Open for adventure
Cason Family Park
ICE CREAM HEAVEN GET A TASTE OF SUMMER IN EVERY SWEET SCOOP
LURING MIDWEST TALENT
CAMPAIGN AIMS TO LAND TOP JOB CANDIDATES
WOODHAVEN RESCUE FARM OPENS ARMS TO FORGOTTEN ANIMALS
BEHIND EVERY IS STRONG HIP
Dylan Johnson, Administrator - 8 years with Saint Anthony
PRIVATELY-OWNED 1-1 SPECIALIZED THERAPY SPIRITUAL CARE
At Saint Anthony Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, we believe in delivering the highest quality of client care. Our unparalleled expertise, commitment, and compassion assures that we provide the very best healthcare in each service we offer.
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• Physical, occupational & speech therapy, both in/ out patient services
• Cancer Care
• Cardiac Care & Rehab
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LONG-TERM CARE
• Neuromuscular Rehab
• Stroke Rehab
• Pain Management
• Respiratory Therapy
• Physical, occupational & speech therapy
• Wound Care & Prevention
Nicole Hardy, RN, IP, Director of Nursing/Infection Preventionist - 23 years
Garry Gumasing, PT, CWS, LSVT-BIG Cert., Director of Therapy - 27 years
Tracie Shoults, RN, Corporate Compliance Officer - 29 years
GREATER LAFAYETTE MAGAZINE
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- Carol Bangert
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- Kara Bishop
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- Chelsie Freeman
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- Shelby White
MISSION
Greater Lafayette Magazine captures the spirit and vitality of the people who call Greater Lafayette home and what it means to live, work and thrive here. It tells the region’s success stories, from business expansions, entrepreneurship, leadership and philanthropy to quality of life, arts and cultural events. Our hope is that readers of Greater Lafayette Magazine will become active participants in the world around them and join in our mission to make Greater Lafayette the place where progress, creativity and community come together.
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Greater Lafayette Magazine serves as the leading quality-of-life and business trade publication for the area. Leveraging our award-winning team of writers and designers, Greater Lafayette Magazine attracts a diverse group of readers who are engaged in the community as consumers, visitors, business leaders, volunteers, residents and future residents of Tippecanoe County. This publication is for anyone that appreciates a good story that not only reveals something new about our community but offers insight and pride for the place we call home.
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Scoop up summer while it lasts
When I was in high school, I started a summer job at the Baskin-Robbins on Teal Road. It’s long gone, but that ice cream shop was the scene of some of my fondest memories. My younger sisters also worked there, and when the manager was foolish enough to put the three of us on the same shift, we knew we were in for a fun time. Oh, we did our jobs and did them well – we were pleasant to customers, handed out samples, took care of the cash register, restocked and cleaned up. We delighted in making banana splits, milkshakes and the rare eight-scoop Matterhorn.
But we shamelessly took advantage of those big, beautiful vats of ice cream in the freezer cases in front of us, “sampling” flavors that still dance in my dreams: Pralines & Cream, Chocolate Mint, Peanut Butter & Chocolate and Bubblegum. Baskin-Robbins had these cute little pink spoons for customers to sample flavors, but my sisters and I bypassed those for regular spoons for a respectable-sized taste of ice cream. We didn’t even try to justify our actions as “quality control” – we just loved ice cream!
That ice cream shop is where I learned how to be on time, to be respectful and to represent the business well, and I learned how much I loved working with my sisters. Sadly, it’s also where I learned I was lactose intolerant.
So, you can imagine my excitement when I read the story “New Cones on the Block” in the current issue of Greater Lafayette Magazine (Page 64). Not only are these eclectic new shops scooping up amazing flavors, but they also serve dairy-free options that deserve more than a sample spoon. Each shop has been added to my summer to-do list.
If you have a summer to-do list, add Cason Family Park in West Lafayette (Page 40). The park is busy and colorful and full of activity. From kayaking and fishing to hiking and climbing, Cason will inspire you to get outside and get moving.
If you’re more of an indoor adventurer, you might give arcade games a try. Those games from the 1970s and ’80s are trendy again, and businesses are popping up all around Greater Lafayette (Page 82).
As summer winds down, football season is just revving up. After a brutal 2024 performance, Purdue is geared up for a fresh season on the gridiron. Meet new coach Barry Odom (Page 72), who brings optimism and excitement to the program.
There’s still plenty of summer left, so get out there and sample all there is to do, taste and experience.
Editor, Greater Lafayette Magazine
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ON THE COVER:
Emilynn Basave, Olivia Walker and Maddox Rosenbarger enjoy a day at Cason Family Park in West Lafayette. |page 40
Photos by Christine Petkov
Right: Izetta Tonsing-Carter and Paityn Basave keep cool in the wooded play areas at Cason Family Park.
Welcome Note|page 4
From Editor Carol Bangert
Bicentennial celebration in song |page 8
Greater Lafayette luring top talent |page 18
Woodhaven Rescue: A place for the forgotten |page 24
Micro-retail incubator: An update |page 33
Ask the Experts |page 56
Downtown refreshment area looks to expand |page 60
Get a taste of new ice cream shops |page 64
Meet Purdue Football Coach Barry Odom |page 72
Music to comfort, calm and heal |page 78
Find your favorite arcade game |page 82
Audrey Johnson
Photo by Rob Slaven, taken during a Women's Suffrage program
BY KATHY MATTER
Telling our story through song
Singer celebrates Lafayette Bicentennial with musical memories
Audrey Johnson’s soaring, emotion-filled mezzo soprano causes eyes to mist up, as happened to a room full of people attending a program on the Underground Railroad in Lafayette when they joined her in “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
Her voice brings joy to the soul as it did when she performed “God Bless America” with the Lafayette Citizens Band at its Memorial Day concert in Columbian Park.
A classically trained opera singer with a master’s degree from the University of Houston’s award-winning opera program, Johnson marches to a different drummer.
Instead of pursuing a glittery stage career performing Verdi, Puccini or Mozart in foreign languages, she chooses a more intimate stage where she can perform American heritage tunes in English.
She’s particularly busy this Bicentennial year performing before clubs, school groups, at concerts, festivals and community events in Greater Lafayette and beyond.
As a student pursuing a career in opera, “the pinnacle is ‘the Met or bust,’ or some equivalent,” Johnson says. “I drank that Kool-Aid for a long time.”
While doing outreach performances as part of her artist’s residency with the Shreveport (Louisiana) Opera, however, she experienced an “aha moment” in a decidedly non-grand opera — “The Ugly Duckling” — that ultimately led to a change in her career path.
Johnson says it was what she saw in the eyes and faces and reactions of the young audience that opened her eyes to performing in a different, more intimate way. But it didn’t all come together until she spent time singing opera professionally in Austria and Germany. As much as she enjoyed those opportunities, she became unexpectedly homesick.
“I really did find this completely newfound appreciation for American culture,” Johnson says. “It took a physical ocean between me and the United States to become aware of that.”
She found herself tinkering with the idea of smaller shows that were more personal. Heartfelt American history instead of grand European themes. Lessons in leadership and moral character. “If you can learn morals from a duck or billy goat
or a pig, how about from Frederick Douglass, from Abigail Adams, Susan B. Anthony, from actual Americans that have lived?” she says.
“I felt like I was called to do something with everything that I had been taught, and how I had been trained, but it wasn’t necessarily going to look like the career path I had envisioned.”
She worried that “I didn’t have what it takes. But of course, I did. I had been in this field forever. But still it was scary.”
Being scared, she found out, motivates her. Dipping her toe into genealogy waters, she discovered that her great, great, great, great grandfather was a Minute Man at Lexington, and that seemed like a sign she was on the right track.
Johnson moved to Lafayette in 2020 and realized that the town could be home, finding it to be “really astounding. I really wonder if people that have lived here their whole lives know what a unique community they have here.”
In 2018 she started to develop one-woman theatrical shows under the banner of “American Heritage Through Song,” a combination of spoken history, photography and vintage songs cleverly focused on music as an instrument of social change.
“It’s my mission to be an ambassador for this music. That’s why I sing,” she says.
“And if I was going to ask them (audiences) to trust me, to go on this journey where we reflect on who we are as people, then I needed to have fun. I needed to provide an atmosphere where we could really
Johnson at a concert for Indianapolis Public School students
A concert at Purdue University
Photo by Angela Hartwig
do that.”
The story in each program not only features historical music but projections of historical images and song lyrics. Each encourages audience interaction.
Costumes and wigs were also necessary to create precisely the right era. Some period outfits she had made especially for her. Others were pieced together from finds at a going out of business sale at Midwest Rentals.
Among the programs that evolved:
• “We’ve Come a Long Way, Ladies,” a musical celebration of the 19th Amendment, was her first program. During Covid she video recorded it and marketed it that way.
• “A More Perfect Union” high lights the colonists’ transformation from loyal Britons to American patriots.
• “The Setting for Our Dreams,” is a musical celebration of early Lafayette history.
• “First Lady of the Air,” explores Amelia Earhart’s heroism, again through song.
• “Christmas in the Heartland,” blends religious and revolutionary sentiments during early American history.
Working with the Lifelong Arts Institute of the Indiana Arts Commission, she developed a special program for older adults called “Lest We Forget: Voices of American Women Yesterday and Today.” It takes her into a senior living facility such as Westminster Village a week before the performance where
Photo by Brooke Sauter
she teaches the songs to interested seniors.
“They (the seniors) co-lead the audience with me and they also write an original song using the melody from ‘My Country ’Tis of Thee’,” Johnson says. Typically, “they write about their experiences with women’s rights that younger generations may not have experienced so it bridges generations.”
The open arms the Greater Lafayette community and the Midwest have offered to her programs have impacted her. “People don’t know me, but they are supporting me. It’s amazing, I mean it really is,” she says.
“I just really feel honored. When something’s in your heart and you let it out into the world and somebody else grabs ahold of your hand and says ‘Let’s go,’ it’s special.” ★
If you want to hear vocal snippets from Audrey Johnson’s programs visit: oftheeising.com
Photo by Rob Slaven, taken during a Women's Suffrage program
Bicentennial Concert with the Lafayette Citizens Band
July 11-12
July 11-Aug. 1
July 12
July 18
Aug. 2
Aug. 15
Aug. 21-Dec. 28
Sept. 6
Sept. 9
Sydney Pollack Film Festival Long Center
TAF Exhibit | Grand and Gone: Lost Buildings of Lafayette Michelle Wood-Voglund
Wabash Riverfest Tapawingo Park | 9 am-4 pm
Blues Legend Buddy Guy Loeb Stadium | Tickets longpac.org
Lafayette’s Past and Future | Civic Theatre Youth Performance | Jeff HS
TCHA Taste of the Past Dinner | 6 p.m.
Haan Museum | Hoosier Heritage on Canvas: Indiana Farms & Gardens
General Marquis de Lafayette’s Birthday
Walk & Talk Tour | 11 am
Historic South Street Tour Visit Lafayette200.com
TCHA Bicentennial Book Launch Visit Lafayette200.com
Author, Selene Castrovilla, Visit Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette | TCPL Holman | 6:30 pm
Sept. 12-Oct. 26
Bicentennial Corn Maze Exploration Acres
Sept. 18 Beach Boys Concert Loeb Stadium | 7:30 pm.
Sept. 21 Afternoon Tea at Haan Museum 2-4 pm
OCTOBER
Oct. 11-12
Oct. 18
Oct. 19
Nov. 8
Nov. 28-Dec. 8
Dec. 6
Dec. 14
Walk & Talk Tour Visit Lafayette200.com
Feast of the Hunters’ Moon
Lafayette Master Chorale Bicentennial Concert | 7:30 p.m. lafayettemasterchorale.org
Fall Carnival
Thomas Duncan Hall | 2 pm
Lafayette Symphany Orchestra 75th Anniversary | Long Center
Holidays at the Haan Museum
Christmas Parade
Christmases Past, Present, Future
Christmas in the Heartland
The hoopla, the joy, the pride. Because a city’s history is its people. A city’s history is you! All
Audrey Johnson | Thomas Duncan Hall | 1:30 pm
BY ANGELA K. ROBERTS
Greater Lafayette’s innovative plan to lure top talent Midwest calling:
Evonik and Caterpillar, two industrial giants with a significant presence in Greater Lafayette, are at the forefront of an innovative talent attraction campaign casting a wide net across the Midwest. The experimental initiative, spearheaded by Greater Lafayette Commerce, aims to bolster the region’s workforce, drive population and wage growth, and enhance Greater Lafayette’s reputation as an attractive place to live, play, raise families and build careers.
Launched in early 2025, the advertising campaign is seeking candidates for key positions at Evonik, one of the world’s leading specialty chemical companies, and Caterpillar, a global leader in the manufacturing of construction, mining and other equipment.
“We wanted to look at surrounding areas that are within a good drive time, three to four hours to our location,” explains Chelsie Freeman, vice president, marketing and communications at GLC. Targeted towns include those with a high concentration of skilled talent and a strong industrial heritage – ideal hunting grounds for Greater Lafayette’s workforce needs.
A new frontier in talent attraction
Traditionally, GLC’s talent attraction efforts have focused on general awareness campaigns, which are difficult to measure results. The new experimental approach with Evonik and Caterpillar marks a significant shift.
“We are coming alongside these employers in tandem, showing them Greater Lafayette but also showing specific job opportunities here,” Freeman says.
The primary goal: to drive applications for high-demand positions. For Evonik, that’s production operators, who operate equipment and perform in-process testing and maintenance. The company’s Lafayette plant, known as Tippecanoe Laboratories, is one of the world’s largest contract manufacturing facilities for active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Evonik’s campaign concluded in April after about two months. Todd T. Wetli, vice president and site manager - Tippecanoe Laboratories, Health Care, says that the company continues to interview candidates that responded to the ads.
“The campaign was an opportunity to bring new talent with fresh ideas and perspectives to the region, providing access to a workforce currently unavailable locally,” he says. “Partnering with GLC enabled us to explore innovative recruiting and hiring strategies we hadn’t considered before.”
Collaboration for maximum impact
Caterpillar’s campaign kicked off in May. The company’s Lafayette Engine Center designs and manufactures diesel and natural gas engines. The GLC campaign is advertising for CNC machinists, who use computer numerical control (CNC) machines to manufacture parts and components from raw materials.
As with the Evonik phase, the Caterpillar phase is all-digital and includes display ads, social media, programmatic video (including Hulu ads), email marketing and customized landing pages with simplified job applications. GLC is covering all costs for both employers.
Evonik and Caterpillar have been active collaborators, working closely with GLC to identify high-need roles, refine job descriptions, review creative assets, and jointly track and evaluate incoming candidates.
While an external agency handles ad execution, Freeman and her team – with some help from local creative talent – are developing the assets, ensuring consistent messaging and brand representation.
Campaign messages focus on both employer-specific value propositions and quality of life in Greater Lafayette. Evonik and CAT offer relocation incentives, competitive compensation and opportunities for professional growth.
On the community front, key selling points include a relatively low cost of living, access to education through Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, a family-friendly environment and green spaces. Demographic research shows that outdoor amenities are particularly important to the targeted applicants, Freeman says.
Data-driven monitoring
Freeman is meticulously tracking results, including the number of people that complete an application. She follows each prospect’s journey through the hiring pipeline in conjunction with the companies’ HR departments. These granular data allow GLC to retool messaging if a company is not getting the right kinds of applicants.
She’s also monitoring ad views and impressions, which reached millions of views during the Evonik phase. “Even if people don’t
apply, they are still getting awareness of the employer and Greater Lafayette. You never know when someone is going to come around when the time is right for them,” Freeman says.
Wetli adds, “Evonik places strong emphasis on brand recognition. The campaign reinforces our commitment to educate stakeholders about Evonik’s core purpose and values. It also gives prospective employees valuable insights into the available opportunities and benefits at Evonik, fostering a deeper connection with our community.” He says that the company is open to future campaigns like this one.
The road ahead
Ultimately, Freeman hopes to develop a repeatable, scalable campaign model that can be adapted across various sectors beyond manufacturing, including healthcare. Right now, though, “It’s really just the beginning,” she says.
Still, the campaign represents a proactive step towards the twin cities’ urgent need for qualified workers by showcasing employers and highlighting community amenities. As the Evonik phase suggests, the ads are already planting seeds of awareness that could reap benefits for talent attraction and population growth far into the future. ★
“The animals no one wants”
From pigeons to pigs, WoodHaven Rescue thrives to provide the best life for the forgotten
BY KEN THOMPSON PHOTOS PROVIDED
oodHaven Rescue was Susan Slayton Whaley’s destiny from infancy.
Her earliest memory of displaying love for all creatures great and small was picking up earthworms and putting them in her pockets.
“My mom would throw the baby jeans in the washing machine and have worms floating on top of the water,” says Whaley, who also remembers crying when her parents walked over an ant hill.
During a recent visit to the rural Tippecanoe County rescue, there were no earthworms or ants in sight. Goats, llamas, donkeys, mini horses, mini mules, peacocks, pheasants, guineas, dogs, cats and kittens, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, a goose and a steer provided the soundtrack on a cool afternoon. The animal population at WoodHaven ranges between 80 and 90 at any given time.
“We take in animals who are needing rescue or are extremely elderly -- the animals no one else wants,” Whaley says. “The 4 Rs for the animals of WoodHaven are rescue, rehabilitate, rehome, retire. If we rescue, we want to rehabilitate. We want to rehome or adopt out. If they can’t be rehomed, we retire.”
WoodHaven first got its name from the farm in Tennessee that Whaley and her husband shared. A graduate of McCutcheon High School (1985) and Purdue University (1989), Whaley moved back to Lafayette in 2014 after her husband passed away.
“I lost my husband. I had to sell the business we had,” she says. “I brought with me all the rescue animals we had: dogs, cats and horses.”
During COVID, Whaley decided to pursue her dream of opening a non-profit animal rescue.
“Somewhere back in second grade, I wrote what I wanted to do when I grow up. I wanted to save animals,” Whaley says. “The timing was here. After selling the business and understanding the corporate world, what’s stopping me? The fact that I found this place with a lot of trees and a lot of woods, it just made sense to still call it WoodHaven.”
Whaley received the 501(c)(3) letter, given by the IRS for tax-exempt non-profit organizations, in 2022. While there have been sleepless nights worrying about the next vet bill, Whaley has been rescued by the animals who return her love.
“These animals do more for me than I will ever do for them,” she says. “After losing Gary … these animals are my reason to get up and get out every morning. Even on the days when I have my sinus trouble, I can still walk in the barn, and you feel the love. Every single animal on this property is grateful. All animals are wonderful.
“I may be a little biased, but I have had other people say the animals here are special. How they look at you, how they interact. Part of why I think that is we don’t allow our wants to be pushed on them. I want to love on this animal, but if this animal does not want to do that, we let them be animals. We let them tell us what they are comfortable with, and they give us back so much more.”
While Rescue is part of WoodHaven’s title, it is not a pet shelter.
“Every animal has a stall, a barn we can shut in. Otherwise, we won’t take them,” Whaley says. “I’ve had to turn people away. We are a rescue. We are not a rehoming service. Because you are tired (of the ani-
mal) and you don’t want to take care of it anymore, I’ll give you resources to try to find a home, but it’s not an urgent rescue. The exception is someone passed away unexpectedly and there was no place. If it was short term, we would try to help out if we could. But I don’t want to help someone else’s animal and hurt one of ours.”
A recent rescue brought 22 chickens from Ohio. Another rescue ended up with a place in Whaley’s home.
“We get a lot of calls from the sheriff’s department when shelters are full,” she says. “Elvis the dog, he was a case. The sheriff called and asked if we had an empty stall. He says unless we take him in they are going to euthanize him. When they brought Elvis out, he was laying in the back of a squad car. He had just given up.”
Elvis got his name from the hound dog eyes that gazed at Whaley as she took him from the squad car.
Every animal has a story. Here are a few. Three orphaned kittens were given the names Wilma, Barney and Betty from “The Flintstones.” We met Betty during a tour and discovered she loves to unexpectedly launch herself into your arms. Another cat, Gus, has scarred lungs from a respiratory infection as a kitten and breathes unusually, like a human with COPD or emphysema. Behavior issues mean Betty and Gus will spend the rest of their days roaming WoodHaven.
Rachel, Monica and Phoebe (“Friends”) were three llamas rescued from a breeding operation in Ohio. Rachel has since passed away but Monica, at age 32, and Phoebe, at 27, have well exceeded the average life expectancy of 15 years.
They were joined in June 2022 by Nightmare and Champagne, who Whaley says welcome extra love and attention. “They have settled in nicely with the other seniors, and we hope they will be able to live out their lives all together here.”
And then there’s Franklin the steer, named for President Franklin Delano Roo-
sevelt, who also wore leg braces. Born with contracted tendons, Franklin was unable to stand or walk when he came to WoodHaven shortly after birth in 2021.
“I made his braces out of PVC pipe,” Whaley recalls.
After plenty of physical therapy got him on his feet, Franklin has become one of WoodHaven’s ambassadors.
“He’s a lifer here,” Whaley says. “We do a lot with him for educational purposes.”
Visitors to WoodHaven are greeted by Bandit and Coot, peafowl who don’t like to get out of the way but will beg for treats. The duo’s favorite treat is cat food.
Among the more than 30 bird residents is Homer, a failed racing pigeon. Homer traveled more than 350 miles from home to WoodHaven after flying the wrong direction. After tracking down Homer’s owner from his leg band, the elderly owner asked if Homer could remain at WoodHaven.
A recent intake of a mama goat and her two babies from Michigan joins a population that are all CAE (Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis)-positive.
“We work to educate that CAE goats can
Volunteer Becky Yuill sits with Shirley the rescue turkey while Shirley is getting her foot soaked for an infection.
have a very healthy long life. Some don’t,” Whaley says. “The equivalent if you had to think in human terms would be HIV. CAE can cause arthritis, hind leg paralysis, weakness and other neurological issues. Some goats, they can live their entire life and never have a sign. They are carriers.
“It’s a virus they are saying as high as 70 percent of all dairy goats in the U.S. have. Some farms and breeders will routinely test for it. There’s no vaccine, there’s no treatment, there’s no cure. If any flag positive, the breeders euthanize them.”
The mama goat and her two babies came from a breeder who pleaded with Whaley to take them in.
“She called me crying. ‘She’s the sweetest little doe and there’s two doelings. I don’t want to kill her.’ ”
Fortunately, a rescue from Michigan had to bring animals to Purdue University for a veterinarian visit, and it transported the goat family to WoodHaven.
The mother was already named Cinnamon, so Whaley named the babies Nutmeg and Ginger. She calls them “our Spice Girls.”
“Our hope is to adopt out the two babies,” Whaley says. “We may or may not adopt out the mom. If someone wants to take all three and it’s a good home, I would love that. But because she has issues so young, Cinnamon may end up being a lifer here. I know how to manage it. We do joint supplements, pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication.”
A tribute with a prominent place in the WoodHaven Barn is The Memorial Plaque, which honors WoodHaven’s departed animals. Time has allowed Whaley to remember them fondly.
“The goat we just lost, Hefty, was pretty special,” she says. “I went to a sale barn where there were CAE babies. He was one of the triplets, and no one wants a boy dairy goat. They were going to (cut his throat), let him bleed out and throw him in the dump-
ster. The dumpster had great big Hefty trash bag stickers on it. I said we’re going to call you Hefty because you’re going to be strong and you’re going to come home.
“He was touch and go, touch and go. Then Hefty just thrived. We lost him a couple of months ago to cancer, but Hefty had 10 amazing years.”
Another recent loss was Henry, a pig who was the size of a football when Whaley brought him to WoodHaven. “He was much beloved by all who met him,” she says.
Because WoodHaven specializes in rescuing geriatric animals, there’s a higher than normal attrition rate.
“I don’t care if they are here only for a very short period of time,” Whaley says. “They will know love. I get emotional, and I do shed tears over every single animal.
“I always tell everyone the biggest gift we can give our animals is to take their pain and suffering and put it on yourself. I am willing to hurt, I am willing to cry and miss you horribly so you are not in pain any more. That is the only way. I have sat with so many animals when we said goodbye, and it’s peaceful. Everyone says, ‘I could never get an animal again. My heart would break.’ You know what I’ve found? Every time my heart breaks a little bit it’s like an earthquake. My heart opens and it makes it a little bigger. Now something else can fit in that break.”
Working 14 hours a day, seven days a week, Whaley couldn’t keep the rescue operating smoothly without volunteers and donors. Three regular Tuesday and Thursday morning volunteers are ladies in their 70s.
Sandy Schelle was WoodHaven’s first official volunteer and has been coming to the rescue for four years. Schelle is part of a group of retired women in their 70s. What keeps Schelle coming back?
“The love and appreciation you get from the farm,” Schelle says. “The joy of working and helping the family of animals have a better life.”
Bandit the peacock
What does Schelle wish people knew more about WoodHaven?
“The love and care that is given to these animals who otherwise would have been forgotten,” she says.
No minimum commitment is required to volunteer. In addition to weekday shifts, there’s also help needed Saturdays and Sunday afternoons after church.
A veterinarian in Crawfordsville gives WoodHaven a discount for its services. A plaque inside the barn salutes Animal Advocates, people who have made a substantial donation in memory of a loved one or who in their obituary request gifts to WoodHaven Rescue Farm.
“Our biggest needs right now are money or materials/supplies and volunteers,” Whaley says.
“I’m very much aware that everybody is hurting financially right now, which is why we hold so many things like garage sales. We are thrilled with material donations. Things that don’t mean anything to you that you want to donate to our garage sale — someone might not have $5 to give to WoodHaven but they have $5 to give to this table that they need to make their life better. And that $5 comes back to WoodHaven.”
A two-day garage sale in March raised $9,774.04.
Visits to WoodHaven are by appointment only. Private tours are $200 for up to 10 people. Open house events are free, including the largest of the year on Oct. 18.
“My heart, my true comfort is being with them,” Whaley says. “The rest of the world goes away for me. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s something I’m so passionate about. I am so blessed to do this every day.” ★
WoodHaven Rescue Farm, Inc. 6310 S 900 E Lafayette 47905 931-205-8774
Email info@woodhavenrescue.com Go to woodhavenrescue.com for more information about volunteering.
Volunteer Sandy Schelle with rescue goat Lottie
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A Micro Experiment Continues
Retail incubator spaces welcome new tenants »
BY RADONNA FIORINI
It’s been a little more than a year since the City of Lafayette first rented out the micro-retail incubator spaces at 619 Columbia Street in the Public Safety Center. A fashion designer and collectibles shop now occupy the two 306-square-foot spaces, and one of the first renters has moved to a downtown building six times bigger.
Lafayette’s Economic Development Director Dennis Carson calls that a success.
“It’s going really well, as far as I’m concerned,” Carson says. “We’ll continue doing this.”
The business incubator space contains two identical rooms that feature big windows and cement floors joined by a hallway with a restroom. It can be occupied by one or two businesses on a three-to-12month lease at an affordable rate that includes internet service and utilities. Almost any retail establishment could use the space except food service. The goal is to provide a small business space to try running a brick-and-mortar store without buying property or signing a longterm lease.
The concept helped Emily Colombo launch her local shop, A Pinch of Pepper and Spicery, in November 2023 as the first renter. She began curating and selling spices and tea online in the spring of ’23 and then took advantage of the micro-retail space to see if the business could be successful on the ground.
“(The space) definitely reduced the barrier to entry,” Colombo says. “I wouldn’t have started a brick-
and-mortar this soon in my journey without it. I was happy to be the guinea pig.”
Colombo moved Pinch of Pepper to 101 North Sixth Street after the micro-retail lease ended and opened the new shop February 1. The shop jumped in size from about 300 square feet to 1,800 square feet with 1,100 square feet of retail space. She has increased her inventory, has room to store product and has an event room for cooking classes.
And her rent is more than five times higher than at the micro-retail space. While Colombo knew there would be some sticker shock when entering the downtown retail market, she was surprised that the city didn’t offer more training and support in transitioning to a bigger space.
“No matter what, the jump was going to be very stark, but there wasn’t really a bridge,” she says. “Yes, it was a great opportunity but there’s a lot more to running a business than just the space. This is such a unique and innovative program and there could have been more support.”
Carson acknowledges there was a learning curve for everyone in opening the retail incubator space. He recognizes the challenges Colombo faced in moving to a more permanent location, while also being realistic about the city’s capacity to help.
“We might be able to help someone identify spaces available downtown,” if the business wants to stay in that area, he says. “But for other kinds of support, I would refer them
elsewhere.”
Carson is pleased to see a burgeoning cooperation between business-related groups dedicated to attracting and helping retail owners succeed. The MatchBOX Co-Working Studio offers a business accelerator program that has courses and support for those starting out. Others, such as the Downtown Retailers Association and Greater Lafayette Commerce, are joining forces to encourage entrepreneurship in the city’s center, he says.
“It’s an evolution as we move along in time,” Carson says. “There are more programs coming online and more cooperation to support small business.”
And while Carson is not ready to reveal details, he says officials are considering creating another retail incubator in downtown Lafayette.
After having made the move, Colombo is pleased that the relocated Pinch of Pepper receives a lot more foot traffic. She already has hosted pasta-making and sourdough bread classes in her event room. One of her dreams is to begin hosting a Sunday supper club, collaborating with local caterers and inviting the community in. Her event room also is for rent to the public.
Sarah Harmon is a regular Pinch of Pepper customer who finds the new location makes it easy to stop in when she makes a farmers market run.
“I’m there at least once a month, but more frequently now that we head to the farmers market on Saturday mornings,” Harmon says.
“I love the new location! So much more room to take in all the fun product lines she carries, and there’s still room to grow, too. I think her community room is going to be such a gem and great addition to downtown as folks start to discover the space.”
Colombo has expanded her retail offerings and now has spices, dried beans and pasta, tinned fish, hot sauce, oils and vinegars, and lots of tea brands in both loose leaf and bagged. In keeping with her desire
to be environmentally aware and health conscience, all tea bags are free of micro-plastics.
Because of Colombo’s collaborative spirit and desire to bring the community together, the shop features succulents for sale from a Lafayette grower, and you can often find other products from local retailers.
“I’m still in the early stages of what I want to do,” she says. “I want this to be a community gathering place where I can make a difference.”
The Retro Room
Back at the Columbia Street incubator space, the east side originally was rented by a vintage clothing store, Arondite Vintage, and owner Ella Seet still has some of her clothing and accessories at a couple of downtown shops and in Indianapolis.
Now occupying that space is a collectibles store called The Retro Room. Owners Steve and Mary Hinckley opened the shop on weekends in midJune and offer lots of vintage toys and collectible pop culture items from the 1980s and ʼ90s.
For about 25 years, the couple has been collecting toys, dolls, games and other items from the eras of their youth, says Steve Hinckley. They exhibited their collection at pop culture conventions and then opened booths in antique malls and pop-up markets as the number of vintage items grew.
“There are a lot of memories tied up in these things,” he says. “We enjoy the youthfulness of it and there is a real community around these collectibles. People kept asking where our shop was, and now we have a location to give them.”
While the focus of the store is on toys, the shop will sometimes feature other items such as books and vintage clothing that help create a time capsule from 30 and 40 years ago.
Iván Delfín LLC
And on the west side of the incubator space fashion designer Iván Delfín is busy making the little shop his own for the next year, setting up mannequins dressed in custom gowns and decorating the room in rich colors and Swarovski crystal lights.
Delfín lives in Indianapolis with his husband, Steven Flowers, and has a small workspace in their home. But Flowers, executive director of the Greater Lafayette Family Shelter, works in Lafayette and the couple wanted to be able to meet for lunch and spend more time together. So Delfín began looking for an affordable space to rent locally where he could sew and meet with clients for fittings and consultations.
“I appreciate this space, and I waited a year to get in here,” says Delfín. “It’s a good program to help a small business get started.”
Delfín also appreciates Lafayette’s small town feel after living for many
years in large metropolitan areas. Although he was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, his parents also owned a home in southern California, so he lived in, and learned from, both cultures.
He says he knew very early on he wanted a career in fashion and started modeling, but he soon realized his favorite spot was behind the curtains. He earned a fashion design degree from University of the Californias International in Tijuana and scored an internship with a famous fashion house in Guadalajara, Mexico. He also worked there for a bit, learning many tricks of the trade.
Delfín then opened his own business designing and sewing wedding gowns and Quinceanera dresses for teen girls in the Hispanic tradition of celebrating their 15th birthday with a coming-of-age party. Business grew as many of the girls also hired him to create dresses for prom and eventually their wedding, and
he hired five people to work in his studio.
He moved to Seattle in 2019 and hosted three runway shows, deciding to stay in the U.S. when the pandemic hit. His custom gowns, pant suits and party dresses were featured in a 2023 edition of Seattle Fashion Collective magazine, and he has continued to create since meeting Flowers, marrying, and moving to Indiana.
“It’s harder to find this kind of business in the U.S.,” Delfín says.
“There are lots more celebrations in Mexico that women have a custom gown made for. My customer is the woman who can’t find the quality and fit she wants in a store.”
And while Delfín recognizes that custom clothing is expensive, he contends that the finished product is worth the price.
“So much of the clothing (in top department stores) is low quality with cheap fabric,” he says.
“Women pay a lot for a dress and then discover it doesn’t fit them well or the lining is uneven, so they have it altered.”
By the time the process is finished, they’ve paid almost as much as they would have for a custom dress, designed to fit their body and their personality, he says.
Delfín is choosy about the fabrics he uses, often buying from importers in Los Angeles. The fabrics must be comfortable, breathable, soft and beautiful so the wearer can forget about the dress and move with confidence into any celebration, he says. He loves working in monochromatic colors, adding special touches that reveal the per-
sonality of the wearer and focus on movement and elegance.
After Delfín creates a gown, the owner can bring it back and he will deconstruct it and use the fabric to make a new piece for them, or he’s happy to buy the gown back and then rent it to someone else.
“Every woman should treat herself to at least one custom gown,” he says. “If you know of a special event coming up, just prepare in advance and save up to have the gown made. Clothes can help you free yourself and feel confident.”
Delfín takes care of each step of the process, from talking with a customer to discover their personality and hopes for the dress, to
measuring and creating a pattern, to sewing and altering the gown for a perfect fit. And he will work within your budget, choosing less expensive fabrics if necessary.
Much of his work is in alterations out of necessity, although designing and constructing a piece of clothing is the best part of his craft, he says.
Delfín is passionate and committed to helping people feel confident and comfortable in their clothing, so much so he is happy to consult with anyone who is unsure about their style or body type and will even advise them where to buy something off the rack if they don’t want to go the custom route.
“Find your personality, find your style and find yourself in your closet!” he says. ★
You can find Iván Delfín by making an appointment through his website, ivandelfinfashion.com, or calling or texting 206-550-6972. He also will be at the shop at 619 Columbia St. a few days a week, and you’re welcome to drop in if you see him working there. The Retro Room at 619 Columbia St. is open Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. Follow the latest finds on Facebook at Retro Room Vintage toys and collectibles, or Instagram @retro_room_collectibles. A Pinch of Pepper and Spicery is open at 101 North Sixth St. Wednesdays through Fridays noon-8 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Follow the shop on Instagram @tryapinchofpepper
BY AMY LONG PHOTOS
PETKOV
MOVING HISTORY
West Lafayetteʼs Cason Family Park preserves the past, creates community
On a sunny afternoon in late spring, children scramble up boulders and shimmy down chutes built into a hillside, while others squeal with delight as they spin on a merry-go-round.
Teenagers launch kayaks into a pond stocked with fish, while would-be anglers cast lines from the shore. Under a picnic shelter, one family grills up kebabs for lunch, while another decorates for a birthday party, with sparkly streamers billowing in the breeze. And, at the heart of it all, a historic one-room schoolhouse brimming with vintage artifacts and hands-on displays stands as an enduring example of community activism, partnership and perseverance.
Welcome to Cason Family Park, a nearly 30-acre greenspace now open at 2500 Cumberland Ave. in West Lafayette, near U.S. 231 – the city’s first new park in more than three decades. In addition to the meticulously preserved Morris Schoolhouse, as it is called, the nearly $18 million recreation area includes five playgrounds, multiple picnic shelters, an outdoor performance pavilion, about 3 miles of paved and
unpaved trails, a fishing pond and a boathouse with canoes and kayaks for rent.
The park’s name pays tribute to the family that owned some of the surrounding land. In 2016, Lynn Cason, a custodian of the property since 1964, donated 13.6 acres to the West Lafayette Parks Foundation. It was that gift that spurred the creation of the Cason Family Park as it exists today.
At the park’s grand opening on May 22, Lynn and Carolyn Cason and about 25 other Cason family members celebrated with hundreds of West Lafayette residents and local government officials.
Taking it all in, Cason admitted that the completed park far exceeds the hopes he harbored back in 2016.
“My vision at that time was to have a few trails, a few teeter-tots and maybe a picnic shelter or two,” he said. “Well, look around. What a wonderful place it’s turned out to be. It’s unimaginable to me what this has become.”
Grand-opening organizers also honored many others who were instrumental in the park’s creation,
including the architects, engineers and construction workers who sculpted a 25-foot promontory and a four-acre, 14-foot-deep pond out of a flat-as-a-pancake cornfield; the city government staff and officials who shepherded the project; members of the West Lafayette Redevelopment Commission, who used tax increment financing (TIF) revenues to cover the $17.7 million price tag; and especially the team of dedicated volunteers who dreamed up the idea of a park nearly a decade ago, and who saw it through to the end.
“Here you are seeing lots of partnership to make this property happen today,” said West Lafayette Mayor Erin Easter in her opening remarks, “and lots of commitment and leadership and connection.”
“Cason Family Park has been a long time in the making, and it represents the best of what a community can do when it works together,” said West Lafayette Parks Superintendent Kathryn Lozano. “It was a true community activity from the very beginning.”
‘A true community activity’
Indeed, the genesis of Cason Family Park goes back to well before the groundbreaking ceremony in September 2023 and even long before Lynn Cason gifted 13.6 acres.
The origins of the park can be traced back more than a decade, to the time West Lafayette resident Sue Eiler first noticed the Morris Schoolhouse near the corner of Cumberland Avenue and the new U.S. 231 highway.
The one-room brick building, originally known as Wabash Township School No. 5, was built in 1879, one of 108 one-room schoolhouses around Tippecanoe County at that time. It remained open for nearly 40 years, until school consolidation forced it to close in 1916. For generations, the structure languished in obscurity on property owned by the Cason family. Since the 1960s, Lynn Cason had been maintaining the building for use as a storage shed and corn crib – but outside of his family, no one seemed to know about the building, or care.
That changed in 2013 with the opening of the new
Airpor t Operations
231 bypass, a five-mile stretch of the U.S. highway that routed traffic across fields and farms west of West Lafayette. Suddenly, hundreds of drivers on their daily commutes were passing within a stone’s throw of the forlorn little building, wondering what it was and what would happen to it.
More than most, Eiler recognized the structure’s historical significance. Several years earlier, she had written an in-depth paper for a literary club about Tippecanoe County’s one-room schoolhouses, and she was steeped in statistics and stories she had unearthed with help from the Tippecanoe County Historical Association.
In 2014, Eiler was alarmed to learn that a 23-acre parcel of Cason family land – the land on which the Morris Schoolhouse stood – had been sold to Franciscan Health. (The Franciscan Orthoindy Surgery Center is expected to be completed later in 2025.) Unless it could be moved by spring 2017, the Morris Schoolhouse would be demolished.
“I didn’t think much about it until I was driving by the location where it is now, and Franciscan had put up the sign saying, ‘Building for the Future,’ ” Eiler recalls. So, she took up a crusade to save the building.
“It was just a natural [thing] to say we ought to save it,” Eiler says.
With support from then West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis, Eiler convened a committee of interested, involved community members to save the Morris Schoolhouse. In one of the first acts of her campaign, Eiler connected with Lynn Cason and pulled him into the project, as well. As the building’s longtime caretaker, he was as invested as anyone in its future.
The volunteers busied themselves with the work of appealing to local preservation organizations, raising funds, applying for grants, researching relocation sites, liaising with city government and considering the logistics of moving a 140-year-old brick building. But the deadline was looming, and still the committee had no viable site for relocation – until Cason casually offered to donate an adjacent tract of his family land and suggested that it could be turned into a kind of living history park. Eiler vividly remembers that pivotal moment.
“I think even at that point I didn’t appreciate how significant it was,” she says. That was kind of the start. We had land, so then we had the city’s support, for sure.”
Left to right: Paityn Basave, Owen Basave, Olivia Walker, Max Tonsing-Carter, Izetta Tonsing-Carter and Emilynn Basave
Moving history
In March 2017, the schoolhouse was moved 900 feet across a soybean field to its current location. Then, with Eiler and Cason leading the charge, the volunteer committee spent the next few years painstakingly restoring the building to its former glory. They replaced windows, replastered walls, refinished the original floors and furnished the space with period desks, antique wall charts, shelves of classic books and primers, and even a vintage potbelly stove and a hand-sewn 38-star American flag. The public was offered a preview of the mostly completed building during a couple of open house events in 2019.
But while work on the schoolhouse was progressing, plans for the park that would surround it stalled when estimates came in at about one and a half times the $8 million budget – for a space that would have included a small retention pond and a single playground.
“It was just going to be a little park – 15 acres. It would have been nice, but it was too expensive,” Lozano says. And as they worked on whittling down the project, it got to a point where Lozano and Larry Oates, West Lafayette Redevelopment Commission president, just couldn’t get excited about it anymore. “We kept cutting and cutting and cutting and cutting [until] it just wasn’t the park that West Lafayette deserves,” Lozano says.
“Larry Oates looked at me and said, ‘Do you want to do this?’ And I said, “I don’t really want to do it anymore,’ ” she recalls. “And he said, ‘Let’s wait.’ And I said, ‘Okay.’ And you know, that’s a hard decision to make, because we’d already said we were doing it.”
In the meantime, Eiler tracked down Bob Maier, whose family owned an adjacent 14-acre tract of farmland to the east along Cumberland Avenue, and, over many phone calls and conversations, planted the idea of selling it to the city.
“That was really a shot in the dark, to find the people who own it and convince them to talk to you and tell them what you’re doing, and get back in touch with them, and then get back in touch with them, and then get back in touch with them… And then to kind of build a relationship,” Eiler says.
After Eiler greased the wheel, the city was able to purchase the additional 14 acres, add it to the existing acreage gifted by Cason and double the size of the planned park. In June 2023, the redevelopment commission approved a new budget, committing to spending $17.7 million in TIF funds on the project. And finally, after a groundbreaking ceremony in September of that year, work on the new park began in earnest.
A space for everyone
Today, the beautifully restored schoolhouse is the centerpiece of the sprawling Cason Family Park, and it will play a major role in the park’s programming, with scheduled activities and volunteer docents on hand at certain times, Lozano says. Outside the schoolhouse, an outdoor classroom offers space for special events and talks.
The park paths already connect to the 27 miles of paved paths in West Lafayette’s trail system, and plans are in the works to connect directly to the Celery Bog Nature Area’s paved Cattail Trail to the south, as well, making for an easy two-for-one fieldtrip combo for local school groups.
Throughout the rest of the park, in addition to the fishing pond, boat house and amphitheater, a variety of play spaces appeal to children of all ages and their families, including one playground crowned with magnificent owl-shaped play structures, another playground topped with a multi-level rocket-shaped jungle gym, a toddler playground with a water table, and a whimsical mushroom-hut play area tucked into the woods.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing for a community,” Lozano says. “A big, new park like this doesn’t happen very often. We’re very lucky to have this happen.”
“We are not just preserving history, we are creating new opportunities for community connection, outdoor recreation and shared memories,” Mayor Easter remarked on opening day. “This park is a place where generations will gather to play, to learn, to celebrate and reflect on all the blessings of our community. It is a space that belongs to everyone in West Lafayette.”★
Ask The Experts:
The Greater Lafayette Commerce Ask the Experts program is perfect for you. Greater Lafayette Commerce is teaming with experienced professionals who have the skills you’re looking for to help you overcome challenges and provide you with perspective and direction.
Ask the Experts provides small business owners with the information they need while also facilitating the development of lasting professional relationships.
Coach (Lucas) Woody
Coach (Lucas) Woody is a leadership and culture development expert who helps growth-minded leaders and organizations align their actions with their values to build thriving, sustainable workplaces. Through one-on-one coaching, small group programs and organizational consulting, he equips high achievers and mission-driven teams with the tools to clarify their purpose, develop resilient cultures, and lead with integrity. Based in Lafayette, Woody is the founder of Next Better, a coaching and consulting practice rooted in the belief that meaningful work starts with intentional leadership and aligned culture.
We keep losing good people, even though we offer competitive pay and benefits. What are we missing when it comes to competitive retention?
Employee retention isn’t just a “nice-to-have” — in this chaotic work environment it’s required to keep the doors open. U.S. businesses lose around $1 trillion every year to voluntary turnover (Gallup, 2017). Replacing a single employee can cost anywhere from one-half to two times that employee’s annual salary when you factor in hiring, training and lost productivity (SHRM, 2023).
But the cost isn’t just financial: every time team members walk out the door, they take knowledge, energy and trust with them. And your remaining team is left wondering if they shouldn’t walk out, too.
Values matter more than paychecks
So what truly keeps employees on board? In the work that I do with high-level leaders and cultures, I continuously see that a paycheck isn’t enough — people want a place where their work feels meaningful and aligned with their values. One survey found 71% of employees would take a pay cut to work somewhere aligned with their values (LinkedIn, 2019). When values are missing, the opposite happens: 54% of disengaged employees would leave for a raise of 20% or less, compared to only 37% of engaged ones (Gallup, 2017). That means if all you offer is a “good paycheck,” they’ll stick around long enough for someone to offer one a bit bigger.
Four ways to boost retention
So how can leaders improve retention by making values a visible and operational part of daily work?
1. Hiring right: From job descriptions to interview questions, build your values into the process. When you hire for alignment, you get people who stay on longer. Then you can teach them any skills they need. One tech company saw a 30% drop in turnover after shifting to values-based hiring (Brandon Hall Group, 2020).
2. Onboarding and training: Don’t just train people on policies — introduce them to purpose. Help them see how their role connects to the bigger picture. Companies with robust, values-aligned onboarding saw 82% higher retention among new hires (Brandon Hall Group, 2020). When people feel connected to the mission early on, they’re more likely to stay engaged and stick around.
3. Rewarding (Aligning incentives): Examine what behaviors your reward systems are actually promoting. If you say you value collaboration or integrity, but only reward individual sales numbers, there’s a disconnect. In the work that I do, I help organizations align incentives with values so employees trust that how they work matters — not just what they achieve.
4. Recognition: People stay where they feel seen. Meaningful recognition — a shout-out, a thank-you, a public nod for value-driven behavior — builds belonging. Companies that practice regular, values-based recognition have employees who are 45% less likely to leave (Gallup, 2022).
Take action today
Where are you losing your best players — and why? Is it rushed hiring that misses culture fit? An onboarding process that lacks meaning? Are your rewards promoting the wrong behavior, or are your top performers going unrecognized?
These four areas are powerful levers for retention and don’t require flashy perks or huge raises. They require clarity, consistency and a commitment to living out your values.
In the work that I do with companies and leaders, I’ve seen how defining the company’s values and intentionally incorporating them into each step of an employee’s journey can massively improve retention. When your best people believe in what you stand for — and see that you stand behind it — they’ll stay, grow and lead alongside you.
Ready to explore DORA? Popular downtown refreshment zone looks to expand
If you’re familiar with downtown Lafayette, you’re well aware of the variety of establishments to eat, drink and explore. To boost the experience even more, the city launched its first-ever Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) during the summer of 2024, allowing visitors the freedom to stroll through a designated area of downtown while enjoying their favorite alcoholic drink from participating spots.
The current area, known as the Upper Main Street DORA, spans a single block along Main Street, from 10th to 11th streets, and includes East End Grill, Ripple & Company and The Cellar Wine Bistro.
“This pilot DORA was established in July 2024 at the request of these vendors, who encouraged the city to explore a DORA as a way to support downtown activation
and encourage foot traffic,” says Myles Holtsclaw, senior community development manager at the City of Lafayette’s Economic Development Department. “While small and relatively quiet due to its limited size and number of participants, the DORA has been considered successful.”
Holtsclaw says the plan has always included expanding the designated area, but the pilot has served as an opportunity to identify any logistical or operational issues.
“Many downtown businesses expressed interest in participating from the start and have continued to show enthusiasm for expansion,” he says. “While the pilot area was intentionally limited, it served as a stepping stone toward broader inclusion.”
Now, a year later, the city is ready to roll out that expansion, encompassing a much larger portion
of Main Street, stretching from Second Street east to 11th Street, including landmarks such as the courthouse square and the area that makes up the Lafayette Farmer's Market.
“Many of the participating restaurants have limited waiting areas, so the DORA offers guests the option to grab a beverage and enjoy downtown while waiting for a table, improving the customer experience,” he says.
The DORA also is expected to help create a more welcoming and adaptable atmosphere downtown, making it easier for organizers to plan and host events. This added flexibility could allow for more events and more regular programming—further making the case for Lafayette’s reputation as a must-visit destination.
Holtsclaw says for businesses within the DORA footprint, in-
creased foot traffic has the potential to boost business, not only leading to higher sales and greater visibility for those who sell alcohol, but the broader downtown community. It also makes it easier to include alcohol sales at events—while ensuring those sales benefit local businesses.
As for any concerns, Holtsclaw says some were raised by the public about potential issues such as increased litter, the area becoming a “party environment” and general safety. But following a smooth and issue-free rollout of the initial phase, no public comments were received during either of the readings for the proposed expansion.
“This suggests increased public comfort and confidence in the program’s responsible management,” Holtsclaw says.
Several businesses already are included in the application for the expansion, including Thieme & Wagner Brewery, located near North Seventh and Main streets.
A well-known name in Lafayette, the brewery was originally founded in 1863 by Frederick August Thieme and was located at the corner of Fourth and Union streets, according to the Tippecanoe County Historical Association. The brewery shuttered its doors due to Prohibition, but the family remained in the beer business.
Decades later, David Thieme and his father brought the brewery back to life—reviving the legacy at its current Main Street location.
“We have always believed in filling humanity’s need for social-
ization and have been blown away by the amount of friendships we’ve helped start and foster in our eight years on Main Street,” Thieme says.
When the pilot rolled out, Thieme says he was cautiously optimistic.
“I really wanted it to include all of downtown and have more structure in how it’s executed,” he says. “But I’m being told there are strides in that direction, which is great!”
He says the brewery has always benefited from being allowed to
partake in carry out sales on the beer they brew, but it’ll be nice to now have the option for liquor and wine as well.
“I overall support it but feel currently there aren’t enough regulations to the types of alcohol that can be sold,” says Thieme. “It’d be nice to see the DORA rules on beer limited to beer made in Lafayette only or even Indiana only.”
Down the street near North Fifth and Main streets sits Generation NA, the first non-alcoholic bottle
shop to open in the Midwest. Open just over three years now, the establishment specializes in non-alcoholic and functional drinks and different types of adaptogens and nootropics to help people boost energy, focus, sleep and relax, without the hangover.
Owner Rob Theodorow says when the original DORA concept was floated, he didn’t think too much of it since his business was located outside of the boundaries. But once plans for an expansion were up for discussion, and his business would now be located inside of that expanded boundary, he initially wasn’t thrilled.
“However, thinking about it more I feel it’s a great opportunity for us to be part of a mindful consumption effort,” Theodorow says. “Many of our customers still drink, and we are here to let them know they have options. We aren’t anti-alcohol, we are anti-alcohol
being the only option for people. We provide a safe space from alcohol for the local sober community and have a unique setup allowing people to have the experience of a liquor store/bar/brewery, without being around alcohol.”
Theodorow says he does anticipate the new area to have an impact on his business.
“We have tables out front that are commonly used by our customers,” he says. “Now that we will be within the footprint I imagine these will also be used by patrons consuming alcohol, which makes it difficult to provide a fully sober/alcohol-free space for us in the community.”
Addressing his initial concerns, he says the city’s economic development team has been very helpful and are even working with Generation NA on signage promoting non-alcoholic options. He says there are pros and cons with everything, and as the expansion is
officially put into place, both will be uncovered.
“We have worked hard over the past three to four years to provide something very unique and progressive for the city,” he says. “Our shop brings in a lot of traffic from outside of Lafayette, even outside of Indiana, and drives more business locally. I hope Lafayette realizes the potential we have here and will help us expand the brand deeper into the community and beyond.”
As far as a timeline, Holtsclaw says approval is pending from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, but as soon as they receive the green light, the expansion is ready to be implemented.
For more information regarding hours and guidelines, visit lafayette.in.gov/3641/Designated-Outdoor-Refreshment-Area-DORA ★
Susan Laurie and Generation NA owner Rob Theodorow
New Cones on the Block New Cones on the Block
BY JANE M c LAUGHLIN
Greater Lafayette
is becoming the hot spot for small, privately owned ice cream eateries. These businesses use locally sourced ice cream and ingredients to offer what big business chains cannot – love in every cone. Let’s explore a few of the newest shops on the block.
Every’s Ice Cream
Making its debut on Main Street in December 2024, Every’s Ice Cream is creating a buzz downtown with unique flavors to delight folks of every age. Banana Pudding, Bourbon Trail, Fruity Pebbles, Wow Now Brownie Cow and of course, Vanilla are a few of the featured flavors. All are made with 16% butterfat from JB’s Barnyard, a small dairy farm in Evansville, which began making and selling handcrafted ice cream in 2023.
Anna and Tanner Schwartz wanted to start a small family business in Lafayette. Together with Tanner’s parents, they purchased a storefront near Two Tulips, Tanner’s parents’ store. The younger Schwartzes utilize their talents in graphic design and development to create a unique, clean and inviting space that welcomes residents and visitors of every age downtown.
Partnering with JB’s Barnyard to ensure a fresh, high-quality product was their first step toward success. Offering rotating selections keeps it fresh. There are 22 everyday flavors and six rotating seasonal flavors.
In honor of Lafayette’s Bicentennial, Every’s is featuring a special concoction of French Vanilla ice cream (symbolizing our French connection), chocolate flakes (representing Indiana farmland), gold sprinkles (for Purdue), and served
in a blue corn waffle cone (honoring Indiana agriculture). Another special offering is the affogato, its take on the Italian dessert made from gelato drowned in espresso. This treat is the perfect way to energize in the afternoon or complete a night on the town. Fresh espresso and drip coffee are available all day long. Lactose intolerant? Try dairyfree options made with coconut oil. Lactaid tablets are sold for those who are ice cream adventurers yet lactose intolerant. If you want to try several flavors, try a flight of three small dips served on a sectioned dish.
Another special aspect of Every’s Ice Cream is how it is embracing the downtown community. The shop is open during Mosey Down Main Street evenings, the East End Block Party and Summer on the Square. So far. Although there
is limited inside seating, ice cream is the perfect on-the-go treat for people and pups. This small business has quickly become a favorite downtown destination for ice cream lovers.
Every’s Ice Cream
840 Main St., Lafayette
Summer hours: Tuesday-Thursday, noon-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon10 p.m.; closed Monday
Pizza Uncommon
Speaking of gelato, if the Italian confection is what you’re craving, try the Uncommon Creamery’s ever-changing selection of mouth-watering delights. Pizza Uncommon already is renowned for its unusual and delicious pizza combinations. Adding sweet pairings of handcrafted gelato just made sense to Dave Long, a longtime resident of Greater Lafayette. The gelato is created in the flagship Westfield location, using cream and slow churning to make the rich, dense frozen favorite. The two West Lafayette locations feature five regular and two rotating gelato flavors to complement pizza or serve as a stand-alone treat. Indie Coffee Cold Brew gelato is a fan favorite, using local Indie Coffee Roasters’ cold brew to infuse the sweet, creamy base into the ultimate coffee experience. Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie gelato is sourced locally (from a West Lafayette Girl Scout) to make a chocolatey, minty, crunchy, creamy combination. Salty Vanilla, plopped on top of any warm summer fruit dessert, makes your taste buds cry just thinking about it. Long is always cranking out new flavors, depending on his fancy, to keep it interesting. Dairy-free options are made with 100% vegan
coconut milk. Dine in, dine out. Just come in and try a taste of summer.
Pizza Uncommon
103 W. State St., West Lafayette or 1522 Win Hentschel Blvd., West Lafayette. Summer hours: Monday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-9 p.m.
Miss Sugar Dessert
Fun and funky. The West Lafayette campus location is unlike any traditional ice cream experience. You’re not just coming in for ice cream; you’re coming to see a show. All 15 Thai-style ice cream flavors are custom-made while you watch. Examples include Strawberry Lady, featuring strawberries and syrup; Piña Colada, with pineapple and coconut flakes; and Cheesecake Wonderland, which combines strawberries and cheesecake.
Step one: Co-owners Heng Li or Huanpeng Liu chop fresh ingredients that go into the mixture with precision, skill and speed on a freezing-cold stainless steel work surface. Next, they squeeze a healthy dose of liquid vanilla or chocolate-flavored ice cream base onto the table and rapidly mix it with metal spatulas back and forth as it thickens and takes shape. They spread it out for its final freeze, then shave the ice cream into artistic rolls and place them in a cup.
Step two of the process is picking out toppings to adorn the creation. Customers can choose up to three toppings, ranging from fresh fruit and cookies to gummy bears and popping boba, from the list of 28 options. But that’s not it.
Step three is adding a drizzle on top: chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, condensed milk or strawberry syrup.
Each generous serving takes about five minutes to create. It is great entertainment and a delicious treat. Another unique ice cream alternative it offers is ice cream teas. The entrepreneurial owners make homemade ice cream drinks in-house featuring Matcha, Taro, Jasmine or Thai teas. These are only two of the beautiful and unique treats made by Miss Sugar Dessert. Come in for an unusual and tasty international experience.
Miss Sugar Dessert
107 N. Chauncey Ave., West Lafayette. Summer hours: Wednesday-Monday, 11 a.m.-.10 p.m.; closed Tuesdays
West Side Scoops
Libby and Brad Schwartz realized their dream of owning a small business by opening West Side Scoops two and a half years ago. It has really taken off by offering customers a diverse menu of flavor combinations, including hard-packed dairy, non-dairy, no-sugar-added/ reduced-fat ice cream, yogurt, sherbet and sorbet options. The shop features quality Hershey’s ice cream and novelties. Although not made locally, Hershey’s Ice Cream has been around since 1894 with a sterling reputation. The Schwartzes add a hometown touch by incorporating Triple XXX root beer in regular or blended floats, as well as delicious cookies from Two Guys Bakery in Brookston for Ice Cream Sammies. Flavors include Oatmazing Super Berry Acai, a dairy-free dream of blended blueberries, elderberries and oat crumbles that leaves lasting, happy memories. Turtle Sundae is a guilty pleasure featuring chocolate, roasted pecans and creamy vanilla ice cream, all with zero added sugars
and nonfat milk. With 64 delicious flavors to choose from, it isn’t easy to decide where to start scooping. Each flavor is thoughtfully crafted to ignite the taste buds and fulfill the Schwartzes’ mission of “providing a welcoming environment where our customers always leave full and feel like family.”
West Side Scoops is creating community excitement by taking ice cream on the road. You can arrange to have a traveling ice cream trailer appear at schools, weddings, parks, Purdue or special events. Back at the West Lafayette store, enjoy discounted daily specials and novelty items (like Sammies), or get healthy
by adding protein powder to your milkshake. Head to the spacious, clean shop in West Lafayette’s growing north end to enjoy an unforgettable taste sensation. ★
West Side Scoops
2060 Sagamore Parkway W., Suite J, West Lafayette. Summer hours: Monday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-10 p.m.
Libby and Brad Schwartz
Hats off to the oldies but goodies
Greater Lafayette is fortunate to be home to so many local, family-owned ice cream establishments that have been serving up sweetness for decades. We can’t help but recognize our older beloved ice cream shops: Original Frozen Custard (1932), Budge’s Drive-In (1942), Igloo Frozen Custard (1998), and Silver Dipper (2001). It’s great to know that the community loyally supports old favorites but also enthusiastically encourages the newest cones on the block.
OPPORTUNITIES
MORE THAN CHALLENGES
Coach Barry Odom ready to write Purdue football’s next chapter
Coming off arguably its worst season since launching college football in 1887, Purdue needed a coach with experience turning a losing program into a winner.
Enter Barry Odom, who comes to Greater Lafayette after leading the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to the winningest two-year stretch since the Runnin’ Rebels became an NCAA Division I program.
Last season’s 10-3 record was UNLV’s best season in 40 years. In Odom’s first season on the Las Vegas campus, the Runnin’ Rebels were 9-5.
The five seasons before Odom’s arrival, UNLV had a combined 20 victories.
Odom is no stranger to Ross-Ade Stadium, guiding Missouri to a dramatic 40-37 victory against Purdue in 2018.
“I thought it was one of the greatest atmospheres I’ve gotten to coach in,” Odom says. “If you do it the right way, we will turn Ross-Ade into one of the greatest environments there is in college football.”
Other than the fact last season’s 1-11 record opened the door for Odom to replace Ryan Walters, the 38th football coach in Purdue history isn’t looking back.
“Fortunately, we get to play the games,” Odom says. “We don’t have to live on history or tradition. Last year, I had nothing to do with. I also didn’t have anything to do with three years ago. All that we can look at is what have we done from the first day on the job together up to this point.
“If you prepare the right way, if you recruit the right way, if you coach the right way and a little luck falls in your favor, it doesn’t matter the logo of your opponent. Your opponent is yourself. We’re going to get into a numbing state of what preparation looks like. If we do it the right way, when we run out of Tiller Tunnel it won’t matter who is on the sideline. We’ll be ready to go play our best ball.”
Odom’s blueprint for success at UNLV included mining the transfer portal for talent. In his first season, 55 transfers joined the Runnin’ Rebels. Another 50 arrived in 2024.
Much of Purdue’s roster had departed for the transfer portal, including All-American safety Dillon Thieneman to Oregon, tight end Max Klare to Ohio State and defensive end Will Heldt to Clemson.
“I knew that it would be a complete, at some positions, roster change and overhaul,” Odom says. “I knew what we needed to do to put together a team for 2025. We were very deliberate about that. Our coaching staff did a nice job of identifying players they thought could come here and help us win, that fit what we were looking for.”
As of early June, Purdue has welcomed 55 transfers. It is possible the Boilermaker offensive and defensive starting lineups will each have eight or nine newcomers.
“There’s good and bad with everything,” Odom says. “I choose to look at the good side of things. There’s the positive side of having an opportunity to recruit young men to Purdue. We’re a high school recruiting team as well as very aggressive in the transfer portal market. I think there’s opportunities that you can provide some depth and experience on your team through that way of recruiting.
“Building a foundation with strong high school recruiting is also important. We’ve had a blend of both of those that I think will help our 2025 team.”
There are a few familiar names who chose to stay at Purdue. One of them, senior running back Devin Mockobee, has a good chance of becoming just the fourth player in Purdue history to rush for 3,000 career yards.
“I’m excited about having the chance to coach him,” Odom says. “Academically, socially and athletically – he checks the boxes. He’s all in. He gives great effort. Guys look to him as a leader, and we expect him to have a tremendous senior year.
“We can win with guys like Mockobee. We can win with guys like Ethan Trent [the brother of the late Purdue super fan Tyler Trent was given a scholarship this spring by Odom]. We can win with (Joey) Tanonas, because they care. Their work ethic is off the charts. They set the example in a lot of ways when there wasn’t an example.”
Born to be a coach
Odom was born Nov. 26, 1976, in Lawton, Oklahoma, and raised in Maysville –deep in the heart of Oklahoma Sooner football country.
“During that time the Oklahoma Sooners were in the heyday of (Barry) Switzer winning national championships or competing for one every year. Where I grew up was about an hour away from their campus. I was able to see them firsthand at a very early age.”
Like his Purdue counterpart, men’s basketball coach Matt Painter, Odom decided early in life he wanted to be a coach.
“I was lucky,” Odom says. “Starting in Pee Wee baseball all the way up through my senior year in high school in baseball, basketball, track and football, I had very influential coaches. I was fortunate to be in communities that supported extra-curricular activities. It was something I enjoyed, seeing how my coaches put teams together, the things it took to have a chance to be successful. It’s something I’ve always wanted to be a part of.”
Odom earned a scholarship to Missouri, where he was a four-year letter winner at linebacker from 1996-99. When Odom graduated, he was ranked among Missouri’s all-time top 10 tacklers with 362.
Odom was high on Purdue Athletic Director Mike Bobinski’s list of candidates to replace Walters, who was dismissed a day after the worst loss in school history, 66-0 at Indiana.
“When it was known that Purdue had made a change, there was contact with officials from Purdue and my representatives to see if there was mutual interest. There was,” Odom says. “We interviewed a couple of different occasions, had good phone conversations and it led to them offering the job.”
Besides the significant pay raise, a reported six-year contract worth at least $39 million, Odom had other reasons for wanting the Purdue job.
BOILERMAKERS TO WATCH
►Devin Mockobee - Senior running back goes into season with 2,462 yards and 19 TDs.
►Ryan Browne - Quarterback threw for 297 yards and rushed for 118 in first career start at Illinois in 2024.
►George Burhenn - 2022 Indiana Mr. Football Tight End, missed most of 2024 with injury.
►Joey Tanona - Former four-star offensive tackle missed two years of football at Notre Dame after auto accident, came back to play 10 games in 2024 at Purdue.
►CJ Madden - The 6-4, 270-pound defensive end is one of the few returning players on defense.
►Jammarion Harkless - The 6-3, 340-pound defensive tackle showed promise as a freshman.
►Tony Grimes - Cornerback followed Odom from UNLV.
►Jalen St. John - Massive (6-5, 325) offensive lineman was second-team All-Mountain West at UNLV.
►Nitro Tuggle - Indiana native comes home after one season at Georgia. It’s hoped he becomes the No. 1 wide receiver on the team.
►Braydn Joiner - The 6-2, 328-pound guard made SEC All-Freshman Team a year ago at Auburn.
“The thing that I looked at here was No. 1, leadership from Mike Bobinski and (Purdue University President) Mung Chiang,” Odom says. “The alignment, the vision, the support, the fan base, the passion, the energy, the conference, geographic location. All of those things went into it. Every job or new beginning there’s going to be challenges. I would choose to look at it more as opportunities than challenges.”
In addition to a handful of assistant coaches, Odom also brought along seven players from UNLV, a handful of recruits who had been committed to the Runnin’ Rebels and a philosophy called “The Winning Edge.”
While serving as a graduate assistant at Missouri, Odom met the coach who would introduce him to the Winning Edge concept.
“Most of the things structurally in our program are a direct correlation of working for Gary Pinkel for the number of years that I did,” Odom says. “That’s something he ran when he was the head coach at Missouri. I know he did it at Toledo before then and at Washington when he was offensive coordinator and Don James was head coach.
“There’s been some adjustments over the years to what that looks like, but the belief and the foundation of what that program looks like from the attention to detail, the focus, the mental capacity that it takes and the physical strain to emulate a football play. It takes organization and it takes ability as a coaching staff to be able to make sure every drill is done effectively, efficiently and the right way to benefit your team. We are going to be great teachers to show the team what it needs to look like and the reasons why. It will be a foundation piece of our program forever.”
Odom makes his Purdue coaching debut Aug. 30 when Ball State comes to Ross-Ade Stadium. While fans acquaint themselves with the new names wearing gold and black, they should also expect a 180-degree difference in attitude and effort from a year ago.
“They’re going to see a team that is prepared, that is excited to play with energy and enthusiasm, a disciplined football team that plays extremely hard and creates an exciting atmosphere to watch winning football,” Odom says. “It’s our job to play winning football, and I know at the end of the year I will be judged on 12 opportunities, turning that into 13 and plus from there.
“I think we’re going to have an exciting roster. There will be a group of people who will have no idea when we take the field on Aug. 30 who one or two or maybe 15 specific guys are, but they are going to appreciate the brand of football they play. They’re going to become a household name. It’s a blank sheet of paper and we get to write our script.” ★
2025 SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 vs. Ball State, noon (BTN)
Sept. 6 vs. Southern Illinois, 7:30 p.m. (BTN)
Sept. 13 vs. USC, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Sept. 20 at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. (NBC)
Oct. 4 vs. Illinois
Oct. 11 at Minnesota, 7 or 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Northwestern
Oct. 25 vs. Rutgers, noon
Nov. 1 at Michigan
Nov. 8 vs. Ohio State
Nov. 15 at Washington
Nov. 28 vs. Indiana, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
(Note: times and TV for remaining games to be determined)
The comforting , heal
i n g p
Threshold Choir and Blue Moon Rising celebrate milestone anniversaries
In her final days of life, a woman rests in bed surrounded by loved ones. A trio of harmonic voices softly sing, filling the air with warmth and tenderness akin to a lullaby. The meditative repetition of lyrics exudes comfort and peace to all who listen.
You are not alone.
We are here beside you.
You are not alone.
We are here now.
Founded in California in 2000, Threshold Choir celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Through nearly 200 chapters worldwide, volunteers sing songs of comfort to people facing death, illness, grief or suffering. The local group, Greater Lafayette Threshold Singers, was initially formed in 2018 and formally launched as a Threshold Choir chapter the following year.
“It’s a special privilege to sing at the bedside of someone who is dying,” says Bridget Baker, director of the Greater Lafayette Threshold Singers. “Not only are we soothing the individual, but we are also supporting the family by helping them come to terms with the emotions they are feeling. Often, family members feel like they must be stoic in front of a loved one who is dying and they don’t really process their emotions. Once we start singing, we see family members begin to cry, to grasp their loved one’s hand or even climb into the bed and hold them. Those moments are so special because we witness their profound love for one another and we offer compassion for their grief.”
Baker, who also serves as co-chair of the board for the international organization, is helping to organize a regional gathering in Lafayette in August. This event will be one of 25 regional gatherings in honor of the 25th anniversary of Threshold Choir.
Greater Lafayette Threshold Singers welcomes new members. Formal voice training is not required, but choir members should meet some vocal guidelines outlined on the organization’s website, thresholdchoir.org:
• Be able to carry a tune
• Be able to hold your own part while others sing harmony
• Be able to sing softly and blend your voice with others
• Be able to communicate kindness with your voice
• Be willing to use self-monitoring and accept peer feedback as we work together to bring the sweetest, most blended and graceful sound to our precious clients.
The local chapter of about a dozen singers meets weekly to rehearse in the chapel at Westminster Village in West Lafayette. Many of the clients the group has sung to are residents of Westminster, however Threshold Singers welcomes requests from individuals and families throughout Greater Lafayette. They’ve sung in hospitals, in homes and even at memorial services. Typically three singers come together to allow for harmonization, and they always sing a cappella. The repertoire of songs has been developed specifically for Threshold Choir chapters over the years.
“We describe the songs as adult lullabies,” Baker says. “Many have a spiritual component that can be interpreted through any religious lens, but they’re all written with calming rhythms and comforting words.”
During rehearsals, members take turns in the center of the circle, being sung to as if they were a client. The soft voices begin singing the melody in unison, then separate into harmonies as the lyrics layer over themselves, unlocking emotions within. Jack Albregts, a founding member of Greater Lafayette Threshold Singers, says choir members receive as much from singing as they give to others through their songs.
“It’s very fulfilling to sing at someone’s bedside,” Albregts says. “To be welcomed into that precious space — it’s a pleasure. It’s very per-
sonal to us. They say hearing is the last of the senses to go. We want to give them comfort, and in doing so, it brings us so much joy.”
Learn More
To request Greater Lafayette Threshold Singers or learn more about joining the organization, contact director Bridget Baker at lafayette@thresholdchoir.org or 765-357-5217.
Blue Moon Rising
Ever been told that you can’t sing? Or carry a tune in a bucket? Denise Wilson begs to differ. The founder of Blue Moon Rising has spent the past decade building a supportive and welcoming community to sing for the pure enjoyment of singing — no previous experience required.
A lifelong musician, Wilson played in the Tippecanoe Fife and Drum Corps as a teen. Performing music — mostly Celtic, French-Canadian and folk music — with Bon Jolais in the ’80s and ’90s and Traveler’s Dream for the past 25 years gave her confidence in her own voice.
“Over decades of performing, I had many conversations with audience members who told me they’d always wanted to sing but they’d been told by someone — often parents or teachers — that they have a bad voice,” Wilson says. “Coming from someone you respect, that’s a message people can carry for a lifetime.”
Searching for a way to help others feel comfortable and confident with their singing, she attended a two-week Community Choir Leadership Training that’s held in Victoria, British Columbia, annually. There, she learned how to create and lead a welcoming choir, one open to anyone who wants to participate. She founded Blue Moon Rising in 2015 and the choir is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
In April, 80 audience members packed into The Arts Federation for a relaxing and funfilled evening of community singing for Blue Moon Rising’s Spring Sing event. Throughout the evening, the audience was invited to join in singing familiar or easy-to-learn songs. Wilson primarily teaches using a call and response method, which makes it easier for singers who
don’t read music to learn their parts. In Blue Moon Rising, the process of singing together is more important than perfecting music for a performance.
“For thousands of years, people came together to sing to express joy, celebration and grief; to accompany work tasks; and to enjoy the way music lifts the spirit as it was woven into daily life,” Wilson says. “Singing was for everyone, not just those with a good voice. The emphasis is on community.”
In selecting songs for Blue Moon Rising, Wilson draws from many oral traditions, such as South African freedom songs, African American spirituals, sea shanties and well-known folk songs. She also leans in to her love for traditional music from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Many of the songs fall into categories of songs for peace and hope or songs of resilience and justice. All foster a spirit of belonging and community. One group favorite is “Hold Everybody Up” by Melanie DeMore, a songwriter and vocal activist whom Wilson brought to town in November 2024 to lead a community concert and offer singing workshops for the public.
Just because you look like you and I look like me
It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends
You’re not my enemy
We gotta hold everybody
We gotta hold everybody up
“There is so much more to a community choir than singing,” Wilson says. “Shy singers move past their fears. Friendships blossom as members connect before and after our practices. I am filled with awe when we sing a song of peace or unity and at the end, there is just a holy silence. Each of us feels such a deep gratitude from contributing to that beauty.”
Over the years, Blue Moon Rising has participated in numerous community events, including the LUM Community Thanksgiving Feast, Earth Day celebrations at the Celery Bog, community MLK Jr. Day celebrations and gatherings at the courthouse. The group performs at area senior living centers including Westminster Village, Friendship House and Joyful Journey. Wilson also periodically holds
informal one-time sings at pubs and parks so individuals who are unable to commit to a full session in the choir can still share in the benefits of community singing.
“I’ve watched the healing power of song to build community, to lift people who are struggling, to build hope and resilience in hard times,” Wilson says. “Singing with others is good medicine for just about whatever ails you.” ★
Join Blue Moon Rising
Blue Moon Rising is a community choir open to anyone who wants to sing. There are no auditions and all voices are welcome. Fifteen-week sessions are held in fall and spring with a membership fee of $165 per session. Scholarships are available and no one is turned away due to inability to pay. The next session begins August 19. Visit denisewilsonmusic. net/blue-moon-rising.
Members of Blue Moon Rising engage in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
Singing for residents of local retirement homes is a meaningful way for Blue Moon Rising to share their love of singing with others.
BY GREG LINDBERG PHOTOS
PETKOV
Pinball and beyond:
More than nostalgia
Enthusiasts have plenty of options in Lafayette
The opening of Main Street Amusements in downtown Lafayette’s Arts & Market district in January 2012 brought a flurry of pinball machines in a single space, helping to ignite a passion and buyin for many locals to indulge. Dan St. John opened the space with his own passion for repairing these complex machines, which also helped to bring in a variety of older, rare machines mixed with brand new pop-culture themed games.
Lindsey Sickler of Lafayette had limited experience with pinball and arcades until 2022, when she ventured with her bowling league friends into the fun, hangout atmosphere of Market Square Lanes and North End Pub, which features more than 20 pinball machines. This led her group to continue to go to Market Square Lanes, but for pinball instead of bowling.
“Right away, I discovered how welcoming the pinball community at North End Pub is. Everyone was happy to help new players, whether it was tips on flipper skills or strategies for scoring more points,” Sickler says. “I learned about an international group called Belles and Chimes, which was created to encourage more women to get involved in pinball. At the time, there were chapters in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, and I thought it would be great to bring something like that to Lafayette.”
In May 2023, Sickler did just that with the launch of the Lafayette Belles and Chimes chapter and has held monthly events since. Sickler emphasizes, “Our events are super laid-back and welcoming, especially for women who are brand new to pinball. We play together for about two hours, and it’s a great way to learn the game in a fun, supportive environment.”
Another local staple in the pinball community is Tommy Skinner, who became heavily invested in pinball after Main Street Amusements opened. Skinner says, “My uncle had an old EM (Electro-Mechanical) pinball machine in his house, and I grew up relatively poor at times, and I remember my parents not having 50 cents to give me to play an ‘Addams Family’ pinball machine at a local pizza place. It wasn’t a big deal but obviously something that stuck with me.”
Now Skinner competes and helps host regular tournaments and competitions at North End Pub. “Lafayette is very spoiled by our pinball scene, and you can’t really lose going to either North End Pub or Main Street Amusements,” Skinner says.
“I’m the operator at North End Pub, and I have a silent partner who helps me obtain games for the location, and really our community helps keep it going. Michael (Alexander), Brett (Heininger), and Dan St. John, who is the owner of Main Street Amusements, have all helped me work on the games at North End Pub to keep the spot up and running.” Skinner, Alexander and Heininger are members of the Lafayette Pinball League.
Discussing his favorite games, Skinner was quick to remind that the pinball community frowns upon calling these machines “cabinets” or “tables,” primarily due to their complexity. Conflicted on his favorite, he decides, “My favorite game is probably ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon.’ It is the first game that I really learned everything about and mastered the rules, but it is DMD era, essentially the ‘90s to 2019-ish in design.” (Dot Matrix Display — DMD — is a screen that can show characters, symbols or simple graphics on a pinball machine.)
But pinball isn’t all that Greater Lafayette has to offer. Jason and Barbara Whiteknight are co-owners of Game On Arcade & Bar. It opened last year in downtown Lafayette and features freeplay of more than 50 vintage arcade games for a flat fee of $20. The arcade also includes a party room for birthdays, concession-style food and a full bar.
Detailing the journey, Jason Whitenight says, “Our first venture was The Spinning Axe also located in downtown Lafayette. We believe in providing wholesome family fun where adults and kids alike can play and enjoy time together.” Whiteknight continues, “Additionally, we wanted to bring back the nostalgia of a retro arcade with some modern titles to the next generation.”
When asked his favorite games to play at Game On, Whiteknight says, “My favorite to play is ‘PowerPutt’ because I love mini golf. Barbara’s favorite is ‘BurgerTime’ and Skee Ball. The best game I’ve ever played is ‘Gauntlet 2.’ ” Their adoration for classic arcade games shows with their enthusiasm to bring families and friends a space to relax and enjoy the surrounding lights, sounds, joysticks and buttons.
Looking toward the future for Game On, Whiteknight adds, “We are currently working on a ‘Mario Kart 8’ tournament for this summer as well as monthly ‘Killer Queen’ tournaments. We will be adding cosplay and costuming events throughout the year with different themes, discounts and drink specials.”
All of these local arcade game enthusiasts make one thing clear: that gaming environments bring families and friends closer together. Sickler adds, “Pinball is also a great way to bridge generational gaps. In a world where video games and online gaming tend to dominate, pinball offers a nostalgic, hands-on experience that people of all ages can enjoy.”
Reminiscent of his pinball journey, Skinner adds, “Main Street Amusements has some amazing machines, especially ‘Big Bang Bar’ that make it an amazing location. Main Street Amusements offers weekend pinball and North End Pub offers pinball 7 days a week with weekly events on Thursday nights.”
Skinner continues to be excited and passionate about the pinball community but also with working with charities to create excellent fundraising events. “Every December we host a charity event that raises money for Sleep in Heavenly Peace. If you are only coming to one event for the year that is the one to be at. We put all the machines on free play for the day, and it’s just a donation to play. A lot of kids in our community have received a bed to sleep in thanks to the efforts of our community!”
Skinner knows his passion for pinball wouldn’t be possible if not for St. John’s efforts to bring such a vibrant establishment to the city. “If it wasn’t for Dan opening Main Street Amusements all those years ago, I never would have gotten into pinball, and North End Pub wouldn’t exist.”
St. John says, “To say that I’m surprised by the growth in pinball’s popularity over the past decade or so would be an understatement. When I was toying with the idea of opening Main Street Amusements my expectation was that it would be a flop, and that I would just end up with my own personal pinball place/man cave. And, actually, I would have been okay with that. To think that we’re still here 13-plus years later is pretty amazing. That’s the second longest I’ve ever held a job.” ★
Pinball facts (courtesy of Lindsey Sickler):
» Fort Wayne is home to Wizard World, which has a collection of more than 140 pinball machines ranging from classics to modern, and is an awesome place to check out if you are a pinball enthusiast.
» Chicago is considered the pinball capital of the world and many of the leading manu facturers are headquartered there.
» Pinball was outlawed in major American cities between the 1940s-1970s, as it was viewed as a form of gambling. In the 1970s, a pinball enthusiast demonstrated in court that pinball is not just luck, and rather requires a lot of skill, and was able to overturn the ban. (There’s a cool movie about this called “Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game,” available on Hulu and Disney+)
Additional information:
Main Street Amusements, 642 Main St., Lafayette. Hours: Weekends only, Friday 7 .-11 p.m., Saturday 5 -11 p.m., and Sunday 7 -11 p.m., mainstreetamusements. wordpress.com
North End Pub, 2100 Elmwood Ave., Lafayette. Hours: Weekdays 5 p.m.midnight; Saturday and Sundays noon to midnight.
Game On Arcade & Bar, 209 N. Fifth St., Lafayette. Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 3 p.m.-midnight, Friday 3 p.m.1 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-1 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Belles and Chimes meets on the second Sunday of each month at North End Pub (21+). Check them out on Facebook at Belles and Chimes Lafayette, IN or on Instagram @Belles.and.Chimes.Lafayette.IN
