Handshake may be just one of many available resources for students at Purdue Fort Wayne through the Career Development Center, but the program has become one of the most heavily endorsed programs by PFW’s Career Development Center.
Handshake is a website that is available to all PFW students and alumni. The platform is accessible online.
The website is a resource designed to help students find jobs and entry-level careers. The program allows a user to follow employers to see their job listings, see reviews of companies by past employees, see how many applicants an employer is looking to hire and more. The platform provides a way to have direct communication with potential employers and see information about career fairs and events.
When a user starts out on Handshake, they can create a profile to share with employers. They can upload a resume, share past job experience, share their skills and even narrow the job preferences suggested to them by industry, job interests and location.
Using the platform, students can set up job interviews, message employers, and create a profile that draws employers to message them first. Handshake suggests jobs based on the profile and the entire program is very customizable and individual. The job search can be narrowed down by location, full-time or part-time, on-campus or off-campus and can even be tailored to help you find internships.
Handshake also includes a “Discover More Students” tab, creating an opportunity for students of similar interests to connect and collaborate with each other.
Tracey Hanton, the assistant director for career development at Purdue Fort Wayne, works in the Career Development Center on campus. She said students are automatically registered for Handshake when they register for their first classes at PFW.
“You can make appointments with our office, you can find out about events that we’re hosting, or events that we are collaborating with,” Hanton said. “But more importantly, because it’s online, you can find events that are online that aren’t even in the area.”
Handshake is unlike any other job-search website, according to Hanton, who said that the employers are specifically looking for PFW students when they register their jobs on Handshake.
“The employers that are on our site, they actually have to register for each school that they want to be a part of to actually post their jobs,” Hanton said.
Hanton also said that Handshake is unique because “[the employers] do have a ranking and a trust score, so if there’s a company on there that somebody has found they are scamming students, we get an alert. Indeed is not going to give you an alert that this company has been scamming students.”
Purdue Fort Wayne’s Thanksgiving Break for Fall 2021 is November 24-28, Wednesday through Sunday. I encourage all of us to use this time to reflect and be grafetul for what we have.
Holidays are hard for many families who have lost loved ones and are going through hardships, and American history has warped many conversations on what this Thursday is meant to represent. Perhaps this time can be used to learn more about the context of Thanksgiving, or find what it means to you to be involved in a season of giving.
The semester is winding down QUICKLY, but we still have a few weeks to wrap up assignments and projects. Open newsroom hours will continue twice a week, unless otherwise announced, until Tuesday, December 14.
Hope to see you next Tuesday between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.!
Members of the Fort Wayne community can mark their calendars for the grand re-opening of Cinema Center this weekend which will open with a viewing of Archenemy, an independent sci-fi film by director, Adam Egypt Mortimer.
Director of Archenemy, Adam Egypt Mortimer, will be making a virtual appearance to discuss the film, Haylna Hutchin’s work as a cinematographer on Archenemy, as well as to participate in a Q&A with the moviegoers.
Executive Director Art Herbig explained the reasoning behind the decision to re-open the weekend with this particular film, “part of the reason this film was selected, and part of the reason he’s so apt to come in is because this is one of the last films done by Halyna Hutchins, who was just shot on the set of Rust. She’s the cinematographer on this film, and one of the things we were hoping to talk about is her as an artist, because there’s been a lot of talk of her as a victim of this shooting.”
Cinematographer and journalist, Halyna Hutchins, was fatally wounded during the production of the western film, Rust. Herbig emphasized the importance of discussing her work and the art she left behind.
“To get to see her art on the screen, and to talk about her as a filmmaker, along with the film itself with the director, we thought was a great way to open up cinema center again, and to show the kinds of events we want to do, along with the kinds of conversations we want to have as part of these showings”.
To purchase tickets to this event, or for more information, visit cinemacenter.org.
“Hobnobben is on its sixth annual festival which is absolutely amazing for Fort Wayne and the community. We continue to grow every single year. This year we received a record number of film submissions, so we love to see how this festival has evolved and changed from the beginning”, said Amanda Hille, co-chair of the Hobnobben film festival for the last three years.
Hille explained the significance of this event taking place in a town like Fort Wayne, extending the invitation for those unfamiliar with independent filmmaking to share their art and their perspective with the Northeast Indiana community.
“One thing we’re excited about with Hobnobben is that it is very much a Fort Wayne event. We accept films from high school all the way up to more professional type projects. We have several awards that emphasize the locality of Fort Wayne. So, this year we had a quarter of our films that were submitted that were tied to Indiana in some way, whether its being in Indiana or that they were Indiana-specific. So, we are excited to nurture and grow filmmaking in the Fort Wayne area because it is an important art form, where you can not only share your story but it’s a way to allow people from diverse groups and perspectives to showcase what they want to say in a succinct way. With this particular type of programming, we rely on the Fort Wayne community members to show up and participate in seeing films, we rely on community businesses and organizations to help sponsor Hobnobben, and this festival is really about bringing people together in an inclusive way to make sure that everyone is seen and heard and that we can really celebrate other perspectives which is so unique.”
Hille also highlighted the ways in which Hobnobben sets itself a part from other film festivals, describing how Hobnobben actively celebrates diversity beyond just the content of the film selections. Many of the films submissions selected were directed by women, and the Hobnobben festival itself was led by women. In addition to this, Hobnobben offers a special award, the Jen and Lynn award, to celebrate LGBTQIA representation in the films.
“For me, being a part of Hobnobben during my second year, one of my co-chairs said that there aren’t many festivals that are led by women it’s only, I believe, twenty-eight percent of festivals. So, for us to provide that understanding is so important. We have a new award called the Jen and Lynn award that is specifically to highlight and celebrate LGBTQAI films, and that’s one way to make sure that we are bringing representation to Fort Wayne. Forty percent of our films that were in this festival were directed by women-which is unheard of when you compare it to your mainstream Hollywood films.”
To stream the films from this event visit hobnobben.org
For more information on the Hobnobben film festival visit hobnobben.org
Fort Wayne’s annual Hobnobben film festival celebrated its sixth year at the Embassy theatre in Fort Wayne over the weekend. Members of the Fort Wayne community showed their support for independent filmmaking by attending the festival, enjoying the wide selection of submissions from filmmakers around the world, as well as panel discussions, live events, and more.
“I think what separates Hobnobben from other film festivals is that we really do strive for diversity and inclusivity in the stories that we highlight in our festival. So, we try to showcase films that you wouldn’t see on any mainstream media”, said Christi Hille, one of the co-chairs of the festival.
Christi Hille has been involved with Hobnobben since its first year. She started out bartending the first event, then volunteered with the hospitality and marketing teams, eventually working her way to become one of the three co-chairs of Hobnobben film festival. Hille highlighted the importance of supporting independent films and filmmakers in the Fort Wayne community.
“This year we had one hundred and five films were submitted to the festival, most of those were shorts in some way shape or form, and those are the types of films you can’t see streaming on Netflix or turning the channel, but there’s a lot that you can do in five minutes to tell a story and you wouldn’t know it unless you had access to a festival like this that happens to be in Fort Wayne, and it’s a really unique opportunity.”
When asked what her favorite film out of the festival line up was, she had trouble deciding, but did describe a few submissions that stood out to her, as well as the “love love” block, a block of time dedicated to romance films.
“It’s so difficult for me to choose a favorite film of the festival because we watch all of the film submissions and as a committee, we decide which ones make it into the festival after our program team watches all of them and rates them to begin with. So, I think of all of them as my true loves and I’m so passionate about each of them, but I do have a couple favorites. Six Angry Women is well-done. It’s a lovely documentary feature that investigates a crime that took place in New Zealand and that was unsolved for years, while also highlighting the rise of feminism in New Zealand and safety on campus issues. It’s a really well-done film. I also did enjoy the “love love” block. It has a bunch of little romantic vignettes and features that are cute and sweet. So, romance stories that again, you’re not really seeing on mainstream media, lots of queer representation in them, lots of different types of relationships that we can form, some meet cutes and all that kind of jazz too.”
You can stream the films from this event at hobnobben.org
For more information on Hobnobben film festival visit hobnobben.org.
‘Twas the fortnight before Christmas, at 12 in the afternoon,
I realized I had not done much shopping; I’d better start soon!
Where should I go, and what should I buy!?
Lo and behold, the College Input Holiday Gift Guide!
If you’re reading this, you’re probably like me and have been so busy with work or school and trying to maintain your mental stability that half of December has just flown by.
You could tell your family Santa’s workshop was closed due to COVID-19, or you can keep reading and check out a few of our favorites holiday gift ideas this season—full of local spirit.
Remember, small businesses are hurting during the pandemic, and need your support now more than ever.
Here are 10 local shops to support (and gift ideas to inspire you) in the downtown Fort Wayne area.
Calyan Wax Co. candles available at House to Home.
H2H has the perfect accessories to add comfort and style to any interior with modern flair. Home décor is a great gift for your work-from-home family and friends who are beginning to get stir crazy and needing something liven up their space. Whether it’s a private office, a tiny corner of the living room, or in my case, a windowless walk-in closet, a soy candle from Calyan Wax Co. will transform the dreariest spaces into a luxurious study. My favorite scent is Apples + Maple Bourbon, but House to Home also stocks Aspen + Fog, Home + Holiday, and Oakmoss + Amber. Candles make great supplementing gifts, too. A Calyan Wax Co. candle, a bottle of wine, and a soft fleece blanket make for a relaxing evening at home.
The Nurses’ Nursery is an online business started by two intensive care unit nurses in Fort Wayne with a passion for gardening. Orders can be made via their Facebook and their new website. The Nurses offer a variety of house plants, ranging from those that require little indirect light to those that are tropical, needing bright direct light. For a first-time house plant owner, I would recommend going with a jade pothos. They are relatively low maintenance, requiring indirect light and can even grow under standard fluorescent lights. Follow the Nurses’ Nursery social media accounts for holiday discounts and plant care tips.
Plants and ceramic pots by artist Kristen Watrous of K Watrous Ceramics available at Honey Plant
If you’re picking up a house plant from The Nurses’ Nursery, be sure to also visit Honey Plant boutique, as well. Not only do they also offer a wide assortment of house plants in their boutique and online, they also carry a diverse selection of pots and containers. Many of these ceramic pieces are made by Indiana artists, such as Sarah Thompson owner of Sarahmics. Honey Plant owners Cassandra and Logan Braman are always friendly and helpful in choosing the correct plant and type and size of container for your plant’s needs, too. For those whose thumbs are more black than green, Honey Plant also designs plant art from mosses and dried flowers. This option is a step up from fake plants, but doesn’t require the same maintenance as living plants.
Before you even reach the door, you’ll catch a whiff of that universal “old book smell” drafting through your COVID-19 mask. The shelves of Hyde Brothers Booksellers are stacked floor to ceiling, housing over 150,000 books. Browse the selection, and you’ll find new reads and plenty of classics. For socially distant shopping, the bookstore will host its Midnight Sale this year in two sessions, lasting two hours each, on Saturday, Dec. 19. This extravaganza requires a ticket to participate, and you can reserve one for free via Eventbrite. On this special night, you will receive a 20 percent discount on your entire purchase and a gift if you wear your pajamas! If you are not able to make the sale, you can also shop the online book packages, which are specially curated with the help of the staff. Buyers can fill out a preference form based on their desired genre and previously enjoyed books. Can you imagine, getting The Sam Hyde Family Package, and everyone getting their book on Christmas Eve, reading and sipping hot cocoa? #goals.
I don’t know about you guys, but I am a gift wrap snob. While most often gift wrap is ripped to smithereens, I aim to use gift wrap that will cause the receiver to pause at its glory and appreciate the artwork that goes into it. Fancy & Staple not only carries gift wrap, bags, stickers, and tags for a myriad of occasions, but also has an eclectic supply of goods from creators—both local and all over the world. Follow Fancy & Staple on Instagram and stay tuned for updates regarding their upcoming toy store, Hopscotch House. It’s all the fun and wonder that can be found in Fancy & Staple, but for your favorite littles!
Friendship bracelets at Creative Women of the World
CWOW’s Wide Silk Rainbow bracelet is an awesome group gift. Friendship bracelets are timeless, and it is an extra reminder of your love when you can’t be near. These bracelets are small, but meaningful, like work done by the ladies of CWOW, a shop and nonprofit that specializes in empowering female entrepreneurs all over the world to use their creative and artistic talents to support their families and communities. Each bracelet is handmade by a Guatemalan artisan, so no two are exactly the same. Along with the Friendship bracelets, CWOW features a wide variety of sustainably sourced gifts for men and women alike, including clothing, accessories, home décor, baking kits, coffee, and essential oils! Visit their shop downtown next to J.K. O’Donnell’s Irish Pub or browse their selection online.
Coney Island socks available at Fort Wayne’s Famous Coney Island Gift Shop
Steamed buns aren’t the only thing Coney Island is peddling. While you’re taking a break from the many hours of shopping, grab a couple of Coney dogs—sauce and cheese only for me. Then walk over to the Coney Island Gift Shop next door. This tiny shop is full of Coney Island inspired apparel, but the gift that takes the cake is the Coney Island dress socks. What better way to wear your local pride than with this iconic Fort Wayne restaurant keeping your feet cozy all winter long?
At some point this year, most of us have yearned for nights out with our friends, but instead, have settled for nights stuck at home to stay safe. But thanks to Camp Craft DIY Cocktails available at The Find, you can learn how to make artisanal cocktails yourself—no professional bartender required. While the cocktail kits require three days for the alcohol of your choice to infuse into the ingredients, at least you know there won’t be a long line to pour yourself a glass! You can get two uses from the ingredients included in each pack. Cocktails come in four flavors: Hot Toddy, Hibiscus Ginger Lemon, Sage and Turmeric, and Pineapple Jalapeno. While you’re at the Find, be sure to shop around, too. They carry a wide range of goods ideal for homebodies and kitchen aficionados. You can transform your house into a high-end restaurant!
Old Fort Tee Co. is an online shop that makes tees in Fort Wayne and for Fort Wayne. Not only do these shirts make a great gift for locals, but even more so for your out-of-town relatives who may not be able to visit this year. My Nana is a snowbird. Usually, she’ll spend the spring and summer months here, and then leave for Florida as it gets chillier. Lucky her, right? Of course, this year has been different, for all the obvious reasons and for her safety, she hasn’t visited. So why not send a little piece of Fort Wayne her way?
A faux leather mini clutch at-home workshop by The Hedge
As cabin fever rises during the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m sure you’ve already exhausted your typical hobbies. But thankfully, a small business owner downtown is creating fun ways to keep you busy and help you create something extra special for your loved ones this holiday season—or share the gift of crafting with others. The Hedge, a fine art print shop studio on Broadway, has created Workshop at Home kits, which make great gifts for craft-lovers ages 10 and up. Each craft is highly useful and appeals to adults, too, like a faux leather mini clutch or a linoleum print. The Hedge’s owner, Julie Wall, includes all of the necessary items for each craft in the kit, as well as instructions and notes about where additional supplies may be obtained. While you’re visiting The Hedge, check out their great selection of locally made items and gifts with city spirit, like Fort Wayne ornaments!
That’s all for now, folks. But there are so many more places to shop local in the Fort Wayne region, so if you do venture out to do some holiday shopping, consider visiting a new small business.
Supporting local businesses will always be the gift that keeps on giving in our local economy. Keep in mind, during this holiday season, many of our Fort Wayne merchants are offering gift cards, online shopping, and curbside pickup and delivery options, too. (See a full list of local deals and discounts here!)
Stay safe, and be merry!
Editor’s note: This story was produced in partnership with Input Fort Wayne and originally published on that digital magazine. This collaboration features the work of PFW students and provides a positive outlook on what pulses through the cities in the area, promoting inspirational stories that spark conversations and help us break new ground into the future and promote better communities.
High school athletes are struggling to find their fit to play at the next level.
“As a coach, it has been a tough year to see how hard my athletes work while witnessing their struggles to get seen in hopes to continue their soccer careers due to the pandemic,” said Mike Friendt, head coach of North Metro Girls u18 team.
With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the world, one thing that has drastically changed is the recruiting process for collegiate athletics, specifically soccer players.
The NCAA announced at the beginning of the pandemic they were implementing a ‘dead period.’ This is a time when there are no visits, scouting, camps, or evaluation of prospects.
As the pandemic continues to be an issue, the dead period continues to get extended, leaving future prospects working against the clock.
Traditionally, in the recruiting world of collegiate soccer, coaches are able to see future prospects at camps hosted by the school or at the prospect’s games. This would happen during the prospect’s junior and/or senior year of high school.
When a college coach becomes impressed by a player’s abilities on the field, they will then continue their interest over phone calls, emails, and texts. The communication and interest lead to the coach having the player come to campus so they can show the player what the school has to offer and have them meet the team.
Schools around the country have faced major budget cuts due to the lack of competition and other COVID-19 related changes.
Due to the “COVID year” collegiate institutions have been left with less scholarship money available to give to the athletes currently in the NCAA, which results in an additional year of competition available to the collegiate athletes that had one of their eligibility seasons canceled or drastically altered due to the pandemic.
In cases where the athlete is on a scholarship and chooses to accept the extra fifth year, the athletic program will sponsor the athlete with money that would traditionally go to an incoming freshman. This impacts the incoming recruiting prospects because it leaves less money and scholarships available than in a traditional year.
The head coach of the Purdue University Fort Wayne soccer team, Jason Burr, mentioned that typically coaches only anticipate a player staying for four years and allocate money as if that’s the case.
High-school senior and soccer player Bella Grandbois was planning to attend California Baptist University, but she said that due to the “COVID year” the program offered one of their seniors money for the extra year that would have potentially gone to her.
“I had always known the recruiting process would be challenging but never expected it to be the way it is now,” she said.
Bella’s teammate, Sydney Johnson, is also facing challenges in the recruitment process this year.
“It has definitely been hard, especially because most of the scholarship money depended on how much was left due to the pandemic and not how much we deserved based on our play like it would be in a more traditional situation.”
Schools in Allen County have been conducting many classes online since March 2020. This has been the safest way to allow schools to continue teaching students, but this does not mean it was the easiest for everyone.
During the pandemic, staying motivated to complete online assignments was considered a major issue for 42% of students in America.
Amelia Adams, a sophomore student at Northrop High School who has ADHD, is one of them. She says that she finds herself getting distracted frequently by thinking about previous or upcoming situations or by objects in her household.
“My hyperactivity disorder has made it difficult for me to focus online. The teachers don’t have the ability to keep me on track, which has caused my grades to decrease since March of 2020,” Adams says. “The school seems to have no effective additional assistance for those with learning disabilities.”
Adams says that Northrop High School is not requiring its teachers to hold Zooms for every class. Some are conducted by the students signing in on a Google form and finishing the work required for that day, which is provided via Powerschool.
The lack of direct communication and instructions has left students like Adams frustrated and disorganized. The process of holding classes online makes it difficult to accommodate lessons, tasks, or assignments for those with learning disabilities.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that those with ADHD learn best when assignments are clear and structured, when students are able to pick how learning comprehensions are assessed either through essays, oral reports, hands on projects, etc., and by minimizing distractions.
These CDC recommendations are challenging to administer over the Internet, which may be a cause of the 25% increase in students falling behind the baseline ability needed to continue in future learning or functioning in society.
Elementary schools are experiencing similar situations with their students with disabilities and issues of focusing on schoolwork throughout the day.
Courtney Bailey, principal of Cedar Canyon Elementary, says that parents have expressed concerns on how hard it is to keep them focused and on track. “By the time that they finish they should be done, but because they can’t focus during the day, they are spending more time at night doing additional work,” Bailey says.
Bailey says her school is tackling these issues by tailoring and structuring lessons so that a child will have certain expectations and requirements that they must complete in a certain amount of time.
Cedar Canyon teachers are helping students with disabilities by marking whether or not a student has a learning disability and are obligated to specify the particular disability they have, so that all instructors are aware and can make adjustments for that individual if needed.
The school is keeping track so that each student is meeting their required number of minutes for special education assistance. The school is also trying to continue academic success for students– not just during school hours, but even after the computers are off.
Despite focus being a major issue for many students, Bailey says that the academic success of the student does not solely rely on whether or not they can focus. It is highly dependent on their homelife and the supports they have at home.
Students tend to do better when they have a parent there guiding them through online courses and encouraging them to stay engaged, compared to students who have to do distant learning independently.
Although online learning has been a challenge for many with learning disabilities, some have had the chance to turn these challenges into opportunities.
Adams says that online learning has allowed her to think of creative ways to stay attentive to her classes that she will continue to use even once in-person classes start.
When the dance teachers gave her permission to buy her very first pair of pointe shoes, Katie Graber, a 17-year-old dancer at TC Dance Academy for the Performing Arts, noticed there was something odd about the dance shoes when she wore them. They didn’t match her skin tone like they matched her classmates’ skin tone.
Black dancers, especially female, are still a rarity when it comes to ballet. Although there has been a recent increase in awareness for diversity within the dance community, black dancers remain barely represented in the field.
Graber said that she had only ever seen pink pointe shoes growing up at her dance studio in northeast Indiana because there weren’t many black dancers on the team.
Pointe shoes were invented in the 1820s to allow dancers to dance on the tips of their toes with a block at the base of the shoe. They extend the dancer’s lines and help create the illusion that they are floating on air.
Graber said that, for a long time, she thought that all dancers wore the same color of pointe shoes, regardless of what their skin color was. It wasn’t until she saw a picture of Misty Copeland, an African American professional ballerina, wearing pointe shoes that matched her skin tone on social media that she started asking questions.
After seeing Copeland’s shoes, Graber immediately started researching black pointe shoes to see if they existed.
“I was disappointed and honestly kind of frustrated when I found out that those shoes weren’t something I could order online or buy at the dance store in Fort Wayne,” Graber said. “The way these girls were getting their shoes that color was from pancaking, as we call it in the dance world.”
A New York Times article describes “pancaking” as using foundation or acrylic paint to change the color of a pair of pointe shoes so they match the dancer’s skin tone. Typically, professionals use this method more often than young competition dancers.
Although Graber is not a professional ballerina in the corps, she still participated in the pancaking method that has been used to change the color of pointe shoes for dancers of color.
“I felt left out. I wanted to have shoes that matched my skin just like all my friends did. So my mom and I looked up videos on how to do it on YouTube and we attempted it.”
For dancers like Graber, the Black Lives Matter movement that followed the death of George Floyd changed a lot of things for African Americans, including things within the dance community.
The Black Lives Matter movement caused major pointe shoemakers such as Bloch, Capezio, Repetto and Suffolk to release statements saying that they were going to start making pointe shoes in a variety of shades for dancers of color, according to Pointe magazine.
Bloch was the first major pointe shoemaker that announced this news to the public, saying that the new shades would be available last fall.
“We have been intently listening, reflecting on what we are doing and what we can do better and acknowledge we have not been moving fast enough,” the company said in a statement. “Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, product development was severely slowed down, however we are fully committed to following through with these plans and confirm we will be introducing darker shades into our pointe shoes.”
Donna Winters, owner of Standing Ovation Performance Apparel in Fort Wayne, says that her store sells these pointe shoes for people of color in a variety of brands. Her store also sells tights and undergarments in various skin tones, which are frequently purchased by her customers.
“We do sell pointe shoes for people of color, but we do not carry them in our store,” Winters said. “If anyone is looking to buy a pair, we can place a special order and have them shipped to the store as soon as possible.”
Jeremy Blackman’s shirt choice has the sole purpose of showing support and raising awareness during National Suicide Prevention Month.
Blackman, 46, is a Fort Wayne native and hair stylist at 6002 The Salon at Professional Village. He makes connections and talks with over 100 people each month. On Sunday afternoon, he made a new connection and shared the story behind his shirt.
Blackman’s shirt is grey with an outline of the state of Indiana in a green, white and blue combination. The imagery and coloring inside the outline are what could be described as galaxy with the purple, green and splashes of white. Also inside the state outline is a large semicolon with the words Hoosier Buddy Project.
“The representation of the semi colon is why I wear it. It means something in my group of family and friends,” Blackman said.
According to the Project Semicolon website, the symbolic meaning of the semicolon is to show support for those that suffer from mental health issues, have attempted suicide, or have lost a loved one to suicide. Survivors have embraced the symbol as a reminder that their story is not over but a pause before continuing with their story.
Blackman explained that this is just one of several shirts he wears to show support to those who have lost loved ones to suicide or attempted suicide. It is a purposeful thought because September is National Suicide Prevention month.
“Many of our family members have been affected by it,” Blackman said.
Blackman and his wife attended the 2019 Breastfest at the Fortlandia Brewing Company in Fort Wayne. The event is held to raise awareness and funds to help fight breast cancer. His wife, Emily, is a breast cancer survivor.
“My wife and I go every year to the event to try new beers and donate to a good cause,” Blackman said.
That year the Hoosier Buddy Project group also participated in Breastfest. The Hoosier Buddy Project is an Indiana-based suicide prevention program. According to the organization’s Facebook page, they are a group of Indiana brewers that come together to make beers, form support groups, talk about suicide, and help fund existing non-profit groups.
Blackman’s wife is the one who purchased the shirt at the fundraising event. She wanted to add to his collection of meaningful shirts that raise awareness.
IN.gov says Indiana’s suicide rate has been higher than the national suicide rate since 2000. In addition, around 1,000 Hoosiers are lost to suicide every year and have been since 2016.
For more information on the Hoosier Buddy Project, go to their Facebook page: Hoosier Buddy.
