Weekly View » Eskenazi Health Center

54th Annual St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild Decorators’ Show House and Gardens

Paula Nicewanger — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 05:11:24 +0000

The Decorator’s Show House and Gardens tour is going on now through Mother’s Day, May 10th. For the last 54 years each spring, designers and their support teams (and the members of St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild) donate hundreds of hours to refurbish an area home. All ticket and tour proceeds benefit Eskenazi Health. This 100 percent volunteer initiative has raised over $12 million for the city’s public hospital, and is the longest running decorator show house tour in the nation. Daily tours will be held April 30 through May 10 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., with special events like the Pink & White Party luncheon on May 1, Global Design Inspirations on May 6, and Indy on Tap May 7 at special times and for extra cost. Tickets are available at the door for $20, $18 seniors or $5 children 2-12. Visit www.showhouseindy.org for a full line-up of special events connected with the tour.

photo by Paula Nicewanger/Weekly View
One of the Decorator Show Houses.

This year, the Guild is excited to present two houses for their tour. Guests will visit 4038 N. Pennsylvania St., a new home by GRD Construction — which the Guild only had three weeks to get ready — and the home next door, 4044 N. Pennsylvania St., a home built in 1925. Guests will be able to enjoy Maggie’s Café, four show house shops, and a chance to purchase decorator items used in the home through the Designer Sales program. Twisted Sisters, Be the Boutique, Flowers by Fletcher, and Deborah Parks Interiors are the featured show house shops.
Even though each area in the two homes was created by a different designer, the homes have a beautiful flow, thanks to the hard work of the design board within the Guild, which worked closely with all the designers. This year, two Irvington interior designers, Adam Hampton and Lisa Wuertz (both located in the Bonna Shops, 202 S. Audubon), and artist Rita Spalding showed off their talents.
Adam Hampton of Hampton Designs is on the board of directors for the Historic Benton House in Irvington and coordinated the last two years of the Benton House Home Tours. His own Arts and Crafts home was featured on the 2011 Benton House Home Tour.
For the Decorator’s Show House, Adam designed a luxuriously funky space in the lower level of the 1925 home with a retreat he calls “Hotel H.” Adam says “I wanted to create a room that felt like you left your home and entered into a vibrant Miami hotel. I wanted to create a vacation oasis inside the home.”
This beachside contemporary space is cool, with clean line furnishings and pops of color. There are fun celebrity pillows used in several spots — one has Brad Pitt as a general (these will be available for sale).
Adam says that the other designers inspired him and “were not only helpful, but they were encouraging and were there to help move items or lend a tool.”
“The thing I enjoyed most about the process was the knowledge I gained from the women on the guild. These women are unstoppable and have raised millions of dollars for this charity. They were always there with kind words, answers, and leadership.”

photo by Paula Nicewanger/Weekly View
The ho-ho bird room.

Other highlights of the home tour are a sofa made from stone designed by Dale Walton in front of the new home. The winner of the Guild’s Designer Award went to Michael Arnold Interior Design for the living room in the 1925 home. It’s a very dramatic space with black walls contrasted against a creamy white sectional. The Library in the 1925 home is by Kiefer Design Group, and has Ho Ho birds all over, giving this charming room an intimate feel — the Ho Ho is a mythical Japanese bird said to bring luck. There is a nursery with a landscape mural in muted tones with circus images, created by the very talented muralist Melinda Spear-Huff.
The Home Tour is a great tradition to start with your mother — it makes a great Mother’s Day excursion. I want to thank Lori Goldsby for giving me a wonderful preview tour — she was very knowledgeable about the homes and the decorators.

First Home will be a Safe Haven in Irvington

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 06:11:57 +0000

The Associate Vice President of Eskenazi Health/Midtown Mental Health Center Julie Szempruch and several other representatives of Midtown Mental Health were on hand at the Historic Irvington Community Council meeting January 20 to discuss the First Home project they will be housing in the former nursing home on South Ritter. They were also there to dispel some rumors and fears residents might have about the First Home project.
Szempruch explained at the meeting that First Home is a transitional housing program for the mentally ill who are experiencing homelessness. The facility will be used as transitional housing for about 35 individuals who are nearly ready to take the next steps to independent living, but who also need support care and assistance to get them there. First Home is a Safe Haven project, and clients stay in it about two years.
First Home has been around since 1997 and has had a remarkable degree of success during that period. In 2013, the program saw 32 individuals discharged — 26 to permanent housing.
First Home’s current facility in Fountain Square has been there for 15 years, Szempruch said. “We’re leaving because it is a very old facility, and it would just cost too much to revamp it and upgrade everything. We couldn’t believe what a great building we got in Irvington.” Formerly The Waters of Irvington, the property has been vacant for a few years. The building’s sale was finalized last year, and plans drawn up to adapt it to First Home’s needs. “A few of the residents have come to visit it with us and are amazed that they’ll be able to live in such a nice place.” No rezoning or variances will be needed to refit the building.
As part of Midtown Mental Health Centers and Eskenazi Health, First Home will have 24 hour professional staff on site, plus a high level of care for residents. Many of the people who will be at First Home have been in care for years, suffering from serious depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues which lead to them being homeless. “We don’t label our clients,” Szempruch stressed. “We want what is best for each one as an individual.” When they are ready to take the steps toward independent living, First Home is where they learn to manage a household and take care of themselves.
About 30 percent of the residents are employed either full or part time, sometimes in the faith community or in other jobs where they will gain confidence and get support and on-the-job training. Others qualify for social security disability or supplementary income. The residents adhere to a schedule, and no alcohol or drugs are allowed on the property. Clients who qualify for the First Home program are eager to begin a transition to independent living. “They tell us, ‘Give us a chance to live,’” Szempruch said.
When looking into First Home’s experience in the Fountain Square neighborhood, Irvington Development Organization’s Executive Director Margaret Banning said that she called the Community Development people for Fountain Square to find out if there had been complaints or concerns. “They had no idea First Home was even in the neighborhood. They had to call around to find out where it was.” The reports have come back that First Home residents make for quiet neighbors who are eager to get involved in the communities in which they lived.
At the HICC meeting, a few people asked if the community could volunteer to help the First Home residents, perhaps with teaching classes or therapy. The staff said they would welcome community involvement.
Plans are being finalized for First Home’s move-in date, which may be later this year after upgrades are completed.

Community Wellness Program Grows

Weekly View — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 05:09:38 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — As part of the new partnership, Growing Places Indy will operate the one-of-a-kind sky farm at the new Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and Eskenazi Health campus. The Eskenazi Health Sky Farm will be open to patients, staff and the community as a space to engage with food and learn how it grows, how to prepare fresh produce and why it’s important to health. Items grown at the Sky Farm will also be made available to patients, visitors and staff in various ways at the new campus, opening on Dec. 9. The 5,000-square-foot rooftop garden will sit on the top of the Outpatient Care Center on the Eskenazi Health campus.
Wishard-Eskenazi Health has also formed new partnerships with Fall Creek Gardens, Living Well Community Garden in partnership with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and the Center for Wellness for Urban Women (CWUW) to create an outreach effort to teach organic gardening methods to those living in Central Indiana. In addition, these partnerships build community involvement in health and wellness.

Applause! Aug. 9-16

Weekly View — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 05:08:31 +0000

• The Indiana State Fair App on your smartphone is really useful for plotting your route to your favorite destinations and food vendors. “Let’s see, on the way to the Free Stage from here, we’re passing the kettle corn place and fried butter stand, which is next to the lemon shake-ups.” Ah, technology, thou art beautiful.
• Big shout-out to a successful Ice Cream Social at the Irvington Historical Society. The jazz band was great, the weather was perfect, and it went without a hitch. Thank you to Wyliepalooza for donating ice cream!
• ABC News on Aug. 2 featured an eastsider, Danielle Emerson Beck, and her Web site, Indy Lost Pets, in their role in exposing a “pet flipper” in town.
• Looking forward to seeing The Man Who Came to Dinner at the Irvington Presbyterian Church Aug. 16. The church has been been doing some innovative programs for the community.
• The Feast of Lanterns will be happening Aug. 24, and they need volunteers to help set up, sit in booths, etc. To sign up to volunteer, visit www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/595497876068 with your information.
• On Aug. 10, Eskenazi Health Center Blackburn will conduct a free children’s health fair featuring sports physicals, immunizations and exciting children’s games. The annual Eskenazi Health Center Blackburn Children’s Health Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Eskenazi Health Center Blackburn, 2700 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. in Indianapolis.
• St. Philip Neri Church in conjunction with Englewood Church is hosting a “Celebration of our Community in Peace” at St. Philip Neri Church, 550 N. Rural on Aug. 6 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. There will be grilling hamburgers, snacks and drinks. There will also be entertainment for all ages. They are requesting that folks RSVP by calling the parish office at 317-631-8746.
• The last launch party for Ichabod’s Sketchbook will be held Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Bookmamas in Irvington. Readings begin at about 7 p.m. The books have featured many good local writers over the past few years. Also, Katie Darby Mullins, Stephanie French-Mischo and Matt Young will be reading from their works published by Midwestern Gothic at Bookmamas, on August 16 at 6:30 p.m. For those of us who love the written word, it’s nice to have a local spot to buy books by locals.
• The Vulgar Boatmen will be performing Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. at Broad Ripple Park, 1550 Broad Ripple Ave. This is part of the “Pay What You Want” series. Get tickets are Indy.gov/concerts — all of the proceeds go to support the Indianapolis Parks Foundation.