Center Grove Community Newsletter - 2012-12

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Community Newslet ter

december 2012

Reaching More Center Grove Residents Than Any Other Publication!

Behind the scenes mount Pleasant Christian church’s 5th annual christmas service “A Baby Changes Everything”

Christmas 7 A

C e l e b r at i o n

Photo courtesy Mount Pleasant Christian Church

A part of the TownePost.com Network of Hyper Local Newsletters

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centergrove Community Newslet ter

contents

December 2012 Vol. 1, No. 9

Publisher: Dann Veldkamp Dann@AtCenterGrove.com (317) 345-9510

4 Publisher’s Welcome

16

Sales Manager: Jody Veldkamp Jody@AtCenterGrove.com (317) 507-4334

5 Providing Inspiration

18 Calendar of Events

Accounting: Jeanne Britt Jeanne@AtCenterGrove.com

7 The Gardening Nana:

19 Smile & Believe: A Riley

Sponsored by Malcolm T. Ramsey Agency

by Tonja Talley

Publisher, TownePost Network: Tom Britt Tom@AtCenterGrove.com Mailing Address: P.O. Box 36097 Indianapolis, IN 46236-0097 Phone: (317) 823-5060 Fax: (317) 536-3030

Christmas CD

Star Wars vs. Fairy Gardens

by Dann Veldkamp

by Nancy Craig

8 A Home Grown Florist

20

by Ann Craig-Cinnamon

The Center Grove Community Newsletter is published by Britt Interactive, LLC and written for and by local Center Grove area residents.

Newsletters are distributed via direct mail to nearly 14,000 Center Grove area homeowners and businesses each month. For more information, visit www.AtCenterGrove.com.

10

Business Spotlight: Baskin-Robbins

by Jody Veldkamp

A Christmas Celebration A Baby Changes Evertything: Behind the Scenes

21 Making ¢ents: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

by Kate Rhoten

by Tonja Talley

22 Word Search: Christmas

12 Holiday Gift Guide 14

J.L. Johnson’s Step of Faith

by Katelyn Bausman

by Dann Veldkamp

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Publisher’s Welcome

By Dann Veldkamp

Welcome to our first Christmas issue! Since our For space reasons we had to remove a paragraph from this month’s first issue, it has been a wonderful opportunity to Making Cents column. After saying that her boys get just three learn about the folks that make a difference in the presents, Kate asked some questions. Here’s what came next: Center Grove area. We look forward to learning Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus. It is not about who gets the even more in 2013! most presents or spends the most money. Jesus only received three gifts on his birthday. Shouldn’t that be good enough for us? Can you name the three

We continue to work to ensure the information we give you is gifts Jesus received? If not, it may be time to remember the true meaning of accurate. Unfortunately, last month we swapped the responses to the Christmas and talk as a family how you’d like to change the focus of this day. fresh everydayand in our third question of school board candidatesMade Matt Prusiecki Rob storefrom the finest and We wish all of you blessed Christmas and a Richards. Our sincere apology to the candidates and anyone who freshest ingredients.

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Providing

inspiration

By Tonja Talley “It is like a mission for us. Many customers come into our store needing inspiration before starting a project, and we strive to minister to those needs through our many stitched examples,” says Teri Doughtery. She co-owns The Back Door with Linda Hale. They pride themselves in making inspiration their business.

A crafter’s haven, the store lures you in with its warmth and cozy surroundings. The first thing customers notice is the many innovative designs that have been stitched together using beautiful quilting fabrics. These designs have been made from one of their many available kits — sometimes using the kit’s suggested fabric, other times from fabrics of their own choosing.

Vincennes resident Brenda Stradtner congregates here when she visits her daughter Lori Kogut of Center Grove. “We enjoy coming here together,” Kogut said. “They have a lot of examples to give my mother and me inspiration, and the ladies are always willing to help us match color schemes together. It’s a great store.”

Just in time for the holidays, the store is decked out in a variety of holiday and winter projects — both large and small. If you have time to make only one or two smaller items this year, you can choose a table runner, such as M.H. Designs’ Christmas Present, or a small wall hanging, such as Little Bits’ Trim the Tree. If, on the other hand, you have more time to spare, there are plenty of larger quilt kits to select from, such as Celebrate the Season and Lori Smith’s Quilted Sampler #0701, which you can use all winter long.

Nancy Bemis, a student in the quilting class at The Back Door.

uses a method of piecing small swatches of fabric together using reusable paper templates.

Among other classes, The Back Door offers beginning and advanced quilt making classes, which emphasize new and easier quilt techniques. It is here that the creativity of the students shines. When asked what her inspirational element was for her quilt, Bemis said it was the love for her recipient. “I want the quilt to convey: ‘If you need a hug, wrap yourself up in my warmth, and my love will be felt.’” Visit their website at www. backdoorquilts.com. cg Tonja Talley has called Center Grove home since 1993. An 11year bi-lateral lung transplant survivor, Tonja enjoys speaking on behalf of the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization.

She also volunteers for the CF Foundation, byTavi, and her church.

The store is primarily for quilting, but it shelves many supplies for rug hooking, embroidery, and punch needle. The shop also carries thousands of bolts of fine quilting fabrics, plus hundreds of books and patterns for quilts, dolls, aprons, purses, and much more.

“While I like looking at the various fabrics, I also enjoy their many classes,” said customer Nancy Bemis. The Back Door runs a separate building across the street for their classes, which range from beginner to advanced. One of their newest additions to the class schedule is English Paper Piecing. Hale said this class Brenda Stradtner and Lori Kogut enjoy browsing the fabrics at The Back Door.

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newsletter | December 2012

the

gardening

w e a lt h

Nana

m a n age m en t serv ic e

By Nancy Craig

Star Wars vs.

Fairy Gardens Over the spring & summer, my great nephews, Max & Eli, have helped their Nana plant butterfly gardens and sunflower forts to attract and feed wildlife from butterflies to bees and birds. The birds loved the sunflowers this fall, and we will put out the seeds we harvested over the winter. To give the birds an additional treat we’re going to string peanuts and hang out pine cones with peanut butter.

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Over the winter I’ll be planning what my great nieces, twins Lindsey & Lauren, can help their Not FDIC Insured No Bank Guarantee May Lose Funds ©2012 The National Bank of Indianapolis www.nbofi.com Nana with in the flower gardens next year. Yeah, girl things like 1923 WM_4.72x7.37.indd 1 2/21/12 6:56 AM As the gardening year ends, we remember the boy’s great-grandpa fairy gardens! This article from Midwest Living magazine who passed away, yet left us with a legacy of love for the farm, has many good ideas for miniature gardening: http://www. animals, and all growing things. Thanks Dad. cg midwestliving.com/garden/container/miniature-garden.

I couldn’t convince the boys to help me with those kinds of gardens, but we might try terrariums with Star Wars or bug themes. Pinterest.com has lots of good ideas on terrariums for kids, here’s one for boys: http://bit.ly/AtcgTerrariums.

Nancy’s love of flower gardening intensified while living in Holland and was perfected with Master Gardener courses.

December 2012 |

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7

By Ann Craig-Cinnamon

I

A H o m e G r ow n

F l o r i st

defy you to walk into a McNamara florist shop and not come away feeling better. The combination of incredible smells, vibrant colors, and the presence of the miracle of living things is an instant mood enhancer. It is compounded by the fact that McNamara goes all out in its arrangements and decorations, especially during the holidays. The holiday decorating doesn’t just happen either: it takes months of preparation and literally weeks of work according to McNamara’s owner, Toomie Farris, who says they make 1,600 arrangements for Christmas alone.

Farris has done it all for McNamara ever since he went to work for its founder Bob McNamara in 1980. McNamara started the business in 1954. Farris bought it in 2007 after it had gone through several owners. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t the best as the economy dived in 2008. He says the impact was dramatic. “We expected to be growing in upper single digits to double digits like we had for the last ten or fifteen years. Instead, we started declining in double digits, which was typical of retail around that timeframe. So it was challenging but we managed to keep our head above water.” McNamara is now growing.

They moved the original store in Broad Ripple to Glendale last year. They have opened a store in Geist, and the Avon store is just opening. They now have nine locations, including a sixacre greenhouse and garden center/flower shop complex in Fort Wayne, plus a 58,000 square foot warehouse in Fishers. There is an industry trend toward importing flowers and Farris says even though McNamara does import from six continents for seasonal varieties, they also grow many of their own flowers. “We’re pretty unique in the country in that we are vertically integrated; that we still are growing things ourselves. We really want to keep that homegrown local flavor as much as possible.”

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newsletter | December 2012

Photos by John Cinnamon Above: Toomie Farris, owner of McNamara Florist, touches up some holiday decorations.

McNamara is filled with beautiful decor and flowers to celebrate the season.

Homegrown is what makes McNamara stand out. The company focuses on local relationships, and they are proud that most of McNamara store managers have been with them for a long time and have developed their own relationships in their own communities. The Center Grove McNamara, operates a little differently than the other stores. It has been around for ten years and is the biggest store in the group. Rosemari Herbert is the store manager who he calls phenomenal. Farris says it tends to operate more independently, and Center Grove is a great market.

He points out that companies such as ProFlowers, 1-800-Flowers and FTD are national businesses that charge customers a service fee and then place the order with a local florist at a deep discount.

As a result, the customer is being overcharged, and the local florist is being underpaid for the product. Farris is very involved in a national movement called “Florists for Change,” which is made up of florists who want to create a different scenario. Farris says they don’t want to go the way of the local grocery store and disappear, and he thinks the kind of business that is personal and relationship-based is not just about selling product. “People can go buy flowers anywhere, if they just want to drop them in a vase or something. However, if they want something to give their wife for their anniversary or they want to send it to the funeral home, they want it to be special. It means something.

What we do is express McNamara still grows many of their flowers themsleves – locally.

emotions. It isn’t buying a widget, so there is creativity involved and there’s customization.”

Florist and fill your senses with the smells and colors of nature. If you want to take some home with you, that’s fine, too, since you will be helping the local economy. cg

Farris says his company is also unusual in that it is expanding its retail stores when other small florist are being squeezed out. Part Ann Craig-Cinnamon is a 30 year Radio & TV Broadcast of the McNamara brand is customers coming into the stores to veteran. You may recall her as the host of popular radio see the flowers and beautiful decor and come away with ideas. morning shows in Indianapolis for many years. She and her He says they are available online 24 hours a day, by phone, and husband, John are also business owners. Her lifelong love of they will even come out to your home or business and work world travel led them to start a travel franchise, CruiseOne, in with customers on site. He thinks people are still looking for Center Grove. Ann is a writer, travel speaker and author of an experiences in retail, and that’s why he’s still going all in on brick upcoming book about her time spent living in Iran. and mortar stores. “When they walk into one of our stores we want them to feel good and feel welcome, get ideas and be able aFteR 15 yeaRs in bLoomington, to look at all the pretty things and be inspired.”

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You may wonder what a person who lives and breathes flowers likes when he picks out flowers mfort for is...himself. Farris says he gets excited about seasonal flowers ng a gift that will last such as tulips in the spring and orchids in the summer, and he adds, “for the most part, I just enjoy the beauty of flowers. I will take whatever is seasonal and really pretty and just drop will last it in vases to have at home. And ore Logo I try to keep flowers around all the time.”

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Christmas 7 A

nd Behie th s Scene

“

T

C e l e b r at i o n “A Baby Changes Everything”

By Tonja Talley

he program is exceptional,” Center Grove resident Katie Rogers said. “The quality is comparable to the Indianapolis Yuletide. The talent last year blew us away. It brings the Christmas spirit to people’s hearts just before the holidays.”

Few celebrations herald this festive time quite like the sweet serenade of choirs and musicians spreading good cheer through classic holiday music. Seeking a way to share the miracle of the Christmas story with the community, Mount Pleasant Christian Church (MPCC) presents the fifth annual Joy to the World from December 7-9.

The service is an hour and a half chock-full of Christmas joy, complemented by orchestra and band arrangements, choirs, solos, and the pastor’s message of the birth of Christ. With an annual attendance of close to 6,000 people, I have always questioned what happens behind the scenes to make a service such as this one. I invite you to join with me in finding out.

The Genesis In 2008 pastor Chris Philbeck heeded the church to follow the gospel in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. Individuals, small groups, and entire ministries began thinking out of the box on how to be good disciples. According to Brian Tabor, MPCC’s worship and arts pastor, the genesis of Joy to the World started out of this call. “It’s our gift to the community.”

With such a large production as this special Christmas service, planning and preparation are essential. Tabor explains by the time the special Christmas services arrives over 500 volunteers will have helped with its production.

Beginning in May, Tabor listens and critiques the message of

10

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various types of Christmas music. By elimination he determines the theme for the five services. This year’s selected theme will be Faith Hill’s song called “A Baby Changes Everything.” This beautiful Christmas song recounts the scriptural story of Jesus’ birth. The title itself reaffirms the power of Emmanuel (Christ with us) and the power of a newborn child.

Using the theme as the catalyst, Tabor builds other songs around it. Solos, instrumental pieces, and music for the choirs are all chosen with the meaning and flow of the service in mind. When asked what keeps him going in this time-consuming process, Tabor smiled and said, “Preparation. With healthy preparation, whether for a small service or a big one, I know the end product will be spiritually moving and technologically sound.”

Worship Programming Next on his list, Tabor meets with MPCC’s worship programming and communications pastor Joey Santos. They discuss the background setting and mood needed to accentuate each number.

With the utilization of an environmental projection system, Santos and his team are able to project videos, images, and graphics off a 150 foot by 20 foot screen.

Breaking the service down by seconds, Santos draws from each song’s desired mood and setting to synchronize the music, the projectors, and the lights. For instance, if the song is “White Christmas,” he may use as a backdrop an outdoor scene with snowflakes lightly falling. He also incorporates lighting into the scene to create the mood of the music. Using the same example, Santos might synchronize the music and the snowy scene with a splash of blue to represent the feeling of a cold, snowy night.

After determining the setting and mood for each song, he searches the computer for videos and graphics that might fit

newsletter | December 2012

Mount Pleasant Christian Church presents 5th Annual Christmas Service: A Baby Changes Everything

Photo courtesy of Mount Pleasant Christain Church

Service Times: Dec. 7 – 7pm Dec. 8 – 3:45pm & 6pm Dec. 9 – 8:45am & 10:45am Doors open one hour before service time.

each type of music selection. Once this is accomplished, Santos sends the detailed information to engineers, who reconfigure the environmental projection system through a computer program.

“We want the special Christmas service to welcome people in.

We want them to embrace the moment, feel a part of it. The synchronization of the lighting, music, and the environmental projection system allows us to do that,” said Santos.

Choirs Children, ranging from age four years old to sixth grade, bound through the doorway of Mount Pleasant’s chapel. These children make up one of the two groups that form the 150-person children’s choir. Under the direction of Heidi Wright, along with volunteer assistants Deb Dillman, Debbie Tostin, and Donna Vaught, they gather the children together to rehearse three Christmas favorites. In addition to rehearsals, each child is given a CD and a sheet with the words on it for practice at home.

The second group of children practices Monday through Thursday in MPCC’s PreK and Kindergarten classes. One day a week they meet in the Worship Center to practice with Pre-K teacher Heather Trammell. Under her leadership, the children are learning the words and all the motions to the songs. “I love seeing Christmas through the eyes of these children. Their energy is contagious,” Tabor said with a grin.

High energy is not only in the children this season, but it is in the musical pieces of the adult worship team as well. This talented group of people consists of 70 MPCC choir volunteers and 30 paid or MPCC volunteer instrumentalists. By popular demand, the adult worship team will be bringing back some of the favorite tunes from the past, such as “Joy to the World.” Audience members will be amazed at the energy of “Sound of the Round.”

Noted as another energetic and gripping tune, the orchestra will claim the spotlight with the song, “A Mad Russian’s Christmas.”

The Finishing Touches The days leading up to the services seem crazy and chaotic.

Santos and his team have received the environmental projection system’s programs. The next 48 hours are crucial. The team, along with Santos, work through the night installing the necessary lights, cameras, and system programs. The finishing touches are applied with painstaking precision.

Opening night excitement will fill the air. People will be greeted by 200 MPCC volunteers, first in the parking lot and then at the door. Mount Pleasant will invite parents with children kindergarten age and under to take advantage of the children’s ministry, a safe alternative for small children available during all five services.

Before the service, the children’s choir will gather downstairs separated in different rooms by age and height. With each service, preschool director Rea Gray, along with 14 teacher and parent volunteers from the preschool, will lead the children’s choir, one room at a time and in single file, up to the Worship Center.

While the children file into the Worship Center, Tabor will bow his head in prayer: “…May You help this audience leave this Worship Center with their hearts ready for Christmas.” cg Tonja Talley has called Center Grove home since 1993. An 11year bi-lateral lung transplant survivor, Tonja enjoys speaking on behalf of the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization.

She also volunteers for the CF Foundation, byTavi, and her church.

December 2012 |

atCenterGrove.com

11

2012

Holiday Gift Guide

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C h e f’s Favorite

A Taste of VEGAS

Hal’s Fabulous Vegas Bar & Grille exterior.

By Ann Craig-Cinnamon | Photos by John Cinnamon Driving along State Road 135 looking for somewhere to eat, you get a sense of normal; the usual, of the same ‘ol, same ‘ol.

There’s KFC, there’s Arby’s, there’s Burger King, there’s Hal’s Fabulous Vegas Bar and Grille. Screeeeeeech … back up … what? Yes, Hal’s Fabulous Vegas is like an oasis right in the Nevada desert, right in the middle of unexciting. It even has that inviting ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ iconic sign blaring out front.

Center Grove may be about 2,000 miles away from the glitz and glamour of the real Las Vegas, but you can certainly get a taste of it at Hal’s.

Hal is Hal Yeagy. He knows a little something about the restaurant business, having owned and operated The Slippery Noodle Inn in downtown Indianapolis since 1984. The Slippery Noodle is the oldest bar in Indiana and has been in his family since 1963. Hal’s Fabulous Vegas, as the name would suggest, is Hal’s homage to Vegas and more specifically old-school and the Rat Pack era of Vegas. He says he opened the restaurant because, as a South-sider himself, he couldn’t find a place to get a good steak.

Hal’s Fabulous Vegas, which is at 1133 North State Road 135, just south of County Line Road, is in a location that had seen several different restaurants come and go. Hal bought it in May of 2006 after it had been empty for about a year and a half. A

complete remodel of the building turned it into something even Sinatra would be proud of. Why a Vegas theme? Because he says he spent a lot of time there and just really enjoyed it as a relatively inexpensive place to go for entertainment. It also operates, as Hal puts it, on his hours. He says he wanted it reminiscent of Caesar’s more than anything. “You walk in there and you feel like you’ve got money. The place is classic looking.”

Hal’s place is full of Rat Pack era memorabilia that is part of his personal collection. He and his wife designed most of the look of the restaurant themselves all the way down to the carpeting, for which he actually drew patterns the design firm followed. The bar is supposed to look like a blackjack table and is patented for its built-in individual glass coolers. There are slot machines, which, under state law, have had their guts removed rendering them for decoration only. There is a beautiful player piano in the middle of the restaurant which is played every Saturday night by a live professional piano player. When it’s not live, the music at Hal’s is his own collection of Big Band era music. As Hal says, everyone may not love Big Band music but it doesn’t offend anyone either.

For groups, there are rooms with names like “The Rat Pack Room” and “The Board Room” which ol’ Blue Eyes reigns over in pictures and, of course, in spirit.

Ask for Dennis Baker!

Owner Hal Yeagy in the lobby of Hal’s Fabulous Vegas Bar & Grille.

The restaurant features memorabilia from the golden age of Las Vegas.

North Grove Parent

1300 US 31 South Greenwood, IN 46143 RaySkillmanFord.com You’re going to love the way I do business!

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So there’s no arguing that Hal’s Fabulous Vegas is unique and has tons of atmosphere. But what about the food? Hal says, “to toot our own horn, I would say by far we’re the best food restaurant on the south side, and I would say one of the very top ones in the city. We’ve got a great chef. He just does his own creations a lot.”

That chef is Executive Chef Keith Angell. He’s been at Hal’s for three years and has been cooking for over twenty years. He says most professional chefs don’t have a particular specialty anymore; they just know how to cook a variety of different styles. If he had to choose what he has been most exposed to, however, he says it would be low country cuisine, which he often offers at Hal’s. Chef Keith describes low country as the cuisine on the coastal side of South Carolina which is similar to a Cajun Creole but has what he calls little “twists and turns.” He gives examples as dishes such as shrimp and grits, Frogmore stew, and sea crab soup.

He does have a cooking philosophy though. “I like to start with high quality ingredients and do as little to them as possible. I do like to pair them sometimes with ingredients that other people wouldn’t think about. And that allows me to be creative.”

Creative is putting it mildly. Everybody’s doing fish tacos, so Chef Keith does duck tacos with a blackberry corn salsa. They recently hosted a special game night at Hal’s, and it wasn’t the kind of “game” you might expect from a place that is supposed to remind you of Vegas.

This game night featured quail eggs, rabbit hind legs, ground ostrich, and kangaroo. If you’re wondering what kangaroo tastes like, he describes it as dark meat with a unique flavor.

Overall, Chef Keith describes Hal’s as more of a steak house with a lot of menu creativity.

“My job was to make the cuisine match the dining room atmosphere. So, Hal was looking for a little more flair and creativity.” The menu certainly fills that bill with appetizers, referred to as “Opening Wagers,” which include such fare as Casino Fried Oysters and Jackpot Shrimp, which is shrimp dusted in Cajun spiced flour, fried, and tossed in chili garlic cream sauce. Entrees include the Blackjack Burger, Chicken Sinatra, and the Vegas Strip, which is described as the “chairman” of all steaks. Check out the sidebar for Chef Keith’s Coffee Crusted Ahi Tuna recipe that calls for a rub using whole ground coffee, but is fairly simple to create. Dessert, known on the menu as “Going All In,” offers such choices as Berries and Cream Martini and Chocolate Lava Cake. Chef Keith has specials every weekend, and he calls it a dream come true to have such free reign.

He, like many chefs today, goes out of his way to buy local. “If you look top to bottom on our menu, there are so many local things. Even on the duck tacos, the duck is local from Maple Leaf Farms, and the goat cheese is local, too,” he says. Even when they do seafood specials they try to be as local as possible offering dishes utilizing prawns from Coatesville and trout from northern Indiana.

There are those who might submit that the south side of Indianapolis, in general, is not very sophisticated when it comes to culinary taste, so how well does Hal’s creative menu do here?

“I’d say it’s been a challenge because it’s mostly meat and potatoes down here, and that is something we do very well here. We’re known for our steaks so that really draws the crowd.

But I think we’re starting to draw the foodie population of Indianapolis as well,” says the chef.

Hal says the restaurant was slow growing for a few years but has now hit its stride. “The south side has always just been lacking and not for lack of money being on the south side. You drive through Center Grove and you can see there’s a lot of money down here.” He describes the Vegas theme of his restaurant as being much like Vegas itself: “over the top, but it ain’t real.”

By the way, he didn’t confirm it, but I understand that what happens at Hal’s Fabulous Vegas stays at Hal’s Fabulous Vegas. cg Ann Craig-Cinnamon is a 30 year Radio & TV Broadcast veteran. You may recall her as the host of popular radio morning shows in Indianapolis for many years. She and her husband, John are also business owners. Her lifelong love of world travel led them to start a travel franchise, CruiseOne, in Center Grove. Ann is a writer, travel speaker and author of an upcoming book about her time spent living in Iran.

COFFEE CRUSTED AHI TUNA Coat the Ahi Tuna with the coffee rub (recipe below). Sear tuna on both sides 2 minutes or to desired doneness. Top with curry sauce (recipe below).

COFFE RUB 2 cups whole ground coffee, mediumroast ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3 tablespoons lemon zest, lightly packed 4 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper Finely chop zest and mix all ingredients well.

CURRY SAUCE 2 tablespoons butter ½ onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ carrot, peeled and chopped 1 red apple, cored and chopped 1 tablespoon lime juice ¾ cup chicken stock 1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder 2 tablespoons pickled ginger 1 can coconut milk Salt and pepper to taste Melt the butter in a sauce pot.

Sauté the onion and carrot, without browning. Add garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Add apple and lime juice, cover and simmer on low heat about 15 minutes. Add stock and simmer for 45 minutes. Add curry powder, ginger, coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Increase heat, bring to a boil for one minute; remove from heat.

Puree sauce with immersion blender and let cool.

December 2012 |

atCenterGrove.com

15

Shelly and Jeff Johnson, owners of J.L. Johnson Fine Jewelers

J. L. Johnson’s Step of Faith

By Katelyn Bausman As owners of J. L. Johnson Fine Jewelers, Jeff and Shelly Johnson feel privileged to be a part of their loyal customers’ special moments, from engagements and weddings to holidays and birthdays.

It all started with their unique love story. After a brief meeting at a jewelry store where Jeff worked, he and Shelly ran into each other at a fundraiser. When they both greeted the coat checker, Andrea, by her first name, they learned that she was a first cousin to each of them through marriage! The couple also shares the same birthday, August 9. “But Jeff is five years older!” Shelly points out.

“The things that happened in the beginning were coincidental, strange, funny, but if we had met when we were younger, it wouldn’t have worked,” Shelly says. “Even though we’re not blood-related, it would have been more of a family relationship if we had met then. We really think this was God’s timing to meet when we did.”

Jeff learned the industry from the ground up while working at the jewelry store where he and Shelly met. After getting married, they began praying about opening their own jewelry store. They made a list of all the equipment they would need to do so, but they didn’t have the money to buy all of it new and didn’t want to go into debt. “We prayed and knew God would provide what we needed if opening our own store was what He wanted us to do,” Shelly says. Within two weeks, a retiring jeweler came into Jeff’s store to sell his equipment. Lo and behold, he offered nearly every single piece of equipment on their list. “It was a confirmation that this was the right thing for us to do,” she says.

That list was one of many times in their journey when God made a way possible. “The whole experience of starting our own business, from beginning to now, has been a step of faith and really God opening doors for us.”

They subleased a bank building, complete with a safe they needed, near the Greenwood Park Mall. The doors of J. L. Johnson Fine Jewelers opened April 1, 1989 (J. L. stands for Jeffrey Lawrence). With their business growing, they expanded the building in 1995. Fourteen years later having outgrown their

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center grove c o mm u nit y

newsletter | December 2012

first space, they hoped there was a way to get out of their lease early. They prayed that God would open the doors if it were meant to be. “We got a call from our landlord one day, asking if there was any way we would be willing to end our lease early,” she says. It was then that Jeff and Shelly understood God’s bigger plan – the new location was better, and they could build to the specs they wanted. “God’s hand maneuvered everything that happened. Everything worked out so well, from working with the developer so closely to a much better lease than we ever anticipated. Everything just fell into place.”

Today they offer designer and custom jewelry, custom designs, full service repairs, resizing, appraisals, restringing, engraving, and watches. Recently a customer wanted something designed in memorial of her grandfather who passed away. She recalled the chocolate chip cookies he always gave his granddaughters. His gold jewelry is being remade into a custom-designed chocolate chip cookie charm necklace. These special and very custom pieces are what they love to do for their customers.

“From the beginning, the business has really grown through the loyalty of our customers over the years,” Shelly says. Longtime customers now have children getting married and starting families, and those families have become the next generation of customers. “We want to know your families and grow with you.”

One of their favorite stories was when an engagement took place in their store. A couple came in to “look” at engagement rings.

When they got near the ring that the man had already purchased

for his girlfriend, he said, “What about this one right here?” “I love it,” she said and tried it on. “That’s good,” he said, “because that’s your ring.” Then he got down on one knee and proposed.

“To us, it’s exciting because we get to be a part of making memories,” Shelly says. “We don’t care how much people spend on the jewelry. It’s more about enjoying those moments with people, and for years later, we get to hear stories about their marriages and families because they are still customers.”

Jeff, Shelly and their staff are proud to have served the area for over 20 years. “We want to be more than just a jewelry store.

We want to be a part of the community and give back,” she says.

Jeff and Shelly have two sons: Dakoda, a sophomore at Eastern Michigan University, and Chapman, a junior at Center Grove High School. The family has attended Mount Pleasant Christian Church for 14 years. cg Katelyn Bausman is a lifelong Southsider. She is a freelance writer/editor and handles communications and event planning for an international ministry. She and her husband, David, enjoy calling Center Grove home.

The Center Grove Education Foundation 2013 Gala for the Grove is set for February 23 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom.

For more details, go to: http://bit.ly/atCGgala.

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centergrove

Community Event Calendar Great Greenwood Community Band Christmas Concert Saturday, December 8 at 7:00 PM Greenwood High School 615 W Smith Valley Rd. Greenwood, IN Free and open to the public. http://greenwoodband.com/concerts.php

The Sounds of Christmas December 9 at 5 PM Grace Point Church 330 Whiteland Rd. Whiteland, IN 46184 http://www.gracepointministries.net

Center Grove High School Holiday Show December 14 at 7 PM, and December 15 at 2 PM For more information: http://www.centergrovechoirs.org/

Duke Energy Yuletide Celebration This year the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra welcomes Indy’s own Angela Brown along with Broadway star Ben Crawford to join Jack Everly, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and an extraordinary cast of singers and dancers on the Hilbert Circle Theatre stage. There are numerous show times throughout December. For more information, visit their web site: //bit.ly/AtcgYuletide

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’Tis the Season Wishing you and your family moments of magic to make your holidays bright. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the new year.

Malcolm T. Ramsey Agency 1090 S. State Road 135 Suite D Greenwood, IN 46143 Office: (317) 881-4200

Christian Youth Theater Indianapolis Thursday, Dec 13 – 10:00 AM, 12:30 PM Friday, Dec 14 – 7:00 PM Saturday, Dec 15 – 2:00 PM, 7:00 PM Sunday, Dec 16 – 2:00 PM Marian University 3200 Cold Spring Road Indianapolis, IN http://www.cytindy.org/shows/Scrooge-13

Singing Christmas Tree Spectacular December 14-16 Grace Assembly of God 6822 North US 31 New Whiteland 317-535-5640 http://www.grace-assembly.org

Have an upcoming event?

American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries Home Office – Madison, WI 53783 www.amfam.com

Promote it right here in the Center Grove Community Newsletter and online at AtCenterGrove.com. Just send the event information to dann@AtCenterGrove.com.

You can also post your event on TownePost.com for free!

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center grove c o mm u nit y

newsletter | December 2012

Smile & Believe: A Riley Christmas CD

By Dann Veldkamp As the world-class medical staff at Riley Hospital for Children worked to save our daughter Abigail, the encouraging words from a cleaning lady at the hospital prepared our ailing spirit into a healthy attitude the guided us on our amazing journey.

She simply said, “Now, don’t you dare let me see that tear boiling in your eyes roll down your face. You are in good hands; you just need to smile and believe.” From that divine moment, “smile and believe” became our family’s motto. – Scott and Martha Johnson That was how Abigail Johnson came into the world in 2003.

Abigail has turned into a talented musician and is dedicated to helping other children who are struggling at Riley Hospital. For the second year in a row Abigail, with the help of many friends, Abigail has recorded a second CD of Christmas music. Last year the effort produced over $10,000. All the proceeds

from sales will go to benefit the children of Riley.

Smile & Believe Volume 2: A Riley Christmas CD is available from a variety of sources: • www.wepay.com/stores/ smile-believe-volume2-ariley-christmas-cd. There are many purchasing options at this site.

• iTunes • JL Johnson Fine Jewelers • Teddy’s Burger Joint on Southport Road

Smile & Believe Volume 2: A Riley Christmas CD song list: 1. Silver Bells 2. Smile & Believe 3. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year 4. Best Christmas Ever

• Deck the Walls

5. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)

• Shooting Stars Portrait Studios • Or contact Scott Johnson at swjcoach@sbcglobal.net

6. We Need a Little Christmas

More information is available on our web site at AtCenterGrove.com. cg

8. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

7. Frosty the Snowman

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b u s i ness sp o tl i g h t

Baskin Robbins 1280 US Highway 31 N Greenwood, IN 46142 317-881-0401 BaskinRobbins.com

More than 31 flavors By Jody Veldkamp When Center Grove resident Charlie O’Connor contacted me to discuss the business he and his wife Diana own, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, I found myself thinking, “They are still around?” Then I realized that I had driven by it a hundred times, on the southwest corner of County Line Road and US 31. The store has been in the same location for 25 years, the O’Connors purchased it three years ago when the original owner retired.

They were looking for a business of their own, and although Charlie is not a big ice cream lover, he saw an opportunity to refresh one of America’s iconic brands. Competition in the ice cream world is growing rapidly but Baskin-Robbins has been serving up hard-packed ice cream since 1947. The story of the start of Baskin-Robbins is a classic. Two brothers-in-law, who were each running their own ice cream business decided they would be better together, and the rest is history (read the story: http://bit.ly/AtcgIceCream).

They now have over 1,000 varieties; the original 31 are derived from having one flavor for each day of the month. This store always has 44+ varieties available. One item that makes Baskin-Robbins unique is their specialty cakes.

Don’t be surprised to see a turkey in 20

center grove c o mm u nit y

the display case, an ice cream turkey, covered in caramel. If you want to surprise your host bring one with you to Christmas dinner, you will be the bestloved guest at the gathering.

Specialty theme cakes are a growth area for the business. Charlie says they now create more than 2,700 cakes a year and the demand continues to grow. Cake decorator, Crystal Braswell makes the cakes. She says people come in wanting a custom cake, not realizing the time it takes to create one. A “turkey” is a multi-step process of molding, freezing, assembling, “frosting,” and customizing. (See the creation of the ice cream “turkey” at http://bit. ly/AtcgTurkey.) Crystal also creates clown cones, Christmas rolls, birthday, Valentines, Easter, Father’s and Mother’s Day cakes and will custom create a cake with your choice of ice cream. Order at least 24-hours ahead, or choose from one of many in stock.

The most popular cakes are Father’s Day, followed

by Mother’s Day. Charlie says they always stock up on cakes for Mother’s Day because dads don’t tend to pre-order.

Valentines and Easter are also popular times for theme cakes. If you are looking for something for Christmas now is the time to get your order in. You might want to

newsletter | December 2012

Charlie O’Connor, owner of Baskin -Robbins located at US 31 and County Line Road.

check out the”Yule Log” cake.

Charlie loves to get involved in the community. A portable ice cream cart creates an on location ice cream social and he and Diana will give away more than 750 scoops in the form of “Reading Rewards Coupons” to encourage kids to read. Baskin-Robbins has been scooping up favorites for three quarters of a century, and Charlie expects that he and Diana will be serving up “More Flavors, More Fun” and a lot more for years to come. cg

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Making ¢ents

By Kate Rhoten

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas … both of these questions: What is Christmas about? Why do we celebrate Christmas?

This is the time of year when companies work the hardest to get your money. This is also the time of year, if not careful, you will regret in January. Don’t let this be true this holiday season, make a plan. Here are a few tips from 4 Walls Financial to help you avoid overspending this holiday season and get your new year started on the right foot.

Ok, you got me. A plan is just another word for a budget. First, establish a budget. Determine how much money you can allocate for Christmas presents. This amount must stay within your regular monthly budget. Create a list of everyone you are buying presents for this year. Next to each person’s name, write down the amount of money you will be spending on each person. This should go without saying, but the total of the individual amounts should not exceed your total Christmas budget. Lastly, write down the gifts you want to get for each person. Simple as that.

You now have, all in one place, your Christmas list and Christmas budget. Easy right? You know, even Santa does this. In fact, rumor has it that he even checks it twice.

Let me ask, how many gifts did you write down for each person?

Do you have multiple gifts for some on your list? My guess is you do, especially the children right? It’s hard not to buy your children everything they want. Notice I said want, not need.

That’s why we developed a simple philosophy years ago when it comes to Christmas gifts for our children.

Our children receive only three gifts each year from Santa. They typically are two fun gifts they really want and another more reasonable or practical. Why do we do this? Ask yourself one or

Before you head out, review your list for the best prices. Look online. Amazon is always a great place to start. The next best place is to look is at the websites of the stores where you plan to shop. Many times, they will offer special online discounts that you cannot get in the store. If you find a lower price online, print out the page and take it with you to the store. This year many stores will match prices found online.

Probably the hardest part of the entire plan is actually sticking to it.

This is the time of the year when the retail-marketing machine is in high gear. Do you know why Black Friday (even though it now starts on Thanksgiving) is called Black Friday? This is typically the day when most retail businesses actually begin to make money for the year. Every company is competing for your hard-earned money. Don’t let yourself get sucked into buying something not on your list, something no one asked for, or worse, something you think someone might want just to get an extra 25% off.

As for next year, plan ahead. Make a New Year’s resolution to save a little money each month that is just for Christmas gifts that year. Christmas will come December 25; I promise.

PS: My follow-up on cell phones will be in January’s issue. cg Kate is a financial expert of what to do and not do with money as well as owner of 4 Walls Financial, A Coaching Focused Company. She has attended and completed Dave Ramsey’s Counselor Training. Follow Kate on Twitter 4WFCoach, reach out to her via email at kate@4wallsfinancial.com or visit www.4wallsfinancial.com.

Feel free to share ideas or questions for future articles.

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word search: Christmas Shopping List Presented by Chambers Agency | Created by Lucy Stravers Hidden in the puzzles are names of items that could be found on a shopper’s list at Christmas time. Words may appear in a straight line in any direction.

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1. Backpack 2. Billfold 3. Blouse 4. Book 5. Bows 6. Bracelet 7. Candy Canes 8. Cologne 9. Computer Game 10. Cosmetics 11. Decorations 12. Diary 13. Dvd 14. Earrings 15. Fashion Ring 16. Fruit Cake 17. Games 18. Gift Certificate 19. Gloves 20. Handbag 21. Holly 22. Jigsaw Puzzle 23. Mittens 24. Mug 25. Necklace 26. Peanut Brittle 27. Pen And Pencil Set 28. Robe 29. Scarf 30. Shirt 31. Slippers 32. Socks 33. Sweater 34. Tie 35. Toaster 36. Toys 37. Tree 38. Watch 39. Wrapping Paper 40. Wreath

Lucy Stravers lives in Pella, Iowa and is the mother-in-law of Dann Veldkamp. Need a large print version? Find it on AtCenterGrove.com

Rick Chambers Agency 859 Riverside Dr., Suite 12 Greenwood, IN 317-885-6900 rchambers@farmersagent.com www.farmersagent.com/rchambers

Proud member of Southside Business Partners

Conveniently located south of Greenwood Park Mall on Fry Road

22

center grove c o mm u nit y

newsletter | December 2012

EXPERTS AT SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS. AND OUR COMMUNITY.

Mike Combs Tricia Rake

Shirley Best

West Smith Valley Road and SR 135

882-8200

Š2012 The National Bank of Indianapolis

1922 Greenwood Experts_7.37x9.58.indd 1

www.nbofi.com

Member FDIC

4/24/12 6:38 AM

AtCenterGrove.com P.O. Box 36097 Indianapolis, IN 46236-0097

ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMER

J.L.Johnson fine jewelers

1263 N. State Road 135, Greenwood, IN 317.888.7662

www.jljohnsons.com

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAID

Indianapolis, IN Permit No. 100