MICHIANA NEWS

Hoosier-Buell Chapter

Michigan/Indiana

March 2023

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Join us at the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, 9301 N. Michigan Road, Indianapolis for this Disney Classic.

Buffet opens at 10:45 a.m. and closes at 12:30 p.m. with curtain time at 1 p.m. Buffet dinner includes coffee, tea and lemonade. Full bar services and gourmet desserts are available for an additional fee.

Send your payment and reservation to Terry Jones at 2309 Meadow Way, Anderson, IN 46012 by May 1. We have very good reserved seats in the blue section at a reduced rate of $70 per person. Make your check payable to Hoosier-Buell YMCA Alumni Chapter. This show will likely be sold out so get your reservations in ASAP. 

Make your own hotel accommodations, if needed. Our chapter will offer a post gathering event at another location for a one-hour sharing following the performance. Chapter officers will inform those beforehand who make reservations.

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre has been serving food, fun and fabulous live entertainment for everyone since 1973. It was called "Beef" because of the delicious hand-carved roast beef served before the performances, and "Boards" referring to the boards or stage of a theatre.

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre entertains more than 155,000 theatergoers annually. Each season includes professional Broadway shows, plays and acclaimed children's theatre productions by our resident Pyramid Players.

A very heartfelt thank you to alumni who made an extra gift to support our chapter.

Jean Allen, Keith Askam (in memory of Gary Unruh), Rose Berberian, Mary Lou Bergman (in memory of Dave Bergman),Barbara Burton, Fritz Cheek, Richard Clanton, George Cummings, Ralph Drake, Lou Drexler, Doreen Durandetto, Richard DuRei, Kirby Falkenburg, Elaine Fortune (in memory of Don Fortune), Don Franklin Jr., Roy Gilliom, Dennis Gray, Carol Hemdal (in memory of Larry Hemdal), Dave Himes, Sally Howard (in memory of Bob Howard), Kenneth Isherwood, Terry Jones, Joseph LaRocca, Pam McConey, Pat Nelson, Larry Owens, Dale Packer, Alberta Petrone (in memory of Larry Hemdal), Dorothy Reap (in memory of Don Reap), Shirley Ritter, Dan Sager, Larry Scamlin, Glenna Sheets, Daryl Sieplinga (in memory of Larry Hemdal and Wayne Fieldhouse), Donald Stetson, Barry Stephens (in memory of Herb Pifer), George B. Stewart, Reid Thebault, Barbara Usmial, Donald Vreeland, Daniel Wheeler, Robert C. Williams (in memory of Chet Hall).

As the National Service Project (NSP) enters our second season of construction, your YMCA Alumni committee is applying the lessons and experience of the first year to fine tune our efforts going forward. Among the revelations was the need to raise additional funds to cover unexpected costs mostly due to inflation and supply chain issues.  

Your Hoosier-Buell Chapter enthusiastically joined in the fundraising effort to raise an additional $250,000 to ensure moving ahead on the remaining homes in the village and the first "twigs" (small Y branches in outlying areas). The campaign kicked off in January and, thus far, the effort currently stands at $107,204 towards the $250,000 goal with new gifts or extended pledges from the following chapter members:

Rose Berberian, Danny Maier and Winnie Ip, Joe LaRocca, Shirley Ritter, Dan and Marilyn Sager, Larry Sehy, Joel and Shirley Alderman, Terry and Lynette 

Jones, Daryl Sieplinga, Cathi Duchon and Reid Thebault as well as the Hoosier- Buell Chapter Fund - as more gifts come in. Many, many thanks.

Eight more waves of volunteers descend on Dupree, S.D., for the next phase of work including more than 12 volunteers representing the Hoosier-Buell Chapter. 

Can you help? Look for an email in the coming week to make your gift or pledge to this effort. 

To learn more, feel free to call our campaign chair, Danny Maier, at 734-369-2164. Danny, Dan and Marilyn Sager were among the final wave of volunteers in 2022 and can fill you in on details regarding volunteering for the May and September waves this year.

Click the button below to visit the National Service Project Case for Support for all details.

(Photo: Shell of first tiny home completed and wrapped for winter.)

Deborah retired from the Crossroads YMCA in Lake County Indiana, March 2022 after 20 years in the YMCA movement serving as Chief Financial Officer. 

She worked 16 years at the Valparaiso YMCA where she also was involved in building a new facility.

Deborah is a graduate of Valparaiso University with a degree in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting. Currently, she has been working as a consultant for non-profits on a project-by-project basis part time. So, if you hear of someone, especially a YMCA, that might need some financial or administrative help, have them contact her. Her home is in Crown Point, Indiana. She has two sons, one in Chicago and one in L.A.

Exercise and doing things outside including hiking, biking, swimming, snowshoeing, visiting National Parks, volunteering and cooking are all part of her activities. Welcome to our chapter.

David Brittenham, 84, passed away Dec. 30, 2022 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He married his loving wife, Angel Clevenger on Oct. 10, 1986. Angel preceded him in death on May 15, 2020.

Dave was a graduate of George Williams College. He served as a YMCA director for 32 years in Detroit, Saint Louis and Fort Wayne. While with the YMCA in Fort Wayne, Dave developed many programs such as the Coalition for Youth Services, SOCAP (Status Offender Court Alternative Program), and the Anti-Graffiti Program. He had a special interest and skill working with at-risk youth and never gave up on a kid.

Dave and Angel participated with their dogs in the Search and Rescue program throughout the Fort Wayne Community. He was an active member of Broadway Christian Church and Faith UMC in Fort Wayne.

Dave is survived by three stepchildren, six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Jan. 6, 2023. Memorial contributions may be made to the Angel and Dave Craig,Brittenham Foundation to further their service to the Fort Wayne Community.