Articles by Mike Rhodes

Boys & Girls Club of Muncie Awarded $50,000 Grant

By: Juli Metzger— Eight-year-old Dorion Montgomery is a second-grader at Longfellow Elementary School. Each day, he takes the bus to the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie to participate in Project Learn, a program that is proven to increase academic performance. Dorion is just one of the benefactors of a newly announced $50,000 grant from the George and Frances Ball Foundation that will go toward supporting Project Learn. “We couldn’t be more pleased or grateful for this generous support,” said…

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Community Foundation Announces Additional 2017 Scholarship Recipients

By: Eunice Whitlock— Congratulations to the following graduates –  Dawson Allen, a senior at Yorktown High School, is the recipient of the Adam Cline Scholarship.  Allen plans to study civil engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He is the son of Dr. Wade and Christy Allen. Carter Anderson, a senior at Delta High School, is the recipient of the Tom Devine Memorial Scholarship.  Anderson is the son of Lee and Kara Anderson and plans to attend Ball State University where…


Big Brothers Big Sisters Raises $28,845 at ‘Dance for Kids Sake’ Event

By: Kaitlyn Sumner—  Muncie, IN— Big Brothers Big Sisters’ 7th annual Dance For Kids Sake was a night of success. Northside Middle School hosted DFKS on the night of April 22nd, 2017. Choreographers from Cole Academy of Dance worked with eight couples from the community to create wonderful and exciting routines. With instant costume changes and energetic smiles, the event was perfect due to  the dancers’ hard work. Our final total, $28,845, couldn’t have been reached without the dancers’ and donors’ help….


Community Foundation Announces 2017 Scholarship Recipients

By: Eunice Whitlock— Congratulations to the following graduates – Alexis Forsyth, a senior at Wes-Del High School, is the recipient of the Zach Greenwalt Scholarship.  Forsyth is the daughter of Tim Forsyth and Tina Forsyth. She plans to attend Ball State University to study nursing. Tyler Picillo is the recipient of the Murray’s Jewelers Scholarship. Picillo, a senior at Yorktown High School, plans to attend Indiana University, where he will study marketing. He is the son of Janis Picillo. Kendall…


Jeff Bird, MD, Named President, East Central Region of IU Health

By: Dawn Brand Fluhler— Muncie, IN– Jeff Bird, MD, has been named the new president of the East Central Region for IU Health which includes IU Health Ball Memorial and Blackford hospitals. Dr. Bird currently serves as chief operating officer and chief medical officer for the hospital. “I am honored and humbled to serve in a leadership role for a hospital that I’ve called home for the better part of my career,” said Jeff Bird, MD. “Mike Haley has done a…


May is Beautification Month in Muncie

By: Betty Brewer— Muncie, IN – In partnership with the Muncie Action Plan, the City of Muncie proclaims May to be Beautification Month. Through community input, Initiative 4 of the Muncie Action Plan (MAP) addresses the need to improve and manage our physical environment to create an attractive and desirable place that all of our citizens will be proud of and guests will be delighted to visit. Like any city, Muncie is an eclectic blend of neighborhoods, a downtown, broad…


The Community Foundation Announces Three 2017 Scholarship Recipients

By: Eunice L. Whitlock— Congratulations to the following Delaware County graduates – Kaleb Cook is the 2017 recipient of the Grace K. Maring Scholarship.  Cook is a senior at Wapahani High School and plans to attend Ball State University, where he will study business administration. Cook is the son of Bob and Julie Cook. Kailey Boyatt is the recipient of the Muncie Southside Spirit Scholarship.  She is a senior at Muncie Central High School and plans to attend Ball State University…


Lifetouch to Hold Onsite Job Fair on May 23rd

By: Amy L. Bell— Muncie, IN— Lifetouch, the trusted name in photography and yearbooks, will be holding a job fair at 601 W. Ontario Drive in Muncie on May 23, 2017. The job fair will be recruiting for several seasonal positions on both 1st and 2nd shifts.  Applications will be accepted and onsite interviews and tours given between the hours of 1pm and 4pm on the day of the job fair.  Available positions include data entry keyers, color corrections specialists, editors, retouchers, printer…


John Carlson: An Honorable Occupation

By: John Carlson— A couple times recently I’ve seen a meme on Facebook, the crux of which is that a person of integrity will treat a janitor the same way he or she treats a successful company’s CEO. As a former janitor, I completely agree. My year piloting a broom for pay came in 1966, when I needed money for flying around the sky in rented airplanes, an expensive addiction I had just acquired. Receiving word that my high school…


Cornerstone’s Summer 2017 Eight Week Arts Programs Classes

By: Jessie Fisher— Muncie, IN—Cornerstone Center for the Arts will begin its summer class session the week of June 5, 2017. These classes will meet for eight weeks and will end the week of July 24. Classes have low-cost one time fees with limited financial aid available to those who qualify. Classes in the summer include the categories of dance, fitness, visual arts, theatre, music, and martial arts for youth and adults. Classes for toddlers and pre-k children include Early…