In Their Own Words

I don’t know about your garden, but mine is a trainwreck this summer. Between the drought-like conditions, high winds and humidity, my beautiful plants of last month have become dry and as withered as they do in August and September. The veggies are starting to put forth little crops, but the plants themselves seem to be dying. If I water […]

Let me share a personal experience that I often reflect on. I once took a bus ride that crossed three state lines to reach my destination. I did this to retrieve something that I had purchased at an auction. I needed to ride the purchase home, and, being me, I didn’t want to ask for help, so the bus it […]

In the last few weeks, I have come face-toface with assisting a parent with end-of-life issues. I have concluded two things: I don’t want to get old and I don’t want to be poor. Our elderly poor are dealing with insurmountable issues that they did not plan for. Our “Silent Generation” elders are in the twilight years of life, but […]

By Mark Harmon Most of us are conscious about where and how we spend our money, and we spend a considerable amount of time doing so. We will scrutinize every detail of an item before making a purchase decision. We consider who is selling it, who made it, its specifications, and where we can obtain the best deal. We spend […]

When I was young, summer was my favorite season of the year. Spring always meant flowers and new beginnings, the fall meant beautiful colors and winter was only good because of Christmas, or if there were snow days marking a hiatus from school. Summer was always perfect, and in my less than eidetic memory, the weather was always great! I […]

Whether you’re dreaming up your first community project or looking to secure funding for an established program, the Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing workshop is here to help turn your ideas into action. Offered through Purdue Extension White County, this two-day, hands-on program is designed for both new and intermediate grant writers. Participants will meet on Wednesday, September 10, and […]

Every June, when the trees are in full leaf and our Indiana evenings linger in a painterly twilight, I find myself wading through a familiar, complicated pool of grief. It’s a month stamped with birthdays no longer celebrated, anniversaries that arrive in silence, and memories that surface without invitation. If you, too, carry a similar ache, know that you’re not […]

In my previous career, I had the opportunity to interview a group of Springfield Dominicans. One of them, a religious sister for decades, ran the order’s assisted living facility. When asked about her call to ordained ministry, she said that initially she was very skeptical. She thought she would give it a try but that it wouldn’t last. In fact, […]

I have long been told that the best writers do their best work based upon what they know or their own experiences. Otherwise, extensive research is required to speak knowledgeably about everything else. Since I admittedly don’t know the inner workings about politics or religion, I speak with the common person’s viewpoints about what they see happening in the world […]

It is very rare to see someone so attached to their community that they make it their current life’s work to give back to it. We, as a community, cherish and look up to the leaders that make it their mission to give back to others. Dave Shook does that very thing and excels at it, benefiting multiple eclectic groups […]