Beacon Aug 2023

Page 6B THE BEACON August 2023
AURORA
By
Randy
Turner
Community
Correspondent
aurora@goBEACONnews.com
Hello Beacon readers,
What a great time of year,
with so many things going on.
All of the schools wrapping
up their year being the best.
Time for the young to take a
break. I had the opportunity
to see my granddaughters
for Grandparents Day at St.
John. Molly, the youngest,
had papers on her desk about
us. She had us being born
in the ‘60s, I will take that.
She filled in “My grandfather
would WORK every day if he
could.” You got me, Molly.
Her big sister, Katie, did a
story with the subject of Dr.
Phil, with his pictures covering
her desk. Watching Katie
and her classmates, I can tell
they are a talented bunch who
will be heading to high school
next year. Their graduation
was an exciting night, as the
church air conditioner started
smoking, so the Aurora Fire
Department was called in. No
injuries or damages, but they
will remember the night’s
excitement.
South Dearborn High
School held its graduation on
the football field, as the gym
is being remodeled. I would
have loved to have seen that.
All of the graduations that
I have attended were held
inside. I did get to hear about
the awards night from Lions
committee members who
attended. Larry Petty and
Jeff Cotton presented thirteen
O
ur
scholarships to seniors heading
toward higher education,
for a total of $8,100. The
recipients are Macie Teke,
Eastern Kentucky Univ./
Criminal Psychology; Kaylee
Marsh, Ball State Univ./ Elementary
Ed; Emma Seaver,
Ivy Tech/ Dental Hygiene;
Kori Cornett, Wilmington
College/ Pre-Vet; Aubrey
Young, Ivy Tech, UC /Pharmacy;
Adam Bruner, Ball
State Univ./ Math Education;
Max Burger, Taylor Univ./
Human Physiology; Lillie Davis,
Indiana Univ./ Accounting;
Jacob Daugherty, UC/
Financial Planning; Danielle
Lusby, Florida Int. Univ./
Psychology; Isabella Bear,
Western Kentucky Univ./
Nursing; Lauren McHenry,
Ball State Univ./ Psychology;
Adam Strasemeier, Ivy Tech/
Business. The scholarships
are funded through the Lions’
raffles, pancake breakfasts,
and, of course, the Farmers
Fair. Larry Petty has been
with this committee since the
first scholarships were given
at $250 each. He shared that,
all total, just over $250,000
has been awarded since then.
So, a big thanks to all who
supported us through the
years, and best wishes to these
bright young people.
On the topic of smart
young kids, my hat goes off
to library director Leslie
Sutherlin, and her staff. On a
recent trip to the post office,
I found a calendar of summer
activities at the library. Parents,
take those cell phones
away from the kids. Libraries
have loads of activities.
Many years ago, Mary Alice
Horton would let me take my
boys into the kids’ area to lay
on the floor and read to them.
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Theo Rogers, Adam Boyd’s
great-nephew, masters the
forklift.
If we had activities like they
offer now, we would never
leave!
Some things change for
the better, so get down to the
libraries and enjoy their fantastic
events. Even adults can
get into the fun. I’m signed
up for computer lessons,
which should make Tamara
Taylor happy. My first war
with computers was forty-five
years ago at Xavier Univ., and
that computer was bigger than
the Utility Office. My training
has been at the patience of my
sons and my Office Managers.
I have heard, “NO, NO, NO”
a lot! Reminds me of Saint
Mary’s!
Something that has made
life better, Relay for Life!
Under the direction of event
leaders, Josh Richey and
Sami Peddenpohl, this
year’s event is slated for
Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, at
Todd Creech Memorial Park
in Lawrenceburg. Being a
Survivor and knowing many
others, I have to believe that
the American Cancer Society,
with events like this, has
made a difference in our lives.
Thank you, Josh and Sami,
for leading the way. Work still
needs to be done in this battle.
One person in the battle now
that I keep in my thoughts is
Guinevere Banschbach who
has met her cancer journey
with steadfast good news and
positivity. I also think of her
when I drive by or ride by the
bike rental stations.
When she was beating the
drum to get these put in, a lot
of people said it would be a
waste! Well, those bikes get
quite the workout, and empty
spaces are pretty frequent as
people enjoy riding the Trail.
If you are into biking as I am,
you need to visit local ace
repairman, Josh Mangold.
Josh is keeping a lot of bikes
on the road, not to mention
showing off the fantastic
display of new and antique
bikes. I’m so tempted by the
new E-bikes because I can’t
do what I used to, but going
faster could hurt more in a
fall. I got lucky and caught
Tim Weber in the store this
Spring. He has an amazing
collection of bikes, and you
can spend some time checking
them out. He even has the
banana seat bikes that came
out when I was a kid. I think
Zerbe Withered had the first
one, and he was the envy of
all the neighborhood.
A whole lot of music has
been in the Aurora air, with
Bobby & Lisa’s “Almost
Live” doing Dancing on Main
and the Aurora High School
Museum Alumni Dance.
Aurora Emergency Rescue
kicked off their new truck
fund raiser with a concert.
We gotta support these hard
workers! The big show will
be Aurora’s Rocking on the
River “Battle of the Bands,”
which is slated for July 29
from 12:30 P.M. to 10:00
P.M. Area realtors have quite
the event planned with food
trucks, a petting zoo, craft
booths, and loads of activities
for the kids.
Speaking of the AHS Museum,
it is also still part of the
scene. As of my last visit, they
had received a 1925 yearbook,
which was the year that
Marion Linkmeyer graduated.
This CLASSY LADY
was later known as Marion
Smith to AHS students for a
lot of years. You can have a
Aurora
20th Annual
Knight Flight 5K Run and Walk
Saturday, July 15
Weber Sports, 238 Main Street
Start Time 8:30am
A Tribute to Lonnie Mack
Saturday, July 15th
11am - 2pm
River View Cemetery
3635 E. Laughery Creek Road
Plot U on Circle Dr downhill
from yellow bricked chapel
BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR
Southeastern Indiana Board of Realtors
3rd Annual
Aurora’s Rockin’ on the River
Battle of the Bands
Saturday, July 29
12:30 - 10pm
Gabbard Riverfront Park
Adam Boyd giving backhoe
lessons at the Hard Hat
Hangout.
parks
dearborn
county
the Dearborn County Parks Foundation.
A Gift For all Seasons!
www.dearborncountyPARKS.com
Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com
Kevin Gerke demonstrating
his expert skills in the dump
truck.
Theo Rogers was all smiles
in the skid steer.
good time looking over their
collection of memorabilia.
Keep the Devil’s Spirit going,
guys and gals!
Father’s Day weekend
saw the sixth annual Hard
Hat Hangout staged by Main
Street Aurora and Aurora Utilities.
Over two hundred kids
enjoyed trucks, backhoes, and
fire trucks with free lunches
of hot dogs, chips, and drinks.
A big thanks to our helpers,
Aurora Fire Department,
Paul Rohe Company, Pat
McGraw, Curtis Gillman,
Kevin Wang, Clint Siekman,
and dear friend Bill
Yelton. Wayne Schroeder
was on hand. He did not paint
anything, but his donation,
as well as Pat McGraw’s,
covered the hard hats, safety
ducks, tattoos, construction
bracelets, and goodies that
each child received.
So, get out and enjoy the
summer living! Back-toschool
clothes are coming…
Editor’s Note: Aurora
resident Donnie Hastings
recently retired from a lifelong
career as a Dearborn
County dispatcher. Not only
did he dedicate decades to
keeping his community safe,
he also served as Mayor of
Aurora for sixteen years. Mr.
Hastings looks forward to
spending time with his family,
especially Little Charlotte, his
granddaughter. The BEACON
thanks Mr. Hastings for all
that he has done and wishes
him the best.
River City Classic Car Club
Cruise In
Wednesday, August 2
5:30 - 8:30pm
200 block of Second St.
Judiciary to Main Sts.
Southeastern Indiana Art Guild
11th Annual
Regional Art Exhibition
Saturday August 5 - 19
302 Second Street
City Wide Yard Sale
& Business Sidewalk Sale
Thursday, August 17-
Saturday, August 19
9am - 2pm