Beacon 4-20

Page 10B THE BEACON April 2020
Robotics team Ms. Guilliams, Mrs. Hummer, Maddox Hefner,
Josie Stenger, Ella Stenger, Aaron Rullman, Kamryn
Sullivan, Melissa Cisneros-Hernandez, and Casey Lunsford.
Malia Herbert, Jillian Eppinghoff, Mikala Newland, Alexia
Makrancy, Paige Makrancy and Myranda Bedford volunteered
at the Pregnancy Care Center.
SUNMAN
By
Maureen
Stenger
Community
Correspondent
sunman@goBEACONnews.com
Sunman Elementary
teacher, Heather Lunsford,
shared with me some exciting
news regarding the school’s
first year Robotics Team.
The team is made up of
fourth- and fifth-graders who
began constructing a robot
from nine hundred parts back
in October. By December,
the team had assembled a
moving robot! The work is
strictly done by the kids;
O
ur
adults are there to help them
think through the design
process but cannot assist
with the robot explained Mrs.
Lunsford.
The Sunman Robotics
team competed in January
in Liberty, IN., and placed
seventh out of thirty-four
teams!
Sunman Dearborn
Community Schools had
a total of six teams at the
competition, and all six
teams placed in the top
ten! The Sunman robotics
team, along with the Bright
and North Dearborn teams,
presented their robots to the
school board at their last
meeting.
The team next participated
in a very challenging
PAMPERED PETS
CERTIFIED GROOMER
GROOMING SPECIALIST
SMALL CLIENTELE FOR BEST RESULTS
CALL 513-374-9231 MAUREEN
1st Visit 10% Discount
Specializing in Yorkies, Shih Tzu’s, Lhasa’s,
Smaller Terrier Breeds and Other Small Dogs
BOARDING AVAILABLE
Celebrate with us!
Wednesday, April 22nd!
6980 State Route 128
LOCATION OPENS EARLY AT
7:30AM - FOR CANS ONLY!
FREE HOT DOGS AND DRINKS!
Communities
competition in New
Palestine, IN, and once
again did very well, placing
ninth out of forty-one teams
in their skills challenge.
The Sunman robotics team
is coached by teachers
Heather Lunsford and
Mallory Hummer. They
are planning on expanding
their program next year
at Sunman Elementary to
include two teams and are
hoping robotics will expand
to the Sunman Dearborn
Middle School next year as
well. The future looks very
bright for this program!
Congratulations to all of the
participants and coaches!
On Feb. 15, six area
teens from Sunman
Dearborn Middle School
and East Central High
School volunteered their
time at The Pregnancy
Care Center to paint their
newly renovated space.
The students worked hard
to complete as much of the
project as possible. Great
job on giving your time to
help make our community a
bit brighter!
You may have heard
some rumblings in town
about the new Sunman
Revitalization Initiative
(SRI). Co-Secretary, Kara
Schott, shared that the nonprofit
group comprised of
Sunman area citizens will
work with local businesses
and property owners to
positively impact economic
development in Sunman.
The elected officers of the
group are Byron Bruns,
President; Jim Graf, Vice
President; Karyl Schmidt,
Treasurer; and Kara Schott/
Ashley Knueven, Co-
Secretaries. Best of luck
on all future endeavors, it
sounds like we have some
great things on the horizon
thanks to our hard-working
citizens!
On a more somber note,
The Sunman Rural Fire
Department announced that it
will no longer hold its annual
Fireman’s Festival. The
festival has been held each
summer since 1986.
We thank the fire
department for putting so
much time and effort into
this event. A lot of fun and
enjoyment was had by all
for many years. We thank
the fire department for their
commitment and service
to our community. Please
continue to support them
by attending their annual
fish dinner and by donating
if you can to their annual
letter mailing fundraiser
campaign.
Finally, happy birthday
wishes go out to Mrs.
Evelyn Wagner, who turned
ninety-seven years young on
March 12!
Thank you for sharing
your stories and community
happenings with me. I enjoy
hearing from you! Please
keep them coming; you can
contact me at sunman@
goBEACONnews.com
MANCHESTER
By
Lisa
West
Community
Correspondent
manchester@goBEACONnews.com
MARCH MADNESS! For
those of you who follow basketball,
this is a familiar term.
As college teams are preparing
for the Big Dance (NCAA
Tournament), our local basketball
players are completing
their season. One very talented
player, Alex Shackelford
from Manchester, has had an
outstanding senior year!
On center court Senior
Night at SDHS, the announcer
named the starting five. The
lone Manchester Elementary
School alum is finally announced.
He’s starting in a
different position, jumping
the ball as a senior for the first
and last time. He’s taking in
all of his senior night memories-
the hugs, the smiles, the
tears, the gifts, the pictures,
and the win. He jumps, taps,
dribbles, passes, and shoots.
#1 has made his first last shot
as a senior on senior night.
Alex was raised and lived in
Manchester not far from Manchester
Elementary School,
where he started his school
basketball career. During this
time, he was dubbed ‘Shack.’
He had fabulous teachers in
each of his grades, and that’s
where he started his school
basketball playing. He was
first a Manchester Shiner,
then an SDMS Squire, and
ultimately an SDHS Knight.
At three years of age, Alex
started playing basketball at
Aurora Recreation Center
and Lawrenceburg Community
Center. Alex also
played travel basketball with
Kentucky Warriors during
his middle school offseason
and then Northern Kentucky
Spring is just
around the corner.
Start the season right.
Join the Advantage
Home Care Team.
$$$ Earn extra $$$
We have openings for
CNA •Home Health Aides •LPN • RN
Lawrenceburg/Versailles/Sunman/Milan/
Vevay/Rising Sun/West Harrison/Deputy
Enjoy weekly pay, benefits package,
one-on-one care, competitive pay rates
All interested applicants please contact
ADVANTAGE HOME CARE
800-807-6839 • 812-537-0325
460 Ridge Ave. Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 EOE
FRANKLIN
COUNTY
franklin@goBEACONnews.com
So many great things are
happening in Brookville and
Franklin County. If you would
like to share these exciting
happenings become involved
as a correspondent, please
email the BEACON at editor@
goBEACONnews. com.
Be sure to share news by
emailing franklin@goBEA-
CONnews.com
Alex Shackleford sinking
one of his famous 3-point
baskets!
Select during high school. He
was fortunate enough to play
in the National AAU tournament
in Myrtle Beach last
year, and Walt Disney World
ESPN Center this past summer.
What an experience he
had playing with these teams!
Friendships were formed
for a lifetime.
Basketball is not Alex’s
only hobby. He likes to fish,
hunt, golf, and play tennis.
Going fishing with his
great-grandpa and Bucky
were some of his best memories.
There were many trips
to Brookville, Whitewater,
and just fishing on the farm.
Fishing was a serious business
with Bucky. Alex’s biggest
catch occurred a couple of
years ago when he caught a
12-pound bass out of the back
pond. It is now hanging on his
bedroom wall. Alex has also
been a member of the Manchester
Rowdies 4-H Club for
ten years; this will be his last
year as a senior. He showed
animals, crops, and did shooting
sports as his projects. His
favorite project was archery.
He would go to many archery
shoots to prepare for this project,
as he practiced shooting
at 3D targets. Some of his best
memories at the Dearborn
County 4-H fair are of playing
cards in the “barn” with his
4-H friends and the greased
pig contest.
Hanging out with your 4-H
friends is the absolute best.
Alex’s favorite quote is, “If
you do not believe in yourself,
no one will do it for you” by
the great Kobe Bryant. Does
Alex believe in himself? You
bet he does!
His favorite part of playing
basketball is playing in front
of all the fans. Alex shared,
“There is nothing that gets
you more pumped up than
when you make that play, that
shot, that pass, that basket,
and the crowd goes wild.”
#1 ‘Shack’ believes in himself
- his plans include going
onto college for Electrical
Engineering and perhaps future
basketball playing. That
chapter is yet to be written
for this senior. As the crowd
claps, the cheerleaders cheer,
the band plays, the announcer
announces, the referees ref,
the coaches coach, and yes
the players play, this season
has come to a close. The
players became friends who
have bonded forever through
a game that Alex “Shack”
Shackelford loves - basketball.
Twenty-five Years of Bringing our Community and Businesses Together.