Brownsburg Magazine - December 2020

DECEMBER 2020

MAGAZINE

The Varvel Brothers Have Cultivated Their Creative Sides

RACING FOR A CAUSE

Local Boy Raises Funds and Awareness for Alopecia

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

BrownsburgMagazine.com

Inspired by God’s Gift of Grace This year our hearts were filled with both joy and sadness. We held our families closer at home. We prayed for our healthcare heroes, all while God showed us our strength and resiliency.

In celebration of our Savior’s birth and His gift of Grace, Franciscan Health has never been more inspired to joyfully serve you, as we serve Christ through our mission of caring for the sick and needy. This Christmas season, we reflect on the year God ensured He would always be near.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

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AN HONORABLE END Hendricks County Honor Guard Recognizes Local Veterans Who Have Passed On Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Darnell Scott

The Hendricks County Honor Guard started in 1999 with a purpose of honoring soldiers by performing primarily graveside military functions as rifleman, blowing Taps and folding and presenting the American flag to the next of kin.

has done over 900 funerals in Hendricks County. Though the majority of the funerals take place here in the county, they do go to surrounding counties as long as the deceased is a resident of Hendricks County.

“I’ve stood in line many times and watched grown men cry after we fire and blow Taps,” says Robert Schmidt, Commander of the Hendricks County (HC) Honor Guard since 2001. “It’s very emotional.”

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they operate independent of the American Legion or VFW. They currently have 19 people who serve as volunteers, though they are always in search of more help. Anyone 18 years or older can get involved, and one doesn’t have to be in the service or have served in the military.

Since its inception, the HC Honor Guard

“Some people volunteer because their dad

was in the service or they want to honor someone they love,” Schmidt says. “We welcome and train anybody who is of age.”

They average about one funeral a week, though at times they have done two or three in one day. They work with the funeral directors in the county, who call with details of the deceased, including their age, the time and place of the funeral as well as the branch the deceased has served in.

Schmidt notes that the law says that two people from the deceased’s branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) must be there.

That’s not true of the HC Honor Guard.

6 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2020 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

“We’re the icing on top of the cake,” Schmidt says. “It’s your right to have the two people from your branch of service there.

It’s a rite that we are there.”

In addition to providing these services at funerals, the HC Honor Guard also participates in color guard once or twice a month. They also occasionally speak to children at schools or Boy Scout club meetings. For example, they might explain to students why the American flag gets folded into a triangle. In case you’re curious about the answer, Schmidt says that during the Revolutionary War, the hat the soldiers wore was called a tri-cap.

“It was three-part cap, had three-quarters to it, and that’s why we fold the flag into a three-quarter fold,” Schmidt says. “It has to be just exactly perfect.”

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receives an envelope, the contents of which holds the 21 shells from the firing.

Also included in the envelope is a paper with the HC Honor Guard’s logo and an explanation of their purpose. Family members or others who have attended the funeral often make a donation, which is always appreciated because the HC Honor Guard never charges for their services — “and we never will,” insists Schmidt.

“We stay afloat simply on the generosity of the people that we serve,” Schmidt says. The money goes towards things like clothing as each volunteer is supplied with four shirts, two pairs of pants, a heavy-duty all-weather coat, a lightweight jacket and a coat that looks like a trooper’s jacket — all of which totals $1,000.

“We completely outfit the person from your shoes to your cover — that’s your hat,” Schmidt adds. “All you have to do is provide a pair of skivvies and a pair of socks.”

Though every funeral is poignant in its own way, Schmidt and his colleagues have even helped bury members of their own group who have passed.

“We stood coffin detail at the viewings for them, flanking the coffin on both sides like the military does,” says Schmidt, who escorted the widows to the tent at the burial site. “We also brought the color guard with full regalia and full firing squad to show our appreciation for them.”

Michael Letourneau, Vice Commander with the Hendricks County Honor Guard appreciates the thank-you letters the group receives from family members who appreciate the Honor Guard’s presence.

“They tell us what a great experience it was for their grandchildren to see and learn what we do,” Letourneau says. “The gratitude comes from every which way.”

To make a donation to the HC Honor Guard, send it to P.O. Box 112, Pittsboro, IN 46167.

Local Boy Raises Funds and Awareness for Alopecia Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography / Amy Payne & provided by the Arbogast Family

AvonMagazine.com / DECEMBER 2020 / AVON MAGAZINE / 13

W

hen Ty Arbogast was 4 years old, his hair started falling out in spots.

His mom Shannon assumed he was pulling on his locks, so she told him to keep his hands out of his hair.

After six months, the hair loss mysteriously stopped. Last December, Ty awoke to a golf ball-sized bald spot on the back of his head and hair covered his pillow case.

“He was freaking out,” Shannon says.

A few days later, another spot appeared. His parents took Ty to the doctor where he was diagnosed with alopecia areata, hair loss caused by an autoimmune issue wherein the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles.

“At first I was worried that it was going to keep falling out and that it was going to get horrible,” Ty says.

Nobody knew what would happen, as Ty’s physician said the condition can happen once in a lifetime or occur repeatedly.

Furthermore, some people lose all their hair and others lose only clumps. Doctors told Shannon that once Ty hits puberty, there is a chance he’ll lose all of his hair.

Furthermore, no one knows if the condition

will change or improve. While some people remain bald forever, sometimes hair grows back and never falls out again.

Though there aren’t any treatments for alopecia, Shannon applies a steroid ointment to the bald spots. Ty also takes probiotics to try to keep his immune system healthy. To help hide his bald spots, he goes to Avon Barber Shop where Zach Short does a great job of cutting his hair to blend it and make bald spots less noticeable.

When he was first diagnosed, Ty worried about being

picked on by his peers. He learned, however, to focus his energy not so much on other people’s reactions but rather on the pursuit that he loves. His passion is go-kart racing, something he’s been doing since he was 6 years old.

“I like the thrill of going fast and passing people,” says Ty, now 10 years old and in the fifth grade.

A competitive spirit through and through, Ty competes in both club and national races. His fastest speed is between 65 and 70 miles per hour.

“What he really likes about racing is winning,” Shannon says.

It should come as no surprise that Ty aspires to race professionally one day. If that plan doesn’t come to fruition, he plans to attend Purdue University, study math - his favorite subject - and race the Purdue Grand Prix.

DECEMBER 2020

“He has already met the guy who runs it and they told him to come on,” Shannon says.

He’s also met a bunch of professional drivers like Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Simon Pagenaud, Alexander Rossi, Conor Daly and James Hinchcliffe. Ty’s favorite Formula One drivers are Lando Norris and Alexander Rossi.

“Norris is really funny and really nice,” Ty says. “I like Alexander Rossi because he’s more of an aggressive driver. He passes all the time going fast.”

Ty’s driving coach, Braden Eves, is an Indy Pro 2000 driver.

Though there is no way to know when a bald spot may appear, Shannon has noticed that it tends to happen when her son is stressed - like when he has a big race coming up or has to race in the rain.

Ty’s home racetrack is at the New Castle Motorsports Park, though he also races at Whiteland Raceway Park and G&J Kartway in Camden, Ohio.

Ty’s 15-year-old sister Sydney is involved at the racetrack, and she maintains his tire pressure and helps out where needed.

“She’s one of his biggest fans,” Shannon says.

Ty has been involved in a couple of accidents. One time a go-kart landed on him and he blacked out.

“I had a lot of gear on so I didn’t even know what was going on until I was in the ambulance,” says Ty, who sustained an injured wrist, bumps and bruises, and whiplash.

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"I’LL PROBABLY LIVE [IN HENDRICKS COUNTY] FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. THOUGH I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN ITALY SOMEDAY, BECAUSE OF THE RACING AND BECAUSE IT’S A BEAUTIFUL, NICE COUNTRY.” - TY ARBOGAST The incident hasn’t slowed him down one bit.

In fact, he’s always been a fighter.

When Ty was 18 months old, he was diagnosed as a failure-to-thrive baby.

“He wouldn’t grow,” says Shannon, noting that although Ty is 10 years old, he’s approximately the size of a small 8-year-old. He gets picked on for his size, but being smaller gives him an advantage in racing. His size also has its challenges in racing, since it takes strength to control a 250-pound go-kart rounding sharp curves.

“He weighs 55 pounds and we have to put about 45 pounds of lead weight in it for him to weigh enough to race it,” Shannon says.

For the past two years, Ty has been doing CrossFit training with a coach in order to gain strength and speed. He has also begun jiu-jitsu training because it teaches control, critical thinking, self-discipline and self-defense.

Both activities have done wonders for his confidence.

When Ty first learned he had alopecia, he connected online with youth who also have the condition. One of them was a teenager from New Jersey who is an alopecia advocate.

He had plans to visit Washington, D.C., to speak to congressmen about insurance coverage amounts for medicine, treatment and wigs. Ty’s mentor invited him to the U.S. capital during spring break earlier this year to DECEMBER 2020

help advocate, but sadly the pandemic put an end to those plans.

Ty was inspired, however, to use his condition as a platform to help others.

When he races, he wears an alopecia shirt that he designed, and sells them to raise funds for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

Ty, who was born in Alabama, moved to South Carolina and then to Indiana at age 4.

“I’ll probably live [in Hendricks County] for the rest of my life,” he says. “Though I would like to live in Italy someday, because of the racing and because it’s a beautiful, nice country.”

To view some of Ty Arbogast’s racing footage, visit facebook.com/ TyArbogastRacing.

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Drew & Brett

The Varvel Brothers Have Cultivated Their Creative Sides

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided by Amy Payne, Eric Filson, & “Mayberry Man” the Movie

At 5 years old, Brett Varvel was a huge fan of the 1985 blockbuster movie “Back to the Future,” and was captivated when he first viewed the film.

“These moving pictures and sounds created all of these emotional reactions inside of me,” recalls Brett, 34.

Even as a preschooler, he was dreaming big.

One day his dad put him in the car so they could run an errand. When his dad

DECEMBER 2020

ran back inside the house momentarily, Brett’s imagination went into overdrive.

“I decided it was time to be Marty McFly, so I got into the driver’s seat and pretended to turn the time circuits on in the DeLorean so I could go back to the future,” says Brett, who released the vehicle’s emergency brake. The car rolled down the driveway and obliterated a lamp post.

Luckily for Brett, his little brother Drew, now 30 years old, shared his passion for creativity.

“I’d grab a camera and my brother and I would goof around making silly music

videos or stop-motion animation videos with our toys,” says Brett, who made a short film in high school centering on his faith, which won a statewide competition.

At the awards ceremony, someone approached Brett and told him a janitor mentioned that he had peeked his head into the screening, and after watching the movie surrendered his life to Jesus.

“In that moment I felt the spirit of God say, ‘Imagine what I could do through you,’” Brett says. “As an 18-year-old kid, it was not just about following my dream of becoming a filmmaker, but making my talent matter by doing something with it.”

The Varvel brothers attended Ball State University where they both won the David Letterman Scholarship twice.

During his junior year, after Brett

proposed to his girlfriend, it occurred to him that he needed to figure out a way to pay the bills upon graduation.

Brett wrote a script called “The Board,” which he shot and released in 2008.

Though initially he had expected the film to screen in the local community, it far exceeded his expectations and ended up being distributed around the world and translated into five different languages.

He says he appreciates the storytelling aspect of filmmaking.

“The endless canvas of creativity is enthralling to me because film is the one art form that encompasses all aspects of art,” says Brett, the executive director of Indianapolis-based House of Grace Films. “You’re not limited to one medium.”

DECEMBER 2020

Though the majority of the movies he has been a part of have been in the Christian genre, Brett is also drawn to other projects. For instance, “The War Within,” filmed in 2012, was not a cookie-cutter, feel-good movie, and he received critical acclaim for it. This fall he’s filming “Mayberry Man,” which will be shot partly on location in Danville, and in which he plays an A-list Hollywood actor who, after getting a speeding ticket, is sentenced to community service in the town of Mayberry.

“I play an egotistical jerk who transforms through the movie because of the people of Mayberry,” Brett says. “This has been a fun role for me to sink my teeth into.”

Growing up in the Varvel household, creativity ran in the family. The brothers’ dad Gary is an artist. Drew loved art,

music and acting, but video was where he felt most comfortable. He competed in film festivals and competitions, and winning some of them boosted his confidence. College is what solidified his passion, however. His defining moment came when a class project tasked him with creating a short film with no words.

“I loved that challenge,” Drew says. “Up to that point I’d been working with my brother or my dad hovering over my shoulder. I felt like I could stand on my own two feet and tell a story of my own.

It was a liberating feeling.”

order to pursue his dream he’d need to move to the east or west coast, Drew was intent on staying in the Midwest.

He started his career working at Grace College in Winona Lake. He was later hired by RTV6 as a creative producer, which excited him as it was an opportunity to move back home with his

Though many people told him that in

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wife Jamie.

“Making commercials opened up a door to challenge me to create stories in 30 seconds or less,” he says. “It’s like making a film, but everything is condensed.”

Drew learned how to write, shoot, edit and get a segment on the air within an hour’s time.

He next worked at Angie’s List before moving on to CBS. “My time at CBS offered me the opportunity to create content strictly for advertising the Colts, which was fun,” says Drew, who secured an Emmy win for one of his commercials. Brett also won an Emmy in 2007 for directing a live television show.

“Winning that Emmy felt like crossing

some sort of finish line,” adds Drew, who now works in visual media for IU Health making primarily internal videos that train nurses and doctors.

Theater has been a big part of Drew’s life since high school. In college he focused primarily on filmmaking and directing.

In 2015 he returned to the stage to help his wife put on productions at his alma mater, Bethesda Christian Schools. In the past five years he has directed nine shows at the school. It’s all volunteer work, but he loves it.

“It’s a ministry to me,” says Drew, who also likes to participate in productions through Hendricks Civic Theater. “This becomes a place for the students to belong.”

Drew and Jamie have a 3-year-old named Medli. Brett and his wife Christina have

24 / AVON MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2020 / AvonMagazine.com

six children, two of whom, Seth and Roi, passed away. Their other children are Kherington, 9, Damon, 6, and twins Reagan and Roman, born in August.

Enduring such a tragic loss proved to bolster Brett’s faith.

“I remember at 18 years old having a conversation with the Lord about how actors and directors need to draw on personal experiences from life, and I had not yet experienced anything difficult, so when I performed it was so fabricated,” Brett says.

“I said, ‘Lord, I need to go through some difficulties in order to grow as an artist and as a person.’”

Since 2014 it’s been a rollercoaster of trials, from financial troubles to the miscarriages, all of which Brett calls a “horrible blessing” that led him to where

he is today.

Though the Varvel brothers remain busy, they collaborate every chance they get.

“Every time we separate and come back together, we’ve both learned something new,” says Drew, calling his brother his best friend.

“We are each other’s default,” Brett says.

“I know how he creates. I trust him

implicitly. When we’re on set together, it’s some of the most fun times we’ve ever had as brothers.”

And those fun times are plentiful. For eight years, they videotaped weddings. In fact, they have so many funny stories that one day they plan to make a movie about their wedding videography escapades.

As kids, the brothers played in a softball league. When Brett was learning to pitch underhand, he wanted to study his form DECEMBER 2020

and asked Drew to simultaneously catch the ball and run the camera.

“It was a terrible decision that did not go well,” Drew recalls with a chuckle.

Perhaps a brotherly autobiographical film is in order - one that includes the weddings, the baseball, and maybe even that “Back to the Future” roll down the driveway.

HENDRICKS COUNTY BANK PARTNERS WITH PROJECT A.N.G.E.L. OF HENDRICKS COUNTY Writer / Melissa Yetter Photography Provided

Leaders at Hendricks County Bank and Trust Company (HCBT) are excited to be partnering with Project A.N.G.E.L. of Hendricks County for the 2020 holiday season. Beginning November 2, the five HCBT office locations will have giving trees with angels available for sponsorship. Each giving tree will sponsor five children, and each child will have

six angels on the tree. Each angel will contain one gift for the child - these may be clothing items or toys requested by the child.

Customers and employees can take an angel, fill the request, and bring the unwrapped gift back to the office. The goal is to have all angels taken from each of the trees. Gifts should be returned to HCBT locations by the end of November, so that there is plenty for the volunteers at DECEMBER 2020

Project A.N.G.E.L. to wrap and deliver.

HCBT and Project A.N.G.E.L. (the acronym stands for Area Neighbors Giving Extra Love) are both anchored in Hendricks County, and HCBT has been serving residents and businesses in the county since 1908. The ongoing mission of the bank’s leaders is to promote economic prosperity while improving the quality of life in the community.

VISIT THE FOLLOWING HCBT BRANCH LOCATIONS FOR MORE INFO: 1 EAST MAIN STREET IN BROWNSBURG (317-852-2268) 11 NORTHFIELD DRIVE IN BROWNSBURG (317-852-6518) 1649 EAST MAIN STREET IN PLAINFIELD (317-839-2336) 963 NORTH AVON AVENUE IN AVON (317-272-7055) 23 SOUTH COUNTRY ROAD 200 EAST IN DANVILLE (317-745-0501) FOR MORE INFO ON PROJECT A.N.G.E.L. OF HENDRICKS COUNTY, VISITPROJECTANGELOFHENDRICKSCOUNTY.COM.

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H OW TO P R OT E C T YO U R M E N TA L H E A LT H T H I S H O L I DAY S E AS O N Writer / Trisha Palencer Photography Provided

While the holidays are an exciting time filled with fun festivities, they can also bring on stress, anxiety and depression. The pressure to plan the perfect holiday party, buy the perfect gifts, be around family and have a full calendar are a few reasons your holidays may feel stressful instead of joyful.

MINDFULNESS Taking a couple of minutes every day to sit still and be mindful of your state and emotions can dramatically decrease stress and anxiety. When you find yourself overwhelmed, use the 4-2-6 breathing technique. Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts, hold your breath for 2 counts, and exhale through your mouth for 6 counts.

Repeat this method for a few minutes until you feel calmer. Some individuals find journaling and setting aside time for gratitude to be therapeutic.

SEEK HELP Even before the COVID-19 crisis, about one in five Americans were affected by anxiety. Now more than ever, and especially during the holidays, there’s a heightened sense of awareness to the mental health concerns many are facing due to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. Consider seeking help from a mental health professional if REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS you notice your mental health interfering The holidays come with many expectations with your ability to do daily tasks of selffor yourself and from others. Setting realistic care, or if you’re seeing significant changes goals for yourself will set you up for success in your behavior related to your usual and help you be in control of your holiday routine. season. Make your goals fit into your life, not the other way around.

There are many resources for help. The best place to start is with your primary care provider, who can provide a referral to a mental health professional. Depending on the type of support you need, you may be guided to virtual support platforms or to the right kind of care for your need. exercise to reduce stress and take care of your body. Simple exercises to incorporate into your daily routine can include walking in nature, taking a hike with loved ones, and playing a sport you love. Being outdoors can be tricky in the winter months, but bundling up and setting aside a few moments for vitamin D will be worth it.

Trisha Palencer is a licensed clinical social worker and director of the Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center at IU Health West Hospital.

EXERCISE Moving your body helps to improve your mood by releasing endorphins.

During this stressful season, make time for physical

DECEMBER 2020

SANTA LOVES A GARDENER Writer / Carrie Petty

Gift giving can be hard. Don’t you think? But for the gardener or nature lover on your list, it is pretty simple. Make no mistake! Gardeners are always thinking about growing. Give a gardener a new shovel, and she’s happy. I promise.

Christmas gifts for a gardener are always about quality and durability. Spend your money on the best tools, not a plastic handled, thin metal cheep-o. Your gardener will appreciate the quality of Felco Pruners or English made, wooden handled Haws Stainless Steel Garden Fork or Trowel. Gift sets are easy to find in the Gardening Centers. Some items are already wrapped too.

These are great gifts and show your gardener that you get it.

After all, gift giving is about understanding your recipient fully and showing your love through the well, thought-out gift that you have selected just for them.

When the clock strikes midnight on New Years 2021, a gardener will be dreaming of digging.

Planning tools and guides are some of the very best gifts for the gardening mindset. We are always looking for better ways to organize our seeds, sketch out our thoughts or study what grows best in the shade or full sun. Sketchbooks and quality drawing tools are a must. As well as reference books and growing guides A subscription to the Indiana Gardening Magazine is a gift that is, “Hyper Local” in the words of editor Michelle Walsh. It is a bi-monthly magazine, full of incredible local gardening content.

CREATE YOUR OWN GIFT BASKETS

You can use a great terra cotta pot and fill it to the brim with seeds, tools, a journal and some good gardening gloves.

And don’t forget the sunscreen and hat in your gift basket.

Keeping your loved one protected.

Gardening gloves with a packet of seeds tied up in ribbon make excellent hostess gifts for a gardening friend, (hint, hint!) Or they can make a great stocking stuffer too. Books and antiques for the garden are another great way to show your friends you understand their love for the green stuff.

Make sure you sign the inside of any book. I have several that bring a smile to my face just remembering a friend’s gift. All a part of helping you, “Grow a Beautiful Life.”

Merry Christmas to all of my green thumb people out there, keep planting.

PANTRY POWER HENDRICKS COUNTY FOOD PANTRY COALITION COORDINATES HELP FOR LOCALS IN NEED Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

When the pandemic hit the United States last spring, questions, anxieties, and concerns increased as many families had much to figure out. How was this global health crisis going to affect them physically, psychologically and economically? For those who already suffered food insecurity in Hendricks County, worry loomed.

Thankfully, in 2006 the Hendricks County Food Pantry Coalition (HCFPC) was created. Operating under the umbrella of the Hendricks County Community Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the HCFPC helps to meet dietary needs of residents, and offers training and education to the affiliated food pantries by working with members and other support agencies.

The HCFPC consists of 20 food pantries, three pet food pantries and one personal hygiene pantry, from North Salem to Plainfield and Stilesville to the far east side of Avon.

According to Mindy Duckett, board member for the HCFPC, at the start of the pandemic the organization’s leaders witnessed an increase in requests. Those numbers leveled off when stimulus checks arrived, and when unemployment and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits increased. Services increased again when the extra benefits ended, and rent and utility moratoriums came to a halt.

“Our pantries have increased the amount of food they are distributing to each family to help fill the gaps,” says Duckett, who is also a community wellness coordinator for Purdue Extension in Hendricks County. “Even when our numbers have leveled out, the amount of food we are giving away has increased.”

The best way to support food pantries is with monetary donations so the HCFPC can make bulk purchases of needed items and distribute them to participating pantries.

“This buying power allowed us to keep pantry shelves stocked with healthy meal components even at our highest service times,” Duckett says.

Monetary donations can be made online through the Hendricks County Community Foundation.

The HCFPC staff members are grateful for food donations, nonperishable items, as well as meat and dairy, as their member pantries have cold storage to distribute meat, eggs and dairy items.

“The most requested items besides food are hygiene and household items,” Duckett says.

“These cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits but are necessities. Families are so grateful to receive things like shampoo, toothpaste, body wash and paper products.”

Duckett says monetary and food donations are what keep the organization running, and she acknowledges that while many people have not been drastically affected by the pandemic, others have been severely

26 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2020 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

impacted and are struggling to make ends meet each month.

“Our pantries have seen many new families who have never used a food pantry in the past,” says Duckett, noting that the organization’s leaders had to change how they distribute food in order to keep everyone safe.

For instance, they moved to outdoor driveup distribution.

“As the weather turns colder and the evenings get dark sooner, we will have new issues to take into consideration for distribution,” Duckett adds. “Volunteers will be important to be able to continue these distribution models.”

Since the pantries are operated almost exclusively by volunteers, they are always eager for help. If you’re interested in learning about volunteer opportunities,

contact the coalition by visiting their website or reach out to a pantry in your community.

For more information about the Hendricks County Food Pantry Coalition, or to donate to the Community Foundation, visit hendrickscountyfoodpantries.com.

Visit the Following Pantry Sites in Avon, Brownsburg and Plainfield: Avon Faith Lutheran Church 5706 E. County Road 100 North 317-272-1022 Light and Life Food Pantry 8264 E. County Road 100 South 317-839-5151 Our Shepherd Lutheran Church 9201 E. County Road 100 North 317-271-9103

Mary Lee Maier Community Pantry Avon Intermediate School East Door #13 174 State Road 267 317-544-5800 Brownsburg Messiah Lutheran Church 801 S. Green St. 317-852-2988 Plainfield GraceWay Fellowship Church 8446 E. County Road 700 S. 317-800-5509 St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church 1001 Concord Rd. 317-840-0380 Plainfield Church Federation Food Pantry (St. Mark’s) 710 E. Buchanan St. 317-767-0365

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Writer / Claire-Anne Aikman Photography Provided

Normally winter charges me up - I love the holiday season, the cold crisp air and yes, even the snow. This year is looking a little different for me and, like many of you, I am trying to find creative ways to make Christmas, and winter overall, special, meaningful and calm.

After chatting with friends about what we could do to make this season joyful and do so simply, we had an idea that I think is worth spreading around. We are expanding on the Advent calendar concept, but instead of the traditional treat each day until Christmas, we are going to write down a simple activity, idea or thought for each day in December that incorporates the whole family. It might be a conversation starter or a simple activity. Each morning one piece of paper will be pulled out and read. If it is a conversation starter, it will give everyone the day to think about it, and share later in the evening over hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. If it is an activity, it will give everyone something fun to look forward to. Some ideas include: • Think of your favorite holiday memory. What made it special?

Think of your favorite holiday treat and make it.

• Make a Christmas music playlist and research top holiday songs for the year each family member was born.

• What is your favorite holiday movie? Watch each show over the course of the month with the family.

• Stay up late to stargaze.

• Have a silly craft competition. Take all the oddball craft supplies you have laying around, and create ornaments or decorations with them.

• Have a nature craft competition. Go on a hike and gather leaves, pine cones, twigs or rocks, and create something critters would enjoy - like a coffee bar made out of twigs for squirrels.

• Think of someone you know that could use a little cheer, make them a card, and mail it to them.

• Share your memory of the best Christmas gift you ever received.

Why was it special? Do you still have it?

• Have a Christmas music dance-a-thon.

• Drive through neighborhoods to see the holiday lights.

• Bake cookies - you can spread this out by baking a few different kinds on a few different days.

• You get the idea - make it simple and fun. Here’s to a happy, healthy, prosperous 2021.

Claire-Ann is a West Side Realtor helping people make Hendricks County their home. You can reach her at 317-345-6640 or caikman@callcarpenter.com.

28 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2020 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

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Writer / Abigail Hake Photography Provided

It always feels like the holiday season comes around and many people start looking for ways to save. Who doesn’t love to put money back in their pocket?

Every year it seems like we say we’ll buy less, and then budgets are blown as supershopping ensues. However, this year is a little different. Situations and plans are all changing at rapid speeds, so maybe it really is time to think about how less can be more. Here are a few tips on how to enjoy the holidays with minimal stress, and without breaking the bank.

Many people make a list of who they want to buy for and what they’d like to receive, so feel free to make a list and check it

twice. Not everyone operates according to a budget, but it’s not a bad idea to project how much you’ll spend on each person.

This year, write it down. Make a budget and stick to it. Not only is this helpful for spreading the love evenly, but it’s also much better for your bank account. Once you are done shopping for certain things, check them off your list and record how much you spent.

As stated before, we often plan to buy fewer gifts than in previous years, but end up with more than enough presents to fit under the tree. Think outside the box. Some of the best gifts aren’t the biggest, but the most thoughtful. Stick to the philosophy of “Something to wear, something to read, something they want, and something they need,” and see how

that goes. If you hate it, you can buy more next year.

Sometimes it’s hard to plan ahead in these crazy times of uncertainty, but this is one thing you should do if you can. When you shop early, it spreads out your expenses to make the process more bearable, and sometimes you can get amazing deals.

This can alleviate the stresses of lastminute shopping.

There are many local shops that need us this holiday season. Go directly to your favorite local retailer or visit a website like TruLocal.com, where you can shop online through your hometown favorites and pick up curbside. You can save on shipping, give back to your community, and find unique and fun gifts for your family.

Do your research. Don’t jump the gun on buying something. Check out all the places where you can find a certain item, and look for the best price. You can even price-match at many stores these days.

Keep your smartphone handy to look up prices on other sites quickly. The best things for your budget and bank account during the holidays are discounts and

30 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2020 / BrownsburgMagazine.com

coupons. Also, check into cash-back programs like Rakuten. These can be easy ways to recoup a little cash if you are shopping online.

Do you make a particular type of pie or fudge that everyone loves? Homemade items, edible or not, can garner lots of love and appreciation from others.

Taking time out of your life to make gifts is the perfect way to trim spending this year. There’s a lot of inspiration online, but think ornaments, cookies, or even hats and mittens if you knit. Many people appreciate handmade items, and they come with a little extra love.

Maybe this year is a little different, but that doesn’t mean it has to be less joyful.

Maybe this is the year when you draw

names as a family, so that each family member doesn’t need to purchase as much as in past years. Perhaps you’ve considered giving gifts like memberships to museums or zoos - gifts that go beyond the holiday season. Maybe you’ve even thought about forgoing gifts altogether, and instead plan to give to others as a family. Encourage your little ones to get in on this too. They can go around collecting canned goods to donate to a soup kitchen, money for meals for hospital workers, or donations for a favorite charity.

Whatever you do this holiday season, remember the reason for the season. It’s a time to share in love and joy. Gifts are not all that matter, so don’t stress about those too much. While this year may look a little different, enjoy it. Sometimes the experiences we have that are different, and not quite what we expected or hoped for, are the best and most memorable. Happy holidays.

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