Garrison Keillor rocks Purdue, Indiana

Halloween is upon us. Last weekend was time for a road trip out of town before the first snow flakes fall.  This year, we haven't even had a really hard frost yet, but may soon as tropical storms threaten the eastern U.S.

That being said, it's also not that easy to get to places such as West Lafayette, the home of Purdue University, from Fort Wayne.  Although there is much to love about sparsely populated, rural farmland, driving over it on two lane roads takes lots of attention and can be tiring.  But it is great to see the new wind farms popping up; not so great to see the decimated small towns reeling from the changing economy.

But the ever-flowing, peaceful Wabash river showed its lovely self often along the way, as a beacon of a trail; one that the Native Americans, trappers and traders followed.  We passed historic Indian war battlefields:  was that a win for the 'white man'?  Really?

But I digress.  Out of the lowly farm fields the roads rose into the impressive Purdue campus.  Lots of fraternity houses, a huge clock and bell tower, and students in shorts on skateboards in cold weather were to be seen.  We parked in a storied parking garage and walked to the Elliot Hall of Music to witness a live broadcast of Garrison Keillor and 'A Prairie Home Companion.'

WBOI in Fort Wayne, the local National Public Radio affiliate, had offered tickets to this event in return for a donation to the station.  We took the bait.  It was fun to see good-looking, white-haired Fred Newman performing the sound effects for the radio show.  It was much more animated than I expected; his gesturing and movements as he made the sounds using his various tools were dramatic.  Sue Scott, the radio actress who does almost all the female voices looked nothing like I had imagined;  it's sort of like reading a good book and having your imagination give you a picture.  Do you actually want the reality, or is it almost better to have created the image in one's head?

The Purdue Varsity Glee Club, a large group of college men, ran on to the stage area from the back hall and gave a lovely rendition of the folk song 'Shenandoah.'. There were many references in their numbers to the Wabash river, but no one ever sang "back home in Indiana".  Why - are the rights too expensive?  Perhaps it's too associated with other things, such as Indiana University.  Garrison seems to have a beef with IU; or at the very least, prefers Purdue.  Oh well, there's a big rivalry there, so some of that is to be expected.

Garrison had a funny bit about walking around on campus and viewing what one sees nowadays: kids texting and walking with their heads down, frat boys bragging about doing keg stands naked.  Typical campus life.  Sue Scott read a diary entry from a college girl (or was it a letter to her parents?).  I'm not sure, but it was about dating college men, and falling in love, enough to be happy being fed ramen noodles and drinking Tang.  Oh, the good old days. The men's glee club did "In the Hall of the Mountain King" - that's a great piece of classical music, and I had never heard lyrics associated with it.  It was well done.

Old Crow Medicine Show was the guest band:  they did some rousing bluegrass numbers and a couple thoughtful numbers; one named 'Levi', and one called 'Ways of Man': one of these was about an Iraqi war veteran who had come home to West Virginia, I do believe.  The banjo picking, fiddle playing, string band was a perfect fit for the style of the prairie show.

Garrison did "News from Lake Wobegon" without any notes.  He really is an old-style story teller.  He said he had 'autism' when he was a kid, but nobody called it that then, and he was fine, happy. Yes, he's a little odd, and meanders around the stage almost like he's lost or doesn't know where to go, but he's also brilliant at what he does.  My husband simply said he's walking around his 'office.' That's about right.  It was a rough drive home in the dark through those four-way stops back to I-69 and home in Fort Wayne, but I'm glad I saw Garrison one more time before one of us is here no longer.

What Comes Next for our Disabled Friends

When you have a child with a disability, you often find yourself treading water in a Tsunami of a world, trying to find trees or telephone phones to cling on to.  It's great when a group of service providers come together to put the telephone poles in one place. Schools are one great place to help kids make progress, but a publicly provided education doesn't go on indefinitely.

People with disabilities are eligible by law to stay in high school through the age of 22. That's a good thing for those who are still learning and doing well in the school environment. But there comes a time when we all must leave school eventually and go out into the world of work. This must be daunting for people with disabilities, and confusing regarding what choices to make by their parents.

Indiana-Purdue University in Fort Wayne (IPFW) recently sponsored a Transition Fair on their campus for young men and women who will be soon leaving high school. The Walb Memorial Union, pictured above, was a nice, spacious venue for the event. Many area providers of services showed up with their display booths to talk about what they can contribute to this endeavor.

The Autism Society of Indiana was represented by a parent of two boys with autism. This cheerful mom put a face on the real concerns of more and more diagnoses of this affliction. The Center for Disease Control reports that 1 in 88 children in the U.S. has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It's five times more common in boys (1 in 54) than girls (1 in 252). Scientists are trying to zero in on causes of autism, and sound an alarm on the number of toxic chemicals in our environment leading to a possible causation. These chemicals include lead, mercury, PCBs, pesticides, engine exhaust, and flame retardants.

Infection and inflammatory response by the woman's body during pregnancy, age of father, and genetic factors are all being studied as possible contributors to autism. I saw the great mom answering questions and providing literature at her booth while her lively sons bounced balls off lockers in the college hallway. One look at this mother and it was obvious what a terrific, brave parent she was, and how well she was standing up to the job the universe had given her. We must all be more aware, and stand up to help as well.

LIFE Adult Day Academy was there, a place on Homestead Road in Fort Wayne, which has been in business since 2010. It does creative skill development without relying on large group work activities; something at which not all clients are able to be successful. Bevaun Graves, the Academy Director was there, and I was impressed at how he had broken out of the big agency approach and had created his own program. Sometimes you meet someone who seems lit from within and exudes a peaceful passion; I could be wrong but that was my impression of him.

Advocacy Links was represented. For a time in our state there was one case management service authorized by the state system; now that system has been opened up for competitive providers and smaller companies, and individuals are getting in the game. It's good for consumers and parents to have more choices out there. 

Bethesda Lutheran Communities, a  faith-based organization, had staff available to talk about the respite care they provide at their facility on Vance Avenue in Fort Wayne. They had photos displayed of private bedrooms and their activity area, which have all been furnished with new flat screens and DVD players. A nice big kitchen as well made the place look like an inviting place for a disabled individual to stay.

Goodwill Industries hires people with disabilities, and I enjoyed talking to their staff. Although I said our family couldn't really use their vocational services, the rep went out of her way to thank me when I said I donated things to Goodwill and shopped at their stores with my daughter. The woman said without those donations and shopping from folks such as us, they wouldn't be able to provide the employment programs. I also told her Goodwill has a great television advertising campaign. Most TV commercials are annoying, made with huge budgets, but the local Goodwill ones are clever and look like they could be produced on a shoestring. It's all about talent and good writing, is it not?

A transition planning handbook was provided by the Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services to help families figure out what they need to do as a child ages through high school and turns age of 18. A simple checklist like this helps a parent make sure they have covered all the bases. The things that need to be done simply don't happen automatically.

Of course the big agencies were represented, and many of these do a great job. We locals know who they are, so I won't take up more space about their services here. I will say I admire people who go into this type of work; in many cases our society doesn't seem to honor them and the sacrifices that they make for others, but these good people continue to strive on tirelessly and selflessly. You caring professionals - you, and your charges know who you are and the great jobs you do. Hats off to you. Namaste.

March of Dimes Auction Makes Giving Fun

One of my favorite things about this time of year is stumbling upon all the fire bushes, or burning bushes, as they turn their scarlet colors. I want to photograph them everywhere. The ones here, seen near the Allen/Dekalb/Noble county lines, seem to march themselves down the side of the county road.

We took part in another march of sorts recently - a charity auction for the March of Dimes. Held at the lovely Orchard Ridge Country Club, it was a 'signature chefs' auction, featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres from some of Fort Wayne's best restaurants.

While guests walked around and looked at silent auction items for which to write bids, they were able to sample bits of many savory foods. Catablu, Granite City, Calhoun St. Soups-Salads-and Spirits, Chop's Steaks and Seafood, and Casa Ristoranti Italiano were a few of the restaurants that offered snacks and also donated dinner packages for auction.

A pediatrician from DeKalb Health (the new name for their hospital) bid up a 'cookie of the month' club package from Blondie's Cookies. I won something for which I had bid on in the silent auction - an artist's rendering of my favorite sculpture: Cloud Gate, "the bean," the giant iconic piece in Chicago's Grant Park. It's a dark print with a glowing reflection of the Chicago skyline reflected in the giant bean. I love it, but it came in a cheapish plastic frame that I am planning to replace.

March of Dimes was originally a charity to help prevent birth defects. Remember when moms and kids would walk around neighborhoods, trying to collect dimes in paper envelopes? Fundraising has changed, and so has much of the focus of this charity. Although the organization still works on preventative care, much of the focus is now on improving the progress of premature babies.

Not long ago, a baby born at 28 weeks had only a 50 percent chance of survival. It was likely the baby would have chronic lung problems and perhaps neurological problems. March of Dimes' research led to the development of surfactant therapy; the use of some kinds of steroids to help a premature baby's lungs deal with life outside the womb. Now many babies leave NICUs healthier, earlier, and with better chances of avoiding life-long complications.

But more about the event. After the silent auction, snacks, and cocktails, came the live auction. If you've never been to an upscale charity auction, it can be quite a kick. An attendee experiences rapid-fire auction calling, with the auctioneer's assistants running around working the room, and guests outbid each other for desirable packages.

At this auction were donated trip packages, large group parties at restaurants, 18 holes of golf and lunch at the country club, and a Colts football game, dinner and hotel package. Having only attended one Colts game in our lives, we were interested in winning the Colts tickets.

I felt like some of the most generous bidders went for the "fund the mission" project. One received no freebies with this bid. All of the proceeds on this deal go simply straight to research and were 100% tax deductible. I found myself applauding for our generous friends who gave to this and took home no bling in return. You know who you are and here today I thank you silently, with tears welling up in my eyes.

We got to meet a healthy, thriving "preemie;" she is now two years old, just a little small and quite a pistol. Her parents stood up front and told the story about delivering her at Lutheran Hospital at just 24 weeks into the pregnancy. There's nothing like putting a real face in front of a crowd to make the story come to heart.
 
Orchard Ridge and March of Dimes did a nice job with this event; they rounded up some enticing donations and found some firecracker auctioneers. I'm not all that impressed with some charities, but I think March of Dimes has done a nice job reinventing itself, and finding ways to successfully move forward into the future.

The Gorgeous Allen County Courthouse

The Allen County Courthouse is an amazing building. Construction began on it in 1897, and it was finished in 1902. It's breathtaking with lovely Italian marble, limestone, and Vermont granite features.

There are giant murals by Charles Holloway, columns, bas-reliefs and art glass. A seven-year restoration was completed on the building in 2002. The courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003.

When it was nominated for these awards, the nominating committee said the combination of Greek, Roman and Renaissance influences reflected the exuberance and ambition of late 19th Century America.

We were in the courthouse to obtain the guardianship of a disabled child. Without it, for a person such as this at 18, there is no authority to speak for the person if they have to make medical decisions or are hospitalized.

One must go through a metal detector to enter the courthouse. The process is much like going through security in an airport. One must empty one's pockets, and you can't take a camera or cell phone into the building at all. I'm sure this must be very difficult for people who are totally connected to their phones 24 hours a day, as so many people are now. I found it refreshing; like the good old days that weren't that long ago.

As for the hearing itself, unfortunately, our lawyer had laryngitis. She said she didn't feel sick, and she had never had it before. But it had left her completely unable to speak. The magistrate was really good about the situation, and allowed the lawyer for the disabled person (yes, two lawyers were required for this) to do all the questioning. It was unusual, but it worked; we got through it, and we were granted the guardianship.

I love the beautiful building, the marble staircases, and all the helpful people we ran into that day. My pictures here are not that good, copied with my iPod from a website, but you can look for photos on the Internet to see more of the lovely art and art glass windows.

Our lawyer was very kind, and sent me this quote after the hearing: 'Faith is believing that one of two things will happen - that there will be something solid for you to stand on, or that you will be taught to fly.' I had never heard that statement before, and it was quite fitting.

A Poem: Summer is Leaving

Today the leaves are showing pale undersides, like frightened rabbits or fleeing whitetail deer. Wind currents transform the leaves into shaky jazz hands, shimmying up and down the tree.

Undersides of green willows are silver, nodding and bowing to the gusts as they pass. Bird feeders rock with their own rhythm.

What are these cut flowers at my table? Diminutive sunflowers? Giant black-eyed Susans? They wilt sadly, hunched over, looking as though they just exhaled a big, draining sigh. The clouds are a low dense layer of cotton to be pulled out of a package and thrown away.

There will be no sunset tonight. Complainers whine about ninety-degree heat and drought all summer, and are now so sorry they complained. Yes, we are fickle. The things we think are important; so often, so simply, are not.

The ice maker chinks out the frozen crescents with clockwork timing. Ice rocks out against the freezer door. As predictable as a church bell tolling, it awakens me into the practical moment.

And now it is night. Loved ones are far away. I poke myself in the eye with the spigot faucet when I drink from it in the dark. Then I am up early; not able to sleep after five a.m.

Summer is gone, and dark takes over more than half of the day. I finish my poem, awaiting the light of dawn.

October Moon

The fish skim the surface of the water sieving bugs. Their disturbance of this platter reflects the moon's light, causing glitter where everything else is smooth.

From where are you viewing this same full moon? Is it rising in your sky too?

I remember my friend, heart breaking, clutching on to me for dear life. Hands and arms clinging so tightly, sobbing, crying with paralyzing grief. I was so young, I had never been the strong one before. How many months and years of full moons have passed since then?

Jupiter shields the Earth from asteroids, taking hit after hit that explode on its surface. Starbursts of light become fireworks as Earthlings watch safely through their telescopes. I was Jupiter, trying to be the grief shield for my friend. I was the child that had become the caretaker. I wanted to block, absorb any hurts. But I could not - I had to stand helplessly and watch the waves of pain crash in over and over again.

Now it's my turn. Endless hurts, shouting, chaos, tinnitus a constant companion my every waking moment.

The night passes. The moon tracks across the sky on its legless trek. Early morning, there are no sparkles on the water. In the same secret spot, mists rises in a column and fish languish. A pair of geese fly in; from the side they look like SST aircraft.

The moment is over. The glittering surface, the memory of grief - buried for now, precious, waiting to rise again as the moon will rise.