By Sue Loughlin
TERRE HAUTE — Jenny Thomas showed her Indianapolis Colts spirit Friday by wearing a No. 18 Peyton Manning jersey, blue horseshoe earrings, blue and white beads and even eyeglasses with blue frames.
She also had a horseshoe sticker tattoo on her face.
Thomas, who is executive director of the Vigo County Education Foundation, wasn’t the only one who went all out at the school district administration building, which had a lunchtime “tailgate” party in honor of the Colts’ second trip in four years to the Super Bowl.
Employees wore Colts jerseys and T-shirts and decorated their offices with balloons, streamers, banners, posters and even some football helmets.
The business area had a nearly life-size Peyton Manning cardboard cutout figure, while the curriculum office had blue and white balloons in the shape of a horseshoe attached to the ceiling.
Food and beverages in the Title 1 office — decorated as Lucas Oil Stadium and “the locker room” — included blue popcorn, horseshoe-shaped donuts (with blue frosting), blue vegetable dip and blue lemonade.
Throughout Terre Haute, Colts fans showed their pride and spirit.
“It’s a good excuse this time of year to have fun,” Thomas said. With the Colts conducting their summer training camp in Terre Haute, watching them go to the Super Bowl “means a whole lot to Terre Haute.”
Colts fan Penny O’Brien, who works in the business office, said that having the Colts go to the Super Bowl “has been really exciting … We’ve been on the edges of our chairs every week.”
The Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce sent e-mails to its members encouraging people to wear blue on Friday. They called it “Go Colts Blue Friday.”
Companies were encouraged to send group pictures to the Chamber featuring employees in their blue and white regalia. The winner will be showcased in the Chamber’s weekly online newsletter.
“The Colts bring a lot to this community and we’re grateful to have them here for summer camp,” said Rachel Leslie, Chamber senior vice president. Go Colts Blue Friday “is our way to support them.”
Terre Haute Regional Hospital hosted a “tailgate” party in its cafeteria with food stations, decorations and even mocktails.
The executive team at the hospital has a friendly wager with its sister hospital in Tulane, La. An Indianapolis Colts victory on Sunday would result in the executives at Tulane donating $1,000 to the HCA Hope Fund for Haiti.
“And by some fluke, if the New Orleans Saints would win, the Terre Haute Regional Hospital executives will make the donation,” said a Regional news release.
Regional employee Cindy Hutchison brought much of her Colts memorabilia to decorate the cafeteria, including framed pictures and posters. She has bought season tickets for about 12 years. “I’m a huge fan,” said Hutchison, who is director of occupational medicine.
Asked her reaction to the Colts being in the Super Bowl, she said, “I’m excited. I love it. I’m getting nervous. I’m ready for a big game, though.”
Hutchison wore a No. 87 Reggie Wayne jersey and jewelry with a Colts theme, including horseshoe-shaped earrings and a pin shaped like a helmet. She also had blue fingernail polish.
Chris Hill, Regional CEO, wore a No. 18 jersey. “The Colts need to win,” he said.
The sister hospital in Louisiana “raised the bar on the bet,” Hill said. Now, executives at the “losing” hospital will have to dress up in the winning football team’s cheerleader outfits — for a picture.
Regardless of which team wins, Hill expects executives at both hospitals to contribute $1,000 to the Haiti fund, and the parent company will match those donations.
Several Terre Haute businesses are working to meet customers’ demand for just about anything with a Colts theme.
Square Donuts was selling horseshoe-shaped donuts with blue frosting on Friday for 75 cents each. “They have been popular,” said Cheryl “George” Baldridge, store employee.
The horseshoe-shaped donuts will be on sale this weekend at both the Wabash Avenue and Fort Harrison locations, Baldridge said.
At Dean’s Party Mania, Colts fans were buying up goods for their Super Bowl parties. Customers bought blue and white beads, blue and white wigs, hats, banners and other party supplies.
“We’re selling a ton of Colts balloons,” said Tonya Pearson, store manager. “Saints stuff isn’t going so good.” She estimated that 80 percent of the store’s sales this week has been Colts-related.
In Terre Haute, “We love the Colts,” Pearson said. “I think it’s because the training camp is here. We consider them a local team even though they are out of Indianapolis.”
On Friday afternoon, snowy weather couldn’t prevent Jackie Poppe from stopping at Dean’s to get white spray-on hair color for her daughter, who already had the blue spray. Her daughter was going to attend a youth Super Bowl party Sunday at a church.
Poppe is excited about the Colts playing in the Super Bowl, but she’s getting a little nervous as well. “It’s getting close,” she said.
Baesler’s Market had a Colts setup that included cupcakes with blue and white frosting, blue and white M&Ms;, Colts brownie bites and “Coltaroons.” The store also featured blue and white bread, and its blue Jello had sold out, said Casey Baesler, assistant manager.
Among those shopping at the Colts display area at Baesler’s were Kim LaGrange and her son, Adam, 13. LaGrange wore a bright blue coat, and her son wore a No. 18 Colts jersey. They bought some blue- and white-frosted cupcakes.
Asked his reaction to the Colts being in the Super Bowl, Adam’s response was, “Awesome. I’m confident they can win against the Saints.”
The Saints offense is pretty good, but “if we can stop their offense, then we should win,” he said.
Both Adam and his mom attended the Colts’ playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
