Articles by Mike Rhodes

Scene from a prior year's "One Ball State Day." Photo provided by Ball State University

Education March 22, 2023

One Ball State Day Returns April 5th With $1 Million Goal, New Events and Challenges

By BSU Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, IN – One Ball State Day, Ball State University’s award-winning 24-hour fundraising event, returns for its fifth year Wednesday, April 5, with the goal of topping last year’s record-setting effort. In 2022, thanks to the support of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends worldwide, the University raised over $1 million on One Ball State Day (OBSD) for the first time. This year, Ball State hopes to achieve a fifth straight year of increased giving on…

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Photo provided

Health March 21, 2023

Grow-A-Row Campaign Launches in ECI

Program encourages donations of excess garden produce to local organizations. By John Disher, Healthy Community Alliance— East Central Indiana— Though the skies are drab and we can only dream of the heat and sun of summer, it’s the time of year where avid gardeners are making planting plans so that a harvest will be ready to reap this summer. Gardeners are invited nowto consider intentionally growing an abundance to share produce with community organizations closely connected to neighbors who can…

The offices of Woof Boom Radio located at 800 E. 29th Street in Muncie. Photo by: Mike Rhodes

Non-Profit March 21, 2023

Hometown Heroes Grants Awarded

By Megan Orbin— MUNCIE, IN—Woof Boom Radio and 104.1 HD1 WLBC take our role seriously as partners to those in the cities and towns we serve. WLBC continues to assist some remarkable organizations in making a difference in our community. The following organizations were chosen to receive the WLBC Hometown Heroes Grant: Delaware County Special Needs Prom/Events, April American Legion Post 321, May Delaware County CASA Program, June Open Door Health Services, July Roo’s Relief, August ecoREHAB, September Hillcroft Services,…

Photo provided by Ivy Tech Community College

Education, Non-Profit March 20, 2023

Ivy Tech Vice Chancellor for Workforce Partnerships to Speak at Annual AAUW Membership Meeting

By Sheryl Swingley— MUNCIE, IN—The annual membership meeting of the Muncie Branch of the American Association of University Women will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 25, at Ivy Tech Community College, 345 S. High St. The meeting is open to the public and people interested in joining AAUW. The meeting’s speaker will be Jennifer Gasiorek, who is vice chancellor for workforce partnerships and strategic communications. The title of her speech is “Empowering Students to Succeed.”…

Pictured L-R: TaMerra Edwards (second runner-up), Craig Ulrey (champion), and Joshua Thorpe (first runner-up). Photo provided by Ball State University

Education March 20, 2023

Craig Ulrey of Heritage Hall Christian School Wins Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee

By BSU Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, IN—Craig Ulrey, a seventh grader from Heritage Hall Christian School in Muncie, is the champion of the 2023 Ball State PBS Regional Spelling Bee. Ulrey’s winning word was “condensation.” The competition, involving 37 spellers from 29 area school systems, lasted 19 nerve-racking rounds. The first runner-up is Joshua Thorpe from East Washington Academy in Muncie. The second runner-up is TaMerra Edwards from Lee L. Driver Middle School in Winchester. Spellers competed at Sursa Hall…

Conductor Carlos Hernandez leads the East Central Indiana Chamber Orchestra of Muncie.

Entertainment March 20, 2023

ECICO Orchestra To Perform On March 25, 7 pm at Northside

By Kathy Huggler— MUNCIE, IN—Celebrate the return of All Things Spring – with an evening of seven short, light-hearted works from the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, Lin Manuel Miranda, and more. This East Central Indiana Chamber Orchestra date is scheduled at Northside Middle School Auditorium on Saturday, March 25th, 2023 at 7 pm. Join them for a lovely, sweet program of pieces that blend into a Spring tonic for everyone. The orchestra is ledby Conductor Carlos Hernandez, BSU Graduate Conducting…

Artist rendering of new model train exhibit. Photo provided

Non-Profit March 17, 2023

Hamer D. and Phyllis C. Shafer Foundation Provides Grant to Muncie Children’s Museum

 By Kynda Rinker— MUNCIE, IN — Throughout their lives, Hamer and Phyllis Shafer invested significantly in the Muncie community. Organizations that created opportunities for youth, particularly disadvantaged youth, were close to their hearts. They strongly valued the arts, education, and wellness, and generously gave of their time and money to help grow foundational organizations within our community. Since the Muncie Children’s Museum’s opening in 1977, Hamer and Phyllis strongly believed in the value that MCM adds to our community. The…

Photo by Oscar Nunez Photography, DWNTWN Facebook

Entertainment March 17, 2023

St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Today’s the Day

By Cheryl Crowder— MUNCIE, IN— The 37th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held Friday, March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) beginning at 6:00 p.m. Line-up will begin at 4:30 pm at Muncie Central Fieldhouse parking lot. The parade will proceed south on Walnut Street to Charles St. and return via Mulberry St. Parade attendees are asked to line up on Walnut St. between Wysor and Charles and on Charles from Walnut to Mulberry.  No candy will be thrown until parade…

Founding executive director, Bob Ball, said the kitchen at Inside Out is busy preparing food for food insecure children five days a week. Photo by Stacey Shannon

Non-Profit March 16, 2023

‘Inside Out’ Addresses Significant Need of Local Children

By Stacey Shannon— MUNCIE, IN—With the mission of empowering the Muncie community through food-based initiatives, Inside Out has been serving healthy food to children since 2014. The local non-profit organization, which grew out of Blood-N-Fire Ministries, now serves 68,000 meals per year. Since one out of three children in the community are food insecure and around 18% of families are below poverty, Inside Out plays an important role in helping kids get healthy meals. Inside Out program administrator, Angelica Lasley…

File illustration.

Non-Profit March 16, 2023

2023 VIVA Award Luncheon Tickets Now Available

By Robert G. La France— MUNCIE, Ind. —At 11:30am on Tuesday April 11, 2023, the Muncie Noon Rotary Club and Sunrise Rotary Club will celebrate the annual Very Important Volunteer Awards (V!VA) luncheon at the Horizon Convention Center. This year’s generous sponsor of V!VA is PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union. The V!VA Awards were developed as a gift to the Muncie community in 1993 by the Muncie Rotary Club to recognize Delaware County’s proud volunteer heritage. This year, five individuals will…