TERRE HAUTE — What does it say about a community when so many people come together to raise so much money for a great cause — and have so much fun while they’re at it?
It says a lot. And it’s all good.
No one denies these are tough economic times everywhere. Terre Haute and Vigo County have their challenges, as do other communities in America and beyond. But don’t expect local folks to abandon causes they hold dear out of fear of economic unknowns, or even because of hardships affecting them now.
The new Terre Haute Children’s Museum is the latest beneficiary of the community’s generous spirit. In just a three-day period during the past week, more than $65,000 in direct contributions were made to help the Children’s Museum edge closer to its goal of raising $5.2 million for its new facility right downtown. With more than $4.4 million already raised, the goal is well within reach.
The first of the two events responsible for the robust infusion of new funds was Saturday night, when more than 800 people packed the floor of Hulman Center for “100 Men Who Cook.” The event featured 100 local leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors who came together to offer samplings from their favorite recipes in a cooking competition.
The sponsors — Old National Bank, Thompson Thrift, Baesler’s Market and Time Warner Media Sales — produced a highly entertaining evening for the large gathering of attendees and were richly rewarded by raising almost $60,000 for the museum.
Then on Monday night, the Young Leaders organization hosted its third annual Dueling Pianos musical fest featuring highly talented members from the cast of Howl at the Moon, a popular downtown Indianapolis nightclub.
The event filled the bottom floor of Terre Haute’s Ohio Building with a raucous, enthusiastic and generous crowd. When the music finally faded, about $5,400 was raised for the museum.
Fresh from the glow of these public contributions, the museum learned that it would receive a $50,000 gift from the family of Dr. and Mrs. Krishna Namburi.
In a few short months, the Children’s Museum will open the doors of its new building to the public. When that day arrives, the vision of its founders and its board will become a spectacular reality.
As the community gets its first inside view of this downtown jewel, everyone should be reminded of the many events such as the 100 Men Who Cook and Dueling Pianos, and the many individuals — such as the Namburis — and organizations both public and private that came together for a prolonged effort to fuel this wonderful cause.
Our compliments and congratulations to the sponsors of these recent, wildly successful fundraisers — and to all the private contributors — that mean so much to our community making itself the best it can be.
Editorials
Related Photos
Discussion
TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Spirit thrives despite hard times
Children’s Museum gets boost from fundraisers
- Editorials
-
-
EDITORIAL: Drug-testing bill lacks fairness and decency
The current session of the Indiana Legislature has produced plenty of initiatives that play well to the majority party’s base.
-
EDITORIAL: Keep religion out of science class
An uncertain fate remains for an Indiana Senate bill that would, if it were to become law, allow public schools to teach creationism and other origin-of-life theories in their classes. But this fight may have already been grounded.
-
EDITORIAL: Delivering on infrastructure
With national, state and local economies showing distinct signs of recovery from the Great Recession of 2008, it is good to hear Mayor Duke Bennett sounding optimistic about Terre Haute and its immediate future.
-
EDITORIAL: Volunteer ‘army’ serving the needs of children
You know, of course, that casa means house. But do you also know that its all-capitals cousin, CASA, means home?
-
EDITORIAL: Big dreams do come true
Consider this Super Bowl Sunday to be proof that anything is possible.
-
EDITORIAL: Big ‘kick’ from a native son
Every player in Sunday’s Super Bowl is from somewhere. But not every player remembers where he’s from and reaches out to consistently help those back home. Not like Steve Weatherford. Make that not like Terre Haute’s Steve Weatherford.
-
EDITORIAL: Smoking ban good enough
When it comes to getting things done in the Indiana General Assembly, progress is often measured in baby steps. Indeed, it can take years to achieve even meager accomplishments.
-
EDITORIAL: United Way’s strong reputation helps sustain community trust
It would be foolish in any community to take “positives” for granted, but it’s easy to understand how a casual observer would assume that United Way of the Wabash Valley will always come through with flying colors.
-
EDITORIAL: Nothing sexy about human trafficking
When kickoff comes at the 2012 Super Bowl, expectations will be high for a fun, competitive, fanatical contest between the two survivors of the NFL’s regular season.
-
EDITORIAL: The law’s good ‘Shepard’
Under the radar and against the backdrop of the fractious right-to-work battle going on in Indianapolis, one of state’s leading public servants delivered his valedictory in typical understated, even quiet, style two weeks ago. And before Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard slips away into retirement, his work needs to be acknowledged and praised.
-
EDITORIAL: Cops at risk
Indiana lawmakers are playing with a loaded gun in a bill that passed the Indiana Senate Monday, 45-5.
-
TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Helping your community, a few mouse clicks at a time
When you type WabashValleyGives.org into your web browser, hundreds of opportunities to help your local community will open on the screen before you.
-
EDITORIAL: Raves around the town
To begin the week, we are raving about these recent pieces of local news:
-
EDITORIAL: Let Hoosiers have a say on right-to-work bill
Indiana legislators, both Republican and Democrat, may claim to know the will of the people on right-to-work.
-
EDITORIAL: Thin ice winter’s deadly scourge
Six-year-old Trevor Wayne Young of Nashville, Ind., and 50-year-old Allen D. Johnson of Galva, Ill., probably had little in common — except the way they died.
-
EDITORIAL: Meeting needs at St. Ann's
The caliber of a community often is revealed by its efforts to help its least fortunate citizens.
-
EDITORIAL: A sweet deal for Amazon.com
That loud lip-smack on the cheek you heard echoing from Indianapolis last week was the sound of Gov. Mitch Daniels kissing off on what amounts to another sweetheart deal between Indiana and Amazon.com, the online retailing giant.
-
EDITORIAL: A new era for growth
The promised announcement of a major new industry for the former Pfizer property in southern Vigo County turned out to be well worth the wait.
-
EDITORIAL: Transparency a worthy goal
Do taxpayers have the right to know specific details of contracts between elected school boards and superintendents they hire to run their operations?
-
EDITORIAL: Shakir Bell’s success gives boost to Sycamore football
Hope inspires progress. It’s the fuel for a better future.
-
EDITORIAL: Inspiration for the future
Hope inspires progress. It’s the fuel for a better future.
-
EDITORIAL: Put teeth in public access laws
Indiana’s laws governing public access, as good as they are, lack something important — teeth. There are no significant consequences for agencies or employees who intentionally violate them.
-
EDITORIAL: Time for teamwork in Sullivan
The beginning of a new mayoral term in any community is — or should be — a time when the talk of the town is rife with ideas, improvements and changes.
-
EDITORIAL: Lawmakers should leave IHSAA, high school basketball alone
In an idyllic world, Indiana could restore its fabled single-class high school basketball state tournament, and thousands of fans would pour into gymnasiums from Angola to Corydon in hopes of witnessing another “Milan Miracle” year after year after year.
-
EDITORIAL: ‘Anthem’ proposal way off key
Remember Faith Hill’s impassioned rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl in 2000?
-
EDITORIAL: Back from the access brink
It took almost a week, but Gov. Daniels finally stepped up and did the right thing on Wednesday, rescinding new rules aimed at restricting the number of people allowed in the Statehouse during this session of the General Assembly.
-
EDITORIAL: Poor decision by local Dems
By a little after 4 this afternoon, Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett will have been sworn in for a second term and City Councilman-elect Robert All will have taken the oath of office for the first time.
-
EDITORIAL: Be it resolved …
Resolutions for 2012 are top-of-mind today.
-
EDITORIAL: Another slice of Classic history
Baseball is the so-called American pastime, but to Hoosiers and to our Illinois neighbors, it’s basketball that gets a community’s blood pumping. And no form of roundball does that any more intimately than high school basketball, whether boys or girls. College hoops is great, but nothing quite beats the packed, overheated confines of a high school gym when a tight game turns on every possession, every shot, every rebound, every pass, every defensive position. The sing-song of cheerleaders, the shrillness of a ref’s whistle, the squeak of gym shoes on hardwood, the shouted instructions from the benches, the aroma of popcorn — those form a Midwestern tableau unlike any other.
-
EDITORIAL: A strategy for growth
There are many ways to market an area in order to spur economic growth. Some may work better than others, but there is no perfect approach. The essential thing is to have a strategy and to implement it.
- More Editorials Headlines
-
EDITORIAL: Drug-testing bill lacks fairness and decency
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Coroner: Houston Autopsy Results Weeks Away
Greece Passes New Austerity Deal Amid Rioting
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
Severe Cold Wreaks Havoc in China
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Fans 'Speechless' Over Houston's Death
Snow Strands Italian Towns
Nordic Festival Puts North Korea in Spotlight
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Video of M.I.A's Obscene Halftime Gesture
'Rumor Has It' Adele's Rolling in the Grammys
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Today in History for Tuesday, February 12th
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Adele's revealing "60 Minutes" interview
Raw Video: Obama Budget Goes to Capitol Hill
Exclusive Video: Bobbi Kristina Leaving Hospital
Lusetich: AT&T Recap
Raw Video: Aurora Borealis As Seen From Space
2012 Grammys: Rihanna
2.12: Pebble Beach Pro-Am -- Phil Mickelson
2012 Grammys: Taylor Swift
Exclusive Video - Whitney's Bodybag
FUEL TV: Punk Payback Gym tips
Whitney's Final Days - EXCLUSIVE
Romney Tops Santorum in CPAC Straw Poll
First glimpse of Blue Ivy Carter
Angry Dad Shoots Teens Laptop
Peek inside Barbie's closet
Absolute Lin-sanity
Madonna's Daughter Shaves Head
