Woodlawn Hospital candy sale is today, March 30, from 8am to 4 pm in the Hospital cafeteria.

Wakarusa Dime Store will be onsite with their candy. This event is open to the public, and all are welcome to come. 

"We are so excited to welcome back Wakarusa Dime Store to our campus. The community is welcome to stop by and pick up some Easter candy including their giant jellybeans, taffy, and nostalgic candy,” Marlayna Gagnon, Employee Engagement Committee Member stated.

All the proceeds will go towards the Woodlawn Employee Assistance Fund. The fund helps employees who are in need. In the past, they have helped to pay outstanding utility bills, medical and care repairs.

“This is just one of the many ways we are earning the right to care for our community by offering our employees and team members assistance when they need it,” Gagnon said.   

North Central Indiana AHEC (Area Health Education Center) recently completed its inaugural launch of the Communicating and Networking in Rural Communities Workshop for students of its AHEC Scholars Program. 

The Scholars program centers on building a healthcare workforce here in north central Indiana.  Recognizing the underserved populations in Indiana rural communities, AHEC strives to provide education and experience to future and current healthcare professionals with the intention of producing excellence in healthcare as well as building a pipeline of future healthcare workers in the region.

This workshop hosted healthcare students from Indiana University, Marian University, and Purdue University.  The workshop was created as a way to introduce the students to Indiana rural community characteristics, values and culture.  It also served to initiate them to communicating effectively in rural areas utilizing listening techniques, verbal / interpersonal communication, proper etiquette and usage of email, texting, phone, handshakes and other communication skills.  They participated in body language and personal space demonstrations, and generational and cultural differences in the workplace.

In the second part of the workshop, scholars learned about the value and importance of networking, being involved in the communities they serve and giving back to their communities.  Additionally, they heard about the differences between extroverts and introverts, participated in a fun online quiz, shared personal struggles with networking and were given tips to making the most of networking events whether their key tendency was toward being an introvert or extrovert as well as discussing the importance of maintaining relationships.  The day concluded with an interactive “mock” networking event which was highly praised by all attendees. 

One student said, “I really appreciated the chance to practice the networking skills we’d just discussed…this really helped me put myself out there.  I’ve never had a “mock networking” event, but I feel more confident now.”

NCI-AHEC is hosted by Fulton Economic Development Corporation and serves the eleven counties of Benton, White, Pulaski, Fulton, Cass, Carroll, Tippecanoe, Clinton, Tipton, Howard and Miami.  To learn more about the program, contact Executive Director Janiece Stover at jstover.nci_ahec@ymail.com or visit their website at https://www.nciahec.org.

The Communications and Networking workshop was contracted and facilitated throughKimberly Pinkerton (Kimberly’s Business by Design, LLC) and Amy Beechy (Project Matters, LLC.) NCI AHEC Program Coordinator/Scholars Lead Shannon Stoner and Youth Program Coordinator Emma Goldenstern assisted at the workshop. 

Indiana’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning today announced that $10 million in funding is available to child care and early education providers to expand access to high-quality early education for Hoosier families.

“This Child Care Expansion Grant provides a great opportunity for child care providers who are looking to grow their businesses and serve more children and families, particularly in underserved areas of Indiana, or to expand availability to priority age groups where care is often hardest to find,” said Courtney Penn, director of FSSA’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning. "The first five years of a child’s life are the most significant to build a strong foundation for future success. We welcome the opportunity to partner with providers to serve hard-working Hoosier families." 

The funds for this program are made possible through Senate Enrolled Act 2 from the 2022 Indiana General Assembly special session, as well as funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

The grant will be competitive with funding offered across two tracks:   

• Existing program expansion: Up to $200,000 per program to assist providers who accept child care assistance in updating existing facilities and operations with priority given to high-quality providers and those adding capacity or serving underserved age groups, such as infants and toddlers
• New program creation: Up to $750,000 per program to assist providers in establishing new child care programs in underserved areas of the state
  • An applicant must be the intended operator of the new program, provide data to demonstrate a need for new child care in the community and must contribute at least ten percent of the total project budget, either in cash, loan funding or through in-kind donations or contributions.

Applications are open now through May 12. An overview of the grant opportunity, including supporting resources and a link to the application, is available here.  

This expansion grant helps to build upon FSSA’s recent work to help stabilize and grow child care in Indiana to support child care providers and build available child care capacity. This includes:

• Providing $542 million in stabilization grants in 2021 and 2022 to more than 3,300 child care providers to help them rebuild after the instability caused by the pandemic.
  • These investments directly strengthened the workforce, leading to a 29% decrease in vacant child care and early learning teaching positions from 2021 to 2022.
• Assembling a working group of child care professionals to review current licensing rules and regulations and make recommendations to remove barriers that make licensing more burdensome than necessary.
• Analyzing the data received during the stabilization grant process to help reevaluate reimbursement rates to providers, to make them more in-line with the actual cost of child care.

The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is a division of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Child care providers may send questions to oecoslproviderinquiry@fssa.in.gov.

Woodlawn Hospital’s Labor and Delivery Department is offering tours to expecting moms in Plymouth and the surrounding area.

“As changes are happening in the healthcare community around us, we want to be the oasis for expecting moms and their families. We are committed to earning the right to care for you and your baby,” Alan Fisher, CEO of Woodlawn stated.

Women coming to tour can see the facility and find a doctor in either Argos or Rochester to care for them for the remainder of their pregnancy.

To schedule a tour, please call 574-224-1287

At its latest meeting, the Indiana Sheep and Wool Market Development Council (IN S&W) approved several projects to fund during the spring and summer seasons. The council is also asking for nominations of individuals for board positions in districts two, five and eight.

In compliance with IN S&W’s regulation to hold elections for three council members each year on a rolling basis, the organization is also looking for representatives from the following districts:

• District 2: Consisting of Elkhart, LaGrange, Steuben, Kosciusko, Noble and DeKalb counties.
• District 5: Consisting of Cass, Carroll, Howard, Clinton, Boone, Tipton, Hamilton, Grant and Madison counties.
• District 8: Consisting of Sullivan, Knox, Daviess, Marten, Gibson, Pike, Dubois, Posey, Vandenburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Clay, Owen, Monroe and Greene counties.

Anyone interested in becoming a district representative or in nominating someone for a district representative position should contact IN S&W Purdue advisor Meredith Cobb at 765-426-1195 or mcobb2@purdue.edu by April 15. There is also a fillable form on the website one can submit to be included in all mailings and emails related to the checkoff, along with an option to submit your name for nomination in the upcoming election.

Arrow Head Country RC&D serves a 10 county region dedicated to promoting conservation, development and utilization of natural resources, improving the general level of economic activity, and enhancing the environment and standard of living in designated RC&D areas. The organization awarded grant funds to a variety of local organizations to support various projects that support their
mission.

The Pulaski County Tribe is the grateful recipient of a $2,500 grant for the continuation of the Art in the Park project. The grant funds were presented to members of PCT on March 23, 2023.

In 2021 Pulaski County Tribe initiated a multi-phase community enhancement effort to revitalize the area on the west side of the swinging bridge at the Winamac Town Park.

Phase 1 included:

? Aesthetic improvements to the historic artesian well structure.
? Installation of an interpretive sign featuring the history of the artesian well.
? Installation of two bench swings.
? Installation of permanent art exhibits.
? A free public event featuring hands-on activities and highlighting newly installed artwork.
? Placement of two small murals on the fence of the pickleball court.
? Plants along the pickleball court fence, around trees, and around one of the bench swings.

PCT is now ready to pursue Phase 2 efforts to continue enhancing the area for the enjoyment of Pulaski County community members and guests. Enhancement efforts include the cultivation of a pollinator garden, tree planting, and the incorporation of art components.

Pulaski County Tribe is a non-profit organization in Pulaski County. Their mission is to communicate, collaborate, and celebrate among all communities in Pulaski County for the greater good of residents and guests. The organization serves as a channel that brings together organizations, businesses, and residents to positively impact communities in Pulaski County.

You can learn more about PCT at www.pulaskicountytribe.com. To contact the organization, you can email pulaskicountytribe@gmail.com .

Woodlawn Hospital candy sale will take place on March 30 from 8am to 4 pm in the Hospital cafeteria.

Wakarusa Dime Store will be onsite with their candy. This event is open to the public, and all are welcome to come. 

"We are so excited to welcome back Wakarusa Dime Store to our campus. The community is welcome to stop by and pick up some Easter candy including their giant jellybeans, taffy, and nostalgic candy,” Marlayna Gagnon, Employee Engagement Committee Member stated.

All the proceeds will go towards the Woodlawn Employee Assistance Fund. The fund helps employees who are in need. In the past, they have helped to pay outstanding utility bills, medical and care repairs.

“This is just one of the many ways we are earning the right to care for our community by offering our employees and team members assistance when they need it,” Gagnon said.             

Think you have an eye for photography? Show what you can do in the annual Historic Preservation Month photo contest.

Indiana Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology is looking for Indiana historic structure photos (at least 50 years old) in five categories (color, black & white, kids, artistic, and altered).

Winners will be showcased on the DNR website and social media channels in May.

Enter by April 7 at on.IN.gov/preservation-month.

Photo: Amateur photographer Kara Baker won the 2022 Kids Category with her entry "Barn in Peru."

The Winamac Community High School drama department will present the hit musical “Annie” as its 2023 spring production.

Show dates are the weekend of March 17-19, at the school auditorium.

The musical is based on the comic strip from 1924 composed by American cartoonist, Harold L. Gray. The musical opened in 1977 to worldwide acclaim and has been an extremely popular musical since, likely due to its signature songs such as Tomorrow and Hard Knock Life, as well as the indubitably positive spirit of the title character's outlook on life.

“Annie” will be presented at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, (March 17 and 18); and at 2 p.m., Sunday, (March 19), at the WCHS Auditorium.  Admission is $7. 

The WCHS show is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) with book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin. 

The musical is set in 1933, and centers on the title character Annie (played by Lauren Fredel) who resides at the New York City Municipal Orphanage Girls' Annex under the care of the cruel Ms. Hannigan (Jessica Hoffman).  After a failed attempt to escape, in which she meets citizens affected by The Great Depression, and also meets her faithful companion, Sandy the dog, Annie returns to the orphanage. Grace Farrell (Lily Bennett) enters and selects Annie to spend the Christmas holiday at the home of billionaire, Oliver Warbucks (Maddox Bucinski). Annie is delighted to leave the orphanage and is astonished at the city and people she encounters outside of the orphanage. Warbucks is won over by Annie's charm, and resolves to find Annie's parents to complete her dream.

Meanwhile, Ms. Hannigan is visited by her sly brother, "Rooster" Hannigan (Garron Knoth) and his frivolous wife, Lily St. Regis (Penelope Wegner). While commiserating on living a life of struggle, they realize that the answer to their financial problems could be cashing in on the $50,000 reward Warbucks is offering to find Annie's parents. They decide to disguise themselves as Annie's parents, along with the help of Ms. Hannigan to provide information from Annie's file that would convince Warbucks that they are her parents. 

Annie's whirlwind experiences continue, as she even meets President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Jacob Sanders) and inspires him with her positivity to deliver "A New Deal" to Americans during The Great Depression. Warbucks becomes increasingly hopeful that the lack of proof from those who have claimed to be Annie's parents means that he may adopt her. However, just prior to a formal adoption, Rooster and Lily emerge under the alias of Ralph and Shirley Mudge. Their act, along with their accomplice, Hannigan, is quickly exposed by Warbucks, Farrell, and FDR just in time to celebrate the holiday with not only her new family, but the family Annie has built throughout her life. 

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The Fulton County Chamber of Commerce recognizes that our county’s success is dependent upon the hard work of the organizations, businesses, and individuals who give of themselves to make our community a better place.

Please take a moment to make a nomination that recognizes this hard work.

Organization of the Year

Open to both businesses and non-profit organizations, this award is presented to an organization or business in the Fulton County area with proven growth and stability, provides innovative products and services, and demonstrates economic support of the Fulton County area business community.

Business Professional of the Year

This award is presented to an Individual who demonstrates growing excellence, creativity, and initiative in their profession, is engaged in the community, and shows a strong commitment to good business practices. This person serves as a role model for other professionals both personally and professionally, and possesses vision and passion to mentor and lead others.

Emerging Business Award

Open to both businesses and non-profit organizations, this award is presented to an organization or business established in the last 0-5 years in the Fulton County area that demonstrates growing success in community, and exhibits commitment to good business practices, community relations, and employee relations.

Community Service Award

Original Chamber Award. Prestigious award presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the community.

Nominations can be submitted by contacting Kellie Scobie at kellie@fultoncountychamber.com or 574-224-2666 through Friday, March 17. Please provide business/individual name and category for nomination.

Nominees MUST be a member of the Fulton County Chamber (with exception of the Community Service Award).

Nominated businesses and individuals will be notified by the Chamber and asked to complete an application by Friday, March 31. Members will vote on award winners.

Winners will be announced at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on April 29.

“I’m truly impressed with this top-notch event, and the ideas students bring."

That was said by one attendee after watching the student business presentations at the recent “First Pitch” event hosted by FEDCO (Fulton Economic Development Corporation.)  This event featured finalist teams of entrepreneurs from the following area schools:  Caston and Tippecanoe Valley each with two teams, and Rochester entering one team.

FEDCO’s BizGroManager Amy Beechy facilitated and welcomed everyone to the day’s competition.The first pitch presentation was by Tippecanoe Valley’s Mag Pic team whose business model was based on developing a magnetic plastic guitar pick to eliminate losing or hunting for your picks by keeping it secured to the instrument.  Product samples were given to the judges and a musical demonstration was also provided to showcase the pick’s easy access by being kept securely on the guitar.Team members included Eric Eikenberry, Dawson Ault and Kiera Smythe.

Next came Caston’s Curfew team comprised of Blake Oberg, Amanda Evers, Cassidy Vinson, and Ely Blacketor. Their passion was finding a solution to keep college students feeling safe on campus.  After sharing a personal story of a campus stalker and how long it took for the student to receive a “safe” ride from Campus Security, the team presented their idea for a mobile app platform that would be leased to universities, making it a free app students can download to their mobile phones for securing a safety escort, to either walk with or drive students safely to their campus destination.  Their hours would be when other services are not easily accessible and match college student needs.

The third presentation was given by Alex Deming and Payton Moore of Rochester High School describing Timber Targets, a mobile axe-throwing and archery outdoor entertainment company. They wish to provide cost-effective outdoor family-friendly entertainment in the Fulton County area. They would be available at festival events as well as for private and business party offerings at a much lower costthan those venues people are now travelling miles to experience.

Tippecanoe Valley’s Jim Bros team which is an athletic apparel company specializing in clothing and accessories specifically made for the gym.  Their goal is to offer premium gear to all athletes from body builder to the average person wanting to be physically fit.  They also demonstrated their Blender Bro, a durable motorized blending bottle for easy mixing of gym supplements during workout sessions.  Team members included Wyatt Reiter and Jeremy Schwenk.

The final presentation was conducted by Wildcard Café team with members consisting of Caston students Abigail Crawn, Schuyler Hurt, Quincy Prenatt, and Braden Rush.  They described their American-style, family restaurant that chooses your meal for you through a menu “wild card.”  The wild card is a survey to fill out with a customer’s likes, dislikes and allergies.  The staff then uses that information to choose a meal for the customer.  Their concept was born out of an idea to provide dining options for those who are adventurous or are indecisive about which restaurant to visit.

After each of the team’s seven-minute “pitch”, judges Andrew Horstman (Fulton County REMC CEO), Kim Martin (Hoffman Body shop and Graphics) and Chris Hoffman (Machine Castings Specialties) had time to ask clarifying questions and then when all presentations were finished, the judges retired to a private area for scoring and deliberations. 

Scoring for business plans submitted and the oral presentations were based on including the business name and participant’s names; description of the product/service; describing what made the team interested in this kind of business; telling why the business is feasible and why it will be successful; defining the business model and how it will make money, the target customer(s), pricing, costs, and projected profitability; and finally, identifying the business’ competitive edge.

Once judges made their decision, winners were announced and cash prizes in the total amount of $1500 (donated by Fulton County REMC) were awarded as follows: 

1^st Place –Mag Pic ($500); 2^nd Place –Timber Targets ($400), followed by 3rd Place – Jim Bros ($300); 4^th Place –Wildcard Café ($200) and 5^th Place –Curfew ($100).

Judges also shared positive and constructive feedback for each team on their presentations.

FEDCO concluded the event by thanking the supporters including the schools, teachers, sponsors, judges, timekeeper, RTC and the community partners who support these programs. 

The event was held at the Geneva Center and livestreamed and recorded by RTC. 

For more information about FEDCO  small business programs, contact Amy Beechy at 574-709-7955 or amy@projectmattersllc.com.

The Fulton County Historical Society Museum is hosting an antiques and collectibles show and sale.

Following Thursday's early bird sale hours the show continues to 6 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday.  Saturday includes a time for appraisals from 11 - 1 with a $5 cost on the first item and $2 for additional items.

The event has antiques, collectibles, farm toys, glass, postcards and more.

Food is available.

Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 12, and the American Red Cross Indiana Region reminds everyone to turn your clocks forward one hour and test your smoke alarms.

Did you know working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half? That’s why it’s critical to “Turn and Test” and take these lifesaving steps to stay safe from home fires — the nation’s most frequent disaster:

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Test alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year if your model requires it.
• Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. That’s because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Check the date of your smoke alarms and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Practice your two-minute escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it’s too late. Include at least two ways to get out from every room and select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows where to meet.
• Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

If you are interested in a free smoke alarm installation, click here.

Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to practice with your family. You can also download our free Emergency app by searching for “American Red Cross” in app stores.

The Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters every year and most of them are home fires. To help prevent fire-related deaths and injuries, the Red Cross launched the Home Fire Campaign with community partners in 2014 to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries. 

Recently, with support from thousands of community partners, the campaign met its goal of installing 2.5 million free smoke alarms and making 1 million households safer across the country. So far, the Home Fire Campaign is credited with saving more than 1,583 lives in the U.S. Because home fires remain a daily threat and the campaign has made a lifesaving difference, the Red Cross will be continuing the program with community partners as part of its standard services across the country

That would have been nice to know.

Have you ever found yourself saying that about a . . .

community event
resource available
project taking place
volunteer opportunity
business or organizational activity

PCT has an opportunity for businesses and organizations to get in the know! Those serving Pulaski County are invited to connect at a County Collaboration on March 14th at Bethel Bible.

Doors open at 5 pm for networking with a planned agenda from 5:30-7 pm.

Learn about businesses and non-profit organization resources available from the Small Business Administration, the Community Foundation of Pulaski County, MatchBOX, and the Pulaski County Tribe.

Gain an understanding of key initiatives of various local businesses and organizations.

Network and identify opportunities for collaboration.

Attendees will provide information about their products, services, events, and efforts that will be shared during the connection. The event is free but registration is required.

Please scan the QR code or visit pulaskicountytribe.com to RSVP.

Pulaski County Tribe is a non-profit organization in Pulaski County. Their mission is to communicate, collaborate, and celebrate among all communities in Pulaski County for the greater good of residents

and guests. The organization serves as a channel that brings together organizations, businesses, and residents to positively impact communities in Pulaski County.

You can learn more about PCT at www.pulaskicountytribe.com.

To contact the organization, you can email pulaskicountytribe@gmail.com
 

The Fulton County Health Department will be hosting two walk-in clinics to provide back-to-school childhood immunizations specifically for those who are going to be participating in the KindergartenRound-Up that are underinsured, uninsured, or Medicaid patients.

Walk-in vaccinations will be given

Dates and times include: Wednesday, March 22, from 1 pm – 5:45 p.m. The second is scheduled for Tuesday, April 4, from 2 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

All patients in the Health Department by 5:45 p.m. will receive their shots.

Please call the Health Department at 574-223-2881 with any questions.

Contact the Fulton County Animal Center for more details.

Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and Fulton County Farm Bureau present the 2023 Legislative Breakfast Series.

The final 2023 Legislative Breakfast in the series will be held at Akron Community Center on Saturday, March 11. 

Social networking will begin at 7:30 am.

Anyone is invited to attend these free breakfast meetings for a rare opportunity to speak one-on-one with Indiana State Legislators.

While earthworms in the spring are a happy sight for gardeners, an invasive worm species is wreaking havoc for landowners and gardeners in southern Indiana.

Robert Bruner, Purdue Extension’s exotic forest pest specialist, describes jumping worms, an invasive species to North America in the genus Amynthas: “Traditionally, when we see earthworms, they are deep in the ground and a little slimy. The jumping worms are a little bit bigger, kind of dry and scaly, and tend to thrash around much like a snake does.”

While worms have a reputation as a helpful species found in the soil ecosystem, invasive jumping worms do not live up to that standard, Bruner explained. Jumping worms will consume all organic material from the top layer of soil, leaving behind a coffee ground-like waste with no nutrients for plants or seeds.

Since jumping worms stay within the first few inches of topsoil, they are not creating channels for water and air the way earthworms do, disrupting water flow to plant roots.

“So basically, they’re just very nasty pests that ruin the quality of our soil, and the only thing that can really grow in soil like that are essentially invasive plants, or species that are meant to survive really harsh conditions,” Bruner said.

Purdue Agricultural Communications photo Download image

Currently, the worms are being found in cities around southern Indiana, he said, particularly in Terre Haute. There is still much to learn about jumping worms, making eradication efforts difficult. One thing that is known, Bruner said, is they aren’t a migrating species.

“This is the kind of invasive pest that is moved almost entirely through human activity. They don’t crawl superfast,” he explained. “So, when they move, that means they’re moving because we’re transferring soil, say, from someone’s plants or someone’s compost and we’re bringing them to a new area.”

Bruner is working with fellow Purdue Extension educators to spread the message that gardeners should not share ground soil or compost and avoid potted plants from unknown sources. If you suspect jumping worms are present in your own soil, Bruner suggests a process called solarizing to eliminate unwanted pests. Gardeners should lay down a black or dark-toned tarp on a sunny day and sprinkle a thin layer of soil on top, allowing it to reach a temperature over 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bruner cautions that jumping worms can escape during the solarizing process, “so you need to completely wrap the soil up in the tarp, essentially making the world’s worst sandwich, and allow it to heat up and kill whatever is in there.”

Bruner said whether the worms will create a major issue for gardeners this season remains to be seen, but he isn’t as concerned for farmers.

“It’s a bit of a nightmare pest if you do gardening, but we don’t have evidence yet that it will spread into agricultural fields,” he said. “We don’t think it’s going to kill any kind of industry. We’re asking people to be on the lookout and use your best judgment when you’re getting your soil.”

Any invasive species sightings should be reported to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources at depp@dnr.in.gov or by calling 1-866-663-9684. 

The annual Cass County College & Career Expo, designed to open doors to the future for area high school and college students as well as the general public, is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, at Logansport High School’s Berry Bowl.

Area employers are invited to participate to promote current job openings and internship opportunities as well as talk with students about the skills needed to secure a position with their organization.

Employers interested in participating should contact Suzanne Dillman, associate director of enrollment services and admissions for Ivy Tech’s Kokomo Service Area, by email at sdillman@ivytech.edu or by telephone at 574-398-6090.

Representatives from colleges and universities across the state also will be on hand to discuss the career and educational opportunities they offer.

“We are excited to be hosting the event again this year in partnership with the Logansport/Cass County Chamber of Commerce and Logansport High School,” Dillman said. “We want to help our high school and college students, as well as the public, understand what technical and soft skills are needed for future career success to assure we have a pipeline of qualified potential employees to meet area employer needs today and into the future.”

The event will be targeted at 10^th to 12^th grade students from Logansport High School and the Century Career Center, Pioneer High School juniors and students and alumni from Ivy Tech as well as the general public. Chamber members have been invited to participate along with employers who work with Ivy Tech in recruiting new employees.

Bill Cuppy, president of the Logansport/Cass County Chamber of Commerce, said, “At the Chamber of Commerce and Cass Logansport Economic Development Organization, we focus on business retention/expansion, business attraction and workforce development. Ivy Tech plays a major role in all three of our goals for this community.”

Cuppy emphasized the importance of having an Ivy Tech campus in Logansport that offers the opportunity of enhancing the workforce skills for both existing industries and those that are interested in making Logansport their future home. 

“The staff works closely with our local businesses and also our local school corporations to better understand the local needs and does their part to provide the skills needed to assist in meeting that demand,” he said. “Over the years, Ivy Tech has been very instrumental in organizing and providing the college and career fair. I do know that this event has paired individuals seeking a career with businesses that have a vacant position, which has immensely benefited our workforce development objectives.”

The Fulton Community center is selling laundrysoap, trash bags, laundry pods, dishwasher pods and scent beads.

Orders will be taken through March 23.  Order pickup will be 9 – 11 a.m. on April 8 at the Fulton Community Center, 204 E. Dunn Street.

To place an order, call 574-857-6750 or 574-857-4885.  If leaving a message please include name and phone number.

Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Farm Bureau welcome nominations for the 2023 John Arnold Award for Rural Preservation.

The award recognizes the preservation and continued agricultural use of historic farm buildings in Indiana. Since it was established in 1992, owners of more than 30 historic farms all over the state have been honored with the award.

Anyone, including farm owners, can submit a nomination for the Arnold Award, which will be presented during the Celebration of Agriculture at the Indiana State Fair in August.

The nomination is simple and asks for:

• a brief history of the farm and description of its significant historic structures and features, such as the farmhouse, barns, agricultural outbuildings, and landscape elements.

• a description of how the farm’s historic agricultural structures are used in day-to-day farming operations, and how they have been preserved or adapted.

• high-res digital photographs of the farm and its preserved historic features. Historic images are also welcome.

The award winner receives an attractive outdoor marker and feature coverage in Indiana Preservation magazine.

Indiana Landmarks named the award in memory of John Arnold (1955-1991), a Rush County farmer who successfully combined progressive agricultural practices with a deep respect for the historic and natural features of the rural landscape.

The John Arnold Award for Rural Preservation honors those who share a similar commitment to preserving the landmarks and landscape of rural Indiana.

Submit nominations for the Arnold Award for Rural Preservation online at www.indianalandmarks.org/john-arnold-award-rural-preservation, or contact Tommy Kleckner at Indiana Landmarks, 812-232-4534, tkleckner@indianalandmarks.org.

Deadline for nominations is May 1, 2023.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) are preparing to launch a new initiative: 'Military Monuments and Museums IN Indiana.'

"The Military Monuments and Museums IN Indiana initiative is a comprehensive program that will cover war memorials, historical markers, museums, and other distinctive locations that showcase the rich military history of the great state of Indiana," said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "This initiative is expected to create a network of information and experiential opportunities that will connect every part of the state."

The expected launch date for the Military Monuments and Museums IN Indiana initiative is July 4, 2023. It will have a dedicated location on VisitIndiana.com where people can learn about Indiana’s military history and the numerous locations around the state that showcase it.         

"We have a unique opportunity to spearhead a statewide program dedicated to educating and informing Hoosiers and visitors about the abundance of military history in Indiana," said Elaine Bedel, IDDC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer. "We encourage you to participate in the Military Monuments, and Museums IN Indiana initiative after its launch to show your support."

The IDDC is partnering with organizations throughout the state to help share the military history in Indiana including the Indiana National Guard, Indiana Historical Society, Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana War Memorials, and more. The partnerships are a testament to Indiana's shared commitment to the state's military heritage