Tremendous effort
The annual Night of a Thousand Jacks event offers Halloween fun in the form of games, activities, displays of creatively carved pumpkins and a costume contest for children. But it does much more.
It’s a fundraiser for Advocates for Children, an agency that helps children who have been abused or neglected steer through the court system and advocate in their best interests. Night of a Thousand Jacks provides crucial support for that.
Fortunately, local residents responded with overwhelming support this year. This year nearly $32,000 was raised at the Oct. 28 event at FairOaks Mall, making it the most successful year in the history of the event. This year’s total topped last year’s by more than $12,000. All those who supported this event and the purpose of Advocates for Children deserve a big round of thanks.
Agricultural legacy
Three Bartholomew County family farm operations stand tall, having not only held onto the property for a century or more but also continuing to operate and be commercially successful. The Voelz family (farm founded in 1875), the Andrews family (1894) and the Shoaf family (1902) were this year’s recipients of the Hoosier Homestead Award, facilitated by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
The three have joined about 5,000 other Indiana farm families who have received the Hoosier Homestead Award since the program’s inception in 1976.
We commend these families for their ability to continue their family legacies and their commitment to agriculture and providing crops that we need to sustain us.
Commitment continues
As Dave Barker transitions into retirement from his day job, running SIHO Insurance Services, let’s be thanking he isn’t stepping away from an ongoing part-time commitment of volunteer work throughout the community.
Barker has been a champion of quality education at all levels, such as prekindergarten education. He has helped lead important fundraising programs — such as installing turf fields at Columbus North and East high schools — and has served on a variety of nonprofit boards, including United Way of Bartholomew County. He received the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce’s Community Service Award in 2008.
His contributions to the community have been appreciated, and knowing that they will continue is welcome news.
