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JANUARY 2018

MAGAZINE

BADGE OF HONOR AVON POLICE CHIEF TALKS COMMUNITY, NEW PROGRAMS AND EVOLUTION OF POLICE TECHNOLOGY

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JANUARY WRITERS

Aaron Tevebaugh Christy Heitger-Ewing / Dr. Vicki Danis Heather Chastain / Melissa Gibson

JANUARY PHOTOGRAPHERS Wendy Gretzinger

BADGE OF HONOR: AVON POLICE CHIEF TALKS COMMUNITY, NEW PROGRAMS AND EVOLUTION OF POLICE TECHNOLOGY In 1993, Sean Stoops was taking classes at IUPUI with the intention of becoming an engineer when one night a friend invited him on a ride-along with the Indianapolis Police Department. Intrigued, Stoops said yes, and the experience caused him to alter the course of his career.

6 Working Through Conflict 9 Badge of Honor: Avon Police Chief

Talks Community, New Programs and Evolution of Police Technology

15 Winter Health Tips 17 Worth Fighting For: Marlin

Jacksonâ€™s Fight For Life Foundation is Making a Strong Impact in the Lives of Youth

21 December Crossword Puzzle 22 Taking the Lead: Avon Sixth

Grader Thrives in National BMX Competitions

26 A Passion for Communication:

AHS Student is Breaking Down Language Barriers

29 Small Beginnings: The Garden Cycle Begins Within the Seed

34 The Avon ReStore: Donations

to Local Thrift Store Help the Community & Create Housing for Those in Need

38 Influencing Youth: Sergeant Jeff

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TOWN COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Aaron Tevebaugh WOR KI N G THROUGH CONFLICT Writer / Aaron Tevebaugh

Happy New Year! Itâ€™s that time of year again to get a fresh start and decide what major changes you intend to make in your life during the upcoming months. While most people focus on life adjustments concentrated on making them physically fit or more organized, many people actually neglect the most dysfunctional area of their lives, personal and professional relationships. I have had the opportunity to be immersed in leadership and organizational development for the last six years as my full-time occupation. In my hundreds of hours attending and instructing various training sessions along with the dozens of books and articles I have the opportunity to review each year, the one thing I believe everyone struggles from in one shape or form is conflict. Have you ever wondered how multiple intelligent and educated people can get in a room and have such a huge disagreement on almost any topic? If you are currently in an active conflict or have a disagreement with someone in your personal or professional life, maybe now is the time to focus on a better way to approach your differences with others. Before we can dissect any issue with

another person or attempt to use a system of solution, we must understand the origin of conflict at a very basic level. In my experience, and through the analysis of hundreds of situations, I have come to the conclusion that conflict is the product of frustration, which manifests from unfulfilled expectations. Everyone goes through their daily routine with both direct and indirect expectations. You may have a special evening planned that goes the wrong way, which is a great example of a direct expectation. An example of an indirect expectation would be arriving home to find your dog decided to have your couch for lunch. In both cases you find yourself frustrated. The good news is even though many things in life are completely out of our control and are unpreventable, frustrations and conflicts can be mitigated through expectation management. If you are familiar with the Pygmalion Effect, then you understand how expectation management can be the key to productivity and performance. By simply increasing the minimum acceptable level of what a work environment considers to be the standard for productivity, an organization will bring most of the employees to or above that minimum 6 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

standard. In understanding conflict, we can use expectation management as a mitigation tool to prevent us from setting others up for failure and ourselves up for even more frustration. For example, if I have a friend who is always busy and continuously declines my invitations to social events, I have two choices on how to handle a future situation. I can continue to invite them based on my schedule and continue to get declined, this will likely frustrate me to the point I believe they are not a very good friend. The other option is to reach out to them and get their availability and schedule my event around them. Option one sets the friend up for failure and me up for frustration from the unfulfilled expectation. Option two meets both peopleâ€™s objectives and mitigates or eliminates any need for conflict in this situation. In the future, I will expand on the power of interpretation and how we can increase our own awareness of this in order to be more alive to others around us. Aaron Tevebaugh is the President of the Avon Town Council as well as a Leadership and Organizational Development Advisor. He can be reached at aarontevebaugh@ gmail.com.

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BADGE OF HONOR AVON POLICE CHIEF TALKS COMMUNITY, NEW PROGRAMS AND EVOLUTION OF POLICE TECHNOLOGY

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing

In 1993, Sean Stoops was taking classes at IUPUI with the intention of becoming an engineer when one night a friend invited him on a ride-along with the Indianapolis Police Department. Intrigued, Stoops said yes, and the experience caused him to alter the course of his career. “Seeing officers helping people looked satisfying to me,” says Stoops, who switched gears and began pursuing law enforcement. He was hired in 1994 as a jail officer for the Shelby County Sherriff. In 1997, he began working as a patrolman for the Avon Police Department. In 1998, he, his wife Dawn and their daughter Courtni moved to Avon. Stoops was a patrol officer until 2003, when he became the department’s first Detective. Before being appointed Avon’s Chief of Police in 2014, he spent 14 years doing criminal investigations — something that he they take the time to calmly delve into the perpetrator’s upbringing in order to found deeply satisfying. understand the path they have chosen. “To be able to solve cases, make arrests, “It’s not easy being kind to guys accused of recover property and provide victims rape, abduction and other heinous crimes, with a sense of justice is one of the biggest rewards this job offers,” says Stoops, noting but that’s the way to solve cases,” Stoops that when it comes to tackling felony cases, says. “Antagonizing the perpetrator only increases the probability that he’ll be set free real-life scenarios are vastly different than fictional television portrayals. For instance, with little or no justice being served.” Hollywood’s interrogation scenes involving During Stoops’ tenure at the Avon PD, he’s bright spotlights and hot-blooded officers with a short fuse are not accurate. In reality, witnessed several changes. Growth is one of them. In 1997, Avon’s population consisted detectives don’t scream at the top of their of roughly 5,000 to 6,000 residents. lungs and slam chairs to the floor. Instead, AvonMagazine.com / JANUARY 2018 / AVON MAGAZINE / 9

“Now we are over 17,000 with a transient population of 30,000 cars that travel through the area per day,” he says. The Avon school system has expanded as well — now with more than 9,000 children enrolled. All this growth means that the Avon Police Department has had to increase its manpower to four times its original size. “Twenty years ago, we employed six police officers,” Stoops says. “Now, we have 28.” The size of the department is not all that’s changed over the past two decades. So, has the evolution of technology.

Sean Stoops with officers Manek & Stobaugh

“When I started on the force, we had a portable radio on our belt and a radio in the car,” Stoops says. “In the squad room, we had one computer that was connected to the internet. Back then, resources were pretty limited.”

“TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE CASES, MAKE ARRESTS, RECOVER PROPERTY AND PROVIDE VICTIMS WITH A SENSE OF JUSTICE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REWARDS THIS JOB OFFERS.” - SEAN STOOPS -

Slowly the department acquired cell phones and texting capabilities. Then came the smart phone. Soon the department had in-car cameras and laptops, allowing real-time data to be transmitted from the dispatch center. As we head into the new year, the Avon Police Department has plans to polish and ramp up programs they have recently implemented that will serve to reduce crime in Avon as well as Hendricks County. One program is called the Crime Action Team (CAT). Funded by a grant from Hot Spots Policing, a Byrne’s grant, it focuses on lowering crime rates in the retail district. The CAT attaches cameras to their squad cars that include a plate reader, which constantly takes pictures of license plates going both forwards and 10 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

backwards. This enables officers to compare plates to BMV files on record of suspended drivers and wanted criminals. So, if the CAT team is driving around and their plate reader sends an alert because it matches one in the system, officers can access info on the driver before even pulling him over.

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“Before we had to call in the license plate to dispatch and they had to send an electronic request for the information from the state. Now we can access information instantaneously,” says Stoops, noting that no information collected is retained. “It’s not like we’re gathering data and storing it. We’re only comparing data that’s already in the system.” In the past, Avon has held the crown for most bank, gas station and fast food robberies. Less than a year after implementing the CAT program, however, robberies have dropped by almost two-thirds. The department also started Project Lifesaver, which helps those suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, autism, Down syndrome and other related illnesses that might cause them to wander. These individuals are fitted with a low-frequency transmitting device that is attached to a wrist or ankle and can be monitored by police if the person goes missing. “It’s like the Hot-Cold game,” Stoops says. “It starts beeping a low, quiet beep until you get closer to the individual and then it amps up.”

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If Stoops had a magic wand that would eradicate one problem in the community, he would set his sights on the heroin and opioid addiction. “It’s claimed so many lives. There’s no way of measuring what these folks might have accomplished had they lived,” says Stoops, noting that the stereotypical drug abuser is not the “nasty bad guy” but rather the smart kid who suffers a random knee injury and gets hooked

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on pain killers. “Avon is a relatively safe, economically welloff community, but heroin, opioid addiction and drug use, in general, knows no economical bounds. From the richest to the poorest, it doesn’t discriminate.” Sadly, this epidemic is plaguing the nation. Thankfully, however, the Avon Police Department has recently dedicated one of their police officers to the Hendricks County United Drug Task Force, which focuses on heroin, meth amphetamine and opioid issues that are inundating the community. Stoops receives weekly briefings from his detective and is pleased to report that the task force has already experienced some success. Additionally, the Avon Police Department recently won the Ben Roethlisberger K9 grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. That money will go towards the purchase of additional K9 to help combat the growing heroin and opioid problem. Stoops is invested in making this community the best that it can be because Avon has given him so much joy. “It’s been wonderful for my wife and I to watch our daughters Courtni, Sydney and Delaney grow into responsible teens and adults,” Stoops says. “This community played a big role in making that happen.”

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In addition, the Stoops, who “live and breathe black and gold,” credit the Avon Marching Band for introducing their family to hundreds of people who share the same goals, values and positive work ethic. “Raising children really does take a village,” Stoops says. “And we have an awesome village in Avon.”

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Village of Avon a continuum of care community

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WINTER HEALTH TIPS Writer / Dr. Vicki Danis

Welcome Winter! We do indeed have four seasons here in Indy. With this cold weather comes cold and flu season too, unfortunately. So here are a few easy tips and considerations to help keep you healthy during this season.

SLEEP

Yes, sleep is necessary for health. Sleeping is the time your body repairs and heals itself. Make sure you are devoting enough time for a full rest. Do this regularly. The highest levels of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) are produced at night. This vital hormone replenishes growth for most all cells in our body. It can also help regulate blood sugar, reduce body fat, increase energy, build muscle and strengthen the immune system.

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But what if I’m already sick or feel like I’m going to get sick? Try some of these supplements to help boost your immunity:

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This is a great tasting syrup. You can buy or make your own. It is remarkable for Upper Respiratory Infections (URI’s) in both kids and adults alike.

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This potent vitamin is needed by the immune system to function quickly. Tablets or capsules are easy to take. Drinking OJ does not count!

ECHINACEA

This immune system stimulator can help cut days off a cold. Taking it preventatively has been shown to work as well.

The immune system starts in the gut. In this case, we are talking ASTRAGALUS ROOT about the intestinal tract. Are you digesting food? And if so, is it This herb has been used in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) being properly absorbed? How do we know? Reflux or heartburn for years to help not only boost the immune system but to fight off are signs of improper digestion and improper absorption. Try a digestive enzyme to ensure digestion can occur. Have constipation invaders as well. or diarrhea? Absorption is an issue with these concerns. A probiotic may help. Try one with many strains listed for more diversity and a better outcome.

VITAMIN D

It influences virtually every cell in the body. It can act like a switch to turn on the immune system and can increase its function by a factor of 3 to 5. Vitamin D turns on peptides within your immune system, which have a strong antimicrobial response to fight off any invaders. AvonMagazine.com / JANUARY 2018 / AVON MAGAZINE / 15

Dr. Vicki Danis is the owner of Community Chiropractic, the only female chiropractic office in Hendricks County. She specializes in pregnancy and pediatric care. Her office is located at 7651 E US Hwy 36 in Avon. You can reach her office at 317-272-7988 or online at www.communitychiroavon.com.

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MARLIN JACKSONâ€™S FIGHT FOR LIFE FOUNDATION IS MAKING A STRONG IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF YOUTH

Writer / Kara Kavensky Photographer / Jamie Sangar

Marlin Jackson grew up in the projects in Sharon, Pennsylvania to a mom who had addiction issues. Jackson did not grow up with a nurturing parent. He did not have positive social or emotional role models. He was not presented with a solid example of how to love himself or other people, but he persevered.

with law enforcement. Your foundation is so important to the fabric of who you become, seeds are planted, with a different environment, that goes with you.”

At the University of Michigan, Jackson was an All-American as a freshman and as a sophomore. Jackson was postured to enter the NFL after his junior year. His football career came into jeopardy when he had been engaged in an altercation. Jackson was not the instigator of the situation, but had “As a youth, I had a lot of grace,” Jackson been arrested nonetheless. Michigan Coach says. “I could have followed down the wrong Lloyd Carr told him that if he was found path but was able to escape altercation guilty, he would be off the team. For the first INDY METRO / JANUARY 2018 / TownePost.com

time, Jackson realized that this could all be gone. The feeling was devastating. The guy who had started the altercation later sued Jackson after graduation, Jackson countersued and won. He didn’t collect any money from the lawsuit, he simply wanted his name cleared. While Jackson was at the University of Michigan, his psychology class volunteered in inner city Detroit schools. As Jackson listened to the stories of the students. He could relate, for he had lived their life. When Jackson shared that he had the same

experiences, the kids didn’t believe him. “You’re lying, you’re Marlin Jackson, All-American,” said one of the students. Jackson had opened their eyes to possibilities and these kids had opened his. The kids could dare to dream, and so could Jackson. It was in this inner-city school that Jackson knew he would start a program to help kids like these, kids like him. The Fight for Life Foundation is the program that Jackson needed when he was young. When Jackson was drafted by the Colts, he listened to Coach Tony Dungy speak of faith, family and football, Jackson was surprised. It was the first time he heard a coach mention faith and family sequentially before football. “The positivity that Dungy and Bill Polian spoke of was something that I’d never heard before,” Jackson says. “They emphasized our role as a man in the community, our faith and our relationship with God. I was hungry for something that I didn’t know that I was starving for.” In his second year in the NFL, Jackson created The Fight for Life Foundation. As his football career was winding down due to injuries a few years later, he poured his passion into Fight for Life. Jackson made a commitment to himself and God and moved forward on his social entrepreneurial path.

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“Fight for Life focuses upon social and emotional learning,” says Lisa Mitchell, Director of Programming for Fight for TownePost.com / JANUARY 2018 / INDY METRO

Life. “It provides kids with a common language to express core concepts of accountability, integrity, self -worth and honesty. It also emphasizes the concept of volunteerism and being good citizens in their family, school and community. For many of these kids, these are concepts that they are not being exposed to at home.” Implementation happens in the classroom with a comprehensive curriculum that is age appropriate. The programming may be implemented from Pre-K to 8th grade and is currently in six schools. A plan is in place to roll it statewide in the next year, with the ultimate goal of nationwide impact. The first pilot for the program was adopted by Jackson’s alma mater,Musser Elementary. Early adopters in Indianapolis include Pike Township, Phalen Leadership Academy and IPS. “Fight for Life provides teachers with a program that allows students to feel seen, heard and valued every day,” Mitchell says. “In today’s society, we must create treatment programs for the opioid surge, but more importantly: prevention,” adds State Senator Jim Merritt. “Marlin’s Fight for Life program is exactly what we are in need of because prevention is a much-needed part of the solution. With prevention programs like Fight for Life, we all benefit.” For each $1 dollar spent on Social Emotional Learning programs, the return is $11 in total economic benefit to society. The real benefits in the lives of the children are immeasurable. For more information, visit: fightforlifefoundation.org. INDY METRO / JANUARY 2018 / TownePost.com

JANUARY CROSSWORDFootball PUZZLE Presented by Park/ Square Manor Manor Presenter Park Square ACROSS 1. Pkg. deliverer 4. Gymnastically gifted 8. Crisp cookie 12. Turn 13. “Guilty”, e.g. 14.1.___ to the throne BACKFIELD 15.2.Mail center (abbr.) BLITZ 16. Boors 3. BLOCKER 17. Off course CENTER 18.4.___ de corps CHAINS 20.5.Stage hog 22.6.Carpet quality CHALLENGE 23.7.Poor match DEFENSE 27. High-fives 8. DOWN 29. Copier nuisance END ZONE 30.9.Lobster coral EXTRA 31.10. Gear teethPOINT 32.11. GoFACEMASK on and on 33.12. Dinner and a movie, say FALSE START 34. Chum of Tarzan 13. FIELD GOAL 35. “No ___!” FORMATION 36.14. Greek giant 37.15. Bird in a tree, often FUMBLE 39.16. Camper’s GAIN need 40. Tie the knot 17. GOALPOSTS 41. Critical warnings HALFTIME 44.18. New Zealand’s symbol HANDOFF 47.19. Atacama adjective 49.20. Time out? HELMET 50.21. Adored image PASS INCOMPLETE 51. Hold sway 22. INTERCEPTION 52. “The best things in life 23. KICKOFF ___ free” LINESMAN 53.24. Dutch sea wall 54.25. Army grub LOSS 55.26. Blazed a trail OFFENSE

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TAKING THE LEAD AVON SIXTH GRADER THRIVES IN NATIONAL BMX COMPETITIONS Writer / Heather Chastain . Photography provided by USA BMX

“IT’S A LOT OF TRAINING AND A LOT OF HARD WORK, BUT I LIKE THE THRILL OF GOING FAST.”

n 11-year-old boy is competing nationally as a bicycle motocross (BMX) racer. Sixth grader Wyatt Clark, and his family, spend most weekends travelling across the country competing. “It consumes our life,” laughed his mom Alisha. “It’s fun though. We’d rather be racing.” The family of four, including Wyatt’s 8-yearold brother, travel in their R.V. to the races. Wyatt has travelled to 27 states and Canada pursuing his BMX passion. “It’s a lot of training and a lot of hard work, but I like the thrill of going fast,” Wyatt says. Even though he has been riding BMX for five years, he joined the team Race Inc. two years ago. Wyatt even has a trainer at Marian University who helps him with his form and technique.

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“We’re super lucky to have Marian here,” says his dad Jeremy. “Their collegiate team has won five National Championships in the last five years.” Wyatt and his trainer spend most days during the week training at Major Taylor Velodrome. A typical BMX track is 1,100-1,300 feet and racers spend less than a minute on the track. Most races are 30-45 seconds, but Wyatt says you can do more during that time on the track than you might think. “I like going through the air and jumping and pushing myself to try new stuff when I’m out there,” he says. However, it’s not just the racing he enjoys, but the comradery of the others on his team. “I really like socializing after the races,” Wyatt says. “Everyone camps in their R.V. We race after and ride with friends. I’ve made friends from all over the world racing. Including a boy from Australia. He and his

family came up to Avon last summer and the boys spent some time together. Wyatt is considered an expert racer. That means he has won at least 30 races. Wyatt has won considerably more races and will maintain his expert title until he’s 18 years-old. At that point you can choose to go professional, which is what Wyatt plans to do. “I want to go to Marian [to college] and then race in the Olympics,” he says. Most recently, Wyatt qualified for the World’s race. He was one of 32 kids in his age group to represent the USA. Forty countries and more than 3,300 riders competed in the U.S. this year in July Rock Hill, SC. Wyatt says it was by far the highlight of his racing career. His mom says the competition is fierce out on the track, but everyone displays good sportsmanship and acts like good role models to the younger racers.

24 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

BMX racing can also be dangerous. “He doesn’t hit the ground very often,” Jeremy says. However, in August, a fluke accident sent Wyatt to the emergency room. He was practicing a new line he wanted to try out on the track and fell, breaking his arm. His mom says she doesn’t worry when he’s out there even though she knows the risks. “I don’t get too concerned. I just say a little prayer,” she says. Despite the 12-week set back, Wyatt says he can’t wait to get back on his bike and get back to gym class. “At his four-week checkup when they put him in a shorter cast, he asked the doctor for a release note to run the mile at school. She said no,” Alisha laughs. Wyatt attends Kingsway Christian School. Along with gym class, he says he also enjoys science, math and Bible class. He hopes to one day be an E.R. physician or an engineer.

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A PASSION FOR COMMUNICATION AHS STUDENT IS BREAKING DOWN LANGUAGE BARRIERS Writer / Melissa Gibson

Sarah Ardeel, a junior at Avon High School has been fascinated by communication and language from a very young age. She’s still a typical teen in many ways. She enjoys the band Maroon 5, watches CSI, is in the drum line with Avon’s Marching Band and doesn’t get straight A’s, but Ardeel’s intuitive nature and aptitude for language, has given her a unique perspective on people and the way they respond toward one another. When her younger, twin cousins seemed to communicate in a way others didn’t understand, the only child started to question how people interact and the many facets of language. Today, she “dabbles” in as many as 28 different languages and speaks five fluently, including Spanish, Russian, Belarusian (found in Belarus, Southern Ukraine and Russia), German and American Sign Language (ASL). It all started with family.

“My grandfather spoke Spanish and I wanted to learn, maybe as a way of impressing him,” Ardeel says. “But watching my cousins, it occurred to me that language isn’t just a formula and rules. It’s understanding on an emotional and physical level. It’s not something you can just learn. You can’t teach that connection.” She recognized the depth of understanding among families and communities and wanted to learn more about those deep connections. “Language is a tool of communication, but it’s so much more,” she says. “It’s the look you give to a friend when the teacher says to work with a partner. It’s the differences between the way I speak to a teacher, my parents or my best friend.” In fact, she gravitated towards those that were different. “When I was in junior high, there was a Chinese exchange student named Emma,” Ardeel says. “People didn’t really talk to her because they couldn’t. I wanted to make her feel welcome. We often didn’t know what 26 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

each other were saying, but we could still enjoy each other’s company.” Ardeel doesn’t learn a new language in a classroom or the many self-taught programs out there. She learns through music. “Music is unifying to me,” Ardeel says. “Belarusian music has a really pretty sound, but when you translate it to English, it doesn’t even come close. All the emotional investment is missing.” She began by breaking down lyrics, piecing together the meaning in the language spoken and playing a single song on a loop. “I think about how it makes me feel the first time I hear it,” she says. “What is my mood at the time, where I am, what time of day it is., and on the 300th time, if I feel the same way, if it’s consistent, I want to look more into the language. If it’s that powerful to make that emotional connection, then it’s just beautiful.” Ardeel spends time learning about the culture of a language she’s studying and only

“IF I CAN’T PUT WHAT I’VE LEARNED INTO PRACTICE, THEN IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER. I THINK GOD CREATED US FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES AND DESIGNS, BUT HE STILL CREATED US ALL. IT’S AMAZING WE ALL SPEAK IN DIFFERENT TONGUES, BUT WE’RE THE SAME IN SO MANY WAYS.” - SARAH ARDEEL -

considers herself fluent when she feels she can interact with the people of the culture in speaking and writing. She references the marching bands motto “commitment to excellence” when comparing the respect she has for people and their ways of communicating. “In band, we don’t do it for the trophies,” Ardeel says. “We do it because it’s what we love to do. “If I can’t put what I’ve learned into practice, then it doesn’t really matter. I think God created us for different purposes and designs, but he still created us all. It’s amazing we all speak in different tongues, but we’re the same in so many ways.”

Hurry In! Good thru Jan. 31st

Ardeel says her passion is helping people and sees herself working with adults or children in a communication field. “I’m open to opportunity,” she says. “To be honest, I don’t really know what all is out there. I love to write and would love to write a book one day. I’d love to teach a dying language. I’d love to work with the government in translating other languages.”

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THE GARDEN CYCLE BEGINS WITHIN THE SEED over again for the gardener. I love the organic, non-GMO seed providers like, Seed Savers The real birth of any garden begins within Exchange, Seeds of Change, and Baker Creek the seed. Seeds are an incredible thing to Heirloom Seeds. But my two favorites are work with and teach your children about Renee’s Seeds and Johnny’s Select. They have particularly when it comes to teaching about a fantastic selection and a great corporate where our food originates. While it is way culture. Renee often answers her own phone too soon to begin your seeds for the garden while working in her California garden. I indoors, January is an excellent month to have trusted the germination (when the seed begin planning and dreaming a bit about pops open) of their seeds for many years. All what you would like to accomplish once can be found online. the rush of spring chores arrives. This is the time to get organized! It is so important to select heirloom and non-GMO varieties. Heirloom seeds are This is the month that seed catalogs begin defined seeds found prior to World War II to arrive in the mail. It is like Christmas all and of original origin. Organic non-GMO Writer / Carrie Petty

TownePost.com / JANUARY 2018 / INDY METRO

seeds are defined as seeds that have not been ‘Genetically Modified’ or cross-pollinated with GMO seed pollen. Non-GMO seeds are not owned by mega companies, I think food and seeds are a natural born right, just like food. If you own the seed, you own the food. And if you own the food system… Well now, don’t get me started. Now, I am from a ‘Big Ag’ family, and I appreciate the great need to feed the world. I am a woman who has fought for justice in the poverty arena all her life. But there is a deep need today for balance in the farming world. More and more companies are seeking agricultural balance, which is

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wonderful. And in the home garden, where our small batches of food are grown, the organic path is easy to accomplish. Besides, who wants a GMO seed with Salmon DNA in your homegrown tomatoes? Yuck! This is an excellent month to search seed catalogs and find the type of plants you would like to begin indoors in the month of February. In Indianapolis, we are in Zone 5b. Hoosiers begin ‘sowing’ (placing seeds under the soil) seeds indoors around February 15. You can begin with your ‘cold crops’ like Kale, Spinach, Kohlrabi, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage and more. These veggies are called cold crops because, you guessed it, they love the cold. Cool, fun fact, did you know Pansy flowers are in the Spinach family and are also edible? They are a cold crop too and you may begin sowing Pansy seeds really early. Organization is the key to excellent seed germination and success. Keep a journal and a garden calendar. Note when you started and when you see the first leaves emerge. The back of your seed envelope will have all the instruction you need, so keep them for further seasonal instructions. Keep your seed packets in an airtight container. I love a product called the Seed Keeper Deluxe. If you need help, ask your local garden center for instruction. Gardeners in general love to teach, and I love sharing these tips with you all to help you learn how to, “Grow a More Beautiful Life!” Happy planting!

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THANK THE PERSON WHO INVESTED IN YOUR LIFE. We all have mentors: people who sat down with us over coffee and gave advice, challenged us to grow, listened to new ideas, and encouraged us. This is the person who gave you the courage to take a new leap in your career or inspired you to pursue your passions. Have you ever wanted a unique way to say thank you?

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DANCE

The Avon ReStore Donations to Local Thrift Store Help the Community & Create Housing for Those in Need that’s collected from the sale goes toward remains in the store rather than getting transferred to a different one in another town. building or rehabbing a house for a family in ReStore, which came to Avon nearly three need of affordable homeownership. years ago, is a home improvement thrift “When you donate to a Goodwill, for store that sells donated new and gently used instance, everything goes to a warehouse, “So, that thing you’re already getting rid merchandise at a significant discount. It’s of just helped four or more people in this and then items get redistributed back out so much more than a thrift store, though, community,” Elliott says. “That’s why we’re to other stores based on which items sell because the organization is affiliated with here. We want to give people a hand up best at which location. That’s why you may Habitat for Humanity donate something and then not see it in that instead of a hand out.” store,” says David Elliott, manager of the That means that all donations are tax The Avon ReStore has enough room to Avon ReStore. “When you donate to the deductible, and every penny collected display furniture and lots of other items, Avon ReStore, though, you are helping the at the ReStore benefits Greater Indy though there is also a storage room in back Avon community.” Habitat for Humanity (serving Hendricks, where they process everything they receive. Marion and Hancock Counties). Since Elliott says that what he loves about ReStore 1987, Greater Indy Habitat has served “That area has been filled to the brim is that one donation brings about so much more than 950 families globally in at times,” says Elliott, who admits that goodness in the community. For example, relocating from substandard and poverty let’s say you donate a toilet (a highly sought- if an item is quality, he will never turn housing into decent, affordable homes. it down. The ReStore does not accept after item, as it turns out). You’ve already Nearly 600 of these families are in Greater done something good for the environment mattresses or clothing, though they will Indianapolis. According to the Habitat for by choosing to donate instead of tossing it come out to residences or businesses Humanity website, for every $1 invested, to pick up furniture, including couches, in a landfill. In addition, when you make Habitat’s program returns $2.61 in washers, dryers and more. Trucks pick that donation, you’ve given someone a job community benefits. up donations — both corporately and because now someone at ReStore is going to repair it, so they can resell it. When it gets residentially — every Monday through The great thing about ReStore is that every sold, you’re helping someone who may not Saturday (or donations may be dropped item that is donated to the Avon store during business hours). be able to afford a new toilet. The money Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing

34 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

“It doesn’t have to be a big, bulky item for us to pick it up. We’ll come get picture frames if you want,” says Elliott, who suggests only donating those things you would consider giving to a friend — nice, clean, solid items. “We don’t want to pass on problems. We like to make the shopping experience as easy as we can for everybody,” says Elliott, who had a woman come into the store after losing all of her belongings in a fire. She had a place to stay but no furniture. With $100 to her name, she walked through the store with Elliott, picking out dishes as well as a complete living room and dining room set. When she opened her wallet to pay, Elliott charged her just $75, so that she would be left with $25. The woman burst into tears, touched by the manager’s generosity. She threw her arms around Elliott and promised she wouldn’t forget his kindness. “There’s so much difficulty in the world that you have to take those moments to see the

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good that’s also happening around us,” says Elliott, noting that the ReStore attracts not only those who need furniture, appliances and home goods, but also the crafty folks who are looking to engage in repurposing projects. “We have a bulletin board up by our door that has things that people have redone,” Elliott says. “For example, somebody took a cabinet door, put handles on it and made it into a serving tray. I’ve also seen people take the old glass gold globes in light fixtures and make them into terrariums.” A few weeks after purchasing the living and dining room sets, the woman who had lost her belongings in a fire returned to ReStore to volunteer because she wanted to return the kindness that she was shown. Anyone 16 or older may volunteer at the ReStore, though younger children may also volunteer if they have a parent with them. “Some people perform community service hours here,” Elliott says. “Others just want to do a good deed. We’re always happy to get extra help.” Earlier this year, Elliott met a single mom, named Amy Brown, who built and purchased a Habitat house in Hendricks County in 2017. She told Elliott that when she signed up for the homeownership program, she decided that if she was fortunate enough to receive it, she would pay forward the hospitality by becoming a foster parent. “She wanted to share that goodness with a child who needed a home, so that’s what she plans to do,” says Elliott, noting that witnessing people’s selflessness is one of the greatest rewards of his job. “It’s awesome seeing how much people give back.” Giving back and granting hope is what ReStore is all about. The ReStore is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit indyrestore.com. 36 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

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Influencing Youth

SERGEANT JEFF LEWIS MENTORS AVON STUDENTS Writer / Heather Chastain

When I arrived at Avon Middle School North to speak with Sergeant Jeff Lewis, it happened to be right at a 4-minute passing period. “Do you mind if I stand in the hallway until this passing period is over,” asked Lewis. Standing with him those four minutes gave me some fantastic insight into one of the coolest police officers Avon Community School Corporation is proud to call a resource officer. Students said “hey” to him and were walking up to give him a high five. One student giggled jumping up to give him a high five saying, “you didn’t make me jump for it today!” The two laughed.

I enjoy spending time with them because I do,” Lewis says. This is a man connected with his students. “I love this age group,” Lewis says. “I really like the younger kids I teach too, but at this age, you can really get into a more intellectual conversation.” The conversation Sgt. Lewis is having is to teach the students not only to be against drugs, but how to be a leader. When Lewis began working with Avon schools in 2000, they were teaching D.A.R.E. “We just didn’t have the man power to teach the 17-week D.A.R.E. program,” he says. “They asked me to come up with a new curriculum I call L.E.A.D (life skills against drugs) and I’ve been teaching it ever since.”

A couple of other students walked by, and he asked where their up-coming games were L.E.A.D takes a different approach than being held Wednesday and Thursday. The D.A.R.E. students smiled and answered, “I like to go to a handful of games. I want them to know “D.A.R.E. taught kids to just say no,” Lewis 38 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

says. “L.E.A.D teaches leadership and positive peer pressure skills. I tell the kids peer pressure doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can do good things too. The idea is if a friend is pressuring you to do drugs, you can turn it around and call them out and help them. Kids don’t understand they can be influencers. They are far more influential to their peers than I am or even their parents.” Avon Community Schools uses grant money to fund the full-time resource officers in the school. Lewis says they have five officers throughout the schools, which is sometimes more than are out on the streets policing the town. The school’s investment in L.E.A.D has helped grow the program beyond the school year. “Our man power at Avon now allows us to have a leadership class in the summer,” Lewis says. “The week-long summer camp talks about leadership skills as well. Students are identified from their classes as leaders, and we give them tools to help guide them.”

One of his former students said the lessons Lewis taught have stuck with him. “There have been a couple times in high school where I saw kids making bad choices,” says Nico Gargano, Avon High School junior. “His words came up in my head reminding me to walk away. He really helps kids.” His 12-year-old brother agreed. "He taught us what to say to people who offer us bad things, so that we don't get hurt,” says Joe Gargano. Lewis says he enjoys the positive relationships he creates with the students in addition to the lessons he teaches. “My job, the way I see it, is to wear several hats,” he says. “My last resort hat is a police hat. I get to be a counselor and a mentor before I have to be a police officer. When I do have to be a police officer, there’s a different level of accountability.”

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Avon High School Boys Tea

m & Coach Charlie Dorton

Avon High School Girlss Team & Coach Andrew Maluck

AHS Bowling Team Looks to Build on Successful Year Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Wendy Gretzinger

Avon High School students have a unique opportunity through the Avon Bowling League, coached by Charlie Dorton — a long-time bowler and youth coach for more than 10 years. Dorton, owner of Spectrum Print and Marketing (a printing company housed within Avon High School) got involved three years ago as the former coach stepped down. “A lot of people don’t know that we have an Avon team,” Dorton says. “We currently have six in the men’s program and five in the women’s. With a maximum of 10 per team, and five playing at a time, we’d love to have some more involvement.” It’s an all-inclusive sport.

Many students have been involved in youth leagues as children (offered at most area bowling facilities) but it’s not uncommon to join as a teen or adult.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) does not currently recognize bowling as a sport, but teens in Indiana feel otherwise.

“We currently have two guys and one girl that have never bowled in a league,” Dorton says. “We see all heights, sizes, disabilities, if you can follow your coach, focus and repeat with practice, anyone can join.”

Indiana is home to the largest population of high school bowling leagues with 197 teams competing, and, while they hope to be recognized in the coming year or two, there are several advantages of being considered a club among athletic organizations.

Best of all, the smaller teams help form the camaraderie and friendships to last a lifetime.

For example, high school students can compete for college scholarships.

“When they get out in the lanes, they’re on their feet the whole time,” Dorton says. “The team is unified. They’re cheering each other on. At some point, it becomes a mental game and I tell them, they have to lift each other up and support each other.”

40 / AVON MAGAZINE / JANUARY 2018 / AvonMagazine.com

“We have a sixth grader at River Birch that already has at least $1,500 in his scholarship fund,” Dorton says. “Brian Edwards, a former Avon student, is currently attending Marion University on a full bowling scholarship and Eric Stuffle is also attending Marion with a scholarship.”

Coach Charlie Dorton

If IHSAA adopts bowling as an official sport for the organization, those opportunities will be restricted to specific off-season events and school notoriety and publicity will increase. Dorton says last year, the men’s team took many by surprise by finishing 14th in the State. “I was very proud of them last year,” he says. “They just seized the moment and helped each other through. When you’re playing with only five per team, every ball and every player has an impact.” This year, the men have lost two seniors and a junior and are in a rebuilding phase of the team. According to Dorton, the girls have just completed a team building and are well on their way. He believes as the season progresses, ending in late January, several men and women will advance to regional, sectional and beyond. For more information on following the team or joining, email Dorton at charliedorton@yahoo.com.

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