GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Town of Lowell shines with athletics and breakfast establishment amidst Fourth of July week

What’s recently happened?

This past month, the Lowell High School Red Devils Football Team made the two-hour trip to Manchester University’s football camp in North Manchester. It was the Red Devils’ first time attending a football camp since 2020. After finishing last season with a 4-6 record, newly hired Head Coach Casey McKim saw the three-day team bonding experience as an opportunity he couldn’t let his squad pass up.

Given McKim’s previous tenure at New Prairie High School, he knows what it takes to prepare a team for a deep postseason run—he’s reached the Semi-State game twice as a head coach and several more times as an assistant at Valparaiso High School. For McKim and the Red Devils, this camp felt like the perfect fit.

Over the course of the three-day camp, scrimmages were held on the second and third days. The Red Devils faced off against tough opponents, including Fort Wayne Snider High School, South Bend Riley High School, and Wheeler High School.

Plenty of familiar faces returned for Lowell, and many of them shined during camp. Brody Kalwinski, the two-year starting quarterback, says there’s something different about this year’s team as he enters his senior season.

“As a team, we’re having more fun while also competing harder during scrimmages,” Kalwinski said. “I think we’re putting in way more work this year.”

Senior wide receiver Max Arredondo also looks poised for a breakout season, following a strong showing at Manchester.

“Realizing this is my senior season, I know I have to give it my all,” Arredondo said. “Manchester was just a glimpse of my season.”

With seniors graduating every year, new faces are always needed to step up. Sophomore Running Back Tim James and Senior Offensive Lineman Chris Tully certainly filled some of those gaps, each turning in standout performances during the scrimmages.

With McKim as the new sheriff in town, the Red Devils appear poised for a strong season, and if Manchester camp was any indication, this team’s potential is just beginning to show.

What’s coming up?

With the Fourth of July around the corner, friends and families across Lowell gather to celebrate the holiday with fireworks. One of the town’s more anticipated events is the locally organized fireworks show at the Oak Hill Elementary School parking lot.

As night falls, the people of Lowell begin to gather for a festive and colorful display in the sky. Community members often bring their own food and drinks, creating a relaxed atmosphere that keeps the event running smoothly. For many, it’s a cherished tradition—an evening that brings the entire Lowell community together in celebration. Between firework displays, family gatherings, and weekend barbecues, the Fourth of July is the ultimate summer celebration to share with close ones in the Region.

Community member spotlight:

Off the beaten path in Lowell lies a hidden gem – Don Delfis House of Pancakes on Deanna Drive. Opened by Owner Ignacio Martinez on Mother’s Day in 2022, it has become a thriving family-owned breakfast and lunch establishment that exceeds any expectations Martinez could have ever imagined.

Martinez has had his fair share of work experience throughout his lifetime. A native to Michoacán, Mexico, Martinez came to the United States to find an opportunity.

“I came with a pair of shoes, blue jeans and a cowboy shirt,” Martinez said. 

Starting in high school, Ignacio found himself working in the fields of California picking table grapes. From there, Martinez bounced around to states like Georgia, Ohio, and West Virginia, picking fruits, such as peaches and watermelons. Throughout that time, he found himself discouraged, as there wasn’t much money to be earned picking fruit.

“When you make a check with $12, you are totally discouraged,” Martinez said. “Never discourage yourself, because the worst enemy you have is yourself and nobody else. You’re going to make it. If you don’t believe me, look at where I am.”

Moving forward, Martinez carried on this attitude throughout. After moving around a few more states for work, he finally landed in Minnesota in 1988. While working on the cow farm, milking cows, Martinez decided to quit due to working in harsh conditions. While hitchhiking to the nearby city, he was picked up by a man offering a job opportunity. It seems as if he never looked back.

Although Martinez began working for FedEx in 2002, he never lost sight of his true passion: working in the restaurant industry. In 2016, he opened his first Don Delfis establishment in Farragut, Tennessee. While business was stable, Martinez brought his culinary skills to Northwest Indiana in 2022. He ultimately chose Lowell as his next location, influenced by his time working at FedEx. He described the people of Lowell as friendly and welcoming.

Since opening in Lowell, Don Delfis has helped bring the town together in what can only be described as a positive and uplifting way.

One day of the year that truly makes Don Delfis shine is Thanksgiving. Each year, the restaurant offers a free Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving morning. The meal includes a choice of turkey or ham, mashed potatoes or green beans, stuffing, and a slice of pie.

“You got to give something back to the people who give you the business,” Martinez said. “When you give up something, you’re going to get it back.”

For the past three years (and counting), Don Delfis has served the town of Lowell a free meal on the last Thursday of November. Marco Martinez, a server at Don Delfi’s and the son of Ignacio Martinez, carries a deep sense of pride when this day arrives.

“There’s so many people around here in this community who don’t have anywhere to go to have a Thanksgiving meal,” he said.

Thanksgiving may still be a couple of months away, but the town of Lowell can already look forward to this tradition in November. Until then, Ignacio Martinez continues to keep his business running smoothly, open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day of the week. Martinez carries his life experiences with him, and they’ve helped shape him into the remarkable business owner he is today.