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PAGE UPDATED BY MARIA SIEVERDING AUGUST 1, 2017 2 P.M.

Josh Beam’s memory lives on
Lumberjack Dash 5K in Milan August 12

Wanda English Burnett
EDITOR

August 10, 2016 is a day that will be forever etched in a young teacher’s mind. It was the day she got the worst news possible – the love of her life had been killed in a tragic accident at his workplace.

Amy and Josh Bean with daughter Amelia SUBMITTED PHOTO
Josh Beam smiles with his family, wife Amy and daughter, Amelia. They were ready to have a great life together when Amy got the news Josh had been killed at his job.

Amy Beam was contently teaching school at Manchester, had a nearly one-year-old, beautiful, bouncing baby girl, and was married to “the best man I know”, Josh, who was just 33 years old. “My life has been a whirlwind of emotions since that day,” she noted. Amy remembers that day like it was yesterday. The day her world stopped as she knew it. But, Amy’s not one to give up. Josh wouldn’t want it that way, she said. He had been employed with Pike Lumber Company for nine years, went to a different job for a short time, but loved logging, so came back to Pike Lumber and was only back two days when the incident occurred. He held a degree in forestry from Purdue University and was essentially a log buyer for the Milan company.

As the anniversary of the fatal day draws nearer, Amy knows instead of being bitter, she will be better. So a Lumberjack Dash 5K Run has been planned in memory of Joshua William Beam. It will be held August 12 at 7:30 a.m. at the Daren Baker Memorial Park in Milan. There will be prizes raffled at the event, which already has 275 people signed up. “Our goal is at least 400 and I’m sure we’ll make it,” Amy told the Osgood Journal. So anyone wanting to join the race is welcome to show up the day of the event and get on board. The goal is to raise $5,000, but mostly to honor a man who loved what he did. He was described as a gentleman, one of a kind, a true friend, and someone who was always willing to help others. This event will celebrate the life of Josh with all proceeds going to the Moyer Foundation.

Josh left behind a daughter, Amelia. To meet her is to love her. Her quick smile, and chin dimple, is a constant reminder of her father, according to Amy. “My heart breaks daily for the relationship she will never have with the most important man of her life,” Amy said. Children who have lost a parent, or parents, can attend Camp Erin connected with The Moyer Foundation. This is a place where children and teens learn to grieve and heal. According to information from the organization, they are the largest national bereavement program for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives.
Although Amelia might not remember her daddy, she still looks at his picture, calls him daddy, and smiles as her mom keeps his memory alive for her.

“One day Amelia might benefit from this type of camp,” Amy noted. She has worked as a teacher for 11 years and deals with young children. She sees a lot of things that children go through. Amy explained that after Josh’s death, Amelia was restless at night wanting her daddy to read “Goodnight Moon” to her as he had always done. Some other behaviors made Amy realize Amelia knew something was wrong. She knew her daddy wasn’t there. This camp is a transformational weekend camp that combines traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support, free of charge for all families. It is led by grief professionals and trained volunteers. Camp Erin provides a unique opportunity for young people to increase levels of hope, enhance self-esteem, and especially to learn that they are not alone.

Childhood grief is more common than most people realize, according to information from The Moyer Foundation. Knowing how to talk to and guide a child who has experienced the death of someone close to them can be challenging. They say unaddressed grief can cause youth to feel isolated and alone both in their family and from other children. These children are at a greater risk than their peers for depression, suicide, poverty and substance abuse, according to the foundation. The good part is that a child’s hope can be restored and they can imagine a life full of possibilities. They will understand that grief is a natural and normal response to death. There are many different emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Through understanding, support, and opportunities to freely express thoughts and feelings, children can develop healthy coping skills that enhance their lives.

For more information about The Moyer Foundation you can contact them https://moyerfoundation.org/contact-us to learn more. Camps of this sort through The Moyer Foundation are located all across the nation and are in place to provide help for children who might otherwise not get the emotional care they need. The children will also connect with others who are going through the same experience as them.

Amy wants the best for Amelia and is willing to go the ‘extra mile’ to make sure this camp is in place for others like her. Come join this group on August 12 to remember a great guy, and help thousands of children across the land.

Why it pays to keep a careful eye on your earnings record

Charo Boyd
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Whether you’re ready to retire, just joining the workforce, or somewhere in between, regularly reviewing your Social Security earnings record could make a big difference when it’s time to collect your retirement benefits. Just think, in some situations, if an employer did not properly report just one year of your work earnings to us, your future benefit payments from Social Security could be close to $100 per month less than they should be. Over the course of a lifetime, that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in retirement or other benefits to which you are entitled.

Social Security prevents many mistakes from ever appearing on your earnings record. On average, we process about 236 million W-2 wage reports from employers, representing more than $5 trillion in earnings. More than 98 percent of these wages are successfully posted with little problem. But it’s ultimately the responsibility of your employers — past and present — to provide accurate earnings information to Social Security so you get credit for the contributions you’ve made through payroll taxes. We rely on you to inform us of any errors or omissions. You’re the only person who can look at your lifetime earnings record and verify that it’s complete and correct.

So, what’s the easiest and most efficient way to validate your earnings record?
• Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to set up or sign in to your own my Social Security account;
• Under the “My Home” tab, click on “Earnings Record” to view your online Social Security Statement and taxed Social Security earnings;
• Carefully review each year of listed earnings and use your own records, such as W-2s and tax returns, to confirm them; and
• Keep in mind that earnings from this year and last year may not be listed yet.

If you notice that you need to correct your earnings record, check out our one-page fact sheet at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10081.pdf. Sooner is definitely better when it comes to identifying and reporting problems with your earnings record. As time passes, you may no longer have past tax documents and some employers may no longer be in business or able to provide past payroll information. If it turns out everything in your earnings record is correct, you can use the information and our online calculators at www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/benefitcalculators.html to plan for your retirement and prepare for the unexpected, such as becoming disabled or leaving behind survivors. We use your top 35 years of earnings when we calculate your benefit amounts. You can learn more about how your benefit amount is calculated at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10070.pdf.

We’re with you throughout life’s journey, from starting your first job to receiving your well-earned first retirement payment. Learn more about the services we provide online at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

Johnson receives prestigious MHS Alumni Award

Milan High School is proud to announce Jamie Johnson as the recipient of the prestigious 2016-17 Milan High School Alumni Award.

SUBMITTED PHOTO
Pictured left is Jamie Johnson, recipient of the Milan High School Alumni Award.

Johnson is a 1990 graduate of Milan High School. After high school, he moved to Louisville where he received an associate degree in electrical engineering from Louisville Technical College. However, his passion for music could not be stifled. He moved to Nashville in 1998 to chase the dream of becoming a country music star and playing on country music’s biggest stage, The Grand Ole Opry.

In 2004, Jamie and some of his closest friends founded a group called “The Grascals,” achieving dreams they never thought possible. Some of his musical highlights include: three-time Grammy Nominee, 150+ performances at the Grand Ole Opry, two-time bluegrass music’s Entertainer of the Year, two-time DOVE Award nominee, 11-time SPGMA Award winner, Southeast Indiana Musician’s Hall of Fame, two performances at the White House (President Bush and President Obama), and several performances on major television shows such as “Late Night with Jay Leno,” “The Talk,” “The Late Show,” and “CMT.”

In addition to his awards and accolades, he has performed with some of country music’s biggest stars including Dolly Parton, George Jones, Charlie Daniels, Hank Williams, Jr., Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols, Brad Paisley, and others.

In recent years, Johnson has retired from touring in the music business and now shares his experiences with high schools and addiction treatment centers. He routinely visits addiction centers using music therapy to write songs with patients and help them on their road to recovery. Last spring, he visited Milan High School where he performed for several student groups, while sharing his experiences and spreading the message of strength and hope.