A Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Gifts Per My Favorite Wabash County Moms

By: Daisy Sparks

One of my favorite things about Wabash County is the people here, and some of the best people I know in Wabash County are ✨the moms.✨ Mother’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate these special women. If you’re intimidated by gift-giving or still need ideas, no worries here! I went straight to the source(s) – the moms – and asked some of my favorite Wabash County moms what they would love to receive from their families this year, so read on for gift inspiration from the moms themselves. 🩷

Alysia Olson

Alysia is a gem! She is raising three of the biggest little Wabash champions! I get the opportunity to sing at the Downtown Wabash Farmers Market some weekends in the summer, and if the Olsons aren’t there, I’m genuinely concerned. Sidenote: she runs Alysia Olson Photography and takes the prettiest photos! Her Mother’s Day gift ideas are ZUM Frankincense & Myrrh laundry detergent from Bellazo, a grilled cheese and iced mocha latte from 50 East Café, or a renewed Wabash County Museum membership! 

Peggy Cordes

Great Aunt Peggy’s house is one of my favorite places to be. She’s faithful, spunky, fun, the best cheesy potatoes cook, and my favorite Rook opponent. She likes tandem biking and would love an ice cream bike trip with her family for Mother’s Day. A couple of her other gift ideas are gift cards to Uptown Style or a car wash!

Stephanie Rogers

Stephanie is the Experience Manager at Visit Wabash County and runs our Adventure Series program! She’s fun to be with and intentional in her conversations, and I’m excited to work with her during our upcoming Adventure Series events! A couple of her top Mother’s Day gift picks are a deep-tissue massage or an activity or hike with her family (check out this link for outdoor adventures in the county!). 

Stephanie Peebles

Steph is the owner of Wild Blooms U Pick Flower Farms! She trusted me a couple years ago to fill in last-minute as a musician for an event she was hosting and made me feel like a friend before I even knew her! I love to see her at events throughout the summer and to go pick flowers at her farm! Her top gift picks are family hikes anywhere in the county, trips to 50 East Garden Center, or brunch at Eugenia’s.

Taylor McFarland

I know Taylor because of the college-age ministry she coleads, and she’s such a big encourager in my life! She trusts me with the honor of giving guitar lessons to one of her sweet kids, which is a first for me and has been a special experience! Some of Taylor’s top gift picks are a thrifted 90s nostalgia find from Thriftalicious, home decor from Kitchens Plus, or a gluten free pecan pie from Nordmann’s Nook!

JoAnn Griffith

I go to church with JoAnn, and she is such a hoot to be with. She’s so involved with her family, our church, and the community. The first thing she mentioned when I asked what she wanted for Mother’s Day was a hug, and if you know her, you know that’s spot on. She’s the best. Also, she said flowers never hurt. 😉

Lisa Fadil

Lisa is a teacher at Southwood Elementary and was my piano teacher for years. She is patient and quick-witted, the best baklava baker, and an excellent musician. Some of my favorite memories are getting to play with her at piano monster concerts! A couple of her Mother’s Day gift ideas are a manicure at KayRae Salon+Spa or dinner at Market Street Grill!

Carole Hiner

Carole has a famous face around Wabash Valley Dance Theater, and if you haven’t seen her there, you’ve probably caught her at Kitchens Plus! I took ballet and pointe classes with Carole when I was younger, and now I get to dance with her in the adult ballet class at WVDT, and my love for dance is definitely due in part to her teaching! Her Mother’s Day gift ideas are a gift card to Modoc’s Market, a massage from Kay Cox at iMassage Corrective Bodywork, or a movie night with family at Eagle’s Theatre, complete with popcorn!

Brittany Riner

Brittany works with me at Visit Wabash County and is our Creative Lead. I love it when she serenades the office with her singing – I can’t not smile at her energy! Her top Mother’s Day gift picks are a pampering package at a spa, time to sleep in, or a family activity that her husband and kids plan for them all to do together. (Check out a couple of Wabash County’s spa options here: Nature’s Remedy Day Spa or SpaLab Skincare LLC!)

Debbie Bowman

Debbie goes to my church and makes me feel like one of her own. She and her husband are some of my biggest supporters: they randomly gave me gas money during college, spent time talking with me about big life decisions I’ve had to make, come to my performances, and ask me how they can pray for me. Her Mother’s Day gift ideas are a trip to 50 East Garden Center to look for annuals, Pineapple Dole Whip from Kelly’s Ice Cream, or a walk along the riverwalk.

Christine Flohr

Christine is our Executive Director at Visit Wabash County and such a special person! She is so vibrant, and if you talk to her for any amount of time, you’ll feel like the most important person in the room. I asked Christine what she would like for Mother’s Day, and her top pick is a trip to SonShine Greenhouse with her husband and a day together in the yard planting flowers or an adventure with her daughter, Cassidy, seeing the world!  

Charla Schoeff

Mrs. Schoeff is a Southwood Elementary icon and ray of sunshine! After retiring, you’ll still see her everywhere – she’s just as involved with the community now as ever. I actually wasn’t a student of hers, but it feels like I might as well have been because she makes me feel so special anytime I see her! A couple of her Mother’s Day gift picks are a session with Kelli Winer Design to get some ideas on sprucing up her house or a date night dinner with a show at the Honeywell Center!

Debbie Dillon

Debbie was my babysitter growing up and I know she’s left an impact on so many people’s lives through the years! Debbie is a great cook, loves to decorate, and is so generous. She’d give you the shirt off her back – if you tell her you like it, it’s yours! Her top gift picks are a nice meal with her family (she likes Market Street Grill and Eugenia’s!) or a family photo session (and we’ve got plenty of great photographers in Wabash County like Alysia Olson Photography, Nicole A. Howard Photography, Kaleigh M Photography, and Thirteen4 Studios)!

Susan Keefer

I was able to have Mrs. Keefer as my high school choir teacher, and she is so passionate about keeping music alive for students. She’s very involved with community groups and events, and I know music wouldn’t be the same in Wabash County if it weren’t for her! She loves to spend time with her grandchildren and adult children and hopes for relaxing time together this Mother’s Day! She loves handmade gifts and appreciates the flowers that she’s been given by her family that are still growing through the years! 

Hazel Sparks

I saved my favorite mom for last – my mom! Mom likes flowers, decorating, birds, scrapbooks, and cool cars. She’s the reason my life has felt like an ivory tower of creativity and peace, and I owe her the world for that. Mom’s top gift picks for Mother’s Day are a fishing license and tickets to 50 East’s Mother’s Day event!