The event, aimed at fostering community engagement and raising funds to support 4-H programs, showcased a wide variety of handmade crafts, gifts and goods.

Morgan Quinn, a volunteer with the 4-H Council and former 10-year 4-H participant, said she has been involved in organizing the craft show for the past three years. 

“We’re always looking for new opportunities for community inclusion and involvement,” Quinn said. “Anything that gets our name out there and benefits 4-H in Grant County is a win for us.”

Quinn said that 4-H offers a broad range of activities beyond its agricultural roots. 

“4-H really builds a sense of responsibility and opens your eyes to more than just agriculture,” Quinn said. “There’s so much to do and so many people to meet. Some of my best friends are people I met through 4-H.”

Jerry Shaffer, a retired bread industry worker, participated as a vendor at the craft show, selling handcrafted wooden items. 

“I started woodturning after I retired, and it’s been a great way to stay busy,” Shaffer said. “This is one of the best shows I’ve done. I enjoy making the items more than selling them, but events like this give me a chance to connect with people.”

Linda Wilson, a Marion resident, attended the event and said she appreciated the opportunity to support local craftsmen. 

“It’s great to see so many talented vendors in one place,” Wilson said. “I love coming to events like this because you can find unique, handmade items while also supporting the community.”

Quinn said the craft show is one of many efforts by the Grant County 4-H Council to strengthen its presence and impact in the area. 

She said the organization is trying to engage with more local families. 

“If anyone’s interested in joining 4-H, they can contact the Purdue Extension office in the county building,” Quinn said. “There’s truly something for everyone in 4-H, and it’s a great way to build skills and connections.”

The supper took place from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the church’s fellowship hall during the town’s trick-or-treat hours.

Guests gave donations to support the third annual Little Town of Christmas, set for Dec. 6 and 7 in downtown Van Buren.

Pastor of The Church of the Vine Brad Hensley said he started the Little Town of Christmas in 2021. This year it will include events such as a live nativity, horse and sleigh rides and other activities for families in the community.

He said that the idea came from a need for a community event during the holidays.

“This is a way to get people together and share the Christmas story,” Hensley said.

He also said the funds raised at the supper will help pay for the Little Town of Christmas and provide gifts for local families in need.

“We don’t push any agenda. It’s about serving the community,” Hensley said.

Linda Long, a member of the Little Town of Christmas planning team, said the supper was a success.

“The funds help buy gifts for kids who might not get any otherwise,” Long said.

She said any extra funds will go to a program at Eastbrook North Elementary School.

The school sends food packs home with kids on weekends if they do not have enough to eat.

Long also organizes the horse and sleigh rides for The Little Town of Christmas event.

“We’ve done this for three years now, and it keeps growing,” Long said.

Van Buren resident Sarah Neville attended the supper. She said she appreciates the free-will donation setup where people can give if they want to.

“Some people can’t pay, and that’s okay. Those who can, do,” Neville said.

Neville also attended the Little Town of Christmas last year and enjoyed the event’s activities.

“We saw and enjoyed the live Nativity and all the Christmas decorations,” she said.

Pastor Hensley said he hopes even more people will come to this year’s Little Town of Christmas.

“It’s about bringing people together and building community,” Hensley said.

Jeffrey Kilgren, a representative of the Grant County Historical Society, said he was using the festival to recruit new members and promote community engagement. 

“This is great for the kids. They get to do some candy collection before Halloween, but it’s also great for people to get out, get some exercise and fresh air, and meet one another,” Kilgren said. “I met several people that I know here. It’s a great way for the community to come together.”

The winner of the costume contest, Robin Patterson said she was attending the festival for the first time with her granddaughter. 

“The costume contest is something fun for us to do together,” Patterson said.

 She said she also enjoyed the food options.

“I got some loaded spuds and it was a great addition to the day,” Patterson said.

Loretta Tapean, DJ and MC from Rolo Entertainment, said she was providing music and announcements while enhancing the festival atmosphere with a themed playlist. 

“We DJ all kinds of stuff, but community events like this are my favorite. Today’s playlist is all about the fall season,” she said. 

Tapean said her favorite part of the day, however, was the animal costume contest. 

“Seeing all the costumes and the joy it brings to people—it’s really a special experience,” she added.

Organized by the Marion Parks Department, the event was designed to give families and children the opportunity to enjoy fall-themed activities together as the season begins. 

The Harry Cramer Green Space officially opened in Marion on Thursday, marking the culmination of a five-year effort to transform a blighted lot into a public park for the community.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the park, located at 21st and Brownlee, drew a crowd of city officials, community members, and local leaders, all gathered to celebrate the new green space.

The project was made possible through a five-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), awarded to the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) as part of a broader initiative to improve community conditions and prevent violence.

Marion Mayor Ronald Morrell Jr. said the transformation of the space represents a significant achievement for the city.

“My favorite thing about this project is that it took a space that was once blighted and harmful to the community and turned it into something that is beautiful and helpful,” Morrell said.

He also said that the project not only provides a recreational space for children and families, but also addresses a key goal of his administration by eliminating blight in the city.

“This green space not only provides a place for kids to play, but it also helps reduce domestic violence by creating a positive environment,” Morrell said.

The project began in January and has since evolved into a collaborative effort involving local organizations, city officials, and community residents.

Hands of Hope, a local organization dedicated to preventing domestic violence, played a role in organizing the project at the local level.

Linda Wilk, director of Hands of Hope, said how important the community input was in shaping the green space.

“We did research in the neighborhood to see what the residents wanted, and this green space is the result of those conversations,” said Wilk.

She also said that the project’s goal was to create a place where neighbors could gather, feel safe and build stronger connections.

Colleen Yeakle, the evaluation director for the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the project lead for the CDC grant, echoed this idea by saying how important it is to create strong communities.

“We want to create communities that are supported and connected, where neighbors know each other and care about each other, we hold each other accountable when we get it wrong, and we support each other through hard times,” Yeakle said.

Yeakle said that strategies like green spaces are considered best practices for preventing not only domestic violence but also child abuse and suicide.

President and CEO of Greater Grant County Kylie Jackson said she is excited about the project’s completion and the impact it will have on the neighborhood.

“It’s really exciting being able to be part of the celebration because we did the groundbreaking too, and to see the transformation from there has been awesome,” Jackson said.

She said that projects like this can improve the neighborhood’s overall environment by turning a once vacant and neglected space into something valuable for the community.

“When you take a blighted, empty city lot and turn it into something beautiful like this, the self-esteem of the neighborhood is raised,” Jackson said.

The park, named after Harry Cramer, a veteran who was active in the neighborhood, features a variety of amenities, including walking paths, raised garden beds and playground equipment.

Marion resident John Filburn, whose wife is vice president of the project, said the family-friendly nature of the park is one of its most important qualities.

“The kids are over there playing; it’s very family-oriented,” Filburn said.”It takes away the blight that was there, makes the community look nicer, and brings the families together.”

Mayor Morrell, along with other local leaders, said they have hope that the park will continue to serve as a positive space for residents to gather and enjoy.

“Anytime the community gets together to rejoice over something, it always brings joy to my heart,” Morrell said. 

After the ribbon cutting ceremony was over, local leaders announced that the Harry Cramer Green Space is officially open to the public.

IWU students and Grant County residents attended the event alongside several businesses, churches and other community partners from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event also included campus tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a concert from IWU’s marching band at 3:30 p.m.

One of the community partners at the event was Director Mike Johnson of Life Center Counseling.

“Life Center Counseling has been in Marion since about 1986 and we have hundreds and hundreds of appointments each month,” Johnson said. “We work with anxiety, depression, marriage, kids and all kinds of stuff.”

Johnson said he was at Taste of Marion because he wanted more people to know Life Center Counseling is in the community.

“I just want people to know that we exist and we are here to offer our services to the community,” Johnson said.

Carey Services workers Tattyana Farrow and Darryel Hardy were also hosting a booth at the event.

“Carey Services is a nonprofit that serves individuals with disabilities,” Farrow said. “Our mission is to turn disabilities into opportunities.”

Both Farrow and Hardy said Carey Services was at Taste of Marion to find people who wanted jobs and were looking to volunteer.

“We’re the youngest in our job, so we are just trying to appeal to students and the younger audience here,” Farrow said.

IWU Transfer student Ryan Hornbeck attended the event.

“I did not really know anything about Marion before coming to IWU, so I liked the event because I learned a lot about the businesses, churches and different things to do in Marion,” Hornbeck said.

Hornbeck also attended the concert at the end of the event.

“Watching the marching band was a good experience because I had never seen them perform before and I thought it was a good way to end the event,” Hornbeck said.

Indiana Wesleyan University plans on hosting other campus community events such as Homecoming, Fusion and Spotted Cow later this year and early next year