Published: April 08, 2009 05:00 pm         

Valley Briefly: April 12, 2009

Terre Haute: Project receives grant to help pet owners

Project HOPE received an $8,000 grant from the Community Foundation to help pet owners of the recently unemployed and low income citizens on Social Security. This group of individuals didn’t qualify for public assistance or disability. The funds will provide free spay/neuter surgeries for those pets. To qualify, Vigo County citizens need to provide proof of unemployment or proof they receive Social Security benefits. The funds are not for high income retirees receiving Social Security.

The mission to halt the overpopulation of pets without euthanasia.

Worthington: Garden Club to auction starts

On April 25, the Worthington Garden Club will auction a large selection of healthy starts: perennials, annuals, herbs, trees, groundcovers, garden décor and more. The auction starts at 10 a.m. in the Worthington Park Community Building and wraps up around noon. Admission is free, and food will be available as well. The Garden Club is a nonprofit organization that strives to beautify Worthington. For more information, call (812) 384-2879 or e-mail dengreen@node1internet.com.

Clark County: Master Gardener Plant sale May 9

Clark County is coming up roses, and daisies and daffodils – the Master Gardener Plant Sale is the reason. For the 13th year, they will celebrate spring with hundreds of flowers, bushes and trees ready to plant.

The Plant Sale will be 8 to 10 a.m. May 9 at the University of Illinois Extension Office in Clark County, one mile south of Marshall on Route 1.

If you have too many daisies and not enough mums, dig them to sell. Anyone is invited to sell and buy. There is no fee for a space, but it is necessary to call the Clark County Extension Office at (217) 826-5422 to reserve a space.

Terre Haute: Area 7 Agency to stage workshop

The West Central Indiana Economic Development District, Inc., (Area 7 Agency on Aging and Disabled) will be providing a workshop for preparation of proposals for FY2010 (July 1 to June 30, 2010) funding for the provision of services to senior citizens, homebound individuals and those persons with disabilities in Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion, and Vigo counties. The workshop will be at 9 a.m. April 23 at the Vigo County Public Library, Seventh and Poplar streets.

Program funding allocations (based on current funding) Title 111/VII of the Older Americans Act is $1,092,915.

Other program funds are available through the Social Service Block Grant and the Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled through a memorandum of agreement at State capped rates. The total allocation for SSBG services is $210,695. The total allocation for CHOICE services is $1,078,148.

AH Agency vendors interested in applications are required to attend the workshop. Application packets will not be available before the workshop. fter April 23, only memorandums will be distributed. Proposals will then be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on May 22. Any questions concerning project eligibility or proposal materials should be directed to Gloria Wetnight at 1-800-489-1561 or (812) 238-1561, ext. 240, or e-mailed to gwjtnjght@westcentralm.com.

Rockville: Speaker’s Bureau program April 21

Senior Education Ministries, Inc. and Rockville Public Library have partnered to schedule The Rockville Speaker’s Bureau on the third Tuesday of every month at Rockville Library from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The next speaker on April 21, retired U.S. Marine Cpl. Leighton Willhite, fought during World War II in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

On that day, U.S. Marines hit the sands of Iwo Jima. The Marines had overwhelming force and controlled the sea and air. But the Japanese had the most ingenious and deadly fortress in military history. Almost 100,000 men would fight on a tiny island of about 8 square miles. It took the Marines 36 days to hike that much territory.

Willhite was sent to Iwo Jima and was in one of the first battalions to land on the beach. He was there for 32 of the 36 days. The Marines were sleeping on ground that the Japanese had practiced how to crawl over in the darkness. The days and nights were full of fear and terror.

Willhite watched as both flags were raised on Iwo Jima and also witnessed the first landing of the B-29 Superfortress, Dinah Mite. Willhite was awarded the Bronze star for his efforts on Iwo.

Call (765) 569-5544 for more information.

Marshall, Ind.: Bat presentation set at Turkey Run

A presentation on bats will be given by Dr. John O. Whitaker Jr. at the Friends of Turkey Run and Shades State Parks annual meeting on April 16. Whitaker serves as director of the Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation, as well as the Indiana State University Bat Center. He teaches in the department of Ecology and Organismal Biology at ISU and is the author of The National Audubon Society’s Field Guide to North American Mammals, among other publications.

Whitaker’s presentation about bats will clear up some of the “misconceptions about bats, centered around the idea that they should be avoided or dispensed with. That’s not the case at all. Bats are the main predator against a wide range of insects at night, including those harmful to our agricultural crops. They really bring balance to nature.” In addition, he will discuss the “white mouth disease” which is currently a threat to maintaining bat populations.

The presentation starts at 7 p.m. at the Turkey Run Inn in the Dogwood Room.