Articles by Mike Rhodes

By Kallie Sulanke— Muncie, IN— The Community Foundation launched the K-12 School Technology Resilience Initiative in June of 2020 to support longer-term and equitable solutions for technology resilience. To date, $59,000 has been awarded to the eight K-12 public schools in Delaware County. “We believe that every student should have the right tools to access education wherever they need to learn,” said Kelly K. Shrock, president of The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County. “Through this initiative, we seek to help local schools get the tools they need to reach students where they are.” The initiative kicked off in…

By Katie Frederick— Muncie, IN—It was mid-February when the quilting group at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie met to discuss the next quilt for the famous Bazaar in the Woods. This would be the 25th year a quilt would be made. They began with picking out fabrics from their stashes for the pattern which had been chosen earlier. Fabric was found in caches at the quilters homes, a typical occurrence during all past quilt making. Next step was to choose the design, define the number of squares, and begin cutting the fabric squares. The process went smoothly and much…

By Melissa Jones— Muncie, IN — This year’s Fisher Governance Award, annually presented by Ball Brothers Foundation, was awarded to Ron Fauquher, chair of the Innovation Connector Board of Directors. Fauquher was honored with the award at the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce’s 126th Annual Meeting Celebration on Oct. 15. The John W. and Janice B. Fisher Governance Award annually honors a non-profit board member in Delaware County for exemplary leadership, integrity, responsibility and accountability. “This year, more than ever, has demonstrated the invaluable service board members provide to non-profits,” said Jud Fisher, president and chief operating officer of the foundation. “Superior…

By Keri Whalen— Muncie, IN—YWCA Central Indiana is proud to celebrate the success of their 2020 Put Yourself In Her H.E.E.L.S. virtual event. In the midst of a global pandemic, YWCA staff and board members were concerned with the outcome of a fundraising event, but they were determined to continue making a difference in the lives of women and children. Moving the event online for the first time was a new experience for everybody, but the safety of their residents, staff, and community was the most important thing. “This was my first time planning the annual ‘Put Yourself In Her…

By Kari Wissle, Muncie Regional Director— Muncie, IN—TeenWorks, Inc. is a non-profit organization driven to empower teens to achieve excellence in community, college, and career. The Indianapolis based non-profit, serves teens in Marion and Delaware County, and is led locally by Regional Director, Kari Wissel. A teens participation in TeenWorks programming begins through the organizations Summer Program; a 6-week community-based employment experience that allows students to gain the skills necessary to be successful in their first jobs. By partnering with other local non-profits, these often-underserved students see the importance of giving back to their community, while TeenWorks is able to…