Below is a personal account written by Adam Altobella, who served as a marketing intern for the East Central Indiana Regional Partnership (ECIRP).

“I am the only member of my family born in Indiana.” 

This statement has been my go-to fun fact and a staple in my “two truths and lie” lineup for as long as I can remember. Admittedly, I always turn to this fact out of a lack of creativity, but as I look back on the course of my young life, I realize that my identity as my family’s lone Hoosier was quite significant in shaping the person I am today.

My parents were raised in the Chicago suburbs and rural Kentucky, respectively. To say they were unfamiliar with East Central Indiana prior to making the move here for professional opportunities would be a massive understatement. My mom and dad both recall attending a University of Kentucky football game in September 2001 and asking one another, “Who is this Ball State team we’re playing?”.

In the more than 20 years since that day, they not only moved to that unknown university’s home city, but also raised a son who now attends that institution (ironic, right?).

Though I was born in Muncie, my childhood was akin to adjusting to a new community in the way transplants — like my parents — have to. Unlike my peers, who were most often raised by lifelong residents of the region, I did not have parents who knew the city’s history, the local hot spots, the most efficient way to navigate the area, etc. My parents, sister, and I discovered all the wonderful aspects of this region together.

Trips for athletics, recreation, and general curiosity over the last two decades helped me and my family gain a general awareness of our surroundings, but I still lacked a true understanding of the vast array of amenities and spirit that fill the other communities outside of my Muncie sphere until recently. East Central Indiana is a vibrant destination that is changing by the day, and through my summer internship with the East Central Indiana Regional Partnership, I had the opportunity to experience this first hand.

On the first day of my stint with the Partnership, I was assigned a long-term project: to write a “things to do” visitor guide for the each of the hub cities representing the nine counties we have the pleasure of serving. This task entailed traveling to communities, meeting the people who make them run, visiting their top local sites, and getting an overall sense of what life is like there. I thought I knew East Central Indiana prior to this summer, but I could not have been more wrong. My experience on this trail yielded a fresh perspective and a renewed love for the region.

Attempting to condense all of my experiences and feelings into concise points is a challenge, but I feel three words adequately outline my novel view of East Central Indiana: passion, connection, and life. I felt the passion of this region during my first week on the job, when I visited the Henry County Historical Society Museum for content to be used in my New Castle blog post. While I was expecting to stop by the museum for about 15 minutes, I was there for almost two hours — and I was grateful for the extended stay. The Historical Society’s Co-director and retired local newspaperman, Darrel Radford, personally ushered me around his museum, and with each detailed story of the county’s past, I could sense Mr. Radford’s utter love for his retirement venture. From my initial trip to New Castle onward, I found myself constantly in awe of the passion that my neighbors have for their vocations and communities.

In my generation, one that is consumed by the digital world, genuine connection is becoming increasingly rare. So, when I was toured around Rushville by the Executive Director of the Rush County ECDC, John McCane, I was amazed by the interconnectedness between members of the town — which is also present in virtually every other East Central Indiana community. On every street we walked along and every local business we visited, we were greeted with a smile and a conversation. I didn’t know any of these Rushville locals, but yet, I interacted with them as though they were family friends. The people who reside here are incredibly warm and value connection to a remarkable degree.

Finally, I was also amazed by the life in East Central Indiana. Many write our region off as a place that is past its prime years, and I take great exception to this blatantly unfair and ignorant view. Every corner of East Central Indiana is very much alive and immersed in positive change, no matter the size or location of a given community. See the development of Fairmount into a food and drink hub, the renovation of downtown Rushville into a leading model for rural innovation, the new additions around the Hartford City square, and the happenings in Richmond’s Depot District for proof.

I believe my experience and lessons learned along the way should be encouraging to people young and old, and to those who call East Central Indiana home and those who do not (yet). Here are a few suggestions: Get out of your shell; experience something new; don’t be a transplant in your own home; and, enjoy every nearby community for all it has to offer. Who knows, maybe your new experiences in East Central Indiana will provide a fresh anecdote to spice up your ice breakers — I know my nine-county excursion has done just that.