Small Town Living in Gibson County

S m a l l T o w n L i v i n g Small Town Living

in Gibson County

It’s that time of year again, when there is more to do than time in the day, especially since our days are now so short. But since it’s the holidays, it’s time for some fun food recipes in the Cooking Corner and our sponsors have all kinds of good ideas for gifts and tricks to make the holidays easier.

There’s been lots of events happening from church dinners, to bonfires and even some local business awards. Be sure to check out a nice little story in Backyard Birds about the Eastern Screech Owl - what a hoot! It’s also nearing basketball season and in Picturing the Past you’ll find a true flashback from the past.

Take a moment to sit for a spell, grab some sweet tea, and see what your friends and neighbors have been doing. Remember to always shop small and support the local folks.

Jancey Smith

Brought to you by -

Jancey Smith and friends

Contact us - by mail at 427 N. Hart St., Princeton, IN 47670

by email at jancey@ smalltownlivinggibsoncounty.com by phone at - 812-664-1082

copyright 2022

Small Town Living in Gibson County assumes no responsibility for guest writers or submitted material. Signed articles are the opinion of the columnist and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

In our community, when there’s a good cause that needs help, we often band together and do some home cooking.

Look at the number of fish fries, bake sales, and chili cook-offs. Lots of folks are willing to make a dish or do a little cooking. And we do love to eat.

Recently, the Fort Branch-Johnson Township library began a major expansion and have been looking for donations and extra funds to help the project. Two local ladies who love to cook and are fond of trying new recipes came up with an idea. Why not make a community cookbook to raise money for the library.

Janice Barniak and Jennifer Hill brainstormed and came up with the idea for a community cookbook as a fundraiser. The wanted to feature items made by local craftsmen and businesses. By including local ingredients worked into holiday staples, they could encourage shopping local.

Helping the Future With Food

Then came multiple taste tests, food photo shoots and organizing recipes for the two. Janice made multiple recipes for her family, even piping the mashed potatoes on top of a shepherds pie. Her tip was to add the chives later, they get stuck in the piping bag, It didn’t take long before the ladies realized that their offerings alone wouldn’t be enough to make a cookbook. That’s when they began to gather recipes from locals who have a knack for cooking and came up with the “Celebrity Chef” category. Andrea Martin of LeeAndrea’s Sweet Treats in Fort Branch offered some recipes of her own.

Why would these ladies and other community members care about making a library bigger? Because libraries are no longer just books. To keep up with modern times, they are refashioning themselves from just books into community centers where they can be of more service to the people in their area. The population is

Baked Brie, a perfect appetizer

On the cover: The historic Carnegie Library in Fort Branch with a sample dish of dressing from the community cookbook. Pictured above is baked brie and to the right glazed ham, all local recipes. Food photos courtesy of Janice Barniak.

growing, and they want to be able to modernize their services to remain vital. They are becoming a hub of activities and services for all those in the community, offering services like a computer center, meeting rooms, children and adult activities, guest speakers, and demonstrations.

The original Carnegie library opened in 1917, so it was time to preserve the past and yet upgrade for the future. Library director, Laura Happe, the board members of the library, and the community had a vision. After numerous meetings, planning, grant requests, and hours of details, they announced an expansion of the Fort Branch-Johnson Township library last July. The plan is to extend the library on to Main Street with the new entrance being on the west side of the building. The new expansion will connect to the Carnegie section on the south side, facing the old gym. There are plans for a courtyard between the current library and the Carnegie section. It should be a major change for that section of town.

There were certain areas that needed to be upgraded. Some of the specific needs were a children’s activity area, a computer network and upgrade, more bookshelves, different sized study rooms, and display

cases. One of the most important needs was an elevator, so that everything is ADA complaint, ensuring that all of those in the community could benefit from the services available.

Currently, there is a gap between the estimated cost and the TIF grant the library was awarded by the Patoka-Union Township. Director Laura Happe, the board, and now the citizens are working hard to raise the money to close that gap and make the project a reality for the community. Various fundraiser options have been explored and that’s why locals are pitching in. Some of the options to help are by purchasing various sized pavers (engraved bricks) for the reading garden that will connect the Carnegie building with the current library,

This is what the current front of the library from Locust Street will look like in the future.

Lankford Ends Season With Another Win

Jeff Lankford competed at the 2022 World Championship Appaloosa Horse Show in Fort Worth, Texas, October 28th through November 5th. His 5-yearold horse, Swing A Little Cash, was World Champion in Junior Pole Bending and was 3rd in Junior Barrels. Swing A Little Cash was High Point 5-year-old horse and overall High Point Junior Games Horse for the Appaloosa Junior Game Association.

Jeff’s other horse Slide Me A Whiz was reserve High Point Open Game Horse at the World Championship show. Jeff is done showing for 2022, and will get ready for the Florida Super 8 show in March.

Photos provided

The view of the new expansion from Main Street.

and they have keepsake ornaments for sale. If you’d like to help combine a piece of history with a modern community center,

is king. Feel free to drive by, check out the progress, and make a donation to the future.

And that’s how a community holiday cookbook came to be. Watch for updates from the library to see when the cook book will launch. For more holiday recipes, just keep turning the pages.

Saturday, November 5th, was a nice fall evening to have an outdoor There were

OCU Held 2nd Annual “Fall at Cockrum Hall”

Photos: Jancey Smith

by Jancey Smith

The Cooking Corner

Holiday Cooking

We are now halfway through the holiday cooking season. For Thanksgiving, most of us have pulled out all the stops, spent a small fortune and have created those family favorites we all wait for once a year. Family food traditions are good. It’s always kind of nice when the kids call and ask, “Mom did you make . . . “ whatever that favorite dish may be.

However, for Christmas I take a very different approach - quick and easy. There have been way too many times, I’ve been in the kitchen, rotating casseroles in the oven, or some other task, and have been left out of the stories, fun and gift giving during this holiday. There’s been more than one occasion that we’ve ordered out and reheated goodies - from BBQ to Chinese. There are no set food rules.

By the time Christmas rolls around, I’m well over turkey and ready to put pumpkin anything away for another year. However there is one holiday staple at my house, almost every holiday, every time, my crew wants

a dose of sausage balls. The grandkids have now gotten into the anticipation and requests as well. They want two things at Grandma’s housesausage balls and Jell-O jigglers - every time. They are easily made ahead with just a few common ingredients and warmed in the microwave minutes before serving.

Because pumpkin season is past, one of the pies my crew likes best is a Black Forrest Pie. This recipe came from the back of a Jell-O pudding box years ago and is a favorite. It’s also a make ahead dish so that the layers of chocolate set up well and only has a handful of ingredients. Simple is good at Christmas with so many other things on the to do list.

If you have time and like making sweets to offer, Buckeyes are something a little out of the norm and not too difficult. Most folks don’t mind the flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate one bit. The quick tip on this is to melt the chocolate in the microwave.

Should you go for a traditional ham, there’s bound to be leftovers. Instead of ham and beans, try a ham and corn chowder. It’s simple, tasty and something a little different to warm your insides during the chill of winter.

My advice for the holidays, keep it simple and do ahead what you can and recycle leftovers to save both cash and time. Happy ho ho!

Sausage Balls

Ingredients-

1 lb. ground sausage 1-8 oz. pkg. shredded cheddar cheese 2 eggs 1 cup Bisquick PreparationMix all ingrediants. Form 1 inch balls. Place on cookies sheet. Bake in preheated 350 oven 10-15 min. Take out and cool. Bake 10 min. more. Serve hot. Recipe can be doubled.

Hot Sausage Balls - use hot sausage, pepperjack cheese, 1 T. chili powder, 1 tsp. each garlic and onion powder and a sprinkle of crushed red peppers and/or cayenne.

Tip - Use a melon ball scoop to keep size and shape consistent.

Black Forrest Pie

Ingredients-

1 Oreo pie crust 1 can cherrie pie filling 1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix 1-3/4 cup milk 1 pkg. Cool Whip

Preparation -

Make pudding according to directions for pie. Spread half of chocolate pudding on bottom of pie crust. Mix remaining pudding with 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip, folding in gently to make a light chocolate. Spread on top of dark chocolate layer. (You may need to let set in fridge to chill awhile for firmness.) Top with layer of whipped topping making slight indention in center. Spoon cherries into center and chill at least 4 hours before serving. Serves 6-8

Ham & Corn Chowder

4 slices bacon

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 T. butter

1 T. flour

4 cups chicken broth (214.5 oz. cans or 4 bouillon cubes)

4 medium potatoes, washed & diced in cubes (about 2-1/2 cups)

1 cup milk

1-15.5 oz. can corn, drained

2 cups diced ham

1/2 lb. shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 cups) salt and pepper chives for garnish

Preparation -

Cook bacon in large sauce pan over medium heat. Remove and set aside for garnish.

Add onion to bacon fat and cook, stirring until onion is tender, about 4 min. Stir in flour maxing a white roux. Slowly stir in broth a little at a time to incorporate well. Bring to boil. Add potatoes and simmer, covered, stirring often, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in milk, corn and ham. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Add cheddar, stirring until it melts, add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish bowls with bacon and chives. Serves 4-6, makes 8 cups.

Buckeyes

Ingredients-

6 T. butter or margarine (softened)

1/2 + 1/6 cups peanut butter (crunchy or smooth) 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

4 squares chocolate bark (melted)

Preparation -

Beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until well combined. Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to shape, at least 30 minutes.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Melt chocolate bark in glass bowl for 1 minute. Stir. Heat additional 15 seconds. Stir again.

Using a tooth pick or wooden skewer, dip each ball into chocolate, rolling easily to coat 3/4 of the ball. Place on foil lined cookie sheet, uncoated side up. Let stand until chocolate hardens.

Store in airtight container at room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen candies.

With high food costs and winter heating bills starting to climb, this is the time we can help others. It’s not hard to buy some extra canned goods, throw some cash in a red kettle or sign up to ring a bell. To sign up to donate a little time ringing a bell for the Salvation Army go to: registertoring.com.

Book Launch Party at Library

Photo: Jancey Smith

There was a party at the Princeton Public Library on Saturday, November 12th. Local author, Jill Chapman, presented her newest book in a youth series called The Bomb Squad: Off the Grid. Snacks were offered and there were puzzles, games, prizes and a photo area. Jill was happy to sign the books and held a drawing for one lucky person’s name to be used as a character in the next book in the series.

In the new book a “squad” of boys have adventures while camping, so a tent and fake campfire was part of the fun. Inside the tent are Elizabeth, Charlie and Jezamae Woods, while Jill holds a copy of her newest book.

Local Organizations are Awarded AEDs by Gibson General Health Foundation

Gibson County first responders and organizations were presented with 17 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) from HeartSaver. The purchase of these AEDs was made possible through a grant from the Gibson General Health Foundation.

These AEDs were donated to the following departments and organizations:

• Oakland City Fire Department/East Gibson Fire Territory (3)

• Oakland City Police Department (2)

• Owensville Police Department (1)

• Fort Branch Police Department (3)

• Gibson County Economic Development Corporation

• Gibson County Fairgrounds/Pavilion (1)

• Owensville Carnegie Public Library (1)

• Princeton Public Library (2)

• White River Fire Department/Gibson County/ Hazelton (3)

AED training was provided on-site as part of the presentation. The AEDs were rescue ready and give step-by-step instructions on how to be used in an emergency. The HeartSaver program has placed more than 500 AEDs in schools, community centers, first responder vehicles, and other large gathering places.

St Joe Held Annual Chicken Dinner

The first Sunday of November was a busy day at St. Joseph Church. When church ended, the dinner line began, and the line for pickup orders of fried chicken and all the fixings ran for blocks. This year 121 volunteers helped serve 655 dinners. It was quite a team effort. They planned to feed 700 and came very close, with just some desserts made by parishoners leftover.

Left to right: Amber Alsobrooks, Shannon Linsday, Nikki Slaton, Susan Carey, Lee Binhack, Tammy Hack, Kyle Evans and Charlie Woodruff. Photo courtesy Jeff Jones.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GIBSON COUNTY

Our mission is to seek putting God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

With this goal, we are pleased to announce that thanks to a grant from the Gibson County Community Foundation through the Lilly Endowment, GIFT VII Community Leadership Implementation Initiative, we are offering scholarship opportunities to our Partner Families. We are currently working with our current Partner families for them to complete a scholarship application for an opportunity for immediate family members to pursue further education.

Above: Brandi Kramer, Patty Wildt and Rick Coleman helped serve dinners in the gym.

Left: A smiling sixteen month old Aria seemed to enjoy the chicken dinner, too .

We appreciate all support from our community to continue our mission at Habitat for Humanity. We will announce in the future when we will be taking applications for finding our next Partner Family.

A HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT Habitat for Humanity of Gibson County 812-385-2434

Photos: Jancey Smith

EMS providers accepting the donation left to right: White River Township volunteers: Ricky Simpson, Randy Kendell, Mike Berry, East Gibson Fire Territory Chief, Chris Duncan and Fort Branch Chief of Police, Darrel Parker Photo: Jancey Smith

VFW #2714

Fort Branch

Kitchen open Thur. & Fri. to the public

**Treasure Hunt is back Mondays at 7pm with kitchen open 4-7 pm

Value Every Child

Christmas

1104 S. Stout St. Princeton Saturday, Dec. 10th 12 -2 pm The Isaiah 1:17 Project

Glendale Santa House 458 W. Glendale St. Princeton Visit Santa WednesdaysSundays 5-8 pm

Live Nativity & Lighted Path

Gentle Shepherd Church of God (Oatsville) December 17 & 18th 6:30 pm Outdoor service & snacks

Helping Homeless Veterans

VFW #2714, Fort Branch Collecting items such as hats, gloves, socks, t-shirts, underwear, long underwear, sweatpants, sweatshirts sizes large and up.

Children’s

Christmas Party

K of C Hall, Haubstadt Friday, Dec. 9th, 7 pm sponsored by Daughters of Isabella.

Haubstadt Holiday Shopping Expo

Old Haubstadt gym 115 S. West St Saturday, Dec. 3rd 9 am - 2 pm

Good Start

Christmas Parade

Oakland City Saturday, Dec. 10th 6 pm ends at Wirth Park

Christmas Package for Troops

VFW #2714 Aux Fort Branch Please send deployed military names by email to jenlynn@yahoo.com. or call the post at 812-753-4161

Santa Breakfast & Cookie Walk

St. Joe Church, Princeton Saturday, Dec. 3rd 10 am -noon

New Year’s Karaoke Night

Princeton Moose Lodge Princeton Saturday, Dec. 31st, 8 pm Open to the public

Dinner Service Starts Dec. 9th

Share your events! Email jancey@ smalltownliving gibsoncounty.com

Princeton Moose Lodge Saturday, Dec. 10th 6 pm Hazleton Candlelight Christmas

113 W. 2nd Street Wednesday, Dec. 21st 6:30 pm Outdoor service with live nativity, cocoa & cookies

Lisa Ladies Healthy & Whole Wellness 1st General Baptist, Princeton Saturday, Jan. 7th 8:30 - 11 am

Texas Hold Em

Breakfast with Santa Oakland City Lions Club 431 Dale Str. Saturday, Dec. 3rd 7 - 10 am kids under 10 eat free

Cookies with Santa Leeandrea’s Sweet Treats 105 N. McCreary St. Ft. Branch Saturday, Dec. 10th 11 am - 2 pm

- Senior Center Activities -

Monday: 8:45 Breakfast 9:30 am - Bingo 12:00 pm - Card Players Tuesday: 9 am - Exercise Class 11:30 - Lunch then music Noon - Crocheting Wednesday: 11 am - Quilters Thursdays: 10 am - Bible Study 1 pm - Art Class/Painting

Friday: 9 am - Tone & Stretch 9:45 Line Dancing 11:30 - Lunch

*Christmas Lunch - Santa, cookie contest, Fri. Dec. 16th Thurs. Dec. 8th - 8:30 amWomen’s Breakfast Call for info 812-385-2897

*Closed Dec. 23rd & 26th

*Closed 12/30 for New Year’s

What’s Happening!!

~ Help with Food in the Community ~

Salvation Army Food Pantry

Gibson St., Princeton Monday, Dec. 19th & Wednesday, Dec. 21st 9-11:30 am & 1-3 pm

Owensville Food Pantry

303 Church St. Tuesday & Thursday 8-12 & 1-4 pm

Haubstadt Food

Pantry

New Life House of Prayer 208S. West St, Haubstadt 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 4:30 - 5:30 pm

Salvation Army Free Food Give Away

Gibson St., Princeton Tuesdays, Dec. 6th, 20th, & 27th 9-10 am Fridays, Dec. 2nd, 16th, & 30th 2:30 - 3:30 pm Check Facebook for details

~ Salvation Army ~

UMC Delivers Dinners

Hillside Church, Princeton

Monday, Dec. 12th Call 812-385-2910 by 2:30 pm

Lord’s Pantry

Fort Branch Every Wednesday 9 am - 11 am

Food Pantry for Seniors

The Senior Center, Princeton, Wed. Dec. 14th & 28th Thur. Dec. 8th & 22nd 1 - 3 pm

East Gibson Food Pantry

Trinity United Methodist Church, 405 S. Mulberry St. Every Wednesday 9 am - noon

Amer. Legion #256

Oakland City

1st Saturday each month. All you can eat breakfast 7 am - 10 am, $10 for biscuits & gravy, eggs, sausage, fried potatoes & pancakes

K of C Bingo Open to Public every Thursday Princeton K of C, 6 pm

Blood Drive

Bethel Memorial Church Princeton

Tuesday, Dec. 20th, 2 - 6 pm Call for appointment 1-800-733-2767

VFW #2714 Breakfast

Fort Branch 2nd Saturday each month Breakfast, 7 am - 10 am Knights of St. John’s sausage, biscuits & gravy, eggs, hash browns & drink Carryout 812-753-4161

See page 35 for details

Broadway Players Christmas Belles

Princeton Theater

Friday, Dec. 9th & 10th at 6 pm (dinner) Saturday, Dec. 11th at 2 pm (show only)

Good Shepherd United Women Bake Sale

Girl Scout Troop 532

Christmas Caroling

Thursday Dec. 22nd at 5pm Gazebo at Lafayette Park, Princeton All are invited

Moose Lodge 354

Chicken Dinner

Saturday, Dec. 10th 9am - 12:00 pm 210 Harrison St., Oakland City baked goods, noodles etc. Call 812-749-3525 for info

VFW #2714 Aux Ugly Sweater Contest

Donations of furniture and clothes resume on January 9th. They’re full and ringing bells. Save your stuff for next year.

Princeton Saturday, Dec. 10th starts at 6 pm $12 grilled or smoked chicken quarters, sides & dessert. Proceeds for sponsored Christmas family Dine in or carryout Call 812-385-3928 to preorder

Fort Branch Saturday, Dec. 10th 5-11 pm Kitchen open 5-7 crafts for kids, Santa, music by Akacia & Toys for Tots drive with Salvation Army

Addiction Solution for Women Has a New Home

The First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Hart and Water Streets in Princeton, will be the new home of a women’s recovery program. It will take some months of repair and remodeling before their doors can open. They are looking for donations of cleaning supplies, women’s hygiene products, laundry supplies and bed sheets.

Maple Hills Showcased New Addition

Wednesday, November 9th, was a pretty fall day when Maple Hills Cemetery dedicated their new Cremation Garden addition with a ribbon cutting. This was made possible by local citizens working together for the community and through a grant made possible from Toyota Manufacturing of Indiana.

Downtown Princeton announced at the end of October, that the project to renovate the Greeks building will begin again. Historic homes renovator, Lucas Nueffer, who is restoring the Steele House, will be taking over the project. The first step will be reinforcing the basement and working upward. They hope to have the project complete by late spring. For safety reasons, be wary of poking your head in for a look just yet.

A New Shop Opened on the Square

A new little shop on the Princeton square held a grand opening and ribbon cutting Friday, November 17th. Easy Pickins is owned by Shaynah Blevins and Tameara Tonyan. They have revamped the store and filled it with affordable items. They plan to be open MondayWednesday and Friday and Saturday.

Photos: Jancey Smith

Members of the community and the Gibson County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting and viewed the cremation garden.

Contractor Lucas Nueffer and Ton Shearer of DPI and owner of the Palace Cafe’.

The Gibson County Chamber Held Annual Awards Gala

To celebrate 100 years of serving the community, the Gibson County Chamber of Commerce held a red carpet awards gala on Thursday, November 10th. Chamber President welcomed everyone and a financial report was given by Lori Martin, treasurer. The highlight of the evening was the annual awards. There were three categories and three local businesses or organizations were nominated in each category. All were very deserving of the awards. Business of the Year - Youth First, Springs Valley Bank & Trusts, and Princeton Veterinary Hospital. Local Business of the Year - RPM Tool, Tulip Tree Family Healthcare, and Polka Dots Play Cafe. Non-profit organization of the year - Maple Hill Cemetary, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, and Gibson County

The HUB 127 Unveiled New Mural

After months of planning, on Wednesday, November 2nd, the HUB revealed a new mural on the side of their building. It took artist, Madison Daniels from Newburgh, six months of planning, approvals and painting to complete the project. She spent an entire day and 100 miles of traveling the county to gather ideas for the project.

Photos: Jancey Smith

L-R: Chamber President, David Cordray, Garie Belcher, Wes McKannon, Ike Belcher of Special

Special Olympics.

Kristofor Schmidt of the Broadway Players provided entertainment.

The artist of the mural: Madison Daniels

Across from Greeks, this mural representing all facets of Gibson County was unveiled.

L-R: David Cordray, Kristine Georges, Director of Tulip Tree and Patty Vanoven

David Cordray, Dr. John Feuetz, Dr. Marybeth Feutz, Jessica Ewing, Dr. Brittany Odle, and Patty Vanoven

The Gibson County Community Foundation And Partnering Nonprofits

Host Community Talk

(Gibson County, Indiana) The Gibson County Community Foundation and partnering nonprofits recently hosted a Community Talk at the Oakland City Columbia Township Public Library. The Community Talk discussion was focused around strengthening Gibson County by addressing the cycle of poverty and community needs.

organizations, their collaborative efforts working to alleviate the cycle of poverty, and how community members can become involved.

This event follows two earlier county-wide “One Book, One Community” discussions regarding charity and community building. The books discussed were Charity Detox and 13 Ways to Kill Your Community.

Participants filled the activity room at the library.

The event was held on November 8, 2022, and

included panelists Matthew Hoffer, Oakland City University Community Engagement; Julia Rahman, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Gibson County; Kristine Georges, Executive Director of Tulip Tree Family Health Care; and Emilie Brown, Executive Director, of The Well of Gibson County, Inc. The panelists educated participants about their

Oakland City Columbia Library Director, Julie Elmore stated that “These books provided an excellent insight into the ways we give and simple ways to make our communities better. The conversation today provided an excellent opportunity for participants to learn how these local agencies are working towards these goals.”

This event was made possible by the Gibson County Community Foundation which received the Community Leadership Planning Grant from Lilly Endowment as part of the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow initative (GIFT VII). The Implementation Grant from Lilly Endowment will focus on supporting programs that will help educate the public about poverty, the realities for people living in poverty, and how organizations, employers, and families can work together to help individuals move out of poverty and become more self-sufficient.

For additional information about the Gibson County Community Foundation and additional information about GIFT VII, please contact Amy Smith Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact at amsith@communityfoundationalliance.org or 812.386.8082.

New Life Nazarene Cooked Ribeyes

Photo courtesy Julie Elmore

~ Recycle Tips ~

Greetings from your GCSW crew, Gibson County residents! Christmas will be here before you know it. We want to share some information that most of us may not take time to think about during the holidays: Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, nationwide, that must be disposed of across our land.

Here are some environmentally smart tips for a less wasteful—perhaps less stressful holiday this year:

Use decorative tins, baskets, and boxes, which can be reused and repurposed, to wrap gifts. If you do buy wrapping paper, look for ones made of recycled paper, and don’t forget to recycle again instead of putting in garbage. All GCSW locations (except the large trash and compost yard) accept mixed paper for recycle. Also, reusable cloth/wired ribbon can be used in place of plastic bows.

Look for gifts with an environmental impact: a nature book, a refillable thermos, unique canvas tote bags, a battery recharger, or items made from recycled materials. Other gifts that do not create landfill waste are homemade goods—cookies, breads or jams, a plant or tree. Gifts that do not create any waste—trips and outings, concert tickets, dinner at a restaurant, certificates or an IOU to help with chores, etc.

Lastly, if you send cards, look for the ones made of recycled paper. If we all do even a little every day, we can make a significant impact toward reducing the amount of garbage that we create. Have a very Merry Christmas and remember to REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE!

For Gibson County Solid Waste Locations and Hours: Check out our website: http:// www.gibsoncountysolidwaste.com .

All locations normally open will be closed on December 24th and December 26th and January 2nd for the holidays.

Happy Holidays from Gibson County Solid Waste

Follow us on Facebook OR check out our website: http://www.gibsoncountysolidwaste.com

Goldman, Kalin Bedwell, Rick Coleman, Katherine Meyer-Fidler, Megan Cooper, Rachel Pohl, and Raina Slay. Cullen Blaize was absent.

This year a new program came to our Gibson County High Schools: Creating Entrepreneur Opportunity, or CEO for short. The program began at the Midland Institute in Effingham, Illinois, and spread throughout the Midwest to more than 60 locations. The class had to secure 35 investors to start the program, and then students had to find individual sponsors that they became ambassadors for, promoting them and CEO.

Juniors and Seniors were given the chance to apply for this business class for credit. To be accepted they had to submit an application and have one recommendation. Business attire is required.

The students meet every school morning at 7 a.m. at the Princeton Public Library. The class consists of field trips to a number of businesses like the hospital, police department, the Log Inn, and Camp Carson. They have guest speakers weekly and develop class projects. They’ve learned proper business greetings, developed marketing plans, and have formed their own business structure, electing a CEO, COO and CFO.

When asked why they chose this class, students’ answers were varied but all similar. Many of them plan on going to USI and major in business, and others already had their own small side hustles that they hope to develop into thriving businesses. Many students felt that business contacts and networking would be helpful, also they wanted to learn how to effectively communicate with adults and prepare for business. They like seeing and learning about different businesses, and one student admitted that Gibson County is bigger than they thought.

Their current project is a Christmas decorating service. Students will set up your decorations on your porch, yard or in your house and return in January to take them down. They offer different levels of pricing and services and felt this would help people who have limited mobility or are very busy. They developed a marketing plan, price sheet, flyers and goals for the project. If interested in their service contact them at 812-677-8435 or 812-632-8620 to schedule a time before December 18th.

Merry Little Christmas (lights on porch & deck or around apartment door) - $50. Deck the Halls (2 rooms, lights on porch & deck & 5 yard decor items) - $125. Winter Wonderland (5 rooms, unlimited decorations up to 1/2 acre)- $225.

National Park Service Listed Lyles Station on Underground Program Map

The National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom accepted the Lyles Station Underground Railroad Museum Exhibit, owned and managed by Lyles Station Historic Preservation Corporation, as one of 17 new listings from the 44th round of applications, representing sites and programs in 13 states across the U.S. These new listings, alongside more than 700 sites, facilities, and programs already in the Network, provide insight into the diverse experiences of freedom seekers who bravely escaped slavery and allies who assisted them.

“Each Underground Railroad story documented by the Network to Freedom Program explains the harrowing risks people took to liberate themselves from an unjust system of oppression,” says

Diane Miller, National Program Manager. “The resilience and bravery of freedom seekers and their allies continue to inspire the Network to Freedom’s work. Alongside our members, new and old, we will continue to ensure that their stories are not lost to history.”

The Underground Railroad Exhibit in Lyles Station Museum, which details the importance of African American farming communities, contextualizes the Underground Railroad in Gibson County, Indiana. The exhibit, and its traveling trunk companion for use in public schools, is intentionally designed to share a nuanced and complete view of how Underground Railroad activities fit into the lives of this African American farming community. It focuses on the story of Black farmers Charles and Keziah Greer, who played a critical role in assisting the family of famed Underground Railroad operative William Still as they escaped from slavery.

Lyles Station History Museum is open to the public. For the most up to date information to plan your visit, go to their website at https://lylesstation.org.

Jancey Smith

Photos:

The old fashioned school room at Lyl,es Station

Veteran’s Voice

George Pickersgill - Gibson Co. Veterans Service Officer, 812-385-4522

On more than one occasion, I have talked to you about V.A. Pensions, which are monetary benefits for qualifying low-income, wartime veterans (or their surviving spouses). These pensions are needs-based and are tied directly to the veteran’s (or spouse’s) total household income and net worth. Simply put, veterans, just like anyone else, are expected to use their resources to meet their own needs. If they do not have those means, help may be available.

If you’ll remember, I have also warned you about falling prey to companies who, under the guise of “financial planning”, offer to help you in applying for these pensions. They are commonly referred to by the V.A. as “Pension Poachers” and are notorious for lurking around nursing homes and retirement communities seeking to profit from our nation’s heroes. These predators will offer to assist you in receiving your benefits and have typically sought out only those veterans who have too many assets and would not normally qualify for the pension. Their strategy normally involves transferring and hiding the vet’s assets, and thus getting below the income/net worth thresholds to qualify. Historically, while not technically illegal, their tactics were highly unethical in that they violated the entire “needs-based” intent of the program. Generally, they would not seek to “assist” a veteran who would qualify for this program because that person is lowincome and the poacher likely will not profit much from their efforts.

Congress has now prohibited this practice and instituted a look-back process whereby the V.A. can and will go back and look for transferred assets in an attempt to qualify for pensions, with penalties assessed for those who seek to cheat the system. In other words, no longer will one be allowed to hide, without penalty, assets which should be used to meet their own needs.

Please allow me to reiterate the advice I have given you previously. Avoid, at all costs, anyone who would approach you and offer their services to help you apply for these pensions, or any other V.A. benefit. Don’t be fooled by the word “Veteran” in their name either. Remember, these people are not there to honor your service. They exist to take advantage of it for a fee. Every Indiana county employs a Service Officer (like myself) whose job and passion it is to help you with these issues… free of charge. Please make me your first call if you believe you qualify or have been approached by one of these vultures. If you are one of the aforementioned “vultures” and would like to debate the issue, please call me as well. I would welcome the discussion.

George Pickersgill

Veteran’s Honored on the Square

Jancey Smith

The annual Veterans’ Day tradition continued in Gibson County with a ceremony on the Princeton Courthouse square at 11:00 a.m. All branches of the military were recognized and honored. A history of how Veterans day began was presented along with the challanges that many of our veterans face. It ended with a three round volley and the playing of taps.

Photos:

Helen Keisel played the song from each branch of the military.

High School Basketball of Days Past Picturing the Past

Story:

Mayor Greg Wright

With Indiana High School Basketball upon us let us look back at a time before the consolidation of Gibson County Schools. Most high schools performed in very small gymnasiums with the crowd almost right on top of the players. “Crackerboxes” were what these gyms were often called. The noise and intensity of the games can still be remembered by older fans.

This Princeton Public Library photo shows the Patoka High School 1949-50 Basketball Homecoming Queen Crowning, held November 18, 1949. The Patoka Wrens on the left: Kenneth White, David Hudson, Fred Anthis, Chester Rogers, Arlis Rogers, Jack Garwood, James Cody (JC) Thomas, Robert Moore, Thomas Bryant, Gary Gieseke, Robert Williams, Robert Barnett, Morris Smith.

Varsity Cheerleaders: Peggy Milburn, Velta Manning, Mary Jane Field, Junior Cheerleaders: Barbara Schmitz, Judy Black, Corellen Armstrong.

The Queen’s court bottom row L to R: Louise

Thomas, Janet Arthur, Luanne Myrick. Next row: Dixie Farris, Michelle Kunkel, Nedra McAllister and Mary Jo Schmits. Top row: Tim and Jim Bryant and Queen Joanne Preston. The small boy behind Mackey Cheerleaders is Bill Mounts.

The fan row behind the Patoka team from L to R: Wayne Buchanon, Volly Marion, Charlie Albright, Charles Van Fleet, Harley Ackman, Eathel Ackman, Jane Stuckey and Chick Buyer.

The opponent that night was the Mackey Aces shown on the right. Mackey defeated Patoka 33-31.

The gymnasium in the basement of the old Patoka School had a “balcony” hanging over the playing floor.

124 South Hart Street

Princeton, IN 47670

812-385-4464 www.princetonpl.lib.in.us S Mon Tue Wed

SEPTEMBER 2015

5 VU GED Class 1-4pm

Call 812- 602-4136 to register

Chats with Charlie 2pm Heavenly Skies Above Indiana & the legend of how the Chrisrmas Tree came to be

Fiber Fanatics 6pm

Sewing Classes 6pm

Call the library to register: 812385-4464 ext.112

6 Family StoryTime 10am

Geared for toddler/ pre-school age children. No registration necessary

Euchre Card Players 2pm Interested in learning to play? Come on and join us in our upstairs gallery!

7 VU GED Class 1-4pm

Call 812- 602-4136 to register

Teen Scene 4pm Teens can enjoy art, games, anime, & more!

Adult Craft Night 6pm

We will be making ornaments tonight! Register by calling ext. 112

8 Games Club 4pm Games, games, and more games! Recommended for grades 3-6

Fit Club with Amy Bly 6pm Come have a fun, engaging workout with friends!

Chats with Charlie 6pm Heavenly Skies Above Indiana & the legend of the Chrisrmas Tree

9 Merry Bingo 4pm Come have free & festive fun at our Bingo game

10 Family LEGO Saturday 2-4pm

1 1 12 VU GED Class 1-4pm

Evening on The Polar Express 3D 5pm We will be showing The Polar Express, presented in cool retro 3D! Rated G. Festive snacks & hot chocolate to be served. PJs encouraged!

Fiber Fanatics 6pm

Knitters & other fiber based crafters that meet once a week & are always willing to welcome new members!

Sewing Classes 6pm

Call the library to register: 812385-4464 ext. 112

13 Family StoryTime 10am Geared for toddler/ pre-school age children. No registration necessary

Euchre Card Players 2pm Interested in learning to play? Come on and join us in our upstairs gallery!

14 Holiday Open House 9am-8pm Cookies, Punch, & the celebration of the opening of our NEW Novelty Nook!

VU GED Class 1-4pm

Teen Scene 4pm

Library Board Meeting 4pm Open to the public

Craft Night 6pm We will be making ornaments tonight! Register by calling ext. 112

Cozy Chat on Charles Dickens 6pm Storyteller Don Miller brings to life the whimsy and history behind Charles Dickens & his works. A show that isn’t to be missed!

15 Chats with Charlie 2pm

Heavenly Skies Above Indiana & the legend of how the Chrisrmas Tree came to be Games Club 4pm

16 17 20 21 22 23 Library Closed 24 Library Closed 2 5 26 Library Closed 27 Library Open 28 Library Open 29 Library Open 30 Library Closed 31 Library Closed

Monday-Thursday: 9am-8pm Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm Sunday: Closed December 2022 Our Novelty Nook launches on Wednesday the 14th at 9am! Patrons will now be able to checkout board games, puzzles, toys, cookie cutters & cake pans! Our book sale from Small Business Weekend will continue and take place 9am-5pm on December 2nd & 3rd as well! In our upstairs display case we will be showcasing Christmases of the Past! Are these toys and items featured in the Christmas that you grew up with?

Held Chili Cook off

Photos: Jancey Smith

To help raise money for the Gibson County Animal Services, the employees of Rz Cafe and Catering in Fort Branch held a chili cookoff. The two-day event in early November brought in about $200 dollars and they served 40 people. The shelter is always needing donations of paper goods, gift cards, and other items. Feel free to ask how you can help.

December 2022 Events and Programs

Euchre Club will be held every Wednesday at noon. Geri-Fit Senior Fitness will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 AM. We hold a variety of Youth Programs for all ages. These include Story me, STEAM, Novel Ninjas, Dungeons & Dragons, Anime & Manga, and more! Contact Stephanie at the library for more informa on. There will be a Candy Making class on the 7th—we will learn to make fudge, divinity, and rock candy. Our Winter Market will be held on December 10th from 8 AM to 2 PM! There will be food, story- me with Mrs. Claus, and over 20 independent sellers. A Carmel Corn and Sugared Pecans class on the 14th. Christmas Bingo will be on the 16th. There will be lots of fun prizes! Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates on our Holiday books and movies throughout the month of December! We will be closed on the following days in December: 24th, 26th, 31st.

The Inspirational Skies Above

A Star led the Wise Men to Christ and the light of the stars shining through tree leaves gave the inspiration for the Christmas Tree years later.

The beauty of the sky above seems to have a connection with heaven as man has looked up at the beauty of the sky throughout history. Martin Luther received the inspiration for creation of a Christmas Tree by looking up through the branches of pine trees and seeing the stars twinkle though the branches. According to legend, he brought a small tree into his house and placed lights on it, candles. So, even our Christmas traditions are tied to the sky. The lights on the Christmas tree and the star on top of the tree both are symbols, one of stars seen through pine trees and the other of the of the Star of Bethlehem. During my program at the library, I’ll be presenting some beautiful photos of the night sky to give the audience time to reflect on the beauty of creation and instill an even greater sense of humility during the Christmas Season.

The most beautiful event I’ve seen in my life was the months long journey of the Comet Hale-Bopp across the night sky. I’ll share those photos and others of the night sky/heavens above. There will be a book signing, for those interested, of “The Legacy of Hale-Bopp” a book with many of my photos of Comet Hale-Bopp. The expanded version of that book has had almost 15,000

views on YouTube.

Photo of sun taken with camera with special filter to protect the camera and human eyes.

A sunspot is dark, cooler area (5000 degrees Fahrenheit). This sunspot is approximately the size of the earth.

You never know what surprises you will find when you photograph the sky with a camera. I have a somewhat chilling story and photo to share regarding Comet Hale-Bopp, no other chilling story and photo like it will be found anywhere else in the world. It was an unusual coincidence.

Just looking at the sky should give people a sense of their place in the universe (a sense of humility). We are small in size but have a mind and soul filled with the universe of knowledge to be discovered. A star led the wise men to Christ. Our surroundings on earth can and do change but the sky is always there filled with mystery and objects of beauty to admire and provide a perspective which perhaps will lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.

The Total Eclipse of the Sun as seen from Hopkinsville, KY. Aug. 21, 2017. The total eclipse of the sun will occur on April 8, 2024 and be in totality for four minutes in Princeton, Indiana, and the surrounding area. Community planning for the event is already underway.

December Programs

Monday, Dec. 5th at 2:00 pm

Thursday, Dec. 8th at 6:00 pm

Thursday, Dec. 15th at 2:00 pm

Why advertise in Small Town Living ?

Well, everybody gets the magazine and lots of people read it. I get results. Within three or four days after the magazine comes out, I start getting phone calls.

MonthlyDeadline: on the15th

Susan Bobe’s Pizza

Comet Hale-Bopp at its best while being visible in 1996 and 1997.

Let’s Get Ready for Christmas

Now that Halloween and Thanksgiving are over, the Christmas decorations start coming out! Well, let’s be honest, they’ve been in the stores for months now! But now is the time that most of us get serious about decorating our homes.

Those of us who have pets need to think about a few extra things as we get our houses decked out for the holidays.

1. Don’t use tinsel. Tinsel and sparkly garlands are popular decorations. But if you have cats, these are two fancy things that you’ll want to avoid. Cats love to play with sparkly things like tinsel and garland, and they will sometimes eat them! Eating tinsel or garland can be very dangerous for cats, might result in them needing surgery, and can even be life-threatening. If you have cats, it’s best to leave tinsel and garland out of your decorating.

2. Be careful with ribbon Ribbon falls into the same

category as tinsel and garland. Kitties love to play with ribbon, and they can also eat it. Ribbon can be especially bad because they can swallow very long pieces, and that can cause big problems in their intestines. Like tinsel or garland, if they eat ribbon they might need surgery and it can be lifethreatening.

3. Ornaments. Anyone who has had a puppy, a kitten, or a child around the holidays knows what “fun” the Christmas tree can be for everyone. Keep your special and breakable ornaments higher on the tree, out of reach of playful pets and kids. Be especially careful with glass ball ornaments around dogs. Your pups might try to play with these balls, and can get cuts in their mouth if the ornaments break.

4. Secure the tree. It’s always a good idea to secure the tree so it can’t tip over – especially if you have rambunctious puppies or climbing cats around. You don’t want your pets to knock the tree down, wreck the ornaments, and possibly hurt themselves!

C o m p a s s i o n a t e c a r e f o r

C o m p a s s i o n a t e c a r e f o r ompassionate care for a

l l a n i m a l s

5. Don’t give pets as presents. It can be very tempting to surprise your family with a new puppy or kitten as a present. If you are thinking about giving a pet as a present, please discuss this with the family first. A pet is a big responsibility, and can come with expenses. Make sure that everyone is ready before you surprise them with a new furry family member.

Are your pets up-to-date on their vaccines? Do they have their current rabies tag or a microchip in case they get lost during the busy holiday season? The Princeton Veterinary Hospital always accepts new patients. We can help keep your animals healthy! Call us at 812-3852733 if you have any questions, or bring your animals in for an exam, no appointment needed!

, L A R G E a n d s m a l l

l l a n i m a l s , L A R G E all animals, LARGE a n d s m a l l and small

Beyond the Tag - Part 3

Just in time for Christmas, the Poinsettia will be the feature this month.

The Poinsettia is native to Mexico and is a perennial shrub that will grow 10-15 feet tall. When purchased or gifted, this beautiful plant has been forced to “bloom” at certain times. A fun fact about this plant is its vibrant, attractive “flowers” are actually not flowers but are specialized leaves that look like petals called bracts. The flower is the tiny yellow flower in the very center of the bracts. You will also find unusually colored poinsettias such as blue or purple in stores. These are cream-colored varieties that are spray-painted. They are sometimes sprinkled with glitter.

Poinsettias like to be placed where they will receive lots of sunshine and temperatures around 65 and 70 degrees, which makes your home the perfect location. Water it regularly when soil feels dry to touch and keep the soil continuously moist, watering from the base of the plant. Never let the soil dry out, as it will cause the leaves to fall off. If the pot is covered by a decorative foil covering, empty excess water from inside the foil to allow adequate drainage. These plants are very sensitive to overwatering and will develop root rot quickly if kept too wet.

Poinsettias will eventually drop all of their colorful leaves, making it look like a “stick” which is 100% normal. At this point reduce watering and fertilization to give the plant a rest period.

In late spring or early summer, transplant your plant into a larger container with drainage holes. Plant potted poinsettia in your garden bed where it will get 4-5 hours of sun daiily (not full sun). Before first frost return your plant back inside. Beginning the first of October, put the plant in complete darkness as soon as the sun sets, allowing a minimum of 14 hours of darkness. A bag can be placed over the plant, or it can be set in a closet throughout the day. By the end of November, it will start to color and you will be able to enjoy it for another season!

Troubleshooting tips -

Is your poinsettia losing leaves? Keep the soil moist, not wet.

Leaves shrivel and die? Check the temperature. These cold-sensitive plants do not tolerate fluctuations in temperatures and will respond by shriveling and dropping leaves. Keep the plants away from extremes such as cold, drafty windows or hot heat registers. With these bits of information, you should be able to enjoy your holiday plant, not only this coming holiday but for many holidays ahead!

Backyard Birds - What a Hoot! - Part 3

We are well into our five-part series on Indiana’s full time resident owls in our part of the state. The next raptor in our list is the Eastern Screech Owl. Known for its small size but mighty voice, the Eastern Screech owl comes in two color variations. In camouflaged patterns of gray or rufous brown, this owl can blend into its surroundings so well that visibility is difficult at best. One would have to study its surroundings intensively to clearly see this fellow sitting next to a tree trunk.

The small stature of this Robin-sized bird averages eight inches in height but has an impressive wingspan of 22 inches on average, making flight a minimal effort.

By Guest Writer, Shawn Keith

This fellow’s vocal ability can be quite spooky. Imagine walking along the edge of a woods on a quiet moonlit night and suddenly hearing a ghostly, haunting quivering sound that descends in pitch. A sound that starts with a shrill whistle that changes into a whiney sound that quivers downward and repeats every few seconds. It can be very haunting in the dark and makes many different sounds, from the clacking of its bill to trill of short fast hoots that last several seconds. These different sounds have different meanings to the eastern screech owl such as, alarm, agitation, defense and annoyance.

Being an agile flier, the female does not hunt while sitting on the nest. During this time she and the chicks depend on the male to bring them food. Once ready to fledge the young will go out onto a tree branch away from their nest cavity and remain there to be fed for another 8-10 weeks by the parents. During this period both parents are feeding the young. The chicks slowly learn their hunting skills from their parents and gradually begin hunting separately on their own.

If you want to locate a screech-owl during the day you can utilize the help of smaller birds such as titmice, chickadees and blue jays. These birds may be harassing

Art by Ms. Addison Potts, 5th grade

or swooping any type of raptor, not just owls, to the point of annoyance so it will leave the area. This process also alerts other birds in the area of the presence of the raptor.

Owls have a unique way of digesting their food. While it’s not the most appealing discussion, owls do not have a way of dissecting or chewing what they eat so it has to be swallowed in its entirety. This type of digestion requires the regurgitation of the bones, fur, and feathers of their prey in an oval pellet. This usually happens once or twice a day and the pellet falls to the ground below the owl’s roost. The ground can be littered with pellets, and you can learn a lot from them such as the owl’s diet. The information from these however will not show the number of worms and insects the owl has eaten.

Remaining together for life is not too normal with birds, but Eastern Screech Owls are usually monogamous. Some males may take up with two different females; however, the second female may evict the first one, lay her own eggs in the nest, and incubate both clutches. I don’t know what happens to the first female, what she does, or where she goes, but I would watch my back if I were him.

The Eastern Screech Owl is known to eat a variety of songbirds, including the European Starling. Despite this fact, the Starling regularly displaces the owl from nesting sites and takes over the hole to raise its own brood.

The oldest known Eastern Screech Owl was at least 14 years, 6 months old in the wild when it was discovered. It was found in Ontario in 1968, the same province where it had been banded in 1955.

These owls eat most kinds of small animals, including birds, lizards and frogs. This owl is agile enough to occasionally prey on bats. When there is plenty of food, they will store food in tree holes for as long as four days.

Eastern Screech Owls are mostly active at night. They often hunt at dawn or dusk, but occasionally in daylight. These versatile hunters sit and wait for prey to pass below their roost. They tend to pounce from perches six to ten feet up. This is exactly when the male should be watching his back from a scorned female owl. She might be six to ten feet up above him.

Mackey Salem UMC Held Fish Fry

The first Saturday of November was the annual fish fry at the Mackey Salem United Methodist Church. Dine in or carryout were options and with an hour left to go, they had already served about 200 people. A great group of volunteers helped out.

Last Car Show of the Season

Photos:

One of the biggest car shows put on by Southern Indiana Car Club is their trunk or treat event the weekend of Halloween. The weather was awful that weekend so they pushed it back and what a show they had with 103 autos entered in the event.

Above: Taking orders and making change was handled by Elle and Elijah Schlottman.

Left: Laynie, Kinley and Mabrie Stoffel were a huge help serving dinners and doing errands.

The Collectors Carnival wrapped up their 30th anniversary year with a sell out at the Gibson County Fairgrounds the end of October. Every space was rented out with 228 vendors in eight buildings and the outside field area. They set a record for the most shoppers during dealer setup on Friday and had 3952 folks come on Saturday. There were 961 shoppers that came for the Early Bird hours from 961 shoppers. They plan to be back next year with three shows in April, August and October.

Best One Tire Helped Habitat for Humanity

Best One Tire employees contributed to Habitat for Humanity of Gibson County. Presenting the check is Eric Mead, Marketing V. P. at Best One Tire. The money will be used for future homes for Partner Families and will be a tremendous blessing.

Eric Mead from Best One Tire and Executive Director of Habitat, Julia Rahman

Photo provided

Jancey Smith

Photos: Jancey Smith

Above: Terry Bennett and Joe Bill Dike had the job of frying fish.

John from Schooggie’s Daughter was kept on his toes with this little one.

This 1973 Dodge Charger owned by Bill & Nita Pero was really sharp. It has a 440 magnum engine.

Last Car Show Surprise

Jancey Smith

The goal of the Southern Indiana Car Club is to raise money for various nonprofit organizations. Their proceeds go to Princeton Dollars for Scholars, Gibson County Relay for Life, the Gibson County Salvation Army, and other local organizations.

At the last car show, members of the club presented Gibson County’s biggest sports fan and local resident, Micah Buhl, with a new motorized scooter. His old one broke and he was getting around town on a bicycle, which was difficult. Micah was so surprised and beyond grateful for their help.

Photo:

Micah Buhl proudly drives his new scooter.

Disc Golf Now at New Lake S p o r t s I n s i d e r S p o r t s I n s i d e r Sports Insider

The New Lake Campground in Oakland City has installed a professional level disc golf course that is becoming recognized as one of the most challenging courses in the State. It started in 2020, when a local resident, Damon Atkins, attended a disc golf tournament for the first time in Petersburg, Indiana. Mr. Atkins observed how many players and spectators attended the event and brought it to the attention of the Mayor of Oakland City, Jim Deffendall, and Parks Director, Phil Young.

“I believe a disc golf course could bring a lot of people into our town and could put Oakland City on the map,” Atkins said. Mayor Deffendall liked the idea and

wanted more information on the sport. Atkins was put in contact with Ben Verkamp, who is a long time disc golf enthusiast and has helped design several courses in the tri-state. Mr. Verkamp stated that New Lake showed huge potential for a pro level course.

After approval by the city council and several months of hard work, the course was finished. The course layout is a 18 hole par 62 course with over 7,400 feet of throw designed by Mr. Verkamp and Mr. Atkins.

“The course is a success and a great attraction to our town drawing people from states away to play,” Atkins said.

The Inaugural New Lake Open was held on October 22, 2022, with the honorary first throw made by Mayor Deffendall. It was a fun day with players of all ages playing two rounds of golf. Looking forward, New Lake plans to make more improvements to the course to accommodate larger events in the future. Special thanks to Mayor Deffendall, Phil Young, Paul Davis, the New Lake Crew, the City Council, Matt Lee, Ben Verkamp, Damon and Jana Atkins, and all others who have contributed.

Springs Valley Bank to Host

Wednesday, December 7th, will be the annual Ag Event hosted by Springs Valley Bank at the Calumet Lake Events Plaza in Jasper. “Our Roots Are Firmly Planted Here” will be presented by Dr. Matt Roberts, Senior Grain and Oilseed Analyst. He will speak on “Surviving and Thriving in Ag When the World is Going Crazy” and “Driving around the Beltway.”

Registration will begin at 8:30 am (ET) and a light breakfast and lunch will be served. This seminar is approved for two hours of NLS credits and two hours of CPE credits.

To attend you can call Ross Key at 812-634-4813, call Josh Lottes at 812.634.4866, or email: marketing@svbt.com

E

N S V I L L E , I n d . – Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana (JASWIN) is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, which will support Junior Achievement programs in the following counties in Indiana in the 2022-23 school year: Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Martin, Orange, Pike, Posey and Warrick.

“We are deeply grateful for the support of Duke Energy Foundation. Their generous investment in our students and schools allows Junior Achievement in partnership with business and community volunteer mentors to empower a new generation of leaders with the skillset and mindset they need to prepare for their futures, live choice-filled lives, build thriving communities, and make the world a better place,” said Marcia Forston, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana.

The Duke Energy Foundation’s generous investment supports JA Pathways programs for more than 7,500 students in the 9-county service area that Duke serves. JA Pathways is a continuum of progressive learning experiences K-12, each inspiring, preparing, and enabling students to acquire and demonstrate the competencies needed to befinancially capable, work and career ready, and/or entrepreneurially minded. A combination of in-school and out-of-school authentic experiences enrich each JA Pathway supporting 10 or more competencies for each JA pillar.

Government & Community Relations Manager Kurt Phegley said,“We support all the innovative programming and educational lessons provided by Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana to educate students and prepare them for future careers within the workplace.”

In 2021-2022, JASWIN provided JA programs to 19,025 students in 830 classes resulting in 89,077 hours spent between volunteers and the students they inspire.

Above: Six year old Jade kept Santa busy during his stop at the bazaar.

Right: Kyle Mills and Angela Norfaise of Oakland City displayed a variety of handmade crafts, wreaths and stockings. Imaginekrafts can be found on Facebook.

Saturday, November 19th, was the annual holiday dinner and bazaar at Patoka United Methodist Church. They had a large crowd of diners and many carryout orders as well. Their famous apple butter was on sale as well.

For eight years Jenny Mason and her group of vendor friends have held a Christmas Bazaar at the Knights of Columbus. Admission was canned goods for the East GIbson Food pantry and this year’s raffle went toward helping Sheep Dog Assistance Impact. Vuteq also donated eight turkeys.

Photos: Jancey Smith

Photo: Jancey Smith

Community Foundation Awarded Grants

Wednesday, November 18th, at YMCA Camp Carson, the Community Foundation presented local nonprofits funds from the Community Goods Grant Program. Local organizations receiving these awards were: Dollars for Scholars for all three Gibson County School corporations, Youth First, Sts. Peter and Paul School, Owensville Ministerial Alliance, Gibson County CEO program, The Isaiah 1:17 Project, The ARC of Southwest Indiana, the City of Princeton Parks Department, the Fort Branch-Johnson Township Library, Gibson County Animal Services, Junior Achievement of Southwest Indiana, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance Southwest Indiana, Gibson County Council on Aging, and the YMCA of Southwestern Indiana.

Certified Counselors Help Enroll/Re-enroll in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace

Tulip Tree Family Health Care once again is providing assistance to area residents who are interested in enrolling or re-enrolling in Affordable Care Act Marketplace insurance options. Open Enrollment is the only time you can sign up or change plans without a special qualifying event so it is important that you take action before January 15th.

Tulip Tree Certified Application Counselors (CACs) are available by appointment to help Indiana residents through the enrollment process. Appointments last about one hour. Appointments may be in person or by phone. This service is available at Tulip Tree clinics in Fort Branch and Princeton. There is no charge for assistance. Tulip Tree offers this service because it is committed to improving health care options for the uninsured and underinsured.

Schedule your appointment with Jody by calling 812-753-1039 or cell 812-664-1707.

The online Marketplace http://www.healthcare.gov allows consumers to compare insurance options based on price, benefits, quality and other factors with a clear picture of premiums and cost-sharing amounts to help

them choose the insurance that works best for them. Financial subsidies to lower costs of premiums and medical care are available for people who qualify.

Tulip Tree CACs provide assistance to people who desire help with the computer process of enrollment and who prefer to work with someone who can answer their questions and explain the insurance plan options. You will need basic information on all family members/ dependents on your tax return in order to complete the process. If you already have an account on the Marketplace (http://www.healthcare.gov), you will need to bring your login information with you to your appointment.

Tulip Tree Family Health Care is a 501(c)3 non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to providing essential and affordable medical, behavioral health and dental services to residents of Gibson County and all surrounding counties. We offer care on an IncomeBased Sliding Fee Scale for uninsured and underinsured patients. For those with insurance, we accept and are preferred providers in all Medicare and Medicaid plans and most private insurance plans.

C.T. Montgomery with Chris and Jennifer MacKay who represented Sheep Dog Impact. Their goal is further EMS training.

Foundation, with Mayor Greg Wright of Princeton accepting a grant for the Parks Department.

Music at the Center Takes Off

Every Tuesday and some Fridays, the Center for Seniors is filled with music. Local musicians like The Wayward Musicians, Vince Goedde, the Silver Picks Dulcimer group, and the Jerry Davis band come to bring fun to the Center. To see the lineup of future music events stop by the Center for a calendar or check their Facebook page.

Tree Trail Has a New Look

Boyd’s Tree Trail at the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge has a new look. The trail has been renovated and the tree identification brochure updated. The trail features trees typical of the area and various aspects of a forested habitat. Boyd’s Tree Trail is located at the Snakey Point Marsh area on the Refuge just east of Oakland City. The trail is free and open to the public. Come out to the Refuge for a “treemendous” day!

Photo: Richard Vernier

Lindel Hume and The Wayward Musicians perform some Johnny Cash.

Director Ronda Colbert with Andy Russell and Jody Puro from Tulip Tree. Andy will be singing again on Dec. 9th.