Monthly Archives: October 2022

Arts Revival

LaGrange County Arts ready to support, promote the local arts community

A new community group hopes to revive the arts in LaGrange County and establish a highly visible arts community.

LaGrange County Arts is a collective of local artists and art appreciators who believe in promoting, presenting, and supporting the literary, musical performance, visual and theatrical arts in LaGrange County.

Led by retired art teacher Mary Woodworth, the fledgling group held its first community event on July 2, an inaugural art show at the LaGrange County courthouse lawn. The event coincided with the unveiling of the Hometown Heroes banner presentation.

The art show featured photographers, painters, writers and performing artists. Bethi Lewis & The Electric Pineapple performed in the gazebo, followed by teen band Portmanteau.

LaGrange County Arts Inaugural Art Show on July 2, 2022 at the LaGrange County Courthouse.
LaGrange County Arts Inaugural Art Show on July 2, 2022 at the LaGrange County Courthouse.
Corn School Face Painting Booth

During the Corn School street festival in October, LaGrange County Arts hosted a children’s Creation Station at the Garage Community Center in LaGrange. During festival hours, children were encouraged to stop in to create works of art and enjoy cider and donuts.

LaGrange County Arts’ teen advisors also coordinated a face painting booth during Corn School and provided face painting for nearly 100 children.

As LaGrange County Arts continues to grow, the group plans on hosting more art shows and events with educational opportunities. Their goal is expand their events and increase awareness of the arts within LaGrange County.

LaGrange County Arts is fiscally sponsored by the LaGrange County Community Foundation. Donations to support the promotion of the arts in LaGrange County is tax-deductible. To donate to LaGrange County Arts, checks must be out to the LaGrange County Community Foundation, with “LaGrange County Arts” in the memo line.

For more information on LaGrange County Arts, visit the group’s Facebook page.

LaGrange County Arts showcases its parade float during the Corn School street festival in LaGrange.

Finalists selected for 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

The top five finalists for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship are, from left, Paige Riegsecker, Manisha Ramachandran, Ella Clarke, Kamryn Miller and Ethan Hibbs.

Five LaGrange County high school seniors have been named finalists for the 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The prestigious award goes to an outstanding high school senior in LaGrange County.

The 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship including a $900 book stipend per year, for four years to any accredited college or university in Indiana.

Finalists for the award are Ella Clark of Westview High School, daughter of William and Carrie Clark; Ethan Hibbs of Westview High School, son of Cliff and Sandy Hibbs ; Kamryn Miller of Westview High School, daughter of Brian and Brooke Miller; Manisha Ramachandran of Lakeland High School, daughter of Anand and Teresa Ramachandran, and Paige Riegsecker of Westview High School, daughter of Ryan and Jodi Riegsecker.

The scholarship is awarded to one well-rounded LaGrange County graduating senior who exemplifies service and leadership in their community, while maintaining a commitment to academics.

The scholarship program is offered each year by the LaGrange County Community Foundation, and other Indiana community foundations across the state to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.

After a competitive application process that evaluates academics, community and school activities, leadership, and written essays, the finalists are interviewed by the Foundation’s Lilly Scholarship Advisory Committee. The results of the interview round are combined with the application round to determine the 2023 nominees who will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana for final selection of the LaGrange County recipient.

Announcement of the recipient will be made in mid-December. The four remaining finalists will each receive a $1,000 renewable four-year scholarship from the Lambright Leadership Scholarship Fund, established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright in 2013.