RICHMOND, Ind. – Hayes Arboretum in Richmond, Indiana has been upgraded to a Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The accreditation program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards. It is sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois in cooperation with the American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International.

Hayes officially joined the ArbNet community in 2021 with a Level I Accreditation. Since then, staff have worked hard to build the collection of native trees on property up to 100 unique specimens. With the generosity of donors and hours of work from volunteers and staff, Hayes Arboretum has 109 labeled tree specimens on property that serve the public as educational resources. Each specimen includes a tag to help visitors identify the tree. This includes Hayes’s Artemis I Moon Tree and ten trees that are part of the Indiana Phenology Trail where data is collected for scientific research. The arboretum welcomes the public to visit the native trees and shrubs on property. If visitors would like to learn more about the specimen species, please visit the Tree ID Trail Audio Narration at hayesarb.org.

“We are honored to be part of this international accreditation and look forward to more successes in the future.” Stephen Hayes Jr, Executive Director of Hayes Arboretum.

Hayes Arboretum is free and open to the public at 801 Elks Road. Call 765-962-3745 or visit hayesarb.org for more information.

Provided by Amy Hayes.

INDIANA – The 3Rivers Community Foundation is proud to announce the results of its fourth-quarter grant cycle, awarding a total of $90,000 to nonprofit organizations across its service regions.

These funds will support a wide range of missions—from youth development and education to health services, environmental stewardship, and community enrichment.

This quarter’s grant recipients include:

· Amigos, the Richmond Latino Center

· The Brandon Foundation

· GiGi's Playhouse Fort Wayne

· Youth for Christ

· Leaders In Training

· Mercy Table LLC

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie

· The Literacy Alliance Inc

· Wellspring Interfaith Social Services

· Townsend Community Center, Inc.

· Abington Township Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary Inc.

· Dare to Dream Youth Ranch

· Hancock County Child Advocacy Center Inc

· Little River Wetlands Project

· Dr. Bill Lewis Center for Children

· Boomerang Backpacks, Inc

· Grow Allen

· Westminster Village Muncie, Inc.

· Hope Alive Inc.

· LC Nature Park, Inc.

· Christ Child Society of Fort Wayne

· Circle U Help Center

· Turn Away No Longer Inc

· Classroom Connections of ECI

· Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home (Stillwater Hospice)

· Blessings in a Backpack

· Summit Equestrian Center

· Heart Of The City Mission Foundation Inc

· Noble Trails, Inc.

· U Matter 2 Inc

· Fremont Youth and Community Outreach Inc

· Sunrise Therapeutic Riding Center

· Just Neighbors Interfaith Homeless Network

These grants reflect the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to strengthening communities and supporting the people who call them home.

The funded organizations address a wide range of needs, including food security, homelessness, youth programming, literacy, accessible health care, and environmental conservation—making a meaningful impact across northeast and central Indiana.

“We’re honored to support organizations that are doing such meaningful work in our communities,” said Katie Alyea, of the 3Rivers Community Foundation. “At 3Rivers, we believe in ‘people helping people,’ and our grant program allows us to invest directly in the nonprofits who embody that mission every day.”

The 3Rivers Community Foundation provides grants, sponsorships, scholarships, financial education support, and volunteer efforts throughout the region. Organizations interested in learning more about the Foundation or applying for future funding cycles can visit 3riversfcu.org/community/foundation.

Photo and article submission by Katie Alyea.

WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – Cope Environmental Center (CEC) is proudly recognized as the only Certified Living Building in the state of Indiana and one of just 34 in the world. This internationally distinguished certification represents the highest standard in green building achievement. To earn it, structures must produce more energy than they consume, operate without harmful chemicals, harvest their own water, and enrich both human and environmental health. CEC’s Living Building is more than an innovative structure; it is a powerful teaching tool. It stands as a daily reminder of Cope’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, conservation, and community well-being.

Situated on 130 acres of protected land, Cope Environmental Center is free and open to the public, inviting everyone to experience the beauty and diversity of Indiana’s natural landscapes. The property includes mature forests, flourishing prairies, wetlands full of life, and nearly four miles of walking trails accessible year-round. Visitors can reconnect with nature, observe wildlife, and deepen their understanding of the ecosystems that make our region unique, all at no cost, making Cope a welcoming destination for families, students, and community members of all ages.

But what makes Cope truly special is not just its world-class certification or stunning environment, but the role this place plays within the community. For more than three decades, Cope Environmental Center has served as a living classroom and gathering space where people of all ages can learn, explore, and grow. Through school field trips, youth camps, senior outreach, hands-on workshops, family events, and community partnerships, Cope continues to inspire thousands each year to discover the natural world and to care for it.

Cope Environmental Center is a rare gift, a global sustainability leader located right here in our hometown. Few communities have access to such an extraordinary educational resource, where cutting-edge environmental design meets accessible, year-round programming. The presence of Cope enhances quality of life across the region, providing opportunities for families to spend time outdoors, for students to learn beyond the classroom, and for residents to gain the knowledge and tools needed to live more sustainably.

As an anchor of environmental engagement for Wayne County and surrounding areas, Cope Environmental Center remains dedicated to expanding its mission and empowering our community to protect the places we love. We are fortunate to have such an inspiring center in our backyard, one that continues to shape a healthier, greener future for generations to come.

Photo and Article Submission by Becca Vance.

FOUNTAIN CITY, Ind. – Nestled in Fountain City Park sits a small wooden structure with a red door. This newly constructed building serves as a phone booth, but not an ordinary one. It is a wind phone; a phone to nowhere and everywhere.

It offers visitors and mourners a place of solace and a quiet space to those grieving.

Commissioned by Candy Jackson of Fountain City in loving memory of her beloved son, Brett Austin Dale, and special niece, Sierra Diane (Eastman) Fisher, this wind phone is an endeavor deeply personal to her heart.

For Candy, her donation of the wind phone to the community is not only an outlet for her personal grief, but an opportunity to use her own family's loss to help others by providing an avenue for them to process and heal from their own grief.

This wind phone is the first of its kind in the area, and the 7th in Indiana, recently included on the global wind phone registry.

Additional information about wind phones and the wind phone registry can be found at www.mywindphone.com.

Bill Hofer, owner of Simple Life Specialty Service LLC, proudly donated the labor for this project. Bill took Candys vision and far surpassed her expectations in the unique design and craftsmanship of this quaint space. 

If you are ever in the area, stop in and utilize the wind phone. 

Provided by Candy Jackson.

WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – To help children facing food insecurity, the Martha Dwyer Community Center in Richmond will host its first-ever children’s dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

“We have always wanted to have a community dinner for children,” said Patty Trace, Director of the Dwyer Community Center in Richmond. “In light of the current SNAP benefits being withheld or partially distributed, we knew that was the catalyst to move now.”

Children who receive SNAP benefits are eligible to attend, and at least one parent must accompany each child. The dinner will be held in two sessions:

• 4 to 5 p.m.
• 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The menu will include of soft or hard tacos, Mexican rice, fruit, cookies, and water.

“This event helps alleviate children’s hunger for the evening,” Trace said.

The evening is meant to provide a safe, relaxed environment for families. Volunteers will be on hand to assist during the evening.

The event is hosted by the Dwyer Community Center with donations and support from local organizations including the Excel Center, Koeschlein Stamm Foundation, and Wayne Township Trustee.

Trace added that the hope is to continue these dinners in the future, depending on attendance and community support.

Parents are encouraged to bring their children and enjoy the evening together. To register, call 765-488-2928 and present current SNAP cards at the time of the dinner.

Originally published by Home in Wayne. Reposted with permission.

WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – Pete Schaffner had been a lifelong Wayne County resident when he packed up his belongings and moved to Paris, France, in 2014. In France, Pete would meet his wife, start a family, and embark on a new career — one that would eventually lead him right back to where he grew up.

Pete, a Ball State University fine arts graduate, was working as a graphic designer for IronGate Creative in Hagerstown when he first began tinkering with website and software development. When the opportunity arose to join a small tech company in France as a software developer, he jumped at the chance to further his career in tech.

At first, the move was like a fairy tale. “It was romantic,” Pete says, “being able to explore and see another country and culture — especially Paris.”

But once the glamour of living in another country began to fade, Pete began considering a return to the states — until he met Laura and got a job offer from Google Paris.

“I was moving into a new apartment building with all my boxes,” says Laura, “when my mother ran into Pete. He was living on the floor below mine, and she came to tell me about this American she’d run into — she didn’t speak English, so I went to introduce myself and ran into him on the stairs. I took cookies to him a few days later, and then he asked me out.”

Pete’s career continued to advance, and so did their relationship — Pete and Laura tied the knot in 2017. Their first child was born not long after.

“After she was born, Laura and I started having talks about moving back — but at the time, it was just talk,” says Pete. “It would come up once every few months, but work was going well, and it was hard to justify the move, because we weren’t sure what I would do for work back home.”

Then came Covid. Pete’s work at Google became more remote-based, and eventually, he took a fully remote position at another company.

“Once I found the right job, a job that was the right fit in terms of pay, what I enjoyed, and the ability to be remote — we decided it was time to make the move back to Indiana.”

Making the Move

Moving was a big decision, but one the couple was excited about. Pete had fond memories of growing up in rural Wayne County, and Laura had loved spending her own childhood summers in the French countryside with her grandparents and cousins. Moving to Wayne County would mean giving their two children the same opportunity to grow up connected to family and the outdoors.

“We were both excited about giving that kind of lifestyle to the kids,” Pete says. He had loved being free to explore and use his imagination outdoors growing up, and Laura was also excited to live in a place where their children could be surrounded by nature.

Pete and Laura made the arrangements to purchase Pete’s childhood home from his mom and stepdad in northern Wayne County, and he worked with one of his childhood friends, Jay Hale of Hale Design and Construction, to do some work on it before they arrived — so when they landed, they had a home that felt made for them.

The family of four arrived in the Cincinnati airport in April 2024 with just six suitcases. But when they arrived at their new home, they found it stocked with everything they needed to start their new life.

“It was huge,” says Pete. “Our family made it such a smooth transition for us. Laura was in tears when we walked in, because you couldn’t ask for anything better when moving to a different country.”

Reforging Community Connections

Now that he was back in Indiana, Pete found himself having to reforge connections — and make new ones for his family. Luckily, the Make My Move program through Home in Wayne made the entire process even easier.

“Make My Move helped make the decision and the move a lot easier,” Pete says. “We got memberships to different local organizations like the art museum, and that helped substantially for us to feel connected. And it was fun, because when I visited the EDC’s office when we got back, I realized I knew a lot of them from when I’d worked at IronGate. It was great to be able to catch up and interact with them as the face of that program.”

Pete and Laura were also looking forward to enrolling their kids in Hagerstown Elementary. With just a month left in the school year, the staff at Hagerstown Elementary worked with Pete and Laura to enroll their daughter in a kindergarten class.

“The school was great,” Pete says. “They worked with us to get her placed, and even though it was a hard transition, she adjusted really quickly. Laura was immediately impressed with the school. The teachers, the school itself, everything was organized and helpful. It was how I remembered it, too — it’s the right-sized school where you can get personalized support and help if you need it.”

Laura agrees. “I really value that the kids have a good school system that can be respectful of each child’s needs. One of my biggest fears before moving was not having that. But when we moved here, it was so great. We loved her teacher, we loved the staff. They did everything to make our daughter feel welcome. They even had a sensory room where she could go when she was feeling overwhelmed. I think it helped a lot.”

Today, Pete and Laura’s daughter is a second grader at Hagerstown Elementary, and their son is in his second year of preschool there. They spend time with cousins, aunts, and uncles on the family farm, and Laura has even started her own small pottery business, Laura Schaffner Pottery.

From here, they’re raising a cross-cultural family that’s connected to family, nature, and a community that cares.

Find the story here.

WAYNE, DELAWARE COUNTIES, Ind. – With the holiday season fast approaching, The Salvation Army of Muncie and Richmond is welcoming new leadership and calling on the community to help meet growing local needs.

Majors Charles and Kathleen Pinkston were recently appointed as Corps Officers for both the Muncie and Richmond locations. This is their first time overseeing dual communities.

Majors Charles and Kathleen Pinkston have served with The Salvation Army for 25 years, most recently in La Porte, Indiana. They were appointed to Richmond at the end of June and Muncie at the beginning of September.

While they bring a passion for outreach and commitment to meeting local needs, the timing of moving to a new location close to the holidays can bring increased pressure.

“We’re figuring out how we’re going to accomplish everything that needs to be done in a timely manner,” said Major Charles Pinkston.

The Pinkston’s are stepping into their new roles just as the organization launches its annual Red Kettle Campaign, The Salvation Army’s signature fundraiser. This year’s campaign will kick off on November 17 and continue through December 24, with kettle sites open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Community members, families, service clubs, and organizations are invited to volunteer as bell ringers to help support local programs that provide assistance throughout the year.

Currently, Richmond has 149 volunteer shifts filled, with more than 1,000 that are remaining. Muncie has 385 spots filled and over 1,200 still open.

“It’s definitely not about us, it’s about the community and the community is in great need,” Pinkston said. “We really just need help from the local communities to be able to supply food for our food pantry throughout the year or be able to offer rental or utility assistance.”

Pinkston said The Salvation Army is known for filling gaps where maybe there isn’t help available elsewhere in town.

Those interested in volunteering can sign up for a time and location at RegisterToRing.com or contact the Muncie or Richmond Salvation Army offices directly for more information.

WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – This week, veterans and active-duty members are being honored across the nation, throughout the region, and right here in Richmond.

Veterans Day is observed each year on November 11, to recognize all U.S. military veterans. It was first issued in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, a message to the nation on the first Armistice Day.

Locally, Richmond celebrated with a special Veterans Day luncheon at the Leland Legacy, hosting over 100 veterans to honor their service.

In partnership with Brewer Broadcasting and 15 area sponsors, the “We Thank You Veterans” event marked the first of its kind. Veterans were offered an afternoon that included free meals, live music, and words of appreciation. Attendees at Monday’s event represented a wide range of service eras, from Vietnam to Iraq.

Sally Wittbrod and her husband attend Veterans Day events yearly, both having served in the Army.

“It’s just the thing to do,” Wittbrod said. “We appreciate the recognition. It’s a good chance for others to recognize just what the miliary has done to help the country.”

The luncheon featured keynote remarks from Marine Corps veteran and national speaker Josh Bleill, who shared his personal story of service, loss, and perseverance.

Bleill, who has family roots in nearby Liberty, said being part of the event felt like coming home.

“This is home for me,” he said. “My dad grew up around here, and my grandparents lived in Liberty for a long, long time.”

Following the events of 9/11, Bleill joined the U.S. Marine Corps, continuing a family tradition of military service. In 2006, while serving in Fallujah, Iraq, he was severely injured by an improvised explosion device.

“I woke up six days later in a hospital in Landstuhl, Germany,” he recalled. “It took months to really grasp the fact I’d lost my legs, I lost Marines over there, and that my life was forever changed.”

After returning home, he began speaking publicly about resilience, a message that resonates deeply with those who served. It also gave veterans, like Jay Price, a chance to reflect on their own experiences.

Price was drafted in the early 70’s, serving as a PFC in the 82^nd Airborne from 1970 to 1972. He attended the meal after his brother-in-law heard about it on the radio and signed him up.

“I went kicking and screaming, but I went,” Price said. “It’s good to do your duty. You just accept the responsibility of doing it. I’m a better man for it.”

While Price reflected on his own military service, Veterans Day also resonated on a larger scale. Pastor Brett Karanovich led the meal with a prayer. He shared about his father who served 22 years in the Army and that he and his siblings also served in various branches.

“Veterans Day is just very important to me to remember the freedom that I have today for those who paid that sacrifice beforehand,” he said.

Alongside him was Pastor Angel Pibilev, who was raised under communist rule in Bulgaria, and tied the significance of the day to global struggles for freedom. Now serving with humanitarian missions in Ukraine, he has made more than 20 trips delivering generators, medical supplies, and essential aid to soldiers. His team plans to continue their efforts, hosting a Ukrainian dinner in Richmond and partnering with local professionals to provide medical and dental support to troops abroad.

As Monday’s event ended with shared stories and a standing ovation for Bleill, it served as a reminder that Veterans Day celebrates both the sacrifices of the past and the ongoing service of those who answer the call today.