Silver Birch residents knit a Red Ribbon Christmas
Also, Russiaville hydrant flush Oct. 1-5; Jefferson House hosting annual Fall Market
This article is brought to you by the Committee to Elect Mike Katcher.
A pink hand towel. A purple hat and mittens. Jim Knight pulled the knitted and crocheted items out of a large box for all to see.
The residents of Silver Birch of Kokomo Retirement and Assisted Living were responsible for the hand-crafted creations, having worked all year to provide the gifts to the Kokomo Rescue Mission for its annual Red Ribbon Christmas outreach. Knight, Silver Birch's recently crowned King of the Peach Ball, explained how he crocheted some of the items as he showed them to Rescue Mission volunteers.
Knight was joined by a handful of residents who also had knitted and crocheted items, including the Peach Ball Queen, Joan Stang. There were plenty of smiles to go around as well. The pride the residents took in their creations was obvious.
And the effort wasn't lost on the Kokomo Rescue Mission employees and volunteers who stopped by Silver Birch to pick up the precious items.
"To hear that I have a committee backing me up here was the most amazing thing," said Rhonda Januszkiewicz, Red Ribbon program volunteer coordinator for the Kokomo Rescue Mission. "It gave me goosebumps; I was so excited! We just love it!"
Januszkiewicz said that the Rescue Mission would "put some love" in the gift boxes to go along with the handmade items "because that's what we like to do."
The mission's Red Ribbon Christmas outreach is an effort to bring the holiday season to the homeless and those in need. Volunteers gather each fall to pack and wrap gift boxes, filled with toiletries, clothing, and various presents, which are delivered just in time for Christmas.
Nannette McVeigh, Silver Birch's Life Enrichment Coordinator, explained how the residents were eager to get involved and volunteer their time and talents to the mission.
"Our Red Ribbon Committee throughout the year makes homemade scarves, mittens, hats, gloves, and other gifts to give back to the community," said McVeigh. "The Kokomo Rescue Mission gives these Red Ribbon gifts to people in the community.
"Our residents wanted to be a huge part of that, and so they have been working tirelessly all year round. And it is such a gift. They really do all have hearts of gold."
The mission is always looking for volunteers to help with the Red Ribbon outreach, as well as with numerous tasks and projects throughout the year. To volunteer, visit https://kokomorescuemission.org/get-involved/opportunities-to-volunteer/ and follow the link to the application.
Russiaville hydrant flush Oct. 1-5
Indiana American Water Co. will flush water mains in the Russiaville area beginning Oct. 1. From 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. each workday next week, the flushing will take place.
Indiana American performs this maintenance service annually to ensure proper fire hydrant operation and high-quality water service to local residents.
Water service will continue uninterrupted throughout the flushing process. This may result in a drop in water pressure or water discoloration. Both side effects will be temporary. However, customers should avoid doing laundry during the flushing process.
If the tap water is discolored, Indiana American suggests allowing cold-water faucets to run briefly until the water is clear again. Running multiple faucets will speed up this process.
Residents are asked to note that all water maintenance crews will be working from trucks with the Indiana American logo on them, and each employee will have a photo ID badge.
Additional information on Indiana American's water main flushing process can be found by visiting https://www.amwater.com/inaw/resources/pdf/Flushing%20-%20IN.pdf .
Jefferson House hosting annual Fall Market
Jefferson House Flower Shop & Boutique is hosting its annual Fall Market on Sat., Oct. 7, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Located at 4300 West, County Road 100 North, this year’s Fall Market will host 27 local artisans.
“We love hosting this event for our local community each year,” said Kayla Keith, owner of Jefferson House. “Our Fall Market is a day people look forward to all year. There’s fun for your whole family, whether you come early or late.”