the annual art contest sponsored by Indiana’s electric cooperatives. Their artwork will illustrate the cover and inside pages of the 2022 Cooperative Calendar of Student Art. The calendar will be printed this fall and will be distributed throughout the state by participating electric cooperatives (REMCs) and their statewide magazine, Indiana Connection.

An “Artist of the Year” was selected for the work judges picked as “Best of Show.” That honor went to recent Crawford County High School graduate Danielle Danielle Sommerman of Sommerman English for her realistic illustration of Christmas ornaments on a bed of seashells to depict December. This was Sommerman’s second Best of Show. She has won her grade division six consecutive years.

Students are asked to create art to illustrate the month that corresponds numerically with their grade at the time they enter the contest (ie: first graders-January, second graders-February … 12th gradersDecember). Kindergartners create the cover art which has no assigned theme.

Indiana electric cooperatives began the contest in 1998 to recognize and encourage student artists. In the 24 years since, over 94,320 pieces of art have been created and entered in the calendar art contest.

To view the winning works, please visit IndianaConnection.org and follow the links.

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JULY 2021

Grade Division winners were: • Kindergarten — Arabella White, Medora • First Grade — Reid Blake, Greensburg • Second Grade — Flynn Cissell, Borden • Third Grade — Olivia DeSchamp, Jasper • Fourth Grade — Jessa Berg, Ferdinand • Fifth Grade — Rachael Shoemaker, Argos • Sixth Grade — Jackson Robbins, Rochester • Seventh Grade — Harley Koons, Seymour • Eighth Grade — Riley Aebersold, New Albany • Ninth Grade — Justine Ocken, South Whitley • 10th Grade — Andrew Zink, Winona Lake • 11th Grade — Hannah Brown, South Whitley • 12th Grade — Danielle Sommerman, English • Best of Show — Danielle Sommerman, English.

Honorable Mention winners were: • Kindergarten — Ella Lubbers, Ferdinand • First Grade — Cora Atkins, Ferdinand • Second Grade — Hannie McNeely, Fairland • Third Grade — Kaylin Fuller, Charlestown • Fourth Grade — Julie Bloomfield, Winona Lake • Fifth Grade — SaRai Fontanez, Seymour • Sixth Grade — Adilynn Meyers, Decatur • Seventh Grade — Lucy Hess, Crawfordsville • Eighth Grade — Cameryn Proxmire, Kendallville • Ninth Grade — Justine Ocken, South Whitley • 10th Grade — Sophia Watson, Charlestown • 11th Grade — Kaitlin Anderson, South Whitley • 12th Grade — Abigail Brinegar, Paoli.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON:

Peru will hold its annual Circus City Festival the week of July 17-24. PeruCircus.com

Miami County Our state may be called “Indiana” but only two of the state’s 92 counties, Delaware and Miami, honor groups of Native Americans by name.

Miami County was founded in 1833 in north central Indiana, an area that was home to the Miami tribe.

But at the very time the state was being forever dubbed “the land of the Indians,” the Native Americans were being forced from their native land by European-American settlers and the U.S. government.

In 1846, most of the Miami were forced to leave, too. At Peru, Miami County’s seat, 327 tribe members boarded riverboats on the Wabash for relocation to Kansas.

But by treaty, five family groups of the Miami who had amassed some wealth and land were allowed to stay in Indiana. These included the family of Frances Slocum, the white settler kidnapped by Delaware Indians in eastern Pennsylvania when she was 5. She later married a Miami chief and lived as a Miami Indian named Maconaquah. The family of Francis Godfroy was another. He was a Miami leader who owned a trading post and was one of the most influential and wealthiest Hoosiers at the time.

By 1897, the federal government claimed the Miami who had remained in Indiana were no longer living as a “tribal community” and stripped them of their federal tribal recognition. For the past 124 years, Indiana’s Miami tribe has worked tirelessly but unsuccessfully through the courts and Congress to overturn that federal dictate.

Today, the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana operates as a non-profit organization from the former Peru High School complex. The tribe, with an enrollment of 6,000 individuals, actively provides community services at the complex; maintains tribal cemeteries in the area; and continues preserving and sharing its distinct culture, language, and heritage.

Two blocks from the Miami tribal center is another Miami County landmark — the Peru Circus Center, permanent home of Peru’s Amateur Circus, the Circus City Festival and Parade, a circus museum and gift shop.

Peru became the “Circus Capital of the World” after 1884 when local livery stable owner Benjamin E. Wallace launched his own. The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus grew to

PHO TO PRO VI DED BY HARM O N PHO TO G RAP HY I NC.

County Facts FOUNDED: 1834 NAMED FOR: Miami tribe of Native Americans.

POPULATION: 35,567 (2018 estimate) COUNTY SEAT: Peru INDIANA COUNTY NUMBER: 52 become America’s second-largest circus behind only Ringling Bros.

Wallace’s winter headquarters outside Peru also served as the winter home for Ringling Bros., and others. Even after Wallace sold his show in 1913, the Peru quarters continued to shelter animals and equipment of circuses until 1938.

Efforts to revive Peru’s circus heritage led to its first circus festival in 1959 and amateur youth circus in 1960. Meanwhile, the old winter grounds became a National Historic Landmark and is now the International Circus Hall of Fame museum.

The Peru Amateur Circus, with local performers ranging in age from 7 to 21 years, continues to this day during the festival week.

JULY 2021

13

Indiana eats

speaking

FRANKLY This is the perfect time to indulge your children — as well as your inner child — in the iconic food and fun of the season. We’re talking hot dogs, onion rings, banana splits and lemon shakeups. And not only that — throw in some old-fashioned kiddie rides, playground equipment, cotton candy and hula hoops that will entertain the little ones for hours.

These are the keys to the success of a sandwich and ice cream shop that you’ll only find in New Castle, Indiana.

Weenee World is reminiscent of drive-in restaurants of yore with picnic table dining and a full menu of comfort food served primarily either in buns, cones or straight from the deep fryer. This isn’t a place to be fancy. It’s all about fun!

Naturally if you come to Weenee World, you’ll want to try a weenee — which come in various sizes prepared various ways including fried, steamed or dipped in corn batter (corn dogs!) and with your choice of traditional toppings or mouthwatering coney

sauce. Since Sloppy Joe sandwiches are a restaurant menu rarity, if you have a craving for this messy-butworth-it tasty treat, don’t miss Weenee World’s version. Its tenderloins, famous for being amazingly ginormous, landed Weenee World on the Indiana Foodways Alliance’s “Tenderloin Lovers Trail.”

The popular landmark also grabbed a spot on the “Just Cruisin’ Trail” and “I Scream for Ice Cream Trail.” Weenee World’s ice cream flavors include unusual selections like Henry County Pothole (chocolate with black tan fudge and chunks of chocolate “asphalt”), Sea Turtle (sea-salt caramel and salty caramel swirl with chocolate caramel turtles) and Unicorn Stars (purple vanilla ice cream whirled with blue frosting, sparkly glitter star candies and “magical” sprinkles). Hungry for a perennial favorite sweet treat? Try Weenee World’s generously sized Banana Split, a delicious way to beat the heat.

When visiting Weenee World, keep in mind inside dining is not available. So, get your food via the drive-through or at the walk-up window and grab a picnic table if you’d like. It’s summertime: enjoy the day and savor the food!

WEENEE WORLD

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JULY 2021

Weenee World not only serves up “fair-style” food like hot dogs and ice cream.

Its playground area offers tons of fun for the little ones.

601 N. MEMORIAL DRIVE NEW CASTLE

765-529-5530 Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

CONEY DOG

BANANA SPLIT

ONION RINGS

food

END OF THE TRAIL BEANS

Sharon H. Miller, Greensburg, 1 (15 oz.) can lima beans 1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans 1 (15 oz.) can white navy beans 1 clove garlic 3 T. bacon fat ½ cup catsup 3 T. brown sugar 3 T. vinegar 1 t. salt 1 t. dry mustard ¼ t. black pepper Drain beans and combine with other ingredients.

Pour into a baking dish and bake covered at 325350 F for 1 hour. Uncover, stir and continue baking (uncovered) for 15-20 minutes more. Serves 9.

Spilling the beans

‘Turn the bean around’ with these reader recipes

JULY 2021

15

food

GARBANZO BEAN HUMMUS Ruth Ann King, Warsaw

2 (15 oz.) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) 6 T. olive oil 3 T. lemon juice 1 T. chopped garlic ½ t. salt ½ t. pepper ½ t. cumin ¼ t. cayenne pepper 1 t. paprika

PINTO PIE

Linda Bertke, St. Meinrad Crust: ¾ cup all purpose flour ½ cup quick cooking oats ½ t. salt ¼ cup canola oil 3-4 T. cold water 1 t. cornmeal Filling: ¾ cup canned pinto beans, drained and mashed (or buzz them in the food processor) ⅓ cup melted butter 1 t. vanilla extract

Drain beans, rinse in cold water.

1¼ cups sugar

Combine all ingredients in

2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup pecans or ½ cup chopped pecans and ½ cup chopped sweetened flaked coconut

food processor. Process until desired consistency. Keeps for several days in the refrigerator.

Serve with pita chips, toasted pita bread or crispy vegetables.

Makes 2 cups.

Optional: whipped topping or ice cream for serving To make crust, buzz the flour, oats and salt in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in oil. Gradually add water until a ball forms. Roll out dough between two sheets of waxed paper;

invert dough into a 9-inch pie plate.

Remove remaining waxed paper. Trim and flute edges. Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with cornmeal just before filling.

To make filling, preheat oven to 350 F. Mix together beans, butter, vanilla, sugar and eggs just until blended well. Stir in pecans or the pecan/ coconut mixture. Pour into crust.

Bake for 30 minutes. Check the pie and use an aluminum foil collar around the pie if the crust or filling is browning too fast. Bake 15-20 minutes longer until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean but still moist. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves 8.

Cook’s note: An old southern recipe and one of many Depression-era pie recipes that used inexpensive ingredients to make a delicious budget dessert. Tastes like a pecan pie with less sugar, fewer eggs and a little bit of fiber from the pinto beans.

FO O D PREPARED BY I NDI ANA CO NNECT I O N S TA FF PHO TO S BY TAYLO R MA RA NI O N

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JULY 2021

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After successfully rehabbing her own home, Mina Starsiak Hawk, above left, discovered a passion for giving new life to old homes. Joined by her mom, Karen E Laine, right, they founded Two Chicks and a Hammer, an Indianapolis-based home renovation company in 2007.

Two Chicks works mostly in struggling inner-city neighborhoods in their Indianapolis hometown.

Two Chicks was discovered by an HGTV scout seven years ago and Mina and Karen's show "Good Bones" took off. Fans of the show, which just began its sixth season, love the "reveal" portion of each show to see how Mina and Karen add just the right touches to make each remodeled room "pop."

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PHO TO S PRO VI DED BY TWO CHI CKS AND A HAMME R

JULY 2021

Meet Mina

This chick’s varied projects involve more than a hammer

Mina Starsiak Hawk, the

years ago and its offshoots:

INDIANA CONNECTION: You were

latter half of the dynamic

a new company store

renovating homes with your mom for

mother-daughter duo of the

(Two Chicks District Co.), a

seven years before the production

HGTV show “Good Bones,”

branded line of affordable

company’s talent scout stumbled across

was enjoying a cup of

home goods, and a nascent

your Facebook page and reached out to

coffee on a beautiful blue-

501(c)3 nonprofit foundation.

you. Was it your company’s moniker, your

sky morning in May near

She is especially pleased

personalities, or what that encouraged

downtown Indianapolis. All

to talk about the nonprofit

them to find out more about you?

around were the fruits of her

because its goal is to help

labors. Down the street from

fixed-income neighbors

the coffee shop, she could

affected by rising property

see four houses she and her

taxes that come with the

mom, Karen E Laine, had

revitalization of old worn-

previously renovated in the

down neighborhoods that

revitalized near-southside

Two Chicks works in.

neighborhood so near and dear to where the 36-year-old lives with her husband, Steve, and their two children.

MINA HAWK: Probably the name was catchier than some others. Just “Mina’s Renovations” or something probably wouldn’t have been as interesting. And then when they looked, I’m sure I had some videos on there. So, it was pretty obvious that it was me and my mom.

She also has her hands full

We’re both redheads. So, I think those

raising Jack, who’ll be 3 in

few things piqued their interest.

August and is in the diapershedding stage, and newborn

IC: Did you think that you and your mom’s

Starting work on a possible

daughter, Charlotte. But

relationship and what you were doing to

seventh season on HGTV,

she paused long enough to

revitalize Indianapolis would make an

the DIY-star is no D-I-V-A.

talk to Indiana Connection

interesting show?

Comfortable in holey jeans,

editors Emily Schilling and

T-shirt and work boots, she’s

Richard Biever by phone

wholly a Hoosier — hard

about the popularity of the

working, plain speaking,

show; new projects, including

community minding.

becoming an author of a

Her busy schedule includes overseeing the home renovation company — Two Chicks and a Hammer — she and her mother started 14

children’s book; and her love of Indianapolis. Here is part

MH: Not so much the construction aspect.

But throughout my life, high school on, my family, our interactions, crazy things have happened. I’ve been told by plenty of people, “Oh my God, you guys need a TV show. This is ridiculous!”

of the conversation. (To read

So, I really think it’s more the personal

more, visit this story online at

aspect than the renovations. There are

IndianaConnection.org.)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

JULY 2021

19

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 so many people that renovate homes, but that are sticks in the mud or boring. What really makes the show work is, yes, you get like a good

OUR NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ‘GOOD BONES,’ NOT NECESSARILY OUR HOUSES. Mina Starsiak Hawk

renovation, and there are fun demo scenes. But, for whatever reason, people like us on a personal level, or they either love or hate us. Some people think my mom’s laugh is like daggers in their eyes, but they keep watching because they’re interested.

IC: Who came up with the name “Good Bones?”

MH: It’s definitely a construction term, but we didn’t name the show. It was given to us. And it is not applicable at all to the homes we buy because they did not have “good bones.” When we first got the name, we were halfway through filming the season. And I thought my producer was playing a joke on me because I’m fairly easy to rile up. I was like, “No, no, I’m not falling for that.” She was like, “No, it’s ‘Good Bones.’” And I was like, “I’m not even gonna get mad. That’s dumb. That makes no sense.” And she said, “You say that now. But in a year from now, you won’t be able to imagine it being called anything different, and she was right.

I don’t know why it works that way. But what we kind of lean into is the “good bones of the neighborhood.” You can renovate anywhere.

But if you’re renovating in a neighborhood that doesn’t have neighbors that care, it’s just going to get run down again immediately. So, our neighbors and our neighborhoods have “good bones,” not necessarily our houses.

IC: When you graduated from Indiana University, did you ever dream you’d be doing what you were doing?

MH: I had no idea what I would be doing. I just didn’t want a desk job. But I didn’t know what that was going to look like so I was still just waiting tables, while I gave myself time to figure it out.

Though Season 6 premiered last month, filming for “Good Bones” typically takes place year-round. Just as you see on the show, Mina takes an active role in all aspects of a home makeover — from “hammer time” to adding finishing touches with decor items.

20

JULY 2021

After I renovated my house, I was like, “Oh, this is fun. This is going to be different every day, and I don’t suck at it. I did all right on my first tile install,” and things like that. I don’t know how

much I believe in fate or a universal

really big, but it feels like a small town.

peripheral attention span doesn’t

plan or anything like that. So probably

People are friendly in the Midwest. I

really exist. But we’ll be walking and

a combination of having certain

wanted to stay and raise my family.

my husband will be like, “That girl is

intentions in life, and then things just falling into place in the right way worked out well.

IC: Do you renovate homes throughout the year or just during the season?

A lot of times, it feels like making TV, you’re just kind of like a dancing monkey. There’s not a whole lot of meaning to it. The things that do make it feel a little more important, in the big picture, are being able to help someone else’s success. We do get to

freaking out …” like a 12-year-old that doesn’t want to come ask for pictures. But everyone, I think again partially because it’s just the Midwest mentality, has been super friendly and not weird or overbearing or overstaying their welcome.

MH: The season is all year. We

spotlight local artists and cool people

I’ll be at dinner and someone will

haven’t had downtime between

doing cool things.

come up and just say, “I really love the show. Thank you so much for what

seasons since Season 2 and 3. And since then, they’ve always given us

IC: And that’s something that the

you’re doing for the city.” And it’s a

the go-ahead to start the next season

producers were on board with?

nice exchange. There’s not ever been

before we’re done with the previous one. So right now, we still have three reveals left for Season 6, and we started filming for a possible Season 7. It takes 10 months to film the season, if not a little bit more, so we’ll get a break again eventually … when the show is canceled.

IC: Why are you so passionate about Indianapolis and the state of Indiana and spotlighting the local and state

MH: From the beginning, they wanted Indianapolis to be a character in the show — which is awesome. One of the things that’s particularly nice about our show is you feel you could do what we do: You’re buying a $30,000

anything where I felt like it was too much.

IC: You and your mom have such great chemistry on the show. Have you always been that way?

house; you’re putting $100,000 into it,

MH: We’ve always had a very up-and-

compared to LA. I could afford a toilet

down mother-daughter relationship

… maybe. So, it seems very realistic

which a lot of people can probably

and attainable in an identifiable place.

relate to. At various points in my adolescence and adulthood we didn’t

IC: How do you and your family cope

talk much, and then there have

with being “those celebrities” in the

been times where we were probably

MH: I never wanted to live anywhere

big city that’s like a small town? Are

dysfunctionally close. So, it’s still

else. I went to IU in Bloomington for

you recognized and have you had any

just kind of that. We have a lot of fun

school and got to travel a bit out of the

awkward encounters?

together, and we also annoy each

businesses you do?

country. So, it’s not that I haven’t been anywhere. I just really like Indy. I like the size of it. I like that we’re actually

MH: None awkward. I’m always kind of just like head in the sand working or going to the next thing, so my

other a lot. That’s just, I think, part of the charm of the show.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

TWO CHICKS DISTRICT CO. 1531 S. East St. Indianapolis, IN 46225 twochicksdistrictco.com Mina’s newest venture on the south side of downtown Indianapolis offers home decor items, furnishings and other small items, and also serves food and beverages.

JULY 2021

21

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

IC: And how are the kids?

IC: So, when you’re talking to each

MH: Oh, they’re so good. I was

other on the show, kind of kidding each other … that’s not scripted.

doing a little recording with Visit Indy yesterday for some convention folk.

That’s just you?

We were over at the store, and Jack

MH: Yeah. They do try to script us

waiting for me to wrap up. Jack is in

sometimes because we do what’s called “pickups.” They’ve edited most of the episode, and maybe in one of our interviews, we — shocker — are long-winded about explaining something. And so they give us this list of lines to re-say so it’s short enough to fit into the slot they need. If it’s given to Mom ahead of time, she marks the whole thing up and edits it.

IC: With your mom’s retirement, not from the show but from Two Chicks, has she slowed down at all when it comes to renovating homes?

MH: She’s doing the fun, retired woman stuff. She’s not doing a lot of the floor plan work and the design build out stuff with me. She’s just enjoying semi-retired life.

and Charlotte and Steve were there, the potty training phase. At one point, he dropped his shorts and pulled his diaper off and is running around in the background. Thank God his shirt was

It’s called “Built Together.” And it’s the two things I know: Construction and non-traditional family structures. The subliminal message is that you can build your family just like you build a house: Any way you want — as long as you have the right foundation and the right tools.

IC: Is that something you’d like to explore in a book for adults, too?

long enough that you don’t actually

MH: There are so many self-help

see anything. That’s pretty much his

therapeutic books. I hate the word

MO right now. Charlie’s a little over 8

“memoir” — I’m 36 — I don’t want to

months, and just got her first tooth …

write a “memoir.” But I think my adult

she’s really cranky. But they’re both

book, eventually, would be just sharing

just really sweet kids.

the whole story. Anyone that’s on TV or in the spotlight, you get this very

IC: You recently wrote a children’s

small snippet of their life. The show

book. Is writing something you thought

is a very accurate representation of a

you would do and would like to pursue

very small chunk of my life. There’s all

maybe in the future, too?

this other stuff that if you knew would

MH: I really enjoy it. I actually have a Google Doc called “Ramblings.” And

make you feel better about your own life, but they don’t show any of that.

that’s what it is. But I don’t get enough

That’s why on social media I try to be

time. The kids’ book was a more

super open. That’s why I was public

manageable version, because it’s

about my plastic surgery. [Mina had

short; it’s for kids.

a “mommy makeover” in December.]

When I see pictures of people in

Though Karen has retired from Two Chicks and a Hammer, she’ll continue to appear in “Good Bones.” The signature light-hearted banter between the mother and daughter adds to the show’s appeal.

swimsuits, I’m like, “Oh, my God, they had three kids. Why do they look like that?” And now that I had a tummy tuck, I know: “Oh, because they had a tummy tuck.”

So, when I post my family vacation pictures next month, I don’t want some other moms thinking, “I’m just not working out hard enough like she obviously does.”

IC: Tell us more about your 501(c)3?

MH: It’s called “Two Chicks Give Back.” The gist of it is to help bring something positive to the potential negative effects gentrification can have. The negative part of

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JULY 2021

gentrification is that you’re pricing people out of the neighborhoods who have been here forever. For the most part, that’s people on a fixed income, like Social Security.

I can talk until I’m blue in the face about how the positives [of home restoration

Giveaway!

and neighborhood revitalization] outweigh the negatives. But that doesn’t mean that the negatives don’t exist. For us, the negatives aren’t necessarily something we can fix by just stopping renovating homes because we’re not living in a bubble.

There are other people doing that, too.

Mina recently wrote a children’s book that focuses on two things she knows: construction and non-traditional family structures. Her daughter, Charlotte, loves looking at the pictures. Mina and husband Steve’s struggle with conceiving Charlotte was among the personal issues Mina has talked about in a public way on her show and in social media.

You think it’s good that you’re raising their property value for them, but that also raises the property taxes. For a lot of people, if they’re simply existing, that is make or break. And while we can’t necessarily fix that, what we’re trying to do is offer assistance to the neighborhoods we work in.

So, if it is the older couple with a dog that keeps escaping because they can’t afford to fix their fence, they can apply for funds from the 501(c)3. Or, if they care for their grandkids who live in the home and need help with schoolbooks or winter clothes or really any need in the neighborhoods that we function in — that’s the overall idea.

IC: There must be a great sense of

ENTER TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MINA STARSIAK HAWK’S NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK, “BUILT TOGETHER.”

INDIANACONNECTION.ORG/ TALK-TO-US/CONTESTS

accomplishment to look around the old neighborhoods near downtown Indy knowing that you, your mom and your company have helped revitalize so many of these old homes that will now live on for another century.

MH: I am in one of our neighborhoods right now. I can see four of our houses from the parking lot I’m sitting in. It’s just

CATCH SEASON 6 OF 'GOOD BONES' AT 9 P.M. TUESDAYS ON HGTV THIS SUMMER.

nice because I remember what they

For more

looked like before we did them.

information about

Not that we fixed up the house

Two Chicks and a Hammer,

and then the neighbors are going

check out the website

to automatically fix theirs up, but it does seem to have this impact on

2CHICKSANDAHAMMER.COM

the neighborhood in general.

JULY 2021

23

safety

ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE SAFETY

is as fundamental as the ABCs

An electrical receptacle, with its oval

consider these devices and familiarize

— wherever there may be water and/

shape and tiny symmetrical slots

yourself with them, especially when

or dampness present. GFCIs have

over the little round hole, can look

children are in the home.”

“reset” and “test” buttons associated

like an emoji of a face to imaginative children. Look closer, and it’s the emoji of a shocked face. And shock is what outlets can do if a child, left unsupervised, inserts a paper clip, coin, key, or bobby pin into those slots.

Here are three types of electrical receptacles installed today.

TRR Tamper-resistant receptacles have an interior spring-loaded cover that closes off the slots of the receptacle

But receptacles don’t pose

until a plug is inserted. They open

dangers just to children. Accidents

only when two prongs of a plug are

or carelessness with plugged-in

inserted simultaneously to compress

appliances around water or simply

both springs at the same time for the

faulty receptacles and wiring can

electrical circuit to be created. Since

cause electrical shocks and fires that

2008, the National Electrical Code has

can lead to disaster and tragedy.

required new and renovated dwellings

“Electrical safety is always improving,” said John Gasstrom, CEO of Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “There are many consumer safety devices that are now either code and are standard in any newer home, or available and can be installed to make you home electrically safer. It’s important to

24

JULY 2021

be equipped with TRRs.

with them. It is a circuit breaker that stops the flow of electricity the instant it detects an imbalance in the current going to and returning from equipment along the circuit.

AFCI Arc-fault circuit interrupters are similar to GFCIs but detect a different kind of problem. AFCIs prevent an electrical fire in your home due to “arcing.”

An arc fault is an unintended arc created by current flowing through an unplanned path. Arcing creates highintensity heating, resulting in burning particles that can ignite nearby

GFCI

material like wood or insulation.

Ground-fault circuit interrupters have

If your home doesn’t have these

been around for many years and

three life-saving types of receptacles,

are required in receptacles found

contact a qualified electrician about

in bathrooms, kitchens or laundry

installing them where needed.

rooms and on those found outdoors

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Good News for Americans, Bad News for Big Pharma.

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The groups taking the VeraFlex ingredient saw staggering improvements such as flexibility, improved comfort, and joint mobility starting in just a matter of days.

A second study was conducted to ensure the data was accurate and again the results participants experienced taking the VeraFlex compound blew away researchers.

Shockingly, both men and women experienced a reduction in joint stiffness two days faster than when using traditional treatments.

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backyard

Ask Rosie

Tipmont REMC consumer B. Rosie Lerner is a longtime Indiana Connection contributer who recently retired as Purdue Extension’s consumer horticulturist. Questions about gardening issues may be sent to “Ask Rosie,” Indiana Connection, 8888 Keystone Crossing, Suite 1600, Indianapolis, IN 46240-4606, or use the form at IndianaConnection.org.

BATTLING THE MIGHTY MITE

Q:

We have lived in our home in the country since 2004. I always hang several Boston Ferns off our deck which became beautiful and huge. I never had a problem until last year; something attacked them — maybe a very small black mite — and just destroyed them all. I was afraid to spray pesticide on them for fear of damaging them even more. We have an exterminator spray in the spring and fall and have never had a problem.

-Vanetta Stalker, Orleans, Indiana

A:

It’s hard to say without seeing them, but it could be spider mites. There are limited options for pest control on ferns since their foliage can be easily damaged by insecticides, even insecticidal soaps. If you continue having problems this year, try using a strong water spray from a garden hose to knock off most insects but not so strong as to break the fronds.

DIFFERENCES IN THE DAYLILIES

Q:

The above photo shows a normal daylily and an

abnormal one. My daughter-in-law tells me that the yellow one was trapped under landscaping cloth all winter. When she cut the cloth open, this is what she found. She suspects it’s from a lack of light that caused the color change. What do you think?

Maryann Schwegman, Guilford, Indiana

A:

You are correct: It is the cloth blocking sunlight from the plant that caused the foliage to be yellow.

Plants get their green color from a pigment called chlorophyll, which the plant can only make with exposure to sunlight. The plants should green up once they are uncovered, though some of the yellow leaves may dieback. The plant will send up new leaves.

SOLVING THE MOLE PROBLEM We had a mole problem in our yard last summer. At the end of summer, the moles got into our garden and did a lot to our vegetable garden.

Q:

A:

Audrey Bruno, Gary, Indiana

extension.entm.purdue.edu/ publications/ADM-10.pdf

Moles can sure be a challenge!

Generally, trapping is going to be your best option in a vegetable garden. Purdue Extension has some helpful articles.

ag.purdue.edu/stories/podcast/molesmyths-and-misconceptions/

26

JULY 2021

product recalls Peloton recalls treadmill involved in child’s death A 6-year-old child recently died after being pulled under the rear of a Peloton treadmill, leading to a well-publicized recall of the Peloton Tread+ treadmill with model number TR01. Peloton also has received 72 reports of adult users, children, pets and/or objects being pulled under the rear of the treadmill, including 29 reports of injuries to children such as second- and third-degree abrasions, broken bones, and lacerations.

The treadmill was launched as the Peloton Tread in 2018 but renamed Tread+ in September 2020. The Tread+ model number TR01 is printed on a black sticker located on the end cap in the front of the treadmill deck. The treadmills have a touchscreen and are black with the Peloton logo on the monitor and the side rails.

The treadmill was sold online at onepeloton.com and at Peloton showrooms from September 2018 through April 2021 for about $4,295.

Contact Peloton at 866-679-9129; or online at www.onepeloton.com and click on Product Recalls at the bottom of the page for more information.

Wrinkle in clothing steamers leads to recall The “My Little Steamer” and “My Little Steamer Go Mini” brand of handheld clothing steamers have been recalled. The steamers can expel, spray, or leak hot water during use, posing a serious burn hazard to consumers. The electrical appliances (120V, 60Hz, 900w) use hot steam, emitted from a nozzle head, to remove wrinkles from garments and other fabrics. The steamers were sold individually or in combination sets in a variety of colors, including black, white, red, purple, and teal, in stores nationwide or online at various retailers, including Amazon, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, and Lowes from January 2002 through December 2020.

Call HSN at 855-654-0942; or go online at www.SteamerRecallSettlement.com or www. hsn.com and click on Recall Information for more information.

Log splitters recalled for engine problem The recall involves YTL, Longli and TIYA log splitters powered by Briggs & Stratton 250cc engine model number 15T232-0011-F8, with serial numbers 160331883074 through 2012073736714, and model number 15T232-1850-F1, with serial numbers 2004260782583 through 2012284118417. This includes several models of 30-, 32-, and 35-ton log splitters, sold under a variety of brands including Black Diamond, Crimson, Lumberjack, Performance Built and Oregon.

An incorrect engine ignition coil and flywheel can lead to hard starting and engine kick back, posing an injury hazard to the operator. The company is aware of two incidents, which resulted in broken wrists.

The power tool was sold at a variety of stores nationwide and online, including Home Depot, L&M Supply Inc., Lowe’s; Menards; Rural King; Theisen Supply Inc., from March 2016 through February 2021 for about $1,400.

Call Briggs & Stratton at 800-999-9444; or go online at www.briggsandstratton.com and hover over “Support,” then click “Recalls” for more information.

As a service to our readers and to promote electrical safety, here is a recent recall notice provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Visit www.cpsc.gov/en/recalls for full details of this recall and for notices of many more.

JULY 2021

27

tributes

MONUMENTAL

WOLFE’S SCULPTURES KEEP HEROES AND LEGENDS ALIVE

BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

Danielle Long asked artist Bill Wolfe to hold her 1-year-old son as she stepped onto a riser in Wolfe’s studio. Then, she peered deep and long into the eyes and face of the sculpture Wolfe had conjured from clay. It was the face of her late husband, fallen Terre Haute police officer Brent Long.

“You know?” she said turning to Wolfe, still holding the couple’s little boy. “It’s almost like he’s still alive.”

For Wolfe, entrusted to preserve the likeness of the slain officer for a memorial, it was a powerful moment.

“You’re like, ‘Wow.’ It’s really emotional. Just no words can describe that feeling, and, of course, my eyes welled up.”

For 20 years, Wolfe has been pressing life and soul into clay sculptures. He’s gaining a reputation for the realism he brings to life-sized and largerthan-life monuments and memorials of heroes lost and Hoosier legends that are then cast in bronze.

Among the most visible works the West Terre Haute artist has created: • The 15-foot Larry Bird, in his Indiana State University basketball uniform, taking a jump shot in front of ISU’s Hulman Center.

• Indiana aviation pioneer and World War I flying ace Weir Cook greeting travelers entering the Indianapolis International Airport terminal named for him.

• Muncie’s tribute to Hurley Goodall, a retired firefighter and a long-time leader in the community and the state’s black legislative caucus; poet James Whitcomb Riley hanging out in front of his boyhood

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JULY 2021

P H OTO B Y R IC H A R D G. B IE V E R

home in Greenfield; and French-Canadian explorer and military leader François-Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes, surveying the Wabash River along the riverwalk in Vincennes.

• American servicemen and women for various community memorials and monuments in Terre Haute, Avon and Carmel.

And sadly, he’s now enshrined forever in bronze two Terre Haute police officers from the past decade: Long, who died 10 years ago this month, and Rob Pitts in 2018.

“The most emotional ones,” the 66-year-old artist said, “are here in Terre Haute.

We’ve had two officers killed in the line of duty. We’re getting ready to put both of those statues together on a memorial plaza in front of the new police station.”

Wolfe guesses he’s done around 20 statues, some larger than others.

THE PROCESS He starts with lots of photos of his subjects — if available.

“Getting a good likeness is probably the hardest part.

But if you have plenty of pictures to work from, that’s a godsend,” he said. Since he hadn’t met Larry Bird before Bird’s statue’s dedication, he used photos of the French Lick phenom in action from all angles.

Wolfe usually starts with the head, shaping the clay. Lately, he noted, he’s been cutting the basic forms of the statues from foam. Then he applies a layer of clay over the foam in which he sculpts the details.

“Once my clay is completed and the client looks at it and gives approval, then I take it to the foundry.”

There, a wax mold is created of the clay sculpture and cut

Vincennes, he had no references to work from.

“There are no pictures of Vincennes in 1730 to 1750.”

Wolfe created his own portrait of the man in his mind. “I pretty much started on the head again. I work late hours, two o’clock in the morning. I just looked at this egg shape that I carved out of foam, and then I kind of channeled François. I said ‘OK, Mr. Vincennes, tell me what you look like.’ So, I just started sculpting, just applying the clay. Now, some people told me I made him look like me. If I did, it wasn’t intentional.”

REMEMBERING ‘SLICK’ LEONARD

P HO TO CO U R T ES Y OF B IL L WOL F E

Bill Wolfe stands with his interpretation of François-Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes, for the riverwalk in Vincennes. He said Knox County’s historian nixed the mustache and beard for the final version of the French military officer. “Of course, my argument was, ‘Well, he was out on the frontier with a few other soldiers and a bunch of Indians. I don’t think he was real concerned about waking up every morning and looking in a mirror and going, ‘Oh, I gotta shave for the boys,’” Wolfe explained. Nevertheless, he shaved the clay facial hair to suit those who commissioned the work.

into sections. From the wax, a bronze casting is made.

The bronze sections are then welded together and the seams are smoothed out. Finally, the bronze is heated and a chemical combination called “liver of sulfur” is applied to give it a dark patina.

If the subject is still living, Wolfe might ask to do something he admits sounds “really weird” before starting.

He’ll ask if he can run his hands over and around the subject’s head. “I can

gather as much information that way as just looking at them because a lot of sculpting is just feel … touching.”

With Goodall’s statue a few years ago, he asked Goodall, who is now 94, if he could touch his head and got the OK. “He let me just kind of feel his brow and his forehead and all around the bulk of his head. And I truly got a lot from that.”

With his latest completed and installed work of

One missed opportunity Wolfe said he regrets came in April with the death of Indiana basketball legend Bobby “Slick” Leonard at age 88. Leonard hit the winning free-throw for the 1953 Indiana University NCAA basketball championship team and also coached the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships. He then became the enthusiastic “Boom Baby” voice of the Pacers. Wolfe wanted to make photos and prepare a statue of him. “Terre Haute should have something made because this was his hometown.”

Wolfe got Leonard’s phone number, but then, “I kind of chickened out because I didn’t want him to get that feeling that ‘Bill Wolfe is contacting you before you die.’ When I heard that he passed … I said I should have just went for it.”

Wolfe still recalls when the Bird statue was unveiled at ISU; he politely shook the hand of Bird and basketball legends Quinn Buckner and Bill Walton who were on

the stage with him, but his biggest thrill was down the line with Leonard. “When I shook Slick Leonard’s hand, he looked at me and said, ‘Bill, we’re so proud of what you’ve done for Larry. And I just want to thank you.’

“It gave me goosebumps,” Wolfe added. “I almost started crying.”

Wolfe said all the memories as a kid looking up to Leonard as the Pacers coach came back. “How much better can that get for an artist: to be able to do that and meet Larry Bird and Slick Leonard?”

KEEPING MEMORIES ALIVE Though he’s now beyond “retirement age,” Wolfe said another great thing about being an artist is there is no retirement age. But he does look back.

“In my life I’ve been lucky to have a profession that is something that I love to do.

And in that profession, I’m giving respect and honor to people who have done great things with their lives.”

While some figures he’s sculpted, like Orville Wright and Larry Bird, would have always lived on, others, like the fallen local police officers might not. “It keeps their memory alive,” Wolfe added of his works. “If you didn’t have [the statues], they would gradually fade away over the years. It keeps their names in the lights.”

Bronze casts should last a thousand years, Wolfe noted. Long after all who are alive today have turned to dust and clay, the tributes Wolfe’s hands once pressed into clay will live on and on.

Richard G. Biever is senior editor of Indiana Connection.

JULY 2021

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Hoosier Energy news

FROM STATE POLICE TO POWER INDUSTRY Durnil continues to serve public in new role When Curt Durnil joined Hoosier Energy in November 2020 as its communications coordinator, media and public relations, he brought

Welcome to the cooperative family.

with is something I have done for

How has your career change gone

many years. When the ISP public

so far?

information officer (PIO) position

Things have gone smoothly. I would

opened, I did not hesitate to apply.

like to say a very sincere thank you

This position required me to address

to members and member-consumers

the public through media interviews,

for allowing me to serve you and

radio shows and teaching – all

your family! It has been an absolute

aspects I wanted to do professionally.

pleasure starting a career with Hoosier Energy and with each passing day, I see first-hand the cooperative principles taking place and how electric co-ops are serving their members.

In what ways has your experience with the Indiana State Police prepared you for your role at Hoosier Energy?

My 13 years as PIO gave me experience writing news releases,

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

serving as a primary media contact,

I am a Hoosier native, born in

continuing and preserving media

Bloomington and have a deep passion

relationships, and strengthening a

in a different field. For

for the area served by member

social media presence. I give a lot of

the past 26 years, he was

co-ops. As a former small college

credit to those with the Indiana State

the Indiana State Police’s

basketball player, I am a sports

Police who gave me the opportunity

enthusiast and a graduate of Indiana

to serve as their public information

University. My wife, Lori, and I have

officer.

with him a solid public service background — just

public information officer.

Indiana Connection sat down with Durnil to learn more about his interest

seven children after 26 years of marriage. Our kids range in age from 24 to 5! I previously served 26 years

in public relations, his

with the Indiana State Police and now

background, and his

love working for Hoosier Energy.

new role helping electric cooperatives.

30

JULY 2021

How have you engaged with co-ops during the pandemic?

Although the pandemic has mostly kept us from meeting face to face, I have taken advantage of several

What attracted you to the field of

virtual conferences where I have

public relations?

met many cooperative leaders and

I have always been very comfortable

professional communicators. I am

speaking to individuals that I may not

always available to help them with

necessarily know. Communicating with

media and member requests and

those who I may not share the same

look forward to being part of the

background, career field or upbringing

cooperative team!

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FEBRUARY 2019