Lawrence County Positive Impact
Together We Are Making
a Positive Impact in our Communities
Bedford Lions Club
The Bedford Lions Club started a ramp building program in 1989. Since then, true to the Lions motto “We Serve,” they have built over 300 ramps for elderly and disabled residents of Lawrence County. Many of these residents are on a fixed income and unable to afford the full cost of a ramp. Over the years, the Lions Club has applied for and received grants from the Margie Marie Pennington Fund to help cover the cost of the ramps for those who needed the help. The ramps have been essential for enabling these individuals to come and go from their home and in many instances remain living in their home.
Maggie Hamilton, pictured on the right, with Andrea Auf der Heyde who was the first Teacher on the Trail.
Iditarod Teacher on the Trail
In 2018, Maggie Hamilton, a Burris Elementary School Teacher, was awarded a $170 Classroom Grant for educational materials relating to the Iditarod. The program was designed to expand the students’ knowledge of Alaskan geography and history as well as the rules and regulations of the race. They had live access to a Teacher on the Trail and the GPS trackers of the dogs and mushers. Maggie utilized the program to include the whole school and she has continued the program every year since. This year as we dropped off a new Classroom Grant for Maggie, she tearfully shared how profoundly the 2018 grant has impacted her life. This year, Maggie will be the official Iditarod Teacher on the Trail providing educational material about the race. It’s amazing what can come from a $170 grant and an innovative and enthusiastic teacher.
Mitchell High School
With funds from a 2023 Classroom Grant, the Freshman class experienced a year-long, multi-disciplinary program incorporating English, Algebra, Biology, World History, and Construction Trades. Classroom lessons were enhanced with a hands-on project in which the students refreshed and expanded the school’s pollinator garden. The students applied Biology skills to learn about the environmental importance of pollinator gardens and cultivating native plants, researched the requirements to become a designated Monarch Butterfly Way Station, and planned an expansion to meet these requirements. The Construction Trades students built planters to house the high-nectar annuals and biennuals needed for the Monarch Way Station. Student developed their Algebra skills using functions to create Earth Day key chains, signs, and graphs. In World History they explored what other communities and cultures are doing regarding the environment and the laws and taxes that can affect these efforts. Students also wrote poetry about nature. They used multiple disciplines to create QR signs throughout the garden that provided information about the nearby plants. The project culminated with the area being officially designated a Monarch Way Station and students sharing what they learned with the community at an Earth Day Celebration. Those who attended were able to take home upcycled products made by the students to encourage them to apply these same practices at home.
Avoca Park
One component of Lilly Endowment Inc. GIFT VII was a Leadership Project. The first phase of the Leadership Project was to research the strengths and needs of our community. With the assistance of E-Solve Consulting, LCCF held community meetings and surveyed the community to get input on what community members liked about our community and where they thought it could be improved. From the information collected, recreational opportunities emerged as a need in our community.
Marshall Township in particular had a strong need for a community park. LCCF partnered with the Trustee and the Avoca Park Board to enhance the park at the former Avoca Fish Hatchery. For nearly 100 years a 40-acre tact of land in Marshall Township served as a DNR fish hatchery. In 2013, DNR decided to phase out and decommission the hatchery and deed the land to Marshall Township. The Township assessed the state of the park, considered its potential, and developed a plan. LCCF worked with the park to prioritize their plans and awarded a $124,500 grant to expand the playground and provide handicap accessible restrooms.
What a difference these enhancements have made. The park is quickly becoming a vital part of the community.
Raptors Rise
Rehabilitation Center
Raptors Rise Rehabilitation Center has three main goals: rehabilitation, conservation, and education. LCCF awarded an Impact Grant to Raptors Rise to help fund their Screech Owl Nesting Box workshop. One hundred twenty-seven people participated in the program and 100 nesting boxes were constructed.
Attendees of the workshop learned that we have small raptors living in our towns and they help keep our rodent population under control. We call them Urban Owls.
One such owl is the Eastern Screech Owl. Screech Owls are cavity nesters and if the tree they are nesting in is cut down, they need to find a new home. That can be difficult in town. As a Raptor Rehabilitation Facility, they are seeing many displaced Eastern Screech Owls. They developed the workshop to educate the community about the importance of these owls and to build nesting boxes to provide homes for the owls throughout the community.
Friends of Spring Mill State Park
Freinds of Spring Mill State Park received a $1,400 Boost Grant to restore the Spring House and Root Cellar in the Pioneer Village. Many homes in the 1800’s had root cellars and spring houses to store their food. The restoration of these buildings will enable the park to tell the stories of how food was stored in the days before grocery stores and refrigeration to the approximately 650,000 visitors and 2,975 children who visit on field trips each year.
The Spring House sits apart from the village and while basic maintenance has been done on the building, no effort has been made to interpret the role spring houses played in the lives of the occupants of the village until now. Quite a lot of mud had to be removed from the Spring House to get it back into working order.
The Root Cellar has been used as a break room for village staff for many years. Plywood paneling and carpeting were removed to restore it’s authentic “cellar” look.
Signs have been added to the buildings explaining the important role these buildings played in food storage before refrigeration.
Springville Gym
In July 2016, the Springville Gym was destroyed by fire. In the five years since, The Springville Gym Restoration Board has partnered with Steve Ferguson and engineer Brent Conner to restore the gym. They have worked hard to receive engineering approval on a plan to stabilize the walls in order to get a permit to proceed with renovations and to receive approval from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources on steps needed to address issues resulting from the gym’s location in a flood plain.
With those approvals in place, the project is finally moving forward. The walls have been stabilized and stone is being cut to form a cap on the walls. Soon bids will be taken to enclose the gym. The goal is to complete the interior so that it can once again host Scout meetings, wedding receptions, kids’ parties, and more.
They gym was originally constructed in 1936 as a WPA project. It served as the high school gym for a few years before the high school was consolidated with Oolitic. The gym continued to serve the elementary school. Eventually, when the elementary school constructed and attached gym, the Springville Gym became a community center where the community gathered for the annual summer festival, live gospel music, and tractor pulls. Once restored, the gym will continue serve as the Springville Community Center hosting activities that bring the community together.
The Springville Community Association received a grant from the Springville Community Heritage Fund to assist with the costs of repairing the fire damaged Springville Gym.
Superior STEAM
When you walk into Superior STEAM, you immediately feel the energy and enthusiasm of its members. They eagerly show you what they are working on and demonstrate what their robot can do. The robot completes a few tasks before running into trouble, and the kids start problem-solving until a fix is found. The leaders step back and let the kids do the work.
Letting the kids take the lead is an important practice at Superior STEAM. Tyson Chase, a Lead Mentor, explained that, within set parameters, students are encouraged to plan their projects, assign tasks, complete those tasks, and problem-solve challenges that arise. The kids have embraced that practice and have been very successful.
There are two FIRST Lego League teams with kids ranging in age from 9 to 14 years and one FIRST Tech Challenge team with kids ranging in age from 14 to 18 years. In addition to three adult mentors, three former team members have come back as mentors to help the students.
To prepare for competition, they build and program a robot to complete assigned tasks. They also strategize how to complete the assigned tasks in a way that will optimize their points. Competition isn’t just about the robot; they are also judged on their teamwork.
Another component of the competition is solving a real-life problem. Last year, the problem was inactivity in kids. The Robotillers team came up with the game “Limestoneopoly.” The game keeps players active by walking around Bedford’s square and completing activities. The team won the Implementation Award at the 2021 Global Innovation Awards. (To learn more about Limestoneopoly, visit https://www.superiorsteam.org/limestoneopoly.)
These kids are learning many STEM, leadership, team work, and problem solving skills that will take them far in life.
LCCF awarded a GM STEM grant to Superior steam to purchase STEM tools for robot building and coding and FIRST Tech Challenge registration and a Special Grant for team needs. Beyond 4-H dues, there are no fees to join Superior STEAM; the students earn funds for the program through service and outreach projects and working at Indiana University Football concessions.
Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry
Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry helps bring meat to those in need. Hunters and farmers donate large game and livestock to local participating meat processors. The donation is processed, packaged, and local hunger relief agencies are contacted to distribute the nutritious protein back into the community in which it was donated. Protein is an important nutrient for brain and body development in children. It is also the hardest item for food banks to obtain. An average hog or deer can provide approximately 400 meals, an average cow about 2,000 meals. Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry raises funds to pay for the processing. LCCF awarded a $1,500 Boost Grant to Hoosier Feeding the Hungry to assist with paying processing fees for large game and livestock donated within Lawrence County.
Hatfield Elementary
Kamala Blevins, a Hatfield Elementary Preschool teacher, was awarded a Classroom Grant to purchase Bilibo chairs for her classroom. The colorful chairs were incorporated into many academic, social, gross motor, and imaginative learning experiences. Purchased in full and mini sizes, the chairs were used to help with color identification and counting, matching, sorting, and pattern making activities. The chairs were used to display and teach positional words. They were also used for motor activities: spinning, leapfrog, and balancing. Furthermore, in a year of social distancing, children were quietly reminded to stay in their own space when their chair rocked as they reached for another child during circle time.
Lawrence County Community Corrections
Pathways to Resilience and Success through the Lawrence County Juvenile Problem-Solving Court. This video as well as the implementation of the Why Try Resiliency Program, was made possible with funding from a Lawrence County Community Foundation Grant. This program serves Justice Involved Youth of Lawrence County in an effort to help them make positive life changes and develop important life skills to be successful.
“Three Firefighters visited the home and installed five smoke detectors, gave the kids treat bags, and developed/practiced an escape plan with the entire family in the event of an actual fire. The mother was brought to tears and I believe will be forever grateful for what the Foundation made possible for us to do” Dane Fountain, Marion Township Rural Fire Department
Marion Township
Rural Fire Department
The Marion Township Rural Fire Department was awarded a 2020 Lawrence County Community Foundation Grant to purchase smoke detectors. The Fire Department partnered with Ace Hardware in Mitchell to purchase the fire detectors at cost. They distributed 150 10-year battery life smoke detectors to 119 families of low to moderate income. One family the Fire Department helped included a single mom with six children. Three firefighters visited their home and installed five smoke detectors, gave the kids treat bags, and developed and practiced an escape plan with the entire family to use in the event of an actual fire.
Board Directed Grants
At the end of 2020, the Lawrence County Community Foundation Board chose to award $9,000 in grants to local, non-profit organizations that were facing challenges due to COVID-19, but were not organizations that immediately came to mind to individuals wanting to help. The five organizations which received grants are the Bedford Public Library, the Mitchell Community Public Library, the History Museum of Lawrence County, The Little Theatre of Bedford, and Hoosier Hills PACT.
Heltonville Community Heritage Fund
Lawrence County Community Foundation awarded a grant to the Pleasant Run VFD through the Heltonville Community Heritage Fund for AED funding and start up gear. The Heltonville Community Heritage Fund is one of eight Community Heritage Funds managed by LCCF. The other Funds include: East Oolitic, Fayetteville, Huron, Judah, Mitchell, Oolitic, and Springville. The Community Heritage Fund program was initiated by former Board member Dave Jacobs to create endowments for smaller communities in Lawrence County to enhance and sustain ongoing community building projects.
Mitchell Community Public Library
The Mitchell Community Public Library received a 2019 Board Directed Grant to purchase hotspots patrons can check out to bring WiFi into their home. The hotspots are small electronic devices, about the size of an index card, the Library loans along with a charging cord and plug, all packaged together in a Tupperware-like container. With the COVID-19 pandemic initiating schooling and working from home, having these hotspots was a great benefit to the community. Ellen Underwood, Director of the Mitchell Library, said “the hotspots we lend are a game-changer for so many of our patrons. We are thrilled to offer the service.” The Mitchell Library also received a 2020 Board Directed Grant for programming.
Lawrence County
Township Trustees
The Lawrence County Community Foundation in partnership with the United Way of South Central Indiana awarded a second $10,000 Phase II Emergency Relief Grant to the Lawrence County township trustees. The monies from the grant can be used to assist Lawrence County residents who are in need to pay for prescriptions, utilities, rent, mortgage or repairs that are critical to staying in their home. Hope Flores, CFP CEO, and Kim Burgess, UWSCI Executive Director, presented the check to Township Trustee Millard Jones who administers the funds.
Men's Warming Shelter
The Men’s Warming Shelter received a $2,500 Emergency Relief Grant from LCCF in partnership with the United Way of South Central Indiana to purchase air purifiers, thermometers and other items to keep shelter guests healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shelter also received a $2,319.50 Unrestricted Grant from LCCF to purchase additional beds. The shelter can accommodate 28 individuals a night. They also provide counseling and activities. Their goal is to get the men into stable housing and off the streets.
Lawrence County
Historical & Genealogical Society
With an unrestricted grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation the Lawrence County Historical & Genealogical Society was able to convert 390 newspaper microfilm reels into a digital database that is indexed and searchable by name, date or keyword.
The database is available to those researching in the library as well as those nationwide who can gain access to the papers through a subscription to Newspapers.com.
This is an exceptional tool for those researching local history and is consistent with the Lawrence County Historical & Genealogical Society’s mission “to preserve the integrity of the cultural heritage of Lawrence County.”
Green Hill Cemetery
Green Hill Cemetery has some exceptional examples of stone artistry. Maintaining the cemetery and the special stones and monuments found there is challenging and at times expensive. The cemetery received a 2020 Challenge Grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation helping them repair the Paolini Temple monument and family headstones. With no family in the area any longer to care for the markers, that responsibility falls to the cemetery.
COVID-19 Stories
Our Lawrence County non-profit partners share their COVID-19 stories and the part LCCF played in their ability to bring relief to to those in need in our communities. These stories will be released throughout October.
Boys and Girls Club
L.I.F.E.
Gateway Academy
Serenity Club
Bedford Lions Club
Becky’s Place
Hope Resource Center
Mitchell Schools
Lawrence County History Museum
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through it’s Tootsie Roll Drive, donations, and grants. The Arc of Lawrence County (LARC), which aids individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities realize their goals of living, learning, working and fully participating in the community, is one of the organizations the Knights of Columbus has helped. The K of C recently installed a meandering walking path in LARC’s courtyard area. With the help of a grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation, they were able to install sensory stations including a stacked, freestanding water fountain and two raised planters to benefit clients who need sensory exploration. This would include individuals with autism, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and those with minimal or no verbal communication skills. Sensory exploration supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills, and social interaction. It also allows clients to simply enjoy time outdoors.
Gateway Academy
North Lawrence Community School Corp.’s Gateway Academy provides an alternative learning environment for students who struggle in a traditional school setting. The flexibility of this program provides learning inside and outside the classroom. The program also emphasizes social-emotional learning. Furthermore, students spend time volunteering in the community. Kelly Storms, Gateway principal, explains that the program is designed to meet the needs of students who seek and deserve a different approach to academic and social-emotional growth and success. In 2020, the program celebrated 14 graduating seniors. A board directed grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation enabled the program to purchase a large screen laptop and magnifier that was utilized by a visually impaired student reducing headaches and keeping him better focused. Another student is benefiting from the use of the laptop this year.
Lincoln Green Thumbs
Lincoln Green Thumbs, a Lincoln Elementary School club comprised of about 70 students and led by teacher Jamie Hooten received a challenge grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation for a greenhouse and gardening supplies. Through this after school club, the students are learning about nutrition, gardening, and environmental science. The challenge grant required the Green Thumbs raise $1,000 for the project prior to receiving the $2,700 grant from LCCF.
“It showed me I like to build stuff.”
“I has made it more fun to think of engineering.”
“It has made me think about other jobs.”
“I now want to be an engineer.”
COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM
Bedford Public Library
The Bedford Public library developed Tech Resources for Awesome Careers (TRAC) a monthly program to excite middle school students about local STEM jobs. Each month, until having to postpone the program due to COVID-19, library staff developed a STEM project that introduces new concepts and technology that is fun and relevant to a career in a local business.
The program took place in the 6th and 7th grade science classrooms in the three North Lawrence middle schools reaching nearly 650 students each month.
The library was able to purchase the supplies for this program with a General Motors pass through grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation.
“TRAC provides a fun, hands-on learning experience for students to gain exposure to local science, technology, engineering, and math jobs,” explained Nathan Watson, Director of Operations for the library. “TRAC taught students the elements of programming, graphic design, construction, pneumatics, advanced manufacturing, and more.”
Hoosier Uplands Head Start Program
Hoosier Uplands recently added “Feeling Buddies” to their Conscious Discipline curriculum in their Head Start program. The curriculum is a tool kit which helps students self-regulate their emotions.
Head Start provides preschool programming for children whose family income is at or below the federal poverty level. Many children in poverty experience stressful or traumatic events, including abuse or neglect, witnessing domestic violence, or growing up with family members who have substance abuse disorders. These experiences can result in students having difficulty self-regulating their emotions causing them to be impulsive, hypersensitive to transitions, and to overreact to minor stressors. These powerful emotional responses can disrupt the classroom.
With help from a grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation, the Head Start program was able to purchase “Feeling Buddies” and add them to their Conscious Discipline curriculum. They have worked diligently with the program and are seeing success.
One student who has had challenges with powerful emotions has been learning the steps to self regulate his emotions and has even helped other students calm down using the strategies of this program.
“We are celebrating in Bedford because we are one step closer to my friend being able to regulate his emotions.
—BEDFORD HEAD START SUPERVISOR
“So many of our members have only seen law enforcement personnel under stressful family times. Adding a resource officer to our daily routine has not only provided a safe and secure environment but also provided tremendous opportunity for our members to see our officers in an entirely different light, creating a comfort zone with a new value of respect and trust,” Frank Decker, Chief Professional Officer, Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County.
Boys and Girls Club of
Lawrence County
The safety of our children is a major concern and The Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County takes the safety of the children in their care very seriously. In this effort, with the help of an LCCF Unrestricted Grant, The Boys and Girls Club has implemented a Resource Officer program. Officers from the Bedford Police Department and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department are on the premises when the children are present to help keep them safe. The program, however, is about so much more than safety. These officers act as mentors to the children and help them develop a positive relationship with law enforcement.
Hope Resource Center
Hope Resource center has found that their clients’ needs are growing greater the longer the pandemic lasts while their storage closet is becoming bare. Churches, who normally donate the supplies needed by the center, are no longer meeting. As a result, Hope Resource Center isn’t receiving the donations they rely upon. Instead, they are having to purchase new supplies to be able to continue to help their clients.
Hope Resource Center applied for and received an Emergency Relief Grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation to assist them in purchasing diapers, baby wipes, formula, and bottles to assist their clients.
“Now More than ever it is important for us to help support our clients however we can. And, often aiding them in caring for their children is one of their most vital needs.”
— APRIL HASKETT, HOPE RESOURCE CENTER
“We have seen the needs of those on low-income, Social Security, Disability and some working but struggling to meet their family’s needs. We wish to extend a Helping Hand to them to show them the love of God and others in the community and recognize these are difficult times we are living in.”
— SHERRY SOCHIA, PRESIDENT, CWC
Christian Women’s Connection
Helping Hands Ministry
CWC's Helping Hands Ministry recognized a need generally unmet by other organizations and stepped in to fill that need by providing health and wellness, personal care, and cleaning supplies to those in need.
With the help of a Pennington Grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation, the ministry helps the Lawrence County elderly disadvantaged by providing them with items such as toilet paper, detergent, vinegar for cleaning, antibiotic ointment, lotion, deep rub, dental brushes, and denture cleaner. Whenever possible, the ministry tries to personalize a recipient’s bag to meet their specific needs. By providing these items, Helping Hands frees the recipients to use their income to pay for rent, food, clothing, and other monthly needs.
Most importantly, Helping Hands wants to show their recipients that others care and see them as valued citizens. They want to extend a helping hand to show God’s love.
Boy Scouts of America
Hoosier Trails Council
Boy Scouts conjures images of groups of young men camping, fishing, hiking, working together on science experiments or learning to do home repairs. COVID-19, Stay at Home orders, and social distancing have caused the Boy Scouts to rethink scouting until it is possible to meet in groups again.
In order to keeps scouts engaged and working toward advancement, the Hoosier Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America has had to invest in computer workstation enhancements, remote meeting service providers, online advancement content development, and communications initiatives. They have also developed a “Scouting from Home Resource Page” on their website. https://www.hoosiertrailsbsa.org/2552
Grants from both the Lawrence County and Martin County Community Foundations have helped defray some of the costs of these changes. In these uncertain times, it is essential for our youth to have some sense of continuity. Being able to continue to participate in scouting provides that continuity.
“With families being sequestered, we are attempting to remain engaged in their lives by offering online advancement opportunities.”
— GLEN STEENBERGER, HOOSIER TRAILS COUNCIL, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
“We supply these patients with many items . . . they need to make their struggle with cancer more bearable.”
Judy Heichelbach,
Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services
An Emergency Relief Grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation has helped cover these costs so that LCCPS can continue to provide much needed support to help ease the struggles faced by Lawrence County cancer patients
LAWRENCE COUNTY
CANCER PATIENT SERVICES
Discovering you have cancer can be overwhelming and frightening. Coping with cancer during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic compounds that anxiety. Now more than ever cancer patients need to isolate themselves to avoid becoming sick. This isolation makes it particularly difficult to get the supplies they need to maintain their health.
Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services (LCCPS) has been providing supplies to Lawrence County cancer patients for many years and is determined to continue to provide for cancer patients during this crisis. While LCCPS keeps needed supplies such as walkers, shower chairs, and toilet risers in a storage unit, complying with the government mandated stay-at -home order as well as concern for the health of their volunteers and clients has necessitated they purchase these items and have them delivered directly to the client creating additional, unexpected cost.
BERTHA’S MISSION
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bertha’s Mission has experienced a dramatic increase in clients needing assistance. The Mission, which normally operates a dine-in community kitchen has begun offering drive-thru meals to comply with State of Indiana health guidelines. To meet the increased demand, they have expanded their weekly service days from three to five. They anticipate serving 600 hundred meals a week; an increase of over 100%.
In addition to the meal service, Bertha’s Mission is providing boxes of non-perishable food to clients in need.
Their Emergency Relief Grant from the Lawrence County Community Foundation will assist the Mission in purchasing the food and packaging required to feed those who need it most.
“We foresee even greater demands on our services until the pandemic comes to an end and businesses can resume operation. Bertha’s Mission wants to be there to aid all that need assistance.”
— JANICE NICKEO-PENDERGRASS, BERTHA’S MISSION
Emergency Relief Grants for Lawrence County Non-Profits
Due to the unprecedented global Coronavirus crisis, the Community Foundation Partnership, Inc., serving the Lawrence and Martin County Community Foundations, activated an Emergency Relief Fund. The Community Foundation was able to address the community’s most pressing needs by granting to trusted nonprofit partners throughout Lawrence and Martin Counties who become overwhelmed by requests for assistance.
Emergency Grant Recipients:
Becky's Place
Bedford Lions Club
Bertha's Mission
Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County
Families Forever
Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana
Hoosier Hills Food Bank
Hoosier Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America
Hoosier Uplands
Hope Resource Center
LARC Center
Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services
Lawrence County Historical and Geneological Society
L.I.F.E.
Men's Warming Shelter
Mitchell Public Library
North Lawrence Community Schools
St. Vincent dePaul School
Salvation Army
Serenity Club of Bedford
Southern Indiana Adult Guardianship Services