Southern Indiana Living SeptOct 2017

Southern 

IndIana 

Sept / Oct 2017 

Living 

JOHN 

JONES: 

The man behind 

the enterprise 

Plus: Monarch Festival | Ferdinand, Indiana | Corydon Artist

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Featured Stories 

18 | THE HOUSE THAT JOHN BUILT 

Greenville native builds enterprise on dedication, hardwork, 

and perseverance 

33 | ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 

Local artists finds inspiration in the Indiana landscape 

38 | MONARCH FESTIVAL 

July 15-16 at Hidden Hill Nursery & Sculpture Garden 

33 

45 | PEGGY’S PLACE 

A Place for Friends 

48 | THEATRE IN SOUTHERN INDIANA 

TheatreWorks of Southern Indiana 

Southern Indiana Living 

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 

In Every Issue 

7 | FLASHBACK PHOTO 

Harvest Homecoming, New Albany, IN, 1973 

9 | A NOTE TO BABY BOOMERS 

Feeling Lucky for a Change 

12 

10 | A WALK IN THE GARDEN WITH BOB HILL 

Dancing with Caladiums in the Summer Shade 

12 | OUR TOWN 

Ferdinand, Indiana 

26 | COMMUNITY PAGES 

Spotlight on Leadership Southern Indiana’s Alumni 

Bash, the SIRH Stroke Camp, and more! 

28 | #BUYLOCAL 

Local Business Spotlight 

50 | EVERYDAY ADVENTURES 

The (Not So) Perfect Pumpkin Pie 

38 


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IndIana 


Flashback Photo 

SEPT | OCT 2017 

VOL. 10, ISSUE 5 

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Karen Hanger 

karen@silivingmag.com 

LAYOUT & DESIGN | 

Christy Byerly 

christy@silivingmag.com 

COPY EDITOR | 

Jennifer Cash 

COPY EDITOR | 

Gina Combs 

Harvest Homecoming 

New Albany, Indiana 

October 1973 

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ON THE COVER: John Jones, 

owner of John Jones Auto 

Group // Photo by John 

Sodrel 

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Photo courtesy of Stuart B. Wrege Indiana History Room, New Albany-Floyd County Public Library. 

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Halloween fun for the whole family! Rides, shows, corn mazes, 

and much more! Visit HolidayWorld.com/Halloween for details. 

FOR SPOOKTACULAR SAVINGS, GO ONLINE. 

Visit HolidayWorld.com/Save and use promo code DISCOUNT845 


A Note to Baby Boomers 

Feeling Lucky for a Change 

IGoogled “CLL.” 

I knew better. 

There they were — reminders 

of how cancer and I are in this for the 

duration. By the way, what is the duration? 

Depends on what website I click. 

My curiosity seems reasonable. Is 

CLL — Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia 

— increasingly fixable? Are researchers 

getting to the bottom of my top threat? 

Kind of — enough to be encouraged. 

The thing is, encouragement and 

I get along about as well as our president 

does with the media. So there’s little wonder 

why I turn down invites to join the 

Optimist Club. 

That’s a half-empty glass invariably 

in my hand. How ridiculous. 

I have more reasons to feel lucky 

than a leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day. I 

just forget to remember, for instance, that 

my CLL is stage zero. That is as good as 

bad gets. Plus my bad blood numbers are 

getting better each year. My disease has 

been improving without one minute of 

treatment. 

Now that’s really, really lucky. 

So is having a wife that still puts 

up with me and children that stop by for 

more than to borrow a shovel or to raid 

the pantry. So is having found a career 

that fits me even better than Bass Weejuns 

and Levis. 

So is feeling absolutely no need to 

ever move from Southern Indiana. Why 

chase contentment when it’s staring right 

at me? 

I also feel lucky that my parents took 

me, kicking and screaming, to the dentist 

every six months. I stayed in the checkup 

habit and my teeth have also stayed. 

I feel lucky to hang out with what 

I call “why-not people.” They go places. 

They do things. They focus on next weekend 

more than next decade. I hope to be 

more like them. If I can’t take it with me, 

why act as if I can? If I end up homeless at 

98, bring me lunch. 

I feel lucky to have played in the 

school band. Granted, the music world 

was less lucky, but at least I marched in 

some semblance of a straight line. Best of 

all, I came to appreciate music way beyond 

Strawberry Alarm Clock. As I write this, I 

listen to Frank Sinatra. I cannot wait for 

the next season of the Louisville Orchestra. 

Since I attended my last rock show, I 

actually went to the opera. And over there 

is my older-than-old trombone, tempting 

me to make a comeback. 

The thing is, encouragement 

and I get along about as well 

as our president does with the 

media. So there’s little wonder 

why I turn down invites to join 

the Optimist Club. 

I feel lucky to be an animal lover. I 

cannot imagine life without a dog by my 

side, on my lap, in my face and bed. My 

cat has his own agenda, though I’m pals 

with him as long as I scratch behind his 

ears. I know terrific people who do not 

have pets, but I just cannot imagine how, 

or why, they go without. 

I feel lucky for the fulfillment from 

community service. I have served on assorted 

local boards for nearly 40 years. 

The payoff far outweighs the sacrifice. 

I feel lucky that you grandparents 

out there were not lying. You claimed the 

role is unbeatable. Indeed, it is amazing 

to be Poppy to Harper and Piper. For instance, 

my little granddaughters are the 

only people on earth who believe I can 

dance. I’ll take it. I see them routinely, 

thank God. I don’t have to try too hard 

— what they get from Poppy this Tuesday 

they will get next Tuesday and so on. 

Harper and Piper will grow older alongside 

me growing old, and that should be 

interesting. 

I feel lucky that my wife is tech-savvy. 

She understands cellphones and computers 

like I understand dangling participles 

and split infinitives. My wife set up 

our latest TV — in about 284 steps — leaving 

me to yearn for the days when gizmos 

simply plugged in. My wife books our 

flights online. She arranges credit-card rebates 

without talking to a single soul on 

the phone. I must stay married. Without 

my wife, I would not know how to sign up 

for online dating. 

I feel lucky to feel comfortable being 

alone. It is one of the few upsides to having 

been an only child. 

I feel lucky that I’m growing more 

at ease watching the big games on TV. I 

used to want to be there, no matter what. 

But now it’s easier to stay in the easy chair. 

Other people can have fun finding affordable 

tickets, handy parking and people in 

your row who are not drunk or obnoxious. 

I no longer miss missing out. 

Finally, I feel lucky that I’m afforded 

this page to pose the occasional challenge 

to others. You too need to look on the 

bright side. Like me, you have problems, 

but then again, you too are lucky. Devote 

a few hours to listing why. 

Oh, and be careful what you 

Google.• 

After 25 years, Dale Moss 

retired as Indiana columnist for 

The Courier-Journal. He now 

writes weekly for the News and 

Tribune. Dale and his wife Jean 

live in Jeffersonville in a house 

that has been in his family 

since the Civil War. Dale’s 

e-mail is dale.moss@twc.com 


A Walk in the Garden with Bob Hill 

Dancing with Caladiums in the Summer Shade 


Not even counting their incredible 

color, utility and diversity, 

I’m thinking the fun with caladiums 

begins with just pronouncing 

the word — ka-lay-dee-um. 

It just kind of rolls, dances and 

bounces off the tongue (ka—lay—dee— 

um) like a rubber ball. It just has a lot 

more sex appeal than, say, another leafy 

derivative — sour-kraut. 

Even more appealing are the incredible 

number of new caladiums that have 

made their way into the home-garden 

market in the past few years, almost giving 

coral bells and coreopsis a run for 

their money. 

Yes, there is that little problem that 

caladiums are native to places like South 

America, with the numerical “hardy in 

zone 9 to 11” stamped onto their backs. 

Yes, to be preserved they must be dug up 

around here and stored over winter, a feat 

most gardeners enjoy as much as weeding 

thistles. But you can also cheat a little bit 

on that, too, by growing them in containers 

later stored at the foot of your bed, or 

at least the basement. 

Editorial comment I: They are worth 

the trouble. 

Editorial comment II: Look at these 

accompanying photos. Where else can 

you get such beauty for such little money 

and trouble? 

Barely 10 years ago, caladiums were 

just sort of interesting space-fillers in our 

partial shade and well-drained soil. I had 

a few, never bothered to dig them up, and 

never had a pang of guilt. I’m over that. 

But truth be told, they don’t cost that 

much and you can just reload every spring 

while on the road to winter recovery. 

Fabulous general caladium background: 

Caladiums we use are related to 

the tropical plants that grew in the Amazon 

Basin, where they were discovered in 

the late 1700s by French plant explorers, 

some who apparently had lost their compasses. 

The earliest caladium hybridizer 

was Louis Van Houtte, who back in the 

1850s began to breed the great-greatgreat-grandparents 

of the bulbs we see 

today. 

Moving on to 1867, the public got 

its first glimpses of the plant at the French 

Exposition, and soon afterward a Cincinnati 

florist named Julius Peterson began 

to run with it, and breeders have never 

stopped. Chief among them was Dr. 

Henry Nehrling, who was soon growing 

about 200,000 of them at his home place 

in Florida — a site, no surprise here, now 

very close to Walt Disney World. 

There are now literally thousands of 

cultivars out there, and if you really need 

a fix, Lake Placid, Florida, hosts an annual 

caladium festival in July, complete with 

wine, beer, bluegrass and 100,000 caladiums 

in city streets and parks. The public 

relations material said nothing of a Miss 

Caladium Contest. 

Fabulous caladium planting details: 

Yes, the planting is mostly a late-springto-early-summer 

deal, but if I don’t put 

the bug in your ear now — and show you 

the results — you’re not going to think 

about it. 

Caladiums need well-drained soil. 

They love shade, although they can do 

fine with six hours of sun if you keep 

them well-watered. In general, they come 

in three types — “Fancy Leaf,” “Strap 

Leaf and “Dwarf.” 

If you want to brighten up the shade, 

as we do here at Hidden Hill, plant the 

pure white Moonlight, White Christmas 

or Candidum bulbs — the latter being 

around for more than 150 years. 

Caladiums should be planted knobby 

side up — their bottoms are smooth 

to the touch. Being the gregarious sort, 

all they will need is about 2 inches of soil 

cover. Yes, they need regular watering — 

show me a plant this side of cactus that 

doesn’t. 

Important mathematical information: 

Ok, it’s April 2018 and you are 

searching the aisles of your favorite plantcrushed 

box store and you see bags of 

caladiums. Check their size, if it’s mentioned 

on the package at all, and it can be 

a little misleading. 

The No. 4 size will be the smallest 

— maybe three-fourths of an inch. As the 

numbers decrease the size goes up — with 

a No. 1 being 1½ to 2 inches. The bulbs 

also come in jumbo, mammoth and super 

mammoth – the later more than 4 inches in 

diameter. If you are really serious, Google 

the many wholesale, mail-order caladium 

factories; most of them are in Florida. 

Yes, dig them up: We have a lot of 

Be creative. Caladiums are fun. 

We plant ours in an old 

wheelbarrow, hollow tree stumps, 

window boxes and funky pots. 

newer bulbs this year, I’ve bonded with 

them, and their bulbs have grown larger. 

Dig them with leaves on before the first serious 

frost. Label the plants. Let the whole 

package dry a few days. Place them in 

mesh bags with peat moss as a separator. 

Store them where the temperature hangs 

above 65 degrees — just like the bulbs. 

Fabulous planting ideas: Be creative. 

Caladiums are fun. We plant ours in 

an old wheelbarrow, hollow tree stumps, 

window boxes and funky pots. Put them 

all over the shady place. Put on some Latin 

music. Begin dancing the kay-lay-deeum. 

• 

About the Author 

Bob Hill owns Hidden Hill 

Nursery and can be 

reached at farmerbob@ 

hiddenhillnursery.com. 

For more information, 

including nursery hours 

and event information, go 

to www.hiddenhillnursery. 

com 


Our Town 

Our Town: 

Ferdinand, Indiana 

Story by Sara Combs 

Photos provided by Dubois County Visitors Center 

Sept/Oct 2017 • 12 

Pictured: 

(this page) Fall foliage at the Ferdinand State Forest; (right hand page, top) The view coming 

into Ferdinand; (right hand page, bottom) Boating and fishing at Ferdinand State Forest.

Debbie Johnson and her husband, 

Jeff, moved to Ferdinand 

in 1977 when he accepted a 

teaching position at Forest Park 

Jr./Sr. High School. “We stayed for many 

reasons,” said Johnson, a town council 

member since 2008 and manager of Ferdinand 

Farmers Insurance Group. “Most 

important, it was a perfect place to raise 

our children.” 

“The community is just that — a 

community,” she added, “with people 

of all ages working together to make the 

town a better place for everyone to live.” 

Education is valued, and that is 

something Johnson appreciates. “Schools 

are safe and recognized for quality education,” 

she said. Besides the junior-senior 

high school, the town is home to Ferdinand 

Elementary, a four-star school. It is 

just a 20-minute drive to Vincennes University 

Jasper and a 10-minute drive to St. 

Meinrad School of Theology. 

“Ferdinand has two beautiful, wellkept 

parks,” Johnson said. “They are not 

only used by our children and families, 

but where the Ferdinand Folk Festival 

and Heimatfest are held.” 

Ferdinand was founded in 1840 by 

the Rev. Joseph Kundek. The town, which 

had mostly German-speaking people, 

was named after the Emperor Ferdinand I 

of Austria. Its post offce opened a decade 

later. Ferdinand blends natural beauty 

with agriculture and industrial development 

and maintains a strong Catholic 

faith. 

The town’s serenity is accented by 

the profile of the Sisters of St. Benedict 

Monastery of Immaculate Conception. 

The monastery overlooks the town and 

is a highlight of Ferdinand’s Historical 

Walking Tour, which features more than 

40 sites. The tour is a mile long and can 

be easily driven. (For more information 

about the tour, see visitduboiscounty. 

com.) 

Often referred to as the Castle on 

the Hill, the architecturally Romanesque 

monastery was built between 1915 and 

1924 and restored in 2005. Its features 

include an 87-foot-high dome with 89 

angels in the interior, and it is on the National 

Register of Historic Places. 

Other sites on the walking tour include 

the Olinger Building (now Fleig’s 

Cafe), the Wollenmann House, Sonderman 

Store (now Antique Emporium) and 

Ferdinand Catholic Church, which was 

built in 1848. 

When the Olinger Building was 

completed in 1908, it was the first concrete 

building in Ferdinand, according 

to former owner Richard Helming. The 

building houses Fleig’s Cafe, a sports bar 

with a family dining room, which was 

“The community is just that — 

a community, with people of all ages 

working together to make the town a 

better place for everyone to live.” 

- Debbie Johnson 


Often referred to as the 

Castle on the Hill, the 

architecturally Romanesque 

monastery was built 

between 1915 and 1924 

and restored in 2005. Its 

features include an 87-foothigh 

dome with 89 angels 

in the interior, and it is on 

the National Register of 

Historic Places. 

Pictured: (top) Autumn at the Monastery Immaculate Conception; (bottom) the interior 

of the Monastery is beautifully restored. 


established by Ed Fleig. Helming bought 

the cafe from Fleig’s son, Fred, and sold it 

to its current owner, Rick Kitten, 11 years 

ago. “The cafe is a gathering place for the 

community,” Johnson said. “It is a fun 

place to get together to eat and visit.” 

The Wollenmann House, now Monkey 

Hollow Winery, was built in 1903 by 

Ben Seufert Construction for Dr. Alois 

Wollenmann — and it was the first Ferdinand 

home to have indoor plumbing. 

Dr. Wollenmann was born in Switzerland 

and the structure combines elements of 

the late 19th-century Swiss Cottage Revival 

with Craftsman details. Besides the 

winery, the current establishment features 

an impressive soup, sandwich, salad and 

dessert menu, and the building is on the 

National Register of Historic Places. 

Sonderman Store was established 

in 1893 and is now a 15,000-square-foot 

Antique Emporium and Bistro. “This was 

once a furniture factory,” said manager 

Julie Patton. “And we have a furniture factory 

in back — Keith Fritz Furniture.” The 

emporium features more than 50 vendors, 

with visitors from throughout the country. 

At one time live music was featured; 

an exposed brick wall has signatures of 

performers. 

Manufacturing is the town’s chief 

industry, and its major employers are 

MasterBrand Cabinets and Best Home 

Furniture. Seufert Construction and Engineering 

has also been in business in the 

area for many years. 

There is no shortage of leisure opportunities. 

Ferdinand State Forest, created 

just prior to World War II by the 

Civilian Conservation Corps, offers camping, 

hunting, swimming, fishing, hiking 

and nature-watching. Ferdinand is home 

to three lakes, and it is within a 10-minute 

drive of Holiday World and Lincoln State 

Park. 

The city already had many businesses 

at the beginning of the 20th century, including 

a machine works, a brick works, 

brewery, several taverns and a dairy. The 

town was incorporated in 1905 and a year 

later the Ferdinand News was established 

as the local newspaper. 

Located in Dubois County in southwest 

Indiana, Ferdinand’s residents embrace 

its rich history, but the town continues 

to grow and develop with new 

housing and ongoing industrial development, 

offcials say. 

“The people who live here care about 

their neighbors and their neighborhoods,” 

Johnson said. “There is a tremendous 

amount of pride of ownership, which is 

reflected in well-maintained property. I 

encourage anyone looking for a wonderful 

place to live to check it out.” • 

Pictured: (top) Jousting at the Rosenvolk German Medieval Festival (Picture Captured by the Dubois 

County Herald); (bottom) Fire-breathing at the Rosenvolk German Medieval Festival 


812-739-4264 • Only 3 miles from I-64 at Exit 92 

Pictured: (top) A wide variety of wine options and samples 

are available at the Ferdinand Christkindlmarkt taking 

place Nov. 18-19; (right) Over 200 Vendor Booths of 

handcrafted items on display at the Ferdinand Christkindlmarkt. 

Our Eclipse Party 

The Overlook Restaurant 

positioned uniquely above 

the beautiful Ohio River and 

Horseshoe Bend, with an 

amazing panoramic view for 

miles. 

We offer a full menu including 

our wonderful weekend 

specials. 

We accept reservations for 

parties of 13 or more and 

honor one hour call ahead 

seating for anything less. We 

also set up buffets for larger 

parties. 

Our hours of operation 

are 11-8 Sunday through 

Thursday and 11-9 on Friday 

and Saturday. Our winter 

hours will take affect in 

November. Times will be 

updated on our Facebook 

page and our website. 

You can check us out on 

Facebook and at our website, 

www.theoverlook.com or 

contact us at 812-739-4264. 

The Ferdinand Folk Festival features free all day music from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on September 16. 


Festivals of Ferdinand 

Ferdinand Folk Festival 

Joshua Davis, a finalist on NBC’s popular series The Voice, 

will headline Ferdinand’s eighth-annual Folk Festival, 

which is set for Sept. 16 at 18th Street Park. The festival is 

a family-friendly event promoting music, the arts and the 

environment. Admission is free. 

Other musical acts that will be appearing this year include 

Justin Johnson, a Nashville-based Americana recording artist; 

multi-instrumentalist Rachael Davis; Tim Grimm and 

the Family Band; Jeffrey Martin; and others. 

There will be fun activities for children, and area gardeners 

and farmers will be on hand with fresh produce. 

For more information, visit ferdinandfolkfestival.com. 

Christkindlmarkt 

The biggest event in Ferdinand is the Christkindlmarkt, 

which will be held this year on Nov. 18 and 19. The event 

celebrates the town’s German heritage with more than 200 

lavishly decorated booths spilling over with hand-created 

items, antiques, art, delicious regional food and wine, live 

entertainment, free concerts and tours. Booths will be open 

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday 

(EST). 

Attractions will include a Black Forest organ grinder, children’s 

craft workshops, glockenspiel performances, guided 

tours of the Monastery of Immaculate Conception, Santa 

Claus, Holiday Cabaret on Strings, Marionette Theater, 

Lights on the Grotto, a Sisters of St. Benedict concert and 

more. 

Featuring Music by 20 Acts 

The seventh-annual St. Meinrad Rocks Fest, a familyfriendly 

music event, will take place Sept. 22 and 23 at 

the town park and, for the first time ever, will have free 

admission. 

The event, put on by Inkspot Productions LLC, began in 

2011 as a way to raise money to finish a project after the town’s 

sesquicentennial and has now grown into an annual event that 

is not to be missed! 

The festival features no true “headliners,” as many other 

fests do, and great music and talent can be enjoyed from 6 p.m. 

to –midnight on Friday and noon to midnight on Saturday. Two 

stages ensure nonstop tunes from country to classic and modern 

rock. 

Free face-painting and a live animal show will take place 

on Saturday. Great food concessions, as well as event and performer 

merchandise, will also be available all weekend. 

The event is sponsored by the tourism division of the Ferdinand 

Chamber of Commerce and the Dubois County Visitors 

Center and draws as many as 10,000 visitors annually. 

It was chosen one of the top 100 events in the nation by the 

American Bus Association in 2012. 

For more information, visit ferdinandchristkindlmarkt.com. 

Ferdinand Heimatfest 

The Heimatfest (“hometown”) festival is held the third 

weekend in June at 18th Street Park and features entertainment, 

a wide variety of activities, food and drink. 

For more information, visit ferdinandheimatfest.com. 

Rosenvolk Medieval Festival 

The Rosenvolk German Medieval Festival will be held October 

20-22 at 18th Street Park, and features shows, vendors, 

and a masquerade ball. Tickets are sold for the event 

and can be purchased online. 

For more information, visit rosenvolk.com. 



Cover Story

The House that John Built 

Greenville native builds enterprise through dedication, perseverance, and hard work 

PPaula Jones remembers the drive 

up to Salem. It was 1975 or ’76, 

and she and her future husband, 

John, were taking his nieces and 

nephews to the Salem Speedway. They’d 

packed a picnic lunch. Having grown up 

together in Greenville, Paula and John 

were Floyd County people, not Washington 

County people yet, so any new scenery 

was bound to catch their eye. 

John was a gearhead from the getgo. 

As a tot in the early 1960s, he’d kept 

the Coke machines filled at his uncle Marvin 

Reisert’s Gulf filling station on U.S. 

Highway 150, then got his first paying job 

there at age 13, after his uncle sold, knocking 

down $1 an hour and proudly wearing 

the attendant’s uniform, right down to 

the red shop rag in his back pocket. 

He loved riding out with his dad to 

Roggenkamp’s GM dealership in Milltown, 

where they’d give him model cars, 

and he was mesmerized by his older 

brothers’ big block Chevelles and Impalas. 

Before he could drive, against his parents’ 

wishes, he’d saved enough to buy 

a motorcycle, and he soon had his own 

muscle cars. 

Paula and John hadn’t dated right 

off the bat. He hung around with her 

brothers, and she was the friendly big sister 

type who helped him get ready for his 

prom date with another girl. 

By then, though, she understood 

that when a gearhead sees a previously 

unexplored car lot off in the distance, he is 

going to stop and have a look around. So 

on that drive to Salem, Paula just smiled 

when John turned into the old Liddie 

Chevrolet on state Highway 60. 

What came out of his mouth next, 

however, surprised her. One day, he told 

her, he’d own the place. Less than a decade 

later, he did. 

STARTING OUT 

Salem, Indiana 

Nearly 35 years later, 

Jones still runs his enterprise 

with the same mix of 

concern and enthusiasm 

he felt when he hung out his 

own shingle for the first time. 

John Jones was born in 1956, the 

youngest of Elbert and Lois Jones’ five 

children. His father, who went by “Bud,” 

was a deputy sheriff in Floyd County, and 

his mother was a nurse. With five kids in 

a three-bedroom house, the family was 

close but money was tight. John realized 

early on that he could shape his own future 

by staying busy and taking risks. 

He graduated from Floyd Central 

High School in 1974, where he attended 

Prosser Vocational School, took one class 

at Indiana University Southeast, and realized 

college wasn’t for him. 

Working at New Albany Motor Co., 

however, seemed to be a great fit. There, 

he worked his way up from porter/car 

jockey to mechanic and then salesman before 

leaving to work for his friend Doug 

Kiesler’s firearms business in Greenville. 

Jones soon went back and quickly made 

sales manager, and all told, spent 11 years 

there. 

By 1983, Bill Liddie was battling cancer 

and looking to sell his modest Chevy 

dealership, which had 13 employees and 

25 vehicles. Jones called Kiesler with a big 

idea. 

“He asked me if we could put our 

pennies together and buy it,” Kiesler recalls. 

And they did. Jones sold his house 

and everything he owned and borrowed 

a few bucks from a relative. It was an exciting 

day when the John Jones Chevrolet 

sign went up, quietly launching what’s 

grown into the John Jones Auto Group, 

with new-vehicle dealerships in Salem, 

Corydon and Scottsburg and a pre-owned 

lot in Greenville. 

In partnership with Brett Wilson in 

Corydon and Brad Niehoff in Greenville, 

Jones employs more than 200 people and 

sells over 5,000 cars a year from the Chevy, 

Buick, Cadillac, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, 

RAM and Fiat lines as well as pre-owned 

vehicles. You can barely drive anywhere 

in Southern Indiana without seeing their 

billboards. 

By any measure, the big gamble 

paid off, and yet, nearly 35 years later, 

Jones still runs his enterprise with the 

same mix of concern and enthusiasm he 

felt when he hung out his own shingle for 

the first time. 

BUILDING AN ENTERPRISE 

Story by Cary Stemle 

Photos by John Sodrel 

Based on interviews with people 

who know him, Jones could fairly be described 

as patient and measured, sociable 

but shy, and possessing an unassuming 

dry sense of humor. He’s a creature of 

habit, up at 5:45 each morning, super-neat 

and highly organized, deliberative but 

decisive and seemingly four or five steps 

ahead of most folks. 

“He’s not a checkers player, he’s a 

chess player,” Kiesler tells me. “No matter 

what widget he’s buying, he researches it 

and makes himself an expert.” 

One sweltering July morning, I drive 

up from Clark County to meet him at his 

flagship store in Salem on state Highway 

60, a stone’s throw from the old Liddie 

site. 

Today he’s neatly dressed in black 

slacks, a blue houndstooth dress shirt and 

black loafers. His sizable and uncluttered 

offce, down a long hallway in the administrative 

building, offers hints about how 

he runs his show. 


O 

SALEM 

OUR HISTORY 

CORYDON 

1983 

2015 

1991 

2012 

COLLISION CENTER & ADMINISTRATION 

1995 

2004 

GREENVILLE 

1999 

SCOTTSBURG 

2001 

2015 

CHRYSLER 

2015 

POLICE PURSUIT VEHICLES Celebrating 34 Years in 2017 

2015 


The decor is contemporary and understated, 

with deep red and silver accents 

and maple furniture with a cherry 

finish. General Motors knickknacks, 

framed memorabilia and family photos 

are displayed but not overdone. Technology 

nearly dominates the space. A computer 

on the front side of his desk lets 

longtime executive assistant Christi Baldwin 

share his desktop, while Jones himself 

uses three large computer monitors to 

more easily jump between programs. 

On the wall to his left, an array of 

Karen Hanger reminds Jones that her 

family bought a car in the 1970’s, he 

gleefully locates the card and recites 

details of the transaction. 

We take a walk outside, away from 

the dealership and up a paved lane past 

a security fence. This is his personal space 

— more than 50 acres with four spacious 

outbuildings, a pond, open ground and 

some subleased acreage planted in soybeans 

and, straight ahead, the house he 

built on the edge of a subdivision he developed 

and designed with his family’s 

Clockwise: Christi Baldwin, Executive 

Assistant, discusses the schedule with 

Jones; Jones, center, discusses sales with 

Salem Sales Manager Troy Seay, left, 

and Scott Rose, Salem Salesperson; on 

the wall left of Jones’ desk is an array of 

monitors showing closed circuit feeds 

from dealerships; Jones reminisces as 

he shows his original customer index 

card files beginning in 1979. 

monitors show closed-circuit feeds from 

his dealerships. Each site has 30 cameras 

— Jones says these are mostly for the security 

of our customers and employees. 

There are often times, he glances up and 

will see familiar faces in the dealerships 

and is able to go over and chat with them 

(however, not as often as he would like). 

Behind Jones sits “The Box,” an old 

recipe holder that tells the stories of his 

early days as an owner. Before computers 

took hold, Paula would type customer information 

onto a card, which helped John 

recall important details and build out 

his Christmas card list from year to year. 

When Southern Indiana Living publisher 

privacy in mind. 

Heavy equipment fills most of the 

outbuildings. Jones loves this stuff and 

knows how to use it. Kiesler cracks up 

when he describes how Paula teases him 

about it — “Well, Mr. Jones had to go out 

and buy another tractor today …” — but 

it seems to calm him and feed his need for 

continuous progress. 

Like all of Jones’ spaces, this building 

is neat, organized and pristine. You 

might not mind eating off the floor. And, 

though vehicle collecting isn’t really his 

thing, there are a few staged here. 

The son of a law enforcement offcer 

and a longtime Washington County reserve 

offcer himself, Jones has developed 

a sub-specialty customizing vehicles for 

departments from New York to Florida. 

Some of these SUVs and pickups in this 

building are about ready to go out. In 2015 

Jones opened a Police Pursuit Vehicles division 

located in Salem, where they are a 

one-stop-shop for first responder departments. 

Throughout the week, he often 

drives a Police demonstration vehicle and 

drives to various Departments to demonstrate 

the product. He is and always will 

be a firm believer, whatever you are selling, 

you have to possess knowledge and 

be able to demonstrate your product. 

Also, in this building sits a Harley 

Davidson police bike — Jones often leads 

parades or funeral processions in Washington 

County — and a white 1984 Cadillac 

Fleetwood Brougham. He sold it to a 

customer during his Salem dealership’s 

first year and eventually got it back with 

original paperwork and 7,000 miles. 

And then there is the vintage Cub 

Cadet lawn tractor. 

About once a year, Jones gets one 

of those “have-I-got-something-for-you” 

phone calls that he often ignores. But this 

caller had Bud Jones’ old Cub Cadet, the 


one John grew up riding. Jones paid $200, 

had it delivered to Jacobi’s mower store, 

then promptly forgot about it until he 

went in a year later for something else and 

Phil Jacobi asked him “what do you want 

to do with it”. When Jones walked past 

that Cub Cadet he knew right away it was 

his. In the fourth grade he was given safety 

stickers at school that were intended 

for his bicycle, however, he put them on 

his mower. The stickers, while very dated, 

were still on it and it brought back a lot 

of memories for him. He then had it completely 

restored back to it’s orginal glory. 

“I guess I may be sentimental after 

all,” Jones says with a grin. 

Material success can exact a price. 

When people see your name on a billboard, 

they figure your money grows on 

trees and they feel free to judge everything 

about you. 

Jones accepts this as part of the territory, 

like economic cycles and shifting 

consumer tastes and arbitrary rules 

passed down from manufacturers to dealers. 

And now, social media hurls the public’s 

slings and arrows further and faster. 

Paula knows their family is blessed, 

with three grown children, and seven 

grandchildren, she says the greatest days 

are when the whole family is home and 

we are able to spend time with them. But 

John is never, not working. He’s often in 

the offce till 11 or 12 at night. People don’t 

realize just how involved John is, from the 

selling of vehicles, to paying the bills, he 

tries to keep up with everything that is going 

on in all aspects of the business.” 

Jones is notoriously hard-driving, 

but some years ago he had a realization: 

Most people simply are not as particular 

as he is. He doesn’t love that, but it was a 

relief because it helped him come to grips 

with how the workforce has changed 

since he entered nearly five decades ago. 

His company still attracts excellent people 

for employment, he said, but it’s so much 

harder to find them than it was a few 

years ago. 

Not that he’s lowered his own standards. 

He still can’t stand to leave anything 

on his desk at the end of the day, so 

most nights after having dinner with Paula 

(and probably clearing some brush), 

he’ll walk down to his offce to knock out 

any unfinished business. 

And he still minds the small stuff. 

Employees are expected to answer all 

of their emails and voice mails — that’s 

monitored. Every two hours, receptionists 

email him an update of who’s in various 

waiting areas and how long they’ve been 

in there. On Fridays, the last thing Jones 

does is review every customer correspondence 

to make sure customers are being 

taken care of. 

Thirty-four years after he became an 

owner at the ripe age of 27, he shows no 

signs of slowing down. He’s not thinking 

much about a succession plan yet — “I’m 

waiting to see who wants to be the next 

person to run this ship,” he says. Two of 

three Jones children work for the company 

and are very involved in the day-to- 

Thirty-four years 

after he became 

an owner 

at the ripe age of 27, 

he shows no signs 

of slowing down. 

Below: John with a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham that he 

sold his first year in business, and later bought back. 

The showroom in Salem is filled with the color choices of new Corvettes. 


Pictured: (top) The immaculate service department is a busy place. . (bottom) In the background is the Cub Cadet Jones grew up riding. Jones often leads funeral processions and parades 

on one of the three Harleys. 


day processes. 

I ask Jones to reflect. How’d he get 

here? 

“Stair steps. I just take one thing at 

a time,” he says. “All the way through 

from emptying the garbage to owning one 

dealership to the next and the next.” 

“I have a very good group of employees, 

and we all work hard every day 

to keep it all going. Some employees have 

been with me since the very first day I 

opened. Whether, it’s employees or customers, 

loyalty is rare, if you find it you 

need to keep it.” 

One more question. Would the diehard 

GM driver have sold his house and 

hocked everything if Liddie happened to 

sell Fords? 

Jones pauses, then smiles. “Probably 

not. Things were a little different back 

then. You were a Chevy, Ford or Dodge 

person. Back then I was a Chevy guy. 

However, I could adapt now, just as I did 

with the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram lines 

but not then at 27 years old.” • 

PIctured (top): 

Left to right, back row: Ben Harritt, Adam Kahn, Paula 

Jones, John Jones, Tracy Jones, Nathan Jones; middle row: 

Lauran Harritt, Sullivan Harritt, Morgan Jones, Eloise 

Kahn; front row: Brooklyn Jones, Adrienne Hoar, Estella 

Kahn, Kipton Harritt, Jaelin Hoar. 

“I just take one thing at a time. 

All the way through from emptying the garbage to 

owning one dealership to the next and the next.” 

- John Jones 

John, on the picturesque grounds between his home and dealership. 


Order now at Amazon! 

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Holiday Road 

An Autumn Devotional 

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Coming 

October 

2017! 

Holiday Road 

An Autumn Devotional 

JASON BYERLY 

www.jasonbyerly.com 


Historic Beck’s Mill Gristmill 

4433 South Beck’s Mill Road • Salem IN 47167 

www.becksmill.org 

The Grind 5k Run - October 14th 

October 14th will be our 5th annual “The Grind”. 

Packet pick up and race day registration will begin 

at 7:30am and the race will begin at approximately 

9:00am. 

Oktoberfest - October 29th 

Beck’s Mill will celebrate their German Heritage 

with the 8th annual Oktoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 

29th (11 am to 4 pm). Campfire beans served with 

Beck’s Mill cornbread. Cornmeal bake off contest. 

A “Mock Moonshine” demonstration will be 

on display. County Wide Student Art Show. 

Demonstrations, crafts & music. 

HOURS: 

Fridays 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM; 

Saturdays 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM; 

Sundays 1 to 4:00 PM 

Admission Charges: 

Adults $5.00; Children under 16 free 

(with paid adult admission) 

For more information on all the events 

in Washington County check out our website www.washingtoncountytourism.com 

Friday Night on the Square Friday, Sept. 15 

The City of Salem also takes on an added new charm 

with dozens of booths and food vendors lining its 

streets, in the downtown area, for Friday Night on 

the Square, the offcial kick-off to Old Settlers’ Days 

weekend. Always a big event, the festival brings 

young and old alike together into an artful array of 

pure pleasure and enrichment from this carefully 

crafted and staged event. 

Old Settlers’ Days • Sept. 16-17 

John Hay Center - Pioneer Village - Salem 

Old Settlers’ Days is an annual, free to the public 

festival, first established and held for the community 

in 1875, to commemorate and honor the pioneers 

who settled the wilderness lands of the Indiana 

Territory that would eventually become Washington 

County. Guests can catch a glimpse into the daily 

life of a typical territorial settlement and quickly 

find themselves transported back in time by an 

assortment of reenactments reminiscent of how life 

in Washington County’s early days was. The grounds 

of the John Hay Center is also covered by artisan, 

food and vendor booths, offering an array of unique 

shopping opportunities, and various musical acts 

perform over the weekend for everyone’s enjoyment. 


SIRH Stroke Camp 

FOOD + FELLOWSHIP + FUN = FUNDS 

The 22nd annual Stroke Camp from Sept. 21-23 will provide relaxation 

and recreation for those who have suffered a stroke, while giving 

a weekend of valuable respite for their caregivers. Sponsored by 

Southern Indiana Rehabilitation Hospital, the camp is at Country Lake 

Christian Retreat in Henryville at no cost to the participants thanks to 

the community and individual support. 

To raise funds for the Stroke Camp, SIRH staffers hosted a cookout 

recently that also served some who had attended in the past. The menu 

included a dose of enthusiasm for the experience as well. 

Bill Tracy; Norman Kruer; Lindsey Allen, health information 

management representative; and SIRH Executive Director Bill 

Boso. 

Betty Hayes, first impressionist at Country Lake Christian Retreat; Candy 

King; Kyle Thrasher, SIRH inpatient rehabilitation specialist; Pat Johnson; and 

Gerry Stewart. 


Pearls to Grow On 

1si HIGHLIGHTS CENTER FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES 

Marta Miranda Straub, center, Chief Empowerment Offcer of The Center 

for Women and Families, was the guest speaker at the Pearls of Wisdom 

Breakfast this summer, sponsored by One Southern Indiana. Other sponsors 

were Leah Driver of Rodefer Moss, Stephanie Hester of Park Community 

Credit Union, committee member Jill Peden of L & D Mail Masters, 1si CEO 

Wendy Dant Chesser, and Jennifer Moore of PNC Bank. The next breakfast 

in the quarterly series, of which Southern Indiana Living is a sponsor, is 

Sept. 13, with speaker Ali Truttmann, owner of Wicked Sheets. 

These pages are sponsored by WesBanco 

SIRH staffers Deb Strickler, recreational therapist; Charlie White, 

maintenance mechanic; Bryan Raymer, inpatient rehab supervisor; 

Logan May, assistant maintenance mechanic; and Linda 

Moore, director of inpatient therapy.

All on Board 

for the Community 

NON-PROFITS CHANGE LIVES 

PURE EDUCATION INITIATIVE 

Founded in 2012, Pure is helping transform the communities in Clark, 

Floyd, Harrison, Jefferson, Scott, and Switzerland counties in Southern 

Indiana and Trimble and Carroll counties in Kentucky by creating 

a culture that embraces sexual integrity and respect for life. Board 

members are, seated, Director Shari McCutcheon and Development 

Director Sandy Sorrells. Standing are Ashly Lowe, Mary Munford, 

Mary Wallace, and Carla Goins. Not pictured are Patti Howard, Jim 

Munford, and Jeni Scudder. 

MERCY’S EDGE MINISTRIES 

Educational programs and mentoring for incarcerated men and women in several prisons in Southern Indiana is the hallmark of Mercy’s Edge as 

they help train people for life after their release. Board of Trustees members are, standing, Executive Director Mickey Utz, Leland Harbeson, Billy 

Townsend, and Darren Pavey. Seated are Board President Daryll Walters, Michael Franklin, Eloise Carlisle, and the Rev. Dr. Jerry Smart. Not 

pictured is Sarah Lentz. 

Together Again 

LEADERSHIP SOUTHERN INDIANA HOSTS ALUMNI BASH 

Leadership Southern Indiana graduates in Clark and Floyd counties gathered recently at the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center 

for the second annual Alumni Bash, uniting those who have participated in the program’s several programs since 1983. 

www.wesbanco.com 

WesBanco, Inc. is a Member FDIC 

(top) The Class of 2016 won the competition for having the most alumni 

present. From left to right in front are Sarah Hunter, Marcia Mattingly, 

Melanie Clark, Kirsten Bullock, Sue Christopher, and Catherine Dunn. In 

back are Luanne Mattson, Brent Rogers, Brett Clark, Reed Martin, Charlie 

Archer, and Bruce Morris. // Photo courtesy of Morris Images 

These pages are sponsored by WesBanco 



IndIana 



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Classic Oldies 

FM 102.7 

AM 1550 

Original Do-Wopp 

Rock & Roll Music 

is now on FM 

at 102.7! 

Harrison County’s Radio Station 

Experts in 

Rehabilitation 

Our Moving Forward program is designed for 

those striving to restore abilities lost due to stroke, 

cardiovascular difficulties, orthopedic surgery 

and other debilitating conditions. 

Additional Services: 

• Skilled Nursing Care 

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Listen to Harrison County Boys & Girls Basketball on WOCC 

Gift Certificates Available 

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Theatre in Southern Indiana 

Setting the Stage 

NAHS Theatre Arts hosts festive gala 

Rave reviews here and internationally 

are nothing new for New Albany 

High School Theatre Arts. 

From its enviable celebrity status 

as a feature in the 1939 issue of Life magazine 

to its more recent feature in The New 

York Times, the program has earned accolades 

through the decades. Along the way 

it has helped direct the talents and career 

paths of dozens of notable performers and 

entertainment industry stars. 

Now the local arts program itself is 

in the spotlight as the host of a one-timeonly 

fund raiser for much needed equipment 

and materials. 

The public is invited to the New Albany 

Theatre Arts Gala at 6 p.m. on Friday, 

Sept. 22, at the sponsoring Calumet 

Club, 1614 E. Spring St. in downtown 

Red 

White& 

Blush 

New Albany. Guests will be treated to 

hors d’oeuvres, dinner by Stumler’s Catering, 

silent and live auctions, and entertainment 

by The Juice Box Heroes. New 

Albany Theatre alumnus Jesse Rasmussen 

of 106.9 Play! will serve as emcee. 

“The evening will be electric as our 

proud community, including many theatre 

alumni, will come together to celebrate 

our rich theatre arts tradition,” 

said director Amy Harpenau. Alumni 

have gone on to perform on Broadway 

and in television, work in arts production 

and talent management, and find success 

in a myriad of other related careers, she 

added. 

In addition to the major sponsorship 

of The Calumet Club, other individuals 

and businesses are invited to purchase 

Photos provided by NAHS Theatre 

tables and sponsorships at various levels. 

All money raised will provide such necessary 

items as lighting upgrades, wireless 

microphones for actors, Telex headsets 

for technical workers, upgrades for the 

construction crew, costuming equipment, 

supplies for students in need, new shop 

equipment, stage curtains, and much 

more. 

Tickets for the gala are limited to the 

first 300 people. Individual tickets are $50, 

and corporate tables are $750 for eight and 

$1,000 for 10. All corporate table sponsors 

will receive special benefits. • 

For more information about the gala or to 

purchase tickets before the deadline of Friday, 

Sept. 8, call 812-542-2290, or email Harpenau 

at aharpenau@nafcs.k12.in.us. 

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Pictured: (above, and bottom, right) Eleanor Roosevelt may have been on the cover, but local 

eyes took pride in the two-page spread in the 1939 issue of Life magazine that featured 

the acclaimed NAHS Theatre Arts. One of the vintage photos shows the end pieces of seats 

in the old theatre that was renovated several years ago. 



Artists of Southern Indiana 

Local Artist 

Finds Inspiration 

in the Indiana 

Countryside 

Story by Judy Cato 

Photos (except where noted) by 

Linda Shoults 

Pulling into the drive that leads to 

the studio of Corydon artist Linda 

Shoults, I am greeted by Mr. Fussy 

and Charlie’s Pocket — horses 

belonging to Linda and her partner, Jim 

Hays, whose family has lived on this land, 

now called Hayswood Farm, since 1899. 

The place has a storybook quality: a red 

barn and studio on a hill overlooking their 

red farmhouse and vegetable garden in the 

valley. Black wooden fences parcel up the 

land, adding the finishing touch. 

Stepping inside the studio itself — 

as bright as the June day of my visit — I 

am engaged by a multitude of paintings 

that reveal secrets of this Harrison County 

countryside. I become absorbed in the 

landscape as Linda sees it. There is a closeup 

of a meadowlark that includes details of 

the bird’s dappled chest. There are winding 

roadscapes where light and shadow 

interact, and more panoramic views that 

take in the snow-covered fields and rolling 

hills as the setting for a distant farmhouse. 

There are amazing skyscapes that capture 

the Indiana sunset. And there are lots of 

horses, on canvases large and small. 

When we sit down to talk, Linda 

tells me about some of the places where 

she finds inspiration: the roads of Harrison 

County, Hayswood Nature Reserve, 

the Ohio River and Harrison County Fairgrounds, 

with its creek, wildlife and history. 

She pulls out one of her recent smaller 

paintings, modeled on a kingfisher she 

saw while walking at the fairgrounds. This 

colorful bird is magnificent. Linda points 

to the thick layers of paint which she says 

“is thicker than I used to paint.” She goes 

on to explain that her “recent mentor, 

Howard Friedland of Bozeman, Montana, 

is helping me to capture light by seeing 

and mixing the colors more accurately, 

and to maintain a thicker layer of paint between 

my brush and canvas.” She shows 

me two additional paintings that use this 

technique: “County Roads” and “Spring 

Thaw.” In both, I can feel the glimmers of 

sunlight. 

Autumn Visit, a 12x24 Oil painting by Linda Shoults 


It is the eyes of her animal paintings 

that fascinate me. The eyes of the elk in 

“Bugle Boy” and the coyote in “Alerted 

Coyote” remind me of something I read 

by art critic John Berger in About Looking: 

“The eyes of an animal when they 

consider a man are attentive and wary... 

Man becomes aware of himself returning 

the look... The first subject matter for 

painting was the animal.” My sense that 

Linda was referring to this mysterious 

kinship between man and animal in some 

of her paintings was confirmed when she 

explained “Alerted Coyote”: “This was 

painted in Kansas where coyotes are prolific. 

I could go out at night and hear them 

singing in the prairies.” 

The mystery of the natural world is 

increasingly in the background of Linda’s 

painting as she struggles with multiple 

myeloma, a cancer of the blood cells. Although 

she has always loved horses and 

wildlife, she now finds herself taking 

more time to really be in her settings, to 

see more deeply. Linda is fascinated by 

the effects of cancer on her creative process: 

“When I’m quiet, the creative juices 

are really flowing; I’m awash with ideas.” 

She is also experimenting with new ways 

to express the effects of cancer in her art. 

Recently she has done some work using 

alcohol inks on Yupo — a polypropylene 

paper. “Sometimes my medications make 

me shaky and I cannot paint in the realistic 

style that I enjoy, but I need to be in the 

studio creating artwork. This medium has 

given me a creative outlet that is abstract, 

with brilliant colors that flow and bloom 

on the paper. When you are done, you are 

done. It is a very freeing medium.” 

Linda grew up in central Indiana, 

moved to Texas after college and then to 

Kansas, where she became well known as 

a landscape painter. But clearly, Harrison 

County is now her home. She is the treasurer 

for Harrison County Arts! Inc. She 

teaches private art lessons and is planning 

a group class for fall when she will 

Linda Shoults, in her studio // Photo by Maurice (Bud) Shoults 

take students to paint en plein air in local 

settings. Her studio is one of 10 on the 

“Hills of Harrison County Studio Tour” 

that runs from Oct. 1-31. She exhibits her 

work regularly at the Artisan Center in 

downtown Corydon, where her father is 

a volunteer. • 

For more information on Linda and her art, go 

to www.LindaShoults.com. 

Linda’s shop and studio at Hayswood Farm 


A Passion for Helping Others 

Dr. Jeff Romer — a licensed 

marriage and family therapist, 

licensed clinical addiction 

counselor and certified psychoanalyst 

— has been working for Personal 

Counseling Service Inc. for about five 

years. His call to social work began in 1977 

when he worked in a workshop for individuals 

with developmental disabilities. 

Romer’s drift toward social work actually 

began with an interest in theology, and he 

eventually studied pastoral counseling. In 

the course of his undergraduate studies, 

his love of psychology grew and through 

his experiences with Lutheran Childhood 

Family Services of Illinois, he realized social 

work was his calling. 

Romer sat down to reflect on his 

passion for mental health, his own philanthropic 

endeavors and his advice for others 

looking to get more involved in their 

communities. 

How are you involved in the community? 

I’m involved with Lutheran Family 

Services of Kentuckiana. I’ve worked with 

them since ’92 and developed that into a 

full-time offce — that’s what my church 

family called me to do. That whole ministry 

and mission really promotes providing 

mental health services to people 


in need. It is faith-based in terms of its 

support system; in that respect it parallels 

PCS and its mission — that idea of helping 

where help is needed, which is what I 

came here to do. 

Why do you think mental health is so 

important? 

It’s a broad term that refers to people’s 

state of well-being or wholeness. 

It’s important because from a medical 

standpoint, it continues to be kind of the 

caboose, the rear end of the train; it has always 

been the underserved and neglected 

part of health care and it still is. You can 

have insurance, but the insurance doesn’t 

have to cover mental health; it’s hard to 

come by in any quality way. 

How do you find ways to act out philanthropy 

in your own life? 

My religious thing is to say that 

that’s not something one boasts of and 

I’d have to make a lot more money in my 

mind to be philanthropic, like (Warren) 

Buffett or someone like that. Lifestylewise, 

the notion of giving back and the 

notion that whatever I have really belongs 

to God anyway — nothing is my own — 

means that I’m conscious of the sense of 

stewardship that everything is a gift and 

we’re managing it. It does mean a lifestyle 

that has accepted low pay and some long 

hours and that’s true so when I subsidize 

people’s mental health costs, I’m really 

subsidizing it out of my own pocket, so 

I guess that’s one way to live it out as a 

vocation. The hard part is when you have 

family that’s sometimes tough to do. 

What do you think is the value of philanthropy? 

To the extent that I understand the 

word philanthropy — if what we mean 

is acts of generosity and caring — I think 

the value when it’s exercised lies in that 

mindset that ‘I never had anything on my 

own. I really owe everything I am at some 

level to other people.’ And I can say God 

from a religious standpoint certainly and 

it’s included in that. My income, community, 

all involves the reality of life with 

other people on whom I’m dependent 

to. So I go to the grocery store, well, who 

made that? Travel down the street, who 

made that? When am I not dependent on 

other people in a way for the same kind of 

livelihood, community, and well-being of 

everybody? I am always dependent. The 

value of philanthropy to me is that when 

people are being generous they are recognizing 

their own sense of gratitude and 

connectedness to other people who are a 

part of their life. 

What would you say to people looking 

to get more involved in the community? 

I think it would mean recognizing 

that people have something of value to 

offer to other people — that they are the 

gift to give. In one sense, they are the gift 

God made and the gift God offers to others 

in the community. That sense of having 

something to offer, sense of being full 

instead of empty, is part of it — sharing 

just as I have been shared with. • 

PCS is located in Clarksville, Ind. and has 

been serving the community since 1959. The 

organization provides counseling services in 

the form of psychotherapy, pastoral counseling, 

play therapy, trauma counseling, addictions 

therapy, music therapy, and more. For 

more information, please visit the website at 

www.pcs-counseling.org or call our intake coordinator 

at 812-283-8383 x21.

OUR PHILOSOPHY. At Wild Eggs, our goal is to 

offer the same level of preparation, presentation and service 

that guests can expect from an upscale dining experience. 

Hours: Monday - Friday: 6:30 am - 2:30 pm • Saturday & Sunday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm 

1450 Veterans Parkway l Jeffersonville, IN 47130 l 812-913-4735 l wildeggs.com 

HARRISON COUNTY LIFELONG LEARNING 

Follow 

us on 

Adult Education Classes 

Free classes help students improve basic skills in preparation for career 

advancement, college placement or high school equivalency testing. 

Online remediation tools and distance learning opportunities are available. 

High School Equivalency Testing 

Harrison County Lifelong Learning is the official test site for Region 10 in 

Southern Indiana. Testing is available for Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Crawford, 

Scott and Washington Counties. Call the learning center for more 

information on the test requirements and the pre-registration process. 

Accuplacer Testing 

The placement exam for Ivy Tech Community College, University of 

Southern Indiana and Vincennes University is available by appointment. 

101 Hwy 62 W. Suite 104 Corydon, Indiana 

812.738.7736 

www.HarrisonLifelongLearning.com 


Southern Indiana Festivals 

Monarch Festival 

July 15-16, 2017 

at Hidden Hill Nursery & Scupture Gardens in Utica, Indiana 

Over 2,000 people attended the two-day event and 300 Monarch butterflies were released to migrate. 

* Sponsored by Southern Indiana Arts Council * 

Photos by Raven Havenstein 

Pictured (this page, from top left, clockwise): One of the many unique sculptures that can be seen daily at Hidden Hill Nursery; Bob Hill of Hidden Hill Nursery with young girl releasing 

butterfly; large butterfly sculpture outside of the geodesic dome (courtesy of The Butterfly Dome Experience and Rob Roberts) where the butterflies stay and play before they are released. 

Pictured: (right hand page, from top left, clockwise) Butterfly sculpture seating at the event; the Butterfly Dome Experience tents set up by Rob Roberts, butterfly expert from Southern 

Indiana; booths setup for the Monarch Festival featured art from local artists available for purchase; an oversized chair at Hidden Hill Nursery; sculptures on permanent display at Hidden 

Hill Nursery and artist booths set-up at the event; young girl smiling as the butterfly feeds on a cotton ball with sugar before it is released. 




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Life Beyond Duct Tape 

Not Slowing Down Yet 

At the age of 88, volunteer Bonnie Ryan works tirelessly to keep pantry full 

It was January 2009 and Southern Indiana 

woke up to freezing temperatures 

and a glimmering film of ice coating 

everything in sight. Our community 

was unusually quiet except for a few bold 

drivers and snow plows. 

The Center for Lay Ministries’ 

(CLM) parking lot was still ice-covered 

when a call went out to 79-year old volunteer 

Bonnie Ryan, asking if she could 

make it in to open the food pantry. Because 

of the weather, the pantry had already 

been closed a couple of days. Bonnie 

didn’t hesitate to respond — of course 

she would be there to help those in our 

community who are hungry. 

Bonnie was trying to make it to 

the sidewalk outside the CLM when she 

lost her footing on the slick asphalt. She 

went down hard and fractured her pelvic 

bone. It took a while before some of the 

Bliss House residents found her on the icy 

pavement. When medics arrived, Bonnie 

begged them not to move her because of 

her intense pain. 

After surgery, Bonnie stayed in a rehabilitation 

facility for six weeks. She followed 

her doctor’s orders and exercised 

daily. While exercising, she noticed that 

most people spent the bulk of their day 

sitting in front of the television. “I don’t 

really understand television addiction — 

there is always something rehabilitation 

patients can be doing to keep their mind 

sharp, and many would benefit from staying 

physically active. I walked around 

the facility every day and saw things that 

needed to be done and then offered to 

help.” 

Bonnie helped organize the facility’s 

gift shop (something she said many 

of the residents could have done; even 

those with physical limitations), then she 

started volunteering in the laundry room. 

She kept busy, and that is what Bonnie 

does best. 

The day after her doctor released her, 

she was back volunteering at the CLM. 

This petite dynamo, now 88, has no intention 

of slowing down. “I’ve been volunteering 

here 15 years and I’m not ready to 


“I am but a ripple in the 

water. The more who know 

about the food pantry will 

hopefully result in more 

help with donations and 

volunteer hours and we 

always need both.” 

leave anytime soon,” Bonnie said. 

After working for 43 years at AT&T, 

Bonnie decided to make volunteering her 

full-time job. She faithfully works at least 

100 hours a month as CLM’s volunteer coordinator. 

CLM Executive Director Greg 

Henderzahs said, “Everyone knows who 

truly runs things around here and that is 

why our board dedicated the food pantry 

to her — Bonnie’s Pantry.” 

He added: “Bonnie is like my ‘Aunt 

Bee’ in that she has my back and the ministry 

of the food pantry is part of her heart. 

Truthfully, I don’t know what we would 

do without her expertise and dedication 

to our mission.” 

Bonnie is quick to brush off any notion 

that she is anything special. “I don’t 

need or deserve recognition. Heck, we 

have a woman here who comes in to 

volunteer who is 94 years old. There are 

about 50 volunteers and all are here because 

of their love for their fellow man.” 

Bonnie learned her philanthropic 

nature from her grandmother, who raised 

her from birth. “She was an earth angel. 

During the Great Depression, we had 

homeless people coming to our home regularly 

for help. My grandmother always 

found food to share, even if it was just a 

jelly sandwich.” 

The duties Bonnie has taken on include 

coordinating the other volunteers 

in the food pantry, organizing the space, 

helping clients, unloading shipments and 

regularly picking up food items from donors. 

She also routinely picks up the donations 

from the large Dare to Care green 

barrels in local grocery stores. Sometimes 

barrels are filled to the top. 

Bonnie handles the heavy lifting 

very well; however, with a grin she revealed, 

“Look, I am old and gray — if I 

see a young strong man walking by and I 

can’t get down to the bottom of the barrel, 

I don’t mind asking for help.” 

Bonnie agreed to being recognized 

in this article merely because she believes 

it will benefit the CLM’s mission for the 

food pantry. “I am but a ripple in the water. 

The more who know about the food 

pantry will hopefully result in more help 

with donations and volunteer hours and 

we always need both.” • 

Above: Bonnie Ryan sits on top of some recently delivered 

canned goods and is joined by Mac Neil Wynn, Jr., CLM’s 

part-time Logistic Manager. 

Carol Dawson is a Jeffersonville 

resident, columnist/writer, owner 

of EEO Guidance Inc., and communications 

volunteer for the 

Center for Lay Ministries. Email 

comments to cdawson@eeoguidance.com.

Welcome 

Dr. Landis! 

Megan Landis, MD 

Dermatologist 

HCH Physician’s Group 

Harrison County Hospital welcomes Dr. Megan Landis to the HCH Physician’s Group! 

Dr. Landis is Board-Certified by the American Board of Dermatology and is a Mayo Clinic 

trained Dermatologist. Dr. Landis is now seeing patients in the HCH Medical Pavilion on 

the Hospital campus. 

Appointments with Dr. Landis may be scheduled by calling 812-734-3881. 

The Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center of Southern Indiana 

1263 Hospital Drive NW, Suite 250 

Corydon, IN 

www.hchin.org 


Peggy’s Place is an Adult Life Center where seniors or those with disabilities can enjoy a full day while their 

caregivers work. Designed to enrich your loved one’s life and support caregivers, Peggy’s Place offers fun, friends, 

comfort and care in a warm, nurturing setting where each person is treated like family. 

Our innovative medical / social model focuses on each person and their unique needs, with individualized care 

plans that include activities to enhance or improve areas of concern. The result? We’ve seen increased cognitive 

function and social skills. Unlike other providers, we blend enriched monthly programs with an unwavering focus 

on individual needs. Daily routines always include social time, music therapy, reminiscing, appropriate exercise, 

brain-stimulating activities, building fine motor skills, — and LOTS of laughter! 

Peggy’s Place is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is always a nurse onsite, and we 

welcome those with dementia or physical limitations. Call 812.590.2857 to see if Peggy’s Place is right for your 

loved one. 

1730 Audubon Drive, Suite 100 

New Albany, IN 47150 

812.590.2857 

www.peggysplacein.com 


Making People of a Difference Southern Indiana 

Peggy’s Place: A Place for Friends 

Ahuge print at the entrance of 

Peggy’s Place reads: “Welcome. 

We’re glad you’re here!” These 

words serve as the mindset for 

the staff of Peggy’s Place not only toward 

those they care for but each other, and the 

words also embody the spirit of the figure 

from which Peggy’s Place draws its name: 

Peggy Phelps. 

Phelps’ daughter Ginger Jones, the 

adult day service center’s co-owner and 

co-founder, recalls how her mother placed 

herself in the role of caregiver for her family. 

“Her sister Joyce, who was the third 

born, had a severely debilitating form of 

cerebral palsy,” Jones said. Phelps, the 

oldest of six children, fell into the role of 

caregiver at an early age for her siblings 

and later for her parents after her mother 

developed Alzheimer’s disease. Phelps’ 

life left a lasting impression that Jones and 

the rest of the staff at Peggy’s Place are 

making strides to emulate. 

Peggy’s Place, which opened in 

April off Charlestown Road in New Albany, 

aims to transform the adult caretaking 

community. Jones and fellow co-owner 

and co-founder Tracy Book-Diers decided 

to start the center after they noticed a lack 

of follow-up on patients once they were 

discharged from hospitals. “We would 

send people home without knowledge, 

without anybody at home taking care of 

them, without any resources,” said Book- 

Diers, who has been a nurse since 1994. 

“That was where we wanted to create 

something to fill those gaps in our community.” 

In order to achieve this goal, the 

staff at Peggy’s Place has placed their focus 

both on those being cared for and the 

caregivers themselves. 

Christine Bottorff, the life care director 

for Peggy’s Place and a licensed 

practical nurse of more than 20 years, said 

the staff at Peggy’s Place takes the first 

step in participants’ care by calling them 

Story by Jon Watkins 

Photos provided by Idealogy 

Bottorff plans physical, 

cognitive and social activities 

almost a month in advance. 

From planting sunflowers 

and playing Wii games and 

cornhole to just sitting and 

reminiscing, the friends at 

Peggy’s Place are encouraged 

to pursue stimulating 

activities. 


Our Rose Garden Ballroom in the 

beautifully restored 1937 Bank Building 

located on Mansion Row in the heart 

of Downtown New Albany is the 

perfect setting for your special event. 

Our in-house planner can help with all 

the details to make your meeting or 

event a memorable one. 

Visit our website at 

TheatreWorksofSOIN.com 

For rental information or contact Chris Bundy 

at 812-844-1051 


“friends,” because they’re more than 

just patients. “This is home away from 

home” for them, and she added that 

everything from the staff’s casual dress 

code to eating meals with the friends 

creates a homey atmosphere. 

Bottorff plans physical, cognitive 

and social activities almost a month in 

advance. From planting sunflowers and 

playing Wii games and cornhole to just 

sitting and reminiscing, the friends at 

Peggy’s Place are encouraged to pursue 

stimulating activities. Even events such 

as “Wine Day” (where the friends enjoy 

a couple of glasses while they socialize) 

appear throughout every month. 

The friends say they enjoy their 

time at Peggy’s. “Oh, I have fun here! It 

makes you feel good,” said Deloris Abbott, 

a friend since the center opened. 

Abbott has a particular affnity for 

her rocking chair and exercising with 

3-pound weights. Abbott also enjoyed 

an activity where she learned about 

Route 66 and found out that it runs into 

California where her sister lives. Abbott 

said she gets along with all of the other 

friends, and she even takes notice when 

friends are absent a day. 

While the friends of Peggy’s Place 

are given compassionate care, the center 

and its staff also pay special attention to 

those who are giving care. “We think a 

lot about caregivers here,” Jones said. 

“If you look at the numbers, it’s pretty 

staggering the amount of care that’s provided 

by unpaid family caregivers,” but 

those caring for others tend to neglect 

their own health. Diane Richey, community 

collaborator for Peggy’s Place, said 

that one spouse caring for another is 

usually “totally exhausted, both mentally 

and physically” by the time they come 

and visit Peggy’s Place. Richey said that 

when the caregiver is able to spend some 

time by themselves, even for just one 

day, they’re able to recuperate and rejuvenate 

themselves. Jones also said that 

educating caretakers about how to care 

for themselves is crucial to the caregiving 

process. The staff at Peggy’s Place is 

making it their goal to let everyone who 

walks through their doors know that this 

is your place, too. • 

For more information about Peggy’s Place, 

visit dnconsult.org/blog/2017/03/06/peggys-place-an-adult-life-center-to-open-innew-albany 


Theatre in Southern Indiana 

A New Home 

TheatreWorks of Southern Indiana finds a home 

in an 1830s New Albany landmark 

Story and Photos by Chris Bundy 

When Chris Bundy, artistic 

director of TheatreWorks 

of Southern Indiana, finished 

the first season of his 

theatre venture bouncing around venues 

last summer, he made the decision that 

in order for the theatre to truly develop 

its own identity, a permanent home had 

to be found. Jason Roseberry, one of 

Bundy’s former students and a New Albany 

resident, had been active with the 

first season and quickly started seeking 

building possibilities in the downtown 

New Albany area. With the ever-increasing 

dining options, apartment and condo 

development, and the addition of many 

great shops and events in the area, a theatre 

option seemed like a no-brainer. 

However, it soon became apparent 

that an appropriate building would 

likely either be too expensive or would 

require costly renovations. Bundy immediately 

fell in love with the historic 

bank building at the end of New Albany’s 

Mansion Row; the only problem 

was its hefty price tag. Reluctantly, the 

search continued. But then Steve Resch, 

the downtown developer who owned 

the building, asked Bundy for a second 

meeting. Resch expressed an earnest desire 

to see the building used as an arts 

center and felt the addition would be 

beneficial to the downtown area. Terms 

were reached and TheatreWorks found 

an amazing new home in the heart of 

New Albany. 

With the papers signed, the task 

of transforming the building into and 

arts center began. Fortunately, Rauch got 

behind the project as well and refinished 

the floors as well as built the permanent 

stage on the first floor. 

Having been involved in the arts 

for more than 40 years, Bundy understood 

that theatre is an expensive operation 

and often cannot be sustainable 

based solely on revenue from ticket sales. 


The new building offers several opportunities 

for creating additional income. The 

second floor boasts a domed ballroom 

that can seat up to 80 for showers, parties, 

rehearsal dinners and meetings, as 

well as small weddings. A large muted 

rose mural was added, along with a large 

central chandelier suspended from the 

oval skylight. Off of the newly named 

Rose Garden Ballroom is a bar area with 

an art deco mirrored wall. The room off 

the bar was once the bank offce of New 

Albany’s legendary Samuel Culbertson 

during the building’s early use. The Culbertson 

Club Room features an ornate 

fireplace and an elegant Victorian theme. 

The main floor of the building 

was converted into the theatre space that 

seats nearly 100 patrons. Bundy wanted 

intimacy rather than a large, impersonal 

space. The color scheme for the room 

includes deep indigos with gold leafing 

throughout. Comfortable seating 

andLED stage lighting help transform 

the room into a space well suited to productions. 

An actor’s lounge area is to the 

right of the main stage area and a small 

offce is under the back stairway. 

The main entrance opens to a 

small lobby area with the box offce and 

a boutique featuring items from downtown 

shops. An art gallery is along the 

hallway leading to the theatre, and art 

is also along the walls of the stairway 

leading to the ballroom. The building is 

handicap-assessible with an elevator to 

the second floor. Parking is available just 

a half block behind the building. 

The theat has received overwhelming 

support. Sponsorships have 

poured in to cover the cost of renovations 

and theatre seating, as well as tables and 

chairs for the ballroom. A grant from the 

Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County 

paid for the LED stage lighting. The first 

two productions of the season sold out 

all performances and led to the addition 

of other shows. Several shows remain for 

the current season, with more offerings 

in the works. TheatreWorks also plans 

to offer classes throughout the winter 

months and Saturday events for children. 

While the imposing Greek structure 

at 203 E. Main St. previously housed 

a bank, church, Red Cross building and a 

nightclub, its transformation into a theatre 

is a welcome addition to the downtown 

scene and one that TheatreWorks 

hopes will remain for years to come. For 

information about shows and other offerings, 

visit theatreworksofsoin.com. 

For more information about the gala or to 

purchase tickets before the deadline of Friday, 

Sept. 8, call 812-542-2290, or email 

Harpenau at aharpenau@nafcs.k12.in.us.

Strengthening Our Nonprofit Community 

Strong nonprofits have strong boards. Strong boards 

effectively govern their organizations. Effective board 

governance ensures nonprofit organizations fulfill their 

missions and create positive change in their communities. 

As the leaders and ultimate decision-makers, a nonprofit’s 

board of directors is charged with defining and acting upon 

the organization’s mission. 

The Harrison County Community Foundation is 

committed to strengthening nonprofit organizations in our 

community. One of the ways we do this is by offering 

nonprofit board governance training opportunities. 

Nonprofit board training helps participants increase their 

knowledge and sharpen their skills in the most critical 

elements of board governance. Training sessions are open to 

new and experienced board members. These sessions have 

also proven beneficial for community school board members, 

nonprofit staff and leaders in local government. 

Topics covered in HCCF-sponsored nonprofit board 

training sessions include: 

• Board development 

• Fundraising 

• Strategic planning 

• Managing change 

• Financial management 

• Board evaluation 

• Holding effective meetings 

• Roles and legal responsibilities 

Starting in 2018, HCCF will require all nonprofits 

submitting a grant application to have at least one current 

board member who has completed an HCCF-approved 

nonprofit board governance training program. 

To learn more about upcoming training programs, 

including dates and times, contact us by calling 812-738-6668 

or visit our website, hccfindiana.org. 

“The training itself was well-done, well-structured, 

with sound content and guidance for not only starting 

and developing boards, but also nurturing them 

over time as their effectiveness grows.” 

-Ron McKulick, executive director of Region 10 

Workforce Board, Inc. and WorkOne Southern Indiana 


Everyday Adventures 

The (Not So) 

Perfect Pumpkin Pie 

Not just anyone can fix a good 

pumpkin pie. Oh I know the 

recipe is simple enough, but 

you have to be paying attention 

or you can ruin it. That’s what happened 

on my daughter’s birthday a few 

years ago. 

See, when you have a fall birthday in 

my house, you don’t always get a normal 

cake. Sometimes you get pie, which is not 

an altogether bad deal, unless, like I said, 

someone messes it up. 

My wife meant well, but she had a 

lot going on. We were packing to leave 

town for a few days, and she was just trying 

to do too many things at once. When 

she pulled the pie out of the oven, the 

edge of the crust was almost burned. 

She thought it was fine, but I couldn’t 

let it go. This was my daughter’s birthday 

cake for crying out loud. I wanted it to be 

picture perfect. “Don’t worry about it,” I 

said. “I’ve got this.” 

So, I grabbed a new pie crust, 

whipped the ingredients together and 

popped it in the oven. I, however, wasn’t 

going to make the the same mistake my 

wife did. I stood by the oven and watched 

it like a hawk. 

When the timer went off I pulled it 

out, and I don’t mean to brag here, but 

this pie looked so good it would have 

made Martha Stewart weep with envy. 

The crust was golden brown, and the custard 

was baked to a deep caramel color, 

it’s nearly flawless surface ever-so-slightly 

cracked around the edges, cooked to perfection. 

The pie was so beautiful that I didn’t 

know whether to put it on the table or 

donate it to a museum. However, since 

it was my daughter’s birthday, I figured 

she should actually get to try to bite. I just 

hoped my wife didn’t feel too bad about 

me showing her up in the kitchen. 

The pie was so beautiful 

that I didn’t know 

whether to put it on the 

table or donate it to a 

museum. 

After lunch we put candles in the 

pie and sang Happy Birthday, and it was 

finally time to enjoy the fruit of my labor. 

I couldn’t wait to dig in. I served up a 

slice to the whole family and, then being 

the servant that I am, went to the fridge to 

grab some whipped cream before I tasted 

it myself. 

Just as I opened the refrigerator 

door, my wife yelled, “Don’t eat that!” 

Wow, I knew she’d be jealous, but this 

was a bit much. When I saw the look on 

my mom’s face, however, I knew something 

was wrong. 

“What is it?” I asked. 

My wife smiled and said, “You left 

out the sugar.” 

I couldn’t believe it. I tried it myself 

just to see how bad it really was, and I 

nearly gagged. In case you’ve ever wondered, 

sugarless pumpkin pie is disgusting. 

Fortunately we had a back up. My 

wife pulled out her rejected pie, and even 

though it wasn’t picture perfect, it was absolutely 

delicious. 

No surprise there. After all, there 

was a law of the universe at work that day 

that applies to both pies and people. It’s 

what’s on the inside that counts, or as God 

said it in 1 Samuel 16:7, “People judge by 

outward appearance, but the Lord looks 

at the heart” (NLT). 

You can be picture perfect on the 

outside, but if your heart’s not right, it 

won’t long take for people to figure it out. 

And, of course, the opposite is true, even 

on those days when you’re feeling a little 

burnt around the edges, a heart sweetened 

by the love of God is a delicious treat 

for anyone who comes near your table. • 

* Excerpt from Holiday Road: An Autumn 

Devotional by Jason Byerly, available October 

2017 at Amazon. For more information on the 

Holiday Road devotional series go to www. 

jasonbyerly.com. 


Now Available on Kindle: 

Holiday Road 

A Christmas Devotional 


Photo credit: Shutterstock.com / Romawka 

Jason Byerly is a writer, pastor, husband and 

dad who loves the quirky surprises God sends 

his way every day. You can catch up with Jason 

on his blog at www.jasonbyerly.com or on 

Twitter at www.twitter.com/jasondbyerly.


At Sullivan University, we 

make leaders. From pharmacy 

to business, our programs 

are taught by professionals, 

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For more information about program successes in graduation rates, placement rates and occupations, please visit: sullivan.edu/programsuccess.

Southern Indiana Living SeptOct 2017

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