Promoting the arts
Thumbs up to the volunteers who helped staff this summer’s art camp at Southern Indiana Center for the Arts in Seymour. More than 50 local children participated in the camp, designed to give kids an art experience during their summer break.
Partnering for pleasure
Thumbs up to Racin’ Mason Pizza and Fun Zone in Seymour, which recently partnered with The Arc of Jackson County to provide special needs kids and adults with two hours of fun, including playing arcade games, miniature golf or laser tag, jumping in bouncy houses and riding in bumper cars at no cost. The event gave special needs families and caregivers a safe environment that wasn’t overwhelming or overstimulating, said Melanie O’Neal, planning coordinator for The Arc.
Rock’n Ready for school
Thumbs up to everyone who has donated or plans to donate to Jackson County United Way’s eighth Rock’n Ready school supply drive. The program provides free basic school supplies for students who will be in kindergarten through 12th grade this fall at a Jackson County school. Last year, the program served more than 1,100 students. There is still time to donate, and a full list of needed supplies can be found on the JCUW website, jacsy.org.
A related thumbs up to The Helping Hearts, which has partnered with Jackson County United Way for the first Rock’n Ready school supply drive in Crothersville. The Helping Hearts is a communitywide project to help Crothersville students with items needed for school.
Also a related thumbs up goes to Jenna Martinez, owner of The Magic of Books Bookstore in Seymour. She has started a new fundraiser called Sponsor a Teacher to help ensure teachers have all of the supplies they need when school begins later this summer.
Perseverance pays off
Thumbs up to the hundreds of youth in Jackson County who have spent weeks and months completing their 4-H projects and their adult leaders. All of that hard work will pay off this coming week during the Jackson County Fair, which begins Sunday and ends July 31. A related thumbs up to all of the volunteers from the churches, clubs and other organizations who have been busy making sure this year’s fair is as special of all of those in the past.
Pleasing pets
Thumbs up to those who recently brought their dogs, many dressed special for the occasion, for a recent dog parade at Hoosier Christian Village in Brownstown. The event gave residents of the senior living facility a change to interact with the dogs and even slip them a treat.
Flooded
Thumbs down to motorists who drive into floodwaters. Police and other emergency workers spent countless hours during and after heavy rains last weekend rescuing motorists stuck in floodwaters. The East Fork White River and the Vernon Fork of the Muscatatuck River flood as many as half a dozen times or more a year, and the constant water rescues take emergency personnel away from other duties. So it should come as no surprise to anyone when rain falls as fast as it did, water is going to cover roads quickly in low-lying areas of the county.