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The Washington County Board of Realtors may have dissolved, but the group will forever have a positive impact in the community thanks to their extreme generosity. Funds once held by the organization have been distributed to historic Beck’s Mill and the Washington County Community Foundation.

Beck’s Mill

Historic Beck's Mill

Officers of the former Washington County Board of Realtors presented a check for $15,000 to the Friends of Beck's Mill. Pictured on the front row are (left) Debbie Curtis, vice president, and (right) Lori Gilstrap, president.

Officers of the former county board of Realtors donated $15,000 to Beck’s Mill to provide a new roof and extension of a deck to the building. These improvements will well serve the landmark for years to come.

Beck’s Mill is a historic gristmill located approximately seven miles southwest of Salem. It is the third such mill built on the site. The original mill was built by George Beck in 1808.

In 1990, the mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Friends of Beck’s Mill began efforts to restore the current structure in 2006.

Washington County Board of Realtors Touch Tomorrow Fund

Debbie Curtis (left) and Lori Gilstrap (right) from the county Board of Realtors present a check for $60,000 to Lindsey Wade-Swift of the Washington County Community Foundation to establish a Tomorrow Fund to serve the community in the future.

On Friday, Nov. 15, the Realtors group donated $60,000 to the Washington County Community Foundation to establish the “Washington County Board of Realtors Touch Tomorrow Fund.”

Judy Johnson, executive director of the foundation, explained that the Touch Tomorrow funds are endowments that are permanent. These funds create a pool of charitable dollars that will indefinitely benefit non-profit [501(c)3] agencies that work to fulfill a vast variety of needs in the community.

The principal used to establish the fund is never accessed. Donations are made from the interest, income and earnings generated by the principal.

Touch Tomorrow endowment funds can be created by of individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations. Once the fund is established, the foundation handles investment management and distribution of proceeds from the fund. Each year the foundation’s board of directors selects which non-profit agencies will receive grants.

There are currently over 50 Touch Tomorrow funds managed by the foundation.

Johnson provided an example of just how much money can be generated by a Touch Tomorrow fund. In 1995, the estate of Ralph and Faye Mahuron donated a one-time gift of $420,000 to the foundation to establish a Touch Tomorrow fund. Every year, the Mahuron’s fund issues grants to 14 different organizations and causes for which they deeply cared.

Twenty-nine years later, their fund has granted over $644,058 to county projects, while growing in value to $839,085. This fund will continue to grow and provide grants year after year. That is the power of an endowment.

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Downtown Salem will undergo a bit of renovation over the next two years as a new pocket park is constructed. This endeavor was one of many ideas submitted by local residents who participated in the creation of the Washington County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan.

“We are very excited to be able to facilitate the construction of the pocket park,” stated Judy Johnson, Executive Director of the Washington County Community Foundation. “We actually started working on it pre-COVID, which seems like an eternity ago. Once Daniel Martinez, assistant professor at Indiana University’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program and lead architect for the project, and I had a basic concept down, we submitted a Letter of Intent to Regional Opportunities Initiative, with our fingers crossed.”

After submission of the Letter of Intent, they received an invitation to submit a full proposal.

“The Letter of Intent was a lot of work, but it provided us a great foundation to build the idea for a pocket park,” explained Johnson.

Next, a group of stakeholders was pulled together to talk about design elements, themes, and locations. “We really want to thank the people that participated on the stakeholder team: Brande Abbott, Karen Barry, Joy Bierly, Alex Campbell, Jeremy Elliott, Lisa Fleming, Mayor Justin Green, Krista Martin, Tara Kritzer, and Kristy Purlee. Their contributions added to the strength of the proposal,” added Johnson.

Applying for the grant was a three-step process. Upon positive review of the written proposal, the group was invited to make a live presentation to the selection committee.

“Daniel was a great partner throughout the entire process,” explained Johnson. “He and Lulu Loquidis really did most of the heavy lifting. They created an amazing proposal.”

Martinez and Loquidis are co-founders of LAA Office, a multi-disciplinary design studio that explores the territory between landscape, art, and architecture. The office is based in Columbus, IN.

“The Salem Pocket Park project will be a unique synthesis of public space and public art that links the historic downtown square with the John Hay Center. It will feature new works of art honoring significant women in Salem’s history, as well as seating, tables, shade umbrellas and planters,” explained Martinez.

The group hopes to begin the project this fall, weather permitting. Next spring, Salemites will notice a lot of work happening on the corridor between the Salem Square and The John Hay Center. The group hopes to have the project completed within 24 months.

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By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

As we approach the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, we know we will hear the ringing bell and see the Angle Trees of the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army raises funds to help those in need with their Red Kettle collections. They also sponsor the Angel Tree program, where individuals may choose a registered “angel” and purchase gifts of new clothing and toys for them. The gifts are distributed to the families in time to place them under the family’s Christmas tree.
If anybody needs assistance during the holidays or would like to sign up a child who lives in Washington County for the Angel Tree, they can call 812-883-1637.

The Red Kettle fundraising campaign will begin Saturday, Nov. 27, and runs through Tuesday, Dec. 24. The bell ringing hours are Friday – Saturday 10 a.m.—6 p.m. and Mondays -Thursdays 4-8 p.m. There are no Sunday shifts.

Ringers can be individuals, organizations, families, churches, school groups, 4-H groups or scout groups. To join in, please call Meredith Peters at 812-620-5835 as early as possible.

This year, as in years past, the red kettle will be set up at both doors at the Salem Walmart.

How the Red Kettle Campaign Began

General Booth founded the Salvation Army in 1865 on the east side of London. This area was filled with poverty, a lot of recent immigrants, drunkards, prostitutes and orphans. It was hard to say that there was a loving God out there when so many hungry and cold. So, the concept came up of soup, souls and salvation.

To accomplish that goal funds were needed. The kettle collection was started in San Francisco in 1891 after a Salvation Captain Joseph McFee promised to feed 1,000 destitute people near Fishman’s Wharf.

His idea was to set up an old lobster pot for collections, and he came up with the slogan “Keep the pot boiling.” He met his goal and collected enough money to feed the people.

The bell ringing began in 1900 with a teenaged volunteer in New York City named Amelia Kunkel. She was frustrated that so many bankers bypassed her and ignored her fundraising efforts. She went to Woolworth’s Department Store and bought a small bell for ten cents. The bell ringing became an established tradition for the Red Kettle program that continues today.

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MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is kicking off its annual Tie One On for Safety campaign, an effort dedicated to recognizing the importance of designated drivers. The holiday season is about to begin, spanning from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. MADD encourages all drivers to stay safe, sober, and vigilant to ensure roadway safety and help prevent impaired driving incidents.

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is among the most dangerous on the nation’s roadways due to increased travel and holiday gatherings. It is crucial to plan ahead and utilize designated drivers, rideshare services, and other safe travel options to prevent impaired driving tragedies.

“Impaired driving affects everyone in our community,” said Brent Miller. “In Washington County, our priority is to keep our families, friends, and neighbors safe on the roads. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to prevent impaired driving and protect lives this holiday season.”

To show your support, tie a red ribbon on your vehicle or post a digital ribbon across social media platforms. The red ribbon symbolizes a commitment to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Together, we can ensure everyone arrives home safely this holiday season.

For more information on the Tie One On for Safety campaign and how you can participate, please visit: https://madd.org/drunk-driving/tie-one-on-for-safety/.

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From revolution and suffrage, to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of the ever-evolving story of democracy in America. As part of a thematic initiative exploring civics and democracy, Indiana Humanities is sponsoring a tour of the Smithsonian's Voices and Votes: Democracy in Americaexhibition.

In 2026, six Indiana communities will host the exhibit for six weeks each and receive extensive training, funding, and other resources from the expert staffs of the Smithsonian and Indiana Humanities. Each of the hosts will also curate a unique section of the exhibit that explores their community story of civic engagement.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and State Humanities Councils nationwide. The Museum on Main Street program works with rural communities to design and host high-quality exhibits and create dynamic public programs across the United States. Voices and Votes is based on an exhibition by the National Museum of American History. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

About the Exhibition

When American revolutionaries waged a war for independence, they took a leap of faith that sent ripple effects across generations. They embraced a radical idea of establishing a government that entrusted the power of the nation not in a monarchy, but in its citizens. That great leap sparked questions that continue to impact Americans:

Who has the right to vote?
What are the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens?
Whose voices will be heard?
How do you participate as a citizen?
How do we encourage more people to participate in our democracy?

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is a springboard for discussions about those very questions and how they are reflected in local stories. Our democracy demands action, reaction, vision, and revision. From revolution and suffrage, to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story – the story of democracy in America.