By KEVIN NEVERS

It’s been a little more than a year since Mark and Michelle Hopkins moved Hopkins Ace Hardware across the street to the old Smedman’s Econo-Mart, and a couple of months since they built the very attractive “lifestyle center” off the sidewalk on South Calumet Road.

Now they want to give back to the Town of Chesterton, with a donation of around $2,500.

“The Downtown area with the streetlights and flower baskets looks fantastic, but maybe it needs something more,” Mark Hopkins wrote in a letter to the Town Council. “Maybe the look could spread beyond the Downtown area. Anyway, I would like to make a donation of approximately $2,500 aimed towards enhancing the Downtown area. I know it’s not much but it’s a start.”

How exactly they might use the contribution members were unable immediately to say. A single decorative streetlight—of the sort at the Hopkins Ace lifestyle center, which the council funded with an injection of CEDIT moneys, the expense of the electric extension itself paid by Hopkins Ace—costs around $2,300. So members instructed department heads to think about an appropriate use of the contribution.

Members also noted that any businesses which would care to enter into a similar cost-sharing agreement for the installation of a decorative streetlight should contact the council. As Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg noted, “one of the biggest expenses is extending electric.”

“I really want to say how much we appreciate the offer,” said President Jim Ton, R-1st.

For his Member Dave Cincoski, R-3rd, called it a “very gracious and generous donation.”

Applebee’s

In other business, members expressed their appreciation to Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar for its $500 donation to the Parks and Recreation Department.

Every Wednesday the Applebee’s, located at 791 Indian Boundary Road, donates 1 percent of all sales to the Town of Chesterton, with the idea of helping to fund youth activities through the Parks Department.

Applebee’s management has estimated that, over the course of the year, it could raise as much as $2,000 for youth activities.

First Baptist Church

Meanwhile, Park Superintendent Bruce Mathias told the council that he’s compiled a list of possible ways in which volunteers from the First Baptist Church of Chesterton at 1401 W. Porter Ave. could help the Parks Department.

At the council’s last meeting, Pastor Larry Starett put this simple question to members: “What can my church do to help the Town of Chesterton?”

The council instructed Mathias to liaise with Starett.

Duneland Xtreme Sports

Members did vote 5-0 to authorize Duneland Xtreme Sports to hold a tag day fundraiser at the intersection of Indian Boundary Road and Plaza Drive, with the understanding that skaters and bikers—under adult supervision—would remain at that signalized intersection and that Police Chief George Nelson would review the organization’s plans.

The tag sale will start at 9 a.m. and end at 12 p.m.

Posted 7/31/2008