May Boomer 2016

BOOMER
DAY TRIPPER | THE MEROM CHAUTAUQUA FESTIVAL RETURNS IN JUNE | PAGE 18
MAY 2016 | www.boomermagonline.com
10th anniversary of
TRY
KNOX
COUNTY
Page 14
ALICE
PREMIERE
Musical to begin May 27
Page 8
A LIFELONG
PASSION
Terri King educates,
spreads awareness of
natural world
Page 22
p1coverMay16.indd 1
BIG-CITY
STYLE
Procopios expands
popular restaurant
Page 28
The Dirt on Gardening
GROWING MONEY
ON PLANTS
Page 32
4/27/16 9:08 PM
C OME JU DGE
for Yourself.
GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO CHALLENGE THE JUDGE and the two other golf courses in Prattville at RTJ Capitol Hill. Bring your clubs
and come take on Judge hole number 1, voted the favorite hole on the Trail. Complete your day in luxury at the Marriott and enjoy dining, firepits and
guest rooms overlooking the Senator golf course. With the Marriotts 20,000 square feet of meeting space, 96 guest rooms and luxurious Presidential
Cottage combined with three world-class golf courses, business and pleasure can definitely interact in Prattville.
THE ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL AT CAPITOL HILL is home of the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic on the Senator Course
September 18 to 24, 2014. The Marriott Prattville is part of the Resort Collection on Alabamas Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
Visit www.rtjgolf.com or call 800.949.4444 to learn more.
p2RTJMay16.indd 1
RTJ746JudgePRATT_CNHIMags.indd 1
4/25/16 5:06 PM
3/28/14 12:17 PM
p3First Vinc Mar 16.indd 1
4/25/16 5:07 PM
editors
desk
a Season goes so quickly ...

I WAS ONLY 6 years old in 1971 when the Australian rock
band Blackfeather recorded the lyrics for their single Seasons
of Change. It went on to be recorded again, and sung by many
other artists over the years.
I dont know that its the song I recall so much, as much as the
assurance in my soul that seasons do indeed change, and not just
the seasons of yearwinter, spring, summer and fall. The seasons
in our lives change.
When my daughters were just babies and I was already 40
years old, we were warned often by friends and family how they would grow up fast, and
that we should enjoy them while we could. And, although the nights in the rocking recliner
seemed long at times during the restless periods of bottles, diapering and teething, it must
have flown by quickly. Because one day I blinked, and sure enough, now I have 10- and
11-year-olds who seem to be going on 18.
Still adolescents, but on the brink of womanhood, they are talking about the cars they
looked at over the weekend with their Dad, and what they want to study in college. Soon
enough my nest will be empty.
Change is inevitable. We often make deliberate decisions to alter our own course, and
sometimes as life shakes out, choices are made for us.
Earlier this spring we, the staff at Boomer magazine, made a deliberate decision to change
Boomer. We brainstormed, mulled it over a few months, and looked at several options.
What you will notice this issue is not a change from the hyper-local content about
Vincennes and the Knox County communities that youve come to love and respect, but that
your Boomer magazine is sporting a fresh, updated, more modern look.
We have added a couple columnists, Mike Gingerich, who is quite knowledgeable in all
things technical, and Master Gardener Tom Yoder, with The Dirt on Gardening. But your
usual writers are still here among our pages, just donning a new style.
We hope you enjoy the new flair, and thanks for reading Boomer!
BOOMER
PUBLISHER
Ron Smith
(812) 698-8788
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Melody Brunson
(812) 698-1626
DESIGN EDITOR
Natalie Reidford
(812) 568-8991
ADVERTISING SALES
Kim Schoelkopf
(812) 881-9286
Rick Zeller
(812) 254-0480, Ext. 111
GRAPHIC ARTIST
Alice Schwartz
PHOTOGRAPHY
Matt Griffith
Joy Neighbors
Bernie Schmitt
Rama Sobhani
WRITERS
Mike Gingerich
Todd Lancaster
Angie Moore
Joy Neighbors
Dan Ravellette
Bernie Schmitt
Rama Sobhani
Tom Yoder
Clifford York
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Boomer is published six

times a year, serving the Knox
County area. The subscription
price of $25 per year can
be mailed to P.O. Box 471,
Washington, IN 47501.
4 | MAY 2016 z BOOMER

p4EditorMay16.indd 1
4/28/16 12:20 PM
p5GoodSamMay16.indd 1
4/27/16 4:47 PM
contents
May 2016 | Vol. 8, Issue 5
4 EDITORS DESK
... a Season goes so quickly ...

By Melody Brunson
18
Photo by Joy Neighbors
34 ECONOMICS 101
12 THE SONIC BOOMER
38 BOOMER CONNOISSEUR
13 BOOMER TOYS, TRAPPINGS

AND TRIVIA
40 TECH TALK
Professional actors, community

theatre to perform
By Bernie Schmitt
KISS: The New York superheroes

By Todd Lancaster
14 TRY KNOX COUNTY
Photo by Rama Sobhani
New to gardening? Try these tips

Courtesy of MCC
8 ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES:

A MUSICAL TO PREMIERE
MAY 27
Bicycle repairman Frank Zappa

By Todd Lancaster
28
33 GARDENING POINTERS FOR

NOVICES
Empowering people to compete and

complete
By Bernie Schmitt
18 DAY TRIPPER
Family fun at the Merom Chautauqua

Festival
By Joy Neighbors
20 FLOWER POWER
Teachers, volunteers bring Junior

Achievement to Knox County
classrooms
By Rama Sobhani
7 ways to make a mediocre wine
better
By Joy Neighbors
Efficient marketing with Tweet
JukeBox
By Mike Gingerich
42 J. PATRICK REDMOND COMES

FULL CIRCLE
Authors first novel, Some Go Hungry,
inspired by his life
By Bernie Schmitt
46 BOOMER HEALTH
Eating right can improve quality of life

Courtesy of MCC
Halter family helps downtown bloom

with Indianas First Main Street Flower
Project
By Dan Ravellette
32
Photo by Tom Yoder
22 A LIFELONG PASSION
Terri King spreads awareness of

natural world
By Bernie Schmitt
26 YEAH, IM A BOOMER, BUT ...

At Home with Ernie Pyle focuses on
Indiana
By Bernie Schmitt
27 CALENDAR
42
Photo by Bernie Schmitt
The Texas Tenors, Knox County Relay

for Life
28 THE EXPANSION OF
PROCOPIOS RESTAURANT
Popular eatery opens in new location

By Rama Sobhani
32 THE DIRT ON GARDENING

Growing money and lanterns
By Tom Yoder
ON THE COVER
Certified organic gardener and

naturalist Terri King volunteers her
time educating the community about
nature and conservation. | Photo by
Bernie Schmitt

p6ContentsMay16.indd 1
4/27/16 11:36 PM
financial
wisdom
Take a page from Warren Buffett

A well-designed plan is necessary for successful
investing, but you must also have the discipline
to stay on course, rebalance, and tax-manage, as
needed. By Clifford York
UNFORTUNATELY, MOST INVESTORS
do not have a written plan. And, emotions
such as greed and envy in bull markets, and
fear and panic in bear markets, can cause
investors to discard even well-designed plans.
Here are some of the best quotes by
Warren Buffett, arguably the best investor of
our generation, from Thoughts of Chairman
Buffett: Thirty Years of Unconventional Wisdom
from the Sage of Omaha by Simon Reynolds:
On hiring: Somebody once said that in
looking for people to hire, you look for
the three qualities: integrity, intelligence,
and energy. And, if they dont have the
first, the other two will kill you.
On market predictions: I have never met
a man who could forecast the market.
On choosing investments: Its like when
you marry a girl. Is it her eyes? Her
personality? Its a whole bunch of things
you cant separate.
On giving your kids a big inheritance:
The idea that you get a lifetime supply of
food stamps based on coming out of the
right womb strikes at my idea of fairness.
On stocks with good histories: The
investor of today does not profit from

yesterdays growth.
On how to view stocks: Look at stocks
as businesses. Look for businesses you
understand, run by people you trust and
are comfortable with, and leave them
alone for a long time.
On ethical investment management: The
investment manager must put his client
first in everything he does.
On thinking long term: I wouldnt buy
any stocks I would not be happy owning
if they stopped trading it for three years.
On predicting markets: The fact that
people will be full of greed, fear, or
folly is predictable. The sequence is not
predictable.
On the limitations of wealth: Money,
to some extent, sometimes lets you be in
more interesting environments. But, it
cant change how many people love you or
how healthy you are.
On the ideal investor personality: The
most important quality for an investor is
temperament, not intellect. You dont need
tons of IQ in this business. You dont have
to be able to play three-dimensional chess

or duplicate bridge. You need a temperament that derives great pleasure neither
from being with the crowd nor against the
crowd. You know youre right, not because
of the position of others, but because your
facts and your reasoning are right.
On inheritance: Children should be
given enough to do what they want to do,
but not enough to be idle.
On risk: Risk is not knowing what youre
doing.
On long-term thinking: Our favorite
holding period is forever.
All of these thoughts are good places to
start when developing your investing plan.
Use what youve read, create an approach
which fits your needs, and execute. This
disciplined process will guide you to make
sound decisions.
Clifford York is an associate wealth advisor
for Carson Wealth of Vincennes. He resides
in Vincennes with his wife, Angie, and their
three children. His hobbies include golf, working out, coaching his childrens various youth
sports teams and deer hunting. Contact
Clifford at cyork@carsonwealth.com.
The above material was prepared by Peak Advisor Alliance.
Investment advisory services offered through CWM, LLC, a
Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through LPL
Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. LPL Financial is under separate
ownership from any other named entity.
BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 7

p7FinancialWisdomMay16.indd 1
4/26/16 9:31 AM
I ND I A N A BICE NT E NNIAL 1 8 1 6 - 2 0 1 6
the saga of the American Revolution.
The cast of professional actors and
community theater personnel, as well as full
orchestration, will bring the original music and
lyrics of Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical to
life when the production is performed May 27,
28 and 29, and June 3, 4 and 5.
Broadway composer Jay Kerr wrote the
music and Vincennes poet Laurel Smith
wrote the lyrics for this modern adaptation.
Jim Spurrier, retired director of Vincennes
University Theatre Department, wrote the
adaptation based on Thompsons novel.
Emily Reeves as Alice
ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES: A MUSICAL

TO PREMIERE MAY 27
By Bernie Schmitt
A LOVE STORY that captures the
American Revolution and the early days
of Vincennes will be center stage later this
month when Alice of Old Vincennes: A
Musical will premiere at the Red Skelton
Performing Arts Center.
Emily Reeves will portray
the lead character Alice in
Alice of Old Vincennes: A
Musical, that will premiere
later this month at the Red
Skelton Performing Arts
Center in Vincennes. Alice
is an Indiana Bicentennial
Local Legacy Project,
suitable for the entire family.
Photos provided
Tickets are still on sale for six different

performances of a modern adaptation of
Maurice Thompsons classic 1900 novel,
which presents romantic heroine Alice
Rousillon and her love interest, Lt. Fitzhugh
Beverly, a soldier in George Rogers Clarks
army. The story of their romance, complicated by war, is as dramatic and prominent as
Emily Reeves, a successful young actress

who has appeared on stage in New York, will
star in the leading role of Alice. A graduate of
the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point,
Reeves was seen in Will Finn and Deborah
Abramsons latest song cycle,ThingsYou
Think About When You Cant Sleep (previously namedYoure Standing in My Way)at
Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts.
While at Barrington, she also understudied
Felicia Boswell as Aldonza in Julie Boyds
production ofMan of La Mancha.
Most recently, Reeves was invited
to New York by Finn to perform Woe
is Me from The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Beein the Kaufman Music
CentersBroadway Close Up: William
Finnconcert.Reeves was joined onstage
with Broadway veterans Norm Lewis, Betty
Buckley, Alysha Umphress, Stephen DeRosa,
Taylor Trensch and Sally Wilfert.
When Reeves auditioned for Alice of Old
Vincennes: A Musical, she assumed that shed
be cast as Alices best friend, not the leading
role of Alice, as she rarely plays romantic
leads. She is pleased to have landed the role.
Thats what so fun about Alice, Reeves
said. Yes, shes at the center of this love story
and she dreams about falling in love, but she
has a lot more going on. Shes tough and smart,
and has a ton of things shes passionate about.
Shes not waiting to be saved; shes trying to
find someone who will fight by her side.
Growing up in Michigan, Reeves said
she learned about French trading routes
and Native Americans, but she didnt know
anything about Indiana history or Vincennes.
She didnt know about Thompsons novel,
either. She now, however, recognizes the
importance of this show to the community
and the states bicentennial celebration.
Theres something really exciting about
p8-11AliceMay16.indd 2
4/28/16 11:53 AM
doing a historical show right where it happened, she said. I love history and I think
that how theatre humanizes it, and reminds
us of where we came from, is really powerful.
Tickets and times for Alice

Tickets for Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical are $25
for orchestra seating and $20 for mezzanine. They
are available by calling the Skelton Center box office
at 812-888-4039, or order online at www.vinu.edu/
red-skelton-theater.
Performance dates are May 27, 28 and 29 and June
3, 4 and 5. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and
Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.
I think thats what has made Hamilton this

huge success on Broadway. People see it or
hear it and are suddenly relating to these
guys that they had learned about in school
as stuffy, powerful men. I love that moment
when you realize youve always looked at
something way too simply.
The creators of Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical are from left, Jim Spurrier, who
wrote the book adaptation; poet Laurel Smith, who wrote the lyrics; and New York
composer Jay Kerr, who wrote the music. Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical will be
presented May 27-29 and June 3-5 in Vincennes.
Eric Sorrels as Lt. Beverley

Eric Sorrels will portray Lt. Beverley, the
American soldier who falls in love with Alice,
and she with him. A graduate
444
4/28/16 11:53 AM
of the University
of Tennessee at
Knoxville in May
of 2015, Sorrels has
only recently started
his professional
career.
He has worked
at the Circle in the
Square Theatre
Eric Sorrels will
Schools Musical
portray Alices love
Theatre workshop
interest, Lt. Beverley,
in New York
in Alice of Old
City, and regional
Vincennes: A Musical.
credits include
Master Harold
and the Boys, Spamalot, A Christmas Carol,
The Threepenny Opera, and Sweeney Todd.
Other favorite stage credits include RENT,
Godspell, and Spring Awakening.
I felt humbled and grateful when I was
offered the role (of Lt. Beverley) in Alice of Old
Vincennes, Sorrels said. The theatre is where
I feel at home, so Ive been looking forward to
getting started on this next project ever since I
was offered the contract in March.
He, too, had not heard of Vincennes,
nor its French heritage in early Indiana. He
had never considered what was occurring in
this part of the country when the fledgling
United States was fighting its revolution
with Great Britain.
I never thought to look west and wonder

what was happening on the frontier at the
same time, even though the majority of
America today is west of those original
colonies, Sorrels said.That, in part, is why
this show is important it celebrates a largely
untapped part of American history. I cant
think of a more fitting time to produce a show
that pays rich homage to Indianas beginnings.
Local talent
Several local actors either have roles or

are part of the ensemble chorus, including
Eric Margerum who will play the British Col.
Henry Hamilton, Troy Sweeney who will
play Father Feret, and Tim Salters who will
portray Capt. Helm.
Steven Dickey will play
Gen. George Rogers
CAST FOR ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES:
Clark. Members of
A MUSICAL
Vincennes Old Town
Players are involved,
MALE ENSEMBLE
Alice Emily Reeves
as are alumni from the
Beverley Eric Sorrels
Dillon Colagrosso
Vincennes University
Rene - Billy Rude
Zachary Funk
Theatre Department.
Adrienne Lucy Given
Steve Gray
The show will seen
Gaspard David
Keegon Jackson
publicly for the first time
Messer
Rick Riggins
on May 27.
Mme. Roussillon
Jack Sawula
People should come
Kathy Beaver
out
and see the show
Patrick Scott
Hamilton Eric
because
its a great way
Jordan Southwood
Margerum
to connect to their local
Quentin Toetz
Farnsworth Gabe
history, said Reeves. The
Alex Vinh
Vanover
music I have heard is
To Be Cast
Fr. Beret Troy
so gorgeous and I think
To Be Cast
Sweeney
people will love getting
Jean Braydon Jones
FEMALE ENSEMBLE
to see a new side of this
Helm Tim Salters
Kearston Anderson
story, no matter how well
Clark Steven Dickey
Angelique James
they know Vincennes
Jazon To Be Cast
history. u
Lisa Lowry
Long Hair To Be Cast
Annalise Miller
For more information,
Paula Morgan-Martin
see www.
aliceofvincennes.com.
4/28/16 11:53 AM
CREATIVE COLLABORATION PRODUCES ORIGINAL

ALICE MUSIC AND LYRICS
By Bernie Schmitt
THE ORIGINAL MUSIC and lyrics for Alice
of Old Vincennes: A Musical are the result of an
unlikely, yet wonderfully successful, collaboration between a Broadway composer and an
Indiana poet.
Jay Kerr, a musical composer from New York,
wrote the music and Laurel Smith, a poet and
university educator from Vincennes, wrote the
lyrics for the songs that make up this modern
musical adaptation of Maurice Thompsons
classic 1900 novel.
The two did not know one another
when they were introduced by way of email
several years ago. Jim Spurrier, author of the
book adaptation of the Alice musical, had the
connection with Kerr.
Before I met Jay, Jim had asked me about
Laurel Smith, lyricist, and Jay

Kerr, composer, of Alice of Old
Vincennes: A Musical.
doing lyrics and said that he had a potential

composer, Smith said. But we would have to
agree to work together.
For his part, Kerr was tentative. He loves
working on projects and enjoyed writing music,
but such a collaboration was heading into the
unknown.
This was very different for me, Kerr said. But
we decided to give it a try.
It happened that the two got along quite
well. Their first writing meeting in the spring of
2005 worked out, and the writing for the Alice
musical was underway. It was a combination of
working together in person and long-distance
collaboration. Some of the music and lyrics
were written in Vincennes, others at Kerrs farm
in New York.
The process of writing music that accompanies a dramatic story has to evolve naturally,
Smith said, and that is how it happened.
Jim even did some editing of the text of
the book to get some of the songs to fit in,
Smith said.
The collaborators did not follow a script,
though the plays author provided an outline
and had made suggestions with regard to what
was needed. The two creative personalities
meshed, and it led to an enjoyable learning and
working experience.
It was so energizing, Smith says. Jay and
I are writing and laughing, and thinking and
trying different things, figuring out what
worked. It was a great experience.
Kerr said that with every collaborative
relationship things are done differently, but
each wants their partner to like the process. He
and Smith worked back and forth in-person on
songs, and then there were some tunes that
were written separately, then put together later.

But the relationship worked.
We had a sense of each other, Kerr said. We
found some songs amusing and we had the
ability to entertain ourselves. We could see eyeto-eye, but we each liked to win our conflicts.
We speak the same language in different ways.
Though the music and lyrics have been
written, and havent been altered, bringing
the musical to the stage is yet another
creative endeavor.
Its a very organic process, Smith said. Its
exciting to bring this to yet another dimension.
Kerr said the musical isnt finished until it is
presented.
This is new, he said. Its an imperfect
process and we wont know what will happen
in May. We have no video of the show and
nothing to check to see if were doing it right.
It is organic and can change as we rehearse. Its
constant improvement.
Smith is looking forward to the cast of Alice
bringing the songs theyve worked on to life.
The theater is the most collaborative
endeavor ever, she said. If things go well its
because of other people, not just because of
me. Im excited to hear the songs on stage.
Kerr will be in Vincennes to conduct the
orchestra that will provide the music for the six
shows scheduled at the Red Skelton Performing
Art Center. Kerr will also teach a Learning a
Broadway Musical workshop at the theater.
He hopes word of mouth will help fill all of
the seats for Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical. He
is happy with the show and his collaboration
with lyricist Smith.
You could have a lot of creative, rational
people and things not work out, he said. It
can happen on Broadway. But we had just the
opposite. It was easy for us to work together.
We had chemistry. We had a very successful
collaboration.
Dreams
come true
with SMART
decisions.
101 N. 3rd Street Vincennes, IN 47591 (812)882-4528

germanamerican.com
*No annual fee. Annual

percentage rate is
accurate as of 4/26/16 and
applies to new Home
Equity accounts. The
annual percentage rate in
effect is 3.50% with
loan-to-value of 80% or
less and a credit score of
720 or above. If your credit
score is lower than 720
and/or your loan-to-value
is higher, your interest
rate may be higher. Rate is
variable and subject to
change. APR will not
exceed 21% or the
maximum rate allowed by
applicable law. Requires a
checking account with us.
Subject to credit approval.
Property Insurance is
required. If your line
closes within 12 months
from the opening date, you
will have to pay a $250.00
early termination fee.
4/28/16 11:53 AM
the sonic
boomer
KISS: THE NEW YORK SUPERHEROES

If there is one thing older Baby Boomers like to
do, it is to remind younger Baby Boomers that
unless they saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan
Show, then they need to move tothe back of the generational
bus. By Todd Lancaster
NOW, I AM the first to agree that from a
cultural and musical standpoint, the Beatles
are the most universally relevant to anyone
born before 1965. I remember walking to
grade school in 1970 and my friend telling
me how upset his older brother was about
the Beatles breaking up.However, to us,
the Beatles were little more than the stars of
the acid-inspired cartoon Yellow Submarine.
Truthfully, Magilla Gorilla was still more
iconic to the average 7- or 8-year-old.
However, this does not mean we junior
Boomers did not have our own complicated
relationship with music after all, I was a
KISS fan.
There may be no band from the 1970s
that was more polarizing than the four
grease-painted, 8-inch platform-shoe-wearing, New-York-bred superheroes, who
lyrically and musically, were about as subtle as
a rhino in heat. The superpower they wielded
was - VOLUME.
For those unfamiliar with the band whose
decibel level was only exceeded by their
marketing savvy, KISS was the existential
answer to the pubescent questions, Who
am I? Why am I here?ormore importantly,
Why do I throw up every time I try to speak
to Hillary Fuchs in pre-algebra? They were
custom built for anxiety-filled boys, wandering aimlessly through adolescence.

Each member of the band had an elaborate, masked, costumed persona, allowing
them the ability to leave the ho-hum responsibilities of just being a groupie-mounting,
Jack-Daniels-swilling, mid-level touring band
to the likes of Head East or Vanilla Fudge.
KISS was different; they were other
worldly.
They brought a fire-breathing, blood-spitting locomotive wreck to every Civic Center
and War Memorial Coliseum from Bangor
to Bangladesh. When it was over, every
under-sexed, hormone-fueled14-year-old
knew they had gotten every cent of value out
of their $7 ticket.
There was more than just being at a loud
concert; it was a shared event where one was
amongst his tribe. One could relate to fact
that almost every lyric was somehow able to
find a way to rhyme begging you please and
get down on your knees.
KISSstood up for those awkward early
teens who knew that with a Les Paul and
three chords, they too could be a fire-breathing demon, starchild or spaceman (which
as we all knew was far superior to being an
eighth grader and being pushed into the girls
locker room).
KISS understood that sincewe werent
spending ANY money on dates with
cheerleaders, there was plenty of money to
be spend on KISS albums- and not just
albums, but KISS transistor radios, T-shirts,
posters, comic books, belt buckles, hats,
action figures and, most importantly, an
official KISS makeup kit. Find me any man
between 50 and 55, and I will show you a
man who was dressed as a member of KISS
at least one Halloween during the Carter
administration.
I remember experimenting with several
red substances that were combined to look
like the blood that bassist Gene Simmons
spit out during God of Thunder. Needless
to say, there were some very uncomfortable
conversations with my mother on exactly why
ketchup, red food coloring and honey found
their way into the upstairs bathroom on a
regular basis. In hindsight, I believe she might
have been pleased that was all I was using it
for.
I distinctly remember being an eighth
grader when the KISS comic book first came
out. KISS publicists said that four vials of the
band members blood were poured into the
red ink. I walked about 4 miles to a bodega in
Teaneck, New Jersey, to buy it.Around that
same time I also knew that I wanted to learn
to play guitar. Our junior high music teacher
decided to teach us, but of the 15 cheap
guitars he had in the class, only one had a red
sunburst finish like Ace Frehleys. I used to
find an excuse to leave Spanish two minutes
early every day so I could be first to get that
guitar.
By the time ninth grade rolled around, I
had begun to outgrow KISS. They actually
served as a gateway drug into Led Zeppelin,
Jethro Tull and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
I still find music to be one of the great
pleasures in my life and I guess I can thank
Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter for that to some
degree.
So I may have never seen John, Paul
George and Ringo on Ed Sullivan in 1964,
but I sure as hell saw KISS meets the
Phantom of the Park in 1978.
Todd Lancaster is a columnist and sports
writer. He can be reached at wthlancaster@
gmail.com

p12SonicBoomerMay16.indd 1
4/28/16 12:23 PM
Boomer Toys,
Trappings & Trivia
So who is this
respectable-looking
bike repairman?
Why, it is none other
than iconic guitarist
and counter-culture
composer Frank Zappa.
A very non-famous
20-year-old composer
appeared on The Steve
Allen Show to teach
Steve how to play a
bike like an instrument
in 1963. Zappa later
took on Tipper Gore and
Congress about music
censorship in the 80s.
If you decided to drive to Woodstock, N.Y., to see the

site of the iconic festival, put a little extra gas in the
tank, because it wasnt held in Woodstock, but 42
miles west in Bethel.
So who said girls dont like baseball? This 9-year old

Carly Simon was more than happy to play a little catch
with her temporary housemate Jackie Robinson.
Carlys father was the founder at Simon and Schuster
publishing, and was horrified that Robinson was denied
home ownership, so he asked him and his family to move
in with them.

p13ToysTrappingsMay16.indd 1
4/28/16 11:34 AM
TRY
Knox County:
Competitors for the 2015 TRY Knox

County event gathered for a celebration
photo at Rainbow Beach in Vincennes.
The 2016 TRY Knox County events will be
June 12 at Gregg Park.
Photos provided
EMPOWERING
people to
COMPETE & COMPLETE
By Bernie Schmitt
A CHALLENGE OF physical endurance will
greet 2016 TRY Knox County athletes this
summer, during the 10th annual event on
June 12.
The Vincennes Parks and Recreation
Department will host the triathlon event in
which women, men, and children ages 13 and
up, compete in swimming, running, and bike
riding. A duathlon, which is only running
and bike riding, is offered too.
The approximate race distances for the
triathlon include a 200-meter swim, a 10mile bike ride, and a 5K (3.5 mile) run. The
duathlon includes a 5K run, a 10-mile bike
ride, and another 5K run. This years event
begins at 8 a.m. at Gregg Park in Vincennes.

TRY Knox County began as a Sisters
in Service project with the help of a Lilly
Grant administered by the Knox County
Community Foundation, the organization
which has hosted the event prior to this year.
Its original purpose was to help improve
the health and lives of women, offering an
event that could help provide a sense of
achievement and empowerment, according to
Renee Richardville, who is helping to market
the event this year.
It has changed over the years, she said.
We now include men and children 13 and
up. All sorts of people participate. We have
people into their 70s taking part.
TRY Knox County continues to offer an
p14-17TRY.indd 1
4/28/16 11:53 AM
Team members at work during the

bicycling portion of the TRY in 2015.
empowering feeling for anyone who finishes

the event, but it may also serve as a challenge
for those who want to compete. Others,
Richardville says, compete with themselves.
There is a very friendly feel to the event,
she said. We have lots of volunteers who
help, and the volunteers who are out there
encouraging the participants are really
helpful. When you hear them encourage
you when youre tired, when they say, Youre
doing great, keep it up, and things like that,
you feel good and get a burst of energy from
that to continue on to the finish.
There are an estimated 150 people
who volunteer to help with the TRY
Knox County event. Last year there were
approximately 200 people who
444
p14-17TRY.indd 2
4/28/16 11:53 AM
Individuals and teams can compete in

running, bicycling, and swimming, like
this competitor in 2015.
participated.
We were happy with that, Richardville
said. Its an event that usually does pretty
well. Its been up and down, but most years I
think weve had close to that number.
The TRY draws participants from all
over, Richardville said.
We get people from Daviess County, from
the Evansville area, and some from Illinois,
she said. We have several people from here

who live elsewhere, and they come back to
Vincennes to participate in this every year.
This is Richardvilles eighth year to
participate in TRY Knox County. She does
the triathlon portion and has not missed a
year since she started.
Once you do it, its kind of addicting, she
said. I cant see myself not doing it.
Are you looking for a change?

Explore your options. See whats happening at Good
Samaritan Hospital www.gshvin.org
812-885-3373
Good Samaritan Hospital
520 S. 7th Street, Vincennes, IN 47591 812-885-3373

p14-17TRY.indd 3
4/28/16 11:53 AM
She learned about the event while taking classes at the YMCA.
She said it seemed to be an encouraging group and the event was
something that was new, different, and seemed like a lot of fun.
Its the thrill of the race, I think, she said. But I compete with
myself. Its a lot of hard work. But its a good time, too.
Registration for the event continues until June 1. Fees for entry
We now include men

and children 13 and
up. All sorts of people
participate.
- Renee Richardville
include $65 for individuals and $69 per person for teams. Women
or men can compete individually (ages 13 and up), and there can
be women, men, or co-ed teams.
Cash prizes of $150 to the male and female individual winners
and for teams will be awarded.
The Vincennes YMCA and the City of Vincennes are partners
in the event.
Information and registration forms can be found at www.
tryknoxcounty.org.
Individuals or businesses who wish to help sponsor, or those
who wish to volunteer with TRY Knox County can also find
information on the TRY web site.
Photos and other information is available on the TRY Knox
County Facebook page. u
Rehabilitation
Redefined
Locally owned for more than 25 years, GentleCares

team of skilled therapists are committed to providing
our patients excellence in rehabilitation and wellness.
MEDICARE SERVICES LONG-TERM CARE

PHYSICAL OCCUPATIONAL SPEECH THER APIES
Ranked in the TOP 10% of All Indiana

Skilled (Rehabilitation) Nursing Facilities!
1202 SOUTH 16TH STREET V INCENNES, IN 47591

( 812 ) 882-8292 WeAreGentleCare.com
p14-17TRY.indd 4
4/28/16 11:53 AM
day tripper
Family fun at the Merom Chautauqua Festival

Its an annual spring event that families across the
Wabash Valley look forward to, just as families did
more than 100 years ago. The Merom (Indiana)
Chautauqua began in 1905 and was modeled after the New
York State Chautauqua, an adult educational movement
that swept the country during the late 19th and early 20th
Centuries. By Joy Neighbors
side of the town, Merom was a natural stop

for river traffic including flatboats, which
hauled grain and livestock, and pleasure
boats that carried people up and down the
river to other communities.
Merom was incorporated as a town in
1866, but by then the Evansville and Terre
Haute Railroad had caused a huge decrease in
river traffic. Slowly, the town lost its edge and
available along the river.

THE MEROM CHAUTAUQUA was a
Since the Wabash
circuit event that brought lecturers from
River borders the western
around the U.S. to this tiny town as a way
of offering worldwide
culture to rural
communities in the
region.
When Merom was
founded in 1817, this
thriving river town
of 6,000 acted as the
Sullivan County seat.
By the mid-1800s,
Merom was the most
important town
located between
Vincennes and Terre
Above, the chicken and pork dinners at the
Haute. Business was
brisk, and Merom was Merom Chautauqua Festival are well attended.
The Merom tower, right, looks over the town
home to a gristmill
that is between Vincennes and Terre Haute.
and sawmill, along
Photos by Joy Neighbors
with plenty of work

p18-19DayTripperMay16.indd 2
4/28/16 11:36 AM
40TH ANNUAL
Spirit of Vincennes
MEROM CHAUTAUQUA FESTIVAL
June 3, 4 and 5
Merom, Indiana (North on U.S. 41. and travel 20
miles. Turn west on IN-58 (between Oaktown
and Paxton) and follow 12 miles into Merom.
Admission $1 per person
eventually it became isolated as townspeople
moved away to more prosperous cities.
At the turn of the 20th Century, the quiet
village revived each summer during the 10
days of the Merom Tent Chautauqua when
Merom became a famous summer resort.
By the summer of 1908, more than 47,500
people were camped out, attending the 10day event, which included musical concerts,
plays, debates revivals and lectures.
Local Hoosiers had the opportunity to
hear famous speakers including politician and
attorney William Jennings Bryan, known as the
most popular American orator on the circuit.
Two U.S. presidents, William H. Taft and
Warren Harding, were also featured speakers
at Merom, along with athlete-turned-evangelist
Billy Sunday who preached in a rousing fire
and brimstone style.
Carrie Nation, one of the leaders of the
Prohibition movement, also lectured on the
evils of drink to a spellbound audience on
the Merom Bluff.
Aviators would fly-over before landing their
mono and biplanes at the Chautauqua. These
daring pilots were always ready to sell rides to
the attendees and share their love of flying.
The Merom Chautauqua continued
through 1929, but was discontinued due to
the Great Depression. It wasnt until 1966
that the festival started up again as a way
to offer the community and region more
family-focused entertainment.
This years three-day celebration will
be held the first weekend of June and will
include childrens games, contests, a parade,
an antique car cruise-in, a talent show, a
flea market, arts and crafts, and musical
entertainment with most of the events held
at Bluff Park.
Food is plentiful at the festival; the famous
chicken and pork dinners are widely attended.
A library book sale is also a staple of the
weekend. (Merom is thought to be the smallest town in the U.S. with a Carnegie Library,
financed by Andrew Carnegie in 1917.)
Rendezvous
Saturday May 28
9AM to 9PM
Sunday May 29
10AM to 5PM
Visitors tour the cupola at the Merom
Conference Center, from where one can
see across Indiana and into Illinois.
Visitors can also tour the Merom
Conference Center, which was once the site
of the Union Christian College, a liberal arts
institute, from 1859 through 1924. Known
as College Hall, the structure was built in
the shape of a cross and completed during
the Civil War. Today, the complex is a camp
and retreat center for the Indiana-Kentucky
Conference of the United Church of Christ.
These special Chautauqua building
tours include a walk through the towering
structure, and the opportunity to climb the
wooden spiral staircase, crafted from local
walnut, that leads up to the cupola. But it is
not for the faint-of-heart. This is the highest
point in Merom, where visitors can see far
across Indiana and into our neighboring
state of Illinois.
This year, the Merom Bluff Chautauqua
Festival will be held June 3, 4 and 5 in
Merom, Indiana, about 35 miles north
of Vincennes. Admission is $1 at the
gate. Proceeds from the festival help fund
improvements for the town, and scholarships
for local students. In the past 20 years, more
than $360,000 has been put back into this
tiny community with the can do spirit.
Saturday Battle times
2PM & 8PM
Sunday Battle times
12PM & 3:30PM
Candlelight tours of
Grouseland and the
Vincennes State
Historic Sites beginning
at 8PM Saturday.
For information visit
spiritofvincennes.org
or call the Visitors &
Tourism Bureau at
800.886.6443
Visitors and Tourism Bureau

p18-19DayTripperMay16.indd 3
4/29/16 7:30 AM
D U TC H
PA N T R Y
FLOWER P
Halter family helps downtown
bloom with Indianas First
Main Street Flower Project
Handmade deli
sandwiches served
throughout the day
Selection of homemade
Potato Salad, Macaroni
Salad, Ham Salad, &
Chicken Salad
Chili &
Potato Soup
available
during cold
weather
months
Homemade
Baked
Goods!
As always
we carry...
Gluten-free
products
Specialty baking ingredients
VINCENNES
1925 Hart St.

812-895-0903
ODON
13014 N. 1100E
812-636-7923
M-F 9-5 - SAT. 9-4
Hanging baskets and concrete planters will be filled with lush flowers again soon.
Pictured here are the flowers that beautified downtown last year.
Photos by Dan Ravellette
Remember back in 1962 when the famous singing trio of

Peter, Paul and Mary released their hit song Where Have All the
Flowers Gone? Part of the answer to that rhetorical question might
be found this summer along both sides of Main Street between 12th
and First Streets in downtown Vincennes. By Dan Ravellette
ACCORDING TO DOUG Halter, a
member of the Vincennes Central Business
District, Indianas First Main Street Flower
Project was conceived by Dan Osborne,
owner of the former Something Special business which was then located in Main Streets
400 block. Halter explained that, after
discovering discarded materials in a building
near Main Street, Osborne modified metal
light pole attachments into hanging flower
pot holders in 2008.
Additions and new ideas to create what
Halter terms as a colorful downtown have
been growing ever since. This spring and
summer will also see Indianas Bicentennial
theme displayed with red, white and blue
floral creations.
Halter, his wife, Karen, the immediate
family and even the extended family have
cheerfully and enthusiastically embraced the
Main Street decorative theme since moving
the Halter Tree Service business to Main
Street in 2012.
For the past three years, the VCBD has
employed the volunteer services of the Halter
family with their desire to make Vincennes
a more beautiful place to live. Their community-minded spirit has guided them to plant
a variety of flowers, bushes and shrubbery
along Main Street, as well as on some side
streets in downtown Vincennes. The results
of their tremendous efforts are immediately
recognized and enjoyed by thousands of local
residents, in addition to the thousands of
tourists to the historic city.
This years placement of the 45 620-pound
concrete planters, the 66 hanging baskets

and the 27 planter boxes wont just happen
overnight. It requires intensive research,
planning and permission from the City of
Vincennes for this in Halters words, color
show to adorn the city streetscape.
The perfect bloom

Halter explains that choosing the proper
kind of flower for this undertaking is no easy
task. Having grown up near and working
in the Halters Market flower business,
owned by his aunt and uncle, Halter proudly
announces that he received an extensive
knowledge base when it comes to flowers
during his younger years. The experience
and advice he obtained from his relatives in
the flower industry have proven to be what
he would need later in life to make Indianas
First Main Street Flower Project a success
and to keep it growing every year.
Halter notes that there are several good
reasons that the flower of choice for lining
both sides of Main Street is the Dragon Wing
Begonia. His research has proven that this
beautiful, hearty species is able to withstand
the suns direct rays and intense heat, pounding
rains and even extremely strong winds. The
wind factor is important due to the unusual
drafting wind channels created by the tall
buildings that line both sides of Main Street.
Halter cites the fact that the Dragon
Wing Begonia is self-cleaning as another
reason they were chosen to escort shoppers
and vehicles along the Main Street corridor.
They are very diversified, said Halter.
p20-21DowntownFlowerProj.indd 2
4/28/16 11:38 AM
R POWER
They do well in sun or in shade.
His praise continued for the Dragon
Wing Begonia when he stated that they
possess flower power with a burst of color.
When it comes to keeping all these
flowers satisfied with just the proper amount
of water, Halter said, Even though we might
have to rely on private donations or some
funding from the city to purchase the flowers,
all the maintenance and all the watering is an
all-volunteer base.
To help reduce the necessity for frequent
watering, he said, A lot depends on what you
put into that container basket. For example,
the core of each hanging basket is lined with
coconut fibers to absorb and maintain the
greatest amount of moisture.
On a Monday or Friday evening, it isnt
uncommon to see Halter and his wife, Karen,
making the Main Street trek from 12th
Street west to First Street with the goal of
providing refreshing water to every plant.
It only takes about an hour and 45 minutes to water all the flowers, Halter explained,
and he said, Its good exercise, too.
The necessary watering is done by pulling

a huge plastic tank full of fresh, cool water
on a trailer with a 300-foot hose attached.
This allows easy movement from one side of
Main Street to the other and easy access to the
planters, baskets and pots.
New decr
Two new ideas have been added to the
urban landscape this season. One is that
more flowers are planned to be planted along
North First Street from Main to Broadway,
just past the Vincennes Riverfront Pavilion.
Halter noted that flowers may be blooming
to the south of Main Street down to Vigo if
everything goes according to plan. The second
new display, which actually was tested last
summer, is the addition to Indianas First
Main Street Flower project of older-model,
vintage bicycles. Decked out with wire baskets
on both sides of the rear tires and over the
front wheel connected to the handlebars,
these blasts from the past add a new unique
dimension to the area flower bed.
At the present time, there is one bicycle on
each side of each block anchored securely to

a light pole with bright lights proudly shining
on the flowers.
Another major advantage of a flower
garden on Main Street involves the combination of some buildings which are in excellent
condition and have been properly restored,
but other structures that have been allowed
to deteriorate over the years.
Anytime you can put some consistent flower
plantings that give a lot of color, it enhances those
restored buildings and it also distracts from the
ones that are debilitated, Halter said.
Youd be surprised at the number of
people who say, Hey, that looks great. Halter
said. He vividly recalls one elderly lady who
got out of her car and approached him while
he and his wife were watering the flowers one
Friday evening. When he saw tears in her
eyes, he at first thought something was wrong.
Then she smiled at them and said, Thank you
so much for what youre doing. It really makes
us look like a community that cares.
p20-21DowntownFlowerProj.indd 3
4/28/16 11:38 AM
a lifelong passion
Everything you do,

the choices you make,
affects something
else. I think if people
see a connection with
nature, that will help.
Terri King
Naturalist Terri King at work in

Ouabache Trails Park.
Facebook photo by Angela Lucas
Naturalist Terri King is spreading awareness of

our natural world
By Bernie Schmitt
TERRI KING HAS always had a love and appreciation for nature.
She now volunteers much of her time to sharing that with others.
Ive always been interested in nature, she said. When I was a little girl,
I was always looking inside flowers. I would lay on the ground watching
ants.
Growing up on the edge of a new subdivision in northern Indiana
near a woods helped, she said, along with parents who took their
children camping and hiking, and to nature programs and historic sites.
It was an education that took root, so to speak, and led to Kings
unfailing dedication to teaching others about our natural world,
especially children.
Kids today do not get out enough into nature, she said. They dont
get out to just play freely. There are lots of different skills children learn,
problem solving skills and working with others in doing that.
All of her work, to this point, is volunteer. She can often be found
leading nature walks in Ouabache Trails Park, clearing out invasive
plants from the park with other volunteers, or giving talks at schools,
local historic sites, or other venues. When she isnt volunteering
shes roaming her own woods near her rural Knox County home or
gardening with her husband, Richard.
Educating the public

The main thing I do is to help people see how all of this is connected, she said, eyeing the tree-lined surroundings at Ouabache Trails
Park. People need to know how were connected to everything, and to
understand and appreciate things more.
Everything you do, the choices you make, affects something else,
King said. People need to know how this affects their environment. I
think if people see a connection with nature that will help.
p22-25TerriKing.indd 2
4/28/16 11:39 AM
Some of the beauty King helps others discover in the woods. From left: Squirrel Corn, Christmas fern fiddleheads; wild yellow violets;
and wild blue violets.
Photos by Terri King
She and her volunteer friends are currently working to restore the Lynn Wiseman
Butterfly Garden at Ouabache Trails, as the
plants there help support wildlife, namely
butterflies. Years ago, before the area became
a park, Wiseman identified hundreds of
natural wildflower species there.
We try to represent Wiseman and the
work he did with native plants, King said.
We received a small grant from the Indiana
Native Plant and Wildflower Society
(INPAWS) to help in the restoration. It will
be a very educational garden when its done.
Ouabache Trails has an extremely rich
variety and number of wildflowers, King
said, a treasure that she and others work to
preserve.
She led one of a series of Nature
Exploration Walks in the Park on April 10, a
program she started on her own in February.
I dont point things out, I try to get people
to become aware and to be involved, she said. I
help them learn more about what they discover.
She leads groups on the second Sunday
of each month, in which she gets people to
look more closely and more deeply at nature,
spotting subtle things one normally may not
notice during a stroll along the parks trails.
We are fortunate to have a public area
like this, King said, of the 254-acre park. It
is extra special and we need to thank those
who had the foresight to create it.
ENJOY OUR HOMEMADE

AMISH BUFFET
We still peel our potatoes.
RESTAURANT
AND BAKERY
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Mon.-Thurs. 11 AM-8 PM
Fri. & Sat. 11 AM-9 PM; Sun.11 AM-3 PM
GROUPS WELCOME
King also is instrumental in leading the

Invasive Species Task Force that began in
2012 at the park. At present, volunteers are
working to rid the park of winter creeper, a
fast-growing and aggressive vine-like plant
that is taking over a lot of areas in the park.
Its hard work, King said. We pull some
of it, especially when it climbs up trees. We
try to cut the vine to keep it from producing
fruit (red berries). There is much more to
do . We use a different strategy for it on the
ground, but we have to do this to save the
woods.
Winter creeper (Euonymus fortunei), is
ranked high on the official Indiana Invasive
Species Councils invasive plant list. 444
On-Site
Hotel
Group Rates,
Discounted
Meals,
Free Wi-Fi &
Audio Visual
Equipment
00
OFF
ADULT
DINNER BUFFET
Monday-Saturday 4-8 PM Only
Limit 4 adults per coupon. Not valid with other coupons, discounts or
promotions. NOT VALID ON HOLIDAYS. Expires 6/30/16. Boomer mag.
Call ahead for parties of 10 or more.

Meeting & Banquet Facilities Catering
MOTHERS DAY
GASTHOF RESTAURANT
OPEN 11 am - 3 pm
LUNCH BUFFET
Not Accepting Reservations.
GASTHOF
FLEA
MARKET
Open every
Tues., Wed,
& Sat.
9 AM-3 PM
Now thru
Nov. 5th
BANQUET ROOMS
2 Banquet Buildings
Allow 24 hour access
4 Private Meeting Rooms
Accommodate up to 300 people
Let us host your... Anniversary Party,
Class Reunion, Family Reunion,
Birthday Party, Business Meeting,
Wedding Reception, Religious Retreat
Gift Shops: The Blue Door and

The Pig & Fiddle will be open too
SENIOR
NIGHT
Ages
55+
99
Adult
Dinner
Buffet
Every
Wednesday
4-8 PM
(drink not included)
6659 E. Gasthof Village Rd., Montgomery, IN

1/2 Mile N. US Hwy. 50 www.gasthofamishvillage.com 812-486-4900
4/28/16 11:39 AM
j
Terri King strolls along a trail at Ouabache Trails Park.
If berries are formed from the vine growing
on trees, they are then spread from falling to
the ground, and by birds and other wildlife.
Such invasive species can choke the life from a
woods, and forever hurt the natural wildflowers that are native to the area.
There are no natural controls for invasive
species, King said. Winter creeper isnt the
only invasive plant out here, but its the worst.
There is burning bush, Asian bush honeysuckle, multi-floral rose and others. I have to
keep an eye out for garlic mustard, one I didnt
know about at first. They all hurt and compete
with native plants.
When shes not spending time at
Ouabache Trails Park, or keeping an eye on
nature in her own woods at home, King is
giving nature talks to schools and engaging
in some writing to help bring about more
awareness of nature.
In education and awareness, King is especially focused on youth, because from her own
experience she understands how important
the outdoors is in developing an appreciation
for the natural world. Whether or not todays
children are getting more experience in this
area is somewhat mixed.
In some ways, it is poor and in some
ways it is better, King said. There are some
nice moments in the awareness of children
knowing about and being in nature. More
parents are making an effort in that area. I
hope more schools can be doing that, too.
King advocates more recess time for
children, as well as more school gardens,
outdoor classrooms, and more.
If we can catch them early we can have
a positive influence on the future, she said.
Persons interested
in volunteering to clear
invasive species at Ouabache
Trails Park, check the parks
Facebook page for dates and
times, or send an email to
naturefrog57@gmail.com. For
more of Kings work see her
Facebook page or her blogs
at http://cottonwoodpond.
blogspot.com/ or http://
terriofthetrails.blogspot.com/
They are our future conservationists who

will take care of our environment. They have
to have an appreciation and understanding of
it, along with experience in it.
Adults are a different challenge, she said,
but she is seeing more people coming out to
Ouabache Trails Park for walks.
A nice walk in the woods can help cool us
4/28/16 11:39 AM
down, helps us get perspective, she said. I see a lot of people doing that,
and I see people bring their children, too, and thats a good sign.
King also remains involved in the Natural Gardeners Club of
Vincennes, which grew out of organic gardening classes she taught for
the Knox County Public Library. She became a certified organic gardener
after taking a Grow Organic Education Series in Bloomington. Shes taken
other classes and participated in other natural series, too, adding to her
educational background.
After earning an associates degree in Earth science, King went on to
get a bachelors degree in elementary science education. But her love of
nature drew her back to school for a second bachelors degree at Indiana
University, where she was able to
design her individual major that
catered to her love of nature.
Virginia
Bluebells
found at
Ouabache
Trails Park.
Photo by Terri King
Terri King caring for gardens at the Indiana State

Historic Sites.
I studied the Griffey Lake area, near Bloomington, she said. I learned
about the geology of the lake, designed a nature center and educational
complex, and designed a trail system. I did anything that would apply to
bringing about education and awareness of the area.
Teaching through social media

King often posts photographs and information on Facebook, and has
two or three blogs that she works on now and again, though a couple
of them havent been updated as frequently as she would like. Her
Cottonwood Pond blog, is a study of a small pond that developed where a
cottonwood tree had fallen in the woods near her home.
I keep track of what lives there and the changes that occur, she said.
There is always something different going on.
When she isnt volunteering, walking in the woods, or writing about
nature, shes reading about it. She enjoys gardening, especially in the spring
and fall (when its cooler), and she and her husband often have natures
bounty at their dinner table.
But Kings mission remains to help spread awareness about the beauty
of nature and how we are all connected to our environment.
Thats the number one thing I try to accomplish, she said. u
Adams-Meyer, INC.
701 Old Wheatland Rd.
Vincennes, IN
812-882-3910
4/28/16 11:39 AM
yeah, Im a
boomer, but...
At Home with Ernie Pyle

focuses on Indiana
Hes nearly forgotten these days, but Ernest Taylor
Pyle, the journalist whose World War II reporting of the
general infantryman made him famous, is a Hoosier worth noting during
Indianas bicentennial. By Bernie Schmitt
ERNIE PYLE, AS his byline read, isnt in
the annals of noteworthy literary masters.
In fact, Pyles work is sometimes criticized
for its simplicity. What books he published
were not complex, lengthy tomes; they were
collections of his columns, a short-form of
writing that demanded simplicity and clarity.
It is Pyles mastery of the everyday
language that made him so adept at understanding his subjects, especially his fellow
Hoosiers. The latest published volume of
Pyles work, At Home with Ernie Pyle, out this
year, celebrates the authors Indiana roots and
contains his observations and reflections on
the state and its people.
Owen V. Johnson, retired journalism
professor at Indiana University, has compiled
this first-ever collection that focuses only on
Indiana, writing in its introduction how Pyle
learned over the course of his career to use
ordinary language with authority.
It was deceptively simple, yet powerful,
Johnson writes.
I have often written about Pyle. After all,
he is a namesake for many Indiana journalists, especially those who come from small
towns. Moreover, we community journalists
like to think that we, too, know our fellow
Hoosiers well and that we can tell their
stories with plain and simple language, too.
Whether we can create prose as powerful
as Pyles, however, is up for our readers to
determine.
They would have to know Pyles work.
At Home with Ernie Pyle is a good way for
modern Hoosiers to get a glimpse of the
mid-20th Century, most of it written before,
and some during, the catastrophic war that
ultimately claimed Pyles life. His ability to
connect to the average G.I., the soldier on
the ground, and his careful way of sharing
the raw reality of boredom, fear and death
endeared Pyle to the American public.
Make no mistake, this Indiana collection
of Ernie Pyles writing isnt a comprehensive
examination of the state or its cities and
towns. He wrote a lot of folksy pieces about
his hometown of Dana, located just north
of Terre Haute in Vermillion County. He
wrote about returning to his college town of
Bloomington. He had a steak dinner with
Indiana University president Herman Wells

in 1940. He wrote a few columns from
Evansville, and he looked into coal mining in
Pike County.
He must have never visited Vincennes,
for there are no observations of our towns
historic sites or its legacy as one of the oldest
communities in Indiana. He heard lots of
stories, though, and the only mention of
Vincennes is an anecdote about a fellow from
down around Vincennes who left Indiana
for a grapefruit ranch in Texas, and how the
fellow returned to talk of his good fortune
with little effort, and how work is just a
money-making scheme.
Pyle heard lots of stories. During his time
as a roving correspondent during the 1930s
he was the Hoosier Vagabond and
throughout his time as a war correspondent,
the writer from Indiana seemed to always
find a connection to people. He wrote as
things were, then, and put the facts up front
where we could see them. His work today
gives modern-day Hoosiers the flavor of a
time long since passed.
I was struck by one of Pyles earliest
columns, written while he was a student on
the campus of IU in Bloomington in 1922.
Titled Its in the Air, it is a unabashed and
wistful discussion about how there is no
place in the world like Indiana. He describes
what alumni likely think about with regard to
their alma mater:
They are thinking of spring days when
the campus is bursting with fragrance,
vivid with the color of blossoms and new
leaves, and when the moon is bright it
is undeniable that spring is nowhere in the
world as it is at Indiana ...
... They are thinking about hundreds
of wholesome, pleasant people, who were
their friends. They are thinking something
about Indiana which none of them could ever
express in words.
It seems that Ernie Pyle was able to do
that and much more.
A freelance writer and photographer, Bernie
Schmitt also is an assistant professor of
English at Vincennes University. He lives with
his wife, Nancy, and family in Vincennes.

p26BernieColMay16.indd 1
4/28/16 11:55 AM
calendar
MAY - JUNE 2016

MAY 25
Annual Rendezvous Photo
Contest
Registration begins May 25. Competition
begins May 27 and concludes May 28.
Each photographer is allowed to enter up
to five digital photos capturing the spirit
of this living history event. To register and
for more information, call GRC NHP at 812882-1776, Ext. 207.
MAY 20
Old French House Transfer
and Celebration
Vincennes. Special public program will
recognize and celebrate the transfer of the
Old French House from the Old Northwest
Corporation to the Vincennes State Historic
Sites of the Indiana State Museum. Open
house will include presentations on the
French history, as well as food and music
of Vincennes past. Annual programs and
future plans for the Old French House will
be displayed. Donations will be accepted.
For more information, call the Vincennes
State Historic Sites at 812-882-7422.
MAY 21-211
Knox County Relay for Life
Lincoln High School, 1545 S. Hart St. Road.
MAY 23
Vincennes in 1916,
PowerPoint Presentation
Knox County Public Library, 7 p.m. A state
bicentennial program to look back 100
years ago. The presentation will focus not
only on how Vincennes celebrated the
centennial (with a big out-door pageant),
but also other local happenings from
that year. Free and open to the public. For
more information, call the library at 812886-4380.
MAY 28-29
Spirit of Vincennes
Rendezvous, a living history
event
French Commons, Vincennes. Take a step
back in time and surround yourself with
the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of

the American Revolutionary War period
during the Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous
held at the French Commons (acres of free
parking). Saturday hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Authentic
food prepared over open fires and browse
through merchant tents that offer goods
relative to the time period. Battle reenactments, period music, jugglers, fire
eaters, storytellers, oxen demonstrations
and more. Battles on Saturday at 1 p.m.
and 4 p.m. and on Sunday noon and
3:30 p.m. For more information, call
800-886-6443 or email information@
spiritofvincennes.org
MAY 28
Candlelight Tours and
Rendezvous Grand Ball
Vincennes State Historic Sites and
Grouseland, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., tours in
conjunction with the Spirit of Vincennes
Rendezous. Also the Rendezvous Grand
Ball will be held on the grounds of the
Territory Capitol of the Vincennes State
Historic Sites beginning at 8:30 p.m. Both
sites will be open for regular tours at
10 a.m., with candlelight tours and the
Grand Ball beginning at dusk. This event
has been made free to the public with
support from City of Vincennes Tourism
Committee. For more information, call
812-882-7422.
MAY 27-29 AND JUNE 3-5

Alice of Old Vincennes, a
musical
Red Skelton Performing Arts Center,
Vincennes University Campus. Tickets
are $25 a person and special pricing is
available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets
may be purchased at the Box Office 812888-4039).
JUNE 3
Spring on Main, an afterhours event
Downtown Vincennes, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
During the monthly First Friday Art Walk,
enjoy music, food vendors, beer and wine

in good company.
JUNE 11
Heap of Jeeps Vehicle Rally
French Commons, Vincennes, Second and
Willow streets, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Yochum
Auto and the Knox County Chamber
of Commerce are hosting this event.
Registration to enter your Jeep begins at
8 a.m. and the event will be held from 10
a.m. to 9 p.m. Live music, a beer garden,
food vendors, bounce houses and a corn
hole tournament. For more information,
call 812-882-6440 or visit http://
knoxcountychamber.com/
JUNE 12
10th Annual TRY, Sprint,
Triathlon and Duathlon
Gregg Park, Vincennes, 2204 Washington
Ave., 8 a.m., hosted by the Vincennes City
Parks and Recreation Department. For
more information on the event please visit
http://www.tryknoxcounty.org/.
JUNE 16-18 AND JUNE 23-25

Summer Musical (a family
program)
Old Town Players Theatre, 423 Broadway
St., Vincennes, 7 p.m. on Friday and 3
p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more
information contact 812.882.1639 or visit
http://oldtownplayers.org/.
JUNE 17
The Texas Tenors
8 p.m. Call the VU Alumni Office for ticket
information at 812-888-4354.
JUNE 18-19
2016 Summer Junior Ranger
Series
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Prizes awarded for participation.
JUNE 24-26
Good Old Oaken Days
Oaktown, Old-fashioned fun, including
carnival rides and a pie throwing
contest! For more information, e-mail
oaktowngood@yahoo.com
p27CalendarMay16.indd 1
4/28/16 12:19 PM
The expansion of
PROCOPIOS RESTAURANT
n any given night at Procopios Italian restaurant, on Second Street, in Vincennes,

patrons will undoubtedly receive a little touch of something they wont get
anywhere else in town. The proprietor, Procopio Palazzolo, loves to take breaks
from his time in the kitchen to walk around his establishment, visiting with each table to
make sure that everyone is enjoying their time there. By Rama Sobhani
IN A FAST-PACED business, like that of

running a restaurant, its almost impossible
for an owner to make time to be so personable with his guests. But that sense of the
personal is one of the things the patrons
enjoy the most about visiting Procopios.
Its also one of the strongest reasons that
after over a decade of doing business in
Vincennes, Procopio has been so successful,
now to the point of having completed an
expansion and move into a new location.

As Procopio, now in his mid-40s,
recounted the tale of how he brought the
cooking of his Sicilian heritage to a small
town in the Midwest, he gave some of the
details with somber recollection and others
with a joviality known only to those who
have tasted success.
It was 11 years ago that Procopio first
moved his restaurant to Vincennes after a
Kristen Maeder and Procopio Palazzolo stand in front of the wine bar at the new
Procopios restaurant location. Inset, the new exterior.
Photos by Rama Sobhani
divorce left him without a business partner,

or for that matter, a business to run. He and
his ex-wife had opened up a restaurant in
Lawrenceville, Illinois, and though it was
successful, life changes forced him to leave
it behind. Wanting to remain close to his
son, who was still very young at the time of
the divorce, Procopio decided to open his
own restaurant across the Wabash River in
Vincennes.
After leaving Lawrenceville, Procopio set
up shop in a small building on Sixth Street.
That first couple of years was tough,
he said in a Sicilian accent. We constantly
wondered, Are we going to make it? But
every day we stayed positive and we kept
working at it.
I counted every dollar back then. I still
do, but we kept working and plugging away.
Once we reached five years, we felt we had
become a bit more stable.
His traditional Sicilian cooking found
an audience and after six years, he stopped
wondering whether Procopios would fold.
But as the crowds grew, the space on Sixth,
while adequate for the time, was quickly
proving to be a restraint on the demand for
his cooking. On weekends, the line for a table
was out the door and people were being told
wait times would be close to an hour. With
no waiting area, people were being turned
away. Sometime around the 10th anniversary
of the Sixth Street location, Procopio made
up his mind to move his business again, this
time into a larger space.
Finding a new home

After looking through about six buildings,
Procopio found a 120-year-old building at
the corner of Second and Broadway streets
that seemed like it would be just about
perfect that is, after serious repairs and
p28-31Procopios.indd 1
4/28/16 12:06 PM
Procopio stirs a pot of sauce in the

kitchen at his restaurant.
renovations. Somewhere during the course

of its long history, the building had been the
location of several bars. Most recently it was
where Reds Pub once stood. But even that
was quite some time ago and the building sat
unused for quite some time, falling into decay.
Procopio said there were a few moments after
seeing the condition of the building that he
had second thoughts about the whole thing.
The building was so bad. There were big
holes in the floor and the second story was
about to collapse onto the first. We had to
place several steel beams to hold it up, he
said. I had a few moments when I thought,
My god, its a money pit.
But Procopio and his business partner, and
better half, Kristen Maeder, had resolved to
turn the decrepit building into a well-groomed
place for the community to gather. Along
the way, every community organization
and governmental body with which he had
to cross paths to get the project going gave
Procopio their blessing. The Redevelopment
Commission, the Chamber of
444
REAL ESTATE AGENTS YOU CAN TRUST
Beth Chattin
812-887-5778
Rich Chattin
812-291-0670
Mary Clayton
812-881-7107
Stacey Foster
812-887-2612
Cindy Moore
812-887-0745
Our agents are invested in you, always

putting your best interest first!
Contact a F.C. Tucker Emge realtor
today!
Rita Greene
812-881-9143
REALTORS
Robin Montgomery
812-881-7509
F.C. Tucker Emge REALTORS | 812.882.4444 | FCTuckerEmge.com

4/28/16 12:06 PM
The dining overflow and private banquet room at the new Procopios location at
Second and Broadway streets. Inset, a picture of before the renovation hangs inside the
banquet room.
Commerce and the Urban

Enterprise Association,
which loaned $20,000
to Procopio toward the
renovation, all voiced
support.
The result is now a
much larger restaurant
that includes a large
dining room, a wine bar
and an overflow/private
banquet room. The new
doors opened in January
and both Procopio and
Kristen say the response
has been better than they
could have imagined.
Everybody loves it,
Procopio said. At first, I heard from some
people, Why do you want to do this? You
have one of the best locations in the city on
Sixth Street. But now we hear things like,
Wow, it feels like were in a big-city restaurant, like in Indy or Chicago.
Since the new location is in downtown
Vincennes, Procopio and Kristen say they
feel invested in the health and revitalization
of the area. Kristen points to things like the
renovation of the Second Street corridor,
eventual plans for a riverwalk and ongoing
renovations of loft apartments on the upper
Septic Services Drain Cleaning Sewer Line Video Insp.
812-882-8053 Toll Free: 1-877-579-9602

2687 S. Old Decker Road, Vincennes, IN 47591
www.hackerplumbing.com
Serving The Community

Through Generations
www.hackerplumbing.com
4/28/16 12:06 PM
floors of many of the historic buildings there

as things that can only be good for all of the
downtown businesses in the long run.
You have to have a vision and look past
the dirt and all of the things that we ripped
out of here, Kristen said.
Now that Procopios son, Alfonso, is
older and about to head out to college,
Procopio said hes feeling a bit more at ease
about a few things, at least. The size of his
business, he said, is just perfect now. He
worries that ambition could lead to getting
too big and losing that personal touch with
his customers that have built him such a
solid foundation.
Still, Procopio does have want to expand
on a few things. Hes started wine tastings at
Procopios and hopes to do them regularly.

Hes also toying with the idea of adding a
grill in the kitchen to expand the menu to
include things like steak. In the warm months,
he hopes to plan a sort of mini street fair in
conjunction with other downtown businesses,
closing off Broadway Street to put out more
tables and perhaps have some live music.
The accepted industry lore is that if
a restaurant makes it past two years in
operation, the chances it will succeed increase
greatly. Procopio and Kristen have proven
their model works. When asked whether
Procopios will still be open in 50 years, the
proprietor could only guess.
I hope so. Well see how it goes from
here, he said. u
Procopios employee Shana Newland slices lemons in the kitchen at Procopios.
SERVING THE AREAS LEGAL

NEEDS FOR OVER 100 YEARS
PRACTICING IN THE
STATE & FEDERAL COURTS
OF INDIANA & ILLINOIS
MEDICAID/NURSING
HOME PLANNING
Is a loved one currently in a nursing
home and exhausting assets?
Is your spouse in a nursing home
but ineligible for Medicaid because
you and your spouse have too
many assets?
Do you know the rules for self pay,
Medicare, or Medicaid?
Time is important when dealing
with these issues.
We can help you understand these
complex rules and may be able to help
you or a loved one qualify for help. Call
882-8935 to schedule an appointment
with attorney Dan Siewers.
Now we hear things like,

Wow, it feels like were in a
big-city restaurant, like in Indy
or Chicago.
- Procopio Palazzolo
DAN SIEWERS
812-882-8935
www.hartbell.com
513 Main Street Vincennes, IN
4/28/16 12:06 PM
the dirt on
gardening
Growing money and lanterns

Youve no doubt heard the expression Money
doesnt grow on trees and that would be true.
But it does grow on a plant. By Tom Yoder
A MONEY PLANT, dollar plant or silver
dollar plant, is what one such plant is often
called because of its resemblance to a silver
dollar. This particular plant is also known as
Honesty.
I remember this plant from my childhood
as another of those things my mother grew.
It was likely a plant more popular in the
olden days because Ive heard little of it for
a few decades. Maybe Ive just been out of
Grow money with your children or
grandchildren. Lunaria, or dollar plant, is
easy to grow and requires little care.
Photos provided
the loop, so to speak. I know its still grown

because florists use it quite regularly as
additions to floral arrangements. However, I
normally see it in a dried arrangement. They
add a bit of quirkiness and an airiness to an
arrangement because you can literally see
right through the seedpods depending on
the light.
This plants botanical name is Lunaria
and it hails from Europe. It is a member of
the Brassicaceae, or mustard, family, which
is evident in its foliage. Its mature height
is about 2 feet with round leaves that are
coarsely toothed. The flower produced by
this plant is a four-petaled pink to purple
blossom in clusters atop tall stems. One
can benefit from this plant in two ways. It
blossoms in late spring to early summer
and produces handsome seedpods in late
summer.
While most are probably not suited in
a formal garden setting, they are quite at
home in a cottage garden because they will
more than likely be there forever and pop
up where youd least expect because the
seed pods will float in the wind like a kite
and germinate where they fall as they arent
MELON ACRES CSA:

PUBLIC DELIVERY LOCATIONS;
particular about soil quality. Some experts

term them weeds, but to the novice or
typical gardener, they are not that difficult to
pull if one doesnt like where they pop up.
If you have children or grandchildren,
they will enjoy experimenting with a
dollar plant because its easy to plant and
requires little care in keeping and watching
them grow. These plants wont notice a
missed watering or fertilizing because they
The Chinese Lantern has a deep orange
bloom that can be used side by side in
dried arrangements.
12 WEEKLY DELIVERIES of
HEALTHY, FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE
LAWRENCEVILLE
ROBINSON
PRINCETON
1ST DELIVERY MAY 30TH
SULLIVAN
MONROE CITY
Call us Today! (812) 745-2287
OAKTOWN
BICKNELL
To Sign Up Visit; www.melonacres.com
VINCENNES
LINTON
Melon Acres CSA
SIGN UP!

p32-33Gardener.indd 2
4/28/16 12:20 PM
will flourish without. They will benefit if

regularly watered, but not to the point of
soggy ground.
So, as you now know, it is possible to
grow your own money, just not the spendable kind.
Another fun and quirky plant is the
Chinese Lantern. Along with the dollar
plant, the two can be used side-by-side in
dried arrangements. The Chinese Lantern
produces lantern-shaped blooms hanging
from slender stems that resemble a paper
Chinese lantern in Chinese culture. Its
coloring is a deep orange, contrasting well
with the silver/white of a dollar plant.
The Chinese Lantern is about the same
height as the dollar plant, making them
a natural as growing partners. While the
Chinese Lantern is considered a perennial,
blooming in late spring and early summer, its
counterpart is a biennial, blooming also in
late spring and early summer.
Tom Yoder is a Master Gardener. He can be
reached by e-mail at yoder.tom@gmail.com.
GARDENING POINTERS FOR NOVICES

People have many reasons for
growing gardens, and some of the
most popular gardens are plots
designated for cultivating herbs and
vegetables. Fresh produce at the
ready is a great benefit of having
a home garden, which also allows
homeowners to exercise full control
over which products to use to grow
robust, healthy vegetables.
Novice gardeners may not know
where to begin when it comes to
planting their first vegetable gardens,
and such gardeners can benefit by
starting small. You may want to begin
by growing plants in containers so
they are more manageable and can
be moved as you discover which
areas of your property provide the
best growing conditions.
Begin with one or two types of
vegetables. Tomatoes, cucumbers and

certain squashes are popular starter
plants, as they are relatively hardy.
Select only a few plants so you are not
overwhelmed with the level of care
required to maintain your garden.
Some gardeners prefer to start
plants from seeds, but this will require
more time and a greater commitment
with regard to maintenance and
planting. When just starting out,
experiment with small plants that are
established and already have a good
root system.
Consult with your local gardening
center for more suggestions, such as
which soil amendments to use. Plants
may require a certain soil pH that can
be adjusted for optimal plant growth.
Courtesy of MCC

p32-33Gardener.indd 3
4/28/16 12:20 PM
ECONOMICS 101
Teachers,
volunteers
bring Junior
Achievement
to Knox County
classrooms
North Knox students doing a JA activity.
Photos courtesy of Abby Mason
aying bills and keeping track of expenses is second nature to adults. Children, however,
arent born with inherent check-balancing or job-seeking skills and have to pick those
things up along the way to adulthood. Its uncommon these days to find those things
as part of a regular school curriculum, so thats why volunteers with the Junior Achievement
program have found the classes and workshops they conduct, which teach those and other life
skills to school-aged children, so valuable. By Rama Sobhani
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, OR JA, as its affectionately known, is a
curriculum of programs that cover topics like basic financial literacy,
economics, entrepreneurship and job-seeking skills and its ultimate
aim is to help those who go through the program be better prepared
to become productive people, create wealth and keep that wealth, once
theyve made it.
According to its website, JA is the worlds largest organization dedicated to teaching youngsters those skills and boasts 213,000 volunteers
dedicated to its programs. The U.S. branch of Junior Achievement

celebrated its 50th year in 2015. The materials and promotion of the
program are paid for by grants, mostly local ones from area businesses
and foundations, and donations. Every year, a fundraiser, the Bowl-AThon is held to help raise money. This year it was held in early March.
Locally, Junior Achievement has been taught in several area schools,
but mostly and originally at South Knox Elementary and Middle-High
schools. Volunteers Becky Boberg and South Knox teacher, C.J. Carie,
p34-37JuniorAchievement.indd 2
4/28/16 12:10 PM
have both been involved with JA going back

quite a long way. Carie has hosted JA in his
classes since the beginning of his career as
a teacher 21 years ago and Boberg, now a
member of the local JA board of
directors, as well as a volunteer
conductor, went through the
program as an adolescent.
Originally, JA was started as
an after-school program to teach
children about entrepreneurship.
Students would be tasked with
starting a business from scratch,
creating a product and then selling
it, with the profits from actual
sales going back into the program.
Boberg said when she went
through the program as a student,
her class made birdhouses.
JA was notorious for the
birdhouses, she said in jest. We
sold them to our neighbors, our
families. We each ended up selling
about two or three apiece.
The original JA program made
quite an impression on a young
Boberg and she has remained involved
with it for many years now, picking up on
the other side of it as an adult, teaching
the curricula and serving on its board.
Last semester, Boberg taught a JA class at

South Knox Middle-High School and was
part of the new JA in a Day program at
North Knox High School, where students
Dont preach to the
kids; relate to them as a
person. They love to hear
stuff that happened to you

when you screwed up. They
love to hear that its OK to
screw up. They love someone whos real.
- Becky Boberg
do an entire JA curriculum in one day,

with a different instructor for each new
section. Its a grueling, but challenging and
enjoyable experience, even for the students,
Boberg said.
(The students) are not with the same
person all day, the teachers rotate stations
and by the end of the day, were mentally
drained, she said. We find out
what the teachers go through in
their regular work and they do go
through a lot.
JA has been a fixture at the
South Knox schools longer than
any other area schools. Because
official records were never kept, its
impossible to know exactly how
long, but C.J. Carie brought the
program into his classes from his
first year as a teacher.
For me, it was something I
knew I wanted to continue to do
when I started the teaching job. Its
a great opportunity to get the community involved in the schools, he
said. Ive been blessed the 20 years
Ive been doing it to have had a lot
of great volunteers.
One of the aspects that makes
the program so effective and
enjoyable for students is that many of the
volunteer instructors come from walks
of life that are particularly relevant to the
subject matter. Particularly,
444
Leave a Legacy today...

For your children
For your grandchildren
For your community
For all of those you love.
Contact the Knox County Community
Foundation today to learn more about
how you can leave a legacy.
The Knox County Community Foundation.

For Good. Forever. For Knox County.
20 N. 3rd St., Suite 301 Vincennes www.knoxcountyfoundation.org Ph: 812-886-0093 Fax: 812-886-0133
4/28/16 12:10 PM
North Knox students, above left, doing a

JA activity along with their teacher, Matt
Houchin. Below left, volunteer Travis
Linneweber teaches Junior Achievement to
an eighth grade class at North Knox JuniorSenior High School. Volunteer Andrew
Hinz, facing page, helps students at North
Knox through a JA activity.
volunteers from the financial sector often have

real-world knowledge and advice that students
find worth paying attention to.
I think it shows the kids the real world and
you have people from the real world showing
the kids these ideas, Carie said. In doing this
for 21 years, I have former students who are
now volunteers teaching JA, so its nice to see
that particular aspect. Ive been blessed with
a lot of good presenters who do a good job of
getting enthusiasm (from the students).
On how the children respond initially to
starting a JA class, Carie said, its not always
immediately something they recognize as a fun,
useful activity, but eventually, they catch on to
how the lessons will affect them directly when
they become adults.
Some are real eye openers for them, he said.
One program has them with a budget, assigned
a job and they have to figure out, Where am
I going to live? What kind of car will I have?
I have to pay taxes. They have 12 stations and
they have to figure out what to buy and it gives
them an idea of what adults go through, so they
get a sense of, Hey, I have to get a good job if I
want to have the things I want to have.
They enjoy doing it, they really do and they
4/28/16 12:10 PM
get something out of it. I have to

give up a week of education to do
it, so I wouldnt if I didnt think it
was worthwhile.
Boberg said in the decades
since she first did JA, many
things about the program
have changed, aside from
the obvious expansion of the
curricula, but some things, like
the challenges faced by teachers
of uncooperative students,
has always been a part of the
experience, and, likely, always
will be.
I think kids are kids I
knew kids in school who told
me that they were going to quit
when they turned 16 and I
still hear today from kids that
theyre going to quit at 16, she
said. Dont preach to the kids;
relate to them as a person. They
love to hear stuff that happened
to you when you screwed up.
They love to hear that its OK
to screw up. They love someone
whos real.
In recent years, however,
volunteerism has been in a state
of decline and instructors are getting harder to

come by. Thats likely due to the general state
of the economy, with workers being forced to
do more at work and fewer workers to do that
work, its been somewhat of a struggle to get JA
into all of the classes that want it. The rate of
those who teach a class once and come back to
do it again, however, are high. Boberg estimates
that more than 90 percent come back to JA.
We naturally have an interest in financial
literacy; we like kids, and a lot of our
volunteers are entrepreneurs who remember how difficult it was for them, Boberg
said. But we have to find enough volunteers
to keep teaching the program. We sometimes
have one volunteer teaching three programs.
The growth of JA over the years is quite
impressive, regardless. What started out as a
handful of class instructions at South Knox
had grown to more than 60 last year with
more teachers asking JA to be brought to their
classrooms.
4/28/16 12:10 PM
the boomer
connoisseur
7 ways to make a mediocre

wine better
There is truth in the old adage Lifes too short to
drink bad wine. But it also seems a bit drastic to
pour out a bottle just because it didnt quite live up to your
expectations. By Joy Neighbors
HERE ARE A few tricks of the trade that can
make a mediocre bottle of wine a bit more
enjoyable:
wine. Try burgers or ribs for red wines; opt

for grilled chicken with a too-oaky-smoky
Chardonnay.
SAVING WHITE WINES

Just chill
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
Be it cheap, boxed, or a purchase from

your last winery excursion that leaves
something to be desired, chilling that bottle
of so-so white wine just might be the answer.
And were talking CHILLING it; put it in
the freezer for a while so it pours out nice
and icy. Yes, the flavors will be subdued,
but that might be the trick to getting more
enjoyment out of a glass.
There are times when you either dump it,

or go drastic. (Possibly, youll still dump it,
but at least your wine-conscience is clear.)
Sugar and Spice

Some like it sweet, but sometimes it can
be too sweet. The best case save is to serve
it with a spicy meal. Go for Indian curry,
or pour on the Sriracha chili sauce. That
intense spicy flavor will keep your taste buds
so busy you wont notice the sweetness.
RESCUING RED WINES

Salt of the earth
If you have a lackluster red wine thats
boring in the flavor department, add a pinch
of salt to your glass. Its the same reason we
add salt to margaritas to squelch some
of the bitterness and make the flavors pop.
Salt creates the perception of more piquant
flavor while covering up any bitterness; so
say bye-bye to bitter tannins and hello to
some pleasant, savory wine flavors.
Oak-kay
There are times when your wine doesnt
just taste oaky; the palate is full of heavy
smoke, like it was bottled next to a roaring
campfire. The best save for this one is to
fire up the grill. Any type of smoky-flavored
meat will pair well with that charred-tasting
Add a pinch of salt to red wine that is

bitter or tasteless. The salt gives the
flavors a pop and covers any bitterness.
Photo by Joy Neighbors

p38-39BoomerConnMay16.indd 2
4/28/16 12:12 PM
Wine Cocktails
(How do you think they came about?)
Theres very little that the addition of ginger
ale, soda water, lemonade, or fruit juices cant
salvage. Add a dollop of hard liquor, rim
with salt or sugar, toss in fresh fruit, make up
a name, and brazenly serve.
Its A Wrap
these techniques might salvage that wine as

a last-ditch effort. Give it a try you might
be pleasantly surprised.
Joy Neighbors, from eastern Illinois,
knows the wine industry well. She writes a
weekly wine blog, has judged national wine

competitions, and speaks nationally and
internationally. Follow her blog at http://
joysjoyofwine.blogspot.com.
If your white wine is sweeter than you like it, try pairing it with a spicy meal. The heat
will counteract the sugary flavor of the wine.
If you have a wine thats corked (it will

smell like a wet dog, musty clothing, or a
moldy basement), stick some plastic wrap in
the bottle. The idea is that the TCA (what
causes that corked aroma and flavor) will
cling to the wrap and you can pull it out,
thus saving the wine. But be aware: The
wrap may strip out the good wine flavors
too, and it doesnt always work.
A Penny For Your Wine

During the days of free love and jug wine,
this was an easy answer, but then we started
minting pennies made from zinc and plated
with copper. (Useless for this trick.) To get
the best results, use a pre-1982 penny. Thats
when most coins contained 95% copper.
(And please, wash it first!) Drop the penny
into a glass of the wine and stir. This trick
works best with a smelly wine, one thats
giving off the odor of rotten eggs (sulfur), or
burnt rubber. And if it doesnt work, hey, it
was entertaining for your friends to watch.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed. But,
if youre considering chucking the bottle,

p38-39BoomerConnMay16.indd 3
4/28/16 12:12 PM
tech talk
Efficient marketing with

Tweet JukeBox
Promotion and social media drive sales, making
networks like Facebook and Twitter an invaluable part of any
marketing plan. Of course, working with Twitter has a distinct
downside time. By Mike Gingerich
SENDING OUT REGULAR, relevant
tweets takes a lot of time. Youve automated
your email marketing. You schedule your
blog posts. Have you thought about adding
some Twitter automation?
Welcome TweetJukeBox.com.
Tweet JukeBox.com is all about Twitter.
Through this easy-to-use platform, you can
schedule tweets, automate thank you tweets
for mentions and gather a ton of data about
tweet performance. Imagine being able to
setup all the tweets you need for a week in
one day. You could set aside time Monday
morning to handle Twitter, spend a few
hours working on a blog post and get on with
the rest of your job. No more long days spent
frantically promoting your content.
Tweet JukeBox combines all of these
features along with the ability to recycle
content and use pre-loaded tweets. While
there is no comparison to live tweeting, there
are times to use a tool like this to enhance
and supplement the live tweeting that your
business does.
Selecting a playlist
When you use Tweet JukeBox, its a
lot like selecting a playlist. You can create
and schedule your own tweets, or use the
pre-loaded content. The platform includes
inspirational quotes and pictures that go out
automatically, based on the timing you select.
Essentially, you can send out the pre-loaded
content during regular hours and send out
your homegrown tweets during high-traffic
times.
With the combination of curated tweets

and self-promotion, you can maximize
audience engagement. Plus, you can find
pre-written tweets specifically for your industry. Theyll auto post until there are none
left. Then, they will restart at the beginning.
Youll never have idle time on Twitter.
Boost audience engagement

The automatic thank you feature also
helps keep engagement numbers high. Every
time you get a mention or a re-tweet, you can
send an automatic thank you tweet. You stay
in contact with the people that help promote
your content, all without spending hours on
the Twitterverse.
Build your social presence

With Tweet JukeBox, you can automate
a lot of your promotional activities. Every
time you post a blog, you can send out an
accompanying tweet. Then set up a schedule
of automatic reminders to go out about your
new content. The possibilities are endless,
and with automation, you can free up your
time to work on direct earning activities.
Starting with a robust free version, Tweet
Jukebox is a tool to consider to enhance your
Twitter marketing!
Mike Gingerich is president of Digital Hill
Multimedia (www.DigitalHill.com), an
Indiana, web design and marketing agency.
He is also a co-founder of TabSite.com, a
leader in Facebook page apps for businesses.
Listen to his social media and web podcast,
Halftime Mike, available on iTunes.

p40TechTalkMay16.indd 1
4/26/16 7:04 PM
May /
June 2016
DQ Something Different
103 N 6th St. Vincennes
8128824925
127 N. 2nd St., Vincennes
812-882-0914
p41TownMay16.indd 1
4/26/16 12:07 PM
k Re d m
full circ
s
e
ric
J. Pa
e
t
l
c
on d o m
AUTHORS FIRST NOVEL,

SOME GO HUNGRY,
INSPIRED BY HIS LIFE
J. Patrick Redmond got serious about his writing in 2009. He is currently working on a second novel.
Vincennes native J. Patrick Redmond is leaving it up to his

readers to determine which parts of his new novel, Some Go
Hungry, are real or which parts are fiction.
But it is absolutely inspired by my own experiences, he said.
By Bernie Schmitt
THE AUTHORS FIRST novel recounts his
experiences of working in his familys restaurant
and wrestling with his sexual orientation at a
time (the 1980s) when the unsolved death of a
local teenager created speculation, rumor and
fear-mongering throughout the community.
The novels protagonist, Grey Daniels,
returns to his hometown after 20 years and
is caught between trying to maintain a public
facade and realizing his own happiness by
being himself. Fictional news reports of a
local murder of a gay teen, an overzealous
youth minister with skeletons in his closet,
along with characters and situations that
highlight stereotypes, Some Go Hungry is a
quick, enjoyable, and enlightening novel.
Redmonds fiction isnt an attempt to

recap historical events. The fictional news
reports of character Robbie Palmers alleged
murder interspersed between chapters, and
the homophobia that engulfs the fictional
town of Fort Sackville, is a platform from
which the author can express his sincere
concern regarding real-life situations that
occur in our modern world.
The publisher of Some Go Hungry is
Kaylie Jones, the daughter of author James
Jones (From Here to Eternity, Thin Red Line)
of Robinson, Ill. Kaylie Jones Books is a
New York imprint that is working to create a
cooperative of emerging and established writers who focus on social issues and serious
topics of relevance. She and Redmond will be
in Vincennes, with author Barbara J. Taylor,

for an event at ArtSpace on July 9.
Coming full circle

Redmonds own journey in dealing with his
sexual identity seems to have come full circle,
and he is an outspoken advocate for LBGT
(Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender) rights.
My activism is my voice and my writing,
he said. Im using that as a platform to stand
up and speak out.
Redmond says he is a voice for the
others, those who may struggle with their
sexual identity, but also others who are either
shunned or afraid of revealing themselves
or any problem with which they may be
struggling. He is speaking out for social
justice, equality, and common sense. He fights
prejudice, fear, and hate.
As a teenager in Vincennes, Redmond
struggled with his own sexual identity, but
did not dare to talk about it. The 1980s was
when the AIDS epidemic became prominent, and then actor Rock Hudson died
p42-45Redmond.indd 1
4/28/16 12:21 PM
of the disease. Then there was the death of local teen Brent Brand when
Redmond was in high school.
That rocked my world, Redmond said.
He didnt admit to his parents that he was gay until he was 23 years old.
Writing Some Go Hungry was cathartic, Redmond said, as he came to
grips with his past. He wants to bring awareness to the inner struggles of
young people, especially those struggling with their sexual orientation.
You dont know what kids struggle with, he said. Anyone could be
struggling with their sexual orientation. It could be the basketball player, the
volleyball player, the popular kid, or the kid who never gets noticed. No one
knows what kids go through, and they dont always know how to deal with it.
Redmond said teens struggle with other issues, too, not just those
who think they might be gay. Often those who seem the happiest may be
struggling with issues no one knows anything about.
I became a skilled chameleon in high school, he said. I had friends, I
was happy and popular. I could adapt to whatever situation I encountered.
I was also fearful of being found out.
Forty percent of homeless youth identify themselves as LBGT,
Redmond says, and that nearly all of them report being kicked out of
their homes by their parents. Well over 50 percent of LBGT students are
verbally or physically harassed at school, and an LBGT teen is four to six
times more likely to commit suicide.
If kids are being kicked out into the streets because of their sexual
orientation, we have a problem, he said.
A graduate of Vincennes Lincoln High School, Redmond is pleased that
there now is a Gay-Straight Alliance organization at the school for students.
That is incredible, he said. I have never been more proud of those kids
and my alma mater.
He stops short of saying that things are better with regard to acceptance of LBGT persons, but he said there is more awareness of LBGT
issues and a willingness by more people to talk about them.
There also are more resources and support than there used
to be, he said. We now have social media and that has helped
444
4/28/16 12:21 PM
We have to
confront BIGOTRY
and FEAR. There
are a lot of GOOD
people out there
who want to do the
RIGHT thing. I have
FAITH in people.
- J. Patrick
Redmond
Photo provided
tremendously.
At the same time there continues to be
considerable misinformation about homosexuality and LBGT persons, he said. One
such stereotype is exhibited in his novel when
a teen is sent to a religious-based retreat
designed to change ones sexual orientation.
The idea that a kid, or anyone, could be
sent to a reparative clinic to change his or
her orientation is as ludicrous as sending
someone to an eye doctor to have their eye
color changed, he said. It just cant be done.
Redmond doesnt mean to imply that
religion or spiritual belief is wrong, only that
hypocrisy and fear-mongering in the name of
religion is wrong. Likewise, politicizing the
sexual orientation issue is wrong, too.
The books title is derived from a biblical
passage in Corinthians that is published at
the start of his novel. The title is a reference

to all those others who go hungry in not
having anyone to talk to or depend on with
their inner struggles.
Becoming a writer
When his familys restaurant, Charlies
Smorgasbord, closed in 2006 after 55 years, it
was the end of an era.
It was the same as losing a loved one,
Redmond said. We went through stages of
grief about it. This was my fathers identity.
Redmond had been living in Miami for
several years, earning a B.A. in English from
Florida International University and teaching
middle school students in the Miami-Dade
County Public School system. In 2009, he
decided to get serious about his writing. He
went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree
4/28/16 12:21 PM
in creative writing and literature from Stony

Brook University in Southampton, N.Y.
I wanted to tell our story, he said.
He was also wanting to express the
pent-up feelings of his growing up years.
Serendipity helped to bring it all together.
By chance, he and his mother were visiting
Books & Books, an independent bookstore in
Miami Beach. Kaylie Jones just happened to
be speaking there.
I told her my story and what I hoped to
do, he said. She gave me some advice and
said to contact her when I was ready.
Whats next
When not publicizing Some Go Hungry,
Redmond is at work on a second novel. His
hope is to write short, easy-to-read stories of
300 pages or less that will incorporate social
justice or deal with the human condition.
I hope to write about small town,
Midwestern life, he said. There is a richness
to stories here.
He writes at an old, oak desk that once
sat in the office of the family restaurant. He
returned to southern Indiana more than a
year ago to engage himself in the job of being
a fulltime writer. He lives with his partner,
Jeff (his first true love), in a farmhouse in
rural Posey County.
Redmond hopes his book displays
stereotypes that can be broken, and that it
highlights issues involving teens and others
Publisher Kaylie Jones, left, Redmond and author Barbara J. Taylor will be in Vincennes for
an event at ArtSpace July 9.
Photo provided
that struggle with sexual orientation. Writing

it has helped him soothe the anxiety of his
growing-up years.
The point of the Robbie Palmer character in Some Go Hungry is that there are
thousands and thousands of Robbie Palmers
and Trace Thompsons whose deaths, be they
brainwashed, beaten and/or murdered are a
direct result of hate and fear, he said. I am
trying as best I can to give those souls a voice.
We have to confront bigotry and fear,
At Hometown Hearing Inc., our mission is

to help improve each persons quality of life
by improving the quality of their hearing.
Hometown Hearing Inc.s goal is to help
everyone in Vincennes and the surrounding
communities with all their hearing service needs.
he said. There are a lot of good people out

there who want to do the right thing. I have
faith in people. u
Some Go Hungry is published this month by
Kaylie Jones Books. The book can be purchased
for $17.95 from most online book retailers,
including Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. An
e-book is available for $4.99 at KaylieJonesBooks.
com. or Akashibooks.com. For more information
see JPatrickRedmond.com.
Karin Schmidt, BC-HIS
Tim Schmidt,
Board Certified
Hearing Instrument Specialist
Co-Owner
CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE HEARING EVALUATION!
(812) 882-2075
SERVICES OFFERED INCLUDE:

Comprehensive diagnostic audiological evaluations and
hearing tests for adults
Full line of hearing aids, specializing in digital hearing
aid technology
Hearing accessories (batteries, custom ear molds, water
protection, earplugs, noise protection)
Call today to hear more about our special offers!
We service all makes and models!
2016 Starkey. All Rights Reserved. 3/16 44229-16
Hometown Hearing, Inc.

Locally Owned and Operated
2003 Hart Street Vincennes, IN 47591
(812) 882-2075
www.HometownHearingInc.com
MONDAY FRIDAY 9AM 5PM
After hours and Weekends by Appointment only
4/28/16 12:21 PM
boomer
health
Eating right can improve quality of life

Legend states that on April 2, 1513, Spanish explorer Juan
Ponce de Len was the first European to discover modern-day
Florida when he traveled on a quest for the mythical Fountain
of Youth. Courtesy of MCC
of life. Those who want to employ diet to
increase their life expectancy may want to
start adding more of the following foods to
their breakfast, lunch and dinner plates.
Broccoli, grapes and salad

According to Health magazine, researchers
have found that compounds in these three
foods boast extra life-extending benefits.
Berries
WHILE MODERN SCIENCE has proven

that there is no mystical fountain or body
of water that can reverse or slow down the
aging process, there are many steps people
can take to age well and prolong their lives.
Eating the right foods is one way to age
well. According to Ralph Felder, M.D.,
Ph.D., coauthor of The Bonus Years Diet,
reversing the aging process internally is more
difficult than outward cosmetic changes. But
the right foods can go a long way toward
increasing both life expectancy and quality
In addition to their abundance of

antioxidants, berries have other benefits. A
2012 study from Harvard University found
that at least one serving of blueberries or
two servings of strawberries each week may
reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older
adults.
Fruits and vegetables

Produce is good for the body because its low
in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and other
nutrients. Numerous studies have indicated
that diets plentiful in fruits and vegetables help
people maintain a healthy weight and protect
against cardiovascular disease.
Whole grains
Whole grains pack a lot of nutrition into
a low-calorie food. Whole grains help protect
against type 2 diabetes, and researchers at
the University of Texas Health Sciences
Center found study participants whose diets
included plenty of whole grains and fruit
cut their heart disease risk by almost half
compared to those whose diets favored meat
and fatty foods.
Red wine
A glass a day for women and no more
than two glasses daily for men can be
beneficial. Moderate consumption of red
wine has been shown to slow age-related
declines in cardiovascular function, according
to the American Heart Association.
Fiber
Increase your fiber intake for a longer
life. Research from The American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition finds that the more fiber
you include in your diet, the lower your risk
of coronary heart disease. The daily recommendation is 25 to 35 grams.
While there may be no such thing as the
fountain of youth, a healthy diet can help
men and women prolong their lives.

p46HealthMay16.indd 1
4/25/16 5:12 PM
p47SaveALotMay16.indd 1
4/25/16 5:15 PM
p48ColonialMay16.indd 1
4/27/16 9:31 AM

May Boomer 2016

Transféré par

Informations du document

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

May Boomer 2016

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

BOOMER

DAY TRIPPER | THE MEROM CHAUTAUQUA FESTIVAL RETURNS IN JUNE | PAGE 18

MAY 2016 | www.boomermagonline.com

The Dirt on Gardening

p3First Vinc Mar 16.indd 1

a Season goes so quickly ...

Boomer is published six

4 | MAY 2016 z BOOMER

May 2016 | Vol. 8, Issue 5

... a Season goes so quickly ...

12 THE SONIC BOOMER

13 BOOMER TOYS, TRAPPINGS

Professional actors, community

KISS: The New York superheroes

14 TRY KNOX COUNTY

Photo by Rama Sobhani

New to gardening? Try these tips

8 ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES:

Bicycle repairman Frank Zappa

33 GARDENING POINTERS FOR

Empowering people to compete and

Family fun at the Merom Chautauqua

Teachers, volunteers bring Junior

42 J. PATRICK REDMOND COMES

Eating right can improve quality of life

Halter family helps downtown bloom

Terri King spreads awareness of

26 YEAH, IM A BOOMER, BUT ...

The Texas Tenors, Knox County Relay

Popular eatery opens in new location

32 THE DIRT ON GARDENING

Certified organic gardener and

6 | MAY 2016 z BOOMER

Take a page from Warren Buffett

investor of today does not profit from

to be able to play three-dimensional chess

BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 7

Emily Reeves as Alice

ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES: A MUSICAL

Tickets are still on sale for six different

Emily Reeves, a successful young actress

8 | MAY 2016 z BOOMER

Tickets and times for Alice

I think thats what has made Hamilton this

Eric Sorrels as Lt. Beverley

BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 9

I never thought to look west and wonder

Several local actors either have roles or

10 | MAY 2016 z BOOMER

CREATIVE COLLABORATION PRODUCES ORIGINAL

Laurel Smith, lyricist, and Jay

doing lyrics and said that he had a potential

were written separately, then put together later.

101 N. 3rd Street Vincennes, IN 47591 (812)882-4528

*No annual fee. Annual

BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 11

KISS: THE NEW YORK SUPERHEROES

custom built for anxiety-filled boys, wandering aimlessly through adolescence.

12 | MAY 2016 z BOOMER

If you decided to drive to Woodstock, N.Y., to see the

So who said girls dont like baseball? This 9-year old

BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 13

Competitors for the 2015 TRY Knox

begins at 8 a.m. at Gregg Park in Vincennes.