Quick takes – November 11th

Recognition deserved

Bob Miller is recipient of this year’s Patriot Award, which is presented to individuals or organizations by the Honoring Veterans Committee in Bartholomew County for championing the cause of military veterans and active duty troops.

Miller, a native of Ohio who moved to Columbus in 2007, restarted an annual local observance of POW/MIA National Recognition Day in 2014 after a six-year lapse, and remains the driving force behind it each year. The event occurs the third Friday of every September at the Bartholomew County memorial for Veterans.

POW/MIA National Recognition Day honors those in the military who were prisoners of war or who never came home and are still listed as missing in action. With Miller’s involvement, the local observance ensures these individuals are not forgotten.

Support recycling

There are several upcoming ways to show support for recycling and efforts to reduce waste. It starts today with the Déjà Vu Art and Fine Craft Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Commons, 300 Washington St. in Columbus, which features art pieces made from reused materials. Another opportunity is the “Get Caught Recycling!” event, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Bartholomew County Recycling Center, 720 S. Mapleton St. in Columbus, which rewards the first 25 people dropping off items with special gifts. Also, Amnesty Day at the recycling center is Nov. 18, which allows residents to dispose of hard-to-get-rid-of items.

Residents should take advantage of these opportunities. They support efforts to reduce the amount of waste we produce — which negatively impacts the environment — reusing materials for future applications. That’s a cause worth supporting.

Reason to be proud

Hauser’s volleyball team has a lot to be proud of this season, even if the Jets fell shy of the program’s first state title with a Nov. 4 loss to Lafayette Central Catholic in the Indiana Class A final.

Under head coach Jeff Case, a 1983 Hauser graduate who is in his 16th year as coach, the program continues to make strides and break new ground. This year’s Jets (35-5) won the Mid-Hoosier Conference title; claimed their eighth consecutive sectional crown, and ninth overall; and repeated as a regional champion, the team’s fifth regional title overall.

The cherry on top was winning their first semistate title and advancing to the Class A state final for the first time, and senior Sydney Schoen winning the mental attitude award. She led team in kills, digs and aces; ranks first in her class academically; is a member of the student council and National Honor Society; and is a Bartholomew County finalist for the Lilly Endowment Scholarship.

Hauser has developed into one of the better Class A volleyball programs in the state, and the way the players and coaches have worked hard to achieve success is a positive reflection on them, the school and the Hope community.