Brownsburg Magazine April 2023

MAGAZINE

APRIL 2023

PEST PROS THE LADYBUG PEST AND WILDLIFE CONTROL YOUR BUG AND ANIMAL EXPERTS

COUNTY PRIDE

Make the Most of Where You Live With Visit Hendricks County’s Many Resources LOOKING OUTWARD

JustServe Club at Brownsburg East Middle School Embraces Volunteer Work

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The LadyBug Pest and Wildlife Control Your Bug and Animal Experts

Symptoms and Treatment Options

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Beasley’s Orchard Has Been a Homegrown Favorite for More Than 75 Years

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LOOKING OUTWARD

FRUITFUL BUSINESS

REAL-TIME ANALYTICS

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10 COMMUNICATION TIPS FOR AMAZING RELATIONSHIPS

JustServe Club at Brownsburg East Middle School Embraces Volunteer Work

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ALCOHOL USE DISORDER

COUNTY PRIDE

Make the Most of Where You Live With Visit Hendricks County’s Many Resources

KEY CONTRIBUTORS CHRISTY HEITGER-EWING / AUTUMN RAE / JOSH DUKE LAURA STROUP / MELISSA GIBSON / TRISHA PALENCER

TOWNEPOST.COM / APRIL 2023 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / 5

PEST PROS

set traps and got the raccoon the next THE LADYBUG PEST AND WILDLIFE CONTROL “He day and released it. We realized in pest YOUR BUG AND ANIMAL EXPERTS control, a lot of it is animals - raccoons, Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Laura Stroup

Four years ago, when Boone County resident Jaclyn Ricci found herself counting change to buy groceries, a light bulb went off.

She also noticed there didn’t seem to be any local companies in the Boone County area.

“I started doing some research and learned of courses at Purdue to get certified,” she says. “I convinced my husband Johnny to do it too, and we both earned our license.”

“I thought, ‘This is ridiculous. I’m smarter than this. My husband is working overtime all the time. I want better and we They created a website for the LadyBug have to change things up,’” Ricci says.

Pest and Wildlife Control, bought insurance, and were ready to officially Ricci had noticed the number of posts launch the business, when the Riccis on social media in which people were discovered a raccoon in the attic. looking for pest control. Who can treat for ants? Who can take care of the beehive “Johnny was super excited,” Ricci says. on the back porch?

6 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

squirrels, birds and bats. So, we contacted the Department of Natural Resources and became certified for the animals too.”

In the first 10 months of business the Riccis earned more than $500,000, and by then had both quit their full-time jobs.

“Today, we’re a multimillion-dollar business and we have 12 full-time employees,” Ricci says. “We did this not out of a passion for animals and bugs, but a need to better our lives, and that’s what made us so strong. The passion has followed. I love what I do. I no longer complain about work. It’s fun for me.

We both love researching and solving problems, and we’re on the brink of

“THERE IS A HUGE

DEMAND FOR PEST AND WILDLIFE CONTROL. WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO ADD NEW TEAM MEMBERS TO JOIN OUR EVERGROWING FUN AND PASSIONATE FAMILY.” - JACLYN RICCI -

something big for LadyBug.” Along the way, it became apparent that the issues with animal control were much bigger than ants and bees on the back porch.

“There are two big things happening here,” Ricci says. “We have a major bat problem in central Indiana. We just recently filmed a short documentary for our YouTube channel where we removed 1,000 bats from a historical church in Zionsville.

You can’t remove bats by hand. You have to channel them out because they are federally protected. The problem is, since

they can’t be touched or relocated, they leave one house and go to another.”

The second issue is an environmental one.

“We’ve taken away trees and started new developments, which has created a major wildlife issue,” Ricci says. “They have nowhere to go. As a result, we’re actually humanizing these animals. They are eating our human food out of the trash. Most raccoons have one liter per year. If you have 10 raccoons in your neighborhood, that can quickly become 50.”

TOWNEPOST.COM / APRIL 2023 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / 7

The team has a few solutions. They relocate every animal they can, releasing them back into wooded areas with access to water. Secondly, they specialize in sealing a home to ward off additional critters finding a space in the residence.

“We do inspections and take pictures of any entry point the circumference of a pencil eraser,” Ricci says. “We are very diligent and provide a report showing the customer the entry areas. A lot of people think this is interesting because you look at your house and think it’s buttoned up well, but there’s actually some weaknesses there that need to be closed.”

In fact, Ricci says she has more construction team members on the staff than any other specialty.

The company is a family-run and operated business with two sets of siblings that also work there. LadyBug Pest and Wildlife Control does a great deal for its employees, too, always making sure their team is well taken care of. Last year the company took its team to Vegas for Pest World and the other trip was a side-by-side retreat. All 12 employees live in Boone County, and LadyBug is also looking for more people to join their team.

Siblings Logan and Madi Northcott

The team is routinely preventing animal entry and re-entry by patching holes and sealing spaces, with materials that can’t be chewed through or torn off.

“Once we get them out, they desperately want to come back in,” Ricci says. “It’s not uncommon when we do exclusion patching openings - that birds or squirrels will come up to the guys and chatter at them.”

Due to new home construction, team members have noticed rodents on the rise.

Since rodents are on the rise, so are snakes.

Siblings Brett and Kaiti Hall

“We found a house in Brownsburg that had nine snakeskins at least 10’ long,” Ricci says. “We’ve pulled owls out of chimneys, hawks out of warehouses, and cats stuck in crawlspaces.”

As Ricci says, the company is on the brink of some big things.

They were voted the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year in 2022.

“There is a huge demand for wildlife control,” Ricci says. “We’re currently working on franchisee packages and we hope to expand throughout the state in the next few years.”

Find more information at calltheladybug. com, and call 317-601-2873 for additional details. Also be sure to like their Facebook page and check out their YouTube videos.

Owners Jaclyn and Johnny Ricci and their son Jadin Ricci 8 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

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Beasley’s Orchard Has Been a Homegrown Favorite for More Than 75 Years Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Amy Payne

Since 1946, three generations in the Beasley family have been bringing fresh fruits, vegetables and a ton of fun to families in Hendricks County and across the Midwest.

What began as an abundance of garden produce and a little red wagon on the side of U.S. Highway 36 has resulted in a major agriculture and agritourism spot within the county.

In the 1970s, the Beasleys transformed their Civil War-era barn into a retail market, apple packing facility and cider mill.

By the 1980s, families were taking trips there each fall to enjoy a traditional hayride and U-pick pumpkins in preparation for Halloween. In 1986, the first Heartland Apple Festival was held on the farm and quickly became a community tradition.

Today, Beasley’s Orchard sits on 165 acres to make and talking about new things to try,” says Owner Calvin Beasley. “There’s a lot going and offers more than many people may on behind the scenes, but very important realize. because our season has been extended. We “We’re looking at any improvements we want start U-pick strawberries in late May and it

APRIL 2023

doesn’t stop until after October.”

When the youngest generation of Beasleys came home from college in 2015, there was a huge shift to invest in agritourism. In fact, the

family was one of the first in central Indiana to adopt the agritourism business model.

“It’s not viable to not invite the community to your farm,” Beasley says. “You can’t make a living selling produce in a wagon.

That business model has evaporated.

However, agriculture and agritourism work holistically together. You can’t have one without the other because it’s the business of the farm that attracts the people who don’t live here but want the experience.”

By inviting guests to spend the day on the farm and taste the sweet, fresh fruit off of the plants or trees, the traditional hayride in the fall has resulted in many more options.

By adding a variety of U-pick events from strawberries to raspberries, sunflowers to pumpkins, visitors can enjoy an event nearly six months out of the year.

Even the annual fall trip to the pumpkin patch has been expanded to a full day

including a corn maze, apple cannons, Barnyard Bonanza (children’s activities), and a festival nearly every weekend throughout the season.

Though Beasley and his staff are always looking for ways to offer new and improved experiences for their customers, currently he’s turned his attention to infrastructure needs on the farm.

“We’ve planted over 40,000 apple trees since 2019, and in the next five years we’ll triple our apple production,” Beasley says.

Currently the market barn contains fresh produce, fresh baked goods, locally sourced items, and Beasley’s Orchard merchandise.

In the back of the barn they still run a bakery, cider mill and fruit packing operation.

Beasley is hoping to build a new facility for efficiency and storage in the next few years, creating additional retail space in

APRIL 2023

the market and making more room for customers throughout their visit.

In addition, the work behind the scenes is paying off.

Beasley’s Orchard just brought home first place in the 2023 Indiana Horticultural Conference and Expo Cider Contest with their fresh-pressed, homegrown apples.

Running a successful business doesn’t come without making tough decisions. A few years ago when Beasley made the move to general admission in the fall, he felt he lost some of the multigenerational families that held the tradition since the 1980s.

Popularity had grown to the point that staff were turning people away at the road.

Guests were waiting two hours for access to attractions, and Beasley felt the general admission process would make everything run more smoothly.

“Going to general admission wasn’t easy but

it’s all about balance,” Beasley says. “Honoring your past is a wonderful thing but business has to continue to move forward. We have to evolve.”

Regardless of some tough decisions made, Beasley says the relationship with his customers is incredibly important.

“It’s everything to us,” he says. “We don’t do anything without first thinking about the customers and how they will perceive those changes. Ninety percent of what we grow on this farm is sold right here, directly to our customers. That’s why we decided to plant additional apple trees. The demand for fruit was outpacing the supply we had.”

That’s why Beasley continues to work on adding events that allow customers to enjoy life on the farm.

For the second year, the Easter bunny will be on hand for scheduled photos in early April.

Visit the Beasley’s Orchard website to reserve a time slot.

From late May to early June, visitors can pick strawberries on the farm, officially kicking off the growing season. In June and July, U-pick raspberry season leads directly into U-pick sunflower season.

In September and October visitors can enjoy picking a variety of apples, which ties

APRIL 2023

into the fall pumpkin-picking season and festival events, all of which have been met with excitement and enthusiasm from the community.

In December Beasley’s Orchard offers Christmas at the Orchard, including scheduled photos with Santa.

The amount of work that goes into growing enough fruits and vegetables to accommodate the U-pick seasons may surprise some, but Beasley has it down to a science.

“There really has to be a perfect combination of factors,” he says. “Apples and strawberries can be super risky. The strawberries bloom early in the year and there’s a risk of frost. I’ve been able to determine a five-degree difference on our own farm, so if you look at the forecast and it says 34 degrees, when you get down lower to the ground where your strawberries are growing, it could be within freezing temperatures.”

Managers Erin & Jim and owner Calvin Beasley

2 0 2 3 AC T I V I T I E S & E V E N T S (LATE) MAY

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VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS: BEASLEYS-ORCHARD.COM | 2304 E. MAIN ST. DANVILLE, IN 46122 | 317--745-- 4876

APRIL 2023

After shaping the beds, covering them with straw each winter, removing the straw in the spring, planting, cleaning up foliage, and other detailed work, losing 50% of the strawberry yield can be quite expensive.

This process of production is what Beasley finds most rewarding.

“I love it,” he says. “It makes it really rewarding when you make it through the ups and downs of the growing season. I’d do this for free but it’s not easy. There’s a lot of things out of your control and it’s not for the faint of heart. You can do everything right and still fail. I don’t know that there are a lot of professions that are like that.”

He has big shoes to fill but has carried on the family tradition on the farm since 2018. Those who know the family and have visited over the years can see the positive changes Beasley has brought to the business.

“I think my parents would be overjoyed with the growth,” he says. “They seized opportunities when presented to them, starting festivals back in the 1980s. I hope I’m making them proud.”

APRIL 2023

Beasley’s Orchard is located at 2304 East Main Street in Danville. Like the Beasley’s Orchard Facebook page to stay up to date on U-pick and other events, or visit beasleys-orchard.com. Hours are subject to weather and other factors.

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COMMUNICATION TIPS FOR AMAZING RELATIONSHIPS Story & Photography Provided by Autumn Rae

The quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life, and good relationships require excellent communication.

Try practicing a few of the tips below and watch your relationships transform into the real connections you’ve always craved.

Communication is a skill, and just like any other skill, it can be learned.

• ASK FIRST. Most often, we jump into what we want to say without checking in with the other person on whether it’s a good time for them. Here’s what this could sound like: “Hey, there’s something important I want to talk to you about regarding our relationship. Do you have some time and feel ready for that right now, or would something in the next couple days be better?”

• SLOW DOWN. This is the answer to 99% of our communication problems. Most of us genuinely care about the people we are in relationships with and want to do our best. When there is tension, things can get out of control, and it happens fast.

Try taking a deep breath between each sentence. You can even say to the other person. “I really care about you and this conversation.

Can we slow down?”

• TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT’S IN YOUR CUP. If you’re carrying a cup full of coffee and someone bumps into you, what spills? The coffee, of course. If tea had been in your

cup, tea would have spilled, and so on. In relationships or conflict, when someone bumps into us, the only possible response they can get comes from what’s already inside of us. Are you holding anger, judgment and resentment in your cup, or are you filled with compassion, courage and love?

• “THE STORY I’M MAKING UP IS…” This is one of the most powerful ways to start a sentence and take responsibility for your thoughts. Our minds naturally create stories to explain other people’s behavior, whether accurate or not. We need to check these stories with the other person before we react as if they’re true. First, share this concept with them, acknowledging that you know you might be inaccurate, and then say something like, “You were late today, and the story I’m making up is that I’m not a priority to you.”

This is a high-level skill that can be triggering even to those who are seasoned in their communication journey. Do your best to apply the other tips in this list while practicing this phrase.

• ARGUE FOR THE OTHER PERSON’S SIDE. This is a mental exercise to gain compassion and help you see the other person’s perspective during conflict. Grab some paper or a computer and start to imagine what it’s like to be them. Write out feelings, hurts, desires and thoughts. You can then share these with the other person, with a sentence that starts like, “I imagine you’re feeling/wanting/needing…Is that right?”

• CLEAN THE WINDOWS. In other words, be radically honest, and do it often - first with yourself, then with the person

APRIL 2023

you’re in a relationship with. It can feel easier to push aside the hurt, pretend everything is fine or ignore what you really wish would happen. However, the more you don’t say, the “dirtier” your relationship windows get. Over time, neither of you will see your relationship clearly, resentments will build and the relationship will break down.

• PAUSE AS NEEDED AND GIVE A TIME WHEN YOU’LL RETURN. It’s OK, and quite skillful, to take a break when you notice a conversation is getting too intense. Rather than stay in it when you’re both not thinking clearly and likely to say things you’ll wish you hadn’t, take a break. It’s important to pick a time when you’ll come back together though. Here’s what this could sound like: “I’m noticing that my emotions are running the show right now. This conversation is important to me, so I want to have my head on straight. I’m going to take a walk to calm down, and I’ll be back in 20 minutes.”

• REGULATE YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM AND EMOTIONS. It doesn’t matter how many communication skills you learn if you aren’t calm enough to apply those skills in a heated moment. This is a complex rewiring, but some easy ways to start are breath work, mindfulness training, and cuddling with a pet or loved one.

• WORK WITH A COACH. Although we can make progress with self-study and practice, an outside, professional perspective can help us reach our relationship goals faster and with more ease than we ever could on our own. A coach can help us identify our triggers, get clear on our needs, problem-solve specific relationship challenges, provide support in emotional regulation, and develop a framework for creating the relationships and life we want.

• PRIORITIZE SLEEP (DON’T SKIP THIS ONE!).

Getting enough quality sleep has serious impacts on our ability to regulate our emotions in conversations. Research shows us that without enough of it, we’re more likely to overreact, misinterpret and say things that we later regret. With a rested brain and body, it’s much easier to consciously choose how we want to respond, rather than jump to an emotionally charged and usually harmful reaction.

About Autumn Rae: Autumn is a trauma-informed life and relationship coach, certified yoga teacher, and degreed educator. She transformed her own life and relationships through a spiritual, self-love pilgrimage extending from Bali to Costa Rica. It is now her soul’s mission to help people master their communication and emotional regulation, and guide them on their path to passionate love, inner peace, and authentic, vibrant living.

Check her out on Instagram @autumnrae.co.

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COUNTY PRIDE MAKE THE MOST OF WHERE YOU LIVE WITH VISIT HENDRICKS COUNTY’S MANY RESOURCES Writer / Josh Duke Photography / Visit Hendricks County

When the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, now Visit Hendricks County (VHC), hired me 11 years ago, I remember telling a good friend of mine about my new job. After congratulating me, he asked two questions that have resonated with me ever since. Who would visit Hendricks County? Why do we even need a visitors bureau?

More than a decade later, maybe you wonder the same thing.

Tourism is thriving in our county, and plays a vital role in our economic development and making our community a vibrant place to live, work and raise a family. Hendricks County attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and I have the numbers to prove it.

TOURISM’S IMPACT In 2019, the most recent numbers we have, visitors spent more than $300 million in Hendricks County, including contributing more than $50 million in local taxes. For every dollar spent by a visitor, 59 cents stayed in our county, and tourism employed more than 4,000 people, making it our eighth-largest industry.

Those numbers reveal Hendricks County as a visitor destination, and that tourism remains a significant economic boon for our community, which is important because we alone can’t support our businesses.

Our restaurants, shops, entertainment APRIL 2023

with the latest news and information for both visitors and locals, with information including:

attractions and especially our hotels depend on visitors to keep their doors open.

Without visitors, many of the businesses you love simply wouldn’t survive.

VHC’S ROLE When our organization helps to promote and/or develop an attraction or event, we create a place where people want to visit.

When we create a place where people want to visit, we create quality places where residents like you want to live.

We’ve learned that our visitors come for various reasons and with varying interests, and we’ve done our best to adapt our promotions to reach them.

We spend significant time and resources marketing our destination to potential visitors within a driving radius of our county.

We highlight the places, events and attractions that make our destination special, including Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Beasley’s Orchard, Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds & Conference Complex, Splash Island, the Mayberry Cafe, and the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center, just to name a few of our major drivers.

We also don’t forget our hidden gems such as Avon Gardens, Rusted Silo, Oinking Acres, Who North America, The Tie Dye Lab and so many more. We have developed tools over the years to support our locally owned businesses and attractions including a robust website, visithendrickscounty.com.

We focus much of our efforts on getting people to visithendrickscounty.com, which receives more than one million page views per year. It is updated daily

APRIL 2023

• Listings for virtually every locally owned, tourism-related business in our county • A popular events calendar • An insider blog with new posts weekly, supported by multiple local writers • A groups and meetings area for those hosting an event, planning a reunion or holding a conference • A weddings section providing expert help for newly engaged couples planning their big day • Many other resources including trip planning, an area for our tourism partners and even a section for locals That site alone provides the help and resources anyone with interest in Hendricks County would need. Check it out today.

You might be surprised by what you find, and you likely will learn something about your county that you didn’t know.

PLAN A TRIP Whether using our resources to plan a staycation or planning a trip somewhere else in this great country, we highly encourage you to utilize your vacation days and make memories with your family and/or friends.

Studies show that time away from the stresses of work and daily life can be as beneficial to one’s health as anything

else they can do. Next month we will celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week, a great reminder to plan that next vacation.

No matter where you go, we recommend turning to organizations like ours to find the expertise and tips you need to plan a trip.

Instead of scheduling that usual vacation to Disney World or the beach, maybe find that road less traveled to discover an authentic,

more affordable destination.

DO YOUR PART I hope my friend who asked me those questions 11 years ago is reading this today, because I’m sure I didn’t properly explain why Hendricks County is such a great place to visit. We need you, our residents, to recognize the importance of tourism and become ambassadors for our amazing destination, now and into the future.

Sign up for our monthly email newsletter and become a blog subscriber. You can register for one or both on our website. Request one of our free Travel Guides, which are great resources for locals too.

If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, we also have a free Wedding Guide.

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APRIL 2023

Finally, the next time you have friends and relatives visiting from out of town, take them to places right here in Hendricks County to support your community. If we help each other, everyone wins because there is so much to see and do right here in Hendricks County if you just take a moment to look.

ALCOHOL USE DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS

Writer / Trisha Palencer, Clinical Social Worker at IU Health West Hospital Photography Provided

Alcohol use disorder affects an estimated 16 million people in the United States. If you have difficulty stopping or cutting back on the amount of alcohol you drink, or if you spend significant time thinking about, consuming or recovering from drinking alcohol, you may have an alcohol use disorder. An important step in recovery is to recognize the symptoms and learn about the treatment options.

symptoms such as tremors when trying to stop drinking. Alcohol disorders fall into three categories including binge drinking, alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse.

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF ALCOHOL USE DISORDER? Drinking can suppress immunity to diseases and infections, and can increase the risk of some cancers and liver problems. In addition, it can cause problems with blood clotting, skin rash, memory, balance and falls, the stomach, the pancreas and the heart. In these ways and more, alcohol use disorder can interfere with living a healthy WHAT IS ALCOHOL life. Chronic, long-term abuse of alcohol USE DISORDER? can lead to alcoholic cardiomyopathy, Alcohol use disorder often leads to difficulty which can result in heart failure. Seizures in moderating drinking, a preoccupation can also be caused by binge drinking and with alcohol, the need to drink an increasing alcohol withdrawals. The greatest risk of amount of alcohol to get a similar effect, seizures occurs between 12 and 48 hours continued drinking despite negative following your last drink. Medically assisted consequences, or physical withdrawal APRIL 2023

detoxification from alcohol use is vital to lower major risks including death.

WHAT ARE TREATMENT OPTIONS? Treatment for alcohol use disorder often starts with detoxification. There may be risks to reducing or stopping alcohol consumption that require medical intervention. Side effects of detoxification are known as withdrawal symptoms, and there are medical, emotional and social supports that can aid successful detoxification. Once you complete the detox process, you’ll need ongoing treatment to reduce the risk for relapsing.

Depending on your needs, your treatment can include medications, group therapy, individual therapy, and supportive housing or social environments.

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LOOKING OUTWARD

JustServe Club at Brownsburg East Middle School Embraces Volunteer Work

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

The pandemic caused many people to become introspective and think about how they wanted to change their lives for the better. Others turned outward, eager to help people feel better during such a dark, difficult time.

“The world can be overwhelming,” says Elena Magnusson, an eighth-grader at Brownsburg East Middle School. “I wanted to create a sanctuary for people who felt like the world was a bit too much.”

Therefore, in August of 2022, Magnusson launched the JustServe Club at her school, a student-led club that focuses on volunteering and serving others. The club holds a monthly meeting in addition

to regular leadership meetings, where participants vote on upcoming projects they will participate in. Past projects include assisting children in foster care, hosting a recreation night at Wheeler Mission, and making book pillows for patients and their families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

“If you put a light into the world, you will see the light reflected back,” says Magnusson, club president. “In order to see change, you must be willing the help spark it. Besides, I’d rather be helping people than sitting on my phone all day.”

Michelle Linville and Zachary Beckman are the teacher advisors for the club.

“I was flattered Elena wanted me to be a teacher advisor,” Linville says. “I feel like this is definitely something that needs

to exist in schools. I knew it would grow students and it would grow me too.”

Beckman agrees.

“Students are searching for and discovering their identity in middle and high school,” Beckman says. “Just like when we were all in school, there are highs and lows, and a variety of peer pressure and persuasions. This club provides guidance that will lead to a life of purpose and empathy. Helping others raises self-esteem and builds confidence. It’s a great feeling to know you have directly helped someone in need.”

As with any successful endeavor, it’s been a team effort. Magnusson’s organization and leadership skills have been paramount to the club’s success. Linville has organized

TOWNEPOST.COM / APRIL 2023 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / 25

Sewed book pillows for children with cancer at the Ronald McDonald House

the meetings, ordered necessary products for the projects, and communicated dates and times to the student body. Amber Schroering, an assistant principal at the school, has wholeheartedly supported the induction of this new club into the school. Students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades have helped plan, organize, create advertisements, and travel to the places the club has served. Plus, parents have provided service, supervision and transportation.

“It’s been an honor to be part of this dedicated bunch,” Beckman says. “Every person has the ability to change their world.”

Currently, roughly 15 students participate in the JustServe Club, but they would love to see that number grow. Anyone can join at any time during the school year.

“The JustServe Club helps students practice advocating for themselves and for others,” Linville says. “It plants a seed to serve and help others, which feels great as it keeps growing. We all have seen how volunteering for a good cause and service impacts others in a positive way. This is a win-win scenario. We’re reinforcing meaningful relationships within our group, while creating new friends in our community and opening more doors for 26 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

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The club members are in search of more advisors and parent volunteers. They are always looking for more students to serve.

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SEA CHANGE U.S. NAVAL SEA CADETS LEARN LIFE SKILLS AND DISCIPLINE

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

When Sergio Fojo was 18 years old, he was invited by a friend to join him at a U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps training. Fojo thought, “Why not?” Not only did he like the program enough to stick with it and later join a branch of the military, but he’s also now a junior commanding officer with the program, recruiting and training new cadets.

The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps is for boys and girls aged 10 to 17.

Anyone is welcome to join (high schoolers, middle schoolers and home schoolers). The only three requirements are a C+ average minimum, U.S. citizen status, and staying away from gangs, drugs and alcohol.

generally takes place at a military base.

Because the program is Navy-based, students learn the Sailor’s Creed as well as the 11 general orders of a sentry, just as a U.S. sailor would.

Cadets also have to pass a physical readiness class just like they do in the Navy, which includes running, pushups and a plank.

Once RT is completed, students are invited to pursue their areas of interest. That may be scuba diving, radio communications or other areas.

For example, if they are interested in public safety, they can perhaps learn how to become a military cop.

Though it’s military-based, students don’t have to have plans to ultimately join the military in order to become part of this program - it’s not a high school ROTC program. Sanctioned by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, there are 400 units throughout the United States. All officers are volunteers. Fojo works with three other officers in Avon including Administrative Officer Ensign Allison Fojo, Finance Officer INST Alexa Gardner and Career Counselor INST Douglass Bitner.

“They get to engage in training in which they bust into buildings, rescue

Since they are sanctioned by the Navy, cadets wear the same uniforms as active-duty sailors. The only difference is that they wear patches to signify that they are Sea Cadets.

“Students come back way more respectful and obedient towards their parents and elders,” Fojo says. “That’s something a lot of parents love about the program.”

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During the first 90 days of the program, cadets must accomplish enlisted coursework. Completion of this and active participation in every drill during those 90 days shows a commitment to the program. Whether students enroll or their parents sign them up, Fojo sits down with each cadet to ask what they like and don’t like about the drills.

“Though this is a great program for any type of student, the kids who tend to thrive are the ones who want to use it to do better in life,” Fojo says. “They are the ones who often have a plan.”

Other students check out Sea Cadets because their parents were in the military, they hear about some of the trainings or they are simply curious.

Once students are in their home units for 90 days, they are sent off to recruit training (RT), during which they learn structure from their drill instructors. RT is like basic training but lasts just two weeks, and

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TOWNEPOST.COM / APRIL 2023 / BROWNSBURG MAGAZINE / 29

Kids who are musically talented can audition for the chance to travel to Washington, D.C., and perform for the president with other cadets from all over the nation.

and tasks. For instance, at a recent drill Fojo trained his cadets on car maintenance, including how to change oil, change a tire and check brakes. Fojo’s wife, a recruiting and supply officer with the program, taught the cadets how to sew, write a check and create a resume.

Former Cadet Jack Croiser says joining the Sea Cadets changed the trajectory of his life by giving him insight into career options in the Navy.

“We taught them a number of life skills that schools don’t teach anymore,” says Fojo, who has taken his unit to military museums so they can see what aircraft and tanks look like.

“Now I’m a Master-At-Arms with the Navy and I’m doing things I never thought I would’ve been able to do,” Croiser says. “I owe it all to the Sea Cadets. Without that, I probably wouldn’t have enlisted in the Navy.”

Students and parents are allowed to visit the unit for two drills to check it out. It gives parents a chance to ask questions of the commanding officers, and lets students chat with the cadets.

Fojo’s unit holds their drills at the Avon American Legion. They meet on the second weekend of each month for eight-hour drills on Saturday and Sunday. At these drills, students are taught how to march and salute, along with a variety of other lessons

Though no one who joins the Naval Sea Cadet Corps is obligated to enlist in the military, those who do find the transition much smoother because they have already learned so much. For students who want to attend college or pursue some other career

hostages, pull people over and read them their Miranda rights,” Fojo says.

path, they are eligible for scholarships and grants through the program.

Fojo regularly sees a huge shift in maturity level as cadets make their way through the training. Some kids come in with immature attitudes, displaying disrespectful behavior. Over time, however, they not only learn to always address officers as “sir” or “ma’am,” but they also maintain a positive attitude.

Former Cadet Scott Williamson says the Sea Cadets program enabled him to try out several different pathways that the military has to offer, which ultimately helped him contemplate future career options.

“It’s given me some exciting opportunities that are related to my current career field as a pilot,” he says.

For more information, email Fojo at fojo. swinscc@gmail.com or visit seacadets.org.

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