Attendance: 97

Invocation: Max Mock

Greeters: Fred Nieter, Jeff Crawford

Guests: Niki Waltz, Tracie Hodson (Travis McConnell)

Birthdays: Tracy Fitzgerald, Harry Gigous, Gary Tanner, Mike Hall, Rick Kerlin.

Announcements: 1) Art Gakstatter said Spooktakular went really well. 2) President Rob Bishop announced Jeff Owens will chair the Oratorical Contest. 3) Coach Kessler talked about the Officer Terry Polston Hoops for Hope event at the MOCC on Nov 16 and 17. Proceeds go to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. He passed around a sign up sheet for donations. You can also donate by buying tickets. The proceeds are not for medical bills but supportive things like gas, etc. 4) Dr. C. Hollar said there will be a rally outside GOP Headquarters (on Courthouse Square) Sunday Nov. 4 at 1:30. Visiting us will be Governor Holcomb, U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun, Secretary of State Connie Lawson, State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell and State Auditor Tera Klutz

50/50(Kris Farwell): Jeff Owens won!

Membership (Joey Hickerson) Niki Waltz had her 3rd reading (Travis McConnell).

Sergeants: Paul Heaton, Brittany Lyon, and Mitch Goon entertained us. Dr. S. Hollar was fined for his St. Patrick’s day pants, and we sent a group Happy Birthday text to Mike Hall.

Program: Tracie Hodson talked about the Kosciusko County Shelter for Abuse, Inc., better known as the Beaman Home. The Beaman Home was founded by Altrusa International of Warsaw and named after Grace Beaman, who had a boarding house and was well known in the community for taking in needy people. Their mission is “to provide shelter, education and confidential services to survivors of domestic abuse, and sexual assault.” The home serves as an emergency shelter, both for abused men and women and their children. Currently only one bed is available. It is also the base for the area’s Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline. Tracie talked about multiple programs Beaman has to offer. The DoVE Outreach Program provides advocacy to victims who are still with their abusers, as well as to survivors who are rebuilding their lives. Advocates help victims (if they decide to leave their home) to find a away to do it safely. The BeCoME program involves one on one counseling by a professional  counselor to victims and their families at no cost to them. The Adult Life Skills Program clients learn self-sufficiency by learning various adult life skills. The SyncUp! program promotes healing, safety and resilience in the lives of children, youth and adolescents who have experienced trauma through domestic violence. The Kosciuko County Rapid Re-housing Program, funded by HUD, helps victims get into their own new home and establish a violence free life. The Basic needs center, on Winona Avenue, is a place for donors to drop things off, and for clients to shop. The items are sorted and if not needed by the Beaman Home donated to other organizations such as Goodwill. More information is available at thebeamanhome.com and on their Facebook page.

We had a surprise visit from Sheel Dirck (our landlord) who told us about his Haunted House on the Fairgrounds, which will still be open Nov 2 and 3rd. He had a very strange companion with him so you’ll definitely want to check out the Haunted House!