The “Toy Story” display outside of Carpenter Realtors in Franklin was the grand prize winner in 2022’s Scarecrow Madness.
DAILY JOURNAL FILE PHOTO
Madness is taking over Johnson County in the coming months — while supporting a wealth of good causes at the same time.
Scarecrow Madness, the fun-filled decoration contest that takes over the county every fall, is back again this year with new twists and turns. Jeanie Cole Realty is hosting fundraising in the Greenwood area, with proceeds benefiting Greenwood’s Tri Kappa chapter.
Cole is also partnering with ASSIST Indiana, which will handle sales in Franklin, with all proceeds they raise going toward their work.
With eyes on expanding the fundraiser throughout central Indiana — and beyond — Cole is confident the tweaks to Scarecrow Madness will only continue to grow.
“After overseeing Scarecrow Madness for four years, and having it be such a success and fundraiser, now is the time to pass it on to other nonprofits, charities and organizations in the different towns, where they can run the fundraiser on their own, with my help if they need it,” said Cole, who founded the event.
Cole has been the engine behind Scarecrow Madness, inspired after she discovered a similar community effort while traveling in New Hampshire.
Each year, the town of Chester and the surrounding county features whimsical and creatively decorated scarecrows. The displays are a yearly fundraiser for the Chester Historical Society and bring the entire community around a fun and festive contest — which appealed to Cole, as did the potential to use it locally as a fundraiser for an area nonprofit.
Since it was founded in 2019, the event has raised more than $12,000 for local nonprofits.
Participants buy a kit that includes a decorated burlap bag head and a stick to mount it on. At that point, it’s time to let their creativity take over.
But as the fundraiser has grown, Cole searched for other organizations to take the idea and run with it on their own.
“When I decided to branch out, I sent my flyers out to various chambers of commerce who might be interested in Shelbyville, Beech Grove, Nashville,” she said. “I’ve had some interest.”
She found the most willing group in ASSIST Indiana, a nonprofit group serving survivors of violence in the area. The organization has been an active participant in the display over the past four years; their eye-catching designs of characters such as Mary Poppins, Rapunzel and ET have been some of the most popular year after year.
ASSIST Indiana will handle sales of scarecrow kits in Franklin, which people can sign up for a scarecrow kit for $30 before and up to Aug. 26. The organization will be at the Franklin Farmers Market on Aug. 26 for sales and where people can pick up pre-ordered kits.
A Facebook page, Scarecrow Madness Franklin, has been set up with a QR code where people can order ahead and pay. People can also order and pay at the ASSIST office.
All profits from these scarecrows will go directly to furthering ASSIST Indiana’s work.
In the Greenwood area, including Center Grove and the southside of Indianapolis, Jeanie Cole Realty is hosting the fundraiser. Kits are on sale for $30 online and, Cole and other supporters will be at the Greenwood Farmers Market on Sept. 15.
Profits from these scarecrows sold will go to the Delta Lambda Chapter of Tri Kappa, the state-wide philanthropic group that focuses on charity, culture and education. The Greenwood group donates 90% of their funds to organizations such as Johnson County Senior Services, Greenwood Community Schools, Greenwood Public Library, Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health and more.
People can email [email protected] or visit Scarecrow Madness Greenwood on Facebook for an entry. They can also text 317-809-7774 for more information. In addition, any organization interested in holding a Scarecrow Madness fundraiser should email Cole.
