Clay Terrace .org

Building Blocks...

2011-07-25T04:22:00.000-07:00

[from a friend in Terre Haute...]

Community Readiness Webinar... May 17th

2011-05-16T15:58:00.000-07:00

The Community Preparedness Webinar Series invites you to join us for a webinar highlighting exercises that had a focus on community preparedness and participation. The webinar will feature presentations from emergency management practitioners who have been involved in the design and execution of exercises.

Emergencies often involve a “whole community” effort with help from volunteer organizations, schools, businesses, faith-based institutions, and a range of other organizations; therefore, it is important that emergency management agencies partner with community-based organizations and integrate them into their jurisdiction's emergency plans and exercises.

We hope the ideas, strategies and practices shared during this webinar will help other communities design and conduct exercises that enhance community preparedness and participation.

Details about the 2pm webinar on May 17th.

[For anyone in the immediate Clay Terrace neighborhood who would like to connect as we seek to increase our community 'readiness', contact neil@clayterrace.org .]

Easter -- The Twitter Version

2011-04-22T04:22:00.000-07:00

What if Jesus were on Twitter?

Special Christmas Weekend

2010-12-24T07:03:00.000-08:00

CLICK for ShowNotes re this special.

Marriage Obsolete?

2010-11-25T05:27:00.000-08:00

Breakfast With Santa... Dec. 4th

2010-11-21T09:44:00.001-08:00

#SAVETHEDATE

8:30am

Stay tuned for more details.

This is an annual fun activity for community kids & parents, compliments of River Oaks Community Church.

Sneak Preview from The Palladium

2010-11-18T03:58:00.000-08:00

Here's the full article... "Meet My New Neighbor: The Palladium" [Great job, Kyle!]

Carmel 'Players' Taking Care of Business...

2010-07-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

[from the Carmel Star]

Mark Ambrogi

The Carmel Community Players will take their show on the road.

The performers will present "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" at Guerin Catholic High School for a two-week run starting July 22nd...

[continued at Carmel Star]

Praying For Our Community

2010-07-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

Carmel Churches Serving the Community

2010-06-24T06:57:00.000-07:00

[article AtCarmel.com... by @JonathanHaag]

Over the past several months I’ve had the opportunity to profile many churches in Carmel and explain how they are impacting not only our city, but the cities surrounding us as well. If you were to ask any church in Carmel to make a list of core values, I would guarantee that service would be high on that list. So this month, instead of profiling just one church, I wanted to give you a big picture view when it comes to Carmel churches, specifically when it comes to serving the poor and under resourced in our city and the area surrounding us. With that being said, if you are a Carmel resident and have a desire to serve in our community may this article be an encouragement to you, or if you are a Carmel resident seeking help during a difficult time may this article be a resource for you to find help.

Here are a few examples of Carmel churches branching out and serving... [continued AtCarmelc.com]

You Turn

2010-05-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

[click to continue at CCCCarmel.org]

Boy Scouts Celebrate 100th Anniversary

2010-03-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

***********

Here in Central Indiana, connect with the Crossroads of America Council.

MyROCC Embraces Carmel, Technology

2010-02-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

article by Jonathan Haag, 'AtCarmel'

Over the past twenty years, River Oaks Community Church (ROCC) has provided an intimate setting for people from Carmel and beyond to gather as a community and worship. I recently had the opportunity to talk to Dominic Francese, Pastor of ROCC, about the mission and future of this particular body of believers.

Pastor Francese tells me that ROCC’s mission in relation to Carmel is to “provide followers of Jesus Christ an intimate setting for worshiping and serving God, in a way which a small church is especially well suited.” Part of this mission includes building a, “strong sense of small group community and strong friendships.”

[article continued]

********
Here's a sample video from the 'Officer Do-Good' Series...

**************

Watch more Officer Do-Good videos at YouTube/MyROCCtv

Bright Hope for Haiti Earthquake Relief

2010-01-13T04:08:00.001-08:00

You can help immediately in four ways: Pray, Network, Act, Give

1. Pray! Pray! Pray!

2. Network: Could you recommend Bright Hope to your friends on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and email to help in Haiti?

3. Act: We need groups to fill 5000 Med Packs. A project for churches, Sunday school classes, scout groups, homeschoolers. $15 per pack, sold in boxes of 20 (cost to fill a pack is about $15 each) or you can sponsor a pack and we will fill one for you for $30. To order a box of Med Packs ($300) call 224-520-6100 and speak with Joy. To sponsor a pack visit our website.

4. Give: As God would lay it on your heart at our website BrightHope.org

*************
Follow #Haiti topic on Twitter.

SantaLand at #ClayTerrace...

2009-12-06T15:23:00.000-08:00

...click for a few pix from our evening at SantaLand.

Breakfast With Santa... Sat., Dec. 5th

2009-12-04T03:40:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that our Breakfast with Santa is this Saturday. Hope you can come. Santa will now be arriving at 8:30am, and there is also a gingerbread house contest. Dress up and bring your cameras. There are lots of decorations for the perfect picture backdrop.

Also, feel free to email schleper6@gmail.com if you have any questions!

Free Breakfast with Santa!

WHERE: The ROCC/River Oaks Community Church
13200 Old Meridian St
Carmel, IN 46032
317-575-9568

WHEN: Saturday December 5th 8:30am-11:30am
Santa will arrive at 8:30 am

WHAT: Free hot breakfast
Pictures taken with Santa
Cookie decorating
Gingerbread house contest
Lots of festive decorations

COST: Free - it's our gift to the community
New, unwrapped toy donations will be collected for the Marines' "Toys for Tots" program

WEBSITE: http://myrocc.com
Pictures from previous years are on the Facebook Event page for Breakfast with Santa.

Indy Christmas at Clay Terrace and Beyond

2009-11-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Mayor, Police Chief, Commit To Enforce ClayTerrace Speed Limits

2009-10-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

Just an FYI to neighbors...

I received an email response from the Mayor's Office regarding the recent accident by our kids' bus-stop this week. [See previous post & photo.]

In the mayor's note, he commits to greater enforcement of the speed limit there on Clay Terrace Blvd.

And apparently they're 'on it' already. Just this morning an motorcycle-officer seemed to be writing a speeding ticket at that very corner.

[Thank you, Mayor Brainard.]

-Neil Cox
Neighbor

Police Warn Homeowners About Breakins

2009-10-14T03:47:00.000-07:00

Accident at Dangerous Corner

2009-10-14T03:46:00.000-07:00

photo by Neil Cox, IndyChristian

This was the scene last evening of a 2-car accident at the corner of Clay Terrace Blvd and Walter St. While no one apparently observed this accident, neighbors say it's very common for cars coming down the grade from Clay Terrace Mall to be speeding as they approach this intersection.

Notice where the white car landed? That's the exact place our kids wait for the school bus each day -- now before dawn breaks.

ROCC TV: Power of the Python

2009-10-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Visit ROCC TV in Carmel.

Playhouse at Clay Terrace... Opens October 15th

2009-10-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

CarmelPlayhouse.com

ht: @CarmelPlayhouse

Stay in touch with the latest, by searching #ClayTerrace on Twitter.

Clay Terrace Twitter Group...

2009-10-03T02:34:00.000-07:00

****************

It's easy to 'Share Life Together' at #ClayTerrace on Twitter.

Get a Twitter account (free of course).
Visit http://twitter.com/ClayTerrace
Hit the FOLLOW button under our pic.
Drop us an email (see address above) to let us know you'd like to be able to send tweets to this collaborative feed.
After you're approved, we'll notify you.
Then anytime, you can send a dm (direct message) to ClayTerrace
And within 5 mins it will automatically retweet your item.

Tweet news, announcements, tips, reviews... or pretty much 'whatever'... that will benefit everyone in the general Clay Terrace area of Carmel, IN.

Garage Sale & Flea Market... Sat., Sept 26th

2009-09-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

You're invited to the ROCC the Warehouse Garage Sale & Bake Sale

Housewares, furniture, toys, clothing, tools and more! Lots of bargains!

Also enjoy our delicious bake sale items!

When: Saturday September 26th 8am-4pm

Where: The ROCC Warehouse/River Oaks Community Church
13200 Old Meridian St in Carmel, near Carmel St Vincent Hospital

For more info: http://myrocc.com
office@myrocc.com
317-575-9586

Outdoor Concert Tonight...

2009-09-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Found... Black Lab...

2009-08-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

***subsequent note... SUCCESS. His owner has now been found.***

Keystone Roundabouts... Fascinating

2009-05-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

***********

Also... here's a special media production on the topic.

***********

And watch LIVE cable from Carmel, anytime.

Young Pastor Starts Bible Study @ Clay Terrace Bank

2009-04-08T03:56:00.000-07:00

[Article by Neil Cox, ClayTerrace Neighborhood]

Ron Steege -- a Facebook friend too !

What could a young (admittedly, enterprising) fast-food manager possibly know about the Bible? Or about loving the people in a neighborhood? Or about starting a church... in a neighborhood bank, no less?

Come see. You'll be surprised. I was.

Tuesday evenings... 7pm... @ Old National Bank, Clay Terrace.

Hoosiers Helping Hoosiers

2009-03-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

************

Clay Terrace Friends... Need help or know a neighbor with a need? Contact me.

Or visit http://WhenYouNeedSomeone.com .

Clay Terrace Loch

2009-03-19T19:10:00.001-07:00

Click to see what lurks in Clay Terrace Loch !!! LOL

Community Bailout Breakfast... Feb. 7th... 8am...

2009-02-06T06:13:00.000-08:00

Get your attention? *smile*

Same coffeetime.
Different name (this time).
Same purpose.
Maybe different faces.

Point is the same -- 'sharing life together' here in our general neighborhood area. Everyone's welcome.

8:00am, Sat. Feb. 7th
Paradise Bakery, ClayTerrace.

And as always, if you know of needs in the neighborhood... let us know.

-Neil

Our WalkScore is.... 60 !

2009-02-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

ht: Yeeland

It's snowing at my place. How about yours?

2009-01-28T05:16:00.000-08:00

Out the back door of the Coxes.

How's it look at your place?

Walters Home... for sale

2009-01-17T11:39:00.000-08:00

[click for more pix]

Wow, the dramatic overhaul is finally done... and available for sale. This is the historic 'Walters Home' -- we'll hope to get some inside photos sometime soon.

Btw, neighbors... the property owner has put out the word... he'd like to have new owners be people that we'd all want there... so he's encouraging us all to help him find the new buyer... and will pay a $500 finders-fee. It's win-win.

[So any of you potential buyers who would like to find a great little neighborhood in Carmel to raise your family in... here's a great opportunity. Personally, I love it -- I can be on I-465 in 8 minutes. As you can see, we have readi-access to Route 31 and all the Clay Terrace coffee-shops, stores and restaurants. And the neighbors here are outstanding.]

Kincaids Offers $20 Certificates for Free

2008-11-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

"Another fine dining chain, Kincaids at Carmel's Clay Terrace, is offering free $20 gift certificates, a promotion the restaurant's offered for five to sx years that's paying off for customers pinched by the economy.

"It's a way to infuse a little energy and guest counts into the restaurant and to get new people into the restaurant to see what we do and then let what we do bring them back," said Danny Dirscher, Kincaid's general manager."

[full article at WTHR-TV]

[Visit Kincaids.com]

Grace in Our Communities

2008-11-01T04:35:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to highlight a church in the Carmel/Noblesville area (Grace Community Church) that is canceling its normal set of weekend services this week, in order to go out into the community and 'worship' through acts of sacrifice & kindness. This is the 2nd major church in our area recently to conduct such an innovative weekend in the community -- Northview Christian Life did a very similar 'Life On Loan Weekend'.

Neither of these churches are the one we attend, but they certainly are ones that are impactive in our community. In fact, Grace Community Church started right here in the general Clay Terrace area years ago.

[look down their long list of community projects this weekend]

Oops, There Goes Another....

2008-10-09T10:54:00.001-07:00

....rubber tree plant. Or dog fence.

The Amazing Houdini Collies have once again performed their feat on a brand new fence... in less than 30 minutes.

Thankfully, we had yet another set of caring neighborhood citizens to thank for rescuing Scout & May from becoming a traffic accident statistic. Thanks so much to our friends at the Old National Bank in Clay Terrace.

[Collies' previous adventure]

A Special Note of Thanks...

2008-10-06T15:15:00.001-07:00

by Neil Cox

I wanted to specially thank in a public way, Kera Slowitsky and her (unnamed) friend who rounded up one of our 'escapees' today.

[Scout, the hurricane collie seen in previous posts here on ClayTerrace.org, had managed to chew his way through our wire fence in order to go on Pee-wee's Big Adventure.]

Kera is the owner/operator of Club Canine, on 3rd Avenue here in Carmel. It's a neat place to visit -- here's a description at her website...

********
Club Canine, Doggie Daycare has over 5,000 sq. ft.of indoor,
climate-controlled play space. The playroom space is covered by
1/2 inch rubber flooring to provide cushioning for dogs' joints, and
to give them better traction to prevent slips and falls.

Dogs are ALWAYS supervised by dedicated, highly-
trained and caring staff. This allows us to redirect inappropriate
behaviors before they ever have a chance to escalate.

[Check out these photos to get a feel for how she'll treat your dog while caring for them.]

********

Again Kera, thank you. And please thank your friend who found Scout on his wild adventure at Clay Terrace.

Ordering Angel Food in our Community...

2008-10-03T06:17:00.000-07:00

Hey is anyone else struggling to even make it INTO this 'middle class' that the politicians keep talking about? Up to $250,000/year??? LOL. That's just crazy-talk. If you're making $250,000, my friend, you are in the 97th percentile in the richest country in the world!

For the rest of us though, here's a great opportunity to save on your family's food bills. Angel Food is NOT a commercial venture or scam -- it's a nonprofit initiative comprised primarily of a lot of faith-based volunteers working together to reduce the collective overhead cost of food. And a new program location has just been approved for the Carmel area, at The ROCC (131st x Old Meridian).

If you'd like to be able to get appx $60 boxes of food for $30, click for details. Orders for the next monthly opportunity must be in by October 10th.

First-Saturdays Coffee-time... Oct 4th

2008-09-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

'Sharing Life Together'... that's our goal here.

And one of the ways we propose to do that better and better... is by getting together for our neighborhood coffee on the first Saturday of the month. So join us...

October 4th
8:30am
Paradise Bakery -- Clay Terrace

We're increasingly getting to know one another, and 'catch up on the latest' here in the general Clay Terrace area of Carmel. We not only have a good time together, but typically someone brings something spiritually inspirational to discuss with the group as well.

And we're interested in what the needs are in our community so we can be praying... and helping if possible. So let us know if you have needs here, or you know of someone who does.

Everyone is welcome. Come & go as practical for you.

Sharing Life Together... LOCALLY...

2008-09-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

***************

Question: Who can impact our neighborhood the most?

John McCain
Barack Obama

Answer: Apparently, neither.

Surely each of us is more likely to positively impact our own neighborhood... than Washington can. Or for that matter, even the Indiana Statehouse. Or the courthouse in Noblesville.

Bottom line... doesn't it all come down to local, very local, and my-neighborhood-local?

Y'know, it reminds me that Jesus really MIGHT have meant... 'neighbor-neighbor'.

Just a thought.

Hurricane Ike 'Hits' Clay Terrace

2008-09-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Ike quickly makes its way north, and right through the middle of Indy...

Notice as we zoom in on the lower portion of the pic...

Scout the collie... acts as if the wind doesn't affect him at all.

But wait...Now a few seconds later, the 'hurricane' winds reach ground level...

Is he a cool dog, or what? Gotta love him!

Business Week: Most Affordable Housing? Indianapolis-Carmel

2008-09-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

[from Business Week...]

Stacy Williams owns a three-bedroom house with a full basement and central air-conditioning in a quiet neighborhood on the upper west side of Youngstown, Ohio.

Williams, now 33, was earning $8.05 an hour as a manager at McDonald's when she moved into the house with her husband, a laborer at a construction equipment manufacturer, and son back in 2004. The couple's combined annual salary was $33,000. But the purchase didn't require much of a financial stretch: The house cost $48,000. "If you have the credit score to do it, there's nothing that can stop you from buying a home in Youngstown," said Williams, whose plans for the house include a second bathroom.

More from BusinessWeek.com:

• Where the Rents Are Higher—and Lower—This Year

• The Best- and Worst-Performing ZIP Codes

• The Cheapest Second Home Markets

A fallout from the real estate slump is that once again many homeowners are forced to look for homes that are within their budget. Access to cheap adjustable-rate mortgages gave many Americans the chance to live in homes that under normal circumstances they could have never afforded. People such as the Williamses are lucky that their income matches up well with the average home prices in Youngstown, but if they had lived somewhere more expensive, they might not have been able to buy their own home or would have spent too much, and now could have been facing the prospect of foreclosure.

So what metro areas are most and least affordable?

[continued]

Hog Roast.... Saturday, Sept 6th

2008-09-02T03:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Sept 6 on the grounds of TheROCC (Old Meridian & Main... Carmel).

Free. Food will start serving between 5:00 - 7:00pm.

Live music provided until 8:00pm.

Anyone bringing dessert who wants it to be entered in our annual dessert contest MUST have it entered and on the "official table" BEFORE 5:00pm.

Let's reach out to our neighbors and invite someone!

First Saturdays Coffee-time... Sept. 6th

2008-09-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder for everyone in the general Clay Terrace area...

8:30am, Paradise Bakery @ Clay Terrace Mall

Everyone welcome. Come share life together with your neighbors.

ClayTerrace photostream

Here's one family that lives on ClayTerrace Mountain. LOL.

'Faith Hope & Love Week'.... A Mission Trip Without Leaving Home

2008-06-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

'Faith Hope & Love Week' is coming up in the metro-area July 20-26. It's a week of intentional community service and acts of kindness and mercy. Some have described it as a 'mission trip without leaving home'.

*************

Now's the time to be thinking how you might benefit YOUR neighborhood community, perhaps even by discovering NEEDS that might be met that week. Example: Do you know of home-repairs or maintenance needing to be done on behalf of seniors or others who cannot do it themselves? Or people who would LOVE to have someone just come and visit with them? Or other needs that YOU know of, that need to make it onto the list? If so, drop us a line.

And set aside some time during that week that YOU would be willing to volunteer your time on behalf of others who really need you.

First Saturday of June... but still not (really) 'summer'...

2008-06-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody. Suddenly we go from a cold May, to tornadoes, to heat. But like the mail-carriers... we prevail. It's coffee-time again.

Tomorrow we're going to meet at 8:30am. The sun's coming up early (and so is the heat)... so we're wanting to get going a little earlier now. Let's see how this time-slot works.

As a part of our time together, Pat asked that perhaps we be thinking of anything we might like to share: Either ways that God may have been working recently in your life; or ways that you cause you to wonder "what's up with that?". It should make an interesting time of interaction, as we continue to 'share life together'.

Btw, the metro-wide "Faith Hope & Love Week" is coming up quickly (July 20-26). It's a week of community service and acts of kindness & mercy. So if you know of particular needs in the community that need a handful (or ton of) volunteers for, let us know that too.

Ok, hope to see you in the morning:
8:30am, Paradise Bakery, Clay Terrace Mall

Dairy Queen held memories

2008-06-02T04:08:00.000-07:00

[from the Indianapolis Star]

A Carmel landmark went up in flames Thursday, but the community won't be deprived of its Dilly Bars, Blizzards and other goodies for too long if the owner has his way.

The 48-year restaurant remains Carmel's oldest fast food restaurant in its original location, its owner said.

Around 6:35 p.m. Thursday, Carmel firefighters went to the restaurant, 951 N. Rangeline Road, and found a fire had started in a back shed and spread to the adjacent restaurant.

The majority of the building's shell still stands, but the inside was gutted and part of the roof collapsed. The restaurant's equipment was destroyed, the building is a total loss, and the site will have to be bulldozed...

[continued at IndyStar.com]

Access Points for Route 31?

2008-05-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

[from the Indianapolis Star...]

Providing the easiest access to the cluster of commercial establishments and busy roads near 146th Street is proving to be a key challenge for engineers designing a project to renovate U.S. 31 into a limited-access highway.

Project managers from the Indiana Department of Transportation and two engineering firms met Tuesday with Hamilton County Commissioners to discuss options for interchanges between Range Line Road and 151st Street...

[continued at IndyStar.com]

Reminder: 'First Saturday Coffeetime'... May 3rd

2008-05-02T03:47:00.000-07:00

May 3rd is our 'First Saturdays Coffeetime' here in the neighborhood.

Everyone in the general area is welcome at this informal coffee time together. [And the only valid excuse is 'running the mini'. **smile**]

Hope you can join us.

9:00am, Paradise Bakery, Clay Terrace Mall.

Topic: Hoping we can settle on a particular candidate for Tuesday's primary. LOL

With the politicians showing up everywhere else in town, who knows but what we'll have a surprise guest (or two?). [**justkidding**]

'First Saturday Coffeetime'.... March 1st

2008-02-28T04:34:00.000-08:00

This month we'll be trying a new time-slot... starting at... 9:00am.

[We're giving ourselves an extra hour to sleep in a bit.]

But as always, we'll be at the Paradise Bakery at Clay Terrace. And it's for anyone & everyone from the general Clay Terrace area. We're getting to know one another better and sharing life together the best way we know how.

Btw, we may be shooting a little video footage for use in our 'community tv' (internet tv, that is) show. So come join in with your neighbors & friends.

Circuit City store closing

2008-02-28T04:32:00.000-08:00

[from the Indianapolis Star...]

Circuit City at Clay Terrace mall closed this week because it failed to meet sales performance goals, said a company spokesman.

The Carmel store is one of three that were closed nationwide by the national consumer electronics retailer. The others are in Commack, N.Y., and San Angelo, Texas.

"These were three underperforming locations, and this is part of our ongoing effort to try to ensure that our stores are in locations that are profitable,"

[continued at IndyStar.com]

Tinsley's coat drive turns out to be hot ticket

2008-02-11T03:20:00.000-08:00

"Tinsley held his third annual coat drive at Dick's Sporting Goods locations in Plainfield and Carmel on Sunday. Fans were given up to two tickets to Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics for donating new or gently used coats. Tinsley said the coats will go to those in need."

[continued at IndyStar.com]

Snowed-out for Saturday coffeetime

2008-02-01T02:16:00.000-08:00

Sorry folks, it looks like we're going to have our hands full (of shovels) tomorrow a.m. ...instead of coffee-cups.

We'll try again in March (3/1/2008).

In the meantime, let us know of anyone who needs help with snow removal... we'll see what can be done.

****************

"Go Manning!"

ChaCha: The little search engine that might...

2008-01-08T04:55:00.000-08:00

[from Chicago Tribune...]

When you think Internet innovation, a shopping mall in the Indianapolis suburbs is not the first place that comes to mind.

But in just such a spot -- in a storefront that might, in other circumstances, have held a Talbot's -- a team of engineers and developers is trying to take on Google with a search engine that relies on people, rather than automated computer probes, to provide results.

The idea is that one expert human "guide," working freelance for ChaCha, can home in on what another person wants with more efficiency than a search engine and its blunderbuss of 7 million results per query.

The company employs about 55 people in the upscale Clay Terrace shopping mall in Carmel, a suburb north of Indianapolis where company co-founder and CEO Scott Jones, a civically active maverick who spearheaded Indiana's move to adopt daylight-saving time, also lives.

[full article at Chicago Tribute]

Video: Carol of the Bells

2007-12-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

[Note: This is not from our neighborhood.]

Enjoy.

Postponing our normal coffeetime for 12/1...

2007-11-30T08:04:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to say -- we're postponing the normal December 1st coffeetime at the cafe...

...in hopes someone has a much BETTER idea for something special here at Christmastime... say some Sunday afternoon?

Good ideas? Leave a comment below.

Carmel Women Tackle Mannequins At Mall

2007-11-27T15:37:00.000-08:00

[press release received via email]

"CARMEL WOMEN TACKLE OBSCENE DISPLAY AT CLAY TERRACE MALL…

A group of Carmel mothers, incensed by what they see as pornographic displays, are turning up the heat on the Clay Terrace Mall (Carmel) and the Victoria’s Secret store located at Clay Terrace. After requesting that Victoria’s Secret change their large display windows to be less provocative, the Carmel women have been met with silence from Victoria’s Secret and lack of action from the mall management. The women have been contacting the store and mall management for over two years and they are angered by the lack of responsiveness they have received.

The Clay Terrace Mall Management has not mandated change since they do not believe Victoria’s Secret has broken any laws, codes or ordinances. Lori Baxter, spokesperson for the Carmel women, disagrees vehemently, citing Carmel City Ordinance (’91 Code, 6-46) 35-49-2-1:

“It shall be unlawful for any person to post in any conspicuous or public place within the City any obscene, lewd, indecent or lascivious drawing, photograph, or picture of an indecent or immoral nature…”

The Carmel women are angry that the display windows that they find offensive are located on the main street through the mall and easily visible to children and teens. They have requested that a reasonable compromise from Victoria’s Secret would involve clothing the window mannequins’ in pajamas, not the scanty, provocative items normally displayed.

“We are trying to raise our children to embrace the virtues of modesty and chastity. We are against displays and windows that objectify and degrade women, as we feel these Victoria’s Secret display windows do.” states Lori Baxter. “We are asking the Simon organization, Mayor Brainard and Victoria's Secret corp. to help us ensure our children and teens are not desensitized and exploited by mature sexualized images. There are studies that state that children exposed to sexual images are more likely to have sex."

Determined to make the Clay Terrace Mall a kid friendly place again, the Carmel women are currently conducting an email campaign directly to Mel Simon of Simon Malls, Mayor Jim Brainard of Carmel, Barbara Schick, Manager of Clay Terrace and Leslie Wexner, owner of Victoria’s Secret. Plans for a boycott and pickets during the important holiday retail rush in December are in the final stages of preparation."

Contact: Jenny DeHeer at 408-5566 or email her at jdeheer05@yahoo.com.

**** end of press release ****

Comments anyone?

State gets $20M to expand trails

2007-11-19T03:58:00.000-08:00

Indiana is getting a big boost toward developing walking trails within reach of all Hoosiers, thanks to more than $20 million in federal beautification grants.

Six Indianapolis-area projects will receive nearly $5.5 million for various projects, including...

[continued at IndyStar.com]

Roundabouts -- They're Not That Complicated

2007-11-14T20:36:00.001-08:00

LOLLLLLLLLLLLL.... Enjoy...

[ht: The Wyote Blog]

[Wyote excerpt... "All I’ve gotta say is that I love roundabouts, it almost makes it worth having Brainard as mayor of Carmel. I’m still trying to figure out how to pull off this stunt (see video below) in my Geo Prizm, but I’m afraid Carmel PD may not like it."]

First-Saturday's Coffee-time... Oct. 6th

2007-10-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Reminder: Everyone welcome.... Come get to know friends & neighbors here in the general area.

Sat., 8am... at Paradise Bakery here at Clay Terrace.

Pat's going to have some type of inspirational discussion for us, and we're going to have some of our friends from 'the cafe' with us as well. Should be fun. Hope you can join us.

146th Street.... to I-69... now open

2007-09-30T05:07:00.000-07:00

And see their interactive map-link within the article at the Indy Star.

test

2007-08-31T16:01:00.000-07:00

testing 123

Sept. 1st... Saturday coffee postponed....

2007-08-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend, everyone!

Carmel man frees lazy birds

2007-07-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

We were ready to buy a new clothes dryer -- our original dryer just wasn't getting the job done.

Turns out, though, the only reason it wasn't drying, was..... birds had built a nice warm home inside our dryer vent. How convenient. They did use some traditional grass & twigs, but they also enjoyed the luxury of sitting on their nest and having our LINT come to them... without even having to work for it. LOL.

I write this not only to alert those of you who might also think it's time for a new washer/dryer set, but also to pass along a quick/easy fix... before our birds find YOUR home.

Just unscrew the vent-cover. Put some galvanized mesh (wire) as a screen inside the cover. And screw it back onto your house. Simple... if you know where to get the galvanized mesh.

And now you also know where to get some wire mesh... from me. Got a roll of it and only used a bird-sized piece for each of our two vents. Drop by... I'm in a good mood to share -- I just saved having to buy a new washer/dryer set.

'First Saturday'.... postponed for July

2007-07-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

Note: Our normal 'First Saturday Coffeetime' is being postponed for the month of July... due to the recent passing of one of our dear neighbors, Mrs. Theresa Apraez. We will miss her greatly. Our thoughts & prayers continue to go out to her husband... our friend... Manuel... and his family.

[Next coffeetime will be Saturday, August 4th... 8am. See you then.]

Kids... Oops... Every SUNDAY...

2007-06-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

[We just received word that the previously-announced 'Saturday camp' is moving to Sundays.]

The Forest... at The ROCC... will be hosting a fun time for kids EVERY SUNDAY this summer...

Fun, food, songs and bible stories... 10am til noon... at River Oaks Community Church here in our area of Carmel. (Old Meridian and Main St).

Bus transportation may be available by calling... 575-9568.

The ROCC 'Sunday camp' program is open to 1st grade - 5th grade. Parents & siblings are welcome.

Call 575-9568 for more details.

June 2nd... 8am... Coffeetime

2007-06-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

We hope you can join us for our monthly informal coffeetime together as neighbors in the general Clay Terrace area.

We meet on the FIRST Saturday of each month, 8am... at the Paradise Bakery. Some of us bring wireless laptops and are kind of geeky, while the others bring smiles and inspirational thoughts. Point is, to enjoy sharing life together here in our neighborhood area.

You'd fit right in.

Coffeetime... Sat., May 5th... 8am

2007-05-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder -- It's coffeetime for any neighbors who'd like to get to know others here in the general Clay Terrace neighborhood area. Everyone welcome...

...this Saturday (5/5/2007)... 8am at Paradise Bakery.

A Sign of Thanks...

2007-05-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

[Reminder... anyone can add pictures to the ClayTerrace collection of photos -- Just tag your photos with 'clayterrace'. Want help? Come to the 'First Saturday's Coffeetime'.]

We just wanted to post this as a special thanks to David Klingensmith, our Carmel Street Commissioner... for adding this sign recently.

It has now greatly reduced the unnecessarily traffic coming into our subdivision... (not to mention, our driveways).

Our children thank you, Mr. Klingensmith for making the subdivision safer as a result.

Van Go...

2007-04-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

Recognize any of these 'Katrina' painters from our neighborhood?

[Visit Spring Break Serve blog.]

'First Saturday' Coffeetime... April 7th

2007-04-06T02:35:00.000-07:00

Reminder: Our 'First Saturdays' coffeetime together, will be this Saturday... April 7th -- tomorrow -- Paradise Bakery, here in the ClayTerrace Mall.

8 a.m.... We'll be doing the normal catching up with each other. And one of the things we'll be talking about will be some tips about using...

Google Reader. If you're not yet familiar with it, it's a handy page to use to pull in the headlines & stories & new stuff from YOUR FAVORITE SITES. And there no doubt are other tips you can share with others as well.

Afterward, some of us will then be going down to the UBcafe area with some of the friends we've come to know, and we'll be helping them with a neighborhood cleanup there. Any of you are welcome to go along after our coffeetime.

So come join us for coffee -- it's open to everyone in the Clay Terrace area.

And as always... Even if you can't make it tomorrow... If you know of NEEDS in the neighborhood area... contact us... we always try to pray about such things, and would try to help somehow if we can.

Hope to see you tomorrow morning.

Red Robin comes bobbin' along... to Clay Terrace

2007-04-06T01:51:00.000-07:00

The Colorado-based Red Robin Gourmet Burgers restaurant chain plans two locations in Carmel and one in Plainfield, signaling a return to Central Indiana.

[article continued at IndyStar.com]

[Also visit RedRobin.com]

First Saturday Coffeetime... Mar. 3

2007-03-02T04:09:00.000-08:00

Reminder: Our 'First Saturdays' coffeetime together, will be this Saturday -- yikes, that's tomorrow -- Paradise Bakery, here in the ClayTerrace Mall.

8 a.m.... We'll be doing the normal catching up with each other. And Pat has prepared something inspirational for us as well.

So come join us for coffee -- it's open to everyone in the Clay Terrace area.

And as always... Even if you can't make it tomorrow... If you know of NEEDS in the neighborhood area... contact us... we always try to pray about such things, and would try to help somehow if we can.

Hope to see you tomorrow morning.

Portrait Studio Celebrates, Expands

2007-02-24T03:10:00.000-08:00

CARMEL -- Celebrity Kids Portrait Studios, 14300 Clay Terrace Blvd., will celebrate the Indianapolis Colts' AFC Championship win by offering a free portrait session and portrait to any customer wearing Colts gear today through Sunday.

[continued at Topics.com]

Whole Foods will purchase Wild Oats

2007-02-24T03:06:00.000-08:00

INDIANAPOLIS - It remains to be seen just how the merger of two leading organic grocery stores will play out in Indianapolis, but this type of store is gaining interest in the city.

[continued at WISHTV.com]

Twelve inches of snow.... so far...

2007-02-13T15:10:00.001-08:00

coxes_of_clay_terrace_2007
Originally uploaded by indycoach.

It's a small price to pay, to get to live here in the Clay Terrace neighborhood.

Super Snow Colts !

2007-02-06T16:49:00.001-08:00

van_snow_colts
Originally uploaded by indycoach.

7 inches of snow... is just icing on the cake... when you're home to the Super Colts Champions !

Super Saturday

2007-01-29T17:53:00.000-08:00

Reminder: 'First Saturdays Coffee"... Feb. 3rd

This will be a Super Saturday coffeetime at the Paradise Bakery this time.

Colts Gear Only.
No Bears Fans Allowed (to talk).... Gerald!!! LOLLLL
We'll have a new dvd of some personal stories of some Colts players and Coach Dungy.

Also... graphics artist Ellen Spencer will be with us, before her Flickr Day presentation [down at the inner-city cafe where some of us go help frequently]. So if you have questions about digital cameras or how to get your pictures onto the web to share at the #1 website... Flickr.com... Saturday will be a great day to ask.

Or better yet, also come be with us and help-out down at the Unleavened Bread Cafe... noon til 2pm as we do the full presentation & training.

"So You Wanna Be In Pictures?" -- Flickr training. Learn how to get your digital photos onto your computer, edit them and/or uploaded to the internet (free & easy), so you easily share them with your friends & neighbors. Example: Here are some pictures from Clay Terrace uploaded by various people... at Flickr.com.

And share your internet skills with others. If you can surf and do email, you're a step-up on many of our inner-city friends who don't even have internet access. So come make friends among some folks who'll appreciate your friendship and help.

"First Saturdays" Coffeetime... Jan. 6th

2007-01-05T13:58:00.000-08:00

Reminder: Our 'First Saturdays' coffeetime together, will be this Saturday -- yikes, that's tomorrow -- Paradise Bakery, here in the ClayTerrace Mall.

8 a.m.... We'll be doing the normal catching up with each other... And in particular, we'll be discussing New Year's Resolutions... and how we can help each other KEEP our resolutions. **smile**

So come join us -- it's open to everyone with an interest in the Clay Terrace area.

And as always... Even if you can't make it tomorrow... If you know of NEEDS in the neighborhood area... contact us... we always try to pray about such things, and would try to help somehow if we can.

Hope to see you tomorrow morning.

Clay Terrace on Wikimapia

2006-12-07T02:33:00.000-08:00

[Visit Clay Terrace neighborhood on Wikimapia]

Reminder: Breakfast with Santa... THIS SATURDAY

2006-11-26T17:29:00.000-08:00

A free Breakfast with Santa, Saturday, Dec. 2nd, 8:30am to 11:30am. [continued]

Happy Thanksgiving !

2006-11-22T13:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I couldn't resist... LOLLLLL. Hope you all have a happy thanksgiving with family and friends.

And here are some interesting links re Thanksgiving, including a story for children (and adults).... "The Miracle of Thanksgiving". And you're welcome to leave a comment below with other great links you know of.

Blessings everyone!

December 'Coffee-time' with Santa...

2006-11-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

Because of the special "Breakfast with Santa" [see post below], we'll be participating in this community event for the kids, instead of our normal time together.

Come join us. We're do coffee there... (while we help **smile**). Bring your kids & grandkids.

Breakfast with Santa... Saturday, December 2nd

2006-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Suddenly it's getting cold, and it's time to start making Christmas plans...

"Breakfast with Santa"

One of our community's 'warmest churches' is hosting a Free Breakfast with Santa, Saturday, Dec. 2nd, 8:30am to 11:30am.

It'll be a great time for the kids (and those of us who enjoy seeing our kids have a great time.)

River Oaks Community Church
13200 N. Old Meridian St., Carmel
[Old Meridian x Main Stree (map)]

For more information call
317-575-9568

************************************
[This happens to be where we attend church. But we'd also be happy to post other special charitable events like this. Let me know. Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!]

New truck lane opens at Clay Terrace

2006-10-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week, a truck driver blazed a new trail from Rt. 31/Meridian into the backyard of the neighborhood.

'First Saturday' Coffeetime... Oct. 7th

2006-10-06T07:01:00.000-07:00

Don't forget... 8am... Paradise Bakery in the Clay Terrace Mall.... Saturday, Oct. 7th.

Mrs. Walter will be sharing some stories from the early days of Walters Plaza, the former neighborhood area now called Clay Terrace.

And Pat will be sharing some devotional thoughts to discuss.

Everyone is warmly welcome. Come listen, ask questions. Learn more about our history and help build our future together.

See you there!

Life Factory

2006-09-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Clay Terrace firm to solve voice-mail jail

2006-09-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

Interactions Corp. was founded in New Jersey in 2002 and moved its corporate headquarters to its current location at 14390 Clay Terrace in Carmel earlier this year. It uses "intent recognition" technology that allows customers to describe an issue or ask a question through an automated system and be helped immediately through state-of-the-art technology.

Interaction is a marriage of humans and computers that allows customers of companies to ditch what's called voice-mail jail and talk to a computer that talks back like a human. Its founder is Michael Cloran.

Cloran was attracted to Indiana by cost-of-living, a friendly business environment and nearby universities. According to technology enterpreneur Scott Jones, Indiana gains a new player in the high-tech sector the state craves. "Creating this critical mass allows us to have acceleration of our high-tech industry in Indiana," Jones said.

[continued at WTHR TV]

'First-Saturday Coffee'... Sept. 2nd

2006-09-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

Don't forget... 8am... Paradise Bakery in the Clay Terrace Mall.... Saturday, Sept. 2nd.

This time, we'll do a little online surfing together -- especially to give you some inside-information regarding the 'SAVI' system mentioned in the blog-post below. It'll give you a chance to see the types of neighborhood information becoming increasingly available via the web.

And Gerald agreed to provide a short inspirational lesson we can discuss together.

Everyone is warmly welcome. See you there!

Community Research Conference... Sept. 22nd

2006-09-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

[SAVI is the comprehensive community research tool of choice here in the Central Indiana area, and which contains many varieties of data... for metro area communities and even neighborhoods... including available data from state & national community-research, including U.S. Census Bureau research info.]

The September 22nd 'SAVI Users Conference' provides an opportunity to learn about new tools in SAVI, discover how other users have harnessed the power of SAVI through new approaches, and participate in discussions about how SAVI can help your organization better understand its community.

It also is a great place for people new to SAVI to learn how it can help your organization.

Choose from several interactive and hands-on breakout sessions throughout the day and learn how SAVI can help you.

[continued]

First Saturday Coffeetime

2006-08-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

Don't forget... 8am... Paradise Bakery in the Clay Terrace Mall.... Saturday, August 5th.

Everyone is warmly welcome. See you there!

FHL Slide-Show

2006-08-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Click to see the photo album from "Faith Hope & Love Week" here in the metro area, including a ton of work in Carmel.

'Community Prayer-mobile' coming to Clay Terrace... July 25th

2006-07-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

The "Faith Hope & Love" Prayer Trailer, a 50-foot state-of-the-art Mobile Chapel which will offer visitors the opportunity to pray and seek intercession at various locations throughout FHL Week, will be parked at the Clay Terrace Mall on Tuesday, from 3pm til 7pm.

Click for close-up of tech set-up.

The sponsors include: Helping Hands Ministries, Alphonso Bailey Ministries, Young Life, Shepherd Community, Kairos Prison Ministry, and Truth @ Work.

So come visit. Say a prayer for our community. 4 out of 5 adults pray each week. We all need it. Or have someone pray with you. It will bless your life.... So bring your children -- bless the little ones too in this unique way.

*********************************
Visit 'Faith Hope & Love' website to learn more, and see how you can volunteer this week in this unique metro-wide effort.

"Real people. Real needs. Real life."

Interview: Mayor Brainard... on "Faith Hope & Love Week"

2006-07-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Mayor Brainard and all the great folks of the Carmel area involved in this year's "Faith, Hope & Love Week"... helping neighbors in a joint effort to bridge the social, economic, and spiritual gap in our community.

Below are some comments from Mayor Brainard...

QUESTION – WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO PROCLAIM JULY 30 AS FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE DAY LAST YEAR?

ANSWER - I felt it was important to proclaim July 30th as Faith, Hope and Love Day in the City of Carmel because I believe very deeply in the mission of the Faith, Hope and Love organization. At this time of war, I think it is especially important that community members’ come together for a common goal, to serve one another in Faith, Hope and Love.

QUESTION – AS MAYOR OF CARMEL, WHAT ABOUT FHL APPEALS TO YOU MOST?

ANSWER – What appeals to me most about FHL is that it includes other community organizations in carrying out its mission. FHL matches different organizations with volunteer opportunities according to the needs of the community. This eliminates any feelings of competition or resentment because everyone is invited to be a part of the Faith, Hope and Love activities.

QUESTION - IN YOUR OPINION, HOW IS FHL DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COMMUNITY MINDED ORGANIZATIONS?

ANSWER – FHL is different from other community organizations in that it “seeks to break down man’s walls of separation between churches, races, social status, government and education to unite people to show the compassion we were all created to give on another.” I am not aware of any other community organization with such an all-encompassing mission statement. FHL truly aspires to include all.

QUESTION - HOW DO YOU SEE FHL HAVING AN IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING CITIES?

ANSWER – FHL provides an outlet for community members to work first-hand to assist others in the community. I think it will be very positive not only for those receiving the assistance but also for those volunteering for the effort. I think people will walk away feeling more a part of the community-at-large after seeing the results of their efforts.

QUESTION - WHY SHOULD AVERAGE CITIZENS GET INVOLVED IN FHL WEEK ACTIVITIES?

ANSWER – Citizens should get involved in FHL activities because it is an opportunity for them to give back to their community in a positive way. We are a spectator society in that we are so accustomed to electronic media that we often take a back seat in the actual workings of the community. This is a chance to be a part of something larger than oneself and experience the benefits first-hand.

QUESTION - WHAT IS THE INCENTIVE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIANA TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THIS TYPE OF PROJECT? AND IS IT APPROPRIATE?

ANSWER – Government and social service organizations can only do so much with the available resources to help those in need in the community. By making the community aware of the FHL mission, it encourages people to become more involved by volunteering their own talents.

QUESTION - WHAT ABOUT CORPORATE ENTITIES AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT… HOW DO YOU SEE THE CITY BENEFITING FROM THEIR INVOLVEMENT?

ANSWER – The involvement of corporate entities in Faith, Hope and Love Day benefits both the corporation as well as the community they are located. It gives them a positive attitude toward their work and how it affects the community. It also encourages its employees to become involved in their free time.

QUESTION - HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE CITIZENS OF CARMEL SUPPORTED AND HELPED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF FHL?

ANSWER – I would like to see the citizens of Carmel continue to seek out opportunities to help others in the mission of Faith, Hope and Love. It is good for all of us to step outside our daily routine and realize that there are many people in need around us at all times. It is a shame that it takes a day dedicated to this for people to take notice but it is a start. Once people start to recognize the needs of others in the community, I think they will find themselves becoming more involved on a regular basis. I believe that the participants will receive far more than they give.

*********************
Visit FHLcommunity.org and see how YOU can be involved this week. The local coordinator for the Carmel area is Paul Backer, Carmel Christian Church. 317/846-1230

First-Saturday Coffeetime... July 1st...

2006-06-30T05:20:00.000-07:00

8 a.m.... THIS Saturday (July 1st)... is our monthly coffeetime together here in the Clay Terrace area. Everyone's welcome as always. Besides the normal chit-chat, and catching up on the latest in the neighborhood area, the topic this month -- in honor of 'Independence Day' -- is "Peace".

So come enjoy sharing life together here. Who knows, maybe we'll even solve the issue of 'world peace'. We can at least do our part. **smile**

And as always, let us know about any special needs in the area. We'd like to pray about them, and help find solutions if possible.

See you there... at Paradise Bakery, in the Clay Terrace Mall.

What's The Latest On The Monon?

2006-06-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

Video: 'The Little Lamb' Day Care @ Clay Terrace

2006-06-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

[And visit The Little Lamb -- Day Care in the Clay Terrace area.]

What Movies & Email-Forwards Have In Common

2006-05-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

What do movies & email-forwards have in common?

I don't pay a lot of attention to either.

_

I get a ton of forwarded-email from all sorts of well-meaning folks. Even my mom.

I pay 'virtually' no attention to them. [pun slightly intended]

And sorry, Mom. But they usually turn out to be hoaxes, do they not?

Where SHOULD we, or anyone, go for Truth?

A good friend reminded me yesterday that the Treasury Department advises us that if you want to know whether something is counterfeit... you need to compare it against the genuine thing. That's good advice. Click the image at left, to stay in touch with the ongoing discussion... comparing the DaVinci movie with the genuine thing.

And remember: We're going to be discussing the movie/book "DaVinci Code" at our next 'First Saturday Coffee'... June 3rd. 8am. At Paradise Bakery, here in the Clay Terrace Mall. See you then.

Tourism Prize-Patrol Coming To Clay Terrace

2006-05-16T03:30:00.000-07:00

The Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau will celebrate See America Week with their own Hamilton County Prize Patrol. The bureau will visit local communities May 16 and 18-20 to distribute tourism publications and giveaways.

May 18... 11am-3pm... Clay Terrace Lifestyle Center, 14300 Clay Terrace Blvd.

[Full Story]