National champions
Thumbs-up to the St. John’s Sauers Lutheran School eighth-grade girls basketball team for winning the Lutheran Basketball Association of America’s National Championship this past weekend. Members of that team are Kate Connell, Emma Klinge, Maggie Connell, Ellen Zabor, Avery Koch, Katelyn Schepman, Sydney Jaynes, Emma Schepman and Katherine Benter. The squad is coached by Craig Klinge, Greg Zabor and Mary Ellen Jaynes. The school also won the title in 2001.
Upgraded
Thumbs-up to all of the parents and others who spent hours helping improve the Brownstown Central High School softball and baseball diamonds and those who contributed time to similar projects at Seymour, Crothersville and Trinity Lutheran high schools. A related thumbs-up to the companies who donated materials for those projects.
High-achieving
Thumbs-up to Seymour natives Grant Hubbard and Cody Campbell, who have been selected for membership in the prestigious Orr Fellowship. The two-year program seeks to develop Indiana’s next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs. Named for the late Indiana Gov. Robert D. Orr, the fellowship pairs high-achieving college graduates with some of Indiana’s most dynamic, high-growth companies for two-year tenures of executive-level mentorship, networking, job skill development and professional growth.
Feeding a need
Thumbs-up to the members of the National Honor Society at Crothersville High School for establishing a backpack program to provide food to nearly 30 students once they leave school.
A helping hand
Thumbs-up to the people who turned out to raise more than $27,000 for the Jackson County jailer who recently was diagnosed with cancer.
Fun-raising
Thumbs-up to everyone involved in the effort to raise the estimated $200,000 needed for the construction of a dog shelter for strays near the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown. A recent raffle for a $9,999 utility task vehicle donated by Seymour Powersports and Equipment raised $11,374, and nearly $13,000 was raised by the second Fur Ball, bringing the fundraising total to $94,600. That means the effort is nearing the halfway point.