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RUNNING WITH PURPOSE

SENIOR ATHLETE BALANCES TEAMWORK, STRATEGY & BIG GOALS

Writer / Julie Yates

When Mason Tomboni represents Wapahani High School as a competitor in cross country or track, he is dedicated to giving his best for his team in addition to improving his own performance. This year, as a senior, he enjoyed a successful cross country season, achieving several long-standing goals. As his last high school semester unfolds, he continues to train for upcoming running competitions.

When asked which of the two he likes best, Tomboni says it is hard for him to choose between cross country and track. His parents are former triathletes and have been involved in the sports industry. Running long distance was something he began at an early age. He ran his first 5K race when he was in first or second grade in about 23 minutes. From there, he participated on school teams throughout

elementary and middle school.

While both sports are based on running, cross country and track are different from each other. Cross country involves running long distances over an outdoor course of varied terrain. Tomboni’s cross country event is the 5K, which is 3.1 miles. Track running events are held on a paved surface marked with separate lanes and are comprised of shorter distances, the longest being a 3,200-meter, or two-mile, race. Besides competing in the eight-lap, 3,200-meter event, Tomboni also participates in the four-lap 1,600-meter and the two-lap 800-meter races. In addition, he runs the 4x800 relay and the 4x400 relay.

“There is a team aspect in the sport of running,” Tomboni says. “There is more to it than just trying to do your personal best. We

work together in the relays. The combined scores of all teammates determine what school wins a meet.”

The training for the two sports varies somewhat. Running cross country requires participants to build endurance and stamina. The same abilities are needed in track, along with speed and acceleration.

“In the winter, I do a lot of cross-training,” Tomboni says. “I swim laps in the pool, ride a stationary bike and do sprints. I also do weight training two or three times a week, once with a trainer.”

All the time and effort Tomboni has put into training has paid off. He was named to the News Times All-GPC Team for Graphic Printing Company Boys Cross Country, as well as Runner of the Year. He currently holds the school record for the 3,200-meter race, along with the record for Wapahani High School’s 5K course. A highlight was achieving 12th place at regionals, which earned him a competitive spot at the state meet. There, he placed 103rd out of 250 competitors.

“I have faced some challenges. I hurt my hip in the spring of 2025. At sectionals, my hip was bothering me, and I was coughing,” Tomboni says. “After a bad race, you have to talk to your people. I talk to my friends on the team, my parents and my girlfriend. You must get out there and do something. Keep pushing. You can’t quit because if you do, you will never know how good you could have been.

“I definitely think about strategy,” he adds. “I begin psyching up on the starting line. I hold up my index finger, like I’m going to win. I realize I’ve got to pace myself and not go out too fast. It’s all about place, not time. I found that it’s best to start behind the leader, then go a little faster and then faster. People start dropping behind. At regionals, I was in 60th place, then 50th. I made it to 12th.”

In addition to cross country and track, Tomboni is also a triathlete.

He currently holds the 2025 sprint triathlon state champion title for the 15–19 age group. A sprint triathlon differs from an Olympic triathlon in that the swimming, biking and running distances are shorter but still require diligent training and stamina. He hopes to defend his title at the Muncie Triathlon in May 2026 and has set his sights on competing for the national junior title in Milwaukee in August 2026.

“Coach Bo Stevens and athletic trainer Jared Coats have been my mentors,” Tomboni says. “I’m currently looking at colleges. I plan to study business, and I’m interested in entrepreneurship. I’m also interested in graphic art and would like to make comic books.”

on the corner of Gilbert and Tillotson, walk-in appointments open at 7:30 am

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Why Choose Silver Birch?

Average Length of Stay ?

5 months longer than industry average

Hospital Readmissions

16% lower than industry average

Falls with Injury

22% lower than industry average

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FINAL SET

WAPAHANI SENIOR CLOSES VOLLEYBALL CAREER ON A HIGH NOTE

Writer / Julie Yates

Marin Hopkins discovered her natural ability for the sport of volleyball at a young age. Throughout her school years, it has been an important part of her life. Yet she has maintained a balance by being involved in other areas of interest. As a senior at Wapahani High School, she has finished her volleyball career with a renewed sense of joy for the game she loves.

“I was introduced to volleyball in the third grade. I started off doing little camps, then club volleyball and school teams. Playing volleyball gave me comfort and confidence. It was a natural thing. It’s been my one love,” Hopkins says.

Her primary position is outside hitter, but as a senior she also took on the role of defensive specialist (DS). An outside hitter must have strong jumping and hitting skills, along with the ability to powerfully hit the

ball and send it to the most advantageous spot. Most importantly, an outside hitter must stop opponents’ attacks.

As a DS, Hopkins was situated in the back row and focused purely on defense. A DS player must always be on guard, reacting quickly with agility. Outstanding digging skills, strong ball control and the ability to pass with accuracy are essential.

In her senior season, Hopkins’ love of the

game translated into high-ranking statistics. She is lauded for her number of kills, which are plays that land the ball in the opponent’s court and cannot be returned, ensuring a point for the team. Accumulating 325 kills, along with other hits this season, earned her a spot among the top 118 players in Indiana, the top 30 in Class 2A and the top three for two statistics in the Mid-Eastern Conference. She was also named Player of the Match multiple times.

“I absolutely love the team aspect. I owe my teammates a lot of credit,” Hopkins says. “They are the success factor. Volleyball is very much a team sport. It doesn’t matter what level of skill players have individually, everyone needs each other 100%. Being part of a team is the highlight for me. I’ve made lifelong friends, and I take more pride in being a teammate than any individual successes.”

When asked to name a high point in her volleyball experiences, Hopkins points to her junior year, when her team advanced to the state championship. However, that success also came with pressure. Hopkins says she lost her “spark” and did not plan to play again her senior year.

“At the time I was going to Yorktown High School. The head volleyball coach there suggested I join WAVE Volleyball Club,” Hopkins says. “I did and found my light again. A lot of the players were from Selma and went to Wapahani. I wouldn’t have played my senior year if I hadn’t found that chemistry again.

“It was hard to leave Yorktown, but I made the challenging decision to transfer to Wapahani. I’m still on great terms with everyone at Yorktown, and it was tough to make the announcement. Going to Wapahani has been absolutely perfect. I found joy again.”

Hopkins is involved in several other activities. She works at 7 Brew Coffee Shop, where she does a little bit of everything, from making espresso drinks to serving customers. Each Friday, she attends Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the library. She has also been involved in

raising money for several women’s causes, including women’s shelters and women’s cancer research.

“If I was going to name a mentor, I would have to say it’s my mom,” she says. “She has been a true guiding light through all the ups and downs. She knew when to push me and has celebrated with me through all the successes. I think it’s important to keep your identity outside of sports. Know yourself, because it’s easy to lose sight of who you are outside of sports. Nurture every relationship.

“I graduated at semester and will go to Ball State University. I hope to be a dental hygienist and go to dental school,” Hopkins says. “I’ll be working at Rector Family Dental and Orthodontics in Muncie to be sure it’s a field I’d like. I want to focus on my grades, so I won’t be playing collegelevel volleyball, but I might participate in intramural volleyball. Maybe in the future I will coach.”

Located on the corner of Gilbert and Tillotson, walk-in appointments open at 7:30 am M - F IUHealth.org/MuncieOrtho

ABOUT ARF

Our mission at ARF is to promote our promise to love and to protect dogs and cats by providing shelter, nourishment, medical care and placement for them in order to make our community a better place to live for animals and humans alike.

Adoption Hours for cats: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 1-4pm Saturday: Noon-3pm

Adoption for dogs: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 1-4pm Saturday: Noon-3pm

For more information about adoptable cats and dogs please visit us online. Contact us: 1209 W. Riggin Road Muncie, Indiana 47303 munciearf.com info@munciearf.com (765) 282-2733

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Your help goes a long way providing medical care, safety, food, and so much more for the pets at ARF.

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SEEING THE LIGHT

RETINA CONSULTANTS NEW FIVEMINUTE TREATMENT OFFERS HOPE FOR DRY AMD PATIENTS

Writer / Heather Collins

Photographer / Chris Carroll

Muncie is one of two locations in Indiana to offer a new, state-of-the-art macular degeneration treatment — in five minutes, with no dilation, injections or driver needed.

Retina Consultants of Muncie offers photobiomodulation (PBM), a new, FDAapproved, noninvasive treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Dr. Jeffrey Rapkin is the vitreoretinal ophthalmologist at Retina Consultants of Muncie and has been serving the Muncie community since 1996.

According to Dr. Rapkin, AMD is the

leading cause of vision loss for people over age 65 in the United States. Previously, cataracts were the leading cause of vision loss.

PBM is an innovative technology by Valeda® utilizing red-light therapy. After reading about the therapy in Retina, Dr. Rapkin could clearly see that PBM was the AMD treatment of the future.

Prior to the 1970s, there were no treatment options available for AMD, and patients progressively lost their vision. In the 1980s, laser treatments were developed.

In the 1990s, surgical excision treatment

options were introduced. Late in the 1990s, photodynamic therapy (PDT) — a topically applied, injected or swallowed photosensitizer activated by lasers — was on the market. After PDT, patients had to dress like the Invisible Man, donning hats, gloves and sunglasses to protect their bodies from inadvertently activating the drug through exposure to sunlight.

In the early 2000s, eye injection treatments were introduced, which involved placing a needle directly into patients’ eyes.

Dr. Rapkin explained that 90% of patients diagnosed with AMD have the dry form. Lasers and drugs treat the wet form of

AMD, yet patients still experienced a progressive decline in vision. Dry AMD treatment options have traditionally only slowed the progression of the disease and include smoking cessation, supplements and injections.

Dr. Rapkin described PBM as a sea change in treatment options for patients with dry AMD.

Out of all currently available therapies, Dr. Rapkin says only red-light therapy has the potential to make patients better. The treatment can improve vision without the risks of infection, bleeding, retinal detachment, cataracts or glaucoma. In clinical trials, there have been no treatment-related side effects.

In July 2025, Retina Consultants of Muncie purchased the Valeda® light delivery system, which uses PBM to treat dry AMD.

PBM can improve vision for patients with AMD. In studies, 96% of patients experienced improved vision or saw no decline in vision.

The treatment was FDA-approved in the United States in January 2025 and has been approved in Europe for the past six years.

Dr. Rapkin says the machine delivers a very specific dose of visible yellow, visible red and near-infrared light to the eye.

“There’s no dilation, no eye drops, no medicines and, most importantly, no injections, no needles,” he says. “Patients can drive themselves to the appointment and drive themselves home, and it only takes 10 minutes.”

The treatment takes four and a half minutes per eye.

“Red-light therapy, as opposed to injections, has the potential to reduce the cost and the burden to society by a factor of over 75% per year,” Dr. Rapkin says, in regard to PBM costs.

Retina Consultants of Muncie client Paul Biner has experienced both eye injections and PBM red-light therapy. In October 2025, Biner saw the light of utilizing PBM for AMD. He said PBM is inexpensive, quick and easy.

“It’s in-and-out,” Biner says. “This light therapy is infinitely better than the injections. The injections can be very painful, and there really is no pain involved with the light therapy.”

Biner adds that Dr. Rapkin is wonderful.

“[Dr. Rapkin] explains everything thoroughly, and I really don’t hesitate asking him questions at all,” he says.

Biner encourages people diagnosed with AMD to utilize the PBM treatment option.

“The data shows it can actually improve macular degeneration,” Biner says. “Go for it. There are no negatives here. You sit down, they just shine a light in your eye, you walk out and you feel great.”

During treatment days, patients can expect to drive themselves to the appointment, spend five minutes per eye receiving treatment and walk out the door without dilated pupils.

“We have many patients who’ve enjoyed some vision improvement early on,” Dr. Rapkin says.

Additional services provided by Retina Consultants of Muncie include treatments for floaters, diabetic eye care, retinal disease, injections, AMD and retinal vascular occlusions.

Retina Consultants of Muncie has many out-of-town patients and accepts most health insurance plans, including Veterans Administration insurance. Dr. Rapkin is a member and past president of Muncie Sunrise Rotary and has served on the boards of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra and the Muncie Civic Theatre.

Retina Consultants of Muncie is located at 2801 N. Oakwood Ave. For more information, visit retinamuncie.com or call 765-254-1944.

THE DOWNTOWN FARM STAND

LOCAL FOOD, HISTORIC ROOTS, MODERN COMFORT

Writer / Heather Collins

Photographer / Ethan Snyder

The owners of The Downtown Farm Stand are rekindling the nostalgia of authentic farm-to-table cuisine from real, local farmers while restoring one of downtown Muncie’s oldest buildings.

Dave Ring and his wife, Sara, run Muncie’s only all-organic food delivery service, deli and grocery store — The Downtown Farm Stand.

Ring’s great-great-grandparents operated The Crescent Grocery Store in Muncie during the Great Depression. The bygone grocer, located on Willard Street, served suet dumpling soup and provided home deliveries by horse and wagon.

The Downtown Farm Stand is a destination for local, sustainable and organic food in east-central Indiana. Organic farmers themselves, the Rings opened the grocery store in 2007.

The Downtown Farm Stand has recently reinvented its deli to offer nostalgic comfort foods that follow modern wellness trends. The “Hoosier Classics” menu features breaded pork tenderloin, fried chicken with spicy garlic aioli and grass-fed smash burgers served with fresh-cut fries made from organic potatoes fried in local pasture-raised pork fat.

Modern, natural food trends are based on high-fat, low-carb diets with no processed seed oils. All groceries at the brick-and-mortar farm stand are produced organically and are 100% free of chemically processed vegetable oils such as soybean, canola and sunflower oil, GMOs, petrochemicals, synthetic hormones and antibiotics.

In the 2010s, Ring says Americans were adventurous eaters craving exciting, global dishes from celebrity chefs. In the 2020s, Ring believes Americans hunger for nostalgia, comfort and familiarity.

“Our inspiration is to give people traditional, delicious Indiana comfort foods that they aren’t likely to make at home,” Ring says. “We make them with good, healthy ingredients like local pasture-raised meats, no seed oils and organic produce that is not laden with pesticides.”

Jan Largent has been a regular customer

Stand opened. The 88-year-old currently volunteers at the grocery store by preparing produce. Largent says she cares about the Rings and values having organic food available. She said what she loves most about The Downtown Farm Stand is the Rings’ integrity. Each summer, she brings them a fresh bouquet of zinnias from her organic garden.

“Organic is important to me,” Largent says. “I knew a time when chemicals were not a part of farming.”

Largent grew up on her family farm in Harrison Township and experienced the joyful surroundings of fruit trees, a henhouse, wild blackberry bushes and a grape arbor. She said her commitment to organic food comes from caring for the land, her faith and her interest in health.

The Downtown Farm Stand’s egg suppliers include Spring Valley Farm in Columbus, Indiana, and Wholesome Meadows Farm in Bluffton, Indiana. Local pasture-raised meats include chicken from Prairie Hill Farms in Selma, Indiana, pork and turkey from Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange, Indiana, and beef from L & S Farms in Vallonia, Indiana. Honey and maple syrup are supplied by Bastin Honey Bee Farm in Knightstown, Indiana.

Ring believes agriculture is the foundation of civilization and that supporting a local organic food system can lead to a stronger economy.

“If we have more farms and food available, we can have spin-off businesses like cheesemakers, bakers, dairies, meat processors, canning factories and more,” Ring says. “We could drastically increase tourism when we become a place known for good food.”

This holiday season, The Downtown Farm Stand offered house-made, organic, local eggnog and will soon launch pies, including Indiana’s official state pie — sugar cream pie. This summer, the store will serve scoops of homemade, organic ice cream.

The Downtown Farm Stand is the only grocery store in the food desert of downtown Muncie and accepts EBT. The store offers a complete selection of fresh produce, bread, milk, eggs, meat and everyday staples, as well as organic pet food and toiletries.

The Downtown Farm Stand operates out of one of downtown Muncie’s oldest buildings. The nearly 150-year-old structure, located at the corner of Main and Mulberry streets, has previously housed a drugstore and a cigar shop. The Rings recently donated the building’s 1890 ledger to the Delaware County Historical Society.

The Rings purchased the 11,000-square-foot building in 2018. Ring is restoring the building’s original terrazzo tile, hardwood floors and woodwork. Lower facade renovations were completed last fall. Ring is completing the historically accurate repairs and restorations himself and collaborated with two Ball State University architecture students on the design.

Ring says The Downtown Farm Stand looks forward to providing a real

experience in a world of “fake everything.”

“Nostalgia for a simpler time when our world was based more around

Grocery store hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The deli is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Downtown Farm Stand deli also regularly vends at the Farmers Market at Minnetrista.

The Downtown Farm Stand is located at 125 E. Main St. For more information, visit downtownfarmstand.com or call 765-288-3775.