What’s recently happened?
The citizens of Lowell have spent their first weeks of summer basking in the sun and spending time together.
All over town, different organizations, businesses, and especially families have been hosting garage sales and rummage sales of all kinds.
St. Edward Catholic Church held its annual rummage sale from June 6 to June 10.
Not only this, but Lowell was also recently visited by the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus.
They had endless treasures like vintage items, tools, clothes, art, furniture, and much more. In addition to this, they had a bake sale and raffles. A variety of people stopped by and it was a very positivity-filled environment.
On June 7, two shows were performed under a real Circus Big Top at the American Legion Post 101 Grounds.
They were present for an hour and a half and showcased much talent. Throughout this time the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus’ show included big cats, tight rope, aerialists, foot juggling, horses, daredevils, and more.
Another recent event that occurred in Lowell was Touch-a-Truck. This was an event catered toward children on June 24. Several emergency vehicles from local fire and police departments, as well as a semi-trailer truck, were provided by ADS Logistics near the Journey Church Lowell. The whole reason was to see all these different vehicles and spend time with family and friends.
What’s coming up?
The community events in Lowell are seemingly endless. While there isn’t necessarily one specific upcoming event, there are quite a few small ones that the people of Lowell heavily enjoy.
One of these is the Acrylic Pour Painting class at the Lowell VFW Post 6841, which is set to happen on June 30. This class will be hosted by Outside the Lines Painting and Crafts and will entail teaching how to paint with the tree swipe technique. While it is a first come first serve class, it is sure to be an enjoyable experience with friends.
Along with this, the Lowell Public Library is very known for hosting all types of events throughout the summer season.
Some of these upcoming events are a book walk, Tales for Tails, canasta, and knit and crochet classes.
One of the most enticing of those events is Tales for Tails. This is an event in which children ages 6-12 are provided the opportunity to read and visit with therapy dogs. The Lowell Public Library makes this event available every Wednesday of summer. It gives the children the chance to practice their reading skills with the companionship of a loveable dog and is known to build confidence among the children.
Lowell is finding ways to get together as a community all summer long. This first month is just about taking a break and enjoying the nice weather while it lasts.
Community member spotlight:
Sheri Reed owns Sher Bear’s Craft Mall in downtown Lowell and has been a member of the community for 25 years.
Reed was born and raised in Merrillville, Indiana, and graduated from Merrillville High School. She did not always know she wanted to run a craft business and was a cake decorator after high school. She did this for some time until she went to nursing school and later became a nurse in 1997.
“I didn’t have a plan to open a business, so I opened one as an impulse. I work full-time, and overtime, as a nurse. My kids are all grown. In my spare time I like to bake and make crafts,” said Reed.
Reed just happened to stumble upon the craft business industry. She found a woman who owned a business similar to the one she owns now and was interested in what it entailed.
“I thought her business was amazing. I began asking her a ton of questions. She gave me a lot of information and asked me if I wanted to buy her business. I told her I didn’t want to buy her business because it was located in another town. My husband is always very supportive, so we decided to give it a try,” said Reed.
She and her husband found the current Sher Bear’s Craft Mall building in the historical district of Lowell in January 2020 and fixed it up, only to have to delay the opening because of COVID-19.
The official opening day of Sher Bear’s Craft Mall was May 29, 2020. It just recently celebrated its third anniversary.
The storefront rents booth spaces to local crafters so it can sell its items. It essentially has many other small businesses tucked inside of its own small business.
Additionally, it has a classroom where people can come in and create art or attend a variety of art and craft classes. That same classroom is also a place where people can celebrate a birthday party or have a get-together with family and friends.
“My favorite part of owning my business is the people who come in. I have formed friendships with some of my vendors and customers. I also love seeing the happiness on the children’s faces when they come in and paint in the classroom. They are always so proud of the masterpieces they create. It’s almost magical,” said Reed.
Reed manages two full-time jobs and does what she can to put a smile on people's faces. She is glad that her family decided to plant roots in Lowell 25 years ago because it’s a small town where people are always ready to lend a helping hand to a neighbor.