Beacon 5-21

Page 8B THE BEACON May 2021
YORKVILLE
& GUILFORD
By
Laura
Keller
Community
Correspondent
yorkville@goBEACONnews.com
Racing has always been a
part of Michelle Baird’s life
and something she’s always
dreamed of pursuing. As
a child, her father Duane
Bischoff competed in drag
races before moving onto
mini stock and ARCA truck
(similar to a smaller version
of a NASCAR truck) and then
competing in a handful of
NASCAR truck races. Typically,
when parents are very
passionate about something,
their children tend to follow
in their footsteps. While this
is true for Michelle, she didn’t
get on the racetrack until later
in life.
Michelle began racing gokarts,
but she quickly discovered
that wasn’t for her. After
selling her go-kart, her racing
hobby was halted until she
turned sixteen. She stepped
into her father’s ARCA truck
O
ur
for two races and made history
as the first father-daughter
team. Upon finishing the two
races, she stepped back from
the driver’s seat for a while
until she met her husband
Dalton and he bought her first
compact car (Dodge Neon) in
2014. Dalton wanted Michelle
to learn the track and how to
handle a compact car. She is
a hands-on driver, determined
to learn all aspects of her car.
Her parents own an automotive
garage, so being hands-on
is another trait she inherited.
She took the 2015 racing
year off to have her first child
but was back on the track in
2016 with her biggest fan,
her son, at her side. The year
provided some challenges, but
Michelle still earned multiple
top-ten finishes including
wins in a B Main, heat race,
and finished fifth in points
overall for the year. In 2017
Michelle stepped away to
have her second son but came
back late in the 2018 season.
Although she only participated
in half of the season, she
still earned multiple top-ten
finishes and a top-five finish.
Michelle set her sights
to become the first female
driver to win the championship
title at the Lawrenceburg
Communities
Speedway in 2019. While
she encountered several
hiccups, Michelle ended the
season with a strong thirdplace
finish in points, six heat
race wins, and seven top-ten
finishes out of fourteen races
that season! The 2020 season
was delayed and didn’t
start until May but that gave
Michelle time to switch the
car’s computer system which
made a big difference in her
car’s performance. There were
seven races held in 2020 at
the Lawrenceburg Speedway
and Michelle ended the season
there with two heat wins,
five top 5 finishes, and one
top 10 finish.
The 2021 racing season will
be starting soon and Michelle
plans to race the entire season
and has her sights set on being
the first female driver to win
the Lawrenceburg Speedway
track championship! She also
plans to travel to a few other
tracks such as Brownstown,
Thunder Valley, Florence, Moler,
and Rockcastle. If you’d
like to follow Michelle, check
out her Facebook page titled
“Michelle Baird racing.” Good
luck to Michelle this year!
Jay and Summer Merk
celebrated their twenty-first
wedding anniversary on Apr.
15. The high-school sweethearts
have two sons, Joey
and Hayden. Congratulations
and may you enjoy many
more years of happiness!
If you have news in the
Yorkville/Guilford area you’d
like me to share, please contact
me at yorkville@go
BEACONnews.com.
MILAN
By
Susan
Cottingham
Community
Correspondent
milan@goBEACONnews.com
Certain people in the
community touch nearly every
aspect of life here in Milan,
and when one of those people
passes, we all feel the loss.
Linda (White) Baurley was
one of those people. Although
she was uncomplaining,
optimistic, and courageous, her
year-long battle ended for her
on Mar. 16. She left behind a
loving family, lifelong friends,
and a community that loved
her. Linda gave her best and
expected the same from all of
us. Although I have known
Linda for most of my life, my
contact with her since we both
retired was primarily through
the Milan ‘54 Hoosiers
Museum where we served
on the board of directors
and kept the doors open for
guests. Museum guests were
always thrilled to hear Linda’s
stories of her brother, Gene
White, the center on the 1954
Championship Basketball
team. She was always there
with a smile to make sure
visitors enjoyed their trip
to Milan. Most residents
became acquainted with Linda
through the school where she
taught health and physical
education, and also coached
various sports teams. She was
the president of the Golden
Ray and Linda Baurley
Rule Club and the Secretary
for the Milan Community
Dollars for Scholars. Linda
was an active member of the
Good Samaritan Hope Chest
and played a huge role in the
successful operation of the
Council of Churches Christmas
Project. As a former teacher,
she was also a member of both
the Indiana Retired Teachers
Association and the Ripley
County Retired Teachers
Association. I also want to
mention the close relationship
she had with the members of
her 1966 graduating class at
MHS. My condolences go
out to these lifelong friends
and her family. Linda will be
dearly missed by her husband,
Ray Baurley; daughters Jane
(Jeremy) Lieland of Batesville
and Kate (Steve) Stock of
Milan; brothers Gene White
(Anita) of Franklin, Indiana
and Bob White (Linda) of
Rising Sun; sister Virginia
Black of Somerset, Kentucky;
grandchildren Cayden,
Nicholas, and Ross Lieland,
Lainey, Taylor, and Brody
Stock. Linda had a positive
attitude and made the world a
better place. I feel fortunate to
have known her. Rest in peace,
dear friend.
THE
BELEW’S
Wheels for Kids
-Wanted-
Used bicycles or tricycles.
Condition not an issue for
single speed only.
Multi-speed bikes accepted if in good
working order.
Items will be repaired and taken to
Missions in Tennessee.
Call
(812)744-3257 (513)490-3360
BROTHERS
We will pick up
your junk.
Anything metal, old appliances, air conditioners,
computers and parts.
(no TVs or furniture- sorry)
For Hire- Light Hauling
812-744-3257 or 513-490-3360
HARRISON
By
Debbie
McCane
Community
Correspondent
harrison@goBEACONnews.com
Harrison’s Easter
celebration was not daunted
by the social distancing
debacle of so many events of
the past year. The Harrison
Recreation Commission gets
credit for their creativity this
year when they came up with
the idea of a drive-thru Easter
celebration at the Harrison
Community Center for all of
the kids in the Harrison area.
The festivities were held from
9-11 A.M. Families were
asked to stay in their cars
and were able to see the egg
juggler on stilts, the Easter
Bunny, and the Bengals’
mascot Who-Dey. Each child
was given an Easter treat
bag as well as other treats
that were passed out by local
businesses and partners in
this event. Prizes given away
included a bicycle and a
basket.
Boy Scout Troup 408 also
served up their pancake
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BOARDING AVAILABLE
breakfast as a part of that
drive-thru experience. Orders
were picked up curbside. We
are so grateful for all of the
time, efforts, and donations
by the Harrison Recreation
Commission, local businesses,
and community organizations
on behalf of the kids.
New businesses are popping
up in our city. The 10500
block of Harrison Avenue
now proudly boasts of a new
shoe store and a new gym.
Renovations are happening
across the street and another
business is relocating there.
The owner of the field
across from this same
shopping area was thrilled
when Cub Scout Pack 293
showed up with their families
to clean up that field and
remove all the trash that
collects there. Two pick-up
trucks were filled with the
trash and hauled it away.
The property owner made a
donation to the scout group
for their work and will reward
them each time they return
to clean up the field. Seeing
these kids showing ambition,
a desire to help clean up our
community, and respect for
our town is so wonderful.
ELECTRONICS
COLLECTION
Twenty-seven Years of Bringing our Community and Businesses Together.