• The NCAA Men’s Final Four Legacy Project presented by Dove Men+Care will be at Christian Park here on the east side. By early April, Christian Park will receive a basketball court renovation to help create a true basketball and sports destination on the eastside of Indianapolis. The completed renovation will be revealed in March.
• On Saturday, Feb. 7 from 10:30 a.m.-noon, Spades Park Library will celebrate the new artwork above the fireplace, created by Jarrod Stone, a local artist. The work features imagery from the Feast of Lanterns, Ann Barnes (longtime employee of the library) reading to children, the historic building and the children it serves. The library is located at 1801 Nowland Ave.
• Good Shepherd United Methodist Church will host a Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 5-7 p.m., to help provide lunches for individuals experiencing homelessness through Wheeler Mission. The dinner will be held at Good Shepherd UMC (rear entrance), located at 2015 S. Arlington Ave. The menu includes spaghetti, meatballs, salad, bread, dessert, and a drink. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 10 and under. For more information, call 317-356-3787.
• The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) recently awarded the Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation to five branches of The Indianapolis Public Library. The Franklin Road, Beech Grove, Decatur, Haughville, and Pike branches have now joined Fort Ben as CACs, setting a new industry standard for inclusivity.
• The Big Red Box Project has announced that they will open their first indoor free food box at CenterWell, 5430 E. Washington St. in spring. The modified box will feature senior-friendly foods and will be available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The box should be open around the first of April.
• Mud Creek Players is offering a pay-what-you-want preview of their production of God of Carnage on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at their playhouse, 9740 E. 86th St. The play is a dark comedy about two married couples who meet to discuss a scuffle between their sons.
• With all the cold weather, Veal’s Ice Tree is big and beautiful! If you’ve never visited this unique spot, you need to head down to 6445 Mimosa Lane. Since 1961, the family has created an “ice tree” in winter that can dwarf the house. It is free to visit, but be careful — the road has sharp curves and is not always clear. Please stay on the pavement and don’t approach it or the pond. Leashed pets are welcome.
• Thank you to all our faithful readers who called to ask if we were putting out an issue last week. We all got snowed in and it was too dangerous to try to come into the office. We prepped before the snowstorm to ensure our feral cat colony had plenty of food for the duration. We apologize for the inconvenience.