Link Observatory Space Science Institute

Greg McCauley, Executive Director and CEO of Link Observatory Space Science Institute in Mooresville Indiana spoke to Kiwanis about the Institute, STEM education, and the challenges of a mission to Mars.  The mission of the Institute is to advance scholastic literacy of future generations with informal STEM education focused on NASA missions, astronomy, and space exploration; and to foster scientific curiosity and advance science literacy to cultivate and nurture the next generation of leaders.

In the early 1970’s, Greg McCauley worked for NASA at the Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center) in Houston, Texas in the Mission Planning and Analysis Division for the lunar missions of Apollo 15 and 16, and was a member of the Lunar Launch Team for Apollo 17. Greg is the former CEO of Advanced Imaging, Inc, an Indianapolis based national medical imaging and consulting firm. Greg serves as a Solar System Ambassador for NASA/JPL and lectures throughout central Indiana on planetary exploration. The Solar System Ambassadors Program is sponsored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, an operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and a lead research and development center for NASA. He is a professional science communicator and member of the Indiana Astronomical Society where he spent three years on the Board of Directors.

McCauley explained how SpaceX, a privately owned company, is building the components for a mission to Mars in 2022.  One of the major challenges to mission is that a 10 day window for launch of a 5 month trip only occurs every 26 months.   Once a crew arrives on Mars they will remain there for 16 months before beginning a 5 month return trip. 

The main mission of the Institute is education of school students encouraging them to consider carreers in STEM fields.  For more information on the Institute or the Observatory see  linkobservatory.org/.

Kenhin Clinic and Wellness Program

Robb Farris, Human Resources Coordinator of Kehin told Kiwanis about their onsite Clinic and Wellness programs.   Kehin/IPT has 900 employees in Indiana.  The manufacturing facility in Greenfield, built 30 years ago, was the first one in North America.  The companies North American headquarters is in Anderson.  They have other facilities in Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina.

Several years ago Kehin entered into a national health program that placed an onsite clinic at the facility here in Greenfield.  The current provider is Health Stat.  They operate the clinic adjacent to the production facility 40 hours per week.  Kehin provides financial incentives in the form of lower health care premiums for participation in the company's wellness programs.  Participation in the the wellness program can include an annual blood draw, consultation with the doctor about the results, routine wellness tests, seeing the dentist, having a skin check and exercising. 

Hancock County Food Pantry

Tom Ferguson, President of the Hancock County Food Pantry told Kiwanis about the current projects of the Food Pantry.  The Food Pantry is a total volunteer program composed of over 150 volunteers that distributed over 1 million pounds of food last year to almost 6,500 households.
In addition to the Food Pantry program the Pantry helps provide extra food in the summer months when school is not in session to families with school age children,  The BackSack program provides elementary school children with weekend meals during the school year. High school and middle  school students can choose from a variety of foods to take home for the weekend.  Currently 235 elementary and 30-35 high school and middle school students participate in the weekend program.
Birthday bags for children, Christmas meals, and Easter bags are also special projects for the pantry,
More information on the pantry can be found at ancockcountyfoodpantry.com or by calling 317-468-0273.

Meet Your Kiwanians

Ron and Sarah Mohr who recently joined Kiwanis told about their lives in the monthly Meet Your Kiwanians. Sarah was born in West Virginia and moved to Indiana at age 10.  Ron was born in Shelbyville and moved to Greenfield.  At age 8 Ron decided he wanted to be a farmer with his brother Joe.  Ron and Sarah met while in school.  After completion of military service, Ron married Sarah,  they bought their first farm, and had their first child all within the span of one year.  Today they farm with his brother, two sons and one nephew.  They have three children and 10 grandchildren.