Business briefs, May 15, 2021

May 15—United Way awarded Duke Energy Foundation Funding

United Way serving Howard and Tipton counties recently announced it received a $15,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation for Real Men Read, a volunteer reading program supporting early learning.

Real Men Read mobilizes community members as volunteer readers in early learning center classrooms and enrolls children and their families in The Imagination Library, according to a recent news release. The Imagination Library mails one age-appropriate book per month to the home of children who are up to 5 years old at no cost to families thanks to the Duke Energy Foundation and donors to United Ways' annual fundraising campaign.

Real Men Read has helped to enroll over 2,819 children in Imagination Library, and more than 1,377 children have graduated out of the program since its debut in 2017. Imagination Library delivers over 20,000 books a year to children in Howard and Tipton counties.

Real Men Read and The Imagination Library are a collaboration working toward a larger community goal of 75in5, which strives to increase kindergarten readiness on the first day of school from 45% to 75% by 2022.

To volunteer for Real Men Read or register for The Imagination Library, contact Morgan Dolezal at mdolezal@unitedwayhoco.org, or visit www.unitedwayhoco.org.

Bill Friend joins board of U.S. 31 Coalition

Former Indiana State Rep. Bill Friend was recently elected to the U.S. 31 Coalition Board of Directors.

Friend, who served for 16 years representing parts of Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall and Miami counties, also served as Republican Majority Leader, according to a recent news release.

Friend was elected to the Indiana State House of Representatives in 1992. In 2018, he announced he would not be running for reelection.

Prior to serving at the Statehouse, Friend also served as Allen Township trustee/assessor, on the Miami County Council and as Miami County auditor.

Friend and his wife, Ann, are residents of Macy, where they've raised three children. A 1967 graduate of North Miami High School, Friend has a degree in biology from the University of Indianapolis.

The U.S. 31 Coalition was formed in 2000 to promote improvement of the U.S. 31 corridor from Indianapolis to South Bend. Board members consist of community leaders from every county along the corridor.

Package Right earns ISO certification

Tipton-based puzzle manufacturer Package Right has achieved the highest standard of international quality management with its International Standards Organization (ISO) certification.

ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety and efficiency of products, services and systems, according to a recent news release. Package Right is certified to the ISO 9001:2015 standard, which is based on principles including a strong customer focus, engagement of people, evidence-based decision making, involvement of high-level leadership as well as a process-driven approach and continuous improvement the system.

A goal set forth in 2018 by the entire team at Package Right, a company that employs more than 150 people in the Tipton area, the certification "validates Package Right's efforts in maintaining quality throughout all aspects of our operation and further acknowledges our commitment to attaining the highest-possible standards," the news release stated.

Package Right, a member of the EPI Group since 2017, was founded in 1991 to help the jigsaw puzzle and board game industries bring their visions to life.

Farms sought for rural preservation award

Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Farm Bureau welcome nominations for the 2021 John Arnold Award for Rural Preservation. The award recognizes the preservation and continued use of historic farm buildings in Indiana, officials announced in a recent news release. Since it was established in 1992, owners of 30 historic farms all over the state have been honored with the award.

Anyone, including farm owners, can submit a nomination for the Arnold Award. The nomination is simple and asks for:

a brief history of the farm and description of its significant historic structures and features, such as the farmhouse, barns, agricultural outbuildings and landscape elements.

a description of how the farm's historic agricultural structures are used in day-to-day farming operations, and how they have been preserved or adapted.

high-resolution digital photographs of the farm and its preserved historic features. Historic images are also welcome.

The award winner receives an attractive outdoor marker and feature coverage in Indiana Preservation magazine.

Indiana Landmarks named the award in memory of John Arnold (1955-1991), a Rush County farmer who successfully combined progressive architectural practices with a deep respect for the natural and historic features of the rural landscape. The John Arnold Award for Rural Preservation honors those who share a similar commitment to preserving the landmarks and landscape of rural Indiana.

Submit nominations for the Arnold Award for Rural Preservation online at www.indianalandmarks.org/john-arnold-award-rural-preservation, or contact Tommy Kleckner at Indiana Landmarks, 812-232-4534, tkleckner@indianalandmarks.org. Deadline for nominations is June 5.