Also, Southside Christian holding giveaway; Greentown Historical Society dinner, Nov. 12; Dueling Pianos rocks Ivy Tech Logansport; DSI recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month

This article is brought to you by the Kokomo Downtown Farmers’ Market.

We. Are. In. OVERTIME!

That’s right! You have two more chances to snap up the best harvest season products our community’s artisans have to offer. This year, the Market has been extended through Oct. 10. That means you can head down to the to the corner of Mulberry and Washington streets between 9 a.m. and noon to find Halloween and Fall decorations, sumptuous baked goods, candies, and treats, fresh harvest season produce, and so much more.

We’ve loved serving Kokomo this year, and we hope you’ve enjoyed visiting us. And if you haven’t made it downtown yet, you’ve still got time. We’ll see you at the Market!

The Duke Energy Foundation is awarding $50,000 in shareholder-funded grants to 10 Howard County nonprofit organizations that are helping neighbors find stability, care, and connection across the Kokomo area.

These organizations play a vital role in everyday life across Howard County. The grants are intended to help local nonprofits continue strengthening the community from the ground up. Ten Howard County organizations will each receive $5,000. The funding will support work tied to family services, housing, recovery, theater arts, scouting, youth mentoring, and basic community needs.

Duke Energy Foundation grants are shareholder-funded and do not impact customer rates. The recipients of the $5,000 grants include:

• Bona Vista, a DSI Partnered Company, helping children and adults of all abilities build independence and participate fully in their communities.
• Bridges Outreach, helping youth and families through food, tutoring, mentoring, employment, and affordable housing programs.
• DADCamp, creating father-child experiences that strengthen families.
• Family Service Association, promoting healthy families and supporting vulnerable individuals through education, prevention, and crisis intervention.
• Gilead House, helping women build stable lives as they recover from addiction and related challenges.
• Habitat for Humanity of the Kokomo Community, building homes, communities, and hope.
• Kokomo Curtain Call, enriching lives through theater arts education and participation.
• Sagamore Council, Boy Scouts of America, preparing young people for ethical and moral decision-making.
• United Way of Howard and Tipton Counties, mobilizing community resources to improve health, education, and financial security.
• Valley of Grace, supporting addiction recovery services.

“Like so many service organizations, we try to maximize our time, efforts and resources in fulfilling our mission for the families we love, so this Duke Energy Foundation grant is a true blessing to Bridges and Howard County,” said Travis Taflinger, chief executive officer, Bridges Outreach. “Essentially, Duke Energy and this funding says, ‘We see you. We value what you are doing in our community. And keep up the great work.’ For that, we say thank you.”

“Howard County is better because of the people and organizations who show up every day for their neighbors,” said Jenny Jordan, government and community relations manager, Duke Energy Indiana. “These grants are one way Duke Energy helps local nonprofits continue the important work of supporting families, opening doors for young people and building a stronger Kokomo-area community.”

The Duke Energy Foundation provides nearly $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 6,800 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 930,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.

Southside Christian holding giveaway

South Side Christian Church, 201 E. Markland Ave., is hosting a Meal Kit/Cleaning Supply Giveaway on Monday, October 12, at 11 a.m.

Each guest will receive a bag of cleaning supplies and a choice of a meal kit which including meat. The church will distribute 50 bags on a first-come, first-served basis.

Greentown Historical Society dinner, Nov. 12

The Greentown Historical Society will hold its annual dinner meeting on Nov. 12, 2026, in the Keystone Cooperative Community Building on the Howard County Fairgrounds in Greentown.

This year’s event will feature Vance M. Patterson and the guest speaker. Patterson is a “serial entrepreneur” and the co-founder of the Patterson Fan Co;, which manufactures high-velocity industrial fans.

Patterson in a 1968 graduate of Eastern High School and holds a BA in Economics from Hanover College. A highlight of his academic career was teaching an entrepreneurial course at Oxford University. He also is the benefactor of the $1 million American Trades School Scholarship at Eastern High School.

The meal for the evening will be catered by Main Occasions Catering, which includes chicken and pork, side dishes, dessert, and a drink. The cost is $25.

reservations are required for the meal and must be made by Nov. 6. To make a reservation, call 765-628-3800 or mail your check to the Greentown Historical Soceity, P.O. Box 313, Greentown, IN 46936.

Patterson is a father of four, married 51 years to Mary Jo, “which makes her a saint.” They have 13 grandchildren and live in the Carolinas. Vance has started 26 companies and three foundations. He made the INC 500 list of the fastest growing privately owned companies in the U.S. with two separate companies and twice was named an Entrepreneur of The Year Finalist in the SE Region.

Vance ran for U.S. Congress three times in western North Carolina and finished second three times. He is a biker, a boarder, weightlifter, SCUBA diver, and a black belt. Vance jumped out of a plane, once.

In 1989, Vance and his father started Patterson Fan Company, Inc. making high-velocity industrial fans to keep workers cool. Patterson actually makes things out of metal and ships them across the country and around the world.

Patterson started three foundations. The first, Foundation Forward, Inc., builds and gifts Charters of Freedom settings, displaying the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Civil Rights Amendments to communities across the country. To date, Mary Jo and Vance have gifted 80 Charters of Freedom settings in 20 states.

The second, the American Trades School Scholarship Fund, Inc., sponsors and grants scholarships to those high school graduates who want to enter the trades. Eastern High School is the flagship program.

The third, Shining Beacons of The Carolinas, LLC, is dedicated to preserving lighthouses and their legacies, including myths and legends in North and South Carolina.

Dueling Pianos rocks Ivy Tech Logansport

Dueling Pianos will again rock the Logansport Community at Ivy Tech’s Scholarships for Student Success fundraiser Nov. 6 at Vibrant Events.

After a wildly successful visit last year, where generous community members, businesses and organizations combined to raise nearly $65,000 to support Ivy Tech Community College students from the area, the Logansport team is happy to offer the return engagement.

“We can’t wait to fill Vibrant Events with another enthusiastic and fun-filled crowd,” said Katie Loman, vice chancellor for Ivy Tech’s Logansport campus. “Money raised in this event makes a huge difference in the lives of many of our most deserving students. Through scholarships and a wide range of student support services, donors can help offer better lives to individuals who then help to improve our communities as a whole.”

The Nov. 6 event will begin with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. at Vibrant Events at 1100 Riverside Drive. Tickets, at $50 per person, include dinner catered by Vibrant Events and entertainment provided by Dueling Pianos International. A cash bar will be available.

“Dueling Pianos is a high energy, all-request, sing-along, clap-along, rock ‘n’ roll evening of comedy music where the audience is just as much a part of the show as the entertainers,” said Allie Tomlinson, executive director of Development for the Ivy Tech Kokomo Service Area, which includes Cass, Fulton, Howard, Miami, Pulaski and Tipton counties.

“Audience members are encouraged to tip the entertainers to change the songs and request their favorite songs so plan to bring some cash to play,” she added. “All tips go to support scholarships.” A live scholarship auction is also planned.

Tickets for the event can be purchased online here: http://link.ivytech.edu/2026logansportduelingpianos or by calling Miriam Thomas, director of Development, at 463-298-0925. Reservations must be made by Oct. 28. Those who can’t attend may still help students by donating at https://engage.ivytech.edu/s/giving or by contacting Allie Tomlinson at atomlinson32@ivytech.edu or 463-223-5483.

DSI recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Each October, Developmental Services, Inc. (DSI) joins employers, community partners and organizations across the country in recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a nationwide observance celebrating the skills, talents and contributions of people with disabilities in the American workforce.

This year’s NDEAM theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” reflects a movement that began more than 80 years ago. In 1945, Congress established a weeklong national observance recognizing the contributions of workers with physical disabilities. This evolved over the following decades, expanding to recognize people with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress extended the observance to the entire month of October and officially designated it National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

For DSI, that mission extends well beyond the month of October.

Annually, DSI’s Employment Services works with approximately 795 individuals with disabilities as they identify their employment goals, explore career possibilities, secure competitive employment and develop the skills needed to succeed on the job.

Individuals receiving DSI Employment Services are referred to DSI through Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). Following a referral, DSI Employment Consultants work directly with individuals to identify their employment goals, explore opportunities that align with their interests and abilities, secure employment and provide support as they learn and grow in their jobs.

For some individuals, support continues after they get the job. For individuals who have an Indiana Medicaid Waiver, job support can continue through Extended Services. DSI provides ongoing support to help individuals maintain employment, grow in their roles and build greater independence in the workplace.

DSI’s commitment to employment also begins before an individual enters the workforce.

Through Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), DSI serves approximately 236 high school students each year throughout Indiana. Pre-ETS supports students with disabilities ages 14 through 22 as they begin exploring what life after high school may look like.

These services give students opportunities to explore careers and begin answering an important question: What do I want my life after high school to look like? Through these experiences, students can begin identifying their strengths and interests while developing skills that will help prepare them for employment, additional education or training after high school.

From a student beginning to imagine a future career to an adult building independence through meaningful employment, DSI Employment Services focuses on the abilities, interests and goals of each individual.

As part of this year’s celebration, DSI Employment Services will host open houses on October 15 at locations throughout Indiana. The events will bring together clients, employers, community partners and DSI team members to celebrate the relationships that make meaningful employment possible. Open houses are also an opportunity for DSI to thank the businesses and communities that continue to open doors, build partnerships and recognize the value and talent of the individuals DSI serves.

For DSI, “Celebrating Value and Talent” is more than a theme for October. It reflects what happens every day when individuals, employers and communities work together to create opportunities for people to explore their strengths, pursue their employment goals and demonstrate the value they bring to Indiana’s workforce.

Developmental Services, Inc. (DSI) is a nonprofit organization providing services and supports to children and adults with disabilities throughout Indiana. Through employment, community-based, residential, family support and other services, DSI works alongside individuals to support greater independence, community participation and opportunities to achieve personally meaningful goals.