Danville

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It’s harvest time in Hendricks County. Give the farmers room when needed and if you have to go around them, make sure you have room! That 2 minutes you think you might save is not worth someone’s life, including your own! Be Safe!

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Seize the Night Designs will be closed for Covered Bridge from October 7-18th. Come check out all the festival exclusive boutique items! Make sure to bring cash and directions (most credit card machines don’t work out there - no cell service!) I’m set up on the lawn of the 1878 House in Bridgeton (across from the food court near the mill) every day from 9-5!

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Smokey Fireside Creations is bringing back their Fall online art classes! Interested in watercolors, mixed media, acrylics, or art journaling? Sign up for classes today! All classes will be hosted via Zoom. More information can be found on our website at: http://www.smokeyfiresidecreations.com

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The She Shed - NEW HOURS: Now open Wednesday - Saturday. Come see all the great new fall arrivals!

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Speakeasy Books and More Now open Wednesday - Saturday.

NEW HALLOWEEN BOOK SECTION!

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Ruff House Adventures will soon be offering full grooming services, along with boarding and board and train packages to expand our training options. Call us at 317-850- 0835 or make a reservation on our app: https://ruffhouseadventures.gingrapp. com/customer

Please check out our partnership with Pet Wants food. The food is fresh, nutritious and delicious, and we provide free delivery. Www.petwants.com/indywest

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Forget-Me-Nots

Shop Local, Shop Small, Shop American Made and Handcrafted. I know, Shop Us! Original handcrafted and locally made just for you.

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Gallery On The Square Did you know that we have great gifts and home decor at great prices by our local artists? You can even get your greeting cards from us!

New Corner Taking Shape

Then new building at the northwest corner of Main and Jefferson is quickly taking shape. It will house Fast Track Phylical Therapy, with additional retail and rental space available.

Danville’s “Doc” Will Be Long Remembered

Dr. Paul Leondis treated Daisy as Karen Hardman held the cautious beagle.

Most small towns have a “Doc” - someone who’s tended to several generations of townsfolk. Danville’s “Doc” was such a character, but he tended to the four-legged community.

A student at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Leondis came to Danville in 1955 as a intern for Doctors Keller and Sudoff, whose practice included offices in Danville and Stilesville. He made $50 a week. Leondis and his wife, Mary, rented an apartment for $90 a month. At the end of the summer, he had saved $250.

The following year, Dr. Sudhoff left and Dr. Keller decided to take the Stilesville office, leaving the Danville practice to Dr. Leondis. Knowing he would need more money to establish his own office, he went to a local bank to ask for a loan.

“I sat at a big table with seven bankers,” he recalled. “They turned down the loan.”

Walking back to his office, he met Dr. Keller, who suggested he go talk to Fred Shelton at the State Bank. “I walked in the door, and Fred walked over and said, ‘Hi, Paul. What can I do for you?’ I told him I needed $750 to start my business,” Dr. Leondis remembered. He said Shelton arranged the loan while they stood in the doorway.

Leondis never forgot that day. It marked the beginning of his relationship with the people of Danville. “It was a beautiful, lovely little town,” he declared, “the people were so friendly, wonderful people to come and live among.”

The Leondis family moved from the house on S. Jefferson St., then to a large home at the corner of Washington and Columbia in 1964. They raised a family of seven children, one boy and six girls. With seven children, the Leondis home had its share.

“Mrs. Keller called us to come out to her house and get a kitten,” he said. “That kitten ended up have eight kittens. I told the kids they would have to give the kittens new homes. When I got home that evening, the children were crying, ‘Daddy wants to give kitty’s children away!’ We kept all the kittens.”

Dr. Leondis quit his large animal practice about 1977. “I used to enjoy going to the farms,” he said. “The families were so friendly, they’d offer you coffee and pie.”

The little concrete block clinic on North Washington street was enlarged soon after he started his own practice. “We expanded the front,” he explained, “and added the kennels.”

A parade of animals visited the building over the years. Leondis recalled a man who brought in an injured fawn.

“One time Ezra Eads brought one of his ponies clip-clopping in to have its eye worked on,” he remembered.

Most days Doc Leondis could be seen walking the few blocks from his home to the office. “I’m like an old mule,” he once said. “If they put up a wall, I’d probably just stand there waiting for it to go away.”

Doc retired in 2013. His last day at the office was March 30. Within a few minutes of his arrival, patients and owners sat in the small waiting room their turn. They came for shots, to pick up medicine, and some came to say “Thanks, Doc!” one more time.

Studies report the average length of a veterinarian’s career is 24 years. Doc Leondis doubled that.

“It’s good to work,” Leondis said in an inteview for The Republican in 2006. “This is a wonderful place to raise a family. That’s all anybody really does..”

Paul Leondis, D.V.M., passed away September 17, 2021, at the age of 93, a respected member of the community that had been so good to him.

Tri Kappa Poinsettia Sale

Brighten the coming holidays with poinsettias from the Alpha Associate Chapter of Danville Tri Kappa. Sales are underway with this year’s ordering deadline Friday, Oct. 22. All poinsettia sales are in advance and support local philanthropy.

Poinsettias are available in two sizes and in an array of colors: 6.5-inch pots (with 7 or more blooms) are available in red, white, pink, marble, ice crystals (new color), and shimmer surprise; and 8-inch pots (with 15 or more blooms) are available in red, white, pink, marble and shimmer surprise. Prices are $9 for 6.5-inch pots and $16 for 8-inch pots.

These extra nice poinsettias, grown by Heartland Growers, can be ordered from any Alpha Associate Chapter member. Or call Brenda Koch at 317-679-6772 or Jaci Gibbs at 317-341-4413. Order deadline is October 22.

Poinsettias will be available for pickup on Tuesday, Nov. 23, at the Phi Delta Kappa house (802 Phi Delta Kappa Dr., Danville) – just in time for a Thanksgiving thankyou gift or holiday decorations for churches, businesses or your own home.

The Alpha Associate Chapter of Danville Tri Kappa greatly appreciates the community’s support for its annual fundraising project.

Letters To The Editor

[The following letter was sent to the Danville Plan Commission by Gregory W. Black, on behalf of two property owners in the project area, in regard to approval of the petition of DR Horton for approval of Miles Farm, Residential Subdivision at property commonly known as Northwest corner of the intersection of US 36 and Mackey Road. ]

Approval should be postponed a decade or more to permit the bypass study & bypass construction to be completed. Otherwise Danville traffic will ensnare us into economic oblivion & physical danger. (Please note the plan says a Bypass Corridor Feasibility Study is a state prerequisite to any bypass built by The Indiana Department of Transportation.)

Our approximate 2015 comprehensive plan urges that the study precede further subdivision approval. In recommending a study as to whether to build a bypass, for all its dithering the plan urges the study be done posthaste. To my knowledge the study has yet to begin.

A chief purpose of the study is to detect whether the burgeoning traffic on 36 is intended predominately to terminate beyond or within Danville. If within, the study speculates, congestion may be alleviated by building “connector” roads using local roads other than U.S. 36 to provide escape routes for the offending local traffic. If without, a bypass is suggested though the study equivocates even on that point. (The study says a bypass may go too far south, letting passers by view the landfill so often they get a negative view of us. If north the bypass will be so far away drivers may simply avoid it, figuring a slow ride on 36 is better than a long ride up north.)

A) Either way something must be done. When nothing changes nothing changes. The plan says a bypass study will require 5-8 years to fund & plan before beginning. So we are at least seven years away from knowing more than we know now. All the while seeing more traffic & reading about Council permitting more subdivisions swelling our population.

B) Respectfully, a bypass obviously is essential. All you must do to grasp the traffic besieging us primarily is transient- entering from out of town to leave town on the other side - is stand alongside 36 west of Clear Creek in the morning & watch cars come from the west.

C) “Connector roads” won’t work but let us assume those will. Then, please build those before permitting Miles Farms so we are not inundated with traffic! Common sense.

Please deny the petition. Sincerely,

Gregory W. Black

Genealogy Nuts To Meet

The next Genealogy Nuts meeting is Monday, October 11, at 1 p.m. Our guest speaker is Vicki Casteel, Director of Patron and Outreach at the Indiana State Archives and Record Administration.

Casteel will give us an overview of the Indiana State Archives collections. Learn about collections genealogists love, as well as collections one might not think of as family history treasures. The discussion will include the newly updated Digital Index, and how to access records, particularly during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Vicki Casteel has been an archivist with the Indiana State Archives since 1997. She holds a Masters in Archives and Records Administration from San Jose State University School of Information. Casteel is the Director of Patron and Outreach Services and manages the many database projects that become part of the Indiana Digital Index (formerly known as the Digital Archives.) Areas of research interests include the Dillinger Gang, Camp Morton Civil War Prison, Eugenics, and Native American Land and Court Records. She is also a genealogist and DNA enthusiast.

Currently, the Genealogy Nuts are holding hybrid meetings – both in person and virtual. If you wish to join us in person, registration is required as the program is limited to 12. Sign up on the DPL website at www.dplindiana.org. Go to the DPL events calendar link and click on Genealogy Nuts - In Person. Currently, we are allowing 30 people to join us in person.

Those wishing to attend via Zoom, please visit the DPL events calendar and click on Genealogy Nuts – Zoom. The link to Zoom invitation is on the events calendar.

The Indiana Room sends out programming news and other genealogy and history information through their email list If you would like to be added to our email list, please contact Cindy at crutledge@dplindiana.org or call the Indiana Room at 317.745.2604.

Sectional Loss, But Successful Season for DCHS Girls’ Golf

By Olivia O’neal

The Danville Girls Varsity Golf Team had an unfortunate loss at their sectionals tournament on September 17. Despite not securing a victory, Keira Rogers described the atmosphere as “a great experience.”

Going up against Brownsburg, Monrovia, Tri-West, Plainfield, Zionsville, Decatur Central, Avon, Cascade, and Mooresville was difficult, but their improvements and strong team relationship made the season unforgettable.

Playing varsity the entire season, practicing her swing, and achieving her new personal best for 18 holes at sectionals were some of Keira’s achievements.

She explained it was her coach and dad who “made everything worth it” and pushed her through a “mentally draining game.”

Getting rained on at a scramble is one of her best memories. “It was funny to have to run across the whole golf course while it rained and thundered on us,” she recalled. For Hayala Oliver, golf was a new game, which meant a season of learning and growth. She attributes hard work, a great team, and an “amazing and caring coach” helping her reach second on the team.

“The team this year was incredibly supportive. Our coach, Kelly DiBenedetto, put so much effort into helping us improve.” When it came to getting along with the team, it “wasn’t a big struggle” in Hayala’s opinion.

Even the rides to and from matches made special memories. “On our way back... we would all sing ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ and stop by the Dairy Bar or go somewhere else to eat.”

Hayala and Keira both agree that going against tough teams like Western Boone and Lebanon contributed to learning and growing in their game and regardless of losing sectionals, the challenging season was still a success.

In Keira Rogers’ mind, “Even though we may not have won as many matches as we had hoped to, the wins that we did have were great.”

Danville Football Visits Frankfort

Danville on offense vs. Frankfort.

The Danville Warriors traveled north last Friday, riding their four-game winning streak into Frankfort to take on the 2-3 Hot Dogs. This would be the last warm up before taking on a very tough Western Boone team on October 8.

Quarterback Kale Payne wasted no time getting the visiting Warriors on the board and setting the stage for what would come for the rest of the game, when he connected with BJ Wuest for 29 yards and the touchdown. Danville led 7-0 after Caleb Harvey added the extra point.

The Warrior defense would make an early statement when Senior Cayden Manning, who transferred from Avon a year ago, intercepted the Hot Dog quarterback pass. Payne would have a relatively short field to start Danville’s second possession and eventually tossed a 9-yard pass to Tyler Dostin in the end zone. Before all the fans were settled, the Warriors found themselves up by two scores early, 14-0.

After another defensive stop by Danville, the rushing game would get on the board when Andrew Poppa ran it in, giving the Warriors a 21-0 first quarter lead.

Danville dominated this game early both offensively and defensively. Frankfurt would eventually get on the board scoring two touchdowns and converting two-point conversions on each to make the final score respectable. The Warriors won this game going away, 41-16.

Payne finished 22-34 with 250 yards and 3 touchdowns. Matthew McGovern had a great rushing night carrying the ball 19 times for 187 yards and a touchdown.

Next up for the Warriors is a home game against Western Boone on October 8 at 7pm.

VOLLEYBALL Hendricks County Tourney

The seventh grade Warrior volleyball team defeated Cascade in the first round of the Hendricks County Tourney 25-14 and 25-14. The seventh grade lost in the semi finals of the Hendricks County Tourney 23-25 and 15-25.

The eighth grade Warrior volleyball team defeated Cascade in the first round of the Hendricks County Tourney 25-13 and 25-15. The eighth grade Warrior volleyball team suffered its first defeat in two years in the semi-final round of the Hendricks County Tourney to Avon South 24- 25 after trailing 14-24 and 23-25.

DCMS vs. Southmont

The seventh grade Lady Warrior volleyball team closed out the season with a win over Southmont 25-6 and 25-15.

The eighth grade Lady Warrior volleyball team defeated Southmont 25-13 and 25-6 to close out a remarkable feat of only one loss during their two years.

DCMS Girls Take Honors At Sagamore Tourament

Congratulations to the eighth grade Lady Warrior volleyball team (pictured above) for winning the Sagamore Conference Tournament. This group of girls only lost one match the last two years.

The Danville Community Middle School Lady Warriors cross country team (at right) took home the title of Sagamore Conference Champions.

The Sagamore Conference is an eight-member IHSAA sanctioned athletic conference comprising 2A, 3A and 4A sized schools in Clinton, Boone, Hendricks, and Montgomery Counties.

Boots & Bling – Homecoming 2021

By David Winters

What makes a community great is not the buildings or homes. Community is not defined by the parks or even schools within it. What makes a community great is when its people come together for a common cause and stop at nothing to accomplish a goal.

This was certainly on display over the past several weeks when Danville parents, business leaders and community leaders stepped up to fill the homecoming gap that was created when administrators at Danville Community High School cancelled the 2021 Homecoming Dance. The hard work culminated last Saturday when the Boots & Bling dance was held at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and by all accounts, it was a huge success.

When the decision was made in early September to cancel the traditional homecoming dance, several parents began devising a plan to avoid yet another cancelled event for our high school students. Led by Leann Smith, this group of parents began calling local venues and put out a call for support, financial and otherwise, so that they could make this idea a reality. The call to the community was emphatically answered. Not only was the space at the fairgrounds donated, the group was able to raise more than $2,400 in cash donations to help offset the cost of the evening. One parent contacted Smith inquiring about the price of the DJ and promptly took care of the cost. Security, photography service, snacks and deserts were all provided at little-to-no cost to the students and organizers.

Walking into the facility, you could feel the excitement in the room, which was perfectly decorated for the occasion. Just minutes after the start of the dance, the floor was packed with students who were already dancing, laughing and clearly having a good time. More than 400 students would attend, another testament to the success of the organizer’s efforts to get the word out and garner interest in the alternative to the coveted high school event.

One of the core parents who helped in this effort was Angie Payne and she understood the significance of everyone coming together. “I’m so thankful to be a part of the moms and dads that put this together for our kids when hearing their homecoming was going to be cancelled,” said Payne in a Sunday morning Facebook post.

Jacks Pizza donated pizza to the volunteers and provided 300 individual sized bags of chips for the students. The Danville Kiwanis Club provided their slushy machine, including all of required ingredients. One mother was tasked with making sure desserts were provided and was able to arrange for more than 400 deserts for the event.

Smith was in awe of how quickly and efficiently the community came together to make this night happen. “I have never been more-proud to be a resident of Danville, Indiana as I was (Saturday) night.”

We truly do live in place where we can spend a day, or a lifetime.

Return of the Scarecrows

A sure sign of autum was seen last Saturday when the Downtown Danville Partnership’s Scarecrow Contest brought out the creativitiy (and cornstalks) for a monthlong display of the scary, the funny, and the artitistic talents of local residents and businesses.

Judging will take place during Scares on the Square, Friday, October 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. The event includes a costume parade, Danville Community Foundation Fun Run and 5K, and a golf cart parade.. Live entertainment by Black Jack Davey & the Rhythm Kings from 7- 9 p.m. + beer garden by Central Normal Tap

Food trucks, scary short films at the Royal, spooky stories at the Library on the half-hour, and lots more activities for kids!

For more information, visit discoverdowntowndanville.org.