The Charlestown Elementary wrestling clinic sign ups will be held on Monday, February 12 for preschool through second grade from 5:30 to 6 p.m. and practice from 6 to 7 p.m. or third through sixth grade sign ups at 6:30 to 7 p.m. and practice from 7 to 8 p.m.
    Practice will also be held on Thursday, February 15. The preschool through second grade will practice from 6 to 7 p.m. and third through sixth graders will have practice from 7 to 8 p.m.
    Late sign-ups will be held on Monday, February 19. The preschool through second grade will be held from 5:30 to 6 p.m. with practice from 6 to 7 p.m. and third through sixth graders signing up from 6:30 to 7 p.m. and practice from 7 to 8 p.m.
    Practices will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays until the tournament on March 16. The practices will be: preschool through second grade- 6 to 7 p.m. and third through sixth grade- 7 to 8 p.m.
    The clinic is open to all boys preschool through sixth grade. Wrestlers compete with only wrestlers in their age and weight group.
    The Charlestown wrestling clinic will be a five-week program with two competitions at Charlestown High School.
    The main purpose for the clinic is to allow all Charlestown Elementary boys an opportunity to try wrestling. At the conclusion of the clinic boys that want to continue may join the Charlestown Wrestling Club and compete on the elementary travel team.
    "We’ve really shortened our season to finish before baseball and other spring activities start," stated Coach Tom Kendrick.
    He continued, "Every year we’ve had great numbers. Over 100 signed up last year. It seems like we get more boys every year but at the end we run into baseball and other spring activities. This year it’s a five week camp and the tourney will be five weeks earlier. Wrestlers can continue by joining our club season for four more weeks with competitions.
    Kendrick concluded, "We found out that a lot of boys enjoy our program and they just felt they were not ready to travel and compete as much. This is a better opportunity for them."
    The cost for the clinic will be $10. All participants will receive a t-shirt and awards at all competitions.
    All wrestlers and parents need to come to the sign-up and fill out an application.
    Fees can be delayed but an application must be filled out to practice.
    For more information contact Coach Tom Kendrick at 812-256-5313 or 502-544-0110.

     According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 7,500 lives have been saved by the proper use of child passenger safety restraints during the past 20 years. Yet, motor vehicle crashes still remain the number one killer of children ages 4 to 14 in America. Too often child safety seats are improperly used or not used at all.
    That is why the Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving and the Traffic Safety division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) announced recently that a statewide enforcement crackdown went into effect on Sunday, February 4 and will continue through Sunday, February 17. This enforcement crackdown will commemorate Indiana’s child passenger safety law.
    The primary goal of this public awareness campaign is to remind all parents and other adults responsible for children traveling in motor vehicles that if children are 4'9" and under, they are required to be in a booster seat.
    "In 2005, an average of five children under the age of 15 were killed nationwide in motor vehicle crashes every single day," said Mike Cunegin, executive director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. "For this reason, ICJI, along with our state and local law enforcement partners will continue to work hard throughout the year to educate parents and caregivers about the importance of properly restraining their children."
    Another goal of this public awareness campaign is to remind all parents and other adults that all children ages eight to 16 riding in a motor vehicle must be in a child restraint or use a seat belt, including those who ride in pickup trucks and vehicles plated as pickup trucks.
    According to NHTSA, belt positioning booster seats reduce the risk of injury in a motor vehicle crash by nearly 60 percent. The Automotive Safety Program at Riley Hospital finds that one in three Indiana children are not properly restrained in their booster seats.
    "As children grow, the ways in which they need to be secured in a car, truck, van or SUV change," said ICJI Traffic Safety Division Director Ryan Klitzsch. "The goal of this campaign is to enforce Indiana’s safety belt laws and make sure motorists are restraining children the correct way."
    Additionally, it is always important for expectant mothers to wear their safety belts in order to protect themselves and their unborn child(ren). Expectant mothers should position passenger vehicle lap belts across their hips and below their bellies. Shoulder belts should lie diagonally across the chest.
    For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers simply need to remember and follow the 4 Steps for Kids:
    For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until age one and at least 20 pounds.
    When children outgrow their rear-facing seats they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat of a vehicle, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age four and 40 pounds).
    Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats, they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat of the vehicle, until the seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper things and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall).
    When children outgrow their booster seats, they can use the adult seat belt in the back seat of the vehicle, providing it fits properly.
    For more information about child passenger safety in Indiana, please contact the Automotive Safety Program at Riley Hospital at 800-KID-N-CAR or visit www.preventinjury.org.
    The Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving serves as the public opinion catalyst and the implementing body for statewide action to reduce death and injury on Indiana roadways. The Council provides grant funding, training, coordination and ongoing support to state and local traffic safety advocates.

    Back-to-Back-to-Back.
    Last Saturday night the Charlestown Lady Pirates celebrated their third straight Sectional title with a 50-31 victory over Mid-Southern Conference rival Brownstown Central.
    The Lady Pirates began the championship game of Sectional 47, held at Robert I. Larkin Center at Providence High School, the same way they began the previous two Sectional ballgames. They jumped out to an early lead. Against the Lady Braves, Charlestown jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a triple from senior Jennifer Carlisle and a bucket from junior Katie Jackson.
    "It feels good to win three Sectionals," stated senior guard Lindsey Davis. "Katie Jackson is a big reason why we won three consecutive Sectionals. She’s the bomb!"
    The Lady Braves finally got on the scoreboard at the 3:24 mark with a bomb from behind the arc from junior Kassie Kovert.
    Charlestown freshman Amanda Miller scored the Lady Pirates remaining five points of the first quarter.
    Charlestown held the slim advantage over Brownstown, 10-7, after the first quarter of play.
    Charlestown senior Chelsie Ettel scored the first bucket of the second stanza at the 7:11 mark. Brownstown’s Buff Crawford cut the lead to two, 12-10, with an old-fashioned three point play at the 7:04 mark.
    Charlestown’s LaTonya Lloyd tacked on a bucket of her own at the 5:15 mark before Brownstown’s Whitney Tormoehlen cut the lead back to two, 14-12. That would be the closest the Lady Braves would get the remainder of the ballgame as Charlestown went on a 5-0 run to close out the first half of play.
    The Lady Pirates enjoyed a double-digit lead, 22-12, heading into the halftime break.
    After being held to a mere bucket in the first half, Charlestown’s 6'1" senior center LaTonya Lloyd, exploded for nine of the Lady Pirates’ 10 points scored in the third quarter. Lloyd recorded an old-fashioned three point play in the stanza. Fellow classmate Carlisle added the other point in the period for Charlestown.
    Lloyd was celebrating the victory with her teammates after the ballgame. "It feels good to win three consecutive Sectionals," she stated.
    The Lady Pirates held the 32-18 advantage heading into the final eight minutes of play.
    Carlisle opened the scoring in the fourth quarter by adding six of Charlestown’s eight points in the opening minutes of the stanza. The Lady Pirate run extended their lead to 20, 40-20, with 6:00 remaining in the ballgame.
    Brownstown’s lone senior Kenzie Soladine scored the first four points for the Lady Braves before Charlestown’s Jackson nailed two from the charity stripe at the 4:23 mark. The made free throws pushed Charlestown’s lead to 44-22.
    The teams traded baskets the remainder of the ballgame. The Lady Pirates captured their fourth Sectional title in five years with the 50-31 victory.
    "I tell you this is a very special bunch of girls," stated Charlestown head coach Tony Hall. "They’re very coachable and a likable bunch."
    He continued, "I think when Brownstown got behind, they couldn’t play Mickey Mouse, they had to play straight up. Hats off to my girls. Our defense won this tournament for us."
    Hall concluded by explaining his halftime strategy.
    "I challenged LaTonya who would have more fouls, her or (Brownstown’s Buff) Crawford. And it was no time before she (Crawford) got her fourth foul."
    Jackson was also celebrating after the Sectional victory but was quick to answer how it felt to win three straight Sectional titles.
    "It feels great! We’re going on a road trip. We’re gonna eat food and we’re gonna keep going," Jackson concluded.
    The All-Sectional team was named after the ballgame. The honor went to Providence’s Whitney Thomas, Eastern’s Deborah Adkins, Austin’s Katie McIntosh and Michelle Goodin, Clarksville’s Desiree Powell, Brownstown’s Buff Crawford and Kenzie Soladine and Charlestown’s Jennifer Carlisle, Amanda Miller and Katie Jackson.
    Scoring for Charlestown: Carlisle 16, Lloyd 15, Miller 9, Jackson 6, Meredith 2, Ettel 2.
    Scoring for Brownstown Central: Crawford 13, Soladine 6, Kovert 5, Tormoehlen 4, Ruph 2.
    3-point goals: Carlisle 3, Kovert 1.
    The Class 2A No. 10 Lady Pirates will travel to Forest Park High School in Ferdinand to battle with the Class 2A No. 5 South Ridge Lady Raiders. The tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. local time. The second game will feature Cascade and Mitchell. The championship game will be held at 8:30 p.m. local time.
    Charlestown Athletic Director David Null announced that tickets for the Regional will be sold at Charlestown High School beginning today.
    Tickets will be sold today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. The cost is $9 for the season pass or tickets will be available at the door for $6 per session.

    Every family has one individual that seems to be the one that keeps everything together. The one that everyone else refers to as ‘the rock’ of the family.
   The Sellersburg Police Department is no exception. Their ‘rock’ is in the form of the Department Chaplain, Gary Fenner, who is now also a Reserve for SPD.
   Fenner began as the Department Chaplain in 1990 under then Chief Bill Huber. Fenner has been the Chaplain under five Chiefs.
   "I would like to express my appreciation to the different chiefs for allowing me to be involved in the department," Fenner stated.
   He had experience as a police Chaplain before volunteering for the position with Sellersburg Police. Fenner served as the Chaplain of a large police department in Henrico County, Virginia before moving to the local area.
   "I’d been Chaplain in Virginia before moving here in 1986. I wanted to continue when we moved here. At the time the chief was not familiar with that. Sellersburg was a small department with four or five officers," Fenner stated. The chief said they were not able to do the chaplain program at that time. Then the new chief was very receptive and I am very glad he was."
   Fenner served on the Sellersburg Town Council from 1996 to 1999. When he was serving on the Council, he was not the department Chaplain.
   "The chief at that time felt like that would be a conflict so I did not serve as the Chaplain," Fenner stated.
   After his stint on the Council he was again brought back as the Chaplain under former Chief Mike Stricker.
   Fenner believes his position as department Chaplain is ‘two-fold.’
   "I am on call 24 hours a day. I view it as two-fold. Part of the ministry is to the police officers and their families and another part of the ministry is to the community and people the police deal with if they have some needs," Fenner explained about his duties as department Chaplain.
   Sellersburg Assistant Chief Donald Ross explained some of the duties Fenner assumes as the department Chaplain.
   "Some of the responsibilities of Chaplain Fenner are regular ride alongs with police officers. He visits officers in the hospital or at home when they have been seriously injured. Often, he is included with the Chief in notifying the family of the injured officer. He attends and participates in funerals of active, as well as retired, members of the police department. He conducts memorial services and attends departmental graduations, award ceremonies, Christmas dinners, social events and he offers invocations and benedictions. He runs the Travelers Assistance Program for the police department, a program he started. He participates in "in-service" training classes and most recently completed the Indiana Law Enforcement pre-basic Training to become a Sellersburg Police Reserve Officer as well," Ross stated.
   Fenner continued, "They called me last night (last Tuesday) at 11:30. They had a lady driving from Fort Wayne to Tennessee. She had no money and needed some help."
   One of the least liked and hardest tasks of police officers is making death notifications. Fenner accompanies officers when making the notification, which gives the victims’ families a crisis trained professional and allows the police officer to a quicker return to an available status while Fenner can stay with the bereaved family until appropriate arrangements have been made or he directs victims to community resources that can give more long-term assistance.
   Fenner explained another aspect of his duties as department Chaplain, "With death, I help with the situation at the scene and possibly notify family of the death of a loved one."
   The ride-alongs Fenner enjoys with the officers gives him more than just a little experience for the Reserve aspect.
   "I try to spend time with the police officers. I try to be a friend and offer counsel and advise them, not in a formal setting, but a casual setting. The best way is in their police cars," he added. "I am sorry to say I have not been able to do that as much as I used to. I am caring for parents, well, my mother, my dad passed away in December. Caring for my mom, and then I have a semi-serious back problem, that does not allow me to sit for long periods of time."
   Fenner added, "I used to ride with them a lot. In the wee hours of the morning you have the opportunity to sit and talk about what ever they want to talk about, it’s friendship based."
   Fenner’s position as department Chaplain is purely a volunteer position. He is paid no salary for his time and dedication to the police department and the citizens he helps as the Chaplain at SPD. He is part of the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC). They have their own regulations and training standards. Fenner is a certified Chaplain through them and is a member of the ICPC.
   Fenner receives special training to be a certified Chaplain.
   "There is ongoing training with the opportunity to renew each year. There are different levels of certification. I have not chosen to get the highest certification," Fenner explained. "Special training comes from the Indiana Chapter of ICPC. They hold training sessions in Indianapolis at the ILEA (Indiana Law Enforcement Academy). The last two years they have held the training some place else. I try to go up for training when I have the opportunity. I don’t go every year but if I have questions about a situation I have answers available to me."
   Sellersburg Police Chief Russ Whelan stated about Fenner’s training, "We make sure Gary gets annual training that helps him assist victims with dealing with crisis and the initial emotional trauma that comes with it."
   Fenner said he also received a lot of training from the police department.
   "I receive a lot of training with the police department. That taser training was not necessary but it was part of the departmental training," Fenner explained. "I have the video where I was pepper sprayed during a training session. I have firearms training with them and any number of other training throughout the year. I try to do as much training as my schedule allows and that is offered by the police department."
   Since Fenner has been an integral part of the Sellersburg Police family for so many years he has seen what it takes to wear the uniform. Recently he decided he wanted to incur the training to become a Reserve.
   "The level of training I have, I think the officers responded very positively to me becoming a Reserve. I decided to just back up and go through the training because I’ve been on the street for so long. I went through the pre-basic course with guys young enough to be my son," Fenner laughed.
   Fenner decided to take on the training of the Reserve program in December 2005. He finished his training last December.
   "All the tests and training are done. I finished the Defensive Tactics course one week before I had knee surgery. I went in and told the guys to take it easy on me," he added with a laugh.
   Fenner discussed his opportunity to go on ride alongs with the police officers at the Sellersburg Police Department.
   "I have had the opportunity with ride alongs. It’s not just to help the police officers but many times, different calls and different situations I can help the police officer in duties but also help the public in different ways," Fenner explained.
   He added, "I’ve had to help restrain somebody, I’ve helped chase down subjects and assisted officers and had to restrain subjects. I have been able to help in different times. I have helped with calls in domestic situations. I help with children when they are involved with domestic things."
   Fenner continued, "The police department is real good with providing me with my own radio and some equipment. I do have my own vest. I have had to spend some money too. I have been blessed to be able to help a lot of different people at a lot of different levels."
   He believes he has been blessed in many ways including the way his church, Calvary Christian, has supported him and his decision to help the police department as their Chaplain.
   "I have been blessed because the church has always supported me. They share me with the community. The ministry is not just within the walls of Calvary Christian Church but the ministry to the community as well. They are very supportive. I have tried to get other ministers involved and I have been very honest in the dangers that come with it. I tell them they have to consider all the possibilities. I am probably the only minister in Sellersburg that has been in all the bars in Sellersburg. I go places and see things that you wish you didn’t see," Fenner explained.
   Fenner has not had the opportunity to wear his hat as the Sellersburg Police Reserve a lot since he finished his training.
   When he was asked his most enjoyable part as a Reserve he stated, "I haven’t done enough yet to know that."
   Although he could not truly answer the question as a Reserve, he was quick to answer the question when it came to his Chaplain duties.
   "My most enjoyable part as the department Chaplain is probably my continuing relationship with the officers. I enjoy the relationships with the police officers and my involvement in their personal lives," Fenner stated.
   As if the Sellersburg Police Department does not keep Fenner busy enough, he is also the minister at Calvary Christian Church in Sellersburg. Many of the officers at SPD are members of Fenner’s church.
   "Many go to church there. Donnie (Ross), Pat (Bradshaw) and former officers also," Fenner stated. "Other personnel also attend, Patty (Clapp) and her family also attend."
   When Fenner was asked what the most undesirable part of being the department Chaplain, if anything, he took a moment to gather his thoughts before he answered.
   "That is a difficult question. The death notifications are very difficult. I know I am doing a very difficult thing but at the same time it’s a part of the ministry to people. There is a right way and a wrong way. That is part of the training, to try to make it as easy as possible," Fenner explained.
   Fenner has been with the department for many years. He has seen several changes to the department he loves.
   He was quick to answer how the department has grown since he started, "Oh, my, in terms of size, the building. We had basically three or four rooms and expanded into the rest of that building. Then we moved to where we are now and they continue to develop and expand that. It’s a wonderful blessing," Fenner added.
   He continued about the personnel changes, "With the people, it was 10 officers and now there are 14. There has been a large turnover down through the years. Only two officers, Mike (Stricker) and Pat (Bradshaw), have been there as long as I have, I pre-date the rest of them. One of the officers I have known since he was four or five years old. He used to be our neighbor. He would come to the back fence and yell to come and play with my son. It’s been really interesting and a wonderful thing to see the different police officers that came down through the years."
   Ross sees the hard work and dedication that Fenner has given to the department for so many years.
   "Chaplain Fenner is committed to this department. He has been a member of this police department longer than most of us. I know he has seen a lot," Ross stated.
   Fenner concluded with what he would like to see at the department in the next year.
   "Obviously, overall my wish would be for the officers to be the best they can be. I mean that in both their professional and personal lives. To be a good police department, but it’s only good if the police department has good people. That is why I want the officers to be the best they can be."
   Ross discussed the relationship Fenner has with the police officers and the trust that has been built.
   "Our police officers are expected to handle any situation thrown at them. Yet, who do they turn to for help when they have a problem of their own? Admitting to anyone that they have a problem does not come easily for some of our guys, but Gary makes it easy. The door to his office at Calvary is always open whether we want to discuss a personal problem or we just want to talk about something else over lunch. He has performed marriage ceremonies for some of our guys. He’s baptized some of us and he is also the minister to our families. He’s really more of a friend to us than he is our Chaplain."
   Ross concluded, "The day Chaplain Fenner decides to stop volunteering will be a sad day for us because it’s hard to replace an icon like Gary Fenner."
   Whelan said he is pleased to have a Chaplain on the force.
   "I cannot speak highly enough of Chaplain Fenner and the job he does. Having Gary around to speak with and be present to our law enforcement officers and the community is a big plus. Unfortunately, through this line of work our employees encounter a lot of stressers in life, death investigations, motor vehicle accidents, acts against children and other heinous crimes," Whelan added. "He’s one of us! Somebody who can console, counsel and assist us with special needs. Having a Chaplain is one more tool in our arsenal to keep our department healthy!"