the BEACON Newspaper, Indiana beacon12-18 | Page 21

December 2018 O DILLSBORO By Rebecca Davies Community Correspondent [email protected] A year has passed since the empty red brick building that was the former home of Friendship Insurance be- gan its transformation into a community center for the arts. Through hundreds of volunteer hours, rooms were painted, walls were removed, windows covered over creat- ing clean exhibit surfaces, track lights installed, artwork gathered and hung, and the doors were open to the public. We have kept to our commit- ment to change exhibits every two months, and with artist receptions happening every second Friday. Everyone is welcome. Writers gather. Musicians jam. School kids stop by to draw, write and talk about art. Early morn- ing fitness buffs meet at Arts, run, and return for coffee and conversation. Because of these efforts and the dedication of many community leaders and patrons, the community center for the arts has been the recipient of some remarkable supporting gifts! Recently Lowe’s “Heroes,” a group of volunteers that an- nually selects a project in one of the surrounding communi- ties, completed an 18’ x 28’ deck at Dillsboro Arts. The deck includes an ADA ramp that will allow access to the building. About twenty-five volunteers devoted more than forty hours to the project. MOORES HILL By Julie Murphy Community Correspondent mooreshill@goBEACONnews. com Our little town is still abuzz from the excitement of the recent bicentennial festivities. The celebration will continue on Dec. 1 with the third annu- al Winter Walk and Christmas tree lighting at Veterans Park. Be sure to join us to celebrate the joy of the holidays. Congratulations to Kayla (Dell) and Matt Lozier on their recent marriage. Kayla is the daughter of Teresa (Burton) and Lanny Dell of Moores Hill. Kayla and Matt have a daughter, Brilynne, and are expecting their second All materials and equipment were donated as well. We are so grateful for this generous addition to our community! We have every intention of utilizing the deck as a stage, a gathering place, and as an opportunity to provide an au- dience to many voices, talents, and ideas! We are calling the addition “The Porch.” When you see a notice about an open mic, concert, poetry readings, etc., at “The Porch” you’ll know where to go! Dillsboro’s portion of a matching grant provided by the Indiana Housing and Com- munity Development Author- ity (IHCDA) was reached so that an indoor/outdoor sound system can be installed to enhance and support programs at Heritage Pointe and Arts. Please stop by to offer sug- gestions for programming and exhibits or to volunteer! As more community members get involved, hours and opportu- nities will expand. The next exhibit at Dillsboro Arts will be of selected draw- ings by DES fourth to sixth grade students, Dec. 8-Jan. 26. The artists’ reception will be Friday, Dec. 14, 6-8 P.M. They say, “Write what you know.” I am a painter and a retired art teacher and have been involved with Dillsboro Arts from its inception. While I try to cover the range of activities of our town, I know my perspective is colored by my art interests. It might be time for another point of view. Contact the Beacon or stop in at Dillsboro Arts if you want to talk about story ideas, write a guest column, or maybe take over as the correspondent! You don’t need to be a writer to share great stories. child this Spring. Kayla and her sister, Kenzie, are known for their participation in sports while students at Moores Hill. Their dad, Lanny, is an icon in the town as he has served as the street superintendent since 1994. Lanny not only keeps our streets safe, he is also called upon for various jobs by the town’s people. Lanny is always willing to help a neighbor. Thanks to Lanny for all he does. I would like to introduce the newest addition to the Murphy family. My daughter, Rachel, welcomed Olivia Rose into our family on Oct. 8. Olivia is my first grandchild and oh what a joy she is! Who knew that this tiny person could have such a big impact on our lives? I am thoroughly enjoy- ing my promotion to Nana. (I’m sure you will be hearing more about her in the future.) THE BEACON Page 9B ur Communities MILAN By Susan Cottingham Community Correspondent [email protected] With the recognition of Veteran’s Day this month, I would like to share informa- tion that was given to me by Randy Givan about the WWII experiences of his father and uncle. They both grew up on a farm in Moores Hill to which Randy’s father, Philip Givan Charles (Bud) Givan, returned after the war. His uncle, Philip (Zeke) Givan, came to live in Milan where he raised his family. Both men have fascin- ating stories. I remember his uncle as Postmaster of the Milan Post Office. I learned that Philip Givan graduated from Moores Hill High School at the age of nineteen and enlisted in the US Marine Corps that year. At Camp Joseph H. Pendleton, Oceanside, Calif., Mr. Givan received his training and eventually became part of the 4th Marine Division. In January 1944, the Marines boarded the USS Elmore headed for combat in South Pacific and remained in combat situations for a total of sixty-three days. Their first stop, at the twin islands of Roi and Namur, Marshall Islands, Mr. Givan demonstrated his marksmanship and resolve. They came under fire around dusk, and Mr. Givan single-handedly responded with continuous fire from his Browning automatic rifle resulting in thirty-five dead Japanese soldiers. He saved his platoon from total annihilation and was considered a hero. After a period on Maui, the Fourth Division participated in the assault on Saipan, where Zeke Given was wounded on June 17, 1944. The soldiers were pinned down on a forward slope. A sniper’s bullet ricocheted off Mr. Givan’s rifle and struck him in the arm. Mr. Givan received the Purple Heart, awarded first by General Harry Schmidt at Camp Maui and a few weeks later by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. The governor of Indiana proclaimed June 20, 1944, as Zeke Givan Day in honor of his heroism. Mr. Givan recovered in time to participate in the Battle of Iwo Jima Feb. 19, 1945 through March 16, 1945. Only three of the forty-six Marines in E Company walked off Iwo Jima unscathed, and Phil Givan was one of them. The Fourth Division Marines set three new military records. They were the first division to leave the United States ready for combat and enter immediately into a battle; they were the first to capture a Japanese-mandated territory in the Pacific, and they took the shortest time to secure an objective since Pearl Harbor was bombed. After the war, Philip “Zeke” Givan returned to Moores Hill where he married Barbara Fenker in 1947. They had four daughters: Deb Givan Alonso, Janice Wilson, Melanie Bentley, and Theresa Parker. His daughters remember a big scar on their dad’s left forearm from his injury on Saipan but said he never talked about the war. In addition to the Purple Heart, Mr. Givan was awarded various theatre medals including the American Campaign, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign with three Bronze Stars attached, and the Victory WWII medal. The bronze stars represented the three Pacific island battles in which he participated. He died in August 1987. Kyle Parker, Philip Givan’s grandson, later found a The annual Harvest Dinner was well attended. Japanese flag, wallet, photos, and other mementos in a box. He was able to find the Japanese family to whom they belonged via the Internet and returned the items to them. Thanks to Randy Givan for sending me information for this article. Randy is a Veteran himself, having served in Vietnam in 1965-66. We thank all Veterans for their service! I would also like to share a report from Steve and Sandy Knecht about the fifteenth Annual Harvest Dinner that was held at the Catholic church in Milan recently. The church served a delicious meal of roast pork that included several choices of vegetables, salad, and a varied offering of desserts. The festival also had a Country Store where you could pick up homegrown vegetables and handmade items. They also had a raffle for quilts, processed ¼ beef, processed ½ hogs, cash prizes and more. The event was well attended, and although I didn’t win in the raffle, I did enjoy a delicious dinner and came home with an armload of lettuce, potatoes, and a new supply of kitchen dishcloths. I am already looking forward to their sixteenth Annual Harvest Dinner in 2019! 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