Progress 2012

For your Health.For your Soul.

PROGRESS

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Advertising Section of the

2 ■ Palladium-Item ■ Sunday, April 15, 2012 PROGRESS

Sunday, April 15, 2012 ■ Palladium-Item ■ 3PROGRESS

“Wehave a phenomenal staff. It’s a group thatwill do anythingto accomplishwhat needs to be done at anymoment.”

By Mike Bennett

Ambassador grows, provides the extrasAm

bassadorHealthcare

A successful new unit.A climbing census.A welcoming atmosphere.A great staff that is growing.Things are going well, indeed, at Ambassador

Health Care in Centerville. “We can provide so manymore services than in the past,” explains owner TimSadler.One of them is a new ventilator service that is off

to a strong start in its first full year of operation. It isstaffed by 24-hour RNs and respiratory therapists.

“We have successfully weaned 33 people,” Sadlersaid with pride.The service extends into the other units and

general population in a variety of ways at the full-careresidential facility.“If we can do it with the weakest population, we

can do it with the healthiest,” he said.Sadler credits a strong relationship with Reid Hos-

pital for helping stimulate the growth in ventilator-related rehabilitation.That kind of connection is a necessity when the

push grows constantly from insurance companies andgovernment programs to cut down on hospital stays.“They’ve been really working with us,” Sadler said.“We can get them (patients) home faster because

we have more skills and therapy in-house. We’re somuch better equipped to handle so many more thingswith reconfigurations of rooms and staffing.”Rehabilitation programs and other customer-cen-

tered services are helping revolutionize health centers.“It used to be if you went to a nursing home, you

were there for life,” Sadler said. “It’s not the end of

road now. It’s short term for lots of people. We have alot more admissions and discharges than (other) facili-ties.”Patient numbers rose by about 20 percent last

year. “We’ve hired additional people. We are up to 180employees and we’re really excited about the future,”Sadler said.The future includes plans for another unit and 15

rooms off a side of the main building at 705 E. MainSt. on the eastern edge of Centerville.Ambassador recently added a highly-regarded

Alzheimer’s unit. “We’re used to dealing with every-thing,” Sadler said. “Now, we’re focused on refiningwhat we’re doing. I don’t know that there’s anotherpatient mix we can add.”Customer feedback helps to prove the Ambas-

sador success story for focus on each individual situ-ation. “The greatest compliment someone can giveyou is they admit a family member into your facility,”Sadler said. “That shows we’re doing something right.We’re going to work hard to give you the best careavailable.”He is amazed by his staff members, led by

administrator DennaMasters and director of nursingMarcella Ross.Sadler offers a couple stories that illustrate his

staff ’s caring actions.Last weekend, several people were gone because

of the Easter weekend, so the dietary staff spruce upthe outside area where 300 children participated in anEaster egg hunt. “They were not told to or orderedto do that,” Sadler said. “We have a phenomenal staff.It’s a group that will do anything to accomplish what

needs to be done at any moment.”An activities staff member asked if she could

help style the hair of a patient. That simple requesthas turned into a routine for every patient. “Two daysa week we provide a free beautician or barber so theydon’t have to spend their precious money on livingitems,” Sadler said.The free services don’t stop there: Ambassador

also provides free cable television, transportation andeven toothbrushes and toothpaste. “We don’t nickeland dime folks,” Sadler explains. “Some live on 52dollars a month. That doesn’t leave a lot of areas todo what they want.”The staff at Ambassador is dedicated and friend-

ly, Sadler said. “I like to think we treat everybody asfamily. When you walk in, people are saying hi to you,acknowledging you.”The welcoming style includes an open door to

prospective patients and their loved ones.Ambassador employees are happy to give tours

at any time.“Come in anytime and sit and just watch,” Sadler

said. “We’ve gotten family members because they cantell it’s a top-down strategy to show that everybody isimportant, everybody is part of our family.”Ambassador offers daily activities for all patients.

In fact, each unit has its own activity director and itsown dining area, too.Its 56-bed Alzheimer’s unit is the largest in the

area.Information is about Ambassador is available

by calling (765) 855-3424 or visiting www.ambassa-dorhealthcare.com

Meghan Robinson, a licensed beautician, works with residentstwice a week at Ambassador. The service is delivered free to them.


“The Leland has always been a vital part of Richmondandwewant to keep it thatway.”

The Lamplight Inn at the Leland is far morethan a thriving senior living center.It’s a welcoming home in the heart of Rich-

mond.It’s open to folks who can live on their own

and those who need medical assistance.And it’s open to the public.“The Leland has always been a vital part of

Richmond and we want to keep it that way ” saidmarketing director Amanda VanAusdal.That’s why wedding receptions and special

events like the Women’s Fund Luncheon and theBirth to Five Dancing with the Stars fundraiser arealways a success. Even Richmond Symphony will behosting an event on June 2 in the ballroom.It’s why there’s a new satellite for the popular

Hometown Deli and also the Leland Hair Designsis open to the public as well.It’s a place where Leland’s residents can grab a

coffee at the deli and visit with downtown work-ers stopping there for a quick soup and sandwich.“It’s a community building, not just ours,”

VanAusdal said. “Your social life is important nomatter how old you are. Residents love havingpeople in their building to show it off.”Founder Severine Petras looks for historic

buildings to turn into state-of-the-art facilities forseniors. In fact, she recently bought the elemen-tary school building in which her mother attendedin Toronto, Ohio.Petras stays in a guest room when she visits

and takes part in community events.“It would be easier to build new,” VanAusdal

joked while citing how much work it took overa year and a half to get through the licensureprocess when your building dates back to 1928.“Talk about learning to have patience, it makes itthat much sweeter now that we have our license”she said. “Actually things went exceptionally wellthrough our surveys. We are now a licensed As-sisted Living Community.”The licensing was needed to add assisted

living to services that also include along indepen-dent living.“Once we received our license, our nursing

staff could expand on the services we could offer,including administering medications,” VanAusdalsaid. “Now we can also work with long-term carepolicies, Medicaid Waiver and VA benefits. Thosewere big motivations.”The census is rising quickly in part because of

the new assisted-living services.“We anticipate on running on a waiting list

in June or July,” she said. “I didn’t realize howmuch of a gap there was between independentliving and a nursing home. There is a lot of life inbetween with just a little bit of help. The qualityof life can be exceptional and enjoyable.”The Lamplight at Leland features an around-

the-clock nursing staff and three meals per day.“All meals are included now. It’s all inclusive,” shesaid, including housekeeping and transportation.The 89-unit Leland also features a swimming

pool and a number of other exercise programssuch as Zumba Gold by Family Fitness Works,Enhanced Fitness program by Area 9 and ball-

room dance lessons.It offers residents the ability to transition in

services to assisted living while still keeping theirsame rooms.VanAusdal loves to get to know the residents.One gentleman, who has since died, worked

to construct the Leland. “I hear all kinds of sto-ries from our residents, couples have stayed hereon their honeymoons, came to dances and hadtheir proms here,” she said. “It’s neat that peoplegrew up with it and then are able to live there.”The residents often celebrate in the good

times.“They love to see the bride and groom pull up

and come in when we host a wedding reception,” shesaid. “It’s neat to see the community embracing us.”The Leland has been making physical im-

provements.“There’s new masonry and a new roof, a lot

of behind-the- scenes improvements,” she said.“They (owners) are in it for the long haul.”Employee numbers have risen to 40 and

include Duane Ott, the new Executive Director.“He’s been incredibly helpful and a vital roll inhelping us get through the licensing process,”VanAusdal said. “As our census grows, we’re add-ing more employees. Eventually we will be rightaround 50.”People are invited to tour Lamplight Inn

at the Leland, which is located at 900 South AStreet.Call (765) 939-6500 or visit www.lamplight-

communities.com for more information.

By Mike Bennett

Lamplight builds welcoming communityLa

mplight

InnattheLe

land

The Leland has a long history asa landmark in Richmond’s city center.



ReidCancerCenter

“Part ofwhatmakesReidCancerCenter special is our team’scommitment to caring for thewhole person, not just their cancer.”

Reid Cancer Center –Centered around youSome people call cancer “The Big C” and it’s

easy to understand why. A diagnosis of cancer canbe scary, life changing, even intimidating. At thenew Reid Cancer Center, our team of 300+ expertsis in the fight with you. Cancer is big, but so is ourcommitment to providing you with a personalizedtreatment plan, comprehensive therapies, supportivecare and the health information you need to help youon your journey.What sets Reid Cancer Center apartThe new Reid Cancer Center provides patients

with the treatment options they need, close to homeand in a caring atmosphere. Our doctors use themost sophisticated technology available and tailortheir treatment plans to each patient’s specific needs.Cancer patients have everything they need to fight thedisease close to home and conveniently located, righthere in Richmond.The state-of-the-art facility brings all of the

hospital’s outpatient cancer services under one rooffor the first time, making the patient experience moreconvenient and comfortable. The facility houses phy-sician offices and treatment rooms for chemotherapyand radiation therapy, as well as a dedicated pharmacy,diagnostic radiology services and common areas.Inpatient care takes place on the hospital’s fifth floor.In all, more than 300 Reid health care profession-

als serve cancer patients and their families. Our medi-cal staff includes four experienced oncologists (cancerspecialists), who work closely with surgeons, radiationtherapists and others to provide each patient’s care.

Specialty trained nurses called “cancer navigators”help patients and families by explaining the treatmentprocess and answering questions. Reid Cancer Centeris dedicated to providing accurate, timely diagnosticservices, as well as the care patients and families needfor the journey ahead.Your care teamAt Reid Cancer Center, our team of expert physi-

cians and nurses is dedicated to providing patientswith the most effective, up-to-date therapies—closeto home and in a caring atmosphere.Teammembers include:• Medical oncologists• Radiation oncologists• Surgeons• Radiologists• Pathologists• Nurses• Andmany other support staffThese caring professionals work closely with pa-

tients and families through every phase of diagnosis,treatment and recovery, tailoring their approach toeach patient’s unique needs. Everything is centeredaround you.Support servicesPart of what makes Reid Cancer Center special is

our team’s commitment to caring for the whole per-son, not just their cancer. That’s why we go above andbeyond with services that help support the healingprocess physically, emotionally and spiritually. Servicessuch as massage and rehabilitation therapy, nutritionservices, home care and more. Reid also offers con-

venient, flexible payment options to ease some of thestress that accompany cancer treatment. And CancerNavigators to help guide the recovery process everystep of the way.Cool technologyThe center is as high-tech as it is high touch, with

sophisticated technologies that aid in the diagnosisand treatment of cancer. For example, Reid recentlyacquired TrueBeamTM, an innovative system thatrepresents the next generation of image-guided radia-tion therapy. See ad in this section.Yes, cancer may be “The Big C,” but Reid Cancer

Center offers a few powerful “Cs” of its own. We are:•Comprehensive Reid Cancer Center provides

the full complement of cancer therapies, from sur-gery to radiation therapy to chemotherapy.•Coordinated Specially trained nurses called

Cancer Navigators guide you every step of the way,from diagnosis to survivorship.•Convenient Reid Cancer Center brings all of the

hospital’s outpatient services under one roof for thefirst time – no need to travel to different facilities.•Cutting-EdgeOur physicians utilize the latest

in cancer technology, including digital mammogra-phy and Indiana’s first TrueBeam system, a next-generation radiotherapy accelerator offering greaterprecision and shorter treatment sessions.•Compassionate From our physicians and nurses

to social workers and chaplains, we care for you –body, mind and spirit.To learn more or to make a doctor appointment,

call (765) 935-8773.

Caring team, cutting-edge technologyJoseph Anderson, M.D. Jeevan Sekhar, M.D. Derek Serna, M.D. Stephen “Rick” Toothaker, M.D.


Friends Fellowship Community, located at 2030 ChesterBoulevard just south of Reid Hospital and its numerous ad-jacent medical offices, has been home to senior adults since itopened in 1965. The 125-acre campus has exquisite grounds,including a beautiful pond and fountain and plenty of woodsand green space for enjoying nature. Friends FellowshipCommunity is not only a community in name and spirit, butit’s a Continuing Care Retirement Community, in fact the onlyone in Richmond and the surrounding area. What does aCCRCmean to you? It means an assurance of lifetime careand graceful aging in place, with six levels of accommoda-tions – Independent Homes, Independent Living Apartments,Independent and Assisted Residential Apartments, a HealthCare Center and The Courtyards, A Center for Alzheimer’sDisease. Nomore “what-ifs” about your future health care,it’s all here and that translates to peace of mind for you.As a financially secure, faith-based corporation, we are

not driven by the need to return profits to investors. In-stead, we have sought and will continue to make continuousimprovements to the living environments we provide to ourresidents. Quality of life is very important to us.So, what’s new at Friends Fellowship

Community? The new Therapy Roomfor starters! Healthcare Therapy Services(HTS) provides our in-house physical,occupational, speech and even special-ized therapy. The new Therapy Roomhas plenty of space for our residents aswell as non-residents whomight needjust a short-term rehab before returninghome. The goal is to get you back toyour normal lifestyle as quickly as pos-sible. Professional therapists will coachand support you every step of the way,and for Friends Fellowship Communityresidents, they will even provide “housecalls” to your apartment!What else is new at FFC? The sparkling newWellness

Center, a much-anticipated addition to our Community, islocated in the heart of theHealth Care Center. It givesour residents the opportunity toenjoy exercise at their own pace.The additional space and equip-ment, new fitness classes andweights all make it fun to stay inshape! In fact, our residents willprovide the necessary input totailor classes to various levels offitness. And of course, we havealways been blessed to havewonderful walking paths forour residents to enjoy outdoorexercise. We believe all’s well that ends with the wellness ofmind and body.And last but certainly not

least, the newHealth Care Cen-ter lobby has given our residentsand their families and friends aparticularly lovely place to so-cialize at any time of the day ornight. We often hear from visi-tors that the Health Care Centerat Friends Fellowship Commu-nity has a warm and comfortingatmosphere that so many othernursing facilities do not have.We think our spacious andinviting lobby complements theHealth Care Center and drawsyou in for a visit with residentsand non-residents alike. We’vealso seen a large increase in thenumber of guest meals servedin the Health Care Centerdining room. We attribute thisto our new atmosphere as wellas the addition of a satellitekitchen, which allows our staffto prepare cooked-to-orderitems. Our new restaurant-stylemenus, used throughout theCommunity, have given ourresidents a much wider range ofoptions along with daily specialsto enjoy.Friends Fellowship Community also would like to take

this opportunity to let others know that Dr. Mahendra Kalrais our newmedical director, and he is well-known in the Rich-mond area for his compassionate and skillful care.You might notice one more exciting change in the near

future! Friends Fellowship Community will be widening thedrive at the entrance to Chester Boulevard. There will also benew signage along with a lane expansion, going from two tothree lanes for easier turning. So no matter if you are comingor going, we certainly hope you will enjoy the new view.What is not new, but always remains a constant at Friends

Fellowship Community, is excellent care. You can takeadvantage of a respite stay for you or your loved one in ourAssisted Residential Apartments, Health Care Center, or TheCourtyards, our Alzheimer’s center. Stay for a few days, aweek or a month, or even longer depending on your specificneeds.If you are thinking about a special retirement community

with healthcare options available when you most need them,then think about Friends Fellowship Community. Pleasecome to our community-wide Open House on Sunday, June10 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. and take a guided tour through thenewWellness Center, the Health Care Center lobby, the newTherapy Room and our three Independent Homes currentlyavailable. Come see for yourself why Friends FellowshipCommunity has so muchmore to offer – simply the best insenior living!

FriendsFellow

shipCom

munity

New menus, lobby,wellness centeramong updates atFriends Fellowship


“Working inCenterville, where I grewup,has been a childhooddreamcome true.”

Walk-in center offers personal attention

Dr. William Rheuble deals with a variety ofhealth issues as he sees 50 patients each weekdayon a walk-in basis at West Side Medical Center.He delivers lots of personal attention.He delivers lots of common treatments.He sees hundreds of repeat customers.And he notices when there is something dif-

ferent.Case in point in recent weeks: He and his

staff are treating a lot of allergy-related issues andare even treating some cases of poison ivy.They were doing so before winter ended be-

cause of mild temperatures. “That’s very unusualfor this early in the year,” said office managerMary Nell Herold.“We usually have quite a bit of variety, but

usually it’s later in the season (spring) to see aller-gies and poison ivy doesn’t usually hit until May.”The upside is the one-doctor health clinic

didn’t see as many sprains and falls (from icyconditions). “There still were a lot of colds andpneumonia,” Herold said.No matter the changes in seasons, she says

West Side stays “busy as we can be” with a uniquedelivery style for the area.West Side, which is located between Rich-

mond and Centerville at 4760 U.S. 40 West, serves

roles as a general practice and urgent care centerfor all ages.“All patients are seen on a walk-in basis, but

we have patients who use us as their regularphysician,” said Rheuble, who opened the centerin 1994. “I enjoy dealing with the wide variety ofproblems.”The medical center treats 25 people before

lunch and 25 afterward on a first-come, first-served basis. Patients can check in and come backlater if the waiting list grows.The medical center ordinarily can provide an

estimate of the time when a patient can get in tosee the doctor.West Side is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

on weekdays. The last walk-in is accepted at 4:30p.m. if there’s room. “We could continue all day,but we like to go home,” Herold joked.The prices are set at levels that take into ac-

count the difficult economy of the area in whichthe medical center serves.Still, Dr. Rheuble takes the time he needs to

visit and get to know patients.“He loves to help people,” Herold said. “He

talks a lot with his patients.”Dr. Rheuble feels at home with his surround-

ings and his clientele. “Working in Centerville,

where I grew up, has been a childhood dreamcome true,” he said. “It’s been nice to see and treatpeople I grew up with – and their families, too.”He has done it this way since opening the

center 18 years ago. He has been a physician fornearly 30 years.“It really clicked,” Herold said about a walk-in

clinic. “This really works. It fits people’s needs.”Rheuble and his staff of two nurses and a

medical assistant can perform a wide variety ofclia-waved tests, such as strep tests, urinalysis,pregnancy tests, wet preps, mono tests, helico-bacter pylori and others.They can do stitches, EKGs, workplace drug-

testing and other minor procedures.They can do yearly sports physicals, flu shots,

preventative care for men and for women andevaluation of complex medical problems.There’s no X-ray equipment, so those with

broken bones are referred elsewhere. “We referto everybody: cardiologists. urologists and bonespecialists,” Herold said.“We often refer to Reid Hospital and Rich-

mond doctors.”The medical center is open in the mornings

on Saturdays. Call (765) 965-6679 for more infor-mation.

By Mike Bennett

WestS

ideMed

ical



By Mike Bennett

Big names in music, comedyhighlight next Civic Hall series

CivicHall

Next season’s Proudly Presenting Series willoffer a big range of productions with some big-name performers.Popular pianist Jim Brickman will perform,

actress Cindy Williams will star in a comedy pro-duction and The Texas Tenors will return aftera sold-out show this season in the 936-seat CivicHall Performing Arts Center.“We’re very excited about it. We have a little

of everything for everybody,” said Jeffrey Thorne,facilities director of the Civic Hall PerformingArts Center, about the 2012-13 series.Patrons shouldn’t wait too long to buy tickets

for next season, either.Brickman, who performs on Feb. 2, 2013,

regularly fills performance halls that are biggerthan Civic Hall in shows around the nation andthe world. Williams and the theatrical production“Nunset Boulevard” has received good reviews.A sellout is likely for a return engagement of

the Texas Tenors on May 18, 2013. “We had themthis past Christmas and people raved about theshow. We actually had a waiting list for tickets,”Thorne said. “People were saying, ‘We want themback,’ so we’re going to try that. It’s somethingwe’ve never done before.”Here’s a closer look at the 19th Proudly

Performing Series.• Oct. 13, 2012, Dan Goggin’s “Nunset

Boulevard,” at 8 p.m.: The new musical comedythat’s based on “Nunsense” stars Williams, who’sknown best from the smash comedy televisionprogram “Laverne and Shirley.”The story line has The Little Sisters of Hobo-

ken being invited to sing at what they believe isthe Hollywood Bowl. Actually, it’s Hollywood

Bowl-A-Rama bowling alley.“It’s a mini-musical,” Thorne said. “I think every-

one will enjoy that.”• Nov. 10, 2012, Southern Fried Jazz Band, 8

p.m.: The band offers a hot blend of Dixieland jazzmusic with horns, rhythm and vocals.“They talk to the audience and interact,” Thorne

said. “They are phenomenal entertainers.”• Feb. 2, 2013, Jim Brickman, 8 p.m.: His

blend of solo piano with pop-style instrumentalsand vocal collaborations has gained Brickmangreat popularity for nearly two decades. He hassix Gold and Platinum albums, 30 charted adultradio hits, and two Grammy nominations.He performs in 125 cities each year. Brickman

has collaborated with singers such as Lady Antebel-lum, Martina McBride (“Valentine”), Kenny Loggins,Michael W. Smith, Carly Simon, Collin Raye, MichaelBolton andOlivia Newton-John.“He’s great. We’ve been trying to get him for a

couple years,” Thorne said.• March 16, 2013, The Broadway Boys, 8 p.m.:

This collaboration started as a supposed one-timeget-together in June 2005 in New York City. Withan overwhelming response, the collection of thebest male singers from the stages of New Yorkplayed in more sold-out shows. The six singersblend elements of pop, funk, gospel, jazz and folkto show tunes and classic pop songs. “They per-form songs from musicals and they have choreog-raphy and bring in a band, too,” Thorne said.• May 13, 2013, The Texas Tenors, 8 p.m.:

More than 100 million watched as they wereselected the No. 1 vocal group in the history of“America’s Got Talent.” The trio of friends blendcountry, classical, pop and gospel music. They

performed at Civic Hall to a sold-out crowd. “Theywill perform an all-new show,” Thorne said.First, though, the current season finishes with a

pair of shows onMay 19 by the award-winning vocalgroup The Oak Ridge Boys. The group sold out twoshows at Civic Hall in 2003. “We still have some greatseats (including the balcony and mezzanine),” Thornesaid. “We’d like to get these sold out, too.”For the last show of the 2011-2012 Proudly

Presenting Series…•May 19, 2012, The Oak Ridge Boys, 4 and 8

p.m.: The group offers one of the most distinctiveand recognizable sounds in the music industry withfour-part harmonies and upbeat songs. They haveearned No. 1 hits, as well as numerous Grammy,Dove, CMA, and ACM awards. Tickets are $32 foradults and $24 for students; group rates are available.The box office is open 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4p.m. weekdays.For more information, call (765) 973-3350,

email [email protected] or visit the websiteat www.civichall.com.Season tickets for the 2012-13 season will be

available starting in May.Civic Hall, at 380 Hub Etchison Parkway, is

part of Richmond High School and owned byRichmond Community Schools. Civic Hall is usedyear-round for school events and convocationsand also available for rent by other groups. CivicHall is also home to the Richmond SymphonyOrchestra.Each of the performers from the Proudly

Presenting Series interacts personally with stu-dents through talks and master classes. “That’sreally a great part of this. Everyone enjoys andlearns from the experience,” Thorne said.

(left to right) The artists fromBig Bad VoodooDaddymet with the general music students fromTestMiddle School before the 8 p.m. show. The artists fromThe “Cast” of Beatlemaniamet with students from the RichmondHighSchool Life Skills classes and The Boys&Girls Clubs before their concert. The artists fromRhythm of the Dancemet with students and instructors fromRichmondHigh School’s Life Skills classes and with students andmentorsfromRichmond Community Schools’ Mentoring Program.


NAIFA

By Mike Bennett

Sharon Thomas and Deb Lahman are on a mission ofeducation, ethics and professionalism.Their deep passion manifests itself in their roles with

the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advi-sors.Thomas is a member of the state board of trustees and

Lahman could soon return to the board.Lahman is president and Thomas is past president of

the Richmond affiliate of NAIFA.“It’s the only association that represents our clients and

the agent. They don’t represent insurance companies,” saidLahman, who is an agent-owner for Allstate Insurance.“Our membership allows us to have a seat at the table,

to fight for our clients.”Thomas serves as banking center manager at the east-

side branch of Old National Bank in Richmond.They represent a merger of interests between the insur-

ance and banking industries. NAIFA protects people in a va-riety of grass-roots ways, Lahman said. One is to be a voiceto make sure no taxes are ever levied against the buildup ofcash in insurance policies.Another is to be current on legislative issues, such as

mortgage exemptions and death taxes. “Wewant to makesure everybody is heard,” Thomas said.Lahman agrees: “It’s extremely important to the con-

sumer. So is our code of ethics.”

NAIFA is one of the best-kept secrets in Richmond ,she said. A chapter has been in existence for more than acentury.NAIFA offers continuing education to its members and

their staffs. “Many people (in the industry) don’t realize thisis free for them to continue their education,” Thomas said.“It’s also a wonderful networking opportunity. It can helpthem gain experience.”She and Lahman are on a quest to build representatives

in the Richmond chapter. “Wewant more agents and finan-cial advisors to join,” Thomas said. “That would be makinga statement. They can share resources with their staffs. Thisis a huge resource at their fingertips.”The local efforts are noticed. Richmond ’s affiliate has

been awarded the national Jack E. Bobo Award of Excel-lence for the last two years.Lahman said the NAIFA designation “lets the public

know youmust be good; you’re accredited,” she said. “Iwant the consumer to look at their agents or advisor andask: ‘Are you a member?’”Those with questions about the organization can call

Lahman at (765) 939-3009 or visit Lahman Insurance Agen-cy at 1605 Chester Blvd. Her email address is [email protected]

Thomas believes the value of being a NAIFAmember farexceeds any costs: “It’s investing in your career.”

Is your agent a member?

Bradley R. BowmanVP, CIC

Bowman-Thalls, Inc.

Warren CunninghamState Farm

Tony CainIndiana Farm Bureau

Jim FisherIndependent

Stephen ForemanAgency Manager

Indiana Farm Bureau

Larry J. GregurashOld National Investments

John HostetlerState Farm

Penny B. LakoffHarrington-Hoch

Cynthia L. WhippleAmerican General

Life & Accident Insurance

Carl SharpState Farm

Rick Webb, LUTCFCapstone WealthManagement, Inc.

Brad RussellIndiana Farm Bureau

Nicole R. DillonOld National Insurance

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENTSharon R. ThomasBanking Center Manager

Old National Bank

PRESIDENTDebra K. Lahman

Lahman Insurance AgencyAllstate Insurance

PRESIDENT-ELECTBrian Fuller

Indiana Farm Bureau

SECRETARY-TREASURERJ. Roger Green, CLU, ChFCLincoln Financial Advisor

NATIONAL COMMITTEE PERSONPatricia L. James, LUTCF

State Farm

BOARD MEMBERBetty Wasson

American General Life &Accident Insurance

BOARD MEMBERGordon R. Mehaffey, LUTCF

Mehaffey Insurance Agency

BOARD MEMBERBrooks E. Duffie, MBA

The Miami Valley Financial GroupNorthwestern Mutual

Dewey HughesDewey Hughes Agency

American Family Insurance

BOARD MEMBER

Grant ReeceTurner Insurance

Phil QuinnHarrington-Hoch

(left to right)Sharon Thomas,Past-President NAIFA-Richmond Area,Deb Lahman President,NAIFA-Richmond Area


“We’re building uponour history to provide programmingthat’s entertaining and educational for everyone.”

Two upcoming youth-oriented events are gainingwide-ranging acclaim at Richmond Art Museum.First up is the All-Wayne County Art Exhibition

that opens April 22 and runs throughMay 20.The Phantoscope Finest Film Festival by Marsh

will take place April 28. The sixth-annual event drawsthe best student entries from around Indiana who arecompeting for a $1,000 first prize.“We’re happy to haveMarsh Supermarkets as our

lead sponsor,” said museum director Shaun Dingw-erth.“This event is growing statewide and gaining

more and more recognition. This is a great oppor-tunity for community members to come and see theamazing, talented work of high school students.”Blended with a growing array of arts-friendly

activities, the events continue a rich history of arts inRichmond that reaches back 114 years and appeals toa wide range of ages.The film festival celebrates Richmond’s history in

film.Charles Francis Jenkins invented the Phantoscope

film projector and showed it for the first time in June1894 in Richmond. That’s the earliest documentedprojection of a filmedmotion picture.“The founding fathers of our community under-

stood that building cultural institutions would be animportant fabric,” said museum director Shaun Din-gwerth. “We’re building upon our history to provideprogramming that’s entertaining and educational foreveryone.”The museum offers events and classes that have

participants ranging “from 5 years old to probably 90years old,” he said.A major focus is on the interaction of teachers

and students.Those are on display in the juried all-county

event that includes displays from high schoolstudents of paintings, prints, ceramics, sculptures,jewelry making and photography. There’s noadmission to the show, which drew 500 entries and300 pieces last year.One new feature is monetary awards of $250,

$150 and $100 for the top three works.The pieces on display are selected by a jury of

area art teachers.A unique part of the show allows the teachers

to display their artworks. “They all are very talented,”Dingwerth said.The amazing talents of students from all over

Indiana are on display in the burgeoning Phantoscopefilm festival.The event on April 28 includes screenings of

films for an hour and a half. Thirty-six films havebeen been submitted. “Some are three minutes andsome are 15,” Dingwerth said.A panel discussion starts at 5:30 p.m. and the film

screenings begin at 7.“We have people in the film industry on the

panel,” Dingwerth said. “They talk about how theymade it in the industry and what steps they took. Wewant to encourage the students.”They obviously are getting there, he said, because

every winner in the first five years has gone on to

study at film schools.“They use our festival on their resumes,” Dingw-

erth said. “We’re very proud of what this festival isdoing to help students. We’re giving them a pathwayto success.”The admission to the film festival is $5 for

adults and $3 for students and RAM members.Individual memberships start at $35 and a familymembership at $50.The museum is at 350 Hub Etchison Parkway.

Call 966-0256 or visit richmondartmuseum.org formore information.RAM offers art classes year-round for people of

all ages in disciplines such as ceramics, photographyand drawing. They are open to all ages.Kids’ classes are offered with flexible hours. “Stu-

dents can purchase X amounts of classes and comein when it fits their schedule,” Dingwerth said. “Theability to commit to long-term schedules isn’t alwaysbest for people.”“They (students) can call ahead and tell us they’re

coming and we’ll have instructors for them.”The museum uses five regular instructors from

around Indiana. RAMmembers receive a discount onclass costs.Lance Crow is the education director.Dingwerth said the museum is working to build

awareness and use.RAM also offers one of the top permanent

collections in the state. Its paintings and archivedmaterials regularly draw attention from scholars andart lovers from around the world.

By Mike Bennett

Museum offers classes, film festival, exhibitsRich

mon

dArtM

useu

m Join in the enjoyment of the All Wayne CountyHigh School Art Exhibition and the PhantoscopeHigh School filmfestival - RAM -more than an art museum!

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Progress 2012