May Boomer 2016

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MAY 2016 | www.boomermagonline.com

10th anniversary of

TRY

KNOXCOUNTYPage 14

DAY TRIPPER | THE MEROM CHAUTAUQUA FESTIVAL RETURNS IN JUNE | PAGE 18

BIGCITYSTYLE

Procopio’s expands

popular restaurantPage 28

The Dirt on Gardening

GROWING MONEYON PLANTS

Page 32

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» COME JUDGE for Yourself.

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4 | MAY 2016 z BOOMER

editor’s desk

“a Season goes so quickly ... ”I WAS ONLY 6 years old in 1971 when the Australian rock

band Blackfeather recorded the lyrics for their single “Seasonsof Change.” It went on to be recorded again, and sung by many

other artists over the years.

I don’t know that it’s the song I recall so much, as much as the

assurance in my soul that seasons do indeed change, and not just

the seasons of year…winter, spring, summer and fall. Te seasons

in our lives change.

When my daughters were just babies and I was already 40

years old, we were warned often by friends and family how they would “grow up fast,” and

that we should “enjoy them” while we could. And, although the nights in the rocking recliner

seemed long at times during the restless periods of bottles, diapering and teething, it must

have flown by quickly. Because one day I blinked, and sure enough, now I have 10- and11-year-olds who seem to be going on 18.

Still adolescents, but on the brink of womanhood, they are talking about the cars they

looked at over the weekend with their Dad, and what they want to study in college. Soon

enough my nest will be empty.

Change is inevitable. We often make deliberate decisions to alter our own course, and

sometimes as life shakes out, choices are made for us.

Earlier this spring we, the staff at Boomer magazine, made a deliberate decision to change

Boomer . We brainstormed, mulled it over a few months, and looked at several options.

What you will notice this issue is not a change from the hyper-local content about

Vincennes and the Knox County communities that you’ve come to love and respect, but that

yourBoomer

magazine is sporting a fresh, updated, more modern look.We have added a couple columnists, Mike Gingerich, who is quite knowledgeable in all

things technical, and Master Gardener om Yoder, with “Te Dirt on Gardening.” But your

usual writers are still here among our pages, just donning a new style.

We hope you enjoy the new flair, and thanks for reading Boomer !

BOOMERPUBLISHER

Ron Smith

(812) 698-8788

EXECUTIVE EDITORMelody Brunson

(812) 698-1626

DESIGN EDITOR

Natalie Reidford

(812) 568-8991

ADVERTISING SALES

Kim Schoelkopf (812) 881-9286

Rick Zeller

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 111

GRAPHIC ARTIST

Alice Schwartz

PHOTOGRAPHY

Matt GriffithJoy NeighborsBernie SchmittRama Sobhani

WRITERS

Mike Gingerich Todd LancasterAngie MooreJoy NeighborsDan RavelletteBernie SchmittRama Sobhani

Tom YoderClifford York

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Boomer is published sixtimes a year, serving the KnoxCounty area. The subscriptionprice of $25 per year canbe mailed to P.O. Box 471,Washington, IN 47501.

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4 EDITOR’S DESK“ ... a Season goes so quickly ... “By Melody Brunson

8 ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES: A MUSICAL TO PREMIEREMAY 27Professional actors, community

theatre to performBy Bernie Schmitt

12 THE SONIC BOOMERKISS: The New York superheroesBy Todd Lancaster

13 BOOMER TOYS, TRAPPINGSAND TRIVIABicycle repairman Frank ZappaBy Todd Lancaster

14 TRY KNOX COUNTYEmpowering people to compete and

completeBy Bernie Schmitt

18 DAY TRIPPERFamily fun at the Merom ChautauquaFestivalBy Joy Neighbors

20 FLOWER POWERHalter family helps downtown bloomwith Indiana’s First Main Street FlowerProjectBy Dan Ravellette

22 A LIFELONG PASSION

Terri King spreads awareness ofnatural worldBy Bernie Schmitt

26 YEAH, I’M A BOOMER, BUT ...At Home with Ernie Pyle focuses onIndianaBy Bernie Schmitt

7 CALENDAR The Texas Tenors, Knox County Relayfor Life

28 THE EXPANSION OFPROCOPIO’S RESTAURANTPopular eatery opens in new locationBy Rama Sobhani

32 THE DIRT ON GARDENINGGrowing money and lanternsBy Tom Yoder

33 GARDENING POINTERS FORNOVICESNew to gardening? Try these tipsCourtesy of MCC

34 ECONOMICS 101 Teachers, volunteers bring JuniorAchievement to Knox County

classroomsBy Rama Sobhani

38 BOOMER CONNOISSEUR7 ways to make a mediocre winebetterBy Joy Neighbors

40 TECH TALKEfficient marketing with TweetJukeBoxBy Mike Gingerich

42 J. PATRICK REDMOND COMES

FULL CIRCLEAuthor’s first novel, Some Go Hungryinspired by his lifeBy Bernie Schmitt

46 BOOMER HEALTHEating right can improve quality of lCourtesy of MCC

18

28

Photo by Joy Neighbors

Photo by Rama Sobhani

Photo by Tom Yoder

Photo by Bernie Schmitt

32

42

ON THE COVERCertified organic gardener andnaturalist Terri King volunteers hertime educating the community abonature and conservation. | Photo byBernie Schmitt

contents May 2016 | Vol. 8, Issue

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financial

wisdom

Take a page from Warren BuffettA well-designed plan is necessary for successful

investing, but you must also have the disciplineto stay on course, rebalance, and tax-manage, as

needed. By Clifford York

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST INVESTORS

do not have a written plan. And, emotionssuch as greed and envy in bull markets, andfear and panic in bear markets, can causeinvestors to discard even well-designed plans.

Here are some of the best quotes byWarren Buffett, arguably the best investor ofour generation, from Toughts of ChairmanBuffett: Tirty Years of Unconventional Wisdom

from the Sage of Omaha

by Simon Reynolds:

• On hiring: “Somebody once said that inlooking for people to hire, you look forthe three qualities: integrity, intelligence,and energy. And, if they don’t have thefirst, the other two will kill you.”

• On market predictions: “I have never meta man who could forecast the market.”

• On choosing investments: “It’s like whenyou marry a girl. Is it her eyes? Herpersonality? It’s a whole bunch of thingsyou can’t separate.”

• On giving your kids a big inheritance:“Te idea that you get a lifetime supply offood stamps based on coming out of theright womb strikes at my idea of fairness.”

• On stocks with good histories: “Te

investor of today does not profit fromyesterday’s growth.”

• On how to view stocks: “Look at stocksas businesses. Look for businesses youunderstand, run by people you trust andare comfortable with, and leave themalone for a long time.”

• On ethical investment management: “Teinvestment manager must put his clientfirst in everything he does.”

• On thinking long term: “I wouldn’t buyany stocks I would not be happy owningif they stopped trading it for three years.”

• On predicting markets: “Te fact thatpeople will be full of greed, fear, orfolly is predictable. Te sequence is notpredictable.”

• On the limitations of wealth: “Money,to some extent, sometimes lets you be inmore interesting environments. But, itcan’t change how many people love you orhow healthy you are.”

• On the ideal investor personality: “Temost important quality for an investor istemperament, not intellect. You don’t needtons of IQ in this business. You don’t have

to be able to play three-dimensional chesor duplicate bridge. You need a tempera-

ment that derives great pleasure neitherfrom being with the crowd nor against thcrowd. You know you’re right, not becauof the position of others, but because youfacts and your reasoning are right.”

• On inheritance: “Children should begiven enough to do what they want to dbut not enough to be idle.”

• On risk: “Risk is not knowing what youdoing.”

• On long-term thinking: “Our favoriteholding period is forever.”

All of these thoughts are good places tostart when developing your investing plan.Use what you’ve read, create an approachwhich fits your needs, and execute. Tisdisciplined process will guide you to makesound decisions.

Clifford York is an associate wealth advisor

for Carson Wealth of Vincennes. He resides

in Vincennes with his wife, Angie, and their

three children. His hobbies include golf, wo

ing out, coaching his children’s various you

sports teams and deer hunting. Contact

Clifford at [email protected] above material was prepared by Peak Advisor Alliance.

Investment advisory services offered through CWM, LLC, a

Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through LPL

Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. LPL Financial is under separat

ownership from any other named entity.

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By Bernie Schmitt

A LOVE STORY that captures theAmerican Revolution and the early days

of Vincennes will be center stage later thismonth when Alice of Old Vincennes: AMusical will premiere at the Red Skelton

Performing Arts Center.

ickets are still on sale for six differentperformances of a modern adaptation ofMaurice Tompson’s classic 1900 novel,which presents romantic heroine AliceRousillon and her love interest, Lt. FitzhughBeverly, a soldier in George Rogers Clark’sarmy. Te story of their romance, complicat-

ed by war, is as dramatic and prominent as

the saga of the American Revolution.Te cast of professional actors and

community theater personnel, as well as fullorchestration, will bring the original music alyrics of Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical tolife when the production is performed May 228 and 29, and June 3, 4 and 5.

Broadway composer Jay Kerr wrote themusic and Vincennes poet Laurel Smithwrote the lyrics for this modern adaptation Jim Spurrier, retired director of VincennesUniversity Teatre Department, wrote theadaptation based on Tompson’s novel.

Emily Reeves as Alice

Emily Reeves, a successful young actresswho has appeared on stage in New York, wilstar in the leading role of Alice. A graduate othe University of Wisconsin at Stevens PoinReeves was seen in Will Finn and Deborah

Abramson’s latest song cycle, Tings YouTink About When You Can’t Sleep (previ-ously named You’re Standing in My Way) atBarrington Stage Company in MassachusettWhile at Barrington, she also understudiedFelicia Boswell as Aldonza in Julie Boyd’sproduction of Man of La Mancha.

Most recently, Reeves was invitedto New York by Finn to perform “Woeis Me” from Te 25th Annual PutnamCounty Spelling Bee in the Kaufman MusicCenter’s Broadway Close Up: WilliamFinn concert. Reeves was joined onstagewith Broadway veterans Norm Lewis, BettBuckley, Alysha Umphress, Stephen DeRoaylor rensch and Sally Wilfert.

When Reeves auditioned for Alice of OldVincennes: A Musical, she assumed that shebe cast as Alice’s best friend, not the leadingrole of Alice, as she rarely plays romanticleads. She is pleased to have landed the role

“Tat’s what so fun about Alice,” Reevessaid. “Yes, she’s at the center of this love storyand she dreams about falling in love, but shehas a lot more going on. She’s tough and sma

and has a ton of things she’s passionate abouShe’s not waiting to be saved; she’s trying tofind someone who will fight by her side.”

Growing up in Michigan, Reeves saidshe learned about French trading routesand Native Americans, but she didn’t knowanything about Indiana history or VincennShe didn’t know about Tompson’s novel,either. She now, however, recognizes theimportance of this show to the communityand the state’s bicentennial celebration.

“Tere’s something really exciting about

INDIANA BICENTENNIAL 1816-2016

ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES: A MUSICAL

TO PREMIERE MAY 27

Emily Reeves will portray

the lead character Alice in“Alice of Old Vincennes: A

Musical,” that will premiere

later this month at the RedSkelton Performing Arts

Center in Vincennes. “Alice”is an Indiana Bicentennial

Local Legacy Project,suitable for the entire family.

Photos provided

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9/48BOOMER z MAY 2016

doing a historical show right where it hap-pened,” she said. “I love history and I thinkthat how theatre humanizes it, and remindus of where we came from, is really powerfu

I think that’s what has made Hamilton thishuge success on Broadway. People see it orhear it and are suddenly relating to theseguys that they had learned about in schoolas stuffy, powerful men. I love that moment

when you realize you’ve always looked atsomething way too simply.”

Eric Sorrels as Lt. Beverley

Eric Sorrels will portray Lt. Beverley, theAmerican soldier who falls in love with Alicand she with him. A graduate

Tickets and times for Alice

Tickets for Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical are $25

for orchestra seating and $20 for mezzanine. They

are available by calling the Skelton Center box offic

at 812-888-4039, or order online at www.vinu.edu/red-skelton-theater.

Performance dates are May 27, 28 and 29 and June

3, 4 and 5. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays an

Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

The creators of Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical are from left, Jim Spurrier, whowrote the book adaptation; poet Laurel Smith, who wrote the lyrics; and New York

composer Jay Kerr, who wrote the music. “Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical” will bepresented May 27-29 and June 3-5 in Vincennes.

44

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of the University

of ennessee at

Knoxville in May

of 2015, Sorrels has

only recently started

his professionalcareer.

He has worked

at the Circle in the

Square Teatre

School’s MusicalTeatre workshopin New York

City, and regional

credits include

“Master Harold” …

and the Boys, Spamalot, A Christmas Carol,

Te Treepenny Opera, and Sweeney odd.

Other favorite stage credits include REN ,

Godspell, and Spring Awakening.

“I felt humbled and grateful when I was

offered the role (of Lt. Beverley) in Alice of Old

Vincennes,” Sorrels said. “Te theatre is whereI feel at home, so I’ve been looking forward to

getting started on this next project ever since I

was offered the contract in March.”

He, too, had not heard of Vincennes,

nor its French heritage in early Indiana. He

had never considered what was occurring inthis part of the country when the fledgling

United States was fighting its revolution

with Great Britain.

“I never thought to look west and wondewhat was happening on the frontier at thesame time, even though the majority ofAmerica today is west of those originalcolonies,” Sorrels said. “Tat, in part, is whythis show is important — it celebrates a larguntapped part of American history. I can’t

think of a more fitting time to produce a shothat pays rich homage to Indiana’s beginning

Local talent

Several local actors either have roles orare part of the ensemble chorus, includingEric Margerum who will play the British CHenry Hamilton, roy Sweeney who willplay Father Feret, and im Salters who will

portray Capt. Helm.Steven Dickey will plaGen. George Rogers

Clark. Members ofVincennes Old ownPlayers are involved,as are alumni from theVincennes UniversityTeatre Department.

Te show will seenpublicly for the first timon May 27.

“People should comout and see the showbecause it’s a great wayto connect to their locahistory,” said Reeves. “Tmusic I have heard isso gorgeous and I thinkpeople will love gettingto see a new side of thistory, no matter how wthey know Vincennes’history.” u

For more information,

see www.

aliceofvincennes.com.

CAST FOR ‘ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES:

A MUSICAL’

Alice – Emily Reeves

Beverley – Eric Sorrels

Rene - Billy Rude

Adrienne – Lucy Given

Gaspard – DavidMesser

Mme. Roussillon –Kathy Beaver

Hamilton – EricMargerum

Farnsworth – GabeVanover

Fr. Beret – TroySweeney

Jean – Braydon Jones

Helm – Tim Salters

Clark – Steven Dickey

Jazon – To Be Cast

Long Hair – To Be Cast

MALE ENSEMBLE

Dillon Colagrosso

Zachary Funk

Steve Gray

Keegon Jackson

Rick Riggins

Jack Sawula

Patrick Scott

Jordan Southwood

Quentin ToetzAlex Vinh

To Be Cast

To Be Cast

FEMALE ENSEMBLE

Kearston Anderson

Angelique James

Lisa Lowry

Annalise Miller

Paula Morgan-Martin

Eric Sorrels willportray Alice’s loveinterest, Lt. Beverley,

in Alice of OldVincennes: A Musical.

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


CREATIVE COLLABORATION PRODUCES ORIGINAL

ALICE MUSIC AND LYRICS

By Bernie Schmitt

THE ORIGINAL MUSIC and lyrics for Aliceof Old Vincennes: A Musical are the result of anunlikely, yet wonderfully successful, collabora-tion between a Broadway composer and anIndiana poet.

Jay Kerr, a musical composer from New York,wrote the music and Laurel Smith, a poet anduniversity educator from Vincennes, wrote thelyrics for the songs that make up this modernmusical adaptation of Maurice Thompson’sclassic 1900 novel.

The two did not know one anotherwhen they were introduced by way of emailseveral years ago. Jim Spurrier, author of thebook adaptation of the Alice musical, had theconnection with Kerr.

“Before I met Jay, Jim had asked me about

doing lyrics and said that he had a potentialcomposer,” Smith said. “But we would have toagree to work together.”

For his part, Kerr was tentative. He lovesworking on projects and enjoyed writing music,but such a collaboration was heading into the

unknown.“This was very different for me,” Kerr said. “But

we decided to give it a try.”It happened that the two got along quite

well. Their first “writing” meeting in the spring of2005 worked out, and the writing for the Alice musical was underway. It was a combination ofworking together in person and long-distancecollaboration. Some of the music and lyricswere written in Vincennes, others at Kerr’s farmin New York.

The process of writing music that accom-panies a dramatic story has to evolve naturally,Smith said, and that is how it happened.

“Jim even did some editing of the text ofthe book to get some of the songs to fit in,”Smith said.

The collaborators did not follow a script,though the play’s author provided an outlineand had made suggestions with regard to whatwas needed. The two creative personalitiesmeshed, and it led to an enjoyable learning andworking experience.

“It was so energizing,” Smith says. “Jay andI are writing and laughing, and thinking andtrying different things, figuring out whatworked. It was a great experience.”

Kerr said that with every collaborative

relationship things are done differently, buteach wants their partner to like the process. Heand Smith worked back and forth in-person onsongs, and then there were some tunes that

were written separately, then put together later.But the relationship worked.

“We had a sense of each other,” Kerr said. “Wefound some songs amusing and we had theability to entertain ourselves. We could see eye-to-eye, but we each liked to win our conflicts.We speak the same language in different ways.”

Though the music and lyrics have beenwritten, and haven’t been altered, bringingthe musical to the stage is yet another

creative endeavor.“It’s a very organic process,” Smith said. “It’sexciting to bring this to yet another dimension.”

Kerr said the musical isn’t finished until it ispresented.

“This is new,” he said. “It’s an imperfectprocess and we won’t know what will happenin May. We have no video of the show andnothing to check to see if we’re doing it right.It is organic and can change as we rehearse. It’sconstant improvement.”

Smith is looking forward to the cast of Alicebringing the songs they’ve worked on to life.

“The theater is the most collaborative

endeavor ever,” she said. “If things go well it’sbecause of other people, not just because ofme. I’m excited to hear the songs on stage.”

Kerr will be in Vincennes to conduct theorchestra that will provide the music for the sixshows scheduled at the Red Skelton PerformingArt Center. Kerr will also teach a “Learning aBroadway Musical” workshop at the theater.

He hopes word of mouth will help fill all ofthe seats for Alice of Old Vincennes: A Musical . Heis happy with the show and his collaborationwith lyricist Smith.

“You could have a lot of creative, rationalpeople and things not work out,” he said. “It

can happen on Broadway. But we had just theopposite. It was easy for us to work together.We had chemistry. We had a very successfulcollaboration.”

Laurel Smith, lyricist, and JayKerr, composer, of Alice of Old

Vincennes: A Musical.

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the sonicboomer

If there is one thing older Baby Boomers like to

do, it is to remind younger Baby Boomers that

unless they saw the Beatles on The Ed SullivanShow, then they need to move to the back of the generational

bus. By Todd Lancaster

NOW, I AM the first to agree that from acultural and musical standpoint, the Beatlesare the most universally relevant to anyoneborn before 1965. I remember walking tograde school in 1970 and my friend tellingme how upset his older brother was aboutthe Beatles breaking up. However, to us,the Beatles were little more than the stars of

the acid-inspired cartoon Yellow Submarine. ruthfully, Magilla Gorilla was still moreiconic to the average 7- or 8-year-old.

However, this does not mean we juniorBoomers did not have our own complicatedrelationship with music — after all, I was aKISS fan.

Tere may be no band from the 1970sthat was more polarizing than the fourgrease-painted, 8-inch platform-shoe-wear-ing, New-York-bred superheroes, wholyrically and musically, were about as subtle asa rhino in heat. Te superpower they wieldedwas VOLUME.

For those unfamiliar with the band whosedecibel level was only exceeded by theirmarketing savvy, KISS was the existentialanswer to the pubescent questions, “Whoam I? Why am I here?” or more importantly,“Why do I throw up every time I try to speakto Hillary Fuchs in pre-algebra?” Tey were

custom built for anxiety-filled boys, wander-ing aimlessly through adolescence.

Each member of the band had an elab-orate, masked, costumed persona, allowingthem the ability to leave the ho-hum respon-sibilities of just being a groupie-mounting, Jack-Daniels-swilling, mid-level touring bandto the likes of Head East or Vanilla Fudge.

KISS was different; they were otherworldly.

Tey brought a fire-breathing, blood-spit-ting locomotive wreck to every Civic Centerand War Memorial Coliseum from Bangorto Bangladesh. When it was over, everyunder-sexed, hormone-fueled 14-year-oldknew they had gotten every cent of value outof their $7 ticket.

Tere was more than just being at a loudconcert; it was a shared event where one wasamongst his tribe. One could relate to factthat almost every lyric was somehow able tofind a way to rhyme “begging you please” and“get down on your knees.”

KISS stood up for those awkward earlyteens who knew that with a Les Paul andthree chords, they too could be a fire-breath-ing demon, starchild or spaceman (whichas we all knew was far superior to being aneighth grader and being pushed into the girls’

locker room).KISS understood that since we weren’t

spending ANY money on dates withcheerleaders, there was plenty of money tobe spend on KISS albums and not justalbums, but KISS transistor radios, -shirts,posters, comic books, belt buckles, hats,action figures and, most importantly, anofficial KISS makeup kit. Find me any manbetween 50 and 55, and I will show you aman who was dressed as a member of KISSat least one Halloween during the Carteradministration.

I remember experimenting with severalred substances that were combined to looklike the blood that bassist Gene Simmonsspit out during “God of Tunder.” Needlessto say, there were some very uncomfortableconversations with my mother on exactly whyketchup, red food coloring and honey foundtheir way into the upstairs bathroom on aregular basis. In hindsight, I believe she mighthave been pleased that was all I was using itfor.

I distinctly remember being an eighthgrader when the KISS comic book first cameout. KISS publicists said that four vials of theband members’ blood were poured into the

red ink. I walked about 4 miles to a bodega ineaneck, New Jersey, to buy it. Around thatsame time I also knew that I wanted to learnto play guitar. Our junior high music teacherdecided to teach us, but of the 15 cheapguitars he had in the class, only one had a redsunburst finish like Ace Frehley’s. I used tofind an excuse to leave Spanish two minutesearly every day so I could be first to get thatguitar.

By the time ninth grade rolled around, Ihad begun to outgrow KISS. Tey actuallyserved as a gateway drug into Led Zeppelin,

Jethro ull and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.I still find music to be one of the greatpleasures in my life and I guess I can thankGene, Paul, Ace and Peter for that to somedegree.

So I may have never seen John, PaulGeorge and Ringo on Ed Sullivan in 1964,but I sure as hell saw “KISS meets thePhantom of the Park” in 1978.

Todd Lancaster is a columnist and sports

writer. He can be reached at wthlancaster@

gmail.com

KISS: THE NEW YORK SUPERHEROES

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Boomer Toys,Trappings & Trivia

So who said girls don’t like baseball? This 9-year oldCarly Simon was more than happy to play a little catchwith her temporary housemate — Jackie Robinson.Carly’s father was the founder at Simon and Schusterpublishing, and was horrified that Robinson was deniedhome ownership, so he asked him and his family to movein with them.

So who is thisrespectable-lookingbike repairman?Why, it is none otherthan iconic guitarist

and counter-culturecomposer Frank Zappa.A very non-famous20-year-old composerappeared on The Steve Allen Show to teachSteve how to “play abike like an instrument”in 1963. Zappa latertook on Tipper Gore andCongress about musiccensorship in the ‘80s.

If you decided to drive to Woodstock, N.Y., to see thesite of the iconic festival, put a little extra gas in thetank, because it wasn’t held in Woodstock, but 42miles west in Bethel.

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By Bernie Schmitt

A CHALLENGE OF physical endurance willgreet 2016 RY Knox County athletes thissummer, during the 10th annual event on June 12.

Te Vincennes Parks and RecreationDepartment will host the triathlon event inwhich women, men, and children ages 13 andup, compete in swimming, running, and bikeriding. A duathlon, which is only runningand bike riding, is offered too.

Te approximate race distances for thetriathlon include a 200-meter swim, a 10-mile bike ride, and a 5K (3.5 mile) run. Teduathlon includes a 5K run, a 10-mile bikeride, and another 5K run. Tis year’s event

begins at 8 a.m. at Gregg Park in VincenneRY Knox County began as a Sisters

in Service project with the help of a LillyGrant administered by the Knox CountyCommunity Foundation, the organization

which has hosted the event prior to this yeaIts original purpose was to help improvethe health and lives of women, offering anevent that could help provide a sense ofachievement and empowerment, according Renee Richardville, who is helping to markthe event this year.

“It has changed over the years,” she said.“We now include men and children 13 andup. All sorts of people participate. We havepeople into their 70s taking part.”

RY Knox County continues to offer an

Competitors for the 2015 TRY Knox

County event gathered for a celebration

photo at Rainbow Beach in Vincennes. The 2016 TRY Knox County events will be

June 12 at Gregg Park.Photos provided

TRY Knox County:

EMPOWERINGpeople toCOMPETE & COMPLETE

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


empowering feeling for anyone who finishesthe event, but it may also serve as a challengefor those who want to compete. Others,Richardville says, compete with themselves.

“Tere is a very friendly feel to the event,”she said. “We have lots of volunteers whohelp, and the volunteers who are out thereencouraging the participants are reallyhelpful. When you hear them encourageyou when you’re tired, when they say, ‘You’re

doing great, keep it up,’ and things like that,you feel good and get a burst of energy fromthat to continue on to the finish.”

Tere are an estimated 150 peoplewho volunteer to help with the RYKnox County event. Last year there wereapproximately 200 people who

Team members at work during the

bicycling portion of the TRY in 2015.

444

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participated.“We were happy with that,” Richardville

said. “It’s an event that usually does prettywell. It’s been up and down, but most years I

think we’ve had close to that number. “Te RY draws participants from “allover,” Richardville said.

“We get people from Daviess County, fromthe Evansville area, and some from Illinois,”

she said. “We have several people from herewho live elsewhere, and they come back toVincennes to participate in this every year.”

Tis is Richardville’s eighth year to

participate in RY Knox County. She doesthe triathlon portion and has not missed ayear since she started.

“Once you do it, it’s kind of addicting,” shsaid. “I can’t see myself not doing it.”

Individuals and teams can compete in

running, bicycling, and swimming, like

this competitor in 2015.

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


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She learned about the event while taking classes at the YMCA.She said it seemed to be an encouraging group and the event wassomething that was new, different, and seemed like a lot of fun.

“It’s the thrill of the race, I think,” she said. “But I compete withmyself. It’s a lot of hard work. But it’s a good time, too.”

Registration for the event continues until June 1. Fees for entry

include $65 for individuals and $69 per person for teams. Womenor men can compete individually (ages 13 and up), and there canbe women, men, or co-ed teams.

Cash prizes of $150 to the male and female individual winnersand for teams will be awarded.

Te Vincennes YMCA and the City of Vincennes are partners

in the event.Information and registration forms can be found at www.

tryknoxcounty.org. Individuals or businesses who wish to help sponsor, or those

who wish to volunteer with RY Knox County can also findinformation on the RY web site.

Photos and other information is available on the RY KnoxCounty Facebook page. u

We now include menand children 13 and

up. All sorts of peopleparticipate.

- Renee Richardville

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day tripper

Family fun at the Merom Chautauqua FestivalIt’s an annual spring event that families across the

Wabash Valley look forward to, just as families didmore than 100 years ago. The Merom (Indiana)

Chautauqua began in 1905 and was modeled after the New

York State Chautauqua, an adult educational movement

that swept the country during the late 19th and early 20th

Centuries. By Joy Neighbors

THE MEROM CHAUTAUQUA was acircuit event that brought lecturers fromaround the U.S. to this tiny town as a wayof offering worldwideculture to rural

communities in theregion.

When Merom wasfounded in 1817, thisthriving river townof 6,000 acted as theSullivan County seat.By the mid-1800s,Merom was the mostimportant townlocated betweenVincennes and TerreHaute. Business wasbrisk, and Merom washome to a gristmilland sawmill, alongwith plenty of work

available along the river.Since the Wabash

River borders the western

side of the town, Merom was a natural stopfor river traffic including flatboats, which

hauled grain and livestock, and pleasureboats that carried people up and down theriver to other communities.

Merom was incorporated as a town in1866, but by then the Evansville and TerreHaute Railroad had caused a huge decreaseriver traffic. Slowly, the town lost its edge an

Above, the chicken and pork dinners at the

Merom Chautauqua Festival are well attended. The Merom tower, right, looks over the town

that is between Vincennes and Terre Haute.Photos by Joy Neighbors

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19/48BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 1

eventually it became isolated as townspeoplemoved away to more prosperous cities.

At the turn of the 20th Century, the quietvillage revived each summer during the 10days of the Merom ent Chautauqua whenMerom became a famous summer resort.By the summer of 1908, more than 47,500people were camped out, attending the 10-

day event, which included musical concerts,plays, debates revivals and lectures.

Local Hoosiers had the opportunity tohear famous speakers including politician andattorney William Jennings Bryan, known as themost popular American orator on the circuit.wo U.S. presidents, William H. aft andWarren Harding, were also featured speakersat Merom, along with athlete-turned-evangelistBilly Sunday who preached in a rousing “fireand brimstone” style.

Carrie Nation, one of the leaders of theProhibition movement, also lectured on theevils of drink to a spellbound audience onthe Merom Bluff.

Aviators would fly-over before landing theirmono and biplanes at the Chautauqua. Tesedaring pilots were always ready to sell rides tothe attendees and share their love of flying.

Te Merom Chautauqua continuedthrough 1929, but was discontinued due tothe Great Depression. It wasn’t until 1966that the festival started up again as a wayto offer the community and region morefamily-focused entertainment.

Tis year’s three-day celebration willbe held the first weekend of June and willinclude children’s games, contests, a parade,an antique car cruise-in, a talent show, aflea market, arts and crafts, and musicalentertainment with most of the events heldat Bluff Park.

Food is plentiful at the festival; the famouschicken and pork dinners are widely attended.A library book sale is also a staple of theweekend. (Merom is thought to be the small-est town in the U.S. with a Carnegie Library,financed by Andrew Carnegie in 1917.)

Visitors can also tour the MeromConference Center, which was once the site

of the Union Christian College, a liberal artsinstitute, from 1859 through 1924. Knownas College Hall, the structure was built inthe shape of a cross and completed duringthe Civil War. oday, the complex is a campand retreat center for the Indiana-KentuckyConference of the United Church of Christ.

Tese special Chautauqua buildingtours include a walk through the toweringstructure, and the opportunity to climb thewooden spiral staircase, crafted from localwalnut, that leads up to the cupola. But it isnot for the faint-of-heart. Tis is the highest

point in Merom, where visitors can see faracross Indiana and into our neighboringstate of Illinois.

Tis year, the Merom Bluff ChautauquaFestival will be held June 3, 4 and 5 inMerom, Indiana, about 35 miles northof Vincennes. Admission is $1 at thegate. Proceeds from the festival help fundimprovements for the town, and scholarshipsfor local students. In the past 20 years, morethan $360,000 has been put back into thistiny community with the “can do” spirit.

Saturday May 28

9 AM to 9PM

Sunday May 29

10 AM to 5PM

Saturday Battle times

2PM & 8PM

Sunday Battle times

12PM & 3:30PM

Candlelight tours of

Grouseland and the

Vincennes State

Historic Sites beginning

at 8PM Saturday.

For information visitspiritofvincennes.org

or call the Visitors &

Tourism Bureau at

800.886.6443

Visitors and Tourism Bureau

40TH ANNUAL

Spirit of Vincenne

RendezvousMEROM CHAUTAUQUA FESTIVAL

June 3, 4 and 5

Merom, Indiana (North on U.S. 41. and travel 20

miles. Turn west on IN-58 (between Oaktown

and Paxton) and follow 12 miles into Merom.

Admission $1 per person

Visitors tour the cupola at the Merom

Conference Center, from where one can

see across Indiana and into I llinois.

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016

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Remember back in 1962 when the famous singing trio of

Peter, Paul and Mary released their hit song “Where Have All the

Flowers Gone?” Part of the answer to that rhetorical question migh

be found this summer along both sides of Main Street between 12t

and First Streets in downtown Vincennes. By Dan Ravellette

ACCORDING TO DOUG Halter, amember of the Vincennes Central BusinessDistrict, Indiana’s First Main Street FlowerProject was conceived by Dan Osborne,owner of the former Something Special busi-ness which was then located in Main Street’s400 block. Halter explained that, afterdiscovering discarded materials in a buildingnear Main Street, Osborne modified metallight pole attachments into hanging flowerpot holders in 2008.

Additions and new ideas to create whatHalter terms as “a colorful downtown” havebeen growing ever since. Tis spring andsummer will also see Indiana’s Bicentennialtheme displayed with red, white and bluefloral creations.

Halter, his wife, Karen, the immediatefamily and even the extended family havecheerfully and enthusiastically embraced theMain Street decorative theme since movingthe Halter ree Service business to MainStreet in 2012.

For the past three years, the VCBD hasemployed the volunteer services of the Halterfamily with their desire to make Vincennesa more beautiful place to live. Teir commu-nity-minded spirit has guided them to planta variety of flowers, bushes and shrubberyalong Main Street, as well as on some sidestreets in downtown Vincennes. Te resultsof their tremendous efforts are immediatelyrecognized and enjoyed by thousands of localresidents, in addition to the thousands oftourists to the historic city.

Tis year’s placement of the 45 620-pound

concrete planters, the 66 hanging basketsand the 27 planter boxes won’t just happenovernight. It requires intensive research,planning and permission from the City ofVincennes for this — in Halter’s words, “coloshow” — to adorn the city streetscape.

The perfect bloom

Halter explains that choosing the propekind of flower for this undertaking is no eatask. Having grown up near and working

in the Halter’s Market flower business,owned by his aunt and uncle, Halter proudannounces that he received “an extensiveknowledge base when it comes to flowers”during his younger years. Te experienceand advice he obtained from his relatives inthe flower industry have proven to be whathe would need later in life to make Indiana’First Main Street Flower Project a successand to keep it growing every year.

Halter notes that there are several goodreasons that the flower of choice for liningboth sides of Main Street is the Dragon WingBegonia. His research has proven that thisbeautiful, hearty species is able to withstandthe sun’s direct rays and intense heat, poundinrains and even extremely strong winds. Tewind factor is important due to the unusualdrafting wind channels created by the tallbuildings that line both sides of Main Street.

Halter cites the fact that the DragonWing Begonia is “self-cleaning” as anotherreason they were chosen to escort shoppersand vehicles along the Main Street corridor

“Tey are very diversified,” said Halter.

Hanging baskets and concrete planters will be filled with lush flowers again soon.

Pictured here are the flowers that beautified downtown last year.Photos by Dan Rav

Halter family helps downtown

bloom with Indiana’s First

Main Street Flower Project

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


“Tey do well in sun or in shade.”His praise continued for the Dragon

Wing Begonia when he stated that theypossess “flower power with a burst of color.”

When it comes to keeping all theseflowers satisfied with just the proper amountof water, Halter said, “Even though we mighthave to rely on private donations or somefunding from the city to purchase the flowers,all the maintenance and all the watering is anall-volunteer base.”

o help reduce the necessity for frequentwatering, he said, “A lot depends on what youput into that container basket.” For example,the core of each hanging basket is lined withcoconut fibers to absorb and maintain thegreatest amount of moisture.

On a Monday or Friday evening, it isn’tuncommon to see Halter and his wife, Karen,making the Main Street trek from 12th

Street west to First Street with the goal ofproviding refreshing water to every plant.“It only takes about an hour and 45 min-

utes to water all the flowers,” Halter explained,and he said, “It’s good exercise, too.”

Te necessary watering is done by pullinga huge plastic tank full of fresh, cool wateron a trailer with a 300-foot hose attached.Tis allows easy movement from one side ofMain Street to the other and easy access to theplanters, baskets and pots.

New decór

wo new ideas have been added to theurban landscape this season. One is thatmore flowers are planned to be planted alongNorth First Street from Main to Broadway,

just past the Vincennes Riverfront Pavilion.Halter noted that flowers may be bloomingto the south of Main Street down to Vigo ifeverything goes according to plan. Te secondnew display, which actually was “tested” lastsummer, is the addition to Indiana’s FirstMain Street Flower project of older-model,vintage bicycles. Decked out with wire baskets

on both sides of the rear tires and over thefront wheel connected to the handlebars,these blasts from the past add a new uniquedimension to the area flower bed.

At the present time, there is one bicycle on

each side of each block anchored securely toa light pole with bright lights proudly shinion the flowers.

Another major advantage of a flowergarden on Main Street involves the combintion of some buildings which are in excellencondition and have been properly restored,but other structures that have been allowedto deteriorate over the years.

“Anytime you can put some consistent flowplantings that give a lot of color, it enhances thorestored buildings and it also distracts from theones that are debilitated,” Halter said.

“You’d be surprised at the number ofpeople who say, ’Hey, that looks great.” Haltesaid. He vividly recalls one elderly lady whogot out of her car and approached him whilehe and his wife were watering the flowers on

Friday evening. When he saw tears in hereyes, he at first thought something was wronTen she smiled at them and said, “Tank yoso much for what you’re doing. It really makeus look like a community that cares.”

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016

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a lifelong passion

Naturalist Terri King is spreading awareness ofour natural world

Naturalist Terri King at work in

Ouabache Trails Park.Facebook photo by Ange

By Bernie Schmitt

TERRI KING HAS always had a love and appreciation for nature.She now volunteers much of her time to sharing that with others.

“I’ve always been interested in nature,” she said. “When I was a little girl,I was always looking inside flowers. I would lay on the ground watchingants.”

Growing up on the edge of a new subdivision in northern Indiananear a woods helped, she said, along with parents who took theirchildren camping and hiking, and to nature programs and historic sites.

It was an education that took root, so to speak, and led to King’sunfailing dedication to teaching others about our natural world,especially children.

“Kids today do not get out enough into nature,” she said. “Tey don’tget out to just play freely. Tere are lots of different skills children learn,problem solving skills and working with others in doing that.”

All of her work, to this point, is volunteer. She can often be foundleading nature walks in Ouabache rails Park, clearing out invasive

plants from the park with other volunteers, or giving talks at schools,

local historic sites, or other venues. When she isn’t volunteering

she’s roaming her own woods near her rural Knox County home orgardening with her husband, Richard.

Educating the public

“Te main thing I do is to help people see how all of this is conneced,” she said, eyeing the tree-lined surroundings at Ouabache rails

Park. “People need to know how we’re connected to everything, and to

understand and appreciate things more.

“Everything you do, the choices you make, affects something else,”King said. “People need to know how this affects their environment. I

think if people see a connection with nature that will help.”

“

Everything you d

the choices you mak affects somethi else. I think if peop see a connection w nature, that will he

Terri King

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


Some of the beauty King helps others discover in the woods. From left: Squirrel Corn, Christmas fern fiddleheads; wild yellow violetsand wild blue violets.

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She and her volunteer friends are cur-rently working to restore the Lynn WisemanButterfly Garden at Ouabache rails, as theplants there help support wildlife, namelybutterflies. Years ago, before the area becamea park, Wiseman identified hundreds ofnatural wildflower species there.

“We try to represent Wiseman and thework he did with native plants,” King said.

“We received a small grant from the IndianaNative Plant and Wildflower Society(INPAWS) to help in the restoration. It willbe a very educational garden when it’s done.”

Ouabache rails has an “extremely richvariety and number” of wildflowers, Kingsaid, a treasure that she and others work to

preserve.She led one of a series of “Nature

Exploration Walks” in the Park on April 10, aprogram she started on her own in February.

“I don’t point things out, I try to get peopleto become aware and to be involved,” she said. “Ihelp them learn more about what they discover.”

She leads groups on the second Sundayof each month, in which she gets people to

look “more closely and more deeply” at nature,spotting subtle things one normally may notnotice during a stroll along the park’s trails.

“We are fortunate to have a public arealike this,” King said, of the 254-acre park. “Itis extra special and we need to thank thosewho had the foresight to create it.”

King also is instrumental in leading theInvasive Species ask Force that began in2012 at the park. At present, volunteers areworking to rid the park of winter creeper, afast-growing and aggressive vine-like plantthat is taking over a lot of areas in the park

“It’s hard work,” King said. “We pull somof it, especially when it climbs up trees. Wetry to cut the vine to keep it from producin

fruit (red berries). Tere is much more todo . We use a different strategy for it on theground, but we have to do this to save thewoods.”

Winter creeper (Euonymus fortunei), isranked high on the official Indiana InvasiveSpecies Council’s invasive plant list. 44

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016

24/48


If berries are formed from the vine growingon trees, they are then spread from falling tothe ground, and by birds and other wildlife.Such invasive species can choke the life from awoods, and forever hurt the natural wildflow-ers that are native to the area.

“Tere are no natural controls for invasivespecies,” King said. “Winter creeper isn’t theonly invasive plant out here, but it’s the worst.Tere is burning bush, Asian bush honey-suckle, multi-floral rose and others. I have tokeep an eye out for garlic mustard, one I didn’tknow about at first. Tey all hurt and competewith native plants.”

When she’s not spending time atOuabache rails Park, or keeping an eye onnature in her own woods at home, King isgiving nature talks to schools and engagingin some writing to help bring about more

awareness of nature.In education and awareness, King is espe-

cially focused on youth, because from her ownexperience she understands how importantthe outdoors is in developing an appreciationfor the natural world. Whether or not today’schildren are getting more experience in thisarea is somewhat mixed.

“In some ways, it is poor and in someways it is better,” King said. “Tere are somenice moments in the awareness of childrenknowing about and being in nature. Moreparents are making an effort in that area. Ihope more schools can be doing that, too.”

King advocates more recess time forchildren, as well as more school gardens,outdoor classrooms, and more.

“If we can catch them early we can havea positive influence on the future,” she said.

“Tey are our future conservationists whowill take care of our environment. Tey havto have an appreciation and understandingit, along with experience in it.”

Adults are a different challenge, she saidbut she is seeing more people coming out toOuabache rails Park for walks.

“A nice walk in the woods can help cool

Terri King strolls along a trail at Ouabache Trails Park.Photo by Bernie Schmitt

j Persons interestedin volunteering to clear

invasive species at Ouabache

Trails Park, check the park’s

Facebook page for dates and

times, or send an email [email protected]. For

more of King’s work see her

Facebook page or her blogs

at http://cottonwoodpond.

blogspot.com/ or http://

terriofthetrails.blogspot.com/

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


Adams-Meyer, INC.

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Vincennes, IN

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down, helps us get perspective,” she said. “I see a lot of people doing that,

and I see people bring their children, too, and that’s a good sign.”

King also remains involved in the Natural Gardener’s Club of

Vincennes, which grew out of organic gardening classes she taught for

the Knox County Public Library. She became a certified organic gardener

after taking a Grow Organic Education Series in Bloomington. She’s taken

other classes and participated in other natural series, too, adding to her

educational background.

After earning an associate’s degree in Earth science, King went on to

get a bachelor’s degree in elementary science education. But her love of

nature drew her back to school for a second bachelor’s degree at IndianaUniversity, where she was able to

design her individual major that

catered to her love of nature.

“I studied the Griffey Lake area, near Bloomington,” she said. “I learned

about the geology of the lake, designed a nature center and educational

complex, and designed a trail system. I did anything that would apply to

bringing about education and awareness of the area.”

Teaching through social media

King often posts photographs and information on Facebook, and has

two or three blogs that she works on now and again, though a couple

of them haven’t been updated as frequently as she would like. HerCottonwood Pond blog, is a study of a small pond that developed where a

cottonwood tree had fallen in the woods near her home.

“I keep track of what lives there and the changes that occur,” she said.

“Tere is always something different going on.”

When she isn’t volunteering, walking in the woods, or writing about

nature, she’s reading about it. She enjoys gardening, especially in the spring

and fall (when it’s cooler), and she and her husband often have nature’s

bounty at their dinner table.

But King’s mission remains to help spread awareness about the beauty

of nature and how we are all connected to our environment.

“Tat’s the number one thing I try to accomplish,” she said. u

Terri King caring for gardens at the Indiana State

Historic Sites.Photo by Bernie Schmitt

Virginia

Bluebells

found at

Ouabache

Trails Park.Photo by Terri King

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016

26/48


yeah, I’m aboomer, but...

At Home with Ernie Pylefocuses on IndianaHe’s nearly forgotten these days, but Ernest Taylor

Pyle, the journalist whose World War II reporting of thgeneral infantryman made him famous, is a Hoosier worth noting during

Indiana’s bicentennial. By Bernie Schmitt

ERNIE PYLE, AS his byline read, isn’t inthe annals of noteworthy literary masters.In fact, Pyle’s work is sometimes criticizedfor its simplicity. What books he publishedwere not complex, lengthy tomes; they werecollections of his columns, a short-form ofwriting that demanded simplicity and clarity.

It is Pyle’s mastery of the everydaylanguage that made him so adept at under-

standing his subjects, especially his fellowHoosiers. Te latest published volume ofPyle’s work, At Home with Ernie Pyle, out thisyear, celebrates the author’s Indiana roots andcontains his observations and reflections onthe state and its people.

Owen V. Johnson, retired journalismprofessor at Indiana University, has compiledthis first-ever collection that focuses only onIndiana, writing in its introduction how Pylelearned over the course of his career to “useordinary language with authority.

“It was deceptively simple, yet powerful,” Johnson writes.

I have often written about Pyle. After all,he is a namesake for many Indiana journal-ists, especially those who come from smalltowns. Moreover, we community journalistslike to think that we, too, know our fellowHoosiers well and that we can tell theirstories with plain and simple language, too.Whether we can create prose as powerfulas Pyle’s, however, is up for our readers todetermine.

Tey would have to know Pyle’s work.At Home with Ernie Pyle is a good way formodern Hoosiers to get a glimpse of themid-20th Century, most of it written before,

and some during, the catastrophic war thatultimately claimed Pyle’s life. His ability toconnect to the average G.I., the soldier onthe ground, and his careful way of sharingthe raw reality of boredom, fear and deathendeared Pyle to the American public.

Make no mistake, this Indiana collectionof Ernie Pyle’s writing isn’t a comprehensiveexamination of the state or its cities andtowns. He wrote a lot of folksy pieces abouthis hometown of Dana, located just northof erre Haute in Vermillion County. Hewrote about returning to his college town ofBloomington. He had a steak dinner with

Indiana University president Herman Wellin 1940. He wrote a few columns fromEvansville, and he looked into coal mining iPike County.

He must have never visited Vincennes,for there are no observations of our town’shistoric sites or its legacy as one of the oldecommunities in Indiana. He heard lots ofstories, though, and the only mention ofVincennes is an anecdote about a fellow “fro

down around Vincennes” who left Indianafor a grapefruit ranch in exas, and how thefellow returned to talk of his good fortunewith little effort, and how work is “just amoney-making scheme.”

Pyle heard lots of stories. During his timas a roving correspondent during the 1930s— he was the “Hoosier Vagabond” — andthroughout his time as a war correspondenthe writer from Indiana seemed to alwaysfind a connection to people. He wrote asthings were, then, and put the facts up fronwhere we could see them. His work todaygives modern-day Hoosiers the flavor of a

time long since passed.I was struck by one of Pyle’s earliest

columns, written while he was a student onthe campus of IU in Bloomington in 1922.itled “It’s in the Air,” it is a unabashed andwistful discussion about how there is “noplace in the world like Indiana.” He describewhat alumni likely think about with regardtheir alma mater:

“Tey are thinking of spring days whenthe campus is bursting with fragrance,vivid with the color of blossoms and newleaves, and when the moon is bright — itis undeniable that spring is nowhere in the

world as it is at Indiana ... ”“ ... Tey are thinking about hundreds

of wholesome, pleasant people, who weretheir friends. Tey are thinking somethingabout Indiana which none of them could evexpress in words.”

It seems that Ernie Pyle was able to dothat and much more.

A freelance writer and photographer, Berni

Schmitt also is an assistant professor of

English at Vincennes University. He lives wit

his wife, Nancy, and family in Vincennes.

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016

27/48BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 2

MAY - JUNE 2016MAY 25

Annual Rendezvous PhotoContestRegistration begins May 25. Competitionbegins May 27 and concludes May 28.Each photographer is allowed to enter upto five digital photos capturing the spiritof this living history event. To register andfor more information, call GRC NHP at 812-882-1776, Ext. 207.

MAY 20

Old French House Transfer

and CelebrationVincennes. Special public program willrecognize and celebrate the transfer of theOld French House from the Old NorthwestCorporation to the Vincennes State HistoricSites of the Indiana State Museum. Openhouse will include presentations on theFrench history, as well as food and musicof Vincennes’ past. Annual programs andfuture plans for the Old French House willbe displayed. Donations will be accepted.For more information, call the VincennesState Historic Sites at 812-882-7422.

MAY 21-211

Knox County Relay for LifeLincoln High School, 1545 S. Hart St. Road.

MAY 23

“Vincennes in 1916,”PowerPoint PresentationKnox County Public Library, 7 p.m. A statebicentennial program to look back 100years ago. The presentation will focus notonly on how Vincennes celebrated the

centennial (with a big out-door pageant),but also other local happenings fromthat year. Free and open to the public. Formore information, call the library at 812-886-4380.

MAY 28-29

“Spirit of VincennesRendezvous,” a living historyeventFrench Commons, Vincennes. Take a stepback in time and surround yourself with

the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of

the American Revolutionary War periodduring the Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous

held at the French Commons (acres of free

parking). Saturday hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Authentic

food prepared over open fires and browse

through merchant tents that offer goods

relative to the time period. Battle re-

enactments, period music, jugglers, fire

eaters, storytellers, oxen demonstrations

and more. Battles on Saturday at 1 p.m.

and 4 p.m. and on Sunday noon and

3:30 p.m. For more information, call

800-886-6443 or email information@

spiritofvincennes.org

MAY 28

Candlelight Tours andRendezvous Grand BallVincennes State Historic Sites and

Grouseland, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., tours in

conjunction with the Spirit of Vincennes

Rendezous. Also the Rendezvous Grand

Ball will be held on the grounds of the

Territory Capitol of the Vincennes State

Historic Sites beginning at 8:30 p.m. Bothsites will be open for regular tours at

10 a.m., with candlelight tours and the

Grand Ball beginning at dusk. This event

has been made free to the public with

support from City of Vincennes Tourism

Committee. For more information, call

812-882-7422.

MAY 27-29 AND JUNE 3-5

“Alice of Old Vincennes,” amusical

Red Skelton Performing Arts Center,Vincennes University Campus. Tickets

are $25 a person and special pricing is

available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets

may be purchased at the Box Office 812-

888-4039).

JUNE 3

“Spring on Main,” an after-hours eventDowntown Vincennes, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

During the monthly “First Friday” Art Walk,

enjoy music, food vendors, beer and win

in good company.

JUNE 11

“Heap of Jeeps” Vehicle RallyFrench Commons, Vincennes, Second an

Willow streets, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Yochum

Auto and the Knox County Chamber

of Commerce are hosting this event.

Registration to enter your Jeep begins at

8 a.m. and the event will be held from 10

a.m. to 9 p.m. Live music, a beer garden,

food vendors, bounce houses and a corn

hole tournament. For more information,

call 812-882-6440 or visit http://

knoxcountychamber.com/

JUNE 1210th Annual “TRY,” Sprint,Triathlon and DuathlonGregg Park, Vincennes, 2204 Washington

Ave., 8 a.m., hosted by the Vincennes City

Parks and Recreation Department. For

more information on the event please vi

http://www.tryknoxcounty.org/.

JUNE 16-18 AND JUNE 23-25

Summer Musical (a familyprogram)Old Town Players Theatre, 423 Broadway

St., Vincennes, 7 p.m. on Friday and 3

p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more

information contact 812.882.1639 or visit

http://oldtownplayers.org/.

JUNE 17

The Texas Tenors8 p.m. Call the VU Alumni Office for ticke

information at 812-888-4354.

JUNE 18-19

2016 Summer Junior RangerSeries11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Prizes awarded for participation.

JUNE 24-26

Good Old Oaken DaysOaktown, Old-fashioned fun, including

carnival rides and a pie throwing

contest! For more information, e-mail

[email protected]

calendar

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IN A FASTPACED business, like that ofrunning a restaurant, it’s almost impossiblefor an owner to make time to be so person-able with his guests. But that sense of thepersonal is one of the things the patronsenjoy the most about visiting Procopio’s.It’s also one of the strongest reasons thatafter over a decade of doing business inVincennes, Procopio has been so successful,now to the point of having completed an

expansion and move into a new location.

As Procopio, now in his mid-40s,

recounted the tale of how he brought thecooking of his Sicilian heritage to a small

town in the Midwest, he gave some of thedetails with somber recollection and others

with a joviality known only to those whohave tasted success.

It was 11 years ago that Procopio firstmoved his restaurant to Vincennes after a

divorce left him without a business partner,or for that matter, a business to run. He andhis ex-wife had opened up a restaurant inLawrenceville, Illinois, and though it wassuccessful, life changes forced him to leave

it behind. Wanting to remain close to hisson, who was still very young at the time ofthe divorce, Procopio decided to open hisown restaurant across the Wabash River inVincennes.

After leaving Lawrenceville, Procopio seup shop in a small building on Sixth Street

“Tat first couple of years was tough,”he said in a Sicilian accent. “We constantlywondered, ‘Are we going to make it?’ Butevery day we stayed positive and we keptworking at it.

“I counted every dollar back then. I stilldo, but we kept working and plugging awayOnce we reached five years, we felt we hadbecome a bit more stable.”

His traditional Sicilian cooking foundan audience and after six years, he stoppedwondering whether Procopio’s would fold.But as the crowds grew, the space on Sixth,while adequate for the time, was quicklyproving to be a restraint on the demand forhis cooking. On weekends, the line for a tabwas out the door and people were being tolwait times would be close to an hour. With

no waiting area, people were being turnedaway. Sometime around the 10th anniversaof the Sixth Street location, Procopio madeup his mind to move his business again, thitime into a larger space.

Finding a new home

After looking through about six buildingProcopio found a 120-year-old building atthe corner of Second and Broadway streetsthat seemed like it would be just aboutperfect — that is, after serious repairs and

On any given night at Procopio’s Italian restaurant, on Second Street, in Vincennes,

patrons will undoubtedly receive a little touch of something they won’t getanywhere else in town. The proprietor, Procopio Palazzolo, loves to take breaks

from his time in the kitchen to walk around his establishment, visiting with each table to

make sure that everyone is enjoying their time there. By Rama Sobhani

The expansion of PROCOPIO’S RESTAURANT

Kristen Maeder and Procopio Palazzolo stand in front of the wine bar at the new

Procopio’s restaurant location. Inset, the new exterior.Photos by Rama Sobhani

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


renovations. Somewhere during the courseof its long history, the building had been thelocation of several bars. Most recently it waswhere Red’s Pub once stood. But even thatwas quite some time ago and the building satunused for quite some time, falling into decay.Procopio said there were a few moments afterseeing the condition of the building that hehad second thoughts about the whole thing.

“Te building was so bad. Tere were bigholes in the floor and the second story wasabout to collapse onto the first. We had toplace several steel beams to hold it up,” hesaid. “I had a few moments when I thought,‘My god, it’s a money pit.’”

But Procopio and his business partner, andbetter half, Kristen Maeder, had resolved to

turn the decrepit building into a well-groomedplace for the community to gather. Alongthe way, every community organizationand governmental body with which he hadto cross paths to get the project going gaveProcopio their blessing. Te RedevelopmentCommission, the Chamber of 444

Procopio stirs a pot of sauce in the

kitchen at his restaurant.

Rita Greene

812-881-9143

Beth Chattin

812-887-5778

Mary Clayton

812-881-7107Rich Chattin

812-291-0670

Robin Montgomery

812-881-7509

Cindy Moore

812-887-0745

Stacey Foster

812-887-2612

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Commerce and the UrbEnterprise Association,which loaned $20,000to Procopio toward therenovation, all voicedsupport.

Te result is now amuch larger restaurantthat includes a largedining room, a wine ba

and an overflow/privatbanquet room. Te newdoors opened in Januarand both Procopio andKristen say the responshas been better than thcould have imagined.

“Everybody loves it,”Procopio said. “At first, I heard from somepeople, ‘Why do you want to do this? Youhave one of the best locations in the city onSixth Street.’ But now we hear things like,‘Wow, it feels like we’re in a big-city restau-

rant, like in Indy or Chicago.”Since the new location is in downtown

Vincennes, Procopio and Kristen say theyfeel invested in the health and revitalizationof the area. Kristen points to things like therenovation of the Second Street corridor,eventual plans for a riverwalk and ongoingrenovations of loft apartments on the uppe

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The dining overflow and private banquet room at the new Procopio’s location at

Second and Broadway streets. Inset, a picture of before the renovation hangs inside the

banquet room.

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BOOMER z MAY 2016

Now we hear things like,

‘Wow, it feels like we’re in a

big-city restaurant, like in Indy

or Chicago.”

- Procopio Palazzolo

floors of many of the historic buildings thereas things that can only be good for all of thedowntown businesses in the long run.

“You have to have a vision and look pastthe dirt and all of the things that we rippedout of here,” Kristen said.

Now that Procopio’s son, Alfonso, isolder and about to head out to college,Procopio said he’s feeling a bit more at easeabout a few things, at least. Te size of hisbusiness, he said, is just perfect now. He

worries that ambition could lead to gettingtoo big and losing that personal touch withhis customers that have built him such asolid foundation.

Still, Procopio does have want to expandon a few things. He’s started wine tastings at

Procopio’s and hopes to do them regularly.He’s also toying with the idea of adding agrill in the kitchen to expand the menu toinclude things like steak. In the warm months,he hopes to plan a sort of mini street fair inconjunction with other downtown businesses,closing off Broadway Street to put out moretables and perhaps have some live music.

Te accepted industry lore is that ifa restaurant makes it past two years inoperation, the chances it will succeed increase

greatly. Procopio and Kristen have proventheir model works. When asked whetherProcopio’s will still be open in 50 years, theproprietor could only guess.

“I hope so. We’ll see how it goes fromhere,” he said. u

Procopio’s employee Shana Newland slices lemons in the kitchen at Procopio’s.

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the dirt on gardening

Growing money and lanternsYou’ve no doubt heard the expression “Money

doesn’t grow on trees” and that would be true.But it does grow on a plant. By Tom Yoder

A MONEY PLANT, dollar plant or silverdollar plant, is what one such plant is oftencalled because of its resemblance to a silverdollar. This particular plant is also known as“Honesty.”

I remember this plant from my childhoodas another of those things my mother grew.It was likely a plant more popular in “theolden days” because I’ve heard little of it fora few decades. Maybe I’ve just been out of

the loop, so to speak. I know it’s still grownbecause florists use it quite regularly asadditions to floral arrangements. However, Inormally see it in a dried arrangement. Teyadd a bit of quirkiness and an airiness to anarrangement because you can literally seeright through the seedpods depending onthe light.

Tis plant’s botanical name is Lunariaand it hails from Europe. It is a member of

the Brassicaceae, or mustard, family, whichis evident in its foliage. Its mature heightis about 2 feet with round leaves that arecoarsely toothed. Te flower produced bythis plant is a four-petaled pink to purpleblossom in clusters atop tall stems. Onecan benefit from this plant in two ways. Itblossoms in late spring to early summerand produces handsome seedpods in latesummer.

While most are probably not suited ina formal garden setting, they are quite athome in a cottage garden because they willmore than likely be there forever and popup where you’d least expect because theseed pods will float in the wind like a kiteand germinate where they fall as they aren’t

particular about soil quality. Some expertsterm them weeds, but to the novice or

typical gardener, they are not that difficult pull if one doesn’t like where they pop up.

If you have children or grandchildren,they will enjoy experimenting with adollar plant because it’s easy to plant andrequires little care in keeping and watchingthem grow. Tese plants won’t notice amissed watering or fertilizing because they

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Grow “money” with your children or

grandchildren. Lunaria, or dollar plant, is

easy to grow and requires little care.Photos provided

The Chinese Lantern has a deep orang

bloom that can be used side by side in

dried arrangements.

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33/48BOOMER z MAY 2016 | 3

will flourish without. Tey will benefit ifregularly watered, but not to the point ofsoggy ground.

So, as you now know, it is possible togrow your own money, just not the spend-able kind.

Another fun and quirky plant is theChinese Lantern. Along with the dollarplant, the two can be used side-by-side indried arrangements. Te Chinese Lanternproduces lantern-shaped blooms hangingfrom slender stems that resemble a paperChinese lantern in Chinese culture. Itscoloring is a deep orange, contrasting wellwith the silver/white of a dollar plant.

Te Chinese Lantern is about the sameheight as the dollar plant, making them

a natural as growing partners. While theChinese Lantern is considered a perennial,blooming in late spring and early summer, itscounterpart is a biennial, blooming also inlate spring and early summer.

Tom Yoder is a Master Gardener. He can be

reached by e-mail at [email protected].

GARDENING POINTERS FOR NOVICES

People have many reasons for

growing gardens, and some of the

most popular gardens are plotsdesignated for cultivating herbs and

vegetables. Fresh produce at the

ready is a great benefit of having

a home garden, which also allows

homeowners to exercise full control

over which products to use to grow

robust, healthy vegetables.

Novice gardeners may not know

where to begin when it comes to

planting their first vegetable gardens,

and such gardeners can benefit by

starting small. You may want to begin

by growing plants in containers so

they are more manageable and can

be moved as you discover which

areas of your property provide the

best growing conditions.

Begin with one or two types of

vegetables. Tomatoes, cucumbers and

certain squashes are popular starter

plants, as they are relatively hardy.Select only a few plants so you are not

overwhelmed with the level of care

required to maintain your garden.

Some gardeners prefer to start

plants from seeds, but this will require

more time and a greater commitment

with regard to maintenance and

planting. When just starting out,

experiment with small plants that are

established and already have a good

root system.

Consult with your local gardeningcenter for more suggestions, such as

which soil amendments to use. Plants

may require a certain soil pH that can

be adjusted for optimal plant growth.

Courtesy of MCC

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016

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Paying bills and keeping track of expenses is second nature to adults. Children, however,aren’t born with inherent check-balancing or job-seeking skills and have to pick thosethings up along the way to adulthood. It’s uncommon these days to find those thingsas part of a regular school curriculum, so that’s why volunteers with the Junior Achievement

program have found the classes and workshops they conduct, which teach those and other life

skills to school-aged children, so valuable. By Rama Sobhani

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, OR JA, as it’s affectionately known, is a

curriculum of programs that cover topics like basic financial literacy,

economics, entrepreneurship and job-seeking skills and its ultimate

aim is to help those who go through the program be better prepared

to become productive people, create wealth and keep that wealth, once

they’ve made it.

According to its website, JA is the world’s largest organization dedi-

cated to teaching youngsters those skills and boasts 213,000 volunteers

dedicated to its programs. Te U.S. branch of Junior Achievement

celebrated its 50th year in 2015. Te materials and promotion of the

program are paid for by grants, mostly local ones from area businesse

and foundations, and donations. Every year, a fundraiser, the Bowl-A-

Ton is held to help raise money. Tis year it was held in early March

Locally, Junior Achievement has been taught in several area school

but mostly and originally at South Knox Elementary and Middle-Hi

schools. Volunteers Becky Boberg and South Knox teacher, C.J. Carie

North Knox students doing a JA activity.Photos courtesy of Abby M

ECONOMICS 101Teachers,

volunteersbring JuniorAchievement to Knox Countyclassrooms

8/17/2019 May Boomer 2016


Leave a Legacy today... For your children

For your grandchildren

For your community

For all of those you love.

Contact the Knox County CommunityFoundation today to learn more about

how you can leave a legacy. The Knox County Community FoundationFor Good. Forever. For Knox County.

20 N. 3rd St., Suite 301 • Vincennes • www.knoxcountyfoundation.org • Ph: 812-886-0093 • Fax: 812-886-0133

have both been involved with JA going backquite a long way. Carie has hosted JA in hisclasses since the beginning of his career asa teacher 21 years ago and Boberg, now amember of the local JA board ofdirectors, as well as a volunteerconductor, went through theprogram as an adolescent.

Originally, JA was started asan after-school program to teachchildren about entrepreneurship.

Students would be tasked withstarting a business from scratch,creating a product and then sellingit, with the profits from actualsales going back into the program.Boberg said when she wentthrough the program as a student,her class made birdhouses.

“JA was notorious for thebirdhouses,” she said in jest. “Wesold them to our neighbors, ourfamilies. We each ended up sellingabout two or three apiece.”

he original JA program madequite an impression on a youngBoberg and she has remained involvedwith it for many years now, picking up onthe other side of it as an adult, teachingthe curricula and serving on its board.

Last semester, Boberg taught a JA class atSouth Knox Middle-High School and waspart of the new JA in a Day program atNorth Knox High School, where students

do an entire JA curriculum in one day,with a different instructor for each newsection. It’s a grueling, but challenging andenjoyable experience, even for the students,

Boberg said.“(Te students) are not with the same

person all day, the teachers rotate stationsand by the end of the day, we’re mentally

drained,” she said. “We find outwhat the teachers go through intheir regular work and they do gothrough a lot.”

JA has been a fixture at theSouth Knox schools longer thanany other area schools. Because

official records were never kept, itimpossible to know exactly howlong, but C.J. Carie brought theprogram into his classes from hisfirst year as a teacher.

“For me, it was something Iknew I wanted to continue to dowhen I started the teaching job. Ita great opportunity to get the community involved in the schools,” hsaid. “I’ve been blessed the 20 yeaI’ve been doing it to have had a loof great volunteers.”

One of the aspects that makethe program so effective and

enjoyable for students is that many of thevolunteer instructors come from walksof life that are particularly relevant to thesubject matter. Particularly, 44

Don’t preach to thekids; relate to them as aperson. They love to hearstuff that happened to youwhen you screwed up. Theylove to hear that it’s OK toscrew up. They love some-one who’s real.

- Becky Boberg

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volunteers from the financial sector often havereal-world knowledge and advice that studentsfind worth paying attention to.

“I think it shows the kids the real world andyou have people from the real world showingthe kids these ideas,” Carie said. “In doing thisfor 21 years, I have former students who arenow volunteers teaching JA, so it’s nice to seethat par

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May Boomer 2016