By Ray Tincher | For The Times-Post
The Year 2002 was a relatively uneventful year.
We needed a year like that, after what we went through the previous year with the 9/11 attacks.
After perusing sources online, it seems to me the most significant news item was that on Nov. 25, President George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act into law, establishing the Department of Homeland Security. It is now the largest U.S. government reorganization since the creation of the Department of Defense in 1947.
Ray Tincher
In our area, the Lapel Town Council started the year with discussions of Fishersburg sewage problems.
There were two new members appointed to the board. Rob Steele remained a member of the Lapel Town Council. Dennis Morin, the newest member, replaced Shelly Lloyd. President Gary Shuck, Clerk-Treasurer Tom Tudor, Lynn Wainscott and Tony Pearson were the other members. Woody Fields resigned from the Lapel Park Board.
On Jan. 17, 2002, Congressman Mike Pence was schedule to hold a town hall meeting in Anderson, to give Hoosiers a chance to critique his work in Congress during his first year in office.
Also, in January 2002, Boy Scout Troop 361 leader Alan Kilburn presented badges acknowledging advancement in rank to two young men. Matt Doyon received the badge acknowledging his advancement to Life Scout. Aaron Whitlow received the badge acknowledging his advancement to Star Scout. Both young men advanced after meeting with a Board of Review, conducted at Trinity United Methodist Church. Jerry White Jr. was presented the Eagle Scout Award. He is the proud son of Jerry and Pam White.
Dale Brinker was honored by the Lapel Town Council for his 45 years of service to the community in 2002. During an interview, Brinker was asked about his many years of volunteering his time and talents, Brinker said, “I have always felt it is important to give something back to the community that you live in.”
Dale Brinker also has seen some changes in Lapel.
He recalled that in 1957, the town “had a car dealership, two grain elevators, a limber yard, six gas stations, two hardware stores, a jewelry store, a clothing store and dry goods store, three grocery stores, a blacksmith shop, two card rooms, a shoe repair shop, restaurants, auto repair shops, a canning factory, a stone quarry, a telephone exchange, two taverns, a savings & loan office, a bank, one doctors office, a funeral home and an American Legion Post. With most of the above is long gone, Lapel is still a nice little town.”.
With most of the above long gone, Lapel is still a nice little town,” Brinker said.
Brinker was a great volunteer. It appears volunteering is slowly changing, and it is affecting some areas of the community. Our service clubs depend on volunteers to operate their clubs. If we lose our service clubs, we lose the charities they give to, and the events they sponsor each year. It is our community. Let’s get involved!
Square Dancing was still popular in 2002. The fifth annual Madison County Square Dance Festival took place at the Rangeline Community Center in Anderson. National Caller Tony Oxendine called and Jan Smith cued the round dances. Petticoat Junction and Royal Petticoats were displayed dance clothes. The event was sponsored by Footloose Singles, Hoosier Squares and Madison County Promenades’.
On Aug. 17, 2001, a new school year began for the Class of 2002. Lapel High School had several new teachers joining the faculty staff. They were James Keller, Brent Keck, Mr. Shaver, Mr. Sanders, Tim Hilderbrand and Brian VanBuskirk. The other faculty was Bill Chase, Faye Allen, Mark Boudrot, Judy Brown, Joan Casey, Dorinda Cassiday, Richard Cassiday, Amy Clark, Diane Clark, Sharon Fort, Denise Gray, Ann Gustin, Cheryl Hensley, Debbie Johnson, Marianne Julius, Mindy Linville, Sharon McDermit, Brenda Mills, Janet Passwater, Lori Payne, Polly Pruitt, Karen Reed, Susan Roberts, Danita Roudebush, Greg Scott, Sean Swan, Jeannine Terhune, Zoe Terhune, Susan Tudor and Principal Bobby Fields.
Class of 2002 officers were Cassey Smith, Anthony Stone, Becky Aldrich and Brittany Presslor.
In alphabetical order the 2002 Senior Class included Rebecca Aldrich, Amanda Anderson, Veronica Araya, Kali Baugh, Steve Berry, Jeremiah Blackford, Ashley Brattain, Jessica Burgess, Claudia Clark, Bill Clark, Chris Comstock, Amy Coppock, Ashley Davis, Kyle Dawson, Lizy Douglas, Sarah Durham, David Everman, Kelsey Flint, Jake Follmar, Ira Foust, Amy Gaither, Brittney Gilliam, Lee Gregory, Stephanie Griffin, Kylie Hiatt, James Hollingsworth, Brittani Hoppes, Johan Ingerman, Zachariah Kilburn, Robert Gilbert, Kamesa King, Tyler Knepp, Melissa Koomler, Paul LeMaster, Angie Laws, Justin Linder, Holly Longenbaugh, Nathanial Lowe, Jill Mendenhall, Craig Owens, Jamie Owens, Matthew Owens, Landon Peckens, Asa Perry, Sarah Pflum, Brittany Presslor, Robert Rees, Shannon Rice, Dustin Schuyler, Brad Simmermon, Danika Richardson, Cassey Smith, Molly Springer, Anthony Stone, Amanda Thompson, Jonathan Thrasher, Jason Veach, Jacqueline Vable, Josh Walls, Jerry White, Kurtis Wilson, Jonathan Woodring and Amanda Young.
Lapel High School yearbook staff, pictured (from left, front row) Stephanie Robinson, Renae Rich and Pandora Woodward; (second row) Amanda Hodge, Lori Payne, adviser Brian Huntzinger; (third row) Stephanie Griffin, assistant editor, Jennifer Hunt, Ashley Cade, Jonathan Woodring, Jennifer Turner and Benji Hopper; (fourth row) Lindsay Ingle, Ryan Schmollinger, Rob Vermillion, Josh Leap, Billy Clark and Steve Loser, editor.
After completing the 2001-02 school year, teacher Joan Casey said goodbye to the profession. Joan began teaching in 1963 at Pendleton High School. She taught there two and a half years before she took a break to start a family. Ten years later, she returned to teaching at LHS. Joan taught English 9 and 10 throughout her career.
Doug VanDyke hung it up after 2001-02 year, too. Doug began teaching technology and construction classes in 1973 at LHS. He was missed because of his stories and great sense of humor. He also was remembered by faculty and students for his many years of hard work.
LHS’s 2001-02 tearbook foes not list any sports scores/statistics for the year. There must have been a good reason. However, I would like to know; did LHS have a good year in girls/boys basketball, baseball or football? It is history, and as years pass, those students who really gave their best, should be recognized.
Anthony Stone said, “At last we are here and I am so scared of what the future will hold for us all. I don’t want to leave this place where I have felt at home for the past two-thousand three-hundred and thirty-eight days.”
Cassey Smith said, “All of the memories that we have made here at Lapel have caused us to become closer as a class, and as a group of friends. We are lucky to be part of a school where we know every person in our class, and for that matter almost everyone in the high school. I feel that we have been very privileged to attend this school of Lapel.”
Photo – 2002 LHS Art Club
Ray Tincher attended Ball State University and retired from Indiana Department of Correction in 1997. He worked at IDOC for 30 years, serving in a variety of roles, from correctional officer to warden. At retirement, he received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Gov. Frank O’Bannon. He wrote several training manuals as part of his employment and is a published author: “Inmate #13225 John Herbert Dillinger (2007).” He and his wife, Marilyn, live in Lapel.