When Carol-Anne and Don Hossler were college sweethearts, they talked about their hopes for the future. They daydreamed about their careers, their children, where they’d live, and how happy they’d be.
After they were married, they moved to Bloomington and had twin boys, David and Peter. Everything seemed to be going well.
Then Jonathan was born, and their lives changed forever. Jonathan is severely autistic, and also mentally handicapped – he has an IQ of just 26.
“We never talked about having a disabled kid,” says Carol-Anne, a professor in the School of Education at Indiana University. “Never ever. It never even crossed our radar. It just comes out at you. There’s no planning. It just hits you up the side of the face.”
Jonathan’s needs made it impossible for the family to go on vacation, or for his parents to have a social life. His communication skills were poor, and he didn’t sleep through the night for 10 years. He required constant attention and care, and the Hosslers sometimes wondered whether their older sons got short-changed during their adolescent years.
When Jonathan was 10, the Hosslers learned that a group home in their neighborhood had an opening. Though Carol-Anne had resisted the idea for years, she decided to give it a try. Today he lives in a group home operated by Stone Belt, a Bloomington residential facility for people with disabilities.
The new arrangement made life better for everyone – including Jonathan, who’s now 22.
But the Hosslers wanted more for their son. They were determined to help him become a productive member of the community.
While Jonathan was still in high school (he was educated in the Monroe County school system), vocational instructors let him try different jobs, like sweeping and returning grocery carts.
When nothing seemed to be a good fit for him, Carol-Anne worked with Jonathan’s teachers and Stone Belt staff to create a job designed especially for him.
Carol-Anne knew Jonathan liked to be driven around town, and suggested he could pick things up and make deliveries. They considered recycling, but scrapped the idea out of concerns about cleanliness.
When one of Jonathan’s teachers suggested food, Carol-Anne knew that was the answer.
Today, Jonathan collects food donations for the Bloomington’s Community Kitchen from neighborhoods around town. He works five days a week and can make as many as 17 stops a day. Stone Belt staff members do the driving.
The program is called Hand ‘n Hand. It’s worked well for Jonathan, and another Stone Belt client has now joined him in making pick-ups. The program also makes donating food more convenient, which makes people more likely to give.
Hossler thinks it could be a model for other severely autistic individuals.
“If this is the only thing he’s able to do from now till forever, I’ll be happy,” says Hossler. “It’s valuable, it’s worthwhile, it’s making a contribution, it’s getting him out.”
“I have a tremendous sadness I carry with me,” says Hossler, “but this has given me a sense of peace. I know we’re doing good things and Jonathan’s teaching a lot of people.”
Hunter wasn’t quite 3 years old when doctors at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis first diagnosed him with “Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified,” a condition on the autism spectrum.
“I didn’t handle it well,” admits Hunter’s father, Bloomington resident Jeremy Dilts.
Dilts already knew a little about autism. He has a younger cousin with autism. Dilts remembers that his cousin would get so nervous in public that his family couldn’t take him out. He was also obsessed with small plastic bowling pins. He would line them up and get upset if they toppled over.
Though Hunter’s speech was delayed – “cracker” was his only word at age 2 – he didn’t show other common signs of autism. He made eye contact, he responded to his name, and he could make his wishes known. Dilts resisted the idea that there was anything wrong with Hunter.
As Dilts began reading more about children with autism, however, he started seeing the clues in his son’s behavior.
“He had a toy with four wheels that spun,” Dilts remembers. “We burned the batteries out of that thing and blew it up because he was fascinated by the spinning. It’s apparent to me now [that this is a sign of autism], but at the time I just thought that that was his favorite toy.”
Hunter went to a developmental preschool for three years. By the time the school psychologist evaluated him at the end of the second year, Hunter was showing some of the social signs of autism.
Hunter was also displaying sensory deficits. He couldn’t stand to have his hair brushed, and he preferred the feel of a certain kind of blanket.
When doctors changed Hunter’s diagnosis from PDD-NOS to autism last year, Dilts was better prepared. But the news was still hard to accept.
“It’s the loss of everything that you think your child is going to be,” says Dilts. “There’s a real sense of loss.”
Today, Dilts doesn’t feel quite so lost anymore.
He and his wife, Angela, joined the local chapter of the Autism Society of America, and Dilts is now the local liaison to the state chapter. The organization, he says, is his biggest source of support, because it puts him in touch with people who are well-informed.
Dilts also has neighbor whose daughter has Downs Syndrome. She knew the special needs community inside and out and helped Dilts and his wife find services for Hunter.
Dilts found a speech therapist and a social skills teacher for Hunter. When Hunter finished the developmental preschool, Dilts enrolled him in a private, home-based kindergarten that caters to children with developmental disabilities. Hunter joined the IU adapted PE program three years ago. This year, he’s learning to use the brakes on his bicycle and is working on his throwing motion.
Though Hunter sometimes gets anxious in public, Dilts says he’s “a pretty laid-back kid.”
“We take Hunter everywhere we go, partly because we can, and partly because the world’s not going to change for him,” says Dilts. “We want him to suck it up. It almost seems mean, but our theory is to desensitize him to the public, loud noises, big crowds.”
That strategy may be working. When he was 3, Hunter refused to enter the school gymnasium to watch a relative graduate from high school. The noise and activity was just too much for him to handle. Last year, Hunter was able to go with his family to the Super Bowl celebration in Indianapolis. Dilts says a pair of noise-canceling headphones may have made the chaos at the RCA Dome a more tolerable experience for Hunter.
Dilts and his wife have two other children. Kennedy, Hunter’s older sister, is a “mother hen” to Hunter, says Dilts, while Hunter’s relationship with his younger brother, Eli, is a lot more like that of typical siblings.
“Eli has been great for Hunter, because he makes Hunter play with him, he makes Hunter pay attention,” says Dilts.
“Hunter’s a really easy kid to parent, in part because of the autism,” says Dilts. “He’s a rule-follower. He knows what the rules are and he doesn’t break them.”
Dilts says autism has changed his expectations for Hunter but hasn’t limited them.
“I have the highest hopes for Hunter to be an independent and functional member of society,” says Dilts. “He’s probably never going to be involved in an organized team sport. He may never be particularly popular. He may just be one of the weird kids. But hey, I was a weird kid.”
If Jay and Elaine Hackett could have gazed into a crystal ball 10 years ago, it might have saved them a lot of tears.
But when their youngest son, Jason, was diagnosed with autism at age 4, all they knew about the future was the doctors’ dark predictions.
“Basically, what [the doctors] said is, ‘We know your son has autism, we don’t know if he’s retarded, he may not ever graduate high school, he may not drive a car, he won’t go to college, see you later,” says Jay. Elaine remembers the doctors telling her that Jason wouldn’t have a normal childhood or make any friends.
By the time he was diagnosed, Jason’s behavior had already become a problem and his parents were having trouble communicating with him. Elaine says it was like having “a little wild person living in your house running around doing whatever they want, and no one can control them.”
There was lots of screaming. If anyone said “good morning” to Jason, he would scream and drop to the floor in the fetal position. If they looked him in the eyes, he screamed. If someone took a toy car out of the row he’d made, he screamed. If he was hungry, he’d stand in the kitchen and scream until someone figured out what he wanted to eat.
The Hacketts had learned to adapt to much of this behavior without noticing – Elaine says it was like living in a family of crabs, with everyone always moving sideways around each other – but the diagnosis turned their world upside down.
“It was months before we could say ‘autism’ without crying,” says Jay.
Though the Hacketts live near Mooresville on the southwest side of Indianapolis, they decided to join the parent support group in Bloomington. Elaine’s mother lived in Bloomington and could watch Jason while they attended the monthly meetings.
“When you have a young child with autism who’s fairly non-verbal and hard to handle, there aren’t people lining up to baby-sit,” says Elaine.
Elaine says the support group helped her get over the feeling she got from the diagnosis – that
she’d be dumped into a foreign country where she didn’t speak the language. One parent in particular gave them some good advice.
“She encouraged us to just go ahead and not feel bad about not knowing anything, but just get in there and start moving toward getting [Jason] some help,” says Elaine.
Over the next 10 years, the Hacketts tried a variety of interventions to help Jason lead a normal, happy life.
They found a speech pathologist to help Jason with communication and an occupational therapist to help him develop skills for day-to-day life. His pre-school special education teachers gave him a lot of support, and when it was time to go to kindergarten, Jason joined a mainstream classroom.
Physical activity seemed to calm some of Jason’s unruly behavior. After swimming, for example, Jason could sit through an entire meal with the family. Jason had gotten so adept at leaping from his high chair that his parents had switched to seating him on a step stool.
It was Jason’s speech therapist who first suggested that Jason might like team sports. They tried soccer, but it didn’t take.
“It was very difficult,” says Jay. “He didn’t understand the concept of a team. A teammate would score a goal and he would not understand.”
With football, however, it was a different story. The rigid rules and all the pushing and shoving seemed to appeal to Jason.
“I was initially horrified at the thought [of Jason playing football],” says Elaine. “Then we realized it was actually the perfect game for him. After every play, they go back to the coach, and he draws the play, so it’s visual.”
Visual communication also worked well for Jason at home. To help him get the hang of the morning routine, Elaine made flashcards depicting each individual activity – wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, etc. She taped them up in the kitchen in sequence, like a comic book.
Sticking to a routine was also the trick to running errands with Jason.
“We’d tell him ‘the bank, the store, the gas station.’ And that was fine, as long as you stuck to that,” says Elaine. “If you did anything else you were in trouble. If you decided, ‘Oh, while we’re here I’m going to go to the post office,’ forget it – you’re sunk.’”
Jason is now 14 and has undone everyone’s expectations. He’s in the eighth grade, and if he keeps up his A/B average, he’ll not only graduate high school but almost certainly have the choice to go to college. He’s a starter on the middle school football team. He also wrestles, plays bass in the school’s orchestra, and has friends – including close friends.
Jason’s parents were so focused on helping him that they missed the signs that his older brother, Jeff, was also struggling with autism.
Jeff’s symptoms were different. Unlike Jason, who as a 4-year-old had the speech ability of a 1-year-old, Jeff was speaking in full sentences by the time he was 3. But Jeff had trouble sitting still and paying attention in school and he wasn’t socializing like other children.
“We had always known that Jeff had a unique perspective, and sometimes it confused us. But most of the time we just found it kind of funny and charming,” says Elaine. “We didn’t see any real issue with it until he went to school.”
The school psychologist evaluated him and determined there was nothing wrong. The Hacketts got a second opinion.
That’s when they learned that Jeff has Asperger’s Syndrome, a condition on the end of the autism spectrum closest to “typical” people.
For four years, they tried several different medications to help Jeff settle down in school, but nothing seemed to work. At the end of the seventh grade, they took Jeff off medication for good.
A year later, both the Hacketts and Jeff’s teachers had seen dramatic improvement in his behavior.
Jeff is now 15, and talks like a Ph.D. candidate. Until recently, however, his grades didn’t come close to reflecting his obvious intelligence.
“He could never see the use of doing homework,” says his father, Jay. “He already grasped the concept, why keep doing it?”
“Up until this year he’s really struggled with school because it’s hard [for him] to get the importance of doing crossword puzzles for vocabulary words that he knew three years ago,” says Elaine. “It just totally escapes him.”
The meaning of homework totally escapes a lot of kids, but Asperger’s Syndrome can make it very hard for a child to understand and accept what appear to be unreasonable rules.
It’s taken a few years, but now that Jeff understands better what’s expected of him, his grades are rising.
Today, the Hacketts brag about their boys like any proud parents would.
“I do not know why God chose us to raise these two boys, but we are blessed to have them,” says Jay.
When the doctors told Elaine Hackett that her youngest son has autism, it was like someone banging a lid down on top of her.
For Heather Andrews, it was like a herd of horses dragging her 10 miles.
For Carol-Anne Hossler, it was like someone she loved had died.
Until recently, it was estimated that about four or five in 10,000 children had autism. Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control published a new estimate – one in every 150.
It’s not clear whether the jump in the number of children diagnosed with autism is due to a rise
in actual cases or a greater awareness of what’s always been there.
What is clear is that more and more parents are experiencing the shock and confusion of finding out their child has autism.
Everything Changes
“There’s no such thing as having a normal family life when you have an autistic child,” says Susan Rautio-Dietz, a Bloomington psychologist who diagnoses and treats autism.
Carol-Anne Hossler, a professor at Indiana University’s School of Education, knows how true this is.
For nine years, Hossler and her husband had a normal life. They had two children, twin boys who had no disabilities.
When their third child, Jonathan, arrived, everything changed. Not only does Jonathan have a severe form of autism, he also has an intellectual impairment – he has an IQ of just 26.
The family used to vacation in Canada, where they stayed in cabins owned by relatives. They stopped going because it wasn’t safe for Jonathan, and it wasn’t a vacation for anyone.
For 10 years, Jonathan didn’t sleep through the night. Hossler and her husband would take turns staying up to keep an eye on him.
“We had no life,” says Hossler. “We had this traditional idea of what our family was going to be like. We were going to be high school central, where all the kids’ friends came in and went out. But Jonathan couldn’t tolerate it, and if he was going crazy then we were all going crazy.”
Hossler resisted the idea of putting Jonathan in a group home.
“We wanted to do what was right for Jonathan, but I’m looking at my baby, thinking, ‘I’m not shipping him out,’” says Hossler.
As reluctant as she was, Hossler allowed her husband to put Jonathan on the group home waiting list.
Six years later, when Jonathan was 10, a spot opened up in a group home just half a mile from the Hosslers’ Bryan Park home. They decided to give it a try.
“I think he is happier,” says Hossler. “Life is really tough for him because he doesn’t understand so much, but his world is a little larger because he has more than just one place to be.”
What is autism?
Autism is a neurological disorder that affects how people perceive the world and how they communicate, socialize, learn, and behave. It’s not an emotional disorder or a mental handicap.
The signs of autism usually show up before the age of 3 and usually include a delay in speech development. Children may not socialize like others their age, may seem withdrawn, and may appear obsessed with a particular toy or with lining up toys. Some also engage in self-stimulatory behavior, like waving their arms or flapping their fingers.
Although it’s not part of the criteria for a diagnosis, many children with autism also have extremely sharp senses – so sharp that loud noises like bells cause them pain, fluorescent lights appear to flicker like strobe lights, or gentle hugs are intolerable.
The effects of autism can vary greatly from person to person. Those with a mild form of autism may go undiagnosed until adulthood, or are never diagnosed at all.
There’s no known cure, and little agreement about what causes autism, though experts agree it’s definitely not the result of “bad parenting,” a theory that was popular in the 1960s. Today, researchers are investigating genetics, vaccines, allergies, viruses, and environmental factors.
What is certain is that each person with autism is an individual who will face a unique set of challenges with a unique set of abilities.
This can complicate a parent’s search for the best care for a child.
So where does a parent start?
Treatments and therapies
Rautio says it’s becoming more common for parents to have some idea of what autism is when they bring their children to her for an assessment.
Most, however, are mystified by the diagnosis.
“There’s always a little depression,” says Rautio. “[Parents think], ‘Oh my gosh, this is something horrible.’”
Rautio finds herself having to dispel myths about the kind of life parents can expect for their children.
People with autism do get married, says Rautio. They can have children, they can hold jobs, and they can lead happy lives.
Over the last two decades, scores of treatments and programs have been developed to help those with autism improve their quality of life. “The Autism Sourcebook,” a guide published in 2005, lists almost 70 different treatments that may benefit children with autism, including speech therapy, social skills training, physical therapy, medications, and special diets.
Bloomington also boasts a wide range of physical activity programs adapted for children with autism. The Monroe County YMCA offers several activities, including swimming, soccer, and general sports skills, and Indiana University offers an adapted physical education program. The City of Bloomington co-sponsors “Buddy Ball,” an adapted baseball program. For parents on a bigger budget, PALS offers “equine-assisted activities” – therapy on horseback.
Bloomington parents can get help sorting through all the options from the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at Indiana University. The IRCA’s extensive collection of books and videos on developmental disorders is open to all Indiana residents. The center also maintains a collection of pamphlets with local information and contacts.
The IRCA doesn’t offer therapies or treatment but can consult with parents on choosing the appropriate services for their children and finding agencies and individuals who can provide those services.
Most autism services are not free, however, and the costs can add up. Government benefits are available but can be difficult to access.
Eligibility for Medicaid benefits depends on the family’s income. The Medicaid Waiver Program, however, is open to all who require a certain level of care. It allows individuals with autism to receive services at home rather than at a live-in institution.
As of September, there were 345 people on Indiana’s autism waiver roster. There were 3,542 people on the waiting list.
Suzie Rimstidt, a local autism advocate who has worked with the IRCA and, more recently, as the Monroe County coordinator for the non-profit Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living, estimates the current wait time for a waiver to be about 10 years.
Educating a child with autism
One service that is absolutely free, however, is education.
The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires public schools to provide appropriate education to children with disabilities, including autism, up to age 21. Last year, there were more than 8,000 students with autism in Indiana public schools, according to the Indiana Department of Education.
It’s up to parents and the schools to come to an agreement on what constitutes appropriate education for a particular child.
At least once a year, parents meet with teachers and administrators to design the child’s education plan for the coming year. If the school and the parents can’t agree, the parent can appeal for mediation, and then for a due process hearing, which is a legal proceeding.
Hossler says that managing her son Jonathan’s public school education was a daunting task, even though she is a former public school teacher and administrator.
“It’s very intimidating to go into a meeting and sit down with a bunch of people who are accustomed to just running right through it,” says Hossler.
Parents need to know the system and understand the law so they can advocate for their children, says Hostler. If they feel uncomfortable meeting with the school alone, she says, they can bring someone with them who’s done it before.
"The best resource we had"
With so many choices and so much at stake, parents can feel overwhelmed. They often face tremendous pressure from a society that doesn’t understand what it takes to raise a child with autism.
“Some of the parents tell me, ‘Our families don’t see it. They don’t see the autism. They just think he’s a bratty child. They think we spoil him. They criticize our parenting,’” says Rautio.
“They’re getting it from all over the family. I’ve even had teachers and other psychologists say, ‘I don’t see this kid as autistic.’”
Parents have to stay focused, says Rautio, because they are their child’s best source of support.
“I teach them at the time of diagnosis, ‘You are the number one advocate for your child,’” says Rautio. “They have been told they’re overprotective, but they have to be, because their child’s different.”
She suggests that parents join a support group.
“It’s the most isolating thing when you’re the parent of an autistic child,” says Rautio. “You can’t dialog with somebody who has no idea what you’re talking about.”
Elaine Hackett, who has two sons on the autism spectrum, says the support of other parents “was the best resource we had.”
When her youngest son, Jason, was diagnosed with autism in the late 1990s, the doctors told her practically nothing. She felt like she’d been “dropped into a foreign country where you don’t speak the language.”
The only advice the doctors gave her was to find a parent support group. It turned out to be good advice. It was a parent in the Bloomington support group who helped Hackett overcome her disorientation.
“She encouraged us to just go ahead and not feel bad about not knowing anything, but just get in there and start moving toward getting him some help,” says Hackett.
“Parents are, I think, the greatest resource – people who have been there and done that,” says Heather Andrews, who socializes with other parents once a week while their children play at IU’s adapted PE class.
Andrews says she’s come to accept a certain amount of chaos in her life. Her 10-year-old son, Eddie, is highly intelligent but has a severe form of autism and a penchant for escaping the house at night. Andrews asked that their names be changed to protect him.
Eddie’s learning to help with housework, Andrews says. He loves it, but he’s not always helpful.
“He wants to do the dishes,” says Andrews, “and before you know it you’ve got broken dishes all over the floor and the kitchen is flooded.”
Andrews was devastated when she first learned that Eddie had autism, but today she can laugh about the little things – like broken dishes.
“A good sense of humor gets you through anything in life,” she says.
More about autism
Lessons in preparing for a funeral and its aftermath
It’s possibly the most unpleasant occurrence anyone will ever have to face, but planning for a funeral ahead of time can make a difficult time a bit less trying. While most people don’t even want to consider the death of loved ones, let alone their own, it’s the unpredictable nature of death that needs attention ahead of time to make things easier on those carrying out last wishes.
And though nuts and bolts like legal proceedings and funeral preparations seem like the last things you’d want to have hanging around your neck after the passing of a loved one, they are the most important things to attend to.
“One of the first things you want to do is consult an attorney that specializes in estate administration or there can be legal consequences,” says William Fawcett, a Bloomington attorney who offers estate services.
Fawcett says the most common problem people run into after a family member dies is not having delineated clearly who gets what. There are a number of ways to designate heirs, including writing a will, establishing a living trust and establishing joint ownership, but Fawcett says each method has drawbacks.
“The method that involves the least professional assistance is naming a beneficiary using a ‘pay on death’ designation,” which he says establishes in writing who property should transfer to upon death.
If there is no beneficiary named, then the local government will have to mail out affidavits to notify each potential heir and that can get expensive, Fawcett says. The cost of postage will be billed to the estate.
The most obvious thing to get done is planning the funeral and, again, planning ahead is what those in the industry recommend to avoid unnecessary headaches.
“If people come in ahead of time and plan, the process will be easier and for people who lose a family member, the most common problem we run into is not having their vital stats such as maiden names and other information we need for writing an obituary for the paper,” says Ryan Goss, a funeral director at the Allen Funeral Home. “We advise people to have that stuff written down somewhere.”
Cost is another thing that should be high in people’s considerations and Goss says it’s something that is hard to estimate.
“The average cost is around $7,000 to $8,500, but we have caskets that are $7,000 by itself,” he says.
But a federal law known as the Funeral Act requires funeral homes to present customers with an itemized list of products, services and their cost. This list usually includes prices for preparation of the body, caskets, flowers, burial services and music.
According to Goss, the funeral home will take care of everything except the burial plot in the cemetery.
Customers should be aware that every time they interact with a funeral home, this list must be presented to them by law.
There are a number of places from which to choose burial plots in Bloomington. The city maintains two cemeteries, Rose Hill and White Oak.
Jay Davidson, sexton for the city, oversees the administration of grave plots and makes sure that individual family members are laid where they had requested.
Rose Hill has been around since about 1810, and until recently all the burial plots were sold as family plots, he says. “Everything is sold as single graves now and each one costs $340. It’s usually couples buying sets now.”
Davidson says that Rose Hill is about 70 percent full, so plots are still available.
“If you haven’t done this before, it’s very hard the first time, but if you have to do it again, you’ll be prepared to do it, and I recommend getting as much info as possible beforehand,” he says.
Although not a nuts and bolts part of funeral planning, grief and bereavement counseling may be necessary for some to help deal with emotional aspects of loss.
There are a number of options available to Bloomington residents, including free group counseling at the Bloomington Hospital as a part of the Hospice program.
The adult bereavement groups are held in all but the summer months and are free and open to anyone in the community. In addition to counseling sessions, they feature information and resources including books for those not wishing to attend group sessions.
Sandra Clark is a counselor who maintains a private practice in Bloomington and also provides group counseling for the hospice program. Clark says support from the hospice is primarily available to those who have family members in hospice care, but anyone can get support even if they don’t.
“Grief counseling is not about changing the person, it’s not about fixing anything. It’s about being there with them as they process loss and to figure out how to cope on a daily basis and face responsibilities,” Clark says.
According to Clark, grief counseling spans an average of five sessions with a counselor and the average cost in private practice is around $70 per session. The hospice programs run for six weeks per session and are free of cost.
“Taking really good care of yourself is of the utmost importance. It’s not a time for a life review; really try to take care of yourself. Don’t get in a hurry to make changes, and it usually helps to share grief,” Clark says.
The energy from the crowd is palpable and contagious. The writhing throng focuses its energy on riders circling the cinder track. The riders push themselves to go faster and faster, feeding off the crowd’s energy as they race for glory.
“I can’t describe it. Looking up and having thousands of screaming people cheering for you is like nothing else in the world,” said Zachary Osterman, a third year rider for Sigma Alpha Tau. “It’s one of the greatest experiences of my life.”
Some students in this mass of emotion may wonder if it is possible to enter into that hallowed ring and compete for the crowd’s favor, and the answer is that it couldn’t be easier.
You don’t have to be an elite athlete; you don’t have to have any experience at all, but you do have to be determined and ready to train hard.
“My experience was amazing,” said Ashley Bigg, a second year rider for Alpha Chi Omega. “It was by far the hardest mentally and physically challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
“That’s the beauty of the event — 95 percent of the people that come here have no cycling experience whatsoever … and they can be just as competitive as people that have ridden their whole life,” said Matthew Ewing, assistant director for the Indiana University Student Foundation and the race director of the Little 500.
All riders in the Little 500 have to be undergraduate students attending Indiana University. In order to be eligible to race in the Little 500, a rider must be a full time student for the fall and spring semester in which they will compete with at least a 2.0 grade point average for the respective semesters and a cumulative average of 2.0 or better.
Beyond these qualifications, as long as you have never been professional rider, nothing else is needed to participate in the race.
Getting started
The IU Student Foundation holds a rider “call-out” at the beginning of each semester where new riders can get acquainted with the race. From there, Ewing recommends that students with no prior riding experience go on “Rookie Rides” for a couple of weeks. These rides occur three times a week and are led by members of the riders council, comprised of 16 students that have participated in the Little 500. These rides are designed to get students with no experience acquainted with the bikes and riding.
Buying a road bike is a big commitment, with high-end bikes costing thousands of dollars, but there are many cost-effective alternatives for financially strapped students. The IUSF has a loaner bike program where students can come in and borrow a bike and go out riding. The IUSF gets 12 new bikes each year for the loaner program, and Ewing mentioned that he has known riders who have competed in the Little 500 who have never owned their own bike.
Many teams have equipment for riders to use that has been handed down from previous Little 500 alumni.
“I went out and bought a pair of riding shorts and some gloves, but that’s it,” said Bigg.
The Student Recreational Sports Center has many stationary bikes to train on when the weather does not permit outdoor riding. According to Ewing, SRSC has just purchased 30 new stationary bikes and next semester there will be a new class that meets at SRSC twice a week that is specifically geared for Little 500 riders.
With the IUSF and the university doing everything they can to help lessen the financial burden for student riders, the next step would be finding a team to ride with.
Finding a team
The teams in the Little 500 are divided into two main categories: independent and Greek. According to Ewing, residence hall teams are classified as independent. Originally riders had to live in the hall they rode for, but this rule no longer applies.
“The teams usually break down into three categories,” said Ewing. “You have the teams that are trying to win the race … teams that want to be competitive but also enjoy being part of the event, and they are happy with shooting for a top 15 or a top 20, and then you have the teams that are just trying to qualify and just love to be out there on race day.”
If a rider is in a Greek house or plans to rush, finding a team takes care of itself. Many Greek riders join a house before contemplating riding in the Little 500.
“I pledged the fraternity as a freshman for social reasons and then realized that we had a pretty strong tradition of seven championships,” said David Schweer, a fourth-year rider for Phi Kappa Psi. Phi Kappa Psi finished second in the 2007 Little 500.
“I was already in my fraternity before I even had a thought of riding in the Little 500. After I watched the first race my freshman year, I decided it was something I would love to do,” said Gregory Maves, second-year rider for Delta Tau Delta.
While the Greek teams seem to dominate the landscape, they are not the only option, and the IUSF is available to help place students not in the Greek system with teams. Ewing likes to meet with first-time riders to help them find a team that will be a good fit. He will ask them about their experience, expectations and personality, and then try to find a team that will meet the rider’s competitive abilities and desires.
Training
Only 33 teams qualify for the Little 500, so training hard in the offseason is vital. Almost all teams train for at least nine months. The riders for the more competitive teams will train year ’round.
A new rider shouldn’t feel overwhelmed when training begins, wondering how to train and prepare for the race. Riders have great support systems to help them get the best results. Not only can they get advice from their teammates, but teams also have alumni coaches, student coaches and even trainers who are as focused and determined as the riders.
Ewing says it is not uncommon for a rider to train 20 hours a week, which is a heavy commitment on top of a full course load. A competitive team will train six to seven days a week, supplementing riding with weight training and other aerobic exercise.
Training begins in the fall at a slow and steady pace, building skills and endurance and getting comfortable with your team.
“The beginning of the Little 500 season is mainly base miles; getting long, easy hours on the road,” said Anna Gartner, fourth-year rider for Kappa Kappa Gamma.
“It doesn’t need to be fast, just get used to being back on the bike and enjoy it and avoid getting burnt out from it long before the actual race,” said Maves.
Teams will have optional training over winter break and return to begin heavy training in the spring semester. The spring trainings will shift the focus from long slow rides to sessions devoted to speed.
“Cycling tends to follow running in that in the beginning you need lots of miles. The closer you get to competition, the shorter and faster you try to get,” said Schweer.
When the weather turns in the spring, usually around the middle of February, the cinder track at Bill Armstrong Stadium opens for rookie riders. Rookie riders must participate in rookie week, where riders from the riders council give lessons about track riding. It can be intimidating and scary riding on the track with veteran riders whizzing by, so first-time riders are the only ones allowed on the track during rookie week. This makes it an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with exchanges and pack riding before the veterans begin their track training.
Track practice is the most important stage of preparation. Nothing can get a rider ready for the race better than riding in race simulations around the track.
“The race is a pretty fast event. Getting your legs to be able to spin at high RPMs will be important,” said Schweer. “So we start doing specific workouts to train our legs to accomplish this.”
Spring break is the culmination of training, said Bigg. That is when training is the most intense. Most teams go on a Little 500 vacation dedicated solely to training, so students must be prepared to forgo the usual weeklong inebriated beach party that is spring break.
After spring break, the workouts begin to taper off until the race. There are four other events that take place in the four weeks leading up to the actual Little 500: qualifications, individual time trials, Miss-N-Out and team pursuit. Gartner says these events really help a team prepare for race day.
Race day is all about execution. Hundreds of hours of training and sacrifice are focused into a little over two hours of intense excitement. The crowd now cheers for you, urging you to go faster and faster, competing for victory and a place in Little 500 history.
“Hopefully you have had a good night’s sleep,” said Schweer. “Just try and relax and have fun because this is what you have put the countless hours into.”
The challenges and benefits to being an international student at Indiana University
When walking across Indiana University’s campus, one can see students from all over the world. There are different clothing styles, ethnicities and languages. Together, the different components help shape the diverse atmosphere that is characteristic of IU.
China is one of three major sources of international students at IU, which makes Chinese students a group that cannot be ignored. They have their own unique characteristics, wants and needs, which can differ from other international students.
Why come to America and IU?
For many years, the United States has been the top destination for Chinese students seeking higher education overseas. Many students are motivated to come here because of the high regard for an American degree and the need for a challenging and fulfilled new life.
”An American master’s degree is a great chance for getting a job,” said Tian Ming, a Chinese graduate student at IU. “Besides, learning and practical experience are not closely correlated in the Chinese educational system. A lot of Chinese students end up doing something that has nothing to do with their major after graduation.”
Although some people may believe that living and studying in a new environment is synonymous with adversity, many Chinese students are far more optimistic.
“I try not to think I’m ‘suffering.’ As a matter of fact, I think studying abroad makes my life fulfilled and allows me the opportunity to experience a totally different life,“ said Cindy Jin, a Chinese graduate student at IU. “I oftentimes imagine that I’m on vacation.“
According to Amy Reyolds, the associate dean for research and graduate studies in the School of Journalism, more and more Chinese students are coming to IU every year. “We have far more Chinese students than any past years,” said Reynolds.
Despite the increasingly large number of Chinese students pursing college degrees, the students continue to face challenges such as financial pressures, language barriers, differing educational systems, cultural differences, lack of transportation, loneliness and the debate over whether or not to stay after graduation.
Financial pressures
Attending an American university can be expensive for Chinese students. Tuition is equivalent to approximately $150,000. Because of the high cost, many students tend to enter at the graduate level because they are often able to qualify for assistantships and fellowships.
In addition to tuition, rent and food must also be taken into consideration. To cover these costs, many Chinese students work while enrolled in school.
“Most Chinese students are very hard working, more hard working than other students. They try really hard to find jobs in school,” said Reynolds.
Language barriers
Unlike students from Canada or India, where English is their primary language, Chinese students are challenged to speak and read a secondary language upon their arrival at an American university or college.
Most Chinese students learn English in middle school. They receive further training at New Oriental School, which is considered one of the most renowned private language teaching schools in China.
By taking advanced courses in English, students are better prepared for the proficiency examinations, which are required for international students wishing to attend a school in America.
Every year Chinese students continue do well on exams such as the TOEFL and GRE.
However, comprehending the English language is not a “fill in the blank” or a multiple-choice question. It’s much more difficult.
“The good thing is nobody laughs at your accent, but it’s annoying when I can’t articulate what I really want to say in class and get misunderstood by others,” said King Hu, a Chinese student majoring in education at IU. “Sometimes it’s intimidating starting a conversation. … I’m not sure whether they will understand what I say.”
Differing educational systems
Although globalization and technological advancements have made the transition to America smoother, Chinese students still find it difficult to adapt.
Because the American educational system promotes creativity, critical thinking skills and the ability to challenge authority and prevailing paradigms, Chinese students find it challenging. Many times they are required to answer questions they may not fully understand or present arguments they cannot effectively articulate.
“Chinese students are generally very adaptable, but I do have some Chinese students come to me and say that they find it really hard to participate in class like their American classmates,” explained Reynolds.
In China, students rarely engage in dialogue because professors tend to lecture the entire class time. Chinese students must then adjust to the seminar-like settings found in American classrooms.
However, Chinese students often say that the payoff from learning these creative thinking and presentation skills is worth it in the end.
Cultural differences
Photo by Yolanda Zhang
China is best known for its long history, rich culture and ancient customs.
When Chinese students come to America, they experience a clash of cultures, which can make it hard for them to understand their American peers. Certain language devices tend to pose the most significant problem, specifically tone, sarcasm and clichés.
“People are really friendly and also comparatively simple,” said Tian. “You always hear people saying ‘have a nice day,’ ‘have a nice weekend,’ which you cannot hear in China. But the thing is, it’s hard to get close to Americans. They are just being nice sometimes, and you have nobody to turn to when you are not having a nice day.”
Another problem that Chinese students struggle with are jokes. Because they are mostly told within a specific cultural context, students have a hard time understanding why the joke is so funny.
“I just laugh together with them, although I sometimes have no idea what the point is,” said Sarah Chen, an IU undergraduate student from Hong Kong.
Transportation
For many Chinese students, transportation has been a nightmare because of long lines, scheduling and delays.
“The public transportation is very scarce here,” said Tian. “The interval between two buses is very long — like 20 minutes for weekdays. So if you are one minute late, you’ll wait a long time for another one. And if it’s the weekend, things are 10 times worse.”
Jin agreed. “I used to take the ‘E’ bus to school everyday, but the bus is really slow, and it comes every 25 minutes. I always get up late and miss the bus, so I finally decided to walk to school.”
Yet walking poses its problems as well.
“Walking can be a weird thing anywhere outside of the campus,” said Hu. “Oftentimes I’m the only one walking in the street whenever I go to the grocery [store]. You find nobody to ask for direction. Everybody is in the car.”
Loneliness and relationships
When traveling overseas for an extended period of time, Chinese students can sometimes experience emotional issues, which are more subtle and elusive than issues of money and school.
“I’ll overschedule myself to avoid loneliness and emptiness,” said Tian. “Sometimes I’ll call my parents, but I always tell them the good and positive things of my life … because I know they can do nothing to help since we are thousands of miles away from each other.”
For other students, finding “real” friends has posed one of the biggest challenges, along with engaging in small talk. “Once the topic is gone, you’ll have nothing to say,” explained Jin.
Tian agreed. “Sometimes I meet someone at the bus stop, and we kind of have a conversation. But after we get on the bus, the person will take out the iPod and headphones and start listening to music,” he explained. “I wonder maybe it’s because he also feels [that it’s] hard to go deep into any topic with a foreign student.”
At times, the lack of a companion with the same cultural background can also lead to a sense of insecurity and uncertainty.
“I think the sense of certainty and security is very important for me,” said Jin. “I heard that it takes at least five years for any alien in the U.S. to actually get this sense of security and feel totally at ease.”
In addition to loneliness and insecurity, “to-be-continued” relationships are also haunting for some Chinese students.
“I’m not sure whether I still have any boyfriend,” said Carrie Han, an undergraduate Chinese student at IU. “My boyfriend is in Nanking and of course we never break up, but I just feel that he is out of reach.”
Decision to stay or leave
The statistics gathered by the Institute for International Education show that during the 2003-2004 academic year, there were 61,765 Chinese students at institutions of higher education in the United States.
Of these students, many have struggled over the question of whether they should stay or leave; however, many are choosing to stay in the United States after earning their degrees.
“I don’t want to return as soon as I get the degree,” said Tian. “I think it’s hard to settle for just returning and getting a job in China. I have a higher expectation for myself since I have gone this far.”
Jin agreed. “I will choose to stay, as long as I can find a job after graduation.”
The small college town of Bloomington, Indiana, offers a variety of options for getting around for those who do not have a car. Whether you are a Bloomington resident, a student, or just a visitor in town, you can select from many means of transportation, including buses, shuttles, bicycles, taxis, carpooling — and even your own feet.
Compared to similar cities in Indiana and some other small college towns, Bloomington is considered a pedestrian- and environment-friendly town. However, 74.8 percent of the city population still commutes to work by driving, whereas 8.4 percent walk and 1.7 percent use public transportation, according to 2000 U.S. Census Bureau statistics.
Raymond Hess, senior transportation planner for the city, said census statistics are lower than actual statistics in terms of people who use alternative transportation because the census does not include students who live in dormitories. Hess also said that the number of people who take the bus has increased significantly over the past few years.
Bus Service
There are two types of bus services in Bloomington: the IU Campus Bus and Bloomington Transit.
The IU bus service is a fare-free system and provides basic transportation on campus for IU students and Bloomington residents. It travels to all parts of the campus, to downtown Bloomington and to the area’s largest shopping center, the College Mall. The Campus Bus starts operating at 7:30 a.m. and runs as late as 11:30 p.m. on weekdays.
The Campus Bus is the primary transportation method for a number of students, whether they live on campus or not. Many students prefer taking the bus to campus because parking on campus is limited by the need for permits and a shortage of spaces. Also, because the bus schedules are shaped around class times, transportation is very convenient for students. Campus buses, however, provide reduced service during the weekends and university break periods, and no service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Bloomington Transit (BT) is the city’s bus service. It costs 75 cents per person and is free for IU students, faculty and staff with a valid university identification card. The main bus terminal is at the corner of Washington and Fourth Streets. BT buses pass their designated stops either every half hour or one hour and do not offer service Sundays, which makes them less convenient for passengers. Although many Bloomington residents like the bus service in Bloomington, they say there is still room for improvement.
Edna Collier, a Bloomington resident, takes Bloomington Transit buses and walks to the places she wants to go every day, and she thinks the bus service in Bloomington is good.
“The bus service is very good. I can get almost anywhere I want, but I wish buses ran on Sundays too,” Collier said.
Raymond Hess said that the revenue earned from passengers and local money is not enough to pay for adding routes. He added that half of the funding comes from the federal government.
“It would be nice if buses ran more frequently,” Hess said.
An IU student, Jacob Benson, takes the bus every day to school and he said riding the bus can be frustrating at times because of the limited routes and operating hours.
“I have been living off-campus for three years now and I ride Bloomington Transit to school every day,” Benson says.
Benson says his apartment is not near Campus Bus routes and that is why he rides BT. He says bus schedules are not very convenient for him and he has to walk or call friends for a ride when he cannot catch the bus.
“One of my classes goes until 9 p.m. and buses stop running at 8:15 p.m. I walk 15 to 20 minutes to get home when I miss the bus those days,” Benson says.
“I usually arrive to school much earlier than my scheduled class times because the bus runs once an hour from where I live,” Benson says.
Hess says that BT has submitted an application for federal grants to extend its service until 11 p.m. If BT receives the federal grants, it is going to start providing the expanded service beginning in January 2008. The grant, however, is only for one year, which means that even if BT receives the grant this year, it will still have to reapply for grants for 2009.
“Providing additional service and routes based on federal grants is a gamble you take, but we do not have to worry about it until next year,” Hess said.
Bloomington also provides a service called Rural Transit throughout the county. Rural Transit services link Bloomington, Ellettsville and Spencer, and make 10 round trips per business day.
Airport Shuttle
The Indianapolis International Airport is the nearest major airport to Bloomington. The Bloomington Shuttle Service provides non-stop service to Bloomington and Indiana University for $25 per person each way. The shuttle picks up passengers from four different locations in Bloomington nine times a day from 4:40 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.; for the return trip the shuttle travels from the airport to Bloomington nine times a day from 6:40 a.m. to 10:40 p.m.
Bikes
Zeynep Altinay
A bike rack on campus.
Bicycling has long been a popular activity in Bloomington. Bloomington is one of only 44 communities recognized as bicycle-friendly by the League of American Bicyclists. The town provides a number of bike trails in addition to bike lanes on major streets. IU provides a number of bike racks for students and requires a $5 parking fee on campus for bicycles.
There are several places in town where bicycles can be purchased.
Bicycle Garage Inc. is in downtown Bloomington. Bicycle Garage workers said that late summer and early fall are the busiest seasons for bike sales, when prices usually range between $250 and $1,000. Bicycle Garage workers say that there has been an increase in the number of people who ride bikes in town. However, they also say that the number can increase even more if the city of Bloomington finishes the bike paths that are currently under construction. Hess says that the city has been working on its three major bike paths, which are Bloomington Rail Trail, Clear Creek Trail and downtown B-Line Trail. Hess added that the city of Bloomington received grants to buy the property where it can begin building bike lanes.
“We will begin constructing phase one in the downtown area in March 2008,” Hess said.
Hess says that once the construction of the three major bike lanes is completed, there will be a 7-mile bike path, which will better link neighborhoods to each other.
“My crystal ball is cloudy; I cannot tell when the projects will be completed,” Hess said.
Hess also emphasized that although many cities do not set aside money for alternative transportation, the city of Bloomington has been saving $500,000 each year since 2002 to implement the project.
Walking
Bloomington’s downtown and older neighborhoods have a compact urban form, which provides destinations that are in close proximity to one another. Because major employment and commercial areas are clustered in the town, it encourages people to walk to get to campus, stores, work and other destinations. The City of Bloomington, however, is still aiming to improve its pedestrian routes. There are seven high priority projects on city government’s agenda to improve its side paths, and six of these projects are already in construction phase.
Bloomington downtown offers a number of restaurants, shops, entertainment, and businesses all in walking distance. If you are in Bloomington downtown, you can walk down Kirkwood Avenue, also known as Fifth Street, that starts from the IU Sample Gates and continues until Rose Hill Cemetery. There are more than a dozen restaurants on Kirkwood, including cafes, bars, pizza places and other type of food places. Peoples Park is at the intersection of Kirkwood and Dunn Streets for those looking for recreation.
The Square is where College Avenue, Walnut Street, Kirkwood Avenue and Sixth Street intersect. If you are walking by The Square, you can stop by The Fountain Square Mall to shop, or check out Howard’s Bookstore and many other shops around The Square. College Avenue is one of the major streets in Bloomington. Some of the important buildings on this two-mile street are the Justice Building, Graham Plaza and Bloomington Convention Center.
National averages indicate that bicyclists will commute approximately 3 miles in 15 minutes and pedestrians 1 mile in a 10-15 minute walk to reach their destination.
Important transportation numbers: Taxi Service
Yellow Cab Co.: 339-9744 Bus Service
Bloomington Transit: 336-7433
IU Campus Bus: 855-8384
Rural Transit: 876-1079 Car Rental Agencies
Ace Rent-A-Car: 336-1501
All-Ways Rent-A-Car: 800-214-4501
Budget Car Rental: 800-527-7000
Campus Auto Rental: 961-9358
Enterprise: 336-1018
National: 339-3443 Limousines
Classic Touch: 339-7269/ 800-319-0082
Round-trip to Indianapolis
Signature Limousine: 332-6004/ 800-589-6004
Indy Connection: 800-589-6004
One way to Indianapolis Airport or one way from Indianapolis Airport Charter Services
Bloomington Shuttle Service: 332-6004/ 800-589-6004
Bloomington to Indianapolis
Star of Indiana: 876-7851
Although moving from one city to another may present new opportunities, it also creates an unstable atmosphere where there is an increased risk for domestic violence.
Domestic violence is considered to be an abuse of power between intimate partners, where the victim is controlled, threatened or harmed by the abuser.
“The reason leaving is the most dangerous time is because the abuser feels like he [or] she is losing control. The only way an abuser maintains control is with more violence,” explained Elizabeth Lopez, a case manager
at The Rise.
Services for victims of domestic violence
The Rise is a transitional living program for women who may need shelter or other protective services. Its mission is to create “a supportive, nonviolent community that provides individuals and families with opportunities to grow and prosper and the power to determine the shape of their own future.”
Because domestic violence is one of the least reported crimes in the United States, men and women must be better educated on what constitutes this type of abuse and what the legal ramifications are for the abusers.
A common myth equates domestic violence with physical violence; however, this is not true. It can also be in the form of emotional, psychological or sexual abuse.
Understanding what resources are available within the community can help victims to cope with these issues and to better understand their legal rights.
Middle Way House, Inc., a local nonprofit organization, offers support to abused women and children. Each year the center provides shelter, child care services, education, 24-hour crisis intervention, legal advocacy and prevention programs to the residents of Monroe County.
According to the organization’s 2006 annual report, it received 215 crisis calls, 370 information/referral calls and 339 requests for shelter. Middle Way House also monitored 1,673 court cases and filed 106 protective orders.
The commission’s goal was to measure the status of women within the community in regard to social, economic and gender equality. It sought information from various sources such as Middle Way House, the Monroe County Domestic Violence Task Force and the Bloomington Police Department.
Yet it found that information was difficult to obtain, especially when the crimes were classified as some form of victimization.
In the report, the commission documented that there was “no effort in place to gather and analyze data of this kind” and that outside of Middle Way House, the task force has not received reports from the prosecutor’s office or the Bloomington Police Department for over five years.
Although the commission could not find a large amount of data regarding domestic violence, it concluded: “Bloomington may be a community more free of gender-based bias and its manifestations than others in the state and country, but the data collected for this study do not suggest that violence against women and the local response to it are issues the community can ignore.”
For this reason, organizations like Middle Way House participate in community outreach programs.
According to its 2006 annual report, it “made 97 presentations about DV [domestic violence], rape/sexual assault, and/or other issues to 5,594 attendees.”
Domestic violence and the Bloomington community
By providing educational presentations, Middle Way House hopes to empower victims within the community and dispel myths that often deter them from seeking help.
Danielle Dravet
Middle Way House, a nonprofit organization, provides
shelter and counseling to victims of domestic violence.
Because domestic violence is not limited to any one group, outreach services must be able to connect to a wide variety of people from a plethora of different backgrounds.
“It [Bloomington] is a very diverse community. It broadens the range of people that you’re working with,” said Sara Huntington, outreach coordinator for Middle Way House. “We have to make our services accessible, especially for people who aren’t from this country or who don’t speak this language.”
In addition to cultural and language barriers, thousands of new students from around the world come to Bloomington each year. Liz Hannibal, crisis intervention services coordinator for Middle Way House, explained that although students may be aware of domestic violence, they still possess the “it can’t happen to me” mentality.
Huntington agreed. “Every fall is particularly an issue because a lot of people come to Bloomington.”
She went on to explain that perpetrators often prey on college towns where students may be naïve or new to the area. Students are also the group least knowledgeable about services specific to the Bloomington community, which puts them at a greater risk for violence.
Although Middle Way House only provides services to women and children, Huntington reiterated that domestic violence crosses all borders. It is not limited to any one gender, age group, race, income level, sexuality or educational background.
National statistics on domestic violence
However, national statistics show that women are five times more likely to be victims of domestic violence than men, according to a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
The same report also found that people with lower annual incomes were more likely to experience domestic violence than those with higher than average incomes.
Yet this could be because higher-income men and women are not reporting the crimes as often because of the resources available to them.
“We tend to see women who don’t have as much money, since women who are capable of making more money don’t need our services as often,” explained Mandi Priest-Redden, child care coordinator for Middle Way House. “They can afford a hotel room or go to a family member’s house. They can afford to move out.”
But many times, victims return home even after seeking shelter and legal assistance. Reasons vary, but many times it has to do with dependence — social, emotional or financial.
“There are high emotional costs for people who are experiencing domestic violence. In fact, the emotional scars are the ones that tend to last the longest,” explained Priest-Redden.
Because domestic violence is a multifaceted problem, it is difficult to pinpoint the origin of the violence.
“In some cases, the violence may be a means to control the other person. In other cases, the violence may be a result of poorly regulated emotions,” explained Dr. Zoe Peterson, a former research fellow of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University.
Although domestic violence is linked to a number of different factors, researchers agree that it is generational. “Someone who is abusive has probably been treated poorly as a child … [and] not taught good boundaries about communication and relationships,” said Priest-Redden.
Sgt. Jeff Canada of the Bloomington Police Department agreed. He explained that many problems stem from the same families year after year and that substance abuse tends to play a significant role.
“A majority of the time the main factor is alcohol,” said Canada, reflecting on his experience as a police officer.
However, alcohol cannot be blamed for domestic violence; rather, it acts as a catalyst.
“Alcohol and drugs do not cause domestic violence. They might add to it. They may make it easier, but they don’t put the beliefs in their [the abusers’] heads,” explained Huntington.
Rehabilitation
But this isn’t to say that abusers cannot seek treatment on ways to better control the way they respond to and treat others.
Nonviolent Alternatives Counseling Service is an organization dedicated to helping abusive men and women find ways to better control their emotions while promoting “healthy thinking habits.” Services are available in Franklin, Shelbyville and Lafayette, Ind. The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence has certified this organization.
There are online quizzes, resources for abusers seeking help and a referral information center found on its Web site. There are additional services that deal with substance abuse as well.
“As a human being, I have to believe in rehabilitation,” explained Priest-Redden. “I have to have faith that we have the capacity to change.”
If you want to know a place’s culture, the food is a good way to start. Bloomington has all kinds of restaurants from different countries in the world. You can find Greek, Italian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese food and any other exotic food here. The diversity in food reflects the cultural diversity in this small town. In a way, it reflects the kaleidoscopic scene and multicultural attitude at IU.
With nearly 10 percent of its study body international students, Indiana University-Bloomington (IU) is friendly and welcoming to international students. IU enrolled 3,687 international students in 2006. The top five countries of citizenship are South Korea, India, China, Taiwan and Japan. You can find a large number of international students coming from Asian countries and areas. Besides the top five, there are also many students coming from Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Macao.
We often say, “Demand drives supply.” With so many international students, faculty members and visiting scholars at IU, there is a large demand to satisfy the needs of those missing their home countries and ethnic food.
How many Chinese food restaurants are in Bloomington? If you enter “Chinese restaurant in Bloomington, Indiana” into the Internet search engine Google, you will find about 531,000 results. If you narrow down your search results by adding “near IUB” into the key words, you will get 570 results in Google Maps. Together with the brief introduction of the restaurants, you will find their locations, maps and contact information as well.
Jingting Zhao
Chow Bar serves Chinese buffets, sit-down meals and hot bubble tea near the IU campus.
Near campus, you can easily find some Chinese restaurants, such as Chow Bar, Lucky Express, Dragon Express, and Great Wall. Not far away from campus, you can also find Chinese Buffet and Sunny Palace near the College Mall.
Jingting Zhao
A Chinese buffet in B-town.
There are three types of Chinese restaurants that exist in most areas of the United States — sit-down dining, takeout, and buffets. In Bloomington, the most common types are buffets and takeout. The Chow Bar serves a lunch buffet from Monday through Friday for $6.90 per person, $10.50 on weekends. It also offers sit-down dining for lunch and dinner. On weekends it will offer more dishes, such as fresh crab, shrimp and soymilk. Some Chinese students who tried the more expensive lunch buffet said they have more traditional Chinese dishes there on weekends. Want to try it? The owner of the Chow Bar came from Taiwan about 30 years ago and she serves authentic Taiwan hot bubble tea (pearls tea).
“My friends and I like Asian food. I like Chow Bar best because I think it’s more authentic and kind of like close to what we experience as the real Chinese food. We come here for buffets, and we also sometimes come here for dinner with my family."
An IU sophomore nursing major, Courtney Amelia Oczkowski enjoys the hot bubble tea and lunch buffet with her friend at Chow Bar. She said, “My friends and I like Asian food. I like this place best because I think it’s more authentic and kind of like close to what we experience as the real Chinese food. We come here for buffets, and we also sometimes come here for dinner with my family. The owner here is really nice. She is the best lady I have ever met. I love her. ” Her favorite dish is ginger chicken and noodles.
Her friend Angela Balmer, an IU sophomore majoring in psychology, said, “I brought my parents, friends, and my boyfriend here. This is a really good place for us. Last year I ate three or four times a week at lunchtime. So I mean it’s definitely my favorite place. My favorite dish here is snow shrimp and fried rice.”
Jingting Zhao
Fried rice is a staple of U.S. Chinese restaurants.
Oczkowski and Balmer’s grandmothers and mothers all come from the Philippines originally. But they were born and grew up in the United States. Both of them are members of the Asian American Students Association and Philippine Students Association at IU. IU has a variety of centers and student associations to better serve diversified students on campus, such as the International Center, La Casa Latino Cultural Center, Asian Culture Center, Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, and Tibetan Cultural Center.
However, it’s difficult to cater to all tastes. An IU faculty member from the Department of Folklore said at Chow Bar, “It’s not so good. I have tried better Chinese restaurants in Bloomington and in Chicago. I think Great Wall is better than Chow Bar. Today we have two friends coming from Mexico and one from Paris. They just arrived and want to try some Chinese food. So we came here because it’s right on campus.”
But his two other friends, also IU faculty members, said they like the buffets served here. Their friends from Mexico said in Spanish, “We like it.” The girl from Paris also thought Chow Bar is much better than any Chinese restaurant she has tried in Paris.
Lucky Express and Dragon Express offer take-out food and sit-down dining. You can call in and pick up your order yourself. They put the food and sauce in a box or pan, so it’s very convenient for customers to take out. The dining décor is simpler than Chow Bar and Great Wall. But they don’t lack fans.
"When I go to Chinese restaurants, I mostly want
traditional Chinese food. Lucky Express is more
authentic."
An IU faculty member from the Department of Economics, Bill Witte, who was enjoying his food by himself and reading the Wall Street Journal in Lucky Express, said, “Over the years, I ate at a number of other ones. I ate occasionally at East Bloomington Plaza. Some of ones I ate at no longer exist. I also tried the Sunny Palace near the Target.”
He thought Lucky Express is more authentic. “When I go to Chinese restaurants, I mostly want traditional Chinese food. I mostly come here because it’s close to campus. The convenience is a big thing. I can ride my bike here or even walk. I often come here by myself. And my favorite is Szechwan chicken. It’s very hot.”
When asking about his opinion toward some Chinese restaurants putting salad, sushi and fried chicken into the buffets, which is not traditional Chinese food, Witte said, “There is a lot of different kinds of food in Bloomington. But I think there is also a lot of diversity in Chinese food. It doesn’t go the same everywhere for sure. And the restaurants, too. The place like this, you can come in and get served right away. Some of the others are much more standard restaurants with waiters and waitresses.”
Chinese food is very popular in the United States in recent years. But the Chinese food served in the United States is usually called American Chinese cuisine, which refers to this type of cooking that typically caters to Western tastes and differs significantly from the authentic cuisine of China.
You can find lots of Chinese food in the China Town districts in U.S. cities, such as in San Francisco.
Chinese cuisine originated from different regions of China and has become widespread all around the world. No matter whether you travel in New York, Chicago, Tokyo, Paris, or any other parts of the world, you can always find Chinese restaurants in China Town or downtown.
Regional and cultural differences vary greatly among the different regions of China, giving rise to diversified styles of food. There are mainly eight schools of regional cuisines in China: Anhui (Hui), Cantonese (Yue), Fujian (Min), Hunan (Xiang), Jiangsu (Yang), Shandong (Lu), Szechwan (Chuan), and Zhejiang (Zhe). These eight traditions can represent Chinese food in different regions very well and show the highest level of Chinese cuisine to some degree. Each of them is famous for its own special taste and it has quite a strict requirement for cooking techniques, raw materials selection, utensils, and weights and measures. Good chefs can make a big difference, even using the same raw materials. Different ways of preparation, like the length of cooking, can make the flavor totally different.
American Chinese cuisine has a long history in the United States. During the nineteenth century, thousands of Chinese workers came to the western United States to build railroads, dig mines, and perform other types of hard industrial work. The early California “chow chows” were simple restaurants run by Cantonese Chinese to feed their Chinese compatriots. Soon Chinese restaurateurs began to cook for American workmen, altering their dishes not only to satisfy American tastes but also to better avail themselves of local ingredients. Dishes on the menu were often given numbers, and often a roll and butter was offered on the side.
In the process, chefs would invent numerous dishes such as chop suey and General Tso’s Chicken.
As a result, they developed a style of Chinese food not found in China.
The most common dishes that often
appear on American Chinese menus include: sesame chicken, crab Rangoon, chow mein, lo mein, fried rice, Mongolian beef, moo shu pork, fortune cookie, and orange flavor chicken.
The Chinese menu will nearly always feature a “hot” option in deference to the Szechwan and Hunan traditions. Catering to American health concerns, restaurants also now frequently offer dishes that are steamed instead of fried in oil and vegetarian options. Chinese food has a reputation for high levels of MSG (monosodium glutamate) to enhance the flavor. Because the belief that MSG is harmful to some people is a popular conception, market forces and customer demand have encouraged many restaurants to offer “MSG Free” or “No MSG” menus. The dread MSG is far less prevalent now.
Another interesting food in Chinese restaurants in the United States is the fortune cookie, which does not originate from China. The fortune cookie is a crisp cookie made from flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk, which is baked around a fortune, a piece of paper with words of faux wisdom or vague prophecy. Unique to the United States and Canada, it is usually served with Chinese food as a dessert. The message inside may also include a list of lucky numbers and a Chinese phrase with translation. Despite conventional wisdom, the cookies were invented in California.
Jingting Zhao
A fortune cookie …
Jingting Zhao
… broken with words of vague prophecy and a list of lucky numbers.
If you’re looking for a unique place to volunteer in Bloomington, and you love working with children and animals, then People and Animal Learning Services Inc. (PALS) might be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you.
Executive director and instructor Fern Bonchek founded PALS in July of 2000, and she said it has been the ideal job for her interests.
“I’ve ridden horses my entire life, and I’ve always wanted to help people,” Bonchek said. “So it was my way of putting my love for horses and my desire to help people together.”
PALS offers therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy (medical therapy on a horse as opposed to learning to horseback ride), and pet encounter therapy to children and adults with physical, learning, cognitive or emotional disabilities. The organization is the only therapeutic riding center in Monroe County and surrounding counties that is accredited as a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) Premier Accredited Center.
Kristin Riccardo
As she gets ready for the next lesson of the evening, Stacey, a PALS volunteer, stops to praise Holly, one of the horses at PALS.
There are many different volunteer opportunities at PALS ranging from administrative work to lead walking.
“Volunteers mainly work in lessons, and they lead horses or they sidewalk riders,” Bonchek said. “We have some volunteers who do administrative stuff and help on committees, but mainly they help around the barn.”
Volunteers are required to be at least 14 years old. All volunteers also go through some training, but prior experience is not required.
The volunteers at PALS seem to enjoy their time there. Jill Burbank is a junior studying biology at Indiana University. She likes working with children, and she thinks equine-assisted activities can be extremely beneficial to children with disabilities.
“It’s probably [beneficial] because kids are so excited to come every week,” Burbank said. “It’s more of a hobby than a chore.”
Bonchek said equine-assisted activities can be beneficial to anyone, but there are specific ways these activities can help children with disabilities.
“The horse’s walking gait mimics the human walking gait,” Bonchek said. “So for kids who can’t sit up or they can’t balance well, the walking motion of the horse is going to increase their posture and their balance, and their coordination skills.”
Kara Lasher started to volunteer after hearing about PALS from one of her professors. She loves horses, and the program interested her right from the start.
“It’s amazing to see the difference in core body strength,” Lasher said. “Kids who aren’t able to sit up straight are able to walk out after several lessons.”
Lasher is the stable manager on Tuesday nights. Her different tasks include making sure volunteers know what they are supposed to be doing, taking care of the horses, making sure the horses get to their lessons on time, helping with the tack [saddles, bridles, etc.], and welcoming riders and parents into the stables. She also supervises some of the riders as they groom their horses following lessons, helps with administrative work, and writes for the PALS newsletter.
On Friday nights, Lasher “tucks in the horses” for the night and makes sure all 11 are comfortable. The horses have their own page on the PALS website that explains all of their different backgrounds. The site describes the unique personalities of the horses – personalities that can be matched to fit each individual rider.
Kace Escobedo is another Indiana University student who volunteers at PALS. She is a junior studying therapeutic recreation and is a pre-physical therapy student, and PALS fits in nicely with her studies. She found out about PALS through her introduction to equine-assisted activities class when Bonchek came to talk to the class.
“It adds a different swing to things,” Escobedo said. “It exposes me to different kinds of therapy.”
She feels there are many benefits not only to children with disabilities but to adults as well. Escobedo is shadowing other leadwalkers at the moment, but soon she will begin working with Caroline, an adult rider.
“Caroline takes the horse back to groom afterwards,” Escobedo said. “It translates to her life, and helps her learn more responsibility.”
Escobedo said the program has been very interesting to her for personal reasons as well. Her twin brother has cerebral palsy, and she is thinking about trying to get him involved in the program at PALS.
From a parent’s perspective, Susan Schlegel also had good things to say about the program. She watched from the side of the arena as her two daughters maneuvered their horses around the dusty, oval-shaped ring.
“The staff is great, the volunteers are great – they’re so patient,” Schlegel said. “For them [her daughters], it’s so calming to come here.”
Schlegel adopted the girls, and they have some anxiety-invoked emotional issues. One daughter is a victim of fetal alcohol syndrome. The girls have some issues with depression and ADHD.
Schlegel’s girls have developed a bond with their horses. The horses have helped her girls build confidence, and learning about the care of the horses and the equipment also has been beneficial, Schlegel said.
Kristin Riccardo
Piper, a PALS rider, smiles as she works on her balance with horse Cody.
Every year, PALS puts on a
few fundraisers because it is a non-profit organization. One such fundraiser is a horse show for the riders. Schlegel’s girls participated in the event.
“It was their first fun show,” she said. “To them it was like a real competition.”
Bonchek said that the biggest fundraising event is a wine and beer tasting and silent auction. The volunteers often help with fundraising or coordinating events.
Currently, PALS has about 150 volunteers, two full-time staff, and three part-time staff members. However, there are still plenty of opportunities available for interested volunteers.
“I find it kind of creeping into every aspect of my life,” Lasher said. “But the reason that it does is because I love it so much.
“It’s an amazing organization – everybody cares. … It’s a pretty special thing to be a part of.”
Whether you are visiting friends or family, sniffing around the town to decide if you want to study at Indiana University, or you just happen to be passing by, there are plenty of things to do, places to see and foods to try in Bloomington.
Bloomington is a small town with a big-city atmosphere thanks to the variety of music and art shows, international cuisines and a vibrant, welcoming social scene. You can submerge yourself into a high-power wild week in a college town, spend your week relaxing and discovering the city’s cultural life – or you can satisfy your eclectic taste by enjoying a little bit of both.
Here are a few Bloomington highlights from the city residents themselves
When you are hungry…
A fresh cup of coffee and in-house boiled bagels with a variety of “smears” at the Bloomington Bagel Company on Dunn Street provide an energizing way to start off a day in town. The café also offers sandwiches, salads and pastries. There are seasonal specials, such as pumpkin or cranberry and walnut bagels.
Miss your morning cereal? Cereal Barn & Peanut Butter Café provides more than 20 different cereal brand names and “freshly ground peanut butter sandwiches” as well as a friendly and relaxed atmosphere where you can read your morning newspaper or make plans for the day in the city.
The Uptown Café off the city’s Square offers a wide range of breakfast and brunch meals, including its specialty — cottage-cheese pancakes. You might even catch jazz music during a weekend brunch.
Looking for a quick bite, business lunch or a relaxing mid-afternoon meal? Take a walk on Fourth Street and you will come across ethnic food restaurants featuring Asian, Middle Eastern and European cuisines with lunch specials and buffets. Almost all of them are family-owned and operated, and some owners, like the one at Turkish restaurant Anatolia, wouldn’t mind sharing their recipes with you or taking you on a kitchen tour. If you are a health nut in a hurry — Bloomingfoods Market and Deli on Sixth Street is the place to get freshly made sandwiches (including vegetarian and vegan options), sushi and salads to go.
Maria Karapetyan
Trulli Flatbreadon Kirkwood Avenue.
After a busy day around the town, a hearty dinner is a good way to replenish your energy and/or take a break before diving into Bloomington’s nightlife. For an informal dinner, try award-winning pizza at Mother Bear’s on Third Street. If you prefer to have wine with your pizza, Trulli on Kirkwood, a restaurant specializing in flatbreads with a wide selection of local and regional wines, is a good choice. For a dinner by a fireplace in a more sophisticated setting, with a variety of meat, seafood and delicious desserts on the menu, Scholars Inn Gourmet Café & Wine Bar on College Avenue is your pick.
“For a hearty vegetarian or vegan meal, try Roots on the Square,” suggests Elizabeth Andrews, a Bloomington resident and a contributing writer for Bloom magazine.
And, of course, you can always wander back to Fourth Street to try that restaurant you walked by earlier while slowing down to catch the smells of baking bread, roasting peppers and basil.
Museums, art galleries and such…
Both the city of Bloomington and Indiana University boast a number of museums and art galleries featuring historical, local, regional and international art collections and much more.
The School of Fine Arts Gallery at IU offers free admission to collections of contemporary American artists, including faculty and students’ works. The gallery hosts frequent lectures and tours open to the general public.
The Kinsey Institute Gallery, open on weekdays from 2 till 4 p.m., includes collections of artwork, photographs and books on the institute’s nationally renowned research on sex, gender and reproduction. The gallery often hosts temporary exhibits.
Bloomington residents suggest you put Oliver Winery on your list of places to go during your visit. Only a couple of miles away from the city, the winery offers free daily tasting and tours of its wine-making facilities. “The area is gorgeous, with a lake and a forest, so it’s nice to buy some wine and cheese and have a little picnic out there. Good for showing parents and others of legal drinking age,” says Lori DesRochers, an IU student.
By Hand Gallery inside Fountain Square Mall showcases paintings, unique works made of glass, wood and clay – all by local artisans. You can browse the gallery for “one-of-a-kind” pieces of jewelry, home décor and, yes, you can also find bags and purses made of genuine leather.
If you don’t mind getting up early in the morning every now and then, check out Bloomington Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. The market is a "feast for the senses," both for serious grocery shoppers and one-time visitors, thanks to the smells of locally-grown tomatoes, smoked meat and freshly baked pastries, displays of arts and crafts and live music in the background. Farmers chat with each other and know their regular customers, and everyone else enjoys the communal atmosphere in Showers Common, at Eighth and Morton streets. The market opens every Saturday morning at 7 a.m. from April through November.
“It’s very laid-back and you can just stroll around and see what’s going on. It’s probably the best way to get to know people from Bloomington. Also, for just a few bucks you can get a grilled sausage, a pair of tamales, or some fresh baked bread for your lunch,” says DesRochers.
Want more culture?
Explore Tibetan and Buddhist traditions at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in the southeastern part of Bloomington. Check out the monastery, traditional Tibetan Stupas and the center’s Cultural Building, which holds a library of Tibetan books and displays the Tibetan Butter Sculpture. Every so often, His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself visits the center and gives public teachings (for a price) in Bloomington.
Leo R. Dowling International Center on Jordan Avenue hosts Friday Noon Concerts featuring classical, traditional and other music performances by international students and guests. Various international groups and student associations feature weekly Friday afternoon Coffee Hours at different locations on campus. Check the International Center’s website for exact locations. This is a great opportunity to learn about different cultures and sometimes hidden traditions in an informal and friendly setting, where you can ask questions and chat into the night with people from all over the world. What about classical music?
The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music offers performances by world-class musicians all year ’round and hosts a Summer Music Festival, featuring various types of music, including early music and jazz. Famous conductors, guest artists, IU faculty and students perform during the festival. You can catch solo and ensemble recitals by faculty and students almost every evening at Ford, Auer or Recital Hall for free.
“The one thing I like visiting friends to do when they are here is go hear an IU School of Music recital, concert, or production, preferably an opera. The school puts on some ridiculous number of performances each year, and there are always a dozen things to see or hear every week. The best way to find out what’s going on is to look at Prelude on their website the week your friends or family are visiting,” says David Bricker, a Bloomington resident.
And when night falls…
Monday through Saturday, the Bloomington social scene invites you to a variety of shows and specials. Here are a few picks:
MONDAY: Get a good laugh, American food and drink specials at Bear’s Place on Third Street, a national Top 10 stand-up comedy spot, as ranked by USA Today.
Sing to the oldies and modern hits or listen to others while they embarrass themselves or show off their musical talents at Bluebird’s karaoke night on Walnut Street.
TUESDAY: Enjoy Irish music at the Runcible Spoon, a student and city residents’ favorite eatery on Fourth Street. They serve a hearty breakfast throughout the day.
Catch blues jams featuring local and regional musicians at the Players Pub at no cover charge. You can get food and play pool there as well.
WEDNESDAY: Alternative music at Bear’s Place, jazz at Tutto Bene Wine Café and dancing to Appalachian fiddle at the Harmony School gymnasium on Second Street are among your choices to spend a fun evening in town.
THURSDAY: An evening of martinis at the Scholars Inn is always an option to enjoy Thursday in Bloomington. Take your pick – chocolate, apple, peach or pomegranate flavors – all at a special price. Live piano at Malibu Grill on the Square is another choice.
FRIDAY: Named after French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, Café Django, an Asian fusion restaurant on Grant Street, offers live jazz performances in a cozy atmosphere.
Many other cafes, bars and restaurants that have already been mentioned also have weekend feature performances. You can check their calendar of events and guest appearances on their websites.
SATURDAY: Didn’t get a chance to sing karaoke on Monday night? Get to the Office Lounge on Third Street. You can enjoy food, drinks and a good time at this Bloomington “veteran” tavern without paying a cover charge.
Don’t forget to check with the Buskirk-Chumley Theater on Kirkwood Avenue for their concert series and events held on different nights each week.
Want to know more?
For more information, reviews and ideas for discovering Bloomington, check the Bloomington Visitors Center website for the calendar of events both on the IU campus and in the Bloomington community. Also, make sure to pick up free copies of Bloom magazine and IU’s Weekend listings (and, no, it is not a “student’s guide to town”).
Enjoying the Great Outdoors: Balancing Bloomington city life with its natural escapes
Had enough of studying and the Bloomington bar scene? Fret not, fellow city dweller: Bloomington and the surrounding areas have a variety of natural escapes. The following outdoor activities can enhance the experience of living in a culturally active city, and more important, they offer a retreat from Bloomington’s occasionally tepid urban atmosphere.
Whether you appreciate the peaceful solitude, the challenging adventure, or a new way of viewing nature, there is an abundance of parks and nature preserves throughout the area to cure your urban blues.
From a passive stroll through a shady, quiet city park to engaging nature from new and exhilarating heights, or mysterious depths, the natural diversity of Bloomington’s landscape showcases both ends of nature’s spectrum.
Where to begin…
Newcomers to the area have probably heard about the majestic beauty of Brown Country State Park or the ‘fun in the sun’ that is waiting to be had on the waters of the Lake Monroe State Reservoir. However, the lesser known gems of the natural world should not be overlooked.
Joshua Levering
Click here for an interactive Bloomington City Parks map
Angie Smith, the natural resources coordinator for Bloomington Parks and Recreation, said, “We try to promote our lesser known parks because people tend to flock to the ones they know and love.”
Just remember, the larger parks mentioned above can be overcrowded during peak seasons and induce the feeling of being stuck in the Wal-Mart checkout line. This effect can easily be reversed by hiking through a serene forest devoid of tourists.
If you do not have the time to spend a whole day at a larger state park, Smith said “there are more than 20 miles of hiking trails in our parks around the community and an old growth forest [Latimer Woods] right behind the mall.”
Some residents forget about these nearby nature areas. “Sometimes just taking a walk down the street can get you back to nature,” Smith said.
The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department does a tremendous job of keeping its parks clean and preserved for its citizens. In fact, the department’s website proudly states that earlier this year its efforts were “honored with the highest recognition an agency can receive when it was presented with the Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the National Recreation and Park Association.”
Bloomington’s Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for maintaining and overseeing operations for nearly 30 city parks and nature preserves. Most of these are city parks that contain playgrounds, basketball courts, shelter houses, and hiking trails. However, there are a few areas outside the developed city that are merely overseen by the department and require little interaction, offering a true escape from the noisy city.
Joshua Levering
Waterfall at Leonard Springs Nature Park.
Leonard Springs Nature Park is about four miles southwest of the city and is more than 90 acres of wooded, natural environment. The park is home to two natural springs, a wetlands area, rock formations, small caves, and a dense forest. This nature park offers miles of trails for hiking pleasure and is a great place to find personal solitude and freedom from your daily duties. It is likely to hike here and not encounter another human being.
If you do not want to leave the city, there is a 10-acre plot of old-growth forest named Latimer Woods with a short hiking trail nestled behind the College Mall. This area is being preserved for hiking and educational purposes, and based on the age of the large trees, it is like taking a step back in time.
Lake Lemon and Riddle Point Park, off Highway 45 in the northeast portion of Monroe County, offer a public beach, picnic areas, fishing, nature trails, and many educational nature demonstrations. There is also a great bird watching preserve, Little Africa, located within the park.
“It is important for the public to gain an appreciation for our natural resources,” said Scott McWhorter, lake biologist for the Lake Lemon Conservancy District. He also cautioned about the overcrowded effects of the larger parks in the area “Wildlife flee at the presence of too many people … some larger parks have been made to be convenient for people but discouraging for wildlife.”
In order to obtain a rewarding view of wildlife, McWhorter said, “come to Lake Lemon early in the morning when there is less disturbance. … Bald eagles, Canada geese, beavers, and white tailed deer can be easily spotted.”
With a little help from my friends …
If you desire to get away and soak up the natural beauty of the area but lack the motivation, there are several groups that are willing to get you motivated and excited about outdoor recreation.
For starters, Indiana University Outdoor Adventures, based in the Indiana Memorial Union, gets students and faculty involved in a wide variety of excursions. Supervised trips range from daily to weeklong adventures and incorporate activities such as hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, and backpacking trips.
David Calvin is the program coordinator for IU Outdoor Adventures (IUOA) and also teaches at the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation and the Department of Recreation and Park Administration at Indiana University. Calvin said, “Students are usually hesitant to try something new in the outdoors … but afterwards almost everyone is happy with their experiences.”
IUOA focuses on getting students out of the classroom to learn about their environments and their own abilities with firsthand experiences in the wild.
“I enjoyed being pushed past my comfort zone. … I never would have imagined that I could survive three days without showering,” said IU junior Michelle Crouch.
HIKING ESSENTIALS
- Comfortable Boots/Shoes
- Light clothing, wear layers
- Water, juice, sports drinks
- Mixed nuts, granola bars, dry cereal
- Hard candy (I prefer Jolly Ranchers)
– Sunglasses, Hat
- Most Important – Allow yourself to enjoy the hike!!!
Another local group, Bloomington Hikers, is an informal group that sets up hikes for all abilities and ages every weekend regardless of rain, sleet, or snow. In fact, wind is the only factor for consideration when cancelling a hike because of the danger of falling tree limbs. The hikes are led by a variety of experienced trail leaders, including Fred Hamson, who also volunteers with the Hoosier Hikers Council.
“The weekend hikes are very relaxed and aimed at getting individuals in the Bloomington community excited about their environment. … It is a great way to start your weekend and clear your mind from the busy schedules of the work week,” Hamson said.
Who doesn’t need this after a long week of studying, typing papers, or being cooped up in an office cubicle?
For those interested in a more intense approach for fleeing the city and discovering the wonders of nature, there are some very exciting options in the Bloomington area.
The Wapehani Mountain Bike Park is south of Second Street on Weimer Road. The secluded 43-acre patch of woods has roughly five miles of dirt trails for your mountain biking pleasure. Wapehani was established in 1990 and is also the first mountain bike park in the state.
Need a new perspective on nature?
If you are comfortable with extreme heights, Vencel Balloons, Inc. is an advertising company that also uses its hot-air balloons for flight tours over the dense forests of Monroe and Brown counties. Flight tourists are given a view of the natural world that few will ever experience. The balloon tours run from March through December on the weekends and cost about $200 per person.
Photo courtesy of Boilerblues.com
Hoosier National Forest in autumn.
A representative from Vencel said, “The price might make it costly for the average student, but don’t forget us on your birthday or at Christmas time. … The sights during the autumn season are unbelievable.”
If braving the heights above Bloomington is not your idea of a fun or relaxing time, then consider going underground with Bluespring Caverns Boat Tours. Located in nearby Bedford, the tour takes you on an expedition of America’s longest underground river as you glide through subterranean caverns and witness rare species of blind fish native only to these caverns.
With a wide variety of natural adventures to explore, the Bloomington area is unique. Whether you enjoy a leisurely stroll in a well-kept city park, a jostling mountain bike ride through the rolling, wooded hills, or an airborne tour of Monroe County’s vibrant forests, there is always something to take you away from the hectic city.
Smith emphasized the importance of “having places to get back to reality and harmonize with nature” as a vital piece of living a healthy life. “As more people realize the resources right around the corner, they’ll be able to get back to nature and away from their computer and television screens,” said Smith.
So remember, when the concrete jungle and obnoxious pedestrians of the city begin to annoy you, look for a natural retreat and enjoy Bloomington’s beautiful and plentiful outdoor getaways.
There’s a lot to think about when bringing a non-tax deductible dependent into your home but also a lot of love in return.
The decision to adopt a dog or cat should not be taken lightly. It’s easy to walk into a pet shop or shelter, look into the eyes of a cat or dog and fall immediately in love. Many Indiana University students bring home a lovable companion but fail to think about what happens after graduation or the time needed to care for a dog or cat.
“There are just as many students that have been bad parents as good ones,” said Muff Johnson, a volunteer at the Bloomington Animal Shelter.
Before making the decision to adopt you need to consider your lifestyle, living situation, finances, and the next 10 to 20 years of your life. If you decide that adoption is not for you but love animals, the Bloomington Animal Shelter is always looking for volunteers. Many students volunteer or just play with the animals at pet shops and shelters on a regular basis.
“I’ve had a lot of students that come and play all through school and come back to buy a puppy when they are ready,” said Karene Kidwell, co-owner of Delilah’s Pet Shop at 17th and Walnut streets.
So you really do want to adopt, where do you start?
Nikki McAtee
Alfonso, a kitten recently adopted from the shelter.
There are a few ways to go about adopting a dog or cat in Bloomington. The most common are contacting a breeder, going to a pet shop or visiting the Bloomington Animal Shelter.
The easiest way to find a breeder is to look through the classifieds section of the newspapers in southern Indiana. The drawback of adopting directly from a breeder is that the cat or dog will most likely cost over $100 and there will probably be some travel involved to get to the breeder. The huge benefit, however, is that you know where the cat or dog is coming from, which can play a great role in the behavior and health of your pet.
Nikki McAtee
Lola, a beagle and Japanese chin mix adopted from Delilah’s Pet Shop.
The next way to go adopt a cat or dog is to visit the local pet shops. There are two pet shops in Bloomington: Delilah’s Pet Shop and Pass Pets. Pass Pets chose not to comment; the store is in the College Mall. Delilah’s Pet Shop has been in business for 21 years. Delilah’s prides itself on selling healthy high quality animals.
“We work hard trying to keep them healthy,” said Kidwell. Kidwell follows strict guidelines, when deciding what animals to sell. She only buys from individual breeders and gets them at 8 weeks old, unlike many brokerages that sell at 6 weeks. “They have a lot to learn from their mother at that time. … I refuse to buy from brokerages,” said Kidwell. Most of the cats and dogs in Delilah’s Pet Shop sell for between $100 and $800, because many come directly from local breeders
If you decide you want to adopt an older dog or just don’t want to pay breeder and pet shop prices, then the Bloomington Animal Shelter may be the place for you. Dogs and cats 5 years and younger are $75, while cats and dogs 5 years and older cost $55.
The shelter has been in business since 1968 and has about 5,200 adoptable animals a year. To adopt a cat or dog, you must first fill out an application and meet with an adoption counselor. The counselor will talk about any concerns you may have in caring for a pet, your long-term plans, and what training options are correct for you.
This rule was put in place “so people don’t choose an animal that is inappropriate for their lifestyle,” said Johnson, who has been with the shelter since 1990. “You can get a good sense talking to people,” said Johnson when discussing the counseling process. The shelter also works with local landlords and will call your landlord to make sure you are able to have pets.
Nikki McAtee
These two dogs are waiting to be adopted today at the Bloomington Animal Shelter.
For many, the Bloomington Animal Shelter has been an excellent choice. Kate Lee, an IU law student, recently adopted a dog from the shelter. “They helped us find dogs with the right personality to a get along with the dog we already own,” said Lee.
In order to determine what would be the best fit for all members of her family, the shelter allowed Lee to bring in her dog and introduce him to potential playmates.
You have your pet, what now?
After adopting your pet, you may have many concerns. “How do I get this thing to quit peeing on the carpet? Will it destroy all my furniture? Does it ever sleep for more than two hours straight?” There are many ways to get help, from your local vet to the hundreds of books written about owning pets to the “doggy day cares” and supply stores around town.
The first stop to make after adopting your pet should be to your local veterinarian. “It makes sense to have an adoption [be] contingent on a post adoption checkup,” said Dr. Mary Alice Cox of the Bloomington Veterinary Hospital. Bloomington Veterinary Hospital has been open for about 34 years and Cox, along with veterinarian Dr. Jim Koch, have owned the practice for 19 years.
The hospital serves dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, and even reptiles. Before adopting, Cox suggested that “it is reasonable to check with a veterinarian prior to adoption to ask what expenses to expect for preventative health care.” The main expenses to worry about are spaying and neutering, which is usually free if you adopt from a shelter, heart worm medication for dogs, and flea and tick medication for both dogs and cats. The larger the animal, the more the medication usually costs.
After you have a healthy pet, the next thing to think about is behavior and a daily routine. There are places to take your dog during the day if you feel it won’t get the attention it needs. There are a few “doggy day care” facilities around town. These places are often cage-free, allow your dog to socialize with other dogs and go outside to use the bathroom when he or she needs to. Lee sends her dogs to day care “for a play day whenever they need more attention than we can give them, like during exams.”
There are also a variety of stores that sell supplies for your pet. Many of these places also offer grooming and training services. James Hardy, the manager of PetCo, located on East Third Street, describes PetCo as a place where “the animals really do come first.”
“We have an amazing trainer here, and programs for dogs of all ages,” said Hardy. PetCo and other supply stores also offer a wide range of merchandise for your pet.
Owning a pet is hard work, but it can be an amazingly rewarding experience. “You have to do more than just think with your heart when owning a puppy,” said Kidwell. Pet owners today have many resources available to them, including, shelters, veterinarians, and pet supply shops. If you’re willing to dedicate the necessary time and money to your pet, chances are you will have a lovable companion for a long time.
New in Bloomington and identify with the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community? Wondering what the state of Indiana can possibly offer its GLBT citizens?
Fear not. Bloomington’s actually considered a friendly hub in the Midwest for the queer community. Traveling to Indianapolis, Chicago or even Columbus, Ohio isn’t necessary to meet new people, discover new resources, find plenty of fun and become an active member of Bloomington’s GLBT community.
Still skeptical?
The July/August 2005 issue of “The Out Traveler” magazine reported, “Whether you’re gay, straight, or somewhere in between, Bloomington offers something rarely found in this country: a small town with a bold history of openness and acceptance.”
Start your queer quest on campus
For those on campus, a good start to discovering Bloomington’s GLBT community and resources might be to stop by Indiana University’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services at 705 E. Seventh St. The office operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but is closed during the university’s observed holidays and days off.
The office’s mission is to “… provide information, support, mentoring, and counseling to members of the IU campus and the larger community. We seek to do that through networking, collaborating, education, and outreach in an attempt to create a climate where all members of the community are encouraged to promote and defend diversity.”
The GLBT SSS office also offers a GLBT library, complete with more than 3,000 books, periodicals, CDs, movies and other materials to facilitate research and entertainment.
According to the library’s Web site, the library’s materials have been reorganized and reclassified. Books are now organized by subject, and are further subdivided into gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender categories.
Fiction books are also categorized by genre, and bisexual and transgender literature now have their own categories.
For those struggling through the coming out process, stressing out with school or searching for a sympathetic ear, the GLBT SSS office houses a counseling services center, the Counselor’s Corner.
Practicum and intern counselor John Loveland conducts intake sessions for those seeking individual, couples or group counseling. From there, regular appointments are scheduled and counseling is formulated to suit each client’s individual health needs.
Whereas the GLBT counseling services are available to anyone, priority goes to IU students, explained Loveland, who often has a waitlist for his services. In the instance of a long waitlist, those interested in counseling are referred to other counseling options. Counseling at the GLBT SSS is free.
“Counseling at the GLBT office is first and foremost GLBT friendly,” Loveland said. “There are a great number of resources at our fingertips … that allow myself to provide up-to-date, accurate, and well-researched information to clients, as well as create a general atmosphere of acceptance. I am also able to offer specialized perspectives on issues that are culturally sensitive to the unique issues of the GLBT community…”
Further expanding on the queer community in Bloomington, GLBT SSS schedules social events and programming and sponsors student groups.
The office also houses celebrations for National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 each year.
Follow the rainbow to a pint of beer
Abby Tonsing
Some of the many beers patrons can sample at
Uncle Elizabeth’s.
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Moving away from campus, for thirsty members of the GLBT community and its allies, there’s only one gay bar left in town. In the last two years, all of the other gay bars in town, including Bullwinkle’s, Willie Joe’s and The Other Bar, have closed their doors. Only one remains, slinging drinks out and proud, Uncle Elizabeth’s.
Open every day of the year except Christmas, Uncle Elizabeth’s is a full-service bar, offering eight beers on tap, 25 different bottled beers, wine and liquor. Uncle Elizabeth’s offers drink specials five days a week, excluding Fridays and Saturdays.
The bar is open from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, it’s open from 2 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Uncle Elizabeth’s can be reached at 812-331-0060.
Steve Keith opened Uncle Elizabeth’s, 502 N. Morton St., more than 10 years ago.
“At the time people were saying how much Bloomington really needed another bar. … It’s good for the community,” Keith said of his reasons for opening a gay bar.
When Keith, formerly in the jewelry business, purchased a liquor license and opened his bar, there were two other gay bars in town. Now, Keith’s business is the last gay bar standing.
For local sports fans, Keith notes that IU basketball games and Indianapolis Colts football games are featured on the bar’s big screen television.
Uncle Elizabeth’s gets a significant amount of traffic from out-of-town visitors as well, thanks to listings in guides from the Damorn Company, which has published GLBT travel books and other periodicals since 1964.
“Lately, they’ve been shocked that there’s only one bar,” Keith said of out-of-town patrons visiting Bloomington. “Usually they come in and they find it very comfortable, very homey. Almost everyone says it reminds them of a bar from home.”
Homey appears to be an appropriate way to describe the décor of Uncle Elizabeth’s. Pictures of pop culture icons, like Marilyn Monroe, hang on the wood paneled interior. The cozy bar seats 10.
Abby Tonsing
Patrons enjoy beers and a good laugh at Uncle Elizabeth’s.
In spring 2008, Keith plans to move Uncle Elizabeth’s to a new, larger location, to accommodate patrons with a spacious dance floor. In the proposed new building twice the size of the bar’s current location, Keith also hopes to start hosting drag shows.
Regardless of the upcoming move, the original mission statement of Uncle Elizabeth’s will remain the same:
“From day one, we’ve always said that everybody’s welcome here – men, women, gay, straight, bisexual, in-between, questioning, confused, you know, pick one. Everybody’s welcome. We just demand that everybody respect everybody else,” Keith said.
IU art student Eric Durhan, 22, agrees with the sentiment that all are welcome at Uncle Elizabeth’s.
“What I like about Uncle Elizabeth’s is that everyone’s welcome. I’ve never seen anyone not enjoying themselves there, gay or straight,” Durhan said. Durhan plans to graduate in December with the bachelor in fine arts degree.
Ladies, strike new friendship with SPARKS
For lesbians looking to mingle with other women in the spirit of bowling fun and holiday festivity, look no further than the SPARKS group.
Organized in the summer of 1988 by Carolyn VandeWiele and a group of friends, the SPARKS group at its height consisted of more than 100 members.
The group used to host an annual Valentine’s Day dance, a Halloween party and a softball league. The group also used to gather several times a year for informative sessions on issues facing the lesbian community, such as financial planning and legal assistance. Now, SPARKS is more of a social networking group for professional lesbians.
Whereas a lot of the SPARKS social events have fallen by the wayside because of busy schedules, the group still hosts its annual holiday dinner and a bowling league.
“For a while, things were kind of dead on the social scene for the nonbar crowd, but things seem to be picking up again,” VandeWiele said. “These things often run in cycles.”
Consisting of about 40 women, the SPARKS bowling league is now in its 15th year. Bowlers hit the lanes for two eight-week sessions, starting in October and ending in March.
The 20th annual SPARKS holiday dinner for lesbians and their friends was slated for Monday, Dec. 10, at Affairs of the Sun Catering at 111 W. Fourth St.
VandeWiele can be contacted at blueroom1@insightbb.com or 812-320-9920.
Be out on the airwaves with "bloomingOUT"
Abby Tonsing
Host of "bloomingOUT" Helen Harrell and Victor Kinzer sift through the show’s news.
VandeWiele, as president of the board at community radio station WFHB-FM, would certainly point members of the GLBT community to “bloomingOUT,” the state’s only radio show that specifically addresses GLBT issues.
Hosted by Helen Harrell, co-founder of the Bloomington chapter of Pride at Work, and Victor Kinzer, who works at the GLBT SSS library, the radio show airs weekly from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
On the local radio dial, WFHB’s “bloomingOUT” can be found at 91.3 FM and 98.1 FM in Bloomington, 100.7 FM in Nashville and 106.3 FM in Ellettsville. WFHB also streams live online at www.wfhb.org.
Show segments include Queer His/Herstory, Critical Inqueery, Transformation Station, The Bi Connection and The Heart of Polyamory, among others. The radio show also features interviews, live music performances and a calendar of events.
WFHB News Director Chad Carrothers explains “bloomingOUT” is a crucial component of the station’s programming:
"When WFHB launched its local news initiative five years ago a GLBT public affairs show was at the top of my list. I created ‘bloomingOUT’ to fill a clear need in the community. The Bloomington Beacon gay newspaper had folded and there was a void, a deafening silence of voices from the queer community, a complete lack of media access for this segment of the population. The late beloved IU Chancellor Herman B. Wells once said that WFHB helps different segments of our community learn about each other and grow, and ‘bloomingOUT’ perfectly embraces this philosophy of open dialogue. It’s empowering."
WFHB Station Manager Markus Lowe expands on Carrothers’ points.
“I think the show is great from an informational and educational standpoint. Simply getting the word out to people on where those in the gay community can go for events, [information] sessions, lectures … is a very important function. Some people just don’t know where to go or how to get involved, and they remain isolated. ‘bloomingOUT’ provides the information that is relevant and necessary to maintain a healthy gay community, free from fear, stigma and oppression.”
Considering that “bloomingOUT” is spearheaded by volunteers at the community radio station, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities available to assist the show.
“bloomingOUT” is currently seeking a board operator, correspondent, segment producer, music director, marketing director, underwriting director and archivist. IU students can receive internship credits for their volunteer work at the station.
Do you like beef ‘n cheddars or baked salmon? If you are curious what type of wine you might like, this is a key question you should ask yourself.
“Compare it to food — what kind of food they like tells a lot,” says Bobby Wallace, corporate wine director of Big Red Liquors in Bloomington.
Jose Zayas, a 23-year-old musician, started to enjoy wine because he loves to cook. The first time he tried wine it wasn’t that great, he says, but he’s kept at it. Now, he even collects dessert wines.
“There are so many varieties, so wine can go with any meal,” Zayas says.
No cork necessary
Wine is an alcohol made from fermented grapes and has long had a haughty reputation. The wine industry has cultivated a pompous attitude, Wallace says.
Essentially, wine drinkers seem a bit stuffy. With websites like winespectator.com, where most people featured on the site are over 40, it’s understandable that younger generations might feel more comfortable with a bottle of Budweiser than a bottle of 1997 vintage port.
However, Wallace wants to change wine’s conceited image.
“We try to make people comfortable. For some reason there’s a stigma that you should know everything about wine when you walk in the store,” Wallace says.
For those afraid of corkscrews, there are new screw-cap options (and the ever-popular wine in a box) that keep wine just as fresh and delicious, but are user friendly.
At Big Red, you don’t have to lift a finger to find the wine of your dreams. All you have to do is answer a couple of questions.
“We can guess a palate,” says Bobby DerOhanian, wine manager at Big Red Liquors.
But do you have to spend 30 bucks on one bottle? No, it’s easy to enjoy fine wine on a tight budget. There are plenty of great wines under $10, DerOhanian says.
Wallace just wants wine to be more approachable. Big Red does free wine tastings every Saturday from 12-5 p.m., and it even has a new system in the works that will allow it to serve wine on tap. Take that, beer drinkers.
While Big Red offers an astounding variety of wines from Australian Sauvignon Blanc to French Burgundy, Bloomington’s own Oliver Winery specializes in good ol’ Hoosier libations.
The local buzz
The winery offers an impressive collection of wines all made on location at its property off of State Road 37.
“Indiana isn’t typically thought of as wine country, but we can grow some pretty great wines out here,” says Amanda Lemasters, a shift manager at Oliver Winery.
Inside the rustic wine shop, Lemasters gives daily wine tastings. At only 23 years old, she has quickly learned the ins and outs of the wine business after taking a job at Oliver Winery two years ago.
“As I started working around wines I became more interested in learning about them. It’s fun!” she says.
Like the guys at Big Red, Lemasters will walk you through the wine-tasting process. She carefully explains the five “S”s: see, swirl, smell, sip and savor.
Then, she says that wine tastings start with dry wines and end with sweet wines.
With the drier wines, Lemasters uses words like “fruit forward.” These are just fancy ways of saying that a wine’s flavor mimics the taste of certain fruits. The sweeter wines she compares to candy. The 2006 Catawba, a wine made of grapes from the Oliver vineyard, tastes like Jolly Ranchers, she says. The Soft Red tastes like Welch’s grape juice — with a kick. None of that really matters, though.
“When people are talking about what’s in the wine, it’s all really relative. It just helps differentiate the types of wines. Everyone picks up different things,” says Lemasters.
Dry wines might be the primo choice for many wine aficionados, but sweeter wines are crowd favorites. In Indiana, the top three selling wines are all sweet wines that come from Oliver: the Soft Red, followed by the Soft Rosé, and then the Soft White.
Lemasters figures that sweet wines are more popular because growing up people tend to drink syrupy sodas and eat loads of candy. It’s easier to gravitate toward sweeter wines because “that’s what we grew up with.”
Allegra Montanari, 19, is just that type of person. She rarely drinks wine except sometimes when at home with her parents, and when she does partake she prefers sweet, red wines.
“I like the pungency of red wine and I like it sweet because I think it should be sipped. I can’t drink wine with meals yet,” she says.
A drink a day keeps the doctor away
If you are still unimpressed by wine, consider its health benefits.
A glass of wine a day “has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease,” according to Joy Bauer, a registered dietician and contributor to Today on NBC.
In her article “Raise a glass! Wine’s health benefits,” Bauer also emphasizes that moderation is key in order to enjoy the health benefits of wine. Men should not have more than two glasses of wine per day. And, sorry, women, you cannot have more than one glass a day.
And if you want to see a difference in your heart, don’t reach for the white wine. Red wines have a higher level of reservatrol, a phyto-chemical, which helps thin the blood and prevent plaque from clogging arteries.
Lemasters is excited about wine’s health benefits and wants more twenty-somethings to discover wine.
Before she began working at Oliver, Lemasters was a beer drinker. Then she liked sweet wines. Now, she has a broad appreciation for all wines and understands why people might be nervous about trying wine for the first time.
“People are apprehensive who don’t know anything about wine. I really like those kinds of customers. I like to introduce people to wine. It’s a clean slate, like snow that’s never been walked on,” she says.
Essentially, all you need in order to become a wine enthusiast is to try it — and find someone who knows something about it.
“If you have an open mind then it’s almost impossible to not find a wine they would like,” she says.
A Quick Taste of Wine Terms
BOUQUET
Near synonym for "aroma". Term generally restricted to description of odors from poured bottled wines.
HERBACEOUS
Adjective used in description of wine with taste and aroma of herbs, (usually undefined).
CRISP
Wine has definite but pleasing tartness, acidity. Generally used to describe white wines only.
OXIDIZED
Powerful, attack aroma. Usually denotes high level of acidity, alcohol and/or other flavor faults.
CORKED
Wine has unpleasant taste/smell. Reason is thought to be chemical changes in the wine caused by inadequately sterilized cork stopper inserted at bottling source.
From Rachel on Friends and Miranda on Sex and the City to Katherine Heigl recently getting Knocked Up, unplanned pregnancy keeps getting sexier, funnier and more romantic.
But real life is no romantic comedy, and finding yourself unexpectedly pregnant can be frightening. Fortunately, Bloomington offers many options for women with all beliefs.
“This is probably one of the most difficult, momentous decisions a woman has to make in her life if she finds herself in that situation,” said Kathryn Brown, health and sexuality educator at the Indiana University Health Center.
But there are many places available to help you walk through the options and the steps available when you learn you are pregnant. The IU Health Center provides pregnancy testing, counseling through CAPS, and can refer you to other local services. Planned Parenthood provides pregnancy testing, counseling, abortion, obstetrical treatment, and adoption services. The Crisis Pregnancy Center offers free pregnancy testing, informal counseling and emotional support, medical referrals, material support, and even a maternity home with space available for anyone. Your spiritual center or faith path also can offer you emotional and spiritual guidance and support.
Deciding What to Do
Even if you are completely undecided, the first thing you should do is take care of yourself.
When a girl goes to Planned Parenthood in Bloomington, “We always encourage that until they have made a firm decision about what they want to do, they start decreasing their alcohol intake, decreasing smoking if they smoke, trying to make sure that they get enough rest, and taking prenatal vitamins,” said Larisa Niles-Carnes, local peer education coordinator and center assistant.
The decision about which path to take with your pregnancy should center on your life and values: do you want to continue the pregnancy, should you give the baby up for adoption, or should you have an abortion? All three of these options exist in Bloomington.
“The first thing I would do is ask a lot of questions. What do you want to do? Have you thought about what kind of decision you want to make?” said Kathryn Brown, health educator at the IU Health Center. “It’s got to be the woman’s decision. No one else can make that decision for her.”
Brown suggests that women project themselves into their future and try to imagine what their life will be after they have the baby or an abortion. She says that they should consider issues like financial support, housing, school, and what they would like to do with their future.
“One of the things that I really focus on with the girls in counseling is to make sure that they get to a point where they make a decision that’s not based on fear or pressure,” said Angie Harris, client services director at the Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Although all centers recommend that women talk with their partners, family members, trusted friends, spiritual leaders, or professional counselors, they also emphasize that women must make the choice for themselves.
Abortion
If you can’t see pregnancy or parenthood in your near future, Planned Parenthood performs vacuum aspiration abortions from six to 12 weeks into the pregnancy for $400 and medical abortions from six to eight weeks for $500.
When you visit Planned Parenthood, an educator will walk you through all three of the options available to you, giving you the details for each, Niles-Carnes said, including the specific medical details of each type of abortion offered.
According to Indiana law (Indiana Code 16-34-2), you must sign a voluntary consent form and wait 18 hours before you can have the procedure performed. You must also have an in-person counseling session in which you will be informed of the age of and details about the fetus, your other options, the possible side effects of an abortion, and government financial support available if you choose to have the baby.
“What I know from all my research is that for most women who have abortions – and there are always exceptions to this – there’s usually an overall feeling of relief,” Brown said. “Usually the women who have regret or are depressed after having an abortion are conflicted going in or they’re getting pressure from someone else.”
All agencies stressed that you must make the choice that is best for you and your future.
Post-abortion counseling services are available on a case-by-case basis through CAPS at the IU Health Center, recommendations from Planned Parenthood, at the Crisis Pregnancy Center, and – most likely – at your center of worship.
Adoption
Planned Parenthood works with the Independent Adoption Center in Indianapolis. Kathy Wilkerson, the branch director and an open adoption counselor, usually travels to Bloomington on Mondays to meet with potential birth parents considering adoption.
“You have to look at all the options, and you have to look at what your plan is for the future and how does adoption and a child fit into that,” Wilkerson said. “We focus a lot on the emotions of making an adoption plan, the permanency of the adoption plan, and the reassurance that contact will continue when the birth parents are ready for that.”
The Independent Adoption Center is a national adoption agency that arranges open adoptions, in which birth parents and adoptive parents can individually arrange the level of contact desired. “A lot of prospective birth parents don’t probably know the level of openness we allow,” said Wilkerson. “You can have the level of contact that you want with the baby after the placement.”
Birth parents are not required to hire an attorney, nor do they pay any fees to the adoption agency. Occasionally, adoptive parents will pay for pre-natal expenses and medical care. The agency provides counseling for choosing an adoptive family and an adoption plan. It also performs all the legal services except for finalization, for which the adoptive parents must hire a lawyer.
“If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to call and ask, whether it’s our agency or another agency or an attorney, because there are a lot of different things to think about,” Wilkerson said. “Just talking with someone about all those options is probably going to be one of the most helpful things that you can do.”
Becoming a Parent
While most IU students are not in as comfortable a position for raising a child as Rachel or Miranda, deciding to keep your baby does not have to be as terrifying as it may seem.
If you have support from your family and community, it becomes much easier.
“Single parenthood is difficult at any stage, but when you’re very young at it, it’s very challenging,” said Father Richard Litzau, at St. Paul Catholic Center. “But the first thing I would do is tell [a girl] not to be scared. She’s not in this alone, obviously.”
If you have one, a religious center will provide counseling and guidance in a supportive atmosphere.
“We don’t really ask any questions; it’s not really about a judgment situation,” Litzau said. “For us it really is a ministry to somebody in the parish who has a specific need, and as a group we just kind of enfold that person. We refer them to the places they need to be referred to, but if what they really need is just some emotional support and someplace to just be, we offer that.”
Litzau also said that most religious communities will react in the same way, and that even if they cannot provide financial support, they will welcome anyone in need as a family member.
If you are not so fortunate as to have a stable home, need-based options other than government agencies are still available. The Crisis Pregnancy Center will help you find doctors and get on Medicaid if you need it, and it staffs childbirth educators who will attend doctor appointments with you and coach you during labor.
The Crisis Pregnancy Center offers material support through its “baby bucks” program, in which you earn points through “doing positive things,” like attending parenting classes or family resource activities through the center. The points can then be used to buy items ranging from diapers and baby food to cribs and car seats.
The Crisis Pregnancy Center also works with the Hannah House, a maternity home with facilities to house up to eight women and their babies anytime during pregnancy and up to six months after the baby is born.
“The focus here is really on growing and developing as a parent and as a person,” Harris said. “We do life skills training, parenting classes. We also have free childbirth classes and free parenting classes. There is structure, but it’s definitely not a feel of a shelter, it’s definitely more of a home.”
The classes and services of the Crisis Pregnancy Center are available to anyone in the community, not just residents of the Hannah House.
No matter your choice, you can turn to any of the above agencies and centers for help or advice. Talk to your loved ones, take time to weigh your pros and cons, but in the end, be sure to make the choice that will ensure you the brightest future.
Some days you show up at WFHB to discover something you didn’t know you needed. That’s actually why I started volunteering there. I needed more music.
I really have never been able to afford my music consumption habits. I also have never been one to download music. I am afraid The Man will get me. But, one day in the spring of 2004 I walked in the studio downtown on Fourth Street and signed up for the "Mixology" class. I was scared. I didn’t know anyone there, but I had this need.
I remember discovering WFHB on the radio dial in my concrete block dorm room in 1997. Slightly fuzzy, but cool music poured from the speakers — if I didn’t move the dial too far. At the time I never thought I wanted to be on the radio.
But if I had wanted to, I could have gone to community radio station WFHB or the Indiana University student radio station, WIUX. So if you want to be on the radio in Bloomington, there are actually options. That makes this town unique. We have vibrant, community based media that rely on people for support and participation.
WFHB was the first community radio station in Indiana. The station was founded in 1975, but didn’t make it to the airwaves until 1993. That’s how hard it is to start a grass-roots, nonprofit, noncommercial radio station. Now people can just walk in and become part of an accepting and diverse radio community.
It takes more than 200 volunteers to keep the station running 24 hours, 7 days a week. What you hear on-air is only a fraction of the work that it takes to produce radio. You can get involved even if you cringe at the sound of your own voice. There are only four paid staff positions, so they need volunteers for everything from the board of directors to answering the phones.
WFHB News Director Chad Carrothers says WFHB is always accepting fresh faces and new voices. Community radio allows anyone to get involved. Some of the volunteers are students from IU who receive credit for their work. But he says the majority are "…regular folks with no prior broadcasting experience." Carrothers says, "WFHB puts the public in pubic radio. Literally."
WFHB’s Chad Carrothers and daily local news anchor Scott Weddle work out a miscommunication.
Since starting the news department at WFHB, Carrothers has increased the public affairs programing substantially. Today, the station has dedicated primetime programs for Hispanic residents, the African-American community and the GLBT community. The station airs important meetings and lectures in edited versions on "Standing Room Only." They do in-depth coverage during local elections, exploring the candidates and issues.
Carrothers believes community radio is really about political and cultural empowerment. He says, "Our model of operation shatters the glass wall that traditionally separated passive consumers from those who control the airwaves. We are grounded in the assertion that publically owned airwaves should be controlled by the public."
He says new volunteers are sometimes shocked at just how real the experience at WFHB is. "We put volunteers directly into the field as reporters and producers. Nobody fetches coffee or makes copies. Within days or even hours they realize that community radio is an effective tool for making a difference in the world or just in our own backyard. It’s empowering."
Catie Kosinski volunteered at WFHB as a desk jockey when she was in high school. After a stint on college radio in Greencastle, Indiana, she came back to WFHB and Bloomington. She now has two shows at the station and is a "super sub," picking up on-air shifts when needed. She says, "It’s easy to take community radio for granted, but its services to the community can’t really be measured in quantifiable ways."
She agrees with Carrothers about radio’s empowerment potential. "Radio inspires, educates, and influences change." She believes in the station’s mission to create community dialogues. "Everyone, regardless of cultural background, socioeconomic status, race, gender, whatever, has something to say and something to add to the community."
She says beyond her love of music, she wanted to be on the radio again to do something positive with her dad. "He got divorced a few years ago, and I wanted to spend more time doing father/daughter things with him. He was influential in my love of jazz music and there was a jazz show in need of a DJ at the time." Recently, her 80-year-old grandpa came to see her at the station. "He got to hear two of my shows. I got to say hello to him over the air." The experience of radio has created a new way for Kosinski to be close to her family. "I didn’t play sports and wasn’t involved in team activities, but being on the radio gives me something to share."
Eleanor Lissitzyn spent most of her summer at WFHB in the 12-by-8-foot room the news department calls home.
Eleanor Lissitzyn is an undergrad at IU. She had never worked with WIUX student radio, but got involved with WFHB through a service learning course. She has stayed involved because she loves the environment and variety of people. Lissitzyn is also "really grateful for the experience. As a journalism major, it is great to come in, write a story, and get it aired on the radio that night." She says it has also helped her feel like she is part of the community, not just a student passing through. "I didn’t start at WFHB wanting to be on the radio. Now, I love the medium."
Station manager for WIUX Craig Shank loves radio because it is "an integral part of life." He says, "Radio, at its heart, is really two things: immediate and local." He believes that noncommericial radio like WIUX and WFHB "provides audiences with unique content that is free of advertising and is a real experience — rather than just something to put on in the background." Each semester WIUX has a call-out meeting. Interested students fill out applications about their availability, experience and musical program interests. Shank and station board members create a new schedule, matching up students with on-air needs.
"At this point, we have roughly 100 applicants every year," he says.
Thousands of students have been involved since the first incarnation of IU student radio in 1962. He says WIUX has changed his life. "I have no idea what I would be doing if it weren’t for the station. I have met some amazing people. …"
Ph.D. student Paul Rohwer is a wannabe. He has never done anything on the radio but wants a show on WIUX for his last semester of school. "I wanna share the music I love to the outer limits of Bloomingtonian rock. According to WIUX, that’s a 15-mile radius, plus the Internet."
On a crisp autumn evening in late November, Army Lt. Col. Eric Arnold slowly walks the drill field, keeping a brisk pace on his cell phone and an occasional eye on his battalion of cadets. With the sun low in the sky, the cadets rotate through a series of battlefield exercises, clad in Army fatigues and carrying dummy M-16s.
Arnold lets his senior cadets run the show. He and the other instructors linger on the edge of the field and drift periodically throughout the battalion. For two hours once a week, older cadets walk younger ones through a dress rehearsal for war. They spit tobacco and keep the atmosphere light. The mood is calm and quiet and relaxed on the field; there is no red-faced Full Metal Jacket style drill sergeant screaming orders and breaking spirits. As one company officer said, “this isn’t the old Army.” Arnold and the other instructors joke and swap stories on the sidelines. Talk is of newborn babies, college soccer, and time served in Bosnia.
The young people gathered at this cross country track east of the Indiana University campus represent the future of Army leadership. They are the young men and women of Bison Battalion, many of whom will one day lead other young soldiers into harm’s way. The cadets are college students enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), an avenue to officership in the armed forces. Each branch of the armed forces also operates an officer training school, which typically allow enrollees to become commissioned officers after several months of instruction.
The ROTC is one of a handful of training programs for military officers. The Army, Navy, and Air Force operate ROTC programs, and the major U.S. military academies also train officers to serve in the armed forces. Students enrolled in the Army ROTC programs are known as cadets until they graduate, when most will be commissioned as second lieutenants. All receive some sort of financial aid package. Cadets in the ROTC program agree to serve four years on active duty once they finish college, or six years as reserves.
Bucking a National Trend
While war continues in Iraq and Afghanistan and debate rages at home, military recruiting has suffered nationwide. Across the country, the armed forces are having trouble enlisting well-qualified young men and women. Increasingly desperate for new soldiers, the Army has granted a record number of waivers to recruits with criminal histories. One in five Army recruits this year never finished high school. ROTC programs on many college campuses are falling short of their graduation goals. But at Indiana University, the Army ROTC program is alive and well.
While the armed services have had increasing difficulty meeting recruiting goals since the Iraq war began in March 2003, the Army ROTC program also saw a decline in enrollment in the years after the war began. Arnold said that trend has begun reversing itself, with a rise in ROTC enrollment back to the pre-war numbers. And throughout the years of the war, the ROTC branch at IU has remained steady with around 100 cadets enrolled each year.
Maj. Todd Tinius is in charge of recruiting for the ROTC program at IU. While he said that “it would be a lie to say the war has no impact on recruiting efforts,” he added that the ROTC program at IU has been successful in meeting its recruiting and graduation goals in the years since Sept. 11.
AUDIO SLIDE SHOW: click on the photo to see an audio slide show of Major Todd Tinius talkingabout his efforts as director of recruiting for IU ROTC during wartime (pops in new window)
Tinius estimates that only around a quarter of all ROTC programs nationwide are able to meet their annual officer commission goals, which are set by the Defense Department. These goals define the number of ready-for-duty officers that each program is expected to produce in a year. The target for the IU ROTC program in 2008 is to graduate 14 officers; Tinius anticipates that 19 cadets will graduate from the program this coming spring.
The Reality of Military Life
Cadets know that in a time of war there is a strong likelihood that they will see action. Yet for most cadets, that doesn’t seem to be a concern. Junior fine arts major Daniel Hankins said that the war in Iraq “didn’t really have any bearing at all” on his decision to enroll in the ROTC program, because he was going to join ROTC regardless of the war. He said that most cadets share his view that war comes with the territory for a prospective Army officer. “Ask anybody around here,” Hankins said. “It’s just another part of life.”
Tinius said that the ROTC recruiters are up front about the realities that cadets will likely spend time in a war zone. He said that most cadets are well aware of the obligations that come with military service. “We’re successful at being able to commission [officers] in spite of an unpopular war,” Tinius said.
Arnold, who is also professor of military science at IU, said that because of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the typical student enrolled in ROTC has changed.
“Physically, they’re stronger than we were,” Arnold said. He enrolled in ROTC in 1987, while he was a student at James Madison University. Back then, many students joined the Cold War-era Army ROTC with the expectation of whiling away their service time drinking beer on bases fronting the Iron Curtain. Now, the cadets are different. “They’re more focused,” Arnold said. “War will do that. You’ve really got to want it, because you’re going to serve in combat.”
Capt. Jason Brady, assistant professor of military science at IU, graduated from IU in 1996. He was in the ROTC program during his undergraduate years and said that today’s ROTC is different than the one he knew a decade ago.
“The focus has definitely changed,” Brady said. Physical fitness is stressed more than in the past, with today’s cadets expected to meet for physical training three times a week at six in the morning. Classroom time has also increased, with a concentration on leadership skills.
Motivating Factors
Junior general studies major Brett Kirby joined ROTC to become a better leader. As an enlisted man with the Fourth Infantry in Iraq, he said that he saw first hand the need for officers to be both strong leaders and good soldiers. “If you have one person that is not a good soldier,” Kirby said, “even though he may be in charge, he sets the wrong example.”
Kirby initially enlisted in the Army during high school when he said he was looking for structure, direction, and security with the military. And, as he puts it matter-of-factly, “it’s a four-year job that it’s almost impossible to get fired from.”
Many of the cadets in the ROTC program at Indiana University cite the same set of factors drawing them into life in the military — patriotism, family who served in the military, the promise of steady work, and the discipline and leadership skills that they expect from the Army. And then there’s the money.
The ROTC scholarships can provide nearly $100,000 of financial aid to students over the course of their undergraduate education. But the money isn’t always a primary concern. “I have many cadets from extremely wealthy families,” Arnold said. “The financial concern for most cadets is secondary.” He said that many ROTC cadets enroll in the program because of an interest in serving their country and tasting the life of adventure that many young people expect from the Army, regardless of whether or not they expect to go to war.
Joining Up Despite the “Influencers”
Parents and other adults with sway over young people have tended to view military service with increasing skepticism. Army recruiters infamously have referred to this potentially threatening cadre of concerned parents, teachers, coaches and other mentors as “influencers,” an obstacle that has collectively presented a challenge to recruiters nationwide. They’re a group that has become increasingly vocal during wartime. Arnold said that with potential cadet recruits, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are a consideration, “but more often than not it’s their parents that are most concerned.”
Back on the practice field, the younger cadets sit on the cold turf in small groups, listening to the upper class cadets explain how to operate as officers under enemy fire. For now, the cadets of Bison Battalion are still students first, with the reality of active duty military life at least a few years away. In another week they’ll be dismissed for winter break, with ample free time to spend with friends and influencers alike.
Related:
For their overall active-duty force, the Army had targeted 80,000 new recruits for the fiscal year 2007, which ended on Sept. 30. As the largest branch of the military, the Army is expected to recruit the largest number of new soldiers each year — an incoming group that is equal to nearly half the size of the entire Marine Corps. You can find a complete list of military recruiting numbers for 2007 here.
More recruits are entering the armed forces without a high school diploma, and 18 percent of recruits last year needed a waiver for past criminal activity.
Although the Army target was 90 percent of new recruits with high school diplomas, only 79 percent of newly enlisted soldiers during 2007 had graduated from high school.
Junior military reserve programs (JROTC) have expanded across the nation. In Chicago public schools, about 1,800 students attend school at five public military-style academies.
Amidst much debate, A JROTC program at a public high school in San Francisco is being terminated after a 90-year run.
“One of the first things you want to do is consult an attorney that specializes in estate administration or there can be legal consequences,” says William Fawcett, a Bloomington attorney who offers estate services.
Some students in this mass of emotion may wonder if it is possible to enter into that hallowed ring and compete for the crowd’s favor, and the answer is that it couldn’t be easier.
When the weather turns in the spring, usually around the middle of February, the cinder track at Bill Armstrong Stadium opens for rookie riders. Rookie riders must participate in rookie week, where riders from the riders council give lessons about track riding. It can be intimidating and scary riding on the track with veteran riders whizzing by, so first-time riders are the only ones allowed on the track during rookie week. This makes it an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with exchanges and pack riding before the veterans begin their track training..gif)
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After you have a healthy pet, the next thing to think about is behavior and a daily routine. There are places to take your dog during the day if you feel it won’t get the attention it needs. There are a few “doggy day care” facilities around town. These places are often cage-free, allow your dog to socialize with other dogs and go outside to use the bathroom when he or she needs to. Lee sends her dogs to day care “for a play day whenever they need more attention than we can give them, like during exams.” .jpg)
Wondering what the state of Indiana can possibly offer its GLBT citizens?
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“This is probably one of the most difficult, momentous decisions a woman has to make in her life if she finds herself in that situation,” said Kathryn Brown, health and sexuality educator at the Indiana University Health Center.
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When you visit Planned Parenthood, an educator will walk you through all three of the options available to you, giving you the details for each, Niles-Carnes said, including the specific medical details of each type of abortion offered. .png)
individually arrange the level of contact desired. “A lot of prospective birth parents don’t probably know the level of openness we allow,” said Wilkerson. “You can have the level of contact that you want with the baby after the placement.”.png)
Pregnancy Center will help you find doctors and get on Medicaid if you need it, and it staffs childbirth educators who will attend doctor appointments with you and coach you during labor. .jpg)
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