InsideGirlsInc 03.01

Girls Inc. of Jefferson County, IN 109 W. Third Street • Madison, IN 47250 (812) 265-5863 • girlsincjc-in.org

Vol. 3 • Issue 1 • Spring-Summer 2025

UNITED WAY CAPITAL PROJECTS GRANT UPDATES

THANKS

TO A

MATCHING GRANT

through the United Way of Indiana, we will be able to tackle a variety of capital projects at our center! Beginning in May and continuing over the summer, the following projects will be completed:

• update and replace old HVAC systems,

• update all carpeting and vinyl flooring,

• replace all exterior siding,

• replace our asphalt playground with concrete,

• install a new canvas canopy on our playground sunshade,

• upgrade many of our light fixtures to LED, and

• add a fresh coat of paint throughout the interior of our buildings. An ambitious project to be sure, but we are excited to have our facility in good condition for many years to come!

Luncheon honors three amazing women

THE 21ST ANNUAL “She Knows Where She’s Going” Luncheon was hosted Tuesday, March 11, by Girls Inc. of Jefferson County, IN, with the help of many generous donors. Because of signature sponsors First Financial Bank and SuperATV, along with over 100 additional event sponsors as well as the Fairfield Inn and Marriott food service, we were able to hold another sold out event honoring three strong, smart, and bold women in our community: Valecia Crisafulli, Jessica Spiess, and Melanie Torline.

Valecia Crisafulli and husband Lary moved to Madison in 2013 after a 30-year career in downtown revitalization and historic preservation. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, she has a master’s degree in Humanities Education from The Ohio State University.

promotional outreach efforts while also working with volunteers across the museum’s many properties, as well as revitalizing HMI’s connection to younger community members through internships and other opportunities. She was awarded the AMM Innovative Leadership Award in July 2023 for her innovative efforts. Jessica lives her passion by sharing history — especially women’s history. She also operates a small business, Public History Professionals, that offers public history services like genealogical and historical research. Throughout her career, she has served the communities she has worked in with dedication and a drive to help in creative ways.

Valecia and Larry lived 27 years in Lincoln, Illinois, where they raised two sons — Nick and Alex. While there, she was the first state coordinator of the Illinois Main Street program and also director of Downtown Springfield, Inc.

They moved to Washington, D.C., where she was vice president of partnerships at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She was also interim director of the National Main Street Center.

Since relocating to Madison, she and her husband have rehabilitated two commercial buildings in the downtown historic district. She is a board member and past president of Madison Main Street, is a board member of the Bethany Legacy Foundation, and sings in the choir at Madison Presbyterian Church. She served six years on, and was chairman of, the Madison Historic District Board of Review.

Valecia enjoys reading, walking the Heritage Trail, and living downtown. In addition to their two grown sons, the Crisafullis have four grandchildren.

Jessica Spiess comes to Madison from rural northwest Indiana. Growing up, she was a 10-year 4-Her and active in athletics. She has bachelor’s degrees in history and agricultural economics from Purdue University, and a master’s degree in public history from the University of NebraskaKearney. Jessica joined the staff of Historic Madison, Inc., as Director of Programs in July of 2021. In her time here, she has greatly expanded HMI’s online educational and

In her free time, Jessica enjoys walking her dog, reading, sewing, cheering the St. Louis Cardinals, and exploring the tri-state area from museums to hikes and anything in between.

Melanie Torline is a visual art educator with 13 years of teaching experience with Madison Consolidated Schools. She earned her degree from Indiana University Bloomington, where she cultivated her love for art education. During her undergraduate studies, she had the unique opportunity to teach students abroad in Ireland, gaining valuable international teaching experience.

Toward the end of college, Melanie found an impactful role at Girls Inc. of Jefferson County for two summers.

Her commitment to innovation in education was nationally recognized in 2014 when she received the Student Voices Award from the State Educational Technology Directors Association, which honors schools and educators who have effectively leveraged technology to enhance student learning and achievement.

Melanie loves travel and learning from cultures worldwide. During the 2015-2016 school year, she partnered with Carolyn Alcorn and Greenheart Travel to provide students with academic enrichment and cultural immersion through a reciprocal classroom exchange between Madison Consolidated High School and Madre de Dios in Madrid, Spain.

Beyond the classroom, Melanie is assistant director for Madison Theatre at MCHS and enjoys participating in community theatre productions with Encore Theatre.

Newest Outreach Addition: THE PLAYGROUND PROJECT

WE ARE IN YEAR TWO of our Bethany Legacy Foundation Outreach Grant, and we are excited to report that we have brought back an in-school component to our outreach efforts with “The Playground Project.”

We had 75 girls in grades 2 and 3 at both Southwestern and Deputy Elementary schools trade in their recess time once a week to participate in the Girls Inc. program, Work It Out! Each session focused on friendships: resolving conflict in a respectful way, learning what positive friendships look like and developing the tools needed to be a good friend! We want to empower girls to navigate the conflict in their lives and develop empathy for others. Because recess is fun, staff made sure to include some Girls Inc. fun by adding in games, art, and rewards!

Girls Inc. brings a variety of activities to Switzerland County and Jefferson-Craig elementaries’ Excel After the Bell after-school program.

BUT WAIT ... THERE’S MORE! Girls Inc. To Go just keeps growing! At the close of this school year, we had reached 179 girls in Anderson, Deputy, Lydia Middleton, Ryker’s Ridge, Southwestern, Canaan, Switzerland County, Jefferson-Craig, Bedford and Milton elementaries. Each week Girls Inc. delivers take home activity bags filled with supplies and instructions for at least three strong, smart, and bold activities that the girls can complete independently, along with some yummy snacks for the weekend! This popular program continues to be funded primarily by outreach grants through the Bethany Legacy Foundation and the Community Foundation of Switzerland County, Inc. Our friends at the Cummins Foundation continue to provide the hands that assemble the bags for distribution each week — which is no small task!

The Community Foundation of Switzerland County, Inc. continues to support our Excel After the Bell after-school program at both Switzerland County Elementary and Jefferson-Craig Elementary and will be funding our 2025 summer program at the Switzerland County YMCA as well as our Girls Inc. at Patriot pilot program this summer!

BOARD of DIRECTORS

Diamond

Tammy Harmon

Tiffany Lamson

Gary Mouser

Jeff Studds

Stephanie Withered

109 West Third Street

Madison, IN 47250

812.265.5863

girlsincjc-in.org

Thank you for helping ensure girls have the foundation to reach their highest potential!

Champions for Girls

girls inc. champions for girls are generous philanthropists who are dedicated to inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold. When you support Girls Inc., you are telling a girl that she has someone in her corner who believes in her strengths and abilities. You are investing in her future. Together, we can increase the number of girls who have the opportunity to develop their inherent strengths, break past barriers to achieve their full potential, and help others, as they were helped along the way.

STRONG SUPPORTERS

Charlene Abel

Agency Endowment of Girls Inc. of Jefferson County, IN

Alfred & Nellie Jones Memorial Fund

Kendra Auxier

Barbara Trimble Memorial Fund

Dan Baughman & Molly Dodge

Hilary Beall

Jeff Brautigam & Robyn Ryle

Tim & Kim Breeding

Can Do Maintenance

Bob & Charlotte Canida

Freda Chaney

Community Foundation of Madison & Jefferson County

Keith & Mary Beth Cullens

Dugan Hollow Farms

The Eleanor T. Birk Foundation

ETC Systems, Inc.

F.C. Tucker/Scott Lynch Group

First Financial Bank

Tony & Lisa Hammock

Diamond Harris

Howard & Mary Muncie Hensler Memorial Fund / Bill & Jennifer Hensler

Connie Huntington

Erin Huntington and Ramin Kazemi

Kristen E. Kemper Memorial Endowment / Gary & Susie

Kemper

Larry & Charmaine Owens Endowment

M&M Logistics

Madison Precision Products

Morgan Family Endowment Fund

Gary and Megan Mouser

Royer Corporation

Sedam Contracting

Devon & Rachel Sharpe

Southeastern Indiana REMC

Steinhardt Heating & Air Conditioning

Jeff Studds

Abby Suiter

SuperATV

Teton Corporation

Tri Kappa - Beta Omega Chapter

Tony & Robin Waltz

Stephanie Withered

Sally Wurtz

SMART SUPPORTERS

Dan Carraco and Carol Teach

Chandler Chevrolet

City of Madison

IKEC

Jane’s Kids

Jefferson County, Indiana

Schroeder Foundation Fund

Louise Voss

Wallis Family Fund

Yunker Foundation

BOLD SUPPORTERS

Bethany Legacy Foundation

Community Foundation of Switzerland County

Estate of Margaret Seifert Russell

German American Bank

Girls Inc. of Jefferson County, IN Endowment Fund

Jefferson County United Way

Morgan Foods, Inc.

US Premier Tube Mills

Donn Vecchie-Campbell

Given within one year’s time

$10,000 or more