Thumbs up: To the Ball Brothers Foundation for its recent grant of $100,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana to help the regional food bank match a $400,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation. An early gift of $300,000 from Ball Brothers Foundation was a key component in leveraging support from other foundations and corporations since the Second Harvest on the Move Campaign began in 2007, according to Lois Rockhill, executive director of the food bank. Another $178,000 is needed to meet the Kresge challenge by Dec. 31. More than $3.4 million has been raised for relocation and renovation of Second Harvest warehouse in Delaware County and programming.

Thumbs up: To the Madison County recipients of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People awards at Saturday night’s banquet at the Anderson Days Inn. The NAACP is celebrating its 100th year. Hilary Shelton, national director of the NAACP, was guest speaker at the annual Freedom Fund Banquet, recalling the many accomplishments of the civil rights organization. The B. Harry Beckham Award went to Audrey J. Burgess for her service to the NAACP and community; the Citizen Award was given to Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon; and the President’s Award was awarded to longtime member Mae Gray.

Thumbs up: To Glenn and Berney Falls as recipients of the 2009 William P. Riethmiller Community Partnership Award. The Fallses were honored Saturday night at Anderson University’s annual dinner. Glenn Falls taught accounting at Anderson University for 35 years and served as a board member for several local businesses including Pay Less Super Markets. In 2001, the university named its School of Business in his honor, and Falls continues to be a role model for the business students who are following in his academic and professional footsteps. His wife, Berney Falls, was a hospice nurse and has continued her home care for recently released cancer patients.

Thumbs up: To Anderson Police Department’s first Bob Highsmith Senior Expo that was held Saturday at the Geater Center. The event was named in honor of the late Bob Highsmith. A retired Gary police officer, Highsmith and his wife moved to Anderson in 1999 and worked with Anderson Police Department’s SeniorLink program, assisting seniors who were homebound or did not have much family in the area.

Thumbs down: To the three Muncie men who were sentenced to federal prison after they pleaded guilty to burning a cross in the yard of a black family’s home in 2008. Richard LaShure, 41; and Richard Logue and Aaron Latham, both 20, were convicted in U.S. District Court on charges they conspired to violate civil rights and interfered with housing rights.

Thumbs down: To a telephone scam involving a person impersonating someone from the court system. The caller claims to be the jury coordinator for a specific court system and advises the victims they failed to appear for jury duty and asks for identification. This ruse has been reported in 11 states, said the Indiana State Police. Never give out personal information over the phone, the ISP warns. Don’t allow anyone to steal your identity.

Thumbs up: To the presentation Thursday evening at The Anderson Center for the Arts that focused on the role of Indiana’s county homes that housed some of the poorest and neglected residents. John Silvey’s photographs and paintings capture the lives of a few of those residents of the Madison County Home before it closed in 1985. Don’t miss the opportunity to see that exhibition, which closes in January.