By Ken de la Bastide
CNHI News Service
INDIANAPOLIS — Several hundred supporters hoping to keep the Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home in Knightstown open rallied at the Indiana Statehouse on Monday.
The administration of Gov. Mitch Daniels wants to close the facility at the end of the current school year, but supporters are hopeful lawmakers will keep the school in operation.
Among the alumni attending the rally were Glenda and Mike Carmichael of Alexandria.
The couple met at the Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home in 1961. Mike graduated in 1966 and Glenda in 1968. They were married in 1969 and will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary today.
“If they close it, they will be taking our home away from us,” Mike Carmichael said in the atrium at the Statehouse. “It was our meeting place.”
The couple returns every year for the annual alumni picnic.
“All the friends we have,” Glenda said. “We have always kept in touch, still do.”
She said at the end of the school day the children didn’t go home, they spent time together and grew closer. Mike said the students and staff at the home were like a family for the children who were staying there.
At the rally was Fred Wright, who was the dean of the Children’s Home for 37 years.
“I was flabbergasted,” he said of the announcement that the school might close. “This is not fair to the veterans and not fair to the kids at the home.”
Wright said it doesn’t matter if there are five or 500 kids at the home, it provides a valuable service for the state.
“I’m proud of every one of them,” Wright said of the alumni. “This is a great group of kids. I would match them with anyone. “Mike Carmichael said Wright was the most respected man he ever met.
“He did the right thing and instilled that in us,” he said.
The Carmichaels have resided in Alexandria for the past 37 years. Steve Short, commander of the Lapel American Legion and state commander, said veterans pledged to work and fight to ensure this country would have a bright future.
“There is no more noble mission for veterans to fight to save the Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home,” Short said. “We’re in it for the long haul. We will fight to the bitter end.”
State Rep. Scott Reske, D-Pendleton, who led the effort to provide funding for the home in the state budget, told those at the rally to “get fired up” because they were going to keep the home open.
“It’s too valuable,” he said of the facility. “It does too many good things for too many people.”
Reske said alumni have to tell lawmakers their story and work as a team to keep the school from closing.
He said to be cost effective there needs to be 500 to 600 children at the home.
“There are more than 600 kids in the state that need to be in the home,” Reske said.
Michael Redd, 17, has been at the school for two years.
“I was a year behind in school,” Redd said of when he was placed at the school. “Now I’m on track to graduate.”
Redd said he is currently enlisted in the U.S. Army as a medic. He admitted that he was in a lot of trouble with the court system.
“I needed the structure and guidance of the school,” he said.
With tears welling up in his eyes, Michael’s father John, said he thought his son would have been dead by now.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes in him,” John Redd said. “It makes me proud. He’s grown up.”
The father and son both admitted the time Michael has been at the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home has brought them closer.
Ken de la Bastide can be reached at (765) 454 -8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com
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Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home alumni rally
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