Fifty years ago, the first Olympians began making their mark on Columbus. Not exactly ready for students, the brand new Columbus East High School opened its doors anyway for the first time on Sept. 11, 1972. About 950 students attended that first year, even as work continued on the building. As of last school year, there were 1,529 Olympians enrolled.
East has a rich history. Its alums have made enormous contributions in many fields. Here’s just one you may have heard of from the East Wall of Fame — Jennifer Rumsey, who just last month was named CEO of a little local enterprise called Cummins Inc.
To mark the occasion of its 50th birthday, alums are planning a yearlong celebration, as The Republic’s Jana Wiersema reported. This will include numerous events, establishment of an endowment to fund athletics, arts and extracurriculars, plus creation of a database of East alumni. Check out the Columbus East High School Alumni Association Facebook page, or the 50th Anniversary Endowment Fund page at gofundme.com to learn more.
Cheers to East. In this special year, our entire community should experience and celebrate Olympians’ school spirit.
Hindu temple a ‘dream come true’
After years of planning, the Hindu Society of Southern Indiana last week invited the community to celebrate the opening of the Sri Ganesh Mandir Temple in Columbus. Dignitaries including Mayor Jim Lienhoop, Rep. Greg Pence and Cummins CEO Jennifer Rumsey were among those who visited.
“This is a dream come true,” Anuja Mazgaonkar told The Republic’s Brian Blair. “It’s a great sign of building for future generations.”
It’s also a great sign for Columbus and our region. Because as Blair also reported, the temple came to life as a true community effort, with contributions from local people of many faiths who recognized a need to help believers fulfill a dream. The temple is always open to people of all faiths, its leaders say.
More than 500 Hindu families live in Bartholomew County, and the temple will serve many thousands more who will visit and worship at the temple while traveling.
The opening celebration coincides with the Columbus Ganesh Festival, which is free and open to the public at The Commons. It continues through Sunday, concluding with a procession to Mill Race Park. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Hindu culture, a vibrant and welcoming tradition that, after much planning and hard work, has an official home here in Columbus.
Big week ahead for United Way
This week, United Way of Bartholomew County is launching what organizers say will be its most visible outreach in years as the fundraising entity aims to focus on fighting childhood poverty during Live United Week.
After COVID, organizers hope this week’s events attract more people. A kickoff lunch will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Amazing Joe’s Grill, 2607 Central Ave., followed by the annual Day of Service on Sept. 9. United Way hopes to have up to 433 volunteers for jobs around the community.
There’s always work to do improving the community, so if you can help, or to find out what other events are planned for Live United Week, visit uwbarthco.org.
