Plainfield Magazine October 2025 by Towne Post Network, Inc.

Fall Favorites

Best Places to See Autumn Colors in Hendricks County

Women in Business Month

JUST DANCE

PLAINFIELD SENIOR OVERCOMES CHALLENGES & INSPIRES THROUGH DANCE & DEDICATION

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JUST DANCE

PLAINFIELD SENIOR OVERCOMES CHALLENGES & INSPIRES THROUGH DANCE & DEDICATION

Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Norman Wagner

Plainfield High School senior Jacey Lowe is dedicated, determined and pushing the limits despite challenges — and now she’s bringing home top awards for the school district too.

For starters, she’s an award-winning dancer who participates in both competitive studio dance and on the Plainfield High School dance team.

“I like to do all of it, but specifically lyrical,” Lowe says. “It’s like a mix between contemporary and ballet. I like the freedom it gives me — not only within myself but with others. At dance, I’m in my safe space. I can be myself. If you’re having a rough day, you can dance it out. I think it’s very freeing.”

Lowe is involved in a number of clubs too: National Honor Society, Fellowship of

Christian Athletes (FCA), ASL Club, Junior Optimist and more.

“I enjoy getting involved,” she says. “With National Honor Society, for example, we do 40 hours of volunteer work in the community. I would have never done some of the things I have without the club, and I really enjoy it. I like talking to people and hearing their stories.”

She may sound like a typical high school student with a friendly personality and impressive dance skills, but Lowe has her own personal challenges. She is hard of hearing. Diagnosed in the first grade, Lowe has moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears.

“It’s something I’ve had as long as I can remember,” she says. “We’re not really sure what the cause is, but it can make things a

lot harder — especially if I don’t have my hearing aids in. There are certain sounds I can’t hear. Words like ‘pie’ and ‘pike’ — I can totally miss the ‘k.’ My hearing teacher explains it like my brain has to work twice as hard.”

She may be working harder, but her aspirations continue to inspire others. Lowe is interested in the medical field. She loves science, and perhaps the most unique club she’s joined is geared toward her future.

When Plainfield High School teacher Elanie Townsend, Project Lead The Way (PLTW) educator and HOSA Club adviser, met Lowe, it was during her sophomore year in a PLTW biomedical sciences class.

“I thought she was a lovely person: she’s sweet, smiles all the time, and I noticed she really paid attention in class,” Townsend

says. “After the first month, I realized it’s because she’s reading my lips. She never asks for help, she’s never saying ‘poor me.’ I’m sure she goes home and has to work double time on schoolwork. She just rises above it all.”

During Lowe’s junior year, she joined the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Club and Townsend, as her club sponsor, was once again impressed by her positive attitude.

“The club works with younger students to get them involved in STEM-related activities. We will go to an elementary school and we’ll do science experiments,” Lowe says. “We are also provided resources for things we are interested in, such as getting CPR and First Aid training and learning other skills.”

This spring, 117 students attended the HOSA state competition. They could choose up to three categories in which to compete, and Lowe chose Life Support Skills and Interview Skills.

“In the Life Support Skills competition, it’s scenario-based, so I had to know adult CPR, infant CPR and all the different categories in First Aid,” she says. “You don’t know what you’re going to do until you walk in.”

She says she thought Interview Skills would be easy and quickly found that it was not.

“Prior to the competition, I sent in a résumé and an application for a ‘job.’ I did a physical therapy internship application,” she says. “We write a personal statement about it and submit it all ahead of time. When it was my turn, they asked me questions about my strengths and skills that set me apart and what I hope to learn from the experience.”

Surprising herself and the rest of the team, Lowe took home first place in both categories, making her eligible for the HOSA International in Nashville, Tennessee, this past summer.

More than 16,000 participants from all over the world picked one category to compete in, and Lowe again chose Interview Skills.

Jacey with her mom

She didn’t get to stay to see the results. Lowe had to leave early to attend her national dance competition. She and her mother were in the car, driving through the mountains of Tennessee while the rest of the HOSA group stayed behind, waiting to hear results.

“She won first place in the international competition too,” Townsend says. “Our team was going ballistic. Jacey is our firstever international champion at Plainfield High School.”

Lowe was receiving the news in the car. She knew when she made the top 10, then the top three.

“I literally screamed,” Lowe says. “My mom screamed. We pulled over on the side of the road on a mountain, got out of the car and started jumping up and down. It was an incredible win for me, but it was a win for Plainfield too, and I couldn’t have done it without Mrs. Townsend and Mr. [AJ] McAdams.”

Townsend said she has taught for 22 years and sees Lowe as one of the “rare ones.”

“I want people to understand that it’s limitless what they can do,” Townsend says. “It doesn’t matter what challenge is dropped in front of you. You can’t let it stop you. Jacey’s success says regardless of the challenges you may have, it’s what you do with it that matters. Jacey will be successful in absolutely anything. The way she takes on life with grace and determination — she won’t fail.”

Lowe says she’s always lived her life this way. She’s recognized that many want to make things easier for her — give her more time on an assignment or make exceptions they wouldn’t normally make.

“I want to feel normal,” Lowe says. “I don’t see myself as different compared to anyone else. I don’t want to be treated differently. It’s hard, but I just do it. I’m not going to let it define me or use it as an excuse. Even when you’re intimidated or scared, take the leap. It can really turn out to be a great thing for you.”

Women IN BUSINESS MONTH

We provide routine and specialty optometry services, and happily welcome new patients!

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe offers fresh, made-to-order smoothies, bowls, wraps, sandwiches, & flatbreads that instantly boost your mood. Andi Baker & Suzanne Joseph are proud owners of their two cafes in Avon & Greenwood that have continued to deliver the community freshness, speedy service, & a friendly, welcoming environment! Coming this Fall, they will open their third cafe in Speedway. Dine in, order ahead online, or make a quick trip through one of our drive-throughs.

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The 80-acre preserve full of oak, hickory, maple, black walnut and tulip poplar trees explodes with color in the autumn. It boasts two trails that loop through the park.

The half-mile blue trail is perfect for both young and old, as it is shorter and easy to navigate. The red trail is 1.2 miles long and a little more challenging. Visitors can easily walk the red and blue trails for a pleasant 1.7-mile hike under a canopy of brilliant autumn leaves. Located on County Road 100 South, just east of Dan Jones Road, you can park behind the Avon Light and Life Free Methodist

Church, 8264 E. County Road 100 South in Avon, next to the softball diamond. Once there, walk southeast across the grass toward the road, and you’ll run right into the entrance to Burnett Woods.

Echo Hollow Nature Park

Echo Hollow — formerly Sodalis Nature Park — sits just south of I-70 in Plainfield and serves as an ecological wonder, largely untouched due to the small creatures that inhabit it. As such, the

variety of trees seems limitless, providing all the autumn hues one could imagine.

Following the completion last November of its first added amenity, the Lake Loop Trail, the park now includes 310 acres with more than five miles of trails of varying lengths, mostly surrounded by beautiful trees.

It also boasts a 5.5-acre pond, so the fall colors are doubled as the trees reflect off the water. You can do some catch-and-release fishing from the ADA-accessible pier or have lunch under the large pavilion in the picnic area.

More Options

Those are my favorite spots in Hendricks County to see fall color, but the list doesn’t end there.

Other public places you should also check out include:

Avon Town Hall Park (Avon)

Washington Township Park (Avon)

W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park (Avon)

Arbuckle Acres Park (Brownsburg)

Natural Valley Ranch (Brownsburg)

Williams Park (Brownsburg)

Ellis Park (Danville)

Vandalia Trail (Plainfield, Amo and Coatesville)

Hummel Park (Plainfield)

Beyond Color

While you are out and about searching for beautiful fall color, make sure to visit Beasley’s Orchard in Danville. A true fall destination, the farm boasts tons of family fun, including apple cannons, a corn maze, hayrides to the pumpkin patch, apple u-pick, a Barnyard Bonanza family area and much more.

And don’t leave without touring their Civil War-era barn and trying their award-winning apple cider or cider slushies. They have also introduced a line of hard cider in cans that adults can purchase.

Find More Online

There is so much more to see and do in Hendricks County this fall that I couldn’t cover it all. So, make sure to visit our website at VisitHendricksCounty.com/Fall to find all our fall festivals or to plan a perfect personalized fall getaway.

We’ve put together various two-day fall itineraries and other trip ideas to help you find the autumn adventures that fit your interests.

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1, 8, 15, 22

WILD WEDNESDAYS

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, 10267 US Highway 136.

Want to go fast? Want to see how your vehicle compares to others? Wild Wednesdays are open to all makes and models. Just bring your favorite car.

2-5

JIM GAFFIGAN: BARELY ALIVE TOUR

Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University, 4602 Sunset Avenue 7 p.m. (Oct. 4 show at 5 p.m.)

Jim Gaffigan is a seven-time Grammy nominated comedian, actor, writer, producer, two-time New York Times bestselling author, three-time Emmy winning top touring performer.

6TH ANNUAL HENDRICKS COUNTY INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

Plainfield, Indiana

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Save the Date! The 6th Annual Hendricks County International Festival is happening on Saturday, October 4, 2025, in Plainfield, Indiana!

GERMANFEST 2025

Athenaeum Indy, 401 E Michigan St.

Noon-6 p.m.

Get ready to raise your steins and join us at the Athenaeum’s 17th annual GermanFest, the best Haus party in Indy!

HARVEST TIME HAYRIDES

Avon Town Hall Park, 6570 E Highway 36 4-8 p.m.

HENDRICKS COUNTY HISTORIC ROAD RALLY

Hendricks County Museum, 170 S. Washington St. 9-11:30 a.m.

The Hendricks County Historical Museum will host a road rally, leading participants through the county to visit spots that early settlers in Hendricks County walked, set up business and farmed.

HENDRICKS COUNTY INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

The Shops at Perry Crossing, 2499 Perry Crossing Way 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS BALLETSLEEPING BEAUTY

Hendricks Live!, 200 W Main St. 2 p.m.

Tox-Away Day

October 18

8 8AAMM--11PPM M

Hendricks County Fairgrounds (Enter at Gate 5)

Hendricks County households are encouraged to use Tox-Away Days to recycle and dispose of chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, batteries, medicines, medical sharps, tires, electronics, and appliances. Regulations prohibit wastes from businesses or other organizations from being accepted at Tox-Away Days.

Fees are charged for the recycling of TVs ($20/$25), appliances ($5/$10), and certain tires. Cash and check only.

Call ( 317 ) 858 - 6070 orvisit RecycleHendricksCounty.org formoreinformation.

LIGHTING THE WAY

LEADERSHIP HENDRICKS COUNTY EXPANDS PROGRAMS TO INSPIRE COMMUNITY GROWTH & CONNECTION

Writer / Melissa Gibson

Leadership Hendricks County (LHC) has been giving county residents and employees the leadership tools they need to grow professionally, serve their communities and take on effective leadership roles since 1993.

They’re still going strong and have recently expanded offerings for those interested in planting roots in Hendricks County.

“We kicked off a rejuvenation to the programs in January,” says Jana Morrison, LHC Executive Director. “Our LHC emblem has four corners to it: Ignite, Ember, Spark and Flame. So, we have our community leaders program (Ignite), our youth leadership

program (Spark), recognizing our alumni and the awesome things they are doing (Flame), and our leadership development program (Ember).”

The Ignite Community Leaders Program is gearing up for a new cohort. Applications opened Sept. 1 and will close Nov. 1.

The program shares the inner workings of the county with residents and employees who can use the information to make connections, impact their communities and explore local opportunities.

“Our goal is to help people not assume

what is happening in our community but to really know,” Morrison says. “We often hear participants say, ‘I had no idea we had a work release program in our county,’ or many don’t know we have a phenomenal drug court here.”

Curriculum for the 12 program days

Ember Leadership 2025

throughout the year includes an opening retreat, closing retreat, team capstone project day and nine days out in the community. Participants learn about the Hendricks County judicial system, education, county government, infrastructure and resources, business and industry, economic development, agriculture, diverse perspectives and health and human services.

“We have a group that meets after every program to make sure we’re still meeting relevant topics,” Morrison adds. “For example, we used to have all of our superintendents join us for the education day, but we also wanted to hear from the school board, so we’ve changed the panel up a little bit to hear different perspectives. On our judicial system day, all of our Hendricks County judges come to lunch with us, and we’re able to ask questions and learn a little more about that area of our county.”

The class of 28 to 30 will participate in team-building days and, after learning more about the challenges and needs in the county, will break off into smaller groups to create a capstone project to truly grab hold of the leadership skills needed.

“We aren’t looking for the perfect project,” Morrison says. “Sometimes it’s a learning experience. One group wanted to have more trails in Hendricks County. They did the research and came back and said a one-mile trail is going to cost around $1M. So now they’re looking at how to apply for grants, etc.”

The 2025 class worked on projects such as education and promotion of the Aware Program — a sticker used to alert law enforcement of a person with a disability. Another group created a scavenger hunt for families to learn more about places in the county that aren’t well known.

Successful projects over the years have included the Hendricks County Food Pantry Coalition and the VoteHC website, which shares voting and election information for county residents. Ember Leadership Academy is the newest program at LHC and aims to strengthen those in the workforce through one meeting per month for five months.

“We tried to do some one-off events with this, and I think many were not as invested or it was easier to forget about registering,” Morrison

Touring MADE in Plainfield

Spark YLHC

Jana leading a class

Ignite Community Leaders 2025

says. “We created this program because we believe in not only getting people engaged in the community but having a good culture in your working environment.”

Participants learn more about communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, vision and strategic thinking, and adaptability and resilience.

“The first program included a phenomenal panel for decision-making,” Morrison adds. “They talked about decisions made in the workforce and often not doing what you want to do but what is best for the company overall. Dr. Michelle Fenoughty, president and CEO of Hendricks Regional Health, came in to talk about adaptability and resilience during the pandemic. I think overall, it was very successful.”

Applications for the Ember program open Feb. 1 and close April 1. They accept approximately 30 participants.

Over the years, they’ve extended their programming to youth and alumni, too. The Spark Youth Leadership program includes youth entering grade 10 from across the county to learn more about supporting others, self-management, awareness, excellence and how to motivate others.

They also visit Hendricks County industries and services, meet and network with adult leaders, and learn more about volunteer opportunities in order to make an impact in their community.

Finally, Flame recognizes all the interesting and inspiring things the LHC alumni are doing.

“We have more than 700 alumni after 33 years of the program,” Morrison says. “It’s always interesting to see what people are doing and how they have progressed. We want to know where they are now. It’s great to be able to inspire the passion we see at LHC and that ripple effect, as participants learn about our county and then pass it on to friends, co-workers and neighbors. It makes us a stronger community.”