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School celebrates airman’s return
By Garth Snow
Tues.-Thurs. 4-10 pm Fri. & Sat. 3 pm-Midnight Sunday 2-7 pm
March 2018
Lost pendant was more than piece of metal By Garth Snow
gsnow@kpcmedia.com
gsnow@kpcmedia.com
Sparty, the Homestead High School mascot, seemed right at home on the Lafayette Meadows Elementary School stage. He greeted a few selected students and staff as part of the “Be Kind” campaign. Media specialist Rachael Vanengelenhoven smiled and accepted a hug from the hulking mascot. The very animated foam Spartan made her curious when he made something of a dance move. “When he dabbed I thought ‘That’s something that Jesse would do,’ ” she said minutes later. “But I didn’t really think that was Jesse in there.” Her husband of just one year, after all, was stationed in southwest Asia with the U.S. Air Force. Then Sparty turned briefly toward Principal Jenny Fedele. He turned
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Rachael and Jesse Vanengelenhoven hug at Lafayette Meadows Elementary School, where she is a media specialist. The tech sergeant made a surprise early return from deployment in southwest Asia and entered the school assembly in the costume of Sparty, the Homestead High School mascot.
back toward Rachael and loosened the giant foam helmet, revealing himself as Tech Sgt. Jesse Vanengelenhoven. Rachael gasped and
HOMESTEAD PERFORMERS WIN HONORS
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
The Homestead Elite women’s show choir performs at the Northrop Classique showcase. Elite was grand champion in the unisex group. Homestead’s Class Royale took first in the mixed group competition. Anonymous Blue — the band that supports both show choirs — was named best instrumental group. Show choirs and winter guard units are wrapping up their local festivals and preparing for state contests. Music competitions continue, too, with Homestead’s jazz band placing second at the North Side Jazz Festival. Find results and photos throughout this edition. Check infortwayne.com for even more photos.
stared. They hugged a few seconds for each of the six months they had been apart. The sergeant had been See RETURN, Page A4
Laura Freeland Kraynik remembers two constants about her late father. She remembers that Paul Freeland seemed always to be busy. She also remembers a gold mariner’s cross that the Navy veteran wore for as long as anyone can remember. She remembers growing up, and understanding why parents seem always to be busy. She remembers a tearful conversation in which her father promised the pendant to her. Kraynik, who lives between Fort Wayne and Roanoke, accepted that pendant from her mother after Freeland died in December. Kraynik wore the keepsake fondly. And then it was gone. Now she harbors the sadness of a second loss. She feels
COURTESY PHOTO
Paul Freeland wore this pendant for more than a half-century. His daughter hopes that whoever found it in southwest Fort Wayne will return it to her.
certain that someone found the pendant and that it’s now taking up space in a car console or a junk See LOST, Page A4
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