Best Way Co-Mingle Recycling
Click here for Flood Information!
|
|
The community committee for the City of Anderson Economic Development Quality of Life Fund, held at the Madison County Community Foundation, has completed its work in establishing the criteria for grant distributions to be made from the fund.
The Quality of Life Fund encourages grants that:
- Propose practical and innovative solutions to community problems, needs or projects
- Promote cooperation among agencies without duplicating services
- Enhance or improve institutional or organizational self-sufficiency
- Encourage the participation of other contributions by using matching gifts, challenges and other grant techniques
- Closely coordinate, when possible, with the programs of other sources for funding such as the government, other foundations and associations
- Show the greatest benefit per capita and per dollar granted
- Give evidence of the qualifications and stability of the organization applying
- Reach a broad segment of the community with needed services, which are presently not provided
- Set forth a work plan, which shows an ability to achieve the project’s goal
Applications must be completed as instructed and submitted to the Madison County Community Foundation. Those eligible for funding are 501c3 organizations within the city limits of Anderson. No grants will be made to individuals or for-profit entities. Applications will be due in the Madison County Community Foundation office by 4:00pm August 17, 2009. Grants will typically range from $1000 to $10,000 and will not exceed $25,000 per agency. Awards will be announced mid-September.
The complete application is available here. For more information on the management of the Quality of Life fund, contact the Madison County Community Foundation at 644-0002.
A printable version of this press release is available here.
Update: We have created the following page to further explain exactly why the new Combined Sewer Overflow system is needed and also to illustrate the city's plan to implement the new system. http://www.cityofanderson.com/csoverflow.aspx
Anderson Utility customers will soon receive their June billing, which will reflect increased sewer rates recently enacted by the Common Council.
The increase, over time, will help pay for system improvements to be made as a result of a federal judicial mandate that requires the City to decrease the number of overflow events into the White River from the Combined Sewer system that serves all users.
For more information about the design of Anderson's Combined Sewer System and the mandated upgrades to the system, please take a moment to view this slideshow:
The Anderson Parks Department, Indianapolis Colts Players, and Anderson native Cedric Johnson are helping with the fight to…..“Stop the Violence” with a rally and meet and greet at Geater Center this week.
Fans Date and Time: Wednesday, June 24, Noon-1:00p.m.
Location: Geater Center 1611 Chase St., Anderson, IN (One block north of the intersection of MLK and Lincoln Ave.)
- Colts City Inflatables
- Autograph Signings by Bob Sanders, 2007 NFL defensive MVP and Gary Brackett, Colts MVP
- The Colts would like to encourage all fans to arrive early
- The line for the player’s autographs may be cut off at any time to ensure the players schedule
- Inclement weather of traffic may cause late arrival or early departure
- Fans will be allowed one autograph per person, however fans may get back in line for additional autographs
- Live Pro Boxing workout with Anderson native Cedric Johnson
Once again the Indiana Department of Correction – Pendleton CIF is stepping up to help homeless pets in Madison County. On June 22nd over fifty cats from Anderson Animal Care and Control will be going to live at Pendleton CIF.
The cats will be housed on the prison grounds where they will cared for by prison offenders chosen to be in this program. This partnership between Anderson Animal Care and Control and Pendleton CIF is a win-win for both. The program is literally saving the lives of these cats which have ended up at Animal Care and Control for one reason or another. The cats will be cared for and socialized by the offenders. One of the great positives for the cats is that they will receive much more attention/socialization at prison than they do at Animal Care and Control. This human contact will help alleviate the depression and stress which many of the cats experience when put in cages which can lower their immune systems and lead to illnesses which can prove fatal even with the best of care.
This is a win for the offenders in that they will receive unconditional love from their feline friends and it provides the offenders an opportunity to give back to society and become part of the solution for homeless animals. The offenders are assuming the responsibility for these animals that the people on the outside so carelessly abdicated.
The cats which go to prison are eligible for public adoption as are all animals at Animal Care and Control and you will be able to see their pictures on petfinder.com and at Animal Care and Control.
This program will help save these cats and allow them humane care which will allow them to be adopted to loving homes. Housing the cats at Pendleton CIF will also lesson the horrendous work load the Animal Care and Control staff experiences on a daily basis. People are bringing kittens and cats to Animal Care and Control by the basket full – literally. In one day Animal Care and Control took in 44 animals, most of which were kittens. People can prevent this problem by getting their cats spayed/neutered or keeping them inside their homes.
This program will provide better care for the cats, will lower euthanasia rates and is expected to raise the number of adoptions for our felines. The offenders will experience the gift of caring for and assuming responsibility for another living creature. They will also experience the calming effects of being around animals and the gift of unconditional love.
If you would like to donate to this program here’s what we need:
- Clay cat litter
- Cat food
- Cat toys
- Adopt one of our beautiful cats
- Monthly monetary donations to help fund this program.
Don’t forget the FIDO shelter dog prison program. These dogs come from Animal Care and Control and are being socialized and obedience trained by the inmates to prepare them for adoption. Go to: petfiner.com under Anderson shelters – animal protection league – maleahstringer@aol.com or 765-278-9435.
 Art's famous roast beef and a host of other menu items are now readily available on Anderson's highly travelled south side. This morning, Mayor Kris Ockomon joined Ryan Pool in cutting the ribbon-- with pizza cutters-- for Arts newest location, 4762 S. Scatterfield Rd. Art's has been an Anderson tradition since 1956. Mayor Kris Ockomon called Art's a "cultural touchstone for generations of Anderson residents".
The City of Anderson Transit System is helping students of all ages get out and go this summer with free summer rides on the City fleet for the eight weeks spanning June 22-August 10. All of the Transit Systems fixed routes are included in this seasonal offer. High school and college students must present a school ID to ride. Younger passengers may just show their winning smiles and best behavior and tell the driver the school they attend. The free ride offer is the result of an employee suggestion to Mayor Kris Ockomon to increase ridership and help youth get connected to program offerings throughout the community, and is based on a similar program in Marion, Indiana. This summer is the ideal time to ‘Try Transit’.
On June 18, from 4pm-8pm, the Anderson Parks and Recreation Department will host a special event, “Spring N2 Summer” at the Geater Center (1611 Chase St.). “Spring N2 Summer will give the community an opportunity to find out what activities and programs are available during the upcoming summer months at various local agencies and organizations. Families are encouraged to bring their summer calendars and fill in the long, hot days of summer with enriching events throughout the community! There will also be fun games, entertainment, and free refreshments.
Participating organizations include: Child Safe, Urban League, Wilson Boys & Girls Club,
Safe Haven, YMCA, Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, Mothers For Better Youth, Geater Center, Anderson Public Library, Purdue CES Nutrition Education, and Harrison College. There is still time for any organization with summer offerings to showcase their summer events. Interested organizations may register by calling Willy Turner at 648-6866.
On Sunday, June 7, 2009 nearly 40 young burn survivors will board a chartered bus heading south from Indianapolis to a place of reprieve at Happy Hollow Camp near Nashville, IN. The 12th annual Brave Hearts Camp will welcome new and returning campers, all of whom are survivors of traumatic burn injuries, for a week of summertime fun within a nurturing environment amongst their peers. Brave Hearts’ Camp is one of several in the country, but unique from many others because it is a camp designed for emotional healing with year-long support for the entire family. This emotionally rehabilitative camp helps the children to understand that although their skin was burned their hearts and minds were not.
This year’s camp will kick off with the 1st annual Ride for Brave Hearts. This motorcycle rally and ride will escort the busload of campers from the People’s Burn Foundation office to Mann’s Harley-Davidson in Edinburgh. A few select riders will continue on to escort the bus through the winding roads of southern Indiana to their final destination at Happy Hollow Camp.
Mayor Kris Ockomon and other supporters from Anderson will join in the Ride for Brave Hearts, strengthening the relationship built between the City and the People’s Burn Foundation, which has flourished with the development of the grassroots “Fire Rescue House” project.
By Aleasha Sandley, for the Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — Mayor Kris Ockomon and a delegation from Madison County visited Washington, D.C., on Wednesday at the urging of Special Advisor to the President Ed DeSeve. Ockomon, state Rep. Scott Reske, Pendleton Town Council President Don Henderson, Flagship Enterprise Center President and CEO Chuck Staley and Assistant to the Mayor for Diversity Julia Lewis visited with DeSeve, who heads up the implementation of the federal stimulus plan, for about an hour, bringing with them a wish list of projects in need of federal funding. “The purpose was to discuss several projects that we think are important to our community,” Staley said. “We left thinking that we had shared everything that we had brought with us, we had heard from somebody who was very much interested.”
The first and main request by the delegation was that Anderson company Bright Automotive be considered for stimulus funds it seeks, as well as for a federal loan. Bright, which recently unveiled its fuel-efficient cargo van, the Idea, requested funds to stay in Anderson and manufacture the Idea, which could bring 3,500 to 5,000 jobs to the city. “Our bottom line there is jobs,” Staley said. “Our framework, priority was what creates the most jobs for our community.” Ockomon was confident the delegation’s message about Bright got across to DeSeve, who suggested he would speak to the Department of Energy about the project. “(Bright is) not seeking grant money or a handout, they’re just seeking a loan,” Ockomon said.
Secondly, the delegation requested funding to secure other battery companies in Anderson. “We don’t have facilities,” Staley said. “We need 300,000 square feet.” The visitors informed DeSeve and Evan Ryan, assistant to the vice president and special assistant to the president, of their hopes to either rehabilitate the former General Motors Plant 20 into a green facility or build a new technology park near the Flagship.
The delegation’s third request was $7.5 million in funds for a minority business center to be located on the city’s west side, and finally, they asked for funds for military testing of building materials made by Alexandria company Bolt-A-Blok. “It’s a very structurally strong block that, when put together, is probably as strong as reinforced concrete,” Henderson said. “For military purposes, it has a lot of potential.”
Anderson officials were invited to meet with DeSeve after a recent article in the New York Times about Anderson caught the eye of Vice President Joe Biden. “I think that triggered something in the vice president and certainly in (presidential Chief of Staff) Rahm Emanuel and perhaps the president as well,” Staley said. Henderson said the fact that local officials were called up to Washington, D.C., bodes well for their chances of securing funding. “What is really significant about the trip is the fact that the call came from the vice president’s office to the mayor,” he said. “That’s quite a bit different than us trying to push our efforts upwards. It puts us in a much better, stronger position.”
By Aleasha Sandley, for The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — The Anderson Fire Department unveiled the newest addition to its fleet Monday, as Southview Elementary School students gathered around the new fire truck as a surprise before the school closes for good. Mayor Kris Ockomon, Fire Chief Dave Clendenen and other city officials and firefighters gathered at the school to show off the new truck and allow students to pose for a school photo with the truck taken from 100 feet in the air by a photographer lifted by the department’s ladder truck.
The new red-and-black pumper truck can hold 750 gallons of water and was purchased for about $280,000 with ambulance user fees.
“That user fee really saves us, because if (we didn’t have it), it would be back on the taxpayers,” Deputy Chief Dave Cravens said. “I couldn’t go to the City Council and say I need $300,000 to buy a fire truck.” The new engine will go to the No. 6 fire station on 29th Street and replace a 10-year-old truck. Cravens and Deputy Chief Jerry Burmeister, who negotiated the deal for the truck, try to buy new vehicles to save on maintenance costs, which could be $20,000-30,000 a year.
“You hate to be in the middle of a fire run and the transmission falls out in the middle of the road,” Cravens said. Burmeister said before the user fee was instituted in 1996, the department dealt with old, rusty trucks because it couldn’t afford to buy new ones with tax money. “We had rusted equipment, we had broken down trucks,” he said. “This way, all that (user fee) money goes into a separate fund and that’s where we get the money.”
The new engine likely will be one of the busiest ones; the one it replaces went on about 80 percent of the department’s 18,000 runs last year. Anderson has more runs than some nearby towns with similar populations, like Fishers, because it has an older population and households with less money to replace old appliances that cause fires, Cravens said.
The pumper is the second fire truck the department has purchased with user fees since the start of the Ockomon administration in January 2008. It also bought a new ambulance. Cravens said the department follows Medicare and Medicaid guidelines on how much to charge for ambulance usage, and it also depends on whether the patients need basic or advanced life support. “Most people have insurance, so you’re not creating a hardship on the taxpayers,” he said.
The fire truck’s appearance at Southview was a gift from the school’s parent club to the students, who have to see their school close at the end of the year due to budget cuts. “With these being one of the schools that’s going to close, it was just something special we wanted to do for them,” parent club president Michelle Drechsler said. “They were very excited.” Ockomon spoke to the students after they got their picture taken with the truck. “We’re all sad about Southview closing, but we wanted to bring a happy time by having the fire truck here,” he told them.
We Can Care, the Madison County food drive, wrapped up its 2009 drive with 155,402 pounds of food raised. Over 100,000 of that was through the efforts of City of Anderson personnel. Thirty eight local businesses and city departments participated in this year’s drive. The City of Anderson took a lead role in collecting food and funds. Tom Brewer, Superintendent of the Water Department and We Can Care coordinator, engaged colleague Bruce Boerner, Superintendent of Anderson Municipal Light and Power, in friendly competition for this year’s drive. The Water Department raised $4300 with a pizza party and motorcycle show. Light and Power answered the challenge by hosting a chili dinner that raised $6407. In all, the City totaled 104,762 pounds of food collected or leveraged.
The Anderson Police Department will begin accepting applications for their 2009 new employment cycle. More information and for all associated documents can be found here.
Just over 300 community leaders gathered this morning for the Mayor’s annual prayer breakfast, cosponsored by the Christian Clergy Association of Anderson. The breakfast followed the model of the National Prayer Breakfast held earlier this year in Washington, DC, and featured nationally recognized vocal talent and a keynote address by the Rev. Robbie Davis, Senior Pastor of the Celebration Church of Community Prayer. Rev. Davis spoke of the power of the simple phrase, “I agree with you”, and explored the potential good that can come from a community so empowered by agreement. Those in attendance were asked to take prayer cards to remind them to focus their private prayers for community education, government, public health, and business during the upcoming national week of prayer.
Next Thursday, May 7, 2009, area clergy will gather in the auditorium of City Hall to once again pray for the City. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
 This afternoon, around 200 community members gathered for a celebration and contract signing for the Fire Rescue House project. They were joined by special guest Jeff Saturday, Center for the Indianapolis Colts, and his family, who contributed their time and their support to the worthy cause and community project. Karen Saturday explained to the gathered crowd that the family had experienced a house fire several years ago that made them uniquely understand their good fortune when so many families lose everything. Jeff Saturday asked the audience, “Do you realize how big this is? Do you realize how much this means to people, and that this community will lead all other communities in this effort by doing something that isn’t being done anywhere else in the world”?
The Fire Rescue House project is a community project to provide transitional shelter to families throughout Madison County who are displaced by fire. Tax deductible contributions are being accepted for the project by the Madison County Community Foundation (33 W. 10th St, Suite 600, Anderson, IN 46015)- just specify in the memo section that the funds are to benefit the Fire Rescue House. To find other ways to help the project move forward, contact firefighter Skip O. at 425-1936.
By Aleasha Sandley For the Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — Walking to class will be a little safer when Anderson University students start the fall semester in August. The school plans to use the summer to renovate Fifth Street, one of the main campus arteries, making it wider and adding a median for students trying to cross the street. “Over time, Anderson University has noted significant safety concerns along Fifth Street, College Drive and Nursery Road,” said university spokesman Chris Williams. “These concerns relate to the large number of pedestrians that cross these streets.” The $2.2 million project will be funded through federal earmark money from the Transportation Equity Act, passed by Congress in 2005. The money will come through the city of Anderson, which has partnered with the university for the project. “We had to be a pass-through for the project,” said Greg Graham, Anderson Board of Public Works chairman.
The street will feature a brick pedestrian safety circle at the intersection of Fifth and Walnut streets south of Decker Hall on campus. The project also entails a brick pedestrian crosswalk at the intersection of Fifth Street and College Avenue. The street also will receive new lighting and landscaping between the new curb line and sidewalks to create a buffer between pedestrians and motorists. The remodel will extend east from College Avenue to Executive Drive, and a pedestrian safety median will extend from College Avenue to Chestnut Street.
“Fifth Street and College Avenue are both two-lane roads with parking on both sides and concrete sidewalks located adjacent to the curbs,” Williams said. “The level of traffic, lack of pedestrian traffic signals, blocked visibility due to on-street parked cars, proximity of sidewalks to the street and less than optimal lighting considerations have all been indicated as contributors to the safety concerns.” Williams said the university’s recently constructed commons area and relocated Falls School of Business along Fifth Street increased pedestrian traffic in the area. “There are a number of buildings now that are located in that vicinity of the university campus,” he said. “We’re always trying to find ways to increase safety for students studying at Anderson University.”
Construction is set to begin May 11 and end in mid-August, to have the renovations finished by the start of the next school year on Aug. 31. Fifth Street will be closed to vehicles during construction, but a pedestrian walkway will be developed near Reardon Auditorium for its continued use. The city and university teamed up in 1994 to complete similar renovations to University Boulevard, which runs through the center of campus. That street was widened, and a landscaped median and pedestrian stop added. “All of that had enhanced the safety of that particular section of the campus, and we’re anticipating these improvements will enhance the safety of Fifth Street,” Williams said. Graham said the new street also would enhance the city’s image. “It certainly is going to help beautify the street,” he said. “That’s a gateway, and the university is a great asset to the community.”
 Demolition on one of Anderson’s oldest manufacturing facilities, the former American Playground Corporation structure at 19th and Jackson Streets just south of downtown Anderson, nears completion. The building had fallen into a state of severe disrepair over the past several years. Saint John’s Health System is one of the property’s nearest neighbors, and representatives of that company, one of the City’s largest employers, have been in touch with city officials to express their pleasure at the demolition of this eyesore. The demolition cost just under $90,000 to complete.
 From The Herald Bulletin
Myers Autoworld opened its new Ford dealership to fanfare Wednesday with Mayor Kris Ockomon helping in the ribbon cutting ceremony. Mary Jamerson, President of Myers Autoworld, told The Herald Bulletin earlier this month that it was challenging to open the dealership in this economy, “but I believe in the auto industry.” Myers invested $3.5 million in the dealership, which should employ 30 to 35 people. The dealership is located at 2721 Broadway, in North Anderson.
 WASHINGTON, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- At an event in Washington DC today, Bright Automotive unveiled the world's first purpose-built 100 MPG vehicle aimed at commercial and government fleets. Named the IDEA, the multi-use vehicle falls into the light truck classification. The company announced it plans to produce 50,000 vehicles annually by 2013, providing businesses and government agencies with a highly durable, cost-saving and eco-friendly new vehicle, and creating thousands of American jobs. Bright Automotive showed a fully operating concept version of the vehicle to a crowd that included Members of Congress, White House Officials, media, and customer and supplier representatives.
"We created the IDEA by starting with a clean sheet of paper, listening to customer needs, and using breakthrough technologies and materials," said John E. Waters, President and CEO of Bright Automotive. "The IDEA leverages Bright's highly experienced team and delivers a lower cost of ownership than competing vehicles. At the same time, the IDEA demonstrates technological leadership for the American auto industry and will create thousands of new 'green collar' jobs here at home."
Indiana-based Bright Automotive said the IDEA will be 5 to 10 times more efficient than current commercial fleets. The vehicle will save a typical customer more than 1,500 gallons of gasoline and thousands of dollars in fuel costs annually. For the 100 largest fleets in the U.S., each having on average over 1,000 vehicles like the IDEA in their fleet, the savings would average over $3 million a year.
At the same time, each IDEA will reduce emissions and C02 output by up to 16 tons each year over competing vehicles. Key reasons for such high efficiency are vehicle weight and aerodynamics: the curb weight target for the IDEA is 3200 pounds -- 1500 pounds less than the average competitor with a 0.30 Coefficient of drag (Cd). Bright Automotive provides engineering details, assumptions, and calculations at www.brightautomotive.com.
To achieve groundbreaking fuel efficiency, Bright Automotive is building the IDEA from the ground-up and maximizing platform efficiency by incorporating lightweight materials, advanced aerodynamics and low-rolling resistance tires. On a full charge, the IDEA uses battery power for the first 30 miles, using little or no gasoline and less than $1 of electricity. After this, it functions like other hybrids. As an example of fuel efficiency, for commercial customers with a 50-mile daily urban route, the IDEA uses about 1/2 gallon of gas, which is equivalent to getting 100 mpg. For a 70 mile daily driver, 1 gallon of gas is used, similar to 70 mpg.
Delivering on American Automotive Leadership
Waters continued, "Bright Automotive is ready to deliver on American leadership for the US transportation industry. Quite simply, no other automotive product is available that directly saves customers money and affects their triple bottom line: economics, people, and sustainability. There are millions of similarly sized gas-fueled commercial vehicles on the road today, so the IDEA is more than just a new vehicle -- it's an opportunity to make dramatic change, for our country, for our economy, and for our environment."
The IDEA is also a more useful and modern vehicle, with features that include a 180 cu ft., 1 ton cargo capacity, ergonomic design, innovative cargo compartment, and a patent-pending passenger seat that converts to a mobile office. From the very beginning of the design process, Bright Automotive consulted with over 50 fleet managers from leading American companies, deeply involving them in the design process. The IDEA is, in fact, the first high-volume PHEV to be designed exclusively for commercial and government fleet use.
High volume production of the IDEA will begin in the U.S. by the end of 2012 -- with an annual run rate of 50,000 units beginning in 2013. To produce its vehicle, the company plans to create over 5,000 jobs -- directly and through suppliers -- by 2013.
Bright Automotive has the most experienced PHEV and electric vehicle team in the industry. Waters developed the battery pack for GM's first production electric vehicle, the EV1, and other executives and engineers have spent years working for Chrysler, Delphi, Johnson Controls and other manufacturers and suppliers. Just over a year ago, the company launched as a "spin-off" from the Rocky Mountain Institute, where it drew on the expertise of visionary organizations, including Alcoa, Duke Energy, Google.org, Johnson Controls, and the Turner Foundation.
Support from Great Organizations and Businesses
At today's event in Washington, executives from two large fleet operators, Duke Energy and Frito-Lay North America, joined Bright Automotive and expressed their support for the IDEA.
Keith Trent, Duke Energy's Group Executive and Chief Strategy, Policy and Regulatory Officer said, "Duke Energy is proud to be a major utility partner with Bright Automotive. The IDEA and other electric vehicles clearly represent the future of transportation in the U.S. By reducing our dependence on foreign oil, such vehicles will dramatically improve our national security and play a key role in improving our air quality. Both the energy industry and the transportation industry have entered a period of unprecedented change and opportunity. Bright Automotive's IDEA vehicle is a tangible example of that change and opportunity."
Lyle Shuey, Bright Automotive VP of Marketing and Sales said, "We worked with great companies -- Duke Energy, Cox Communications, and others -- to create the most fuel efficient utility vehicle available. The combination of our decades of automotive experience and their expert voice on commercial vehicles allowed us to develop a revolutionary plug-in hybrid electric vehicle unlike any other. The IDEA will deliver 100 mpg for typical customers, perform better on the road and in a crash, costs less to operate, and allows workers to be more effective in their jobs."
Waters said, "The promise of plug-in vehicles and smart grid technology is not a dream; it is achievable today, here in America. Working with great companies and the most experienced team in the industry, Bright Automotive believes the IDEA can be at the center of a new energy paradigm. We can reduce energy use, save money, and create true sustainability by giving customers what they want and what they need to perform their jobs better.”
From The Herald Bulletin
By Scott L. Miley, Herald Bulletin Features Editor
ANDERSON — Alyssa Schermerhorn saw the good work done in Ligonier when residents got together to clean up neighborhoods in her hometown. She brought the idea back to Anderson University, where students will launch the weeklong “Operation Foundation: Project Anderson” beginning Monday.
Anderson residents are encouraged to join the students in cleaning up the area bounded by 14th and 32nd streets, Madison Avenue and Scatterfield Road.
“We haven’t seen anything on campus that unites everyone in our community,” said Schermerhorn, a 20-year-old sophomore. “Different groups do different things. We wanted something where everyone in every walk of life could participate.” Participants are asked to sign in at Walnut Street Park before going into the communities. “I think this is necessary in a time like this when people are feeling bad about the economy and the city’s been on a downturn,” said another organizer, Jesse Luke, a junior in marketing and political science from Yorktown. “This can bring some light to a dark situation for a lot of people. I love it.”
Schermerhorn, an elementary education major, first participated in an Operation Foundation project through her Stones Hill Community Church in Ligonier, a city of about 4,300 in Noble County northwest of Fort Wayne. The Ligonier project grew from a 2006 mission trip to help Hurricane Katrina victims in Mississippi, said Stones Hill Youth Pastor Dave Hilbish. “You see people going around the world to proclaim Jesus Christ or build homes. We thought what would it look like to streamline resources and just stay put where you are and love your neighbor,” Hilbish said.
In 2007, the effort drew other churches, local clubs and residents with 262 volunteers helping to renovate buildings and homes as well as cleaning up neighborhoods. Last year, Ligonier’s Operation Foundation drew 400 volunteers. Operation Foundation changes attitudes among neighbors who might not have kept weeds out of their yards or who let their homes deteriorate. “With no agenda other than to love, you break through all kinds of walls. People with a frown on their face and a chip on their shoulder all of sudden have a handshake and smile to give you. It’s amazing to see the changes when you see this stuff happening,” Hilbish said.
From the university perspective, Operation Foundation promotes a weeklong service project to bring physical restoration to the city of Anderson by uniting residents and building up the body of Christ. Schermerhorn said, “My home church started with it about 2 years ago. They had been praying for 10 years for something like that. It came to pass and they saw such awesome things. We have a high population of Hispanics and Amish and this bridged the cultural gaps. And the downtown looks so much better.” “I had that same idea for our campus to get involved. We live in this town for four years ... so we felt it was our responsibility to do something about it,” Schermerhorn said.
For information about Operation Foundation: Project Anderson, contact Alyssa Schermerhorn, Project Coordinator, through the Anderson University Department of Student Life at 765-641-4194 or visit
Operation Foundation: Project Anderson
Public Review
2009 Annual Action Plan
CDBG-R Substantial Amendment to the 2008 Consolidated Plan
2009 Annual Action Plan HOME
E-mail Comments
Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan
Multi-Hazard Mitigation Presentation
Resolution 01-08
Open Bid - Janitorial Services
2008 Consolidated Action Plan
2008 Annual Action Plan Amendment
E-mail Comments
|
|