People walk along the 1821 Trail in downtown Columbus the day of its grand opening ceremony, April 6.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Columbus remains on the right path
Are you feeling this spring weather? Ahh.
What better time to go explore The 1821 Trail, the community’s new bicentennial project that after years of planning is now a lovely and thoughtful addition enhancing downtown Columbus.
Mayor Jim Lienhoop and a sizable crowd joined in the April 6 ribbon cutting and dedication for the trail along First Street from the Haw Creek Trail to Water Street. As The Republic’s Jana Wiersema reported, Lienhoop described it like this:
“It includes architectural and artistic elements throughout and helps us explain the 2021 bicentennial theme of ‘Common Ground.’ … The 1821 Trail demonstrates its significance … through architecture and design, through safety and accessibility, through enhanced connectivity by engaging community shareholders, stakeholders and partners, and finally by offering an interactive and informative review of the city and county’s last 200 years.”
We encourage you to see for yourself this trail that gives a new shine to our old central city.
Right note for helping kids in need
When children are in dire need of help, they have a safety net in our community thanks to the many selfless people who step up on their behalf. Few groups do as much for kids in harm’s way as Advocates for Children.
So it was music to our ears when The Republic’s Brian Blair reported that the recent sold-out Sing! karaoke fundraiser at The Commons raised more than $66,000 for Advocates for Children.
As Blair reported, “In 2022, the organization served 616 area children involved in the court system due to abuse and neglect. Of those, 76% of the children served were under age of 12.” Because children cannot speak for themselves in court, Advocates for Children volunteers speak for them, representing their best interests.
“Sing! gives us the chance to raise awareness of the need for child advocates locally, while having a great time with friends and neighbors,” said Cruz Baisa, president of Advocates for Children’s Board of Directors.
If you’d like to join that choir, find out how you can add your voice for kids or help in other ways at apowerfulvoice.org.
Kids CAN make a big difference
You may have noticed the heavy construction at NexusPark, the former FairOaks Mall. That work put the kibosh on the CANstruction competition that traditionally was held there to collect canned food and donations for Love Chapel Food Pantry, at least for this year.
But you can not stop a joyfully worthy cause like CANstruction. United Way and the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. refused to shelf a fun fundraiser sit. In CAN-do spirit, they took on the project.
“Every BCSC elementary school has been collecting canned goods for a Community Food Drive being organized by United Way and the Bartholomew County Food Insecurity Coalition,” The Republic’s Jana Wiersema reported. Director of Elementary Education Laura Hack said, “Students will use the cans to build different designs in their schools’ STEM labs,” then get stacking and arranging.
Later this month, winners will be chosen. But the real winner will be Love Chapel and its clients, and the ongoing fight to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry.
That’s a tasty recipe for a fun, creative educational experience for a good cause.
