Articles by Mike Rhodes

By: Shawn Rogers for the Muncie Journal— In 1979 when Larry Clendenin first became a member of the Delaware County Fair board, the buildings on the fairgrounds were not all numbered. In the years since, they have been identified by numbers. The building directly across from the Dinner Bell restaurant has always been close to Clendenin’s heart, as it was the home for the sheep. Clendenin’s children showed sheep during their years in 4-H. Larry was also past executive director of the Indiana Sheep Breeders association. That building is even more special now to Clendenin, as it bears now his name….

Muncie, IN – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. has announced the availability of applications for matching grants through the Foundation’s Land Conservation Fund. The Land Conservation Fund was created to preserve and protect important conservation and recreation areas throughout Delaware County or those owned by Delaware County organizations by matching donations of land or dollars. Property acquired with Land Conservation Fund Grants will become part of the public trust to ensure that the land is protected for future generations of Hoosiers to use and enjoy. Acquisition of property for conservation is the only project type eligible…

By: Susan Fisher— What’s Earth Day Season? You’ve probably heard about Earth Day, which is celebrated around the world on April 22nd each year since it first began in 1970. The day is dedicated to spreading the word about protecting the environment and using natural resources wisely. But have you heard of Earth Day Season? That’s a term coined by Wayne Meyer, a Green Team Coordinator at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie (UUCM) to describe the many activities taking place in Muncie throughout the last part of April. The UUCM was a recipient of a Solar Uniting Neighbors (SUN)…

By: The Muncie Visitors Bureau— National Travel and Tourism Week is a national event when America salutes travel and tourism. Across the nation, travel and tourism professionals celebrate and promote the impactful contributions of the travel market. The Muncie Visitors Bureau will kick off local NTTW early on April 18th.  The celebration will have a wrap-up event during First Thursday in DWNTWN Muncie. Why is tourism important in Muncie and Delaware County?  Yes, tourism provides unique experiences, museums, local dining, events, lodging and more. Muncie and Delaware County has all the things that create a great destination experience. Things that other communities…

Muncie, Ind. – The generous support of the community grew the endowment of The Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County, Inc. by more than $2 million during the Lilly Endowment Inc GIFT VI campaign. Lilly Endowment Inc invited The Community Foundation to apply for $1 million in matching funds. The funds were to be raised between August 1, 2014 and March 31, 2016. The 18-month window was short to raise the unrestricted dollars needed. With the charitable backing of the community, The Community Foundation not only met the match but exceeded it by more than $29,000. Donors established 10 new funds and…