It’s Your Choice: Lakeshore Chiropractic

Lakeshore Chiropractic celebrates 10 years!

The Lakeshore Chiropractic Wellness Team (left to right) Megan Maurer, Dr. Nate Blume, Dr. Cole Blume, and Anna Easton.

Nate and Cole Blume are brothers who both chose to be chiropractors. They took this health profession one step further when they decided to open a chiropractic wellness center together. On Thursday, June 6th they will celebrate 10 years at their Geist Fall Creek location with an Open House from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with healthy competitions: a rock wall, adult tricycles races, entertainment for kids as well as healthy refreshments.

To say they have accomplished a lot in this health field is a bit of an understatement as they are two of less than 200 doctors that are certified chiropractic wellness practitioners (CCWP) in the world!

When paying a visit to their office you will discover a “Well-Adjusted Wall of Fame” that documents the road back to health for practice members who are actively living an improved life since discovery of the health enhancement programs provided by Lakeshore Chiropractic: A Creating Wellness Center.

“We are very fortunate to have recruited well-trained team associates, plus two interns who make up the core of our wellness practice,” said Dr. Nate Blume adding, “Our team works together to support our practice members every step of the way.”

In a very short time, you will learn the foundational truths of this successful chiropractic wellness center: chemical, emotion and physical stress lead to the symptoms people associate with genetics or age, such as fatigue, diabetes, heart disease, pain, etc. The team at Lakeshore recognizes these symptoms are actually adaptations the body makes when subjected to an unhealthy environment.

In a very short time, you will learn the positive steps that are the fundamentals of this successful chiropractic wellness practice: chemical, emotional, and physical pain can lead to creating an internal environment of fear from the perception of health issues which attach to your own physiological thinking. A person’s lifestyle can imprint permanently, creating a body that suffers.

“People see the ads on television that are supposed to lead to a healthier body and sadly, a lot believe the creative advertising pitch from these commercials. We know health doesn’t come in the form of a prescription. We know that healing comes from the inside out, rather than outside-in. Our approach results in positive outcomes by adjusting a person’s health beliefs and approach to caring for their body. Our detailed health assessments take into consideration all health habits and evaluates the whole person. We support an understanding that it’s replacing bad habits with lifestyle changes that are proven to work, leading a person toward optimal health, adds Dr. Cole Blume.

“It’s about the understanding of why we allow these habits to take a toll on our bodies. Why do you think you need that cup of coffee or diet soda or why do you eat processed food regularly?” said Dr. Nate.

The answers are not what you think they might be when you look at it from the trained minds of these two health professionals who have developed a solid outcome for individuals who want to avoid future health issues and more than that, lead a healthier life.

There’s so much more about this wellness center that you should learn about from the brother’s Blume, so if you can’t make the Open House on June 6th, phone the office for a consultation which includes a comprehensive review of goals and priorities as it relates to your personal health and well being.
It will change your outlook on life and set you on a new lifestyle path.

Call 317-842-5100 or email Dr. Nate Blume!

Video Office Tour!

21 Day Purification Debrief

Introducing Our New Local Editorial Manager, Neal Moore

You’ll notice that this issue of the Geist Community Newsletter is a little bigger than normal. Actually, it’s our biggest issue yet. We have taken this idea of local journalism around the perimeter of Indianapolis with the Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers, and Center Grove Newsletters under the umbrella of the TownePost network. As we grow, we want to dedicate more ink and time to our local communities. To this end, we’ve enlisted the help of veteran news guy and friend Neal Moore. He and I have been talking for the past few years about the new age of hyper local news. Who better to tell you all about the future of our newsletters, websites, apps, and video than our newest TownePost team member, Neal Moore.
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Neal Moore is a long-time television news reporter and now works with the TownePost Network of hyperlocal websites and newsletters.

I’m Neal Moore, the new Local Editorial Manager for the TownePost network of community magazines and websites. I’ve spent 40 years in communications including TV news anchoring and reporting, public relations, video production, and in recent years, writing many stories for atGeist.com and atFishers.com. I’m very pleased to join Tom Britt in this new role. I’m going to ask for your involvement with TownePost as we develop new ways and opportunities to tell your stories. But first, here are some reflections on how we got to where we are today.

I was born in 1953, and grew up in the era of three channels on the TV dial (four, if you could watch Popeye and Janie on fuzzy Channel 4), and a handful of newspapers and radio stations providing local news and information. These media platforms enjoyed remarkable popularity and profits using a “one-to-many” business model. It was content of their making; offered on schedules of their choice; delivered on static, non-interactive devices. Such was the mid-century media landscape.

Ironically, during the same years that I delivered newspapers and dreamt of being a radio disk jockey, the U.S. government and academic researchers were noodling with the first iteration of what would become today’s Internet. You might have noticed that the Internet (and the World Wide Web that it spawned) turned the media business on its collective head. Amidst the fallout were the evolution of citizen journalism and the ability to deliver hyper-local content. Such is the media landscape today.

That’s what makes TownePost tick – news, information, storytelling – all of it laser-focused on the communities, neighborhoods, even streets where we live, and much of it generated by local residents. As publisher Tom Britt puts it, “There’s no news that’s too small”, and I agree. We want to know what’s happening in your world, and to understand what your interests are. We encourage you to share your stories, photos, videos, news tips, ideas and suggestions so that we, in turn, can share them with the thousands of readers, web surfers and advertisers in Geist and Fishers.

Finally, I’m looking for skilled writers to join the TownePost team. If you’re interested in researching and writing local stories, and have a flair for great storytelling, contact me by email, neal@atGeist.com. All writing styles and experience levels are welcome. Together, let’s continue sharing stories about Geist and Fishers that reflect just how terrific our communities are, and what great places they are to live.

Ring in the Bling – It’s the month of May!

First stop: Delaney’s at Fox and Oaklandon Roads. Mary Larson’s (front) shop features several Indy 500 accessories, clothes, and home furnishings.

The month of May means one thing in this city…THE RACE! It sometimes seems like there are more activities to do during this one month than the rest of the eleven months combined. Whether you are headed to the race, attending time trials, enjoying Carb Day, or going to one of the many parties in this town, you will need something black and white to wear! The question is where to shop??? Your Girls About Town particularly enjoyed this month’s assignment…find some stores with great black and white apparel. While there are many places to shop, we landed at Delaney’s, the Baglady Boutique, and AH Collection. All three shops are locally owned by some of your Geist neighbors and definitely “qualify” as winners to these shoppers!

One clear trend we found…BLING IS IN!!! Be it on a tank top, belt, hat, sunglasses, or jeans, you will see lots of rhinestones out and about this May. It’s a fun look that we couldn’t resist! The month of May is all about fun, and what’s more fun than a little sparkle?!? You can add a little dazzle to your hair, too. All three shops had cute glitzy hair accessories, also.

The first store we visited was Delaney’s at Oaklandon and Fox Roads. We were greeted by the always-friendly owners, Mary and Dan Larson. Named for their daughter, Delaney’s has been a go-to shop for Geist ladies since 2002. You’ll find everything from cutting edge fashions to great home accessories to the perfect hostess gift! If you need some black and white to decorate your home for the month of May, check out the many choices this store has to offer. Some of the more special accessories are the hand-painted, Indy-500-inspired wine glasses that Delaney’s grandmother created for the shop. Mary also has everything you could want if you are looking to impress someone at a race party. Delaney’s has racks of black and white outfits – not to mention race-themed sandals, jewelry, and hair accessories. Whether, you need a dressier outfit for a party or something more casual for race day, Delaney’s has you covered. Delaney’s has four locations across Indianapolis in Geist, Fishers, Noblesville, and the Fashion Mall.

Second stop: Missy Card and Kevin Krauss’s Baglady Boutique.

Next on our shopping trip was the Baglady Boutique- a quaint little shop chock full of blingy surprises in the shopping center at Fall Creek and Brooks School Road next door to Detour an American Bar and Grill. Owners Missy Card and her fiancé Kevin Krauss have done a wonderful job providing Geist-area residents with a great selection of fun, easy-breezy apparel items, blingy jewelry, purses, and accessories. Missy has been designing and manufacturing apparel for over 14 years. The Baglady Boutique celebrates her one-year anniversary this month, bringing Geist a fantastic shopping experience without the typical boutique prices! You’ll find LOTS of bling on the hundreds of Indy 500 items, including unique shirts, one-of-a-kind jackets, tote bags, cute hats, jeans, shorts, sundresses, belts, and jewelry. Ladies you will get a lot of bling for your buck here at the Baglady Boutique! Oh wait!!! Don’t forget Missy also offers custom designs …bring in your own items & Baglady Boutique will bling them out for you!

Holly Kirsch with AH Collections models some of her one-of-a-kind creations.

CAUTION! We found another store we loved…AH Collection! Located at Hamilton Town Center next to Aveda Rain, AH Collection is co-owned by best friends Anna White and Holly Kirsch. You have to love ladies who can team together and create such a success! We noticed the special attention they give their customers. It’s really like shopping with a stylist! They can help you pick out just the right outfit for the look you want. These former makeup artists can help you with clothing, accessories, and cosmetics. The store is full of black and white this month along with their typically fun and brightly-colored offerings. They also have a second shop at Clay Terrace in Carmel. The owners have taken full advantage of the social media for marketing, too. They are on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. They have over 1000 followers on Facebook and feature a “Deal of the Day” that you might want to check out! They host Girls Night Out events, birthday celebrations, and other pampering events. They also have spa events every six weeks at both locations. If you want to WOW someone this May, let these owners who have a “passion for fashion” help you rev up your look!!

The Indy 500 is the event of the year in this town! Whether you head to the track, a neighborhood party, or a local watering hole, you’re going to want something new to wear. So ladies…START YOUR ENGINES, and race over to one of these great shops. You’ll look like you belong in Victory Lane!

Rocket Man: Former Wakeboard Pro Brings Flyboarding to Geist

Paul Stoeppelwerth stands on his Flyboard, a wakeboard-type device that propels you into the air using a jet ski’s water jet.

If you Google the words “lake recreation,” Paul Stoeppelwerth’s photo should pop up. A 2006 Lawrence Central grad, 2008 slalom ski pro, and seasoned wakeboard instructor, Stoeppelwerth can be found somewhere on or near the water during the warm months. This summer, he’s hoping to get his newest venture off the ground and hovering above the water.

Introducing Indy Flight Academy and Watersports – Stoeppelwerth’s start-up venture that looks to put Flyboarding® and Geist Reservoir on the extreme sports map.

How does Flyboarding work?

A willing participant buckles his or her feet into a wakeboard-looking device while standing on a dock. That device, called a Flyboard, is attached via a 45-foot hose to the water jet exhaust of a jet ski manned by Stoeppelwerth. The participant then gets into the lake and arches his back to keep his head above the water, while Stoeppelwerth throttles the jet ski and propels the participant to an open area. When ready, Stoeppelwerth accelerates the jet ski, pushing more water into the hose and propelling the participant into the air above the water.

Stoeppelwerth demonstrating the Flyboard in Florida during his training.

“It takes you a few minutes to get the hang of it,” said Stoeppelwerth who was recently certified a Flyboard instructor in Florida.

Look for these water-propelled flight enthusiasts around Cocktail Cove or at the south end of Geist Reservoir near the dam where boaters like to tie up and congregate. Like most start-ups, Stoeppelwerth is working through his pricing model to find the right amount of time for the right price. For the first 50 takers in May, Indy Flight Academy and Watersports will charge $99 for a 30-minute intro session.

To reserve your session or a discounted group block of time, call 317-348-4359 or visit the Indy Flight Academy & Watersports page on Facebook. Be sure to ask how to earn FREE flight time.

The Flying Shrimp GastroPub

Matt Leckrone is giving the old Bubbaz Bar & Grill a new name and menu to appeal to the local Geist/Fishers market.

You can’t just call it a “Pub” because it truly is a “GastroPub!” Let’s define the meaning of gastropub, which is a British term for a public house that specializes in serving high-quality food, fresh in nature and extremely appealing to the taste buds.

The Flying Shrimp GastroPub located at 10462 Olio Road in Fishers does, indeed, live up to this British gastro food experience. A lot of new extras combine family dining and sports viewing including twenty-three 52-inch televisions and four 110 projectors for large-screen experience. And they have a very friendly staff who remembers your name.

The menu is packed with a solid variety of offerings from a footlong bratwurst to their bison ribeye steaks (which are locally grown). The house favorite would include the 1/2-pound lamb burger seasoned with rosemary and toppings including feta and kalamata olives. A secret sauce is added to make this a super choice of something new in the “burger” menu.

The chefs also supply diners with many fish choices including po’boy sliders, spicy shrimp cocktails, flying buffalo ship and fresh edamame steamed and sprinkled with sea salt, and a Norwegian salmon seasoned with their own lime pepper rub. The Flying Shrimp GastroPub also has vegetarian dishes, chicken, a Hoosier classic fresh-cut tenderloin offered grilled or breaded and delicious mancave wings with a little hotty or raspberry BBQ sauce that is really finger-licking good!

The bar offers a well-stocked selection of bottled beer and on-tap favorites from Bier, Dragonfly, Flat 12, Guinness, Sun King, and Upland. If you like martinis, this is the place for you as the selection seems endless. Patrons can also enjoy one of the area’s largest fine liquor selections in Geist just south of the reservoir. The Flying Shrimp GastroPub has created daily bar specials with Happy Hours Monday through Friday, which include $2 off all appetizers to boot.

You probably are familiar with the site that now holds the Flying Shrimp GastroPub as it was formerly called “Bubbaz.” I asked Matt Lecktone why he decided to change course with this new restaurant.

“I wanted this restaurant to be more about my style of cooking and a sports atmosphere where families can meet. As a child, my military parents moved me from one country to the next. At each new school, it was through sports that I quickly made new friends of various ethnicities and social stature. My wife, Paula, was born in Bolivia and I in South Korea. We met several years ago in a sports bar and dreamed of having our own gathering place to share our love of sports, great food, and fine spirits. As a former habachi chef in a Japanese steakhouse, I named our place Flying Shrimp GastroPub because you may see some shrimp flying around. We want you to enjoy your visit and to let us know if there is anything that is less than 100% perfect,” said owner Matt.

So if you are looking for a new flavor of dining with fresh, locally-purchased quality food and a friendly atmosphere, look no further than The Flying Shrimp GastroPub. This is just what the Geist neighborhoods ordered!

Flying Shrimp GastroPub
10462 Olio Road
Fishers, IN 46040

Indianapolis Sailing Club to Host the Inaugural Geist Triathlon

New Triathlon Series Comes to Hamilton County

The Indianapolis Sailing Club on Geist Reservoir will play host to the inaugural Geist Triathlon on Saturday, June 22, 2013. Registration is now open for the sprint triathlon featuring a 500 meter open water swim, 10 mile bike ride, and 5K run. A portion of the proceeds will benefit a Geist-area cancer charity, Team Luke.

Tom Britt, publisher of the Geist Community Newsletter and co-founder of the St.Vincent Geist Half Marathon & 5K, has partnered with Planet Adventure to bring this event to the Geist Reservoir community.

“I’m excited to work with Planet Adventure to put on another great Geist community event,” said Britt. “I can’t think of a better host facility than the Indianapolis Sailing Club, the historic club that put Geist Reservoir on the map.”

Planet Adventure (www.PlanetAdventureRace.com) produces about 70 events per year, including trail runs, bike races, road runs, and triathlons. With the Geist Triathlon, a new TownePost Triathlon Series is being formed with two of Planet Adventure’s events: The Carmel Sprint Triathlon (April 14) and the Fishers Sprint Triathlon (September 15). Participants will earn points by competing in all three events with an overall mens’ and womens’ winner.

Team Luke, a 501(c)3 non-profit, supports cancer research, Rhythm Pax (percussion based music therapy kits) for oncology patients at Riley Children’s Hospital, as well as raising awareness to blood cancers through various community and athletic events.

Registration is now open for the Geist Triathlon at www.GeistTri.com. Cost is $80 per person. Follow them on Twitter @GeistTri and on Facebook (“GeistTri”). For more information on the TownePost Triathlon Series, visit www.TownePost.com/Tri.

Amy Beverland Student Wins State Sertoma Club Award

Amy Beverland sixth grader Mikayla Stephens accepts the award from Michael Brown, Sertoma Club of Indiana – Northern District Governor, for winning the District’s essay contest entitled “What Freedom Means to Me.”

In November, 2012, all students in Mrs. Macalister’s sixth-grade class at Amy Beverland Elementary School (ABE) were asked to write an essay titled “What Freedom Means to Me.” This annual event, sponsored by the Sertoma Club of Indiana, asks fifth- and sixth-grade students from participating schools all across Indiana to write an essay about Freedom. School officials select the best essays and submit them to their local Sertoma club which, in the case of ABE, is the Lawrence Sertoma Club.

At the time, sitting in Mrs. Macalister’s class Mikayla Stephens had no idea how impactful this essay would be for her. She simply wrote the following from her heart:

What Freedom Means to Me

Freedom is a word that has different meanings to everyone. So what does freedom mean to me? Well, it is the describing word for our country. It’s the description to why I’m not a slave, why I can choose a religion, and why I have a choice every day. Freedom means so much to me. It means being able to have a choice.

Without freedom in my life, everything would be different. I would be forced to wear clothes that I wouldn’t want to wear; I would wake up knowing that I don’t have a choice. Freedom means being able to make my own decisions in life. Freedom is what has allowed me to choose what I am, what religion I am, and what choices I’m going to make.

Freedom is something everybody takes for granted. We shouldn’t, though. At one point, in the United States slaves didn’t have the freedom they deserved. The slaves were like puppets that the American people could control. The slaves couldn’t vote, they didn’t have a choice on what they were going to do that day, and they couldn’t say what they wanted. But then President Lincoln came, and he gave them freedom with the 13th Amendment. They were grateful and had their freedom. They were free.

Freedom has allowed me to have fun in life, to go to school, and to make a choice in life. I can watch a movie, or I don’t have to. I could hang out with my friends or I could hang out with my family, and it’s all my decision.

Freedom also means that my choice is a choice only I can make. People can certainly influence me, but I am the one to make the ultimate decision. I can make my choices be heard, or I could keep them to myself. That’s a choice within a choice. Choices are within everyday life, and you may not even notice it. For example, you chose to read this article, and I bet somebody influenced you; but, like I said, you made the ultimate decision to read this.

Freedom is being able to have control of what I do. People can give me a command, but I decide on whether I follow their command or ignore it. I control who I am and what actions I take. I decide who is my friend, and nobody can stop that.

Freedom is also our perspective; it’s our point of view. I may view the world differently than you do; I view what people say different than you do. And I can express how I view things to my friends and family without fear. Writers express their opinions through their books; companies express their feelings through their products; and people express their feelings through words and body language. Everybody has their own way of expressing their feelings, and that’s part of their freedom.

Freedom is something most people take for granted. But outside of the United States, people don’t have the kind of freedom we do. Freedom is a choice, and we need to take that freedom and use it. People don’t realize how lucky they are to have freedom. Freedom is our choice and we need to use that freedom.

Mikayla was honored to learn that her essay, among others, was selected by ABE school officials to be submitted to the Lawrence Sertoma Club for their consideration. To later learn that her essay was one of two finalists in Lawrence Township was amazing. Mikayla read her essay at a banquet sponsored by the Lawrence Sertoma Club on February 5, 2013. That night, she learned that her essay was selected as the 1st place winner. She received a very special plaque with her name engraved on it and a substantial check from the Lawrence Sertoma Club.

But the story doesn’t end there. Each Sertoma Club across the State submits their 1st place winner to the Sertoma Club of Indiana, and a northern and southern district winner are selected.

Mikayla said “I was surprised, but very happy to start preparing for February 23 when I would read my essay to the Sertoma Club of Indiana.” Sertoma clubs from all across Indiana were represented at the banquet, as were the essay winners from each club. Each student who read his/her essay did an outstanding job and truly represented themselves and their schools at a remarkably high level. At the end of the night, Mikayla was thrilled beyond belief to hear her name called as the 1st place winner for the Northern District! She was presented with a beautifully-engraved plaque and another very generous check from the Sertoma Club of Indiana.

Mikayla summed it up by saying, “This is an experience I will remember forever. Thanks to everyone at the Sertoma Club for sponsoring this event!.”

Catching Up: Tom Britt

My old college roommate and fraternity brother called me last night from his home in Venice Beach, California. I haven’t talked to him in 25 years, and as you can imagine, we had a lot to catch up on. In the same spirit, things have been so hectic here at atGeist.com over the last few months, I feel like I need to catch everyone up on recent developments here at Geist.

Fishers Launches

We gave birth to another local publication last month, the Fishers Community Newsletter, and feedback is very positive so far. Laurie and Matt Quinn, a husband-wife team and Tanglewood residents are settling into their new start-up with our assistance on the design, layout, sales, and printing/distribution. Early signs point to Fishers having more pages than Geist by the end of this year.

New Employee

Most of you know we moved in above Eddy’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill at the Geist Marina in November, but what you might not know is we hired our first employee. We’ve been utilizing freelance writers and designers for the last 9 years, but with our recent growth and office space, we hired Alyssa Sander as our Creative Director and first employee. She’s a Ball State grad; need I say more? Moving our deadlines to the same day each month, adding new publishers to the mix, and training everyone as we go has presented some challenges, but we’re all optimistic and gelling as a team.

Geist Half Marathon

Our long-time event management company, Vision Event Management, severed their contract with us on February 1 without giving us a reason. Our relationship has been deteriorating over the last few years and with their contract ending with this year’s race, they exercised their 30-day out clause in our contract. In my opinion, it was a classic case of “you can’t fire me because I quit!” Regardless, participants will not see any noticeable changes on race day. Our board has been taking on more responsibility over the last few years, and we hired Planet Adventure to replace them for this year’s race and next. They put on over 70 events annually, so rest assured that this could be our best year ever. Registrations are ahead of pace, so if you are procrastinating, sign up now at www.GeistHalf.com.

Happy Hours

We started hosting happy hour each Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in our new Mitford Office Suites above Eddy’s. Surprisingly, we’ve been getting anywhere from 8 to 20 people each Friday stopping by for some liquid refreshments and old-fashioned social networking. This is open to anyone; you don’t have to be a business owner or client to stop by. In fact, we’ve had several Geist-area neighbors just drop in to see the place, shake a few hands, and head downstairs for dinner. Like our “Geist Happy Hour” page on Facebook to see who is showing up each week, or just come by and see for yourself!

Zionsville Launching This Month

Our first issue of the Zionsville Community Newsletter will launch on April 1. This will mark our fifth publication and put us around 72,000 newsletters each month. Response over there has been phenomenal, so I’m excited to see how it goes. Our first cover will feature Zionsville High School grad and former basketball player, Butler University coach Brad Stevens. Check it out online at www.atZionsville.com or download our new iPad app to read it digitally.

New Columnists

You’ll notice the “Girls About Town” story this month featuring friends and neighbors Rachel Quade and Chalene Braun. I’m really excited about their column, but more importantly, the direction our editorial is going. This column evolved over a few happy hours at the office and culminated in a night at Murphy’s PubHouse with Brenda Staples, our long-time photographer. They have several hot spots lined up to visit in the coming months. If you have a place you want them to visit or if you’d like to be part of their posse, email them at Girls@atGeist.com.

It’s an exciting time to be a part of atGeist.com. Through our licensing model, I’ve been able to turn over the Carmel, Center Grove, Fishers, and Zionsville Community Newsletters to capable people to run the day-to-day operations of a monthly magazine. In return, I can refocus on just doing Geist, where the whole thing started about 10 years ago.

Crash Survivor to Speak at Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern High Schools

As a two-time member of the National Junior College Athletic Association women’s volleyball All-American team, Sarah Panzau knew what it was like to be on top of her game – and on top of the world. But not long after, she nearly lost it all.
Somewhere between life as a competitively driven high school athlete and the early years of college, she began heading down a destructive path. She found herself hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting more out of drugs and dangerous levels of alcohol than hitting the books and spiking a ball.
On Tuesday, March 19th at 10:00am and again at 7:00 pm at Fishers High School and Wednesday, March 20th at 10:30 am at Hamilton South Eastern High School Sarah Panzau will deliver her Living Proof presentation to students, which details the pattern of poor choices that finally caught up with her.
In the early morning hours of Aug. 23, 2003, Panzau’s car – and her life – spun out of control. With a blood-alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit, the 21 year-old decided to drive home drunk, missed a highway exit and rolled her car four times. She wasn’t wearing a seat belt and was ejected through the rear window of her car, her left arm was torn from her body and she was thrown onto the roadway.
The next thing Panzau remembers, she was in the hospital being told that she had lost her arm. She remained hospitalized for several months and endured more than 30 surgeries.
Panzau recognizes it was a series of poor choices that led up to that tragic night and hopes others will learn from her mistakes. She started speaking to students because, until the crash, she was in their shoes: invincible and with the world ahead of her.
“Not only did my poor decisions to hang with the wrong crowd, get involved with drugs and drive drunk forever change my life, it also changed the lives of everyone around me,” Panzau explains. “Every time I speak to students, I want them to understand the importance of making good decisions and how choices have consequence – sometimes for a lifetime.”
Through the Living Proof presentation, Panzau encourages students to look out for each other and reminds them to seek help, if needed. She also touches on the difficulties she has encountered as a result of her disabling injury, including a lack of social acceptance. She relates that before the crash, she was the pretty, popular girl with whom everyone wanted to be friends. Now that she is technically considered disabled, people treat her differently. Panzau encourages students not to let physical disabilities bias their thinking and to show tolerance and acceptance of others.
Living Proof is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Terrance Smith Distributing as part of the company’s commitment to help prevent underage drinking and drunk driving.
“Sarah provides a powerful message that truly resonates with students,” says Terrance Smith Jr of Terrance Smith Distributing. “Not only does she tell them about the importance of making good decisions, not to drink when underage and never drive drunk, she also teaches about value of family and the important role these relationships play in the lives of young adults.”
Join Terrance Smith Distributing in supporting Living Proof by attending Sarah Panzau’s presentation Tuesday, March 19th at 10:00am and again at 7:00pm at Fishers High School and Wednesday, March 20th at 10:30am at Hamilton South Eastern High School.

Fishers Mom Makeover

In 2009, Mindy Irish was 95 lbs. overweight after having her fourth baby. Today, she’s lost the weight and training for her first physique contest and blogging about her experiences at fitgalclub.com.

There’s nothing like a milestone birthday to bring about positive change in one’s life. For Mindy Irish, the magic number was 35. Two days earlier, she gave birth to her 4th child and was 95 pounds overweight. This pivotal event occurred in early October, 2009. “Reading about the ill health effects of excess weight, I could feel that change was in order,” said Mindy. Most importantly, she wanted to feel better about herself.

Mindy’s past was littered with failed diet attempts. One diet program would start, she would lose some weight, then get pregnant again and be happy she could “eat” again. After the birth of their 4th baby, she vowed to avoid the yo-yo effect again. The solution was to make some lifestyle changes. Working with her husband in realty and remodeling, and being a mom, finding time to exercise is a challenge.

Mindy Irish just weeks after her fourth child, 95 lbs. ago.

Making small changes, Mindy started out by slowly adding exercise into her already busy daily routine. With four kids 6 and under, life is in constant motion, so she took that motion to the Fishers YMCA. Able to capitalize on the childcare available, Mindy was able to work out with weights on a regular basis and make time for cardio. With the support of her husband, Dan, Mindy was able to stay on task. “You make it a priority, like brushing your teeth – it’s a daily activity that isn’t skipped,” said Mindy. Over the next two years, Mindy was successful at losing the 95 pounds.

Last year, the possibilities of where this weight lifting and exercise could take Mindy began to materialize. She was encouraged through a friend to attend a Physique competition. “I never pictured myself on stage in that skimpy bathing suit, but I realized it was a potential option.” Mindy decided that if she could keep the weight off successfully in a year’s time, she would compete. Common with most extreme weight loss patients, Mindy had some 7 pounds of extra skin surgically removed. Having successfully maintained her weight for over a year, she made the tough decision to proceed with the surgery. Coming off the surgery with 23 weeks until the competition, Mindy is focused on her goal.

The National Physique committee oversees many competitions locally, regionally, and nationally. This includes bodybuilding, fitness, and figure competitions. Mindy will be competing in the “open” category for “figure” which is divided by height. Apparently, all contestants must wear a 2-piece with the bottom being a ‘V’ shape and high heels. Not lacking self-confidence, Mindy is counting the days and weeks until the big day. She even has a blog about her experience, fitgalclub.com. “I want other moms to know that the weight loss is possible and very achievable. If I could do this, so can anyone!”

Determination, when directed in a healthy way, has served Mindy well. She credits her mind set. The weight loss has been the result. She owns it, takes full responsibility for her body, and that body has responded well. It’s a daily sacrifice, but it has been worthwhile. Positive habits have an energy all their own, and she is certainly channeling hers!