MASCOT ACADEMY
Dr. Johnson & Dr. Lauren
A FRESH START
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ENERGIZES AVON EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Writer / Melissa Gibson
The Avon Education Foundation (AEF) recently welcomed new Executive Director Darci Borcherding, and she’s hit the ground running with fundraising events and new ideas to support Avon Community School Corporation teachers and staff.
The idea of working with the community, finding solutions and supporting educators interested Borcherding.
“I have a background in fundraising both personally and professionally,” she said. “I moved to Avon from Iowa five years ago and when this opportunity came up, I was really excited to work in Avon schools. I have children here and it seemed like the perfect fit.”
Her mother and grandmother were teachers, and Borcherding said she knows they would have appreciated some of the established programs and grants available through AEF that they didn’t have the
opportunity to pursue.
In addition to some popular annual events and programs, Borcherding hopes to expand the programs and add new opportunities as well.
“I have so many ideas of fun things we could do to raise funds, and I want to get the students involved,” Borcherding said. “There are so many things we can do to impact the area and the school system.”
This summer, Supply It Forward will return for students on the free and reduced lunch program. They’ll receive school supplies and other resources at no cost. The gymnasium is set up like a store environment and students are able to “shop” for book bags, notebooks, pencils and other supplies on their list.
There will be music, resource booths and other opportunities throughout the day.
“Last year we served a little over 1,000 kids,” Borcherding said. “Nearly 50% of our students in the Avon School Corporation is on the free and reduced lunch program, so there’s a big need out there. In addition to school supplies, we also have hygiene products and vaccinations if needed. I hope to continue to grow that program in the future.”
They also offer the Supply Our Schools store throughout the school year. Teachers can submit orders for supplies from dry-erase markers to hanging file folders. Students from the work-study program come in four days per week, pull the orders and then deliver the items on Fridays.
Darci Borcherding
“This is at no cost to the teachers and it’s been a big blessing to them,” Borcherding said. “Businesses with supplies they doan’t need anymore donate to us. Others donate when they catch a sale at the store. It saves a lot of money for our teachers, and you wouldn’t believe how many glue sticks and dry-erase markers they go through each year.”
AEF finds ways to support their teachers through the Honor an Educator program. Families can purchase a sign, write a special message on the back, and the signs are displayed at the entrance to the school in appreciation for teachers and staff in the building.
Teachers also have options to apply for grants for their classroom.
“Helping Hands Grants are up to $500,” Borcherding said. “Teachers can apply for something they need in the classroom. We surprise them during class and that’s always a lot of fun. It’s always something teachers might not be able to buy otherwise. For example, we just awarded a grant to one teacher to get duck eggs and watch them hatch in the classroom. The kids were extremely excited to have this opportunity and we’ve seen teachers jump up and down when they get the grant.”
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Other grants supported science magazine subscriptions, outdoor toys for the preschool program, and supplies for a clay art program, to name a few.
Borcherding said walking into work every day sparks a new idea or a new dream of a future program.
“I’m a big dreamer and I love thinking about solutions to a problem,” she said. “Right now I’ve been working on something that allows our students to take their computers home. It’s things like that. Sixteen percent of our students are multilingual. What kinds of programs could we do to help those children?”
She’s also looking at additional ways to continue helping students in need.
“I’ve thought about a type of mental health event,” she said. “That can be difficult due to privacy issues, but nearly every day, something comes up that I think, ‘I can help here.’”
Their largest fundraiser each year is the Monte Carlo event in the spring. While they skipped the event in 2024, it will return in 2025. They also host an annual Broadway Kids Camp.
According to Borcherding, the events often highlight the great work the AEF board of directors puts forth.
“We have an unbelievable board who works on this,” she said. “They’ve literally taken care of 99% of the Monte Carlo event and we sold out again this year. None of these things could happen
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without our board. They make everything possible, and in the past three months they’ve been such a blessing to me.”
Borcherding has been amazed by the board, but also by the community. One of her tasks as executive director is to create partnerships and relationships with local businesses, community leaders and individual supporters.
“I have been amazed at the different businesses sponsoring, how interested they are in being involved, and how great it’s been to meet different people in the community,” Borcherding said. “They are always positive and always have something great to say about AEF. None of this could happen without our sponsors.”
For those who want to support AEF and teachers at Avon Community School Corporation, they can always reach out to Borcherding.
Donations are accepted at avoneducationfoundation.org. If anyone is interested in sponsorships, supplying donations or volunteering for an event, email aef@avon-schools.org.
“We really appreciate all the support we receive,” Borcherding said. “I don’t think people realize how much teachers spend out of their own pockets to get their classrooms going and it’s just amazing to see all the neat things they are doing. I had the opportunity to see the robotics team prepare for the state competition. When you see all the opportunities our students have and just how smart they all are - I’m just amazed.”
SPRING INTO FUN
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS IN HENDRICKS COUNTY, INDIANA
Writer / Josh Duke
Winter is finally over, and it’s time to step out and create lasting memories with your loved ones. Fortunately, Hendricks County offers a range of family-friendly entertainment options that are not only closer to home but also more affordable than faraway destinations. Let’s take a closer look at these newer attractions and an older favorite with a fresh twist.
URBAN AIR ADVENTURE PARK
If you haven’t yet experienced this exciting family entertainment destination in Plainfield, you’re truly missing out. The gigantic playland offers thrilling activities suitable for all ages, including trampoline zones, an indoor zipline experience, and a Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course. Additionally, guests can enjoy suspended ropes courses, climbing walls, a challenging Wipeout game, a tubes playground catering to younger guests, fogfilled laser tag arenas, and twisty Spin Zone Bumper Cars.
PINHEADS
An established name in Fishers, Pinheads Entertainment has recently made its mark in Brownsburg, captivating visitors with its array of attractions and activities. The venue boasts a luxury arcade, state-of-the-art bowling lanes, a social area featuring duckpin bowling, and a private event suite with a speakeasy vibe. Moreover, Pinheads offers an on-site full-service restaurant called Alley’s Alehouse, complete with outdoor seating during warmer months. Plans are also in place to expand the fun outdoors by adding miniature golf to their offerings.
TIE DYE LAB MOVE & EXPANSION
Since its establishment in Avon in 2017, The Tie Dye Lab has been enchanting families with its DIY tie-dye experience. In a recent move to a new location in the Beechwood Centre strip mall, the lab now offers private rental bounce house parties and occasional bounce house open play alongside its popular
tie-dye birthday parties, private events, and walk-in hours. It’s also transitioning to appointment-only hours from Monday to Thursday, managed through its Facebook page.
STAY UPDATED
For those eagerly seeking more entertainment, Brownsburg is set to welcome Slick City Action Park, its first venture into Indiana. Boasting enormous indoor slides and air courts, this indoor adventure park promises giant dry slides and a host of exciting activities upon its scheduled opening this spring. As Hendricks County continues to expand its offerings, Visit Hendricks County commits to delivering the latest news and information to residents and visitors through the Weekly Insider blog, Monthly Planner newsletters, and its various social media channels.
Stay ahead of the curve by subscribing to the Visit Hendricks County blog and newsletter at VisitHendricksCounty.com.
MASCOT ACADEMY
THE MIRACLE MASCOT SUMMER CAMP
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Owen Carr loved his role as mascot for Avon Middle School North and Avon High School. He spent his middle school and high school days attending every football and basketball game, both home and away, sharing his outgoing personality and friendly demeanor from inside the Oriole costume.
“I wanted to be a mascot because I enjoyed them,” he said. “It’s making kids happy and being there for them. It’s pumping up the crowd, and just comes down to it being my favorite thing.”
Owen’s father, Kevin, said the principals at the elementary and intermediate
schools began calling and asking for a mascot visit.
“He’s done all sorts of parties, delivering cupcakes at fun events and attending activities at the other schools too,” Kevin said.
Owen was born with several medical issues, undergoing multiple surgeries from birth, and was eventually diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy, autism and an immune deficiency.
Kevin and his wife, Kelly, learned early on that if they follow their son’s dreams, he will live a joy-filled, successful life.
“We’re grateful for all the times we didn’t say no,” said Kelly. “We didn’t come up with the idea to mascot. Owen did, and it was a perfect fit. We often have kids and make all of these plans for them, but Owen has taken us to places we never thought we’d go.”
He found joy in the friends he made on the football and basketball teams, and the
fun he had doing selfies and autographs with the crowds.
Owen has since graduated and now works in food services for Avon Community School Corporation, but last year, while talking about his experience, the family thought of a new challenge that gives
Children
similar opportunities to other kids in Hendricks County.
“I was saying I know the mascot role was such an amazing outlet for Owen, and I just wished we could tap into the disability community a little more and give them this opportunity,” Kelly said. “There are lots of kids that can do this.”
Miracle Mascot Summer Camp was created, and they launched the first threeday camp last summer. It returns this year on June 16, 17 and 18 for fourthgrade through high school students, countywide.
Fifteen students enrolled, half of them neurotypical and half neurodiversethough you couldn’t tell once camp activities began.
Campers can be paired with a “buddy”
if needed, and then they rotate between group activities and breakaway sessions.
“Owen has developed a list of mascot pointers, and he shares tips like never taking your mask off in front of people, recognizing personal space and using body language to determine if you should approach individuals,” Kevin said. “We brought in mascot costumes from Avon, Plainfield and Brownsburg so everyone can try those on along with some of Owen’s props.”
Some stations featured physical fitness routines, and others prompted campers to put oven mitts on and sign their name, to simulate autographs while wearing the mascot costume.
The Carrs are friends with Rowdy, the Indianapolis Indians mascot. He’ll make an appearance, as will the Indy 500’s Firehawk and several others, at a mascot
Tox-Away Day
May 3
8AM-1PM
Hendricks Co Fairgrounds (enter at Gate 5)
Hendricks County households are encouraged to use Tox-Away Days to recycle and dispose of chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, batteries, medicines, medical sharps, tires, electronics, and appliances. Regulations prohibit wastes from businesses or other organizations from being accepted at Tox-Away Days.
Fees are charged for the recycling of TVs ($20/$25), appliances ($5/$10), and certain tires. Cash and check only.
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jam party at the end of camp.
“Everybody has something to offer, and our goal is to be an inclusive group and give kids a chance to have some fun and make new friends,” Kevin said.
The camp has given Owen one more way of inspiring youths and bringing joy to the community.
“You can do it,” Owen said. “Keep your head up. God doesn’t give you anything you can’t handle, so if you just work hard, you can do anything.”
National Mascot Day is on June 17 this year, and they’ve chosen to host Miracle Mascot Summer Camp on the evenings of June 16, 17 and 18. Register at miraclemascot.com.
TOWNE POST NETWORK AND BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU® SERVING CENTRAL INDIANA FORM
NEW DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP
The collaboration will create more digital and print advertising options for local BBB Accredited Businesses.
Towne Post Network and the Better Business Bureau® Serving Central Indiana (BBB) have entered a new partnership to offer print and digital marketing services for more than 4,200 BBB Accredited Businesses across 42 counties in Indiana.
Towne Post will kick off the partnership by offering a “Basic Digital Display” package to BBB Accredited Businesses with the goal of targeting customers by zip code searching for local services across the web and apps. Other services include print advertising in any of the 14 central Indiana Towne Post monthly magazines, digital display advertising, streaming TV ads, local SEO services, Google ad management, and basic website design packages.
“This collaboration is a perfect fit,” says Towne Post Network Founder and CEO Tom Britt. “As an organization, Towne Post’s core values of serving the community with transparency and honesty are in lockstep with BBB Accreditation Standards when it comes to truth in advertising.”
The standards outline the criteria businesses
must meet to maintain trust, including upholding legal and ethical advertising practices, transparency in the marketplace, safeguarding customer privacy and honoring commitments.
Britt says Towne Post will encourage its advertisers to seek BBB Accreditation to show their commitment to building trust in their respective communities.
“This partnership brings together two organizations with an aligned purpose,” says BBB Serving Central Indiana President and CEO Cathy Armour. “With more than two decades of local expertise and community support, the Towne Post Network’s dedication to showcasing positive stories and small businesses will help strengthen the resources we offer BBB Accredited Businesses.”
For more information on BBB Accreditation, visit bbb.org/get-accredited.
About Towne Post Network, Inc.
Founded in 2004 with a mission to create engaging and relevant community publications, Towne Post Network is redefining the magazine industry. With a focus on hyper-local content and an integrated print and digital marketing
approach, their magazines connect businesses and residents in communities like never before. Towne Post Network’s cloudbased platform offers franchisees flexibility and freedom, allowing them to work from home while benefiting from comprehensive support and group-vendor pricing. With an expanding network of hyper-local publishers, Towne Post Network is actively seeking passionate individuals to bring their community-focused magazines to towns across the country. For more information, visit franchising.townepost.com.
About BBB Serving Central Indiana
The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands and charities they can trust for more than 110 years. In 2023, people turned to BBB more than 218 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million businesses, and 80,000 times for BBB charity reports on about 12,000 charities, for free at bbb. org. Regional, independent BBBs can be found across the United States and Canada, including BBB Serving Central Indiana, which was founded in 1916 and serves 42 counties in Indiana. For more information, visit bbb.org.
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FITE-ING FOR A CURE
ONE PLAINFIELD WOMAN’S MISSION TO FUND BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Photographer / Amy Payne
Erika Fite-Fraits’ mother, Lisa Fite, fought breast cancer twice, passing away in 2021. Despite the pain and loss for the family, it was also the beginning of a new chapter for Erika - something she would have never seen coming.
“When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time, we also found out she was a carrier for the mutated gene PALB2,” Fite-Fraits said. “It greatly increased her risk and was likely why she had a reoccurrence.”
Many have probably heard of the BRCA gene. It’s received a lot of attention lately and can warn physicians of increased risk for certain types of cancers. The PALB2 gene is similar. Both can show an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers.
The family met with a genetic counselor and found Erika and her brothers were all carriers of the gene.
“Following her passing and receiving information from my genetic counselor, I started on my own journey of being an advocate for myself and trying to encourage others,” she said. “I’ve seen what breast cancer can do from several different angles.”
As president of Fite Plumbing in Plainfield, she’s using the business to create awareness around breast cancer and proactive care.
“I think there’s a general distaste for giving money for cancer research because it’s hard to see the advancement in medicine,” she said. “This takes a lot of time and a lot of money, and unfortunately people have to die to get more research going. It’s a very humbling experience.”
After everything she’s experienced, FiteFraits began a campaign with the hashtag #FiteCancer.
“The biggest thing is education, and with our position in the construction industry, we
want to help get the word out there,” FiteFraits said.
They’ve hosted Lunch and Learn events with representatives from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. They participate in a 5K walk, and employees are wearing Fite Cancer hats and T-shirts.
They also collect donations throughout the year for breast cancer research.
Fite-Fraits was surprised by the continually updated information she was receiving.
“When we first found out about this gene the risk was around 50/50 for me, but by the time of my mother’s passing, my specialist called with new research and said my risk was greatly increased,” she said. “She recommended a double mastectomy.”
That decision alone can be a difficult one. Paired with the passing of her mother and all of the emotions she was feeling, Fite-Fraits
began thinking of other people in similar situations.
She underwent the surgery and reconstruction for herself and her family, and said there were plenty of ups and downs. It gave her the urge to share with others, encourage others and make others aware of the risks.
“I’ve done a lot of things with Arbonne beauty and health care,” she said. “I was always pro finding confidence in your skin, and it’s almost gone full circle, to trying to be confident in my own skin after the surgery. It just made me think, ‘How can I help others with this?’ I don’t want these experiences to go unused if they can benefit someone else.”
She also realized she had to be proactive. “I had to make the calls,” she said. “If I didn’t follow up, I might not have had this done. You have to advocate for your own body. You’re the one living it so if a doctor doesn’t listen, get a second opinion. Sometimes people make you feel like you’re just being paranoid, but you need to listen to your instinct.”
After her own proactive journey, FiteFraits recommends talking to your gynecologist and bringing a family history with you.
“Not everyone has their family history, but it’s a huge key factor,” she said. “We had a very strong trend on my mom’s side. Make sure to have your mammograms, and with all of those things put together, in my case,
my GYN referred me to a specialist.”
Fite-Fraits enjoys talking to people, hearing their stories and sharing her own. In fact, the T-shirt she wears around the community has often led to conversations with strangers.
“I think people are kind of embarrassed or assume you don’t want to talk about it, but once you’ve experienced it, you know how to ask questions to make others feel more comfortable,” she said. “It’s allowed me to build connections and see different perspectives.”
When her mother was fighting cancer for the second time during the pandemic, Fite-Fraits’ family moved in to help care for her.
“I thought the grandkids would be good for her, and we just hibernated together and got through this together,” she said. “It was an emotional roller coaster but I think so many people may be not have that kind of support. When your husband has passed away and the kids live out of town, who do you talk to?”
Fite-Fraits hopes to continue building momentum on her social media campaign and educational offerings. She wants to provide new outlets for those who have been diagnosed or have a loved one who has been diagnosed.
“Some of our hospitals have networks or classes, but I’ve always thought everything else is done in the hospital, and the last place you want to go to hang out and be comfortable is the place everything else is happening. I’d love to create a network in the community and provide meetings away from the hospital. I don’t want people to feel like they are alone in this.”
In the meantime, Fite-Fraits will continue to spread awareness in every way she knows how.
All events are posted on the Fite Plumbing Facebook page, and this year, look for a sublink on the page to show how much has been raised in the campaign.
“I just want to continue the conversation,” Fite-Fraits said. “I want people to talk about this and we’re going to use our platform at Fite Plumbing to do that.”
Dr. Vicki Crum
APRIL
5 PAWS TO READ
11 AM – 12 PM
Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library, 1120 Stafford Rd.
Practice your reading with a trained therapy dog! Please register for this event online. plainfieldlibrary.libnet.info
THE PHIL COLLINS EXPERIENCE
The Vogue Theatre, 6259 N College Ave. thevogue.com
8 BEETLEJUICE (TOURING) 7 - 8:30 PM
Clowes Memorial Hall, 4602 Sunset Ave.
He earned his stripes on Broadway… now the ghost with the most is coming to your city. It’s showtime!
9 DISTURBED: THE SICKNESS 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
6:30 PM
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 125 N. Pennsylvania St..
10 STEVE TREVIÑO: THE GOOD LIFE TOUR 8 PM
Old National Centre, 502 N. New Jersey St..
Egyptian Room at Old National Centre. Riser seats include wait staff Doors: 7:00 PM Show: 8:00 PM Ages 12+
11 CARLY PEARCE: HUMMINGBIRD WORLD TOUR PRESENTED BY CONUNDRUM WINES
8 PM
Old National Centre, 502 N. New Jersey St..
Egyptian Room at Old National Centre. General admission is standing-room only. Doors: 7:00 PM Show: 8:00 PM All Age
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