Articles by Mike Rhodes

By: Amanda Price— Muncie, Indiana — Delaware County BY5 Early Childhood Initiative, Inc. recently announced Missy Modesitt as the organization’s new executive director. “We are very excited to have someone with Modesitt’s unique combination of experiences and skills lead BY5 in the next phase of our development,” said Pat Botts, chairman of the board of directors of BY5. “Her background gives her a great perspective about how early childhood education can lead to a stronger economic environment and a better community in the future.” Modesitt joins BY5—a local non-profit dedicated to improving Kindergarten readiness and forming strategic partnerships to advance…

By: Jessie Fisher— Muncie, IN—Halloween is just around the corner; this year celebrate with the entire family by attending Cornerstone Center for the Arts’ annual Community Halloween Party. Tricks and treats will be had on Thursday, October 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. as Cornerstone’s Colonnade Room is transformed into a spooky lair of fun and games. The Community Halloween Party is open to children and families of all ages and is free to attend. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. All attendees will enjoy free activities, games, refreshments, safe treats, and prizes. In addition, a portion of Son of…

By: Jama Kehoe Bigger, MWW Director— Muncie, IN—A one-day writers’ mini-conference, “Reaching Your Writing Goals,” for fiction and nonfiction authors at all experience levels, is set for Saturday, November 3 at the Ball State University Alumni Center. Hosted by Midwest Writers Workshop, Inc. (MWW), the event features breakout sessions led by three successful East Central Indiana authors, each with newly released books. “This program gives participants a jam-packed day with sessions on craft improvement – finding stories, plotting, character development – as well as the business of writing – hooking an agent and writing a book proposal,” says Jama Kehoe Bigger,…

By: Aimee Robertson-Fant, Organizer, Muncie Action Plan/Muncie Neighborhoods, Co-Founder, Muncie Matters Muncie, IN—Last year a full house of active East Central Indiana citizens from all walks of life interested in affecting change in their communities attended the inaugural “Candidates of the Future”—a collaboration between Ball State University’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs, Shafer Leadership Academy, Building Better Neighborhoods/Muncie Action Plan which is a grassroots, deeply-inclusive and one-of-a-kind-to-the-community workshop, rooted in the belief that everyday citizens can lead and run for local office. “We completely underestimated the potential of this program last year,” says Mitch Isaacs, executive director of Shafer Leadership Academy, one of the groups that organized the…

By: Amy Logan— Muncie, IN—The Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie would like to thank the many people that made the 3rdAnnual Just Desserts a huge success. This year’s event received 35 dessert donations from amazing local bakers and were auctioned off for more than $25,000. The money raised from this event will go directly toward providing quality programs for the local Clubs. The 3rdAnnual Just Desserts took place on Wednesday, September 26 in front of the beautiful Catalyst sculpture on Minnetrista’s campus.  Over 175 community members gathered to support the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie…

By: Juli Metzger— Muncie, IN—A growing group of young, ambitious early-career professionals are among today’s foot soldiers of the Loaned Executives program, a longtime component of the annual fundraising campaign for United Way of Delaware County but one that had waned over the years. These are the men and women whose job is to make the ask. Once the domain of community stalwarts, the last two years has birthed a new generation of United Way pitch men and women – many of whom are new to United Way. They meet with company CEOs and small business owners to tell the…