Monday, January 13, 2025
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Community Leader, Advocate Honored on Birthday
Don Collins thanks well-wishers who attended his 90th birthday party on Saturday. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Even considering he’s had 90 years, Don Collins’ list of accomplishments is impressive. The U.S. military veteran turned corporate and non-profit executive was honored by friends and family Saturday at Events On the Hill, the former location of Shelby County Athletic Club.
“This man has a heart bigger than anybody,” Mayor Scott Furgeson said before reading a proclamation in honor of Collins’ 90th birthday.
Cheers went up when the mayor mentioned that Don and Shirley Collins have been married 73 years. Also noted in the proclamation were Collins’ service in the Air Force (1953-1957) and his membership at the local VFW Post and American Legion Victory Post. Collins worked at IBM, RCA, KCL, Kiwanis International and Nightingale Medical of Indiana, a company co-founded by Don’s son, William T. Collins.
Collins is perhaps best known locally for his work with The Arc of Shelby County, Special Olympics, Shelby Arts Council and Crossroads of America Boy Scout Council, and for co-founding the Shelby County Aktion Club.
Among the many awards given to Collins over the years are the Distinguished Kiwanian (5-time), Super Senior by Shelby Senior Services, Lifetime Achievement award by the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, Community Spirit award by the Blue River Community Foundation, Civic Volunteer by The Shelbyville News and, in 2018, Shelbyville Central Schools’ Special Education Department created the “Aspire” award in Collins’ honor.
Don and Shirley Collins have five children, Bill Collins, Paul Collins, Carolyn Collins, Holly Forville and Vickie Collins, and seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
“We used a lot of ink on (this proclamation),” Furgeson said to laughs after reading the list of accolades and before ceding the stage to the guest of honor.
Collins, who was surprised by the proclamation, thanked those who took time to celebrate with him. “I don’t feel a day over 89,” he said.
NOTEBOOK:
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HOOSIER NEWS: Mike Braun will be sworn in as the 52nd governor of Indiana today, while Micah Beckwith will take the oath of office as lieutenant governor and Todd Rokita as attorney general. The ceremony will include inaugural addresses from each officeholder. (Indiana Public Media)
NATIONAL NEWS: Whirlpool has managed to reduce the number of parts in its flagship washing machines, and was able to save about 8 percent of costs in a process that included leaving out an additional coat of color and leaving internal parts unpainted. That’s particularly helpful because the paint is apparently one of the most expensive steps in manufacturing a washing machine. It’s still $100 more than usual, but Whirlpool needs a win because the key driver of the purchase of new appliances — new home sales — is approaching a 14-year low. With possible tariffs on the horizon, one issue for Whirlpool is that even though 80 percent of its wares are sold domestically, they’re mostly built with components made outside the United States. (Bloomberg/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
Dec. 9, 1953, Part I
Ronnie Arehart was selected as the Kiwanis Medal winner, and Richard Applas received the honorary captain’s star, based on leadership and ability, at the awards banquet. Dave Shaw, head football coach at Indiana Central College, was the special speaker.
Marge Clay was chosen by the faculty as the DAR Citizenship Pilgrimage Award winner. Marge had been nominated along with Ana Lou Willis and Nancy Taylor.
Rosemary Kincaid had sold the most Squibs in the fall semester, followed by Violet Strege and Wilma Kepple. The class of 1946 had sold 1,350 annuals, a record to that point. Dick Weakley had sold the most ads.
Jon Webster, SHS senior, had been taking flying lessons. He recently had landed in a field for a break, but when he tried to take off, the weeds were so tall they stopped the plane. Jon ran to the barn, got the tractor and mower, and mowed an airstrip for his rented plane. He got a lecture for landing in the field when he got back to the airport.
An article introduced the school’s custodians. Mr. Tucker, a custodian for 13 years, spent many hours “filing off locks for careless and forgetful students who have forgotten their locker keys.” He was responsible for the first and second floors, including the assembly and corridors. He also cared for the lawns and shrubbery. Mrs. Berauer swept the third floor rooms, cleaned boards and helped with window washing. Mr. Creek maintained the furnace. “Most recently he has been seen frequently raking and burning leaves outside the building.” Mr. Parr took care of the gym and maintained the gym floor during games. “His pet hate is confetti, which is most difficult to sweep up.” Mr. Oldham was Mr. Parr’s assistant. He cared for the dressing rooms and bleachers. Mr. Brown worked on the junior high side of the building, and Mrs. Baker was his assistant.
This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: A 1910 historic one-lane bridge located on CR 275 N was scheduled to be dismantled and moved to Kokomo, but federal highway officials put a hold on the plan, indicating the bridge should remain in Shelby County. The bridge was to be replaced because the high-water elevation during 100-year flood levels would be within one foot of the bridge deck.
1995: Shelby Eastern Schools officials announced they would form a 25-member committee to study the possibility of building a consolidated high school. Two professors had recently issued recommendations for Morristown and Waldron schools, which included converting the high school into middle schools and building a new high school at a central location.
1985: The jury which had acquitted a man on charges of robbing a bank was “the hungriest jury we’ve ever had,” one court official said. When testimony started, a large box of sweet rolls was brought for the jurors. No treats were provided the next day, and some of the jurors weren’t pleased. One of the jurors told the court reporter that “you can be replaced” when she failed to produce some sweet rolls. The rolls were quickly ordered from a local bakery.
For the first time in over five years, the price of gas dropped below $1 per gallon locally.
1975: Rev. J.W. Robinson, pastor of Second Baptist Church, read a proclamation issued by Gov. Otis Bowen naming the day (Wednesday) as Martin Luther King Day in Indiana. Joining him for the reading were Gene Byrd, Delores Sadler, George Lindsay, Ethelene Raymond, Helen Miller, Richard Byrd and Charles Reynolds.
1965: SHS junior Daryl Bernard, 16, was named Shelby County Rec Center Teen of the Month. Daryl was a two-year varsity football and track athlete, a member of Student Council and “S” Club, and a Junior Rec board member.
1955: James Everett Scudder, 25, and Ernest Harold Dean, 22, were drafted for induction into the armed services, giving Shelby County the two men needed for its quota.
1945: Plans were set for a 20th anniversary celebration for the Shelbyville Kiwanis Club. The program’s theme was “Win the War - Build for Peace.” Tom Clark Jr. was local club president.
1935: Police were searching for a man who had struck and injured Ning Loy, proprietor of the Chinese laundry on North Harrison Street. Loy, according to eye witnesses, was knocked down to the sidewalk by the stranger in front of the laundry for no reason; he suffered severe bruises and abrasions. The unknown assailant then ran toward the darkness of an East Franklin Street alley. Loy, who spoke limited English, told police that the man had asked him to purchase a downtown building. When Loy said he didn’t have the money, the man became enraged. Loy was assisted by Oliver Knight, an embalmer at the C.M. Ewing funeral home, who had befriended the Chinese laundry owner. (Editor’s note: David Craig’s files note the following - Ning Loy’s headstone in Forest Hill, which is inscribed in Chinese, is a reminder of the former Chinese laundry, 108 N. Harrison St., a building that occupied the site of the current Fifth Third Bank in Shelbyville. The laundry was operated by Pong Guay. Loy was initially one of Guay’s employees and eventually took over the business. In 1934, Loy, 42, developed tuberculosis. A year later, a man claiming to be a real estate agent began hassling Loy, who was often bedridden, to invest in some property. Loy continually refused, and the man eventually attacked Loy. The beating aggravated Loy’s TB, and he died. Charles Ewing operated a funeral home in the same building as the laundry and took care of the arrangements since Loy’s family lived in China.)
1925: A “touring car” driven by a Batesville man struck a Fairland school bus operated by William Riser. Several glass windows were broken on the bus, but no one was injured.
1915: Frank Gay, proprietor of the Alhambra bar, was arrested and charged with allowing minors to drink at his business. Carl Sandefur and Ernest Collins were the two teens who had been jailed for obtaining the alcohol.
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