THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 32, Number 27 Thursday, July 14, 2016 The 4th of July in Long Beach See Pages 26-29 for Full Coverage of Long Beach’s July 4th Festivities! THE Page 2 July 14, 2016 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. It’s a Wonderful Life Now Retired, Bobbi Petru Has Made Helping Others a Priority by M.D. Cunningham Bobbi and her husband, Jim, relax in their Beverly Shores home along with their two dogs, both Salukis, which happen to be the mascot at Southern Illinois University, where Bobbi earned her master’s degree. Photo by M.D. Cunningham. obbi Petru sees people for who they are — Petru spent the majority of her career, which and for their potential. eventually found its way to Northwest Indiana, In the mid-1980s, when she oversaw a working to enrich the lives of others, largely through B community center at Cabrini Green, the the American Red Cross and YMCA. She attributes public housing project on Chicago’s Near North her life’s work to the values her parents instilled in Side, she experienced Michael Jordan and Walter her growing up in Saginaw, Mich., where she was Payton at the pinnacle of their careers. However, raised after moving from Connecticut as a toddler. it wasn’t their athletic prowess that, even today, During a recent interview at a local cafe, she em- sparked enthusiasm so palpable, she forgets to eat phasized the importance of role models for youth, her breakfast while reminiscing about them. It was noting that she, herself, was never a celebrity wor- their actions outside of sports that moved her. shipper, treating Hall of Fame athletes as she treats “Walter Payton was the most interesting,” she everyone, with respect and an eye to possibility. said. “He was at the top of his career at that point, The selfl ess, self-deprecating woman that she is, and giving back, that was what these young chil- Petru did not want this story to be about her. Hav- dren wanted.” ing spent, and continuing to spend, her life in the THE July 14, 2016 Page 3 Arboriculture is an art with a basis in botanical knowledge. If your “tree service” is not ISA certified, you may be missing the knowledge that is so important for proper tree care. Bobbi Petru joined American Red Cross’ La Porte County Chapter as its executive director in 2003. pursuit of empowering others, her actions are the sort of civic heroics that, when applied, forge bonds that hold communities together. She is quick to point out that everyone is capable of doing something, of fi nding ways to give back. “Look up, not down, forward, not back, and do the best you can,” she says. “People doing things out of their own ability. Giving what they can... if every- one does a little bit, a lot gets done.” The oldest of three girls, Petru credits her par- ents with molding the leader, educator and facilita- tor she’d eventually become. Her mother was heav- ily involved in clubs and her daughters’ education. Everything she learned about giving back started with her. SPIKING/TOPPING/SUMMER OAK WORK “Mom was always giving back,” she said. “She All the above practices are not acceptable for the long term was an example. I saw the rewards of giving.” health of your trees. Most of the work we do is educating our Her father, who was a lifeguard in high school fellow tree lovers in the proper care of their trees. Improper and college, fostered her lifelong love of the water, tree care from uneducated workers will cost thousands of dollars. If your tree company is not ISA certified, consider which became, and continues to be, a gateway for giving us a call to talk to you about proper tree care. her to engage with people as a water instructor. “He had us in the ocean as early as possible,” she • Tree Pruning said of her father. “I was born in May and, by July, • Landscape consultation he had me in the ocean.” • Plant health care Petru went to college because her parents sur- • Disease Diagnostics vived the Depression. Her mother, who didn’t have • Removal and replanting the opportunity to attend school, wanted her and • Stump Grinding her sisters to get an education. So, she did her un- If you would like to know more about how arboriculture Continued on Page 4 can enhance your property, call me for a consultation. Christian Siewert MI-0549A ISA Certified Arborist on staff C & A Arborists 269-756-2571 A love of water for Bobbi Petru (center) dates back to her father, www.treephilosophy.INFO E-mail: [email protected] who was a lifeguard in high school and college. THE Page 4 July 14, 2016 “We moved out here (Beverly Shores) after look- Wonderful Life Continued from Page 3 ing all over North, South, West, all over Chicago, dergraduate studies at Western Michigan Univer- and ended up in Indiana,” she said. “My husband sity, majoring in physical education with an empha- was willing to take the train in every day. I give him sis in aquatics. In the early 1970s, it was a new area a lot of credit.” of study, spawned by a need for educators and pro- Petru eventually found work in La Porte County grams to accompany pools now appearing at schools. when she joined the American Red Cross in 2003 as After completing her its executive director. It bachelor’s degree, she was an experience she attended Southern Il- was well prepared for, linois University to re- but said it was surpris- ceive a master’s degree ing, the layers of com- in the physiology of ex- munication involved ercise before landing in with reaching service Ann Arbor to work for men and women with the YMCA. news from home. Al- She then ended up in though the news was Chicago. Her Michigan rarely good, Petru teaching license could said the service really not be used in Illinois, does try to work for its so someone suggested members. She recalled Bobbi attends an Ideas and Information event through the local one case where a sub- she put her YMCA tourism bureau with Sandy Gleim from Unity Foundation. background and con- marine came to the nections to use, contacting a couple of people and surface so a La Porte County man could be airlifted ending up working for the YMCA of Metropolitan home to see family during a crisis. Chicago. Before retiring in May, Petru rejoined the Y, this Petru started out as an aquatics director on the time at the Michigan City Elston Branch. During North Side, then after three years became the pro- her victory lap with the organization, she had the gram director for the south suburbs, which boasted opportunity to work with community leaders to en- one of the Midwest’s largest outdoor pools in Park sure the former Elston Middle School enjoyed new Forest. It was a wonderful experience that she life as a multifaceted community hub, most notably chalks up to being at the right place at the right with La Porte County Family YMCA. time. She credits the women’s movement with open- “It’s exciting to see all that’s there,” she said, ing up opportunities previous generations did not complimenting the “wonderful” team for their lead- have. In Petru’s case, it was always about working ership and creativity. with others. “Again, it’s the whole thing, seeing people who “Again, it’s not what I can do, it’s working with give back and people making a difference in people’s people, motivating people, and I was very fortunate lives … If I can motivate someone to take action,” to have some great leadership on the board, and she says thoughtfully, “follow your passion.” they taught me a lot,” she said. “They encouraged Clearly, Petru is hungry as the interview comes me to motivate, to grow a team.” to a close, but given that the muffi n she bought at After raising her own children in Oak Park, Ill., the start of our interview still rests squarely where she decided with her husband, Jim, to simplify their she set it an hour earlier, you can be sure, she wants life. more than satiation for herself alone. Bobbi Petru celebrates her retirement at the YMCA’s Elston Branch. Bobbi (right) attends event celebrating women in leadership. THE July 14, 2016 Page 5 LUNCH Mon.-Fri.: 11am-3pm DINNER ✪❁❐❁■❅▲❅ Mon.-Thur.: 4:30-9:30pm Fri: 4:30-10:30pm ✲❅▲▼❁◆❒❁■▼ Sat.: 11:30am-10:30pm ✆ ✳◆▲❈❉ ✢❁❒ Sun: Noon-9pm ✢❅❅❒✌ ◗❉■❅ ❁■❄ ▲❁❋ 725 Franklin St. • Michigan City • (219) 814-4226 Gift Cards Available • Seeking part-time/full-time servers THE Page 6 July 14, 2016 Lubeznik Art & Artisan Festival Set For Aug. 19-21 Refreshing the concept Ferrara Gallery (Three Oaks, of “festival” with new addi- Mich.) and Thaddeus C. Gal- tions and a new location, Lu- lery (La Porte), as well as the beznik Center for the Arts is LCA’s galleries.