By Macy Douglas
Intern

Herman Bueno was recently honored for all his accomplishments over his long career at Southport Middle School. Bueno was honored for being a science teacher, as well as a track and cross-country coach. Bueno spent over 25 years as a teacher for Southport and graduated from Southport himself in 1976. During his time as a student at Southport High School, Bueno was an exceptional runner. He held the school’s records for distance events in cross country and track for nearly 40 years.
 
After graduating high school, Bueno went on to run cross country and track at the University of Indianapolis. During this time at UIndy, Bueno received numerous awards. He was a four-time Letter-winner in both cross-country and track and field, and four-time Cross Country MVP honoree. In 1977 and 1978, Bueno was two-time NCAA Track and Field National Qualifier; as well as two-time HCC Cross Country Outstanding Runner and two-time NCAA Cross Country National Qualifier in 1978 and 1979. In 1980, Bueno was the HCC Track and Field’s Most Valuable Runner. These are just a few of Bueno’s many accomplishments as a college athlete. 

In his career after college, Bueno coached several undefeated teams at Southport Middle School with career winning records of over 80 percent. He was inducted into the Southport High School Wall of Fame in 2004 and was University of Indianapolis Greyhound Club’s ‘I’ Person of the year honoree in 2006. The event to celebrate Coach Bueno’s career was held last Saturday at Southport Middle School. Many past students and runners, as well as work colleagues came to show their support, congratulate, and thank Bueno for his dedication to his job as teacher and coach.
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Bueno has also been an assistant and teacher at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking and Time-Honored Crafts since it opened in 1993. He has assisted in over 80 classes over the years and attended many classes himself. Bueno has dedicated his life to helping both students and adults grow and learn. His dedication shows through the success of his countless students. 

Herman Bueno

Reprint courtesy of  the 1976
Southport Anchor yearbook

Sectional and county individual champ Herman Bueno, left, strides through the state meet. Herman was Coach Tom Hathaway’s number one runner almost every meet.

​Hathaway’s harriers worked morning and night to reach for a dream they thought was possible.
And sure enough they did. Taking first in the sectionals and regional wasn’t enought for the Cardinal crew as they rabled on to capture the trophy along with the glory of a state championship. Herman Bueno, Erhard Bell, David Kays and Kurt Hurley, the four horsemen, placed high enough along with junior Jim Booher beat a surprised Crown Point team which took second place honors. Sophomore Bob Browne and junior Kent Raker rounded out the seven-man punch. 
The Harriers dual meet record was 8-0 including a 17-47 romp over arch-rival Perry Meridian for the all-sports trophy. The Cardinals also won three invitations; the Pike Hokum Koren, Ben Davis invitational and the Howe Iinvite. They also displayed their pack in the county as they took that convincingly. 
Coach Hathaway starts his training program in the summer with a thousand-mile club starting in June. To obtain a shirt a runner has to run 500 miles before practice Aug. 13 so that he will have 1000 miles between June and September. Seniors Herman Bueno and Erhard Bell ran 900 miles.

By Steve Page
Correspondent

WEST NEWTON – The George T. Goodwin Center appears to be all things for all people.

The center, located at 3935 W. Mooresville Road, near the intersection with Mars Hill Road, is billed as a senior center.

But it is much more than that.

The center, named for the WWII B-24 pilot who flew 50 missions in 1944, also hosts church services. Community organizations also use the building.

Mostly, though, it is a food pantry.

A vital food pantry.

“It’s a godsend to have this here!” exclaimed a shopper, who wished to be known only as Phyllis. “I know a lot of people come here for breakfast and lunch. It’s awesome!”

The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The food pantry is open from noon to 2 p.m. or from 4 to 6 p.m. on every other Monday.

According to its website, the center “exists to enable families and individuals to connect with the community, to find the help they need and to improve their future.”

And if they’re hungry, it’s the place to be.

On a recent Monday, there were 60 shoppers in the morning and 125 more in the evening.

It’s the way the pantry is conducted that makes it so appetizing.

“We serve anyone,” says Executive Director Kelly Ivey. “They don’t have to live in the township. Just sign in and let us know how many people are in your home.”

Each shopper is given a grocery cart with four large paper bags. Six carts are allowed at one time so the room doesn’t get crowded. The shoppers go from table to table, picking what they need, with certain limitations on some goods so everybody gets a chance. They begin at the meat table. They then get a choice of vegetables and fruit before moving on to cereal and other breakfast foods, as well as peanut butter and jelly. There are also beverages such as tea and soda, and snacks like potato chips and dessert items.
Shoppers are served by Ivey and the dedicated staff, including Board President Judy Collins. Others are Patty Bailey, Evelyn Harrell, Cindy McVey and Norma Gaston.

The groceries are all new and name brand.

“You eat well when you shop here,” Ivey noted.

That’s because all the schools in Decatur Township have food drives for canned and non-perishable goods, with those foods going to the pantry.

“We get orders from Gleaners, Midwest Food Bank and Second Helpings,” Ivey said of other food sources. “We serve breakfast and lunch every day of the week. Second Helpings brings hot food.”

 More than a pantry

“We have homeless people who come in and seniors come in to congregate,” said Ivey, who doubles as executive director of the Decatur Township Drug-Free Coalition. She’s also the wife of Decatur Central softball coach Don Ivey.

We partner with a lot of outside agencies like WIC,” she said of the federal assistance program for women, infants and children.

“We have bingo every Tuesday for our senior citizens. We play euchre on Wednesday. We have a computer station for them. It’s a spot for people to connect with family and friends. We share the building with community organizations. West Newton Friends had a church building which they tore down, so they come here. We also rent it out at a very low cost for things like birthdays, a celebration of life.

“On Thursdays, we partner with Camby Community Church. The pastor, Brad Long, comes in and talks.
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Some of these people don’t have a church to go to, so we bring that to them here.

“We serve close to 150 people in the pantry,” Ivey said. “With family members, we’re serving close to 500 people.”

The offer of free food does more than fill the stomachs of attendees.

Saphira, the daughter of Phyllis, helped her mother shop.

“I like it,” she said. “It’s good they’ve got juice.”

Area resident Milton Moyer serves as cart attendant on shopping days.
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“My wife, Margaret, was a kindergarten teacher for 28 years at  Stephen Decatur,” he said. “You get in the habit of volunteering for everything. I have lunch here. You can find what the neighborhood news is, too!”
For more information, call 317-247-5201 or visit goodwincenter.org.

A couple checks groceries before leaving the Goodwin Center food pantry.

Executive Director Kelly Ivey catches up after a busy day in the Goodwin Center pantry.

Shoppers, aided by staff volunteers, make their way through the Goodwin Center food pantry.

This sign taikes up most of one side of the Goodwin Community Center in West Newton.