Articles by Mike Rhodes

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Non-Profit June 4, 2019

Whitely Community Council’s Community Cup Charitable Golf Event Successful

By: Ken Hudson— Muncie, IN—The Whitely Community Council would like to thank all those who made the 1st Annual Community Cup Charitable Golf Event possible. This collaboration between The Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Whitely Community Council was given to the Whitely Community Council by Old National Bank after having hosted the event in 2016 & 2017. The event, formally called “100 Men Who Golf” was renamed “The Community Cup” with the intent of involving the…

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Non-Profit June 4, 2019

Free Summer Fun for Families: Nature Play Days 2019

By: Marissa Rose— Muncie, IN – BY5, in collaboration with Indiana Children and Nature Network, will once again host Nature Play Days in Delaware County from June 8-June 16. Nature Play Days is a totally free, week-long series of over fifty free nature-based events to encourage families to get outside and play, bond, and explore their community. There are a range of experiences to choose from. This year’s events include everything from exploring a rare orchid greenhouse, to visiting a historic petting…

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Entertainment June 4, 2019

4th Annual Delaware County Cheerleading Contest To Be Held At County Fair

By: Delaware County Fair Board— Muncie, Ind. – The Board of Directors of the Delaware County Fairgrounds & Exposition center announce the 4th annual Delaware County Cheerleading Contest during the 2019 Delaware County Fair. The contest will be held on Thursday, July 18th at 6:00 pm in the Grandstands at the fairgrounds. The competition is open to middle and high school teams and there is no entry fee to compete. Spectator admission to thecompetition is $5 per person. Registration is…

Muncie Altrusa Foundation board members pose as they close out their 2018-2019 year. Muncie Altrusa Foundation is the charitable arm of Altrusa International of Muncie, IN Inc. Photo provided

Non-Profit June 3, 2019

Muncie Altrusa Foundation Awards $10,000 to Cornerstone for New Digital Arts Studio

By: Marcy Minton, Grants Committee Chair, Muncie Altrusa Foundation— Muncie, IN—Muncie Altrusa Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant to Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Cornerstone plans to use this grant to develop and implement a new digital arts program that includes graphic design, Photoshop, animation, and digital painting. A new studio, which will be dedicated to the program, will be constructed and introduced in Fall 2019. Classes in the new digital arts program will be available to students of all…

Through a second quarter Competitive Grant, the Foundation supports Second Harvest Food Bank’s school pantry program, which serves five schools in Delaware County, and the Forward S.T.E.P.S. program, which focuses on helping families in Delaware County find financial stability and sustainability. Through these programs, Second Harvest not only meets the immediate needs of participating families and individuals – food – but helps participants prepare for the future by facilitating relationships and connecting participants to other available community resources. Photo provided

Non-Profit June 3, 2019

14 Delaware County Non-Profits Receive Grants From Community Foundation

By: Kallie Sulanke, Community Engagement Officer— Muncie, IN – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. awarded $256,928 to 14 non-profit organizations during the second Quarterly Competitive Grant cycle of 2019. The Community Foundation’s purpose is to improve the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County for this generation and generations to come. Quarterly Competitive Grants are awarded to fund projects for which there is a demonstrable community benefit in one of the following areas of interest:…

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Business June 1, 2019

Kitselman Trailhead Enters Second Phase of Construction

By: The Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance— Muncie, IN—The Kitselman Trailhead, Muncie’s new eastern gateway to the city, has kicked-off the second phase of construction. This entrance into Muncie will be fundamentally transformed with the addition of a pedestrian bridge, new trail connections, trailhead parking, and a sloped lawn with seating overlooking the White River. The restored Albany Bridge—the centerpiece of the Kitselman Trailhead—is designed to connect the White River Greenway and the Cardinal Greenway trails. During the 2019 construction…

Rachel Thompson balances a squirmy, um, animal on a stick. Photo by: James Thompson

Carlson May 31, 2019

John Carlson: Snakes? No, Thank You!

By: John Carlson— The other day, Nancy was looking at our church friend James Thompson’s Facebook page when I heard her coo, “Awww. Look at that. How cute!” OK, that’s not entirely accurate. What she actually cooed was “AAACCCKKK!!! Look at THAT!!! We’re all gonna DIE!!!” This is because she was staring, transfixed, at a picture of James’ smiling daughter Rachel holding a stick, and hanging from the tip of that stick was a big snake. Specifically, this was a…

The City of Muncie Parks Department will have all kinds of fun activities for kids this summer.

Government May 29, 2019

City of Muncie Parks Department Programs Offer Summer Fun For Children

By: Mike Rhodes— Muncie, IN—The City of Muncie will be offering a wide variety of FREE programs for youth to participate in this summer. The Parks Department partners with a variety of local organizations to provide fun activities for youth during the summer, including: Ball State University, the Ross Center, the Buley Center, MAAC, the Boys and Girls Club of Muncie, the Unity Center, the Boy Scouts, and Ivy Tech. Back to Basic Summer Camp will take place from June…

L-R: Garrett Amburn, Carlie Braielle Boggs, Caleb Bonsack, Megan Clifford (top row); Cora Conatser, Helena Marie Heintzelman, Kayla Jane Howard (middle row); Ruchi Patel, Mason Whitted (bottom row)

Education May 29, 2019

The Community Foundation Announces Additional 2019 Scholarship Recipients 

By: Kallie Sulanke, Community Engagement Officer— Muncie, IN—Congratulations to the following graduates: Garrett Amburn, a senior at Yorktown High School,  is a recipient of the 2019 Robert and Wanda McKibben Scholarship. Amburn plans to attend Indian University to study nursing. He is the son of Robert and Stacie Amburn. Carlie Braielle Boggs, a senior at Wapahani High School, is the recipient of the 2019 Murray’s Jewelers Scholarship. Boggs plans to study business administration at Ball State University. She is the…

Business May 29, 2019

Global Automotive Parts Supplier Expanding in Muncie-Delaware County

By: The Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance— Muncie, IN— The Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance has announced that Magna Powertrain of America, an automotive parts and systems supplier, will expand its drivetrain component operation in Muncie-Delaware County, Indiana. The Troy, Michigan-headquartered company will invest $9.3 million to add new equipment in its 200,000 square-foot manufacturing facility, MPT Muncie, located at 4701 S. Cowan Road in Muncie. The investment, which will be complete by April 2020, will support increased business. As…