Celebrate Hope’s heritage
This weekend is a big one in Bartholomew County for many reasons, among them that it’s the 49th annual Hope Heritage Days Festival. The event, a homecoming of sorts for many people with rural roots in Bartholomew County, brings tens of thousands of people to Hope, a community of just more than 2,000 people, to celebrate the town’s agricultural heritage.
It’s important for other reasons, too — among them, that most of the not-for-profit organizations in Hope sell food or other items in vendor booths around the Town Square, some of them raising enough money to fund an entire year’s operations. As part of that, many volunteers have taken time off from work this past week to tend to their community and volunteerism duties.
The Hope Heritage Days festival, which started Friday and continues today and Sunday, features music, food, crafts, vendors and wraps up with a huge parade around the town square. This celebration of the town’s heritage is worth supporting.
College fair a great opportunity
Choosing a college is an important step in the academic career of a high school student, one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. That’s why it was great to see a turnout of about 1,000 juniors and seniors from six area high schools at the Sept. 14 college fair hosted by Columbus East High School.
The fair included students from Columbus North and East, Columbus Signature Academy — New Tech, Columbus Christian, Hauser and Indian Creek. Their students benefited from having representatives from more than 80 colleges and universities in one setting to talk to. A lot can be gained from in-person conversations with representatives of colleges and universities, more than what is stated in school brochures. The college fair was a chance to connect and get a first sense if a school might be a good fit.
Kudos to the students who took the important step of participating, and to those who organized the event.
Worth the ride
Rainy weather may have caused participation in the annual Hope Ride to shrink this year, but it didn’t spoil a good time at an important event.
The 29th annual fundraiser, conducted Sept. 17 and starting in Hope, again offered a fun time to help charitable causes, and drew about 1,200 riders, which organizers considered a strong turnout given the weather conditions.
Those who participated in the ride and those who helped organize and conduct the event are to be commended for their efforts.
