Beacon Oct 2023

Page 4B THE BEACON October 2023
BATESVILLE
By
Sue
Siefert
Community
Correspondent
batesville@goBEACONnews.com
I have the honor to serve
on the Ripley County Community
Foundation’s (RCCF)
Marketing Committee (actually,
taking up space at the
table may be a more accurate
description as I often sit back
in awe of all the granting
opportunities this tiny staff
offers to our great county).
While each grant award gives
that “feel-good sense” you
get when a deserving group
or organization receives their
much-needed funding, one
project tugged at my heartstrings.
As the daughter of a WWII
Veteran, and granddaughter to
two December WWI vets, and January the Wreaths ad
Across Ripley County project
touched my heart and the
hearts of many, and for that
reason, I’m sharing Owen’s
story.
The RCCF recognized
O
ur
Owen Menchhofer as the
2023 President’s Award recipient
for his efforts to substantially
further the mission of
the Community Foundation.
Owen was integral in
implementing Wreaths Across
Ripley County. Through this
program, the RCCF partnered
with the Ripley County
Historical Society (RCHS)
to update historical records
while honoring the sacrifices
of local veterans. In 2022,
Owen and a handful of volunteers
from the RCHS spent
countless hours researching
records to identify the names
of local veterans along with
their branch, years of service,
and honoraria received.
Owen, an avid supporter
of US military personnel and
their families, recognized that
the RCHS efforts aligned with
the national program known
as Wreaths Across America
(WAA) which has a mission
to, “Remember the fallen,
Honor those who serve, and
Teach the next generation
about the value of freedom.”
The capstone project is to
honor veterans by placing a
wreath on the graves of US
veterans during the Christmas
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Communities
Nancy Durham and Owen
Menchhofer.
season. This spurred Owen
and his team to expand their
efforts from merely identifying
Ripley County veterans to
locating their graves.
On December 17, over
4,000 wreaths were placed on
the graves of veterans who
were laid to rest in over two
hundred Ripley County cemeteries.
Wreaths Across Ripley
County was recognized by
WAA for honoring the most
veterans in Indiana in 2022.
Additionally, Owen’s efforts
were solidified for future
generations with the creation
of the Remember, Honor, and
Teach fund at the RCCF. The
purpose of this endowment
fund is to generate grants to
perpetually support programs
that will: 1) honor the sacrifices
of US veterans and their
families, 2) preserve democracy
and ethics in our society,
and 3) preserve our history.
On a sad note, our community
lost a leader and more
importantly a friend to so
Jay Reichmuth
many when
funeral
director and
long-time
Kiwanis
AppleFest
chairperson,
Jay Reichmuth
passed
in July. The
Batesville
Kiwanis are working to honor
him at this year’s AppleFest
slated for Sept. 23-24 (see the
ad on page 5B). Consider
joining us for a weekend of
family fun and everything
apple … just the way Jay
would have wanted it!
That’s Sue’s news for now!
more?
want
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DOVER
By
Rhonda
Trabel
Community
Correspondent
dover@goBEACONnews.com
Back-to-school days started
in Sunman-Dearborn District
on Aug. 9. Looks like all of
them were pretty happy to go
back to school! We will ask
them in a few weeks to see
if they are as happy as they
seem to be in these pictures.
Oh well, nothing is as exciting
as that first day back. Good
luck to them and all of the
students in the area for a great
year.
Congratulations to Dave
and Diane Kuhn who celebrated
their fiftieth wedding
anniversary on Aug. 4. They
were blessed by our new
priest, Fr. John Hollowell, at
All Saints Parish, Dover Campus.
Diane and Dave were
married at St John the Baptist
Church in Dover on Aug. 4,
1973. They have two children
Tracy (Kuhn) Turner
and Brian Kuhn. They also
have five grandchildren. Best
wishes to them on this occasion
and for many more years
to come.
Congratulations to John
and Mary Hoffman who celebrated
their fiftieth wedding
anniversary on Sept. 1. Best
wishes to them for many more
years.
As much as I hate to admit
it. I had a birthday on Aug.
6 and my brother and I both
turned the big 70! Yes, for
those who didn’t know this, I
am a twin with Gary (Bud)
Hiltz. A party was given in
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Gary Hiltz and Rhonda Trabel celebrating their birthday.
Rhonda’s son and daughter-in-law Brant & Steph Trabel
made the sign.
Owen, Macy, and Olivia
Lyness, the children of Pete
and Peggy Lyness of Dover,
are ready for the new school
year.
Luke and Ben Ritzi on their
first day at North Dearborn
Grade School.
Fr. John Hollowell and Dave
and Diane Kuhn.
our honor by our family and
a few close friends on our
actual birthday. We got to
celebrate on a beautiful day,
with wonderful people, and
delicious food prepared by
my sister-in-law, Jane Hiltz.
People always ask me, what
it is like to have a twin. I just
tell them it was great in high
school because his friends
were my friends and vice-versa.
The only time I remember
that I didn’t like was when I
wanted to use the car, which
we had to share back then.
Dad would always favor my
brother to get the car. It was a
father-son thing. Despite our
age, we had a great time. Who
knows- maybe we will have
another one at age 80. God
willing!
If you have any Dover news
you would like to share please
email me at dover@go
BEACONnews.com.
BRATER - WINTER
FUNERAL HOMES
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