IN|Dupont Valley December/January 2018 by KPC Media Group

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December/January 2018

Finding forever families

By Megan Knowles mknowles@kpcmedia.com

Two children with nowhere else to go turned Don and Mindy Cochran into foster parents — and within two years, two other children in need would help define their family forever. Getting into fostering

When Don Cochran was seated next to two former students at a concert in 2005, he had no idea a simple question would change his life and the life of his wife, Mindy. Don said he knew the students, Rachel and Angel, were in the foster care system. “They said they were staying in a group home

SHARING THE LOVE

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… because there were no foster parents in our county,” Don recalled. “And they looked at me and said, unless you want to become our foster parents. I said, sure, not knowing what’s all involved in the process.” The couple underwent more than 25 hours of training to officially become foster parents, Don said, which included learning CPR and first aid. The Department of Child Services also did background checks on the couple and went through their home, making sure there was enough living

and bedroom space to bring in foster children, among other requirements. Fortunately for the Cochrans, Rachel and Angel were the first two of 13 children they would end up fostering. “It wasn’t without its challenges, it was very much a struggle, but it was just wonderful,” Don said. Over the next two years, the Cochrans would foster children from babies to teenagers. Some, Mindy said, only stayed for the weekend until they could See FINDING, Page A22

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Don and Mindy Cochran of Fort Wayne served as foster parents to Kyleigh and Uriel before adopting them.

Special Olympics is reason for Polar Plunge freezin’

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Special Olympics Indiana and Special Olympics FILE PHOTO BY LUCRETIA CARDENAS

Daring fundraisers dash through the shallows of the Metea County Park pond for the 2016 Polar Plunge for Special Olympics.

What to do to ring in 2018 Bike, plunge or cheer to welcome new year

By Megan Knowles mknowles@kpcmedia.com

No plans for New Year’s Eve? No problem! IN|Fort Wayne has you covered with a two-day schedule to send off 2017 and ring in 2018 right. Sunday, Dec. 31

After services or when you wake up: Start the festivities off right (and early) at Science Central’s Countdown to Noon. The museum’s annual event is complete with kids getting the opportunity to make party hats and noisemakers. As noon approaches, guests can enjoy cookies and

a soda pop toast until a countdown ushers in the dropping of 2,018 balloons. 1 p.m.: Head over to the Foellinger-Friemann Botanical Conservatory to check out the Conservatory in Lights and Snow Days displays. The gardens have been decorated inside and out with poinsettias and lots of lights. In addition, the Snow Days exhibit takes a look at children’s favorite activities when snow is on the ground, demonstrated by snowpeople themselves. 3 p.m.: A short walk will See 2018, Page A18

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For the 30th year, the Holiday Cab will be offering rides to people who shouldn’t be driving this holiday season. The cab rides started Friday, Dec. 15, and go through Sunday, Dec. 31, running every day from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., Fort Wayne Police Department Public Information Officer Michael Joyner said. The Holiday Cab will provide free rides home to those who live within a 10-mile radius of downtown Fort Wayne, according to a release. Those who live farther can still use the service but will pay beyond the 10-mile radius. The Holiday Cab will not take people to other bars, restaurants or parties. Those interested can call the Holiday Cab at (260) 426-1301 to be picked up. Reservations are not accepted.

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Allen County will host their annual Polar Plunge on Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Metea County Park in northeast Fort Wayne.

The event, which brings together businesses and individuals from all over northeast Indiana, helps See POLAR, Page A19

A2 • INfortwayne.com

Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

Music conference brings two days of free concerts

By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com

A celebration of music will draw about 1,000 educators to downtown Fort Wayne from Jan. 11-13. The Indiana Music Education Association Professional Development Conference at the Grand Wayne Center will attract hundreds more guests, performers and spectators as the program spills over into free handbells, chimes, choir and band concerts at the Embassy Theatre, First Presbyterian Church and Allen County Public Library. “Fort Wayne is fantastic for us,” said Lane Velayo, executive director of the IMEA. “They do a great job of rolling out the red carpet for us and the layout of the meeting and convention facilities in downtown Fort Wayne is just advantageous for our attendees to see each other and to walk and attend sessions, especially in January. And to host events in the Embassy Theatre … it’s just something we can’t find too often in Indiana. We feel like we have a very good opportunity.” Norwell High School band director Cory Kelley is helping to coordinate the 100-member All-State

COURTESY PHOTO BY NEAL BRUNS

Embassy Theatre President and CEO Kelly Updike says the Embassy welcomes free concerts as a component of a music educators conference. “Part of our strategic planning and our mission is to be the region’s theater, ” she said.

Honor Band’s Embassy concert for the fourth year. “It’s a magical opportunity for the kids to be seen on that stage with the home crowd, so to speak,” Kelley said. “We’ve had a number of our students go to the concerts to support our students. I’ve seen that from other schools as well, and it always makes it that much more exciting for our kids.” “It’s a big honor for us to be one of the big venues for the IMEA,” said Kelly Updike, the Embassy’s president and CEO. “It’s part of our mission and it also boosts the profile of Fort Wayne and our ability to host conferences and

events like this. It’s good collaboration between venues and Visit Fort Wayne as well, and I’m always delighted to see the young people of our state and know that this is the perfect setting, we think, to honor their music achievements. “Part of our strategic planning and our mission is to be the region’s theater, and that means the theater where everyone in the community has been into the building. We are doing more with our educational programming as well as bringing in more entertainers and we have a wide See MUSIC, Page A5

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Churubusco Chimers add honor to packed calendar

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The 22 members of the Churubusco Chimers just can’t seem to squeeze enough school and community performances into the school year. “There are never enough performances in their minds,” founder and conductor Sue Lough said of the fourth- and fifth-graders. “They love performing.” The student musicians will take their music to still another audience in January, when they ring for an IMEA conference in Fort Wayne. The choir will ring at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12, at First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St. Admission is free and the public is invited and encouraged to attend. “It’s a great performing space,” Lough said of the church. “It always sounds quite

Sue Lough conducts the Churubusco Chimers at a Dec. 2 show at Churubusco High School. Lough founded the group in 1990.

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

Elementary school musicians Vanessa Feemster (from left), HollySue Holmes, Saige Merrill, Hayden Wilkins and Kelsee Coil take part in a performance Dec. 2 at Churubusco High School.

wonderful there.” Lough secured the invitation by submitting an audition tape to the Indiana Music Education Association. In all, more than two dozen elementary to college bands and choirs will perform over two days of the IMEA’s Professional Development Conference. The Churubusco Chimers

tower bell sweep, with its fading sound. She demonstrated the muffling effect of the table damp. Fourth-grader Emmanuel Serrano, of Avilla, held a chime in each hand as he followed the sheet music and watched for his notes. His father, Ricco Serrano, said Emmanuel has embraced the introduction to music. “I just heard that he was happy that he made the chimers and the next thing I knew he was performing already,” the father said. Ricco said his son is learning to read music and to be a team player. “I can tell that he’s influenced by music. That’s all that he does all day; he sings and dances to music all day,” Serrano said. Student teacher Eric Smead stood in for Lough to direct several songs. Smead, a graduate of Carroll High School, worked with Lough for one semester before graduating from IPFW in December. Students rehearse in two separate groups, for one hour each week. “It was rewarding to see the kids grow and see how they developed each week,” Smead said. Smead also filled in for an absent chimer. He said he will attend the IMEA conference in January. Lough said the chimes program is part of the high-ability program at

gave yet another hometown show Dec. 2, at a holiday bazaar at the high school. About 80 parents and grandparents gathered about the ensemble, as five phones recorded the mix of holiday and folk songs. “They like the songs that have some great effects in them,” Lough told the audience. She demonstrated the

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the elementary school. The selection process begins with a standardized listening test for all third- and fourth-graders. “Students who score in the 80th percentile or higher are part of our talent pool and those students get an invitation to audition for the chimers,” Lough said. Eligible students test out on chimes and clap rhythms. They also explain, in writing, why they want to be part of the group. All that information is considered to determine the top 22 students. “All of our third- and fourth-grade students do get to play chimes at some point, about two weeks of chimes lessons,” Lough said. Lough launched the program in 1990 at the request of Principal Mary Chandler. “She asked me to develop some type of music arts program and we decided that handchimes would be a good model,” Lough said. She said the chimes program is about kids finding their innate musical gifts. “So they are reading music, analyzing it and being able to apply it,” she told the Dec. 2 audience. The chimers also have performed at TinCaps games, at factory Christmas parties, at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, for the Foundation for Arts and Music in Education, and for regional handbell audiences. “We also perform for service groups like the Rotary – they’re a big supporter of ours,” Lough said. She also credited the Lions Club with helping to get the program off the ground years ago. “Our school has been extremely supportive,” she said. “Several of our players have gone on to be music teachers or music performers, and some are still in the area,” she said. “I think what’s really fun is I actually have parents now who were in chimes. We just had an alumni concert for our parents. That’s one of our first things [each school year]. And a father who was in my very first chimes group now has a daughter in it.” “At the end of the school year I have both the students and the parents fill out an evaluation and overall they talk about how much confidence their children gain from it,” Lough said. “They feel like their child is very proud of what they have accomplished and they feel they have benefited in ways that would not have been available in other classroom music.” Sometimes high school students will step forward to fill in when a chimer is absent. “They are like ‘Can I step in for that?’ I think they fondly remember our See CHIMERS, Page A5

INfortwayne.com • A5

Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

MUSIC from Page A2 variety of ticket pricing with events that will attract the demographics of the whole region.” In this case, the free events are accessible to a variety of music interests from the entire state. The IMEA – formerly the Indiana Music Educators Association – has been gathering its educator members, their students and a host of supporters in the Summit City for about 20 years. “That’s students elementary to college age, parents and community members and music educators from throughout the state,” Velayo said. “All of our performances are free and open to the public and we definitely invite the public. When universities perform they are welcome to invite their alumni, the students are invited to welcome their grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles to Fort Wayne for this cultural explosion of our weekend in January, right downtown.” Norwell’s Kelley said many northeast Indiana schools will be represented in the All-State Honors Band. Kelly and Bedford-North Lawrence band director Jim Jones oversee selection of that honors group. “It’s a pretty big event for them. We have approximately 100 students, from the southern tip of Indiana to up north,” Kelley said. This year’s band will include northeast Indiana students from Adams Central, East Noble, Homestead, Huntington North, Northwood and Norwell high schools. Applications come from hundreds of students at schools whose staff members hold IMEA memberships. Hundreds of students apply to participate in paid auditions. Those who have won honors in competitions have an

advantage. Other criteria include director recommendations and assessments. “We try to get every school represented,” Kelley said. This marks the 26th year of the honor band. “We start rehearsals Thursday night and we have things planned for them, so it’s not just rehearsal,” Kelley said. “It’s a very well rounded experience for them. Saturday morning we get to rehearse for a little bit in the Embassy. Hopefully there will be flowers and cheers and lots of applause.” Well-known band composer Robert W. Smith will lead the clinic and conduct the honors band. Smith’s “The Divine Comedy” was central to the Homestead High School marching band’s recent state-champion show. “Every band has played his music,” Kelley said. “It should be a fun-filled weekend for the students.” Velayo said the Fort Wayne conference draws a good attendance from the northeast corner of the state. “Homestead’s parent booster group performs a lot of the logistics at our registration desk,” he said. The conference also relies on area schools for equipment, risers, percussion equipment and stands. “It’s a really active partnership with area high schools and middle schools, and we appreciate that,” Velayo said. He said several hundred people from northeast Indiana will attend the conference. “It’s a rela-

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IMEA HIGHLIGHTS Here are a few of the 27 free, public concerts offered during the Indiana Music Education Association Professional Development Conference, Jan. 11-13, centered at Grand Wayne Center, 120 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. Free concerts also are scheduled at: First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St.; the Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd.; and the Allen County Public Library Theatre, 900 Library Plaza. Friday, Jan. 12 11 a.m.: Heartland Sings professional choral group from Fort Wayne, First Presbyterian Church or Grand Wayne Gallery Noon: All-State Jazz Band, Embassy Theatre 1 p.m.: All-State Handbell Choir, First Presbyterian Church 2:30 p.m.: IU Jazz Ensemble, ACPL Theatre 2:30 p.m.: Churubusco Chimers, First Presbyterian Church 4:30 p.m.: Elementary/Middle School Honor Choirs, Embassy Theatre 7:30 p.m.: Intercollegiate Honor Band/Boston Brass, Embassy Theatre Saturday, Jan. 13 9 a.m.: Junior All-State Orchestra, Embassy Theatre 11 a.m.: All-State Honor Band, Embassy Theatre Noon: Indiana Wesleyan Symphony, Convention Hall C Noon: All-State Percussion Ensemble, Calhoun AB 1 p.m.: All-State Orchestra, Embassy Theatre 2:30 p.m.: Old Crown Brass Band, Anthony Wayne B 3:30 p.m.: ISU Wind Ensemble, Convention Hall C 5:30 p.m.: All-State Honor Choir, Embassy Theatre Get the full schedule and updates at imeamusic.org.

tively low-cost opportunity given that ours is the largest music professional development event,” he said. The 2018 conference will debut the All-State Handbell Choir, and conductor Jeffrey Scott Doebler hopes the innovation will find a permanent place in the IMEA lineup. “Handbells is an area that continues to grow in the field of music education, and I felt like it was

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time to move it into a more challenging spotlight for the students,” Doebler said. The IMEA board accepted his proposal and he began issuing invitations and reviewing candidates by way of recommendations. About 12 students will perform in January. Students perform in school or church handbell choirs. Most come from the

Floyd Knobs area north of Louisville or from the Indianapolis area. The choir might expand in future years, Doebler said; live auditions might be held. “We’re hoping that other states will see this program and adopt similar programs,” he said. Doebler’s tentative, seven-song repertoire includes a premiere, “Glockenklagen” by Jesse Ayers. Bishop Dwenger High School band director Don Cochran will lead IMEAmember educators in a program at 11 a.m. Jan. 12 at the Grand Wayne Center. Concerning “My First Job as a Band Director,” Cochran writes: “This program focuses on the challenges I’ve encountered over my career as a band director. From the first moment you get your job, a huge piece of your planning takes place over the summer before school is even in session.” Specifics will range from band budgeting and transportation to “Rewarding students / finding the little successes.” Homestead High School band director Brad Wadkins will lead his colleagues in a program at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 12. His topic will be “Putting Your Marching Band Show on the Field in Record Time.” In his course description, Wadkins writes, “The ultimate goal is to achieve the highest quality in your final performances of the season.”

CHIMERS from Page A4 time in chimes,” Lough said. Unlike handbells with the clapper striking within the round bell, handchimes are rung with contact from the outside. “I describe them as a rectangular tube with a mallet on the outside,” Lough said. Her students ring up to four octaves. Many chimers go on to ring handbells. “There’s a correlation,” Lough said. “If you’ve learned [chimes] you can adjust to handbells quite easily.” “Bells are more expensive and chimes are uniquely set up for children,” Lough said. “They are very accessible. Some of the students have chimes at their own church and go on and play handbells, so now they have a background in it.” Lough graduated from Taylor University and earned her master’s degree at IPFW. She teaches classroom music for grades K-5. “I was honored to receive the Indiana Elementary Music Educators Award in 2005. That was one of the things I am very honored to receive,” she said. She also received the Margaret Ann Keegan Award as outstanding arts educator from Arts United; “and that was because of the chimes,” she said. Lough and her husband, Tom, live in the Dupont area of north Fort Wayne.

A6 • INfortwayne.com

Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

MLK Club to congratulate The Well’s Bishop Bolden By Garth Snow

gsnow@kpcmedia.com

Bishop Willie Bolden applauds the Martin Luther King Club for 10 years of recognizing the African-American clergy of Fort Wayne. “I believe it’s important because of the labor that these men and women put in year in and year out and sometimes without recognition and not even looking for recognition,” he said.

“It’s good that people are excited about the work that they put in.” The MLK Club will shine that light on Bolden at Breakfast with the Clergy in conjunction with the 33rd annual Unity Day celebration, all on Monday, Jan. 15. Bolden’s photo is on the latest flier, but he spoke only of previous recipients and a host of colleagues when he said, “I know all of these men and women and I know

they work hard.” Bolden is the pastor of The Well of Fort Wayne at 1315 S. Hanna St. Breakfast with the Clergy will be from 8-10 a.m. at the Grand Wayne Center, 120 W. Jefferson Blvd. The plated breakfast is $25 per person or $200 for a table of eight. RSVP’s are due by Jan. 8 by calling Fran Grant, (260) 493-0980, or by email to agelessdiva@ frontier.com. Unity Day will

continue from 10:30-4 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes participation in a community round-table discussion. For advance tickets, call (260) 493-1534. This year’s theme is “Creating Community Connections.” Bolden is pastoring in Fort Wayne for the second time. He started Calvary Temple in 1976, then turned it over to his brother, Melvin, and set out to start churches

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

Bishop Willie Bolden and his wife, Pastor Rhonda Bolden, serve at The Well, 1315 S. Hanna St., Fort Wayne.

in Florida and California. “When I named my [Florida] church Lighthouse, my brother followed suit and named the Fort Wayne church Lighthouse,” he said. After Melvin’s death in 2015, Willie Bolden returned to Fort Wayne. “I changed the name once I got back, because people do not actually come to a lighthouse but they do come to a well,” he said. Bolden wants the whole community to set aside barriers and to come to The Well. “That’s my prayer,” he said. “One of the things I want to do in my ministry is to bring people together.” So, from noon-1 p.m. the first Saturday morning of each month, The Well hosts a citywide, men’s prayer time, “across religious and racial lines.” “It’s really coming along,” Bolden said. “We have a good recognition from the whole commu-

nity for men to come together and to seek the face of God together. I think it’s been an awesome time.” “We started this church with about eight people and when I left here we had about 2,000 people,” Bolden said. “We had about 60-40 black and white. We had people who would drive from Akron, Ohio, every Sunday to my church.” Bolden recalled being interviewed for a network audience in those early days. “They wanted to know how I was getting these white people to come down here and I said, ‘Just love everyone that comes in the door,’ ” he said. Those numbers are returning to The Well, he said. The first portion of Unity Day will include the a mayoral proclamation, scholarship presentations, community service awards, a spoken tribute to the Rev. See MLK, Page A7

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USF invites volunteers for A Day On, Not Off Contributed As many schools and businesses take a day off on Monday, Jan. 15, to celebrate the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, the University of Saint Francis is taking a different approach. Students, faculty and staff plan to pay tribute to King through taking “A Day On, Not a Day Off.” The University of Saint Francis welcomes the public to take part in this event. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the USF North Campus foyer, 2702 Spring St. The program, which begins at 10 a.m., is “Straight Talk with Ketu Oladuwa: Building Relationships in America.” Oladuwa is a poet, journalist, musician and director. In a statement, the university

MLK from Page A6 King, local vendors, free health screenings, and a program of singing by the Fort Wayne Voices of Unity Choir. The second portion

said Oladuwa will speak of two crossroads in his life: his experience on Death Row at age 21, and a Rootfolks Sojourn 382-day motorcycle tour through the contiguous 48 states “to challenge fear and discover the soul of America.” He will lead a dialogue about relationships, race and community. This program will include music. A call to service and Mass will be held in the North Campus auditorium at 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be offered in the North Campus gym. Individuals with a campus meal plan are asked to bring their meal cards and use their meal points; lunch will also be available for those who do not have a campus meal plan. From 12:45-1 p.m., volunteers will transition to service sites both on

campus and off campus. Work will continue until 4 p.m. Participants are instructed to sign up for service projects at https:// usfmlkday.eventbrite.com. Projects planned for the North Campus gym are: Linus Blanket making; Warm Fuzzies, making mats for the homeless; and Bread for the World, letter writing. Off-campus “day on” volunteering locations include: Mustard Seed Furniture Bank, 3636 Illinois Road; Friends of the Third World, 611 W. Wayne St.; St. Vincent de Paul Society Store, 1600 S. Calhoun St.; Franciscan Center, 1015 E. Maple Grove Ave.; Vincent Village (f8 Photo Club members only); American Red Cross, 1212 E. California Ave.; and Blue Jacket, 2826 S. Calhoun St.

The celebration of King’s legacy continues Thursday, Jan. 18, at the North Campus auditorium with a Listening to Input and Voices Through Engagement Forum with Fort Wayne United. The public is invited. A reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with the forum at 6 p.m. Fort Wayne United director Iric Headley directs the LIVE forums, which bring Fort Wayne Police Department and African-Americans together to discuss perceptions, perspectives and experiences, via panel discussion in front of a live audience. Programs highlight the voices of the African-American community, but also many FWPD officers who want to foster healthy relationships. For more information, or to register for events, visit sf.edu/mlkday.

of the program will allow the community to participate in a roundtable discussion with 12 Fort Wayne community leaders. Finally, the MLK Club will promote its 2018

civil rights trip. The club will charter two buses for a four-day, three-night tour of several civil rights museums and sites in Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma. Scholarship applica-

tions were due Dec. 15. Vendor applications with payment are due by Jan. 7. For details, contact Angela Lewis at (260) 416-5433 or email her at angela@ottleycommunications.com.

Talk to lawyer for free on MLK Day, Jan. 15 Contributed The Volunteer Lawyer Program of Northeast Indiana in conjunction with the Indiana State Bar Association will sponsor “Talk to a Lawyer Today,” a program to provide free legal consultations for those who cannot afford counsel. The program will be Monday, Jan. 15, as an annual tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Although geared toward low-income individuals, the service is open to the public without regard to income. Attorneys will provide free 10- to 15-minute consultations to answer general questions and offer legal information. This is advice only, not legal representation. Talk To A Lawyer Today sites will be available in three locations: Allen County Public Library Downtown, 900 Library Plaza, Fort

Wayne, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Carnegie Library of Steuben County, 322 S. Wayne St., Angola, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; and LaFontaine Center, 208 W. State St., Huntington, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The toll-free hotline access for Spanish-speaking people is (800) 266-2581. Additionally, a hotline is available to residents throughout the region who are unable to attend in person. The coverage area includes Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells and Whitley counties. Residents may call (260) 407-0917 or toll free at (877) 407-0917 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 15 to use this service. For more information about this program, contact Ruth de Wit, executive director, Volunteer Lawyer Program of Northeast Indiana, at (260) 407-0917 or ruth@ vlpnei.org.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

How to find time to exercise METRO CREATIVE SERVICE

A new year marks a great time to embrace change. Many people do just that by making resolutions designed to improve their lives in the year and years ahead. Resolutions regarding personal health are annually among the most popular changes people hope to make at the dawn of a new year. In fact, a quick scan of annual lists citing the most popular resolutions found that pledges to eat healthier and exercise more can be found at or near the top of such lists. Though such lists might not have been compiled using the most scientific of methods, it’s no secret that getting healthier and looking better is a goal many people strive for upon the arrival of January 1. Unfortunately, a 2015 report from U.S. News & World Report suggested that 80 percent of resolutions fail, oftentimes as early as February. For those who don’t just want but need to get healthier, failure to live up to a resolution to exercise more can have potentially devastating consequences. If exercising more is a goal in the year ahead, the following are a few strategies to make that happen. • Exercise in the early morning. As the day progresses, unforeseen challenges or forgotten commitments have a way of devouring time initially earmarked for exercise. Exercise first thing in the morning before any commitments to work and family hijack the time you have committed to exercising. • Take on less responsibility. Professionals and parents often cite commitments to work and family as the primary reasons they aren’t getting enough exercise. While those are perfectly reasonable excuses to skip a workout, men and women who recognize the long-term benefits of routine exercise may be compelled to take on

less responsibility at work while also making an effort to divvy up responsibilities at home more equitably. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ongoing exercise can reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and some cancers. The CDC also notes that routine exercise strengthens bones and muscles while improving mood. Taking on more responsibility at work might be great for your career, but that may prove a Pyrrhic victory if your long-term health is jeopardized. Parents can discuss with their spouse how to better share responsibilities at home so both moms and dads can get regular exercise. • Embrace more efficient exercise routines. Rather than working a single muscle group at a time, which can be both time-consuming and boring, men and women can adapt their workout routines to focus on multi-muscle exercises. Work with a personal trainer to make your workout as efficient as possible. • Schedule your routine each week. Each week is different, so while it may be ideal to establish a workout routine in which you exercise at the same time each day, that’s not always going to be possible. Failing to exercise on a day you had intended to workout can compromise your motivation to workout in the future, so sit down at the beginning of each week to examine your commitments for the days ahead and schedule times to exercise in the next seven days. This can keep you on track and help you avoid the disappointment of missing a workout because life got in the way. Finding time to exercise is not always so easy, but METROC CREATIVE CONNECTION even the busiest men and women can likely still include Finding more time to exercise is an attainable goal if you workouts in their daily routines.

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Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

News briefs: Take a closer look at weeks ahead CONCORDIA PLANS NOSTALGIA NIGHT

Nostalgia Night on Friday, Jan. 26, at Concordia Lutheran High School will recognize the 1962-63 boys varsity basketball team. “This team was the first parochial school team in Indiana to win a sectional championship,” the school said in a statement. The players and coaches of the ‘62-63 team will be invited to a reception in the Worship Conference Center at 5:30 p.m., prior to the boys’ varsity game vs. North Side at 7:30 p.m. The team will be recognized at halftime. Also that evening, band alumni are invited to join the pep band for fun and fellowship. “We will meet in the band room an hour before game time to warm up and run through a couple of things before heading out to the gym and playing at the basketball game,” the school said in a statement. “If you still have your old flip chart folder, please bring it along. If not, don’t worry, we have some at the high school.” Any band alumni who are planning to participate are asked to email Adam Friedrich at afriedrich@ clhscadets.com. Concordia Lutheran

H.S. is at 1601 St. Joe River Drive, Fort Wayne.

TRIVIA NIGHT $15 PER PERSON

Bishop Dwenger High School invites trivia enthusiasts age 21 or older to gather their friends for an evening of competition. Tuffy’s Trivia Night will be Saturday, Jan. 20, at the school at 1300 E. Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with games beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person or $150 for a team of 10. Players can register as a team or individuals can be assigned to teams. Sign up at bishopdwenger.com/ trivianight. Players may carry in food. A cash bar will be available.

OPEN HOUSE AT CONCORDIA

Concordia Lutheran High School, 1601 St. Joe River Drive, Fort Wayne, will hold an open house from noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21. This is a chance for students of all ages to tour the high school and explore programs of their interest. Times will be set aside for specific programs including computer science, video production, art and

biomedical. Watch BecomeACadet. com as details become available.

water Road, Fort Wayne. Anyone is welcome to join and serve the community.

CHOCOLATEFEST BENEFITS RILEY

5 MUSICIANS IN JAN. 21 CONCERT

The John Chapman Kiwanis Foundation will present ChocolateFest to benefit Riley Hospital for Children and other local youth charities and projects. The event will be held from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, at Turnstone Center For Children and Adults with Disabilities, 3320 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. Tickets are $40. Visit eventbrite.com for tickets. Free parking is available. The dinner buffet will include courses of chocolate-infused or chocolate-inspired dishes, many chocolate desserts and a chocolate fountain. The Dee Bees Band will present live music for dancing. A cash bar will be available. A silent auction will feature a variety of unique gifts. To be a sponsor, or to donate auction items or to reserve a VIP table, contact Jim at (260) 637-8184. The Kiwanis Club of John Chapman Foundation meets at 7 a.m. each Wednesday at the Sunrise Cafe, 10230 Cold-

The Fort Wayne Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present five scholarship recipients in recital at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1102 S. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. Admission is free. A reception will follow. Since 2002, the Irene S. Ator/AGO Scholarships have helped more than 20 piano and organ students to further their studies to become qualified church musicians. The 2018 concert will feature: Allyn Beifus, piano; Aidan Kroeker, piano; Annika Kroeker, piano; Monica Shannon, organ; and Christina Trowbridge, piano. A scholarship applicant must be a resident of Allen County, a piano or organ student, and in high school or college (eighthgrade students may apply.) Once applications have been reviewed students will be scheduled for an audition in late May or early June. For more information, visit fortwayneago.com.

HUNTER SAFETY COURSE OFFERED

Allen County 4-H Clubs Inc. will offer a free, state-approved Hunter Education Class in January. The class will be held at the Purdue Extension-Allen County Office, 4001 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne, on Jan. 6 and 13. Participants must attend both sessions, from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. both Saturdays. The class is taught by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and is open to youth and adults. Anyone age 11 or younger must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Anyone born after 1986 is required to be certified in hunter education before they can purchase a hunting license. To register, go to www.in.gov/dnr/ lawenfor/4812.htm. All materials for the course including a study manual will be provided.

LIGHTS DISPLAY THROUGH DEC. 31

The Fantasy of Lights auto tour of 269,000 LED lights covering dozens of displays continues through Dec. 31 at Franke Park, 3411 Sherman Blvd., Fort Wayne. Admission is $10 per car or minivan. This drive-through

event is situated in Franke Park (adjacent to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo) and transforms the park into a spectacular winter wonderland. Blue Jacket Inc. received control of the Fantasy of Lights in 2015. The attraction has served Fort Wayne since 1994. This year’s reconfigured route covers more than 2 miles and features an interactive radio broadcast. Carriage Rides are available by Cornelius Carriages at (260) 691-3780. Blue Jacket partners with other local agencies to serve disadvantaged employment candidates, whether they are emerging from homelessness, poverty or other circumstances. Visit bluejacketinc.org for more information.

PARKVIEW PARTY TO WELCOME 2018

A ball will drop at midnight near the Parkview Field Silver Lot as downtown Fort Wayne welcomes the New Year. Parkview Field’s gates will open at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, and live entertainment will begin at 7:15 p.m., followed by a countdown to midnight and fireworks. Watch for See NEWS, Page A10

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NEWS from Page A9 updates at fwballdrop. com. The event is free and open to all ages, although only ages 21 or older will be admitted to separated bar areas. Fort Wayne celebrated last New Year’s Eve with a digital ball drop downtown. Soon after, a team of volunteers stepped forward to design the ball for this year’s celebration.

CIRCUS TICKETS START AT $14

Ticket sales have begun for the 2018 Mizpah Shrine Circus. Tickets,

which went on sale Thanksgiving evening, are $14, $16, $18 or $22. The circus will present seven shows Jan. 25-28 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Shows are: Thursday, Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 28, 1 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. Coliseum parking is $5 for general parking or $8 for the preferred lot. The Mizpah Shrine Circus office is at 1015 Memorial Way. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayFriday. Evening hours will be added and a separate

ticket booth at the coliseum will open Jan. 2. Extended weekday hours and Saturday hours begin Jan. 6. Get updates at mizpahshrinecircus.com.

adults, free to ages 12 and younger. Half-off admission is available to: active military families with military ID; with a Shrine Circus ticket stub; or with a Savor Fort Wayne restaurant receipt. Visit outdoorsportslakecabinshow.com for related details. Coliseum parking is $5 in the main lot or $8 in the preferred lot. The Hawg Tank bass fishing demonstration is back in 2018, along with the Stihl Timberworks Lumberjack Show, a kids’ outdoor adventure, pro bass fisherman Andy Buss, bow fisherman Jason Barbknecht, and fishing instructor and radio host Dan Armitage. Also see the archery and rifle range, RV’s, boats and water sports, exotic cars by Dream Makers Automotive, Yurts and tiny houses and booths operated by vendors and charters. Visit outdoorsportslakecabinshow.com for more information.

OUTDOORS SHOW LISTS LINEUP

The Outdoors Sports, Lake & Cabin Show is planned Jan. 26-28 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Hours are: Friday, Jan. 26, noon-9 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $10 for

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3-DAY FARM SHOW AT COLISEUM

The 28th annual Fort Wayne Farm Show is planned Jan. 16-18 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Admission is free. Hours are: Tuesday, Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 17, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Thursday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. More than 30,000 farmers attend the show annually to view farm equipment and services and educational seminars. Parkview Health Systems will present free CPR classes each day. This year’s grand prize is a Massey Ferguson 2400 Series zero-turn lawnmower courtesy of Harmony Outdoor Equipment of Auburn. A fundraising auction will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday to support the Indiana FFA Scholarship Foundation. Last year’s auction of donated items raised more than $20,000 for

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4-H CLUBS INC. ELECTS LEADERS

Allen County 4-H Clubs Inc. held its annual meeting Nov. 9 in conjunction with the 4-H Volunteer Recognition Program. Elected to the Allen County 4-H board of directors for three-year terms were: Rachel Hammond, Tyler Olinske, Erin Roembke and Jacob Taylor. Elected to serve a two-year term was Aric Bradtmueller. Outgoing 4-H board members were recognized: Heather Anderson, for serving three years; Brian Hoopengardner, for serving three years; Rob Knott for serving six years; Regina Smith for serving three years; and Shelby Smith for serving a one-year appointment as the Junior Leader representative. Officers elected to serve in the 2017-2018 year are: Roger Clark, president; Kurt VanHorn, vice president; Ashley Lewis, secretary; and Donna Dafforn, treasurer. In 2017, 239 adult volunteers donated their time to the Allen County 4-H Program. Their tenure ranged from 1 to 48 years of service.

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NEWS from Page A10 EASTERSEALS ACCEPTS GRANT

The Mary Cross Tippmann Foundation has awarded a $6,250 grant to Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana. The grant will be used for general operating expenses. Easterseals Arc provides a wide range of services to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they live, learn, work and play in the community. Easterseals Arc has nearly 800 individuals enrolled in services and assists hundreds more through outreach to their families, friends and employers.

IT’S WINTER AT CONSERVATORY

Holiday and winter-themed attractions continue at Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne. Holiday hours vary. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 3-17. Garden In Lights continues through Jan. 7. The conservatory has decorated the gardens, indoors and out. Enjoy beautiful poinsettias and lights from the atrium to the Desert. The “Snow Days” theme garden exhibit continues through Jan. 7. In the conservatory’s holiday imagination, snowkids go out for snowball fights while snowmoms bake cookies and prepare hot chocolate. Snow angels mark the spot where families spent time together.

GET TICKETS TO TINCAPS OPENER

Fort Wayne TinCaps fans have an early chance to secure their seats for opening day of the 2018 season. The TinCaps kick off the team’s 10th season in downtown Fort Wayne at 6:05 p.m. Saturday, April 7, against the Cleveland Indians-affiliated Lake County Captains. The sale ends Dec. 31. Ticket prices continue to start at $5 while fans can sit behind home plate for as little as $10. Buy opening day tickets at: • TinCapsTickets.com; • The Orchard Team Store at Glenbrook Square Mall (10 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 29; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 30; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 31); • The Orchard Team Store at Parkview Field (9 a.m. -5 p.m. Dec. 29). Opening day will feature one of 32 postgame fireworks shows during the 70-game home schedule. Tickets for all 2018 games at Parkview Field will go on sale at a later date.

ZUMBATHON AIDS FWCS TUTORING

FWCS Study Connection will host Zumbathon 2018 from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at North Side High School, 475 E. State St., Fort Wayne. Registration is $20 at the door (cash or check). Participants will be eligible for door prizes. Area Zumba instructors will lead two hours of dancing, sweating and fun in support of FWCS Study Connection. Zumba is a combination of Latin dancing and cardiovascular workout. No previous Zumba experience is required for this event. Proceeds from Zumbathon 2018 will benefit FWCS Study Connection. This after-school tutoring program matches students with employees and volunteers at area businesses and organizations. Students and tutors meet one hour once a week to provide consistent academic assistance and mentoring to students who may not otherwise receive it. For more information about Study Connection or Zumbathon 2018, call (260) 467-8810.

NIGHT OF HOPE BOOKS TEBOW

Former college and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow will headline the Indiana Fellowship of Christian Athletes Night of Hope, Thursday, Feb. 15. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Registration is free at indianafca.org/ nightofhope. Parking is $5, or $8 in the preferred lot. Tebow played for the University of Florida national champion teams in 2006 and 2008, and won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in 2007. He played three years in the NFL, became a college football TV analyst, and recently signed with the New York Mets organization. He released “Through My Eyes,” which was the bestselling religion book of 2011. He also wrote “Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms.” Find more information at timtebow.com.

CIVIC TO OPEN ‘LA CAGE’ FEB. 17

Fort Wayne Civic Theatre presents “La Cage Aux Folles” in seven performances, Feb. 17-March 4, at the Arts United Center, 303 E. Main St., Fort Wayne. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors 60 and older, and $17 for ages 23 and younger. Read the full description and find a link to ticket sales at fwcivic.org, or

call the box office at (260) 424-5220. Performances are: 8 p.m. Feb. 17, 23 and 24 and March 2 and 3; and 2 p.m. Feb. 18 and March 4. Phillip H. Conglazier directs this musical, which is rated PG. The Civic also plans the comedy “Buyer & Cellar” in six shows March 16-25. Gregory Stieber directs. Tickets are available at fwcivic.org.

TICKETS TO ‘RED’ ON SALE ONLINE

First Presbyterian Theater will present “Red,” which is described as “a searing portrait of an artist’s ambition and vulnerability.” John Logan wrote the play in which abstract impressionist Mark Rothko lands a milestone commission, only to be challenged by his young assistant, Ken. For further description, visit firstpresfortwayne.org. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $18 for ages 65 and older, and $10 for full-time students. Admission to a preview at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, is $12. Other shows are at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20, and 2 p.m. Jan. 14.

HELP SOLVE MYSTERY

Early-bird tickets are available for Science Central’s annual murder mystery event. “My ColdHearted Valentine” returns for its fourth year from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9. Science Central is at 1950 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. Guests at this 21-and-older event will wander the science center, mingling and “interviewing suspects.” Early-bird and member tickets are $20 per person or $35 per couple. After Feb. 1, nonmembers will pay $25 per person or $45 per couple. Limited deluxe tickets are available; contact the science center for details. Get tickets at sciencecentral. org. Get more information by contacting Andrea Colley, marketing manager, at marketing@ sciencecentral.org.

SUPPORT GROUP GIVES SCHEDULE

Byron Health Center, 12101 Lima Road, Fort Wayne, will continue Huntington’s disease support groups in 2018. The meetings will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month in the Eakin Family Room.The meetings are for those affected with Huntington’s disease, as well as their family and friends. Meeting dates are: Jan. 2, Feb. 6, March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5, July 3, Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Oct. 2, Nov. 6 and Dec. 4. Byron Health Center

partners with the Huntington’s Disease Society of America and the Department of Behavioral & Social Sciences at the University of Saint Francis to make the support group possible for the northeast Indiana area.

TEDx SEEKS 2018 SPEAKERS

TEDx Fort Wayne is looking for speakers who have an “Idea Worth Spreading” for its Sunday, March 24, event at the Manchester University School of Pharmacy campus, 10627 Diebold Road at Dupont Road, Fort Wayne. TEDx has chosen the theme “Resurgence.” “Fort Wayne has made incredible strides in the past few years,” organizer Mark Hagar said. “Our community isn’t content to celebrate past successes. Instead, civic groups, local businesses, government agencies and individual citizens have come together in myriad ways to address the challenges we’re facing and to build a future for the community we love. TEDx Fort Wayne will harness that Hoosier creativity and build on the energy that makes this an inspiring time to live and work in northeast Indiana.” The TEDx Fort Wayne organizing team also

includes Sarah Miretti Cassidy, Greg Magnuson, Joe Noorthoek, Shelly Soellinger and Crystal Vann Wallstrom. Interested applicants should apply at tedxfortwayne.com/speak/.

MAMMOGRAPHY BUS PLANS STOPS

The Francine’s Friends Breast Diagnostic Center mobile mammography unit visits locations throughout the Fort Wayne area. For women who have health insurance, Francine’s Friends will bill the insurance company. If the patient does not have insurance but has the ability to pay, the BDC offers a reduced rate if paid the day of the screening. For women without insurance, or who have a high deductible, or who do not have the resources to pay, assistance is available. Appointments preferably should be made prior to the date of screening. For an appointment, call (260) 483-1847 or (800) 727-8439, ext. 68120. Walk-in openings are available depending on the schedule. Francine’s Friends Mobile Mammography is a partnership between Francine’s Friends, Parkview Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Breast Diagnostic Center. The mobile unit plans

these stops: • Friday, Dec. 29 — Walmart, 10105 Lima Road, Fort Wayne. • Tuesday, Jan. 2. — Heritage Park, 2001 Hobson Road, Fort Wayne. • Wednesday, Jan. 3 — Parkview Physicians Group, 1331 Minnich Road, New Haven. • Friday, Jan. 5 — Walmart, 7502 Southtown Crossing, Fort Wayne. • Monday, Jan. 15 — Kroger, 4120 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. • Tuesday, Jan. 16 — Paul Harding Jr. High School, 6501 Wayne Trace, Fort Wayne. • Wednesday, Jan. 17 — Genesis Home Health, 1201 Daly Drive, New Haven. • Thursday, Jan. 18 — PHD, 9009 Clubridge Drive, New Haven. • Friday, Jan. 19 — New Haven High School, 1300 Green Road, New Haven. • Monday, Jan. 22 — Jorgensen Family YMCA, 10313 Aboite Center Road, Fort Wayne. • Wednesday, Jan. 24 — Nelson Global Products, 3405 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. • Thursday, Jan. 25 — Harrison College, 6413 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. • Monday, Jan. 29 — Parkview Physicians Group, 1331 Minnich Road, New Haven. Compiled by Garth Snow

Find your fall & winter wardrobe at Goodwill. When you shop at Goodwill, you save money on quality clothing, shoes, purses, household items, electronics, jewelry, books and furniture. Even better, you support programs that connect people with disabilities to meaningful employment. Take advantage of these discounts to save even more: - Daily 50% off sale on select color-tagged merchandise. - Senior discount 25% off store-wide on the 2nd/4th Tuesdays. - Monthly 50% off store-wide sale. - Fresh merchandise added daily to every store.

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Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

INfortwayne.com • A13

Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

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Fort Wayne will celebrate the brisk chill of January with Winterval 2018, at several downtown locations on Saturday, Jan. 27. The Community Center will celebrate a winter carnival from 1-4 p.m. at 233 W. Main St. Highlights will include ice carving, Arctic Inflatables, snow crafts and activities and refreshments. Admission is free. Carriage rides will be available. Fort Wayne Youtheater will present Storytime Theatre from 2-4 p.m. at the Community Center. Admission is free. Visit the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St., from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for Winterval at the Conservatory. Visitors can make a winter bird feeder, learn how cold-blooded animals survive the winter, watch an ice sculpture take shape and explore the “Fairy Tales” garden exhibit. Regular admission applies. Headwaters Park West will host Winter Cozy from 8-10 p.m. Guests will indulge in hygge (pronounced “hoo-guh”), a Danish term which refers to a feeling of contentment or well-being. The

COURTESY PHOTO

Fort Wayne area rugby clubs will clash in the snow at Lawton Park at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27.

celebration will be held in a heated tent with cozy furniture, warm cocktails and food for purchase, plus live music and games, ice sculptures and drink luges. Admission is $10 at the door. This event is 21+. More information is available at RiverfrontFW.org or by calling Megan Butler at (260) 427-6248. The Old Fort, 1201 Spy Run Ave., will hold Nouvelle Annee: A New France 1758, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Guests will observe re-enactments of French fur traders and Native Americans as they survive the “dead of winter” out on the frontier. Get details at oldfortwayne. org. Area rugby teams will clash in a Snow Bowl competition at 1 p.m. at Lawton Park, 1900 N.

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Clinton St. Admission is free. Visit fwrfc.com for details. The Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, will host Winterval at the Library from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free. Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., will offer halfprice admission from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Headwaters Park ice skating rink, 333 S. Clinton St., will be open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Regular admission applies. The Midwest Freeze Frame Picture Car & Scale Model Car Show will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St. Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The entry fee is $10. Spectators are admitted free. Visit fortwayneparks. org for photos and more details.

INfortwayne.com • A15

Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

Christmas in Park focuses on season’s meaning By Meghan Schrader For IN|Northeast News

Santa Claus and gifts, while they’re wonderful things, are not the true reason we celebrate Christmas — which the annual Christmas in the Park hopes to bring to the public’s attention. The event, which took place on Nov. 25-26 at Franke Park, seeks to bring Christ back into the holiday celebration. The festival got its start in 1951 but it slowly began to wane until five years ago when Publicity Chairperson Judi Hapke and others sought to breathe life back into it. Their goal was to provide a free holiday festival while also ministering to local families, she said. Outside the pavilion where the festival took place sat a firetruck where families gathered to meet the firefighters and tour the truck. The pavilion featured several booths run by volunteers representing

the military, law enforcement and firefighters. At these booths, guests could put forth prayer requests and send letters of encouragement or thanks to veterans, EMTs and firefighters. Down a way, a booth run by Little Dresses of Africa could be found. This organization, with help from their five hand-sewing groups, provided dresses for guests to send to children in need around the world. The goal of the organization is to not only provide clothing but also to minister to the children who receive the dresses. “If you can meet their physical need it opens the door to meet their spiritual need,” Ellen Dixon, one of the many people involved with Little Dresses of Africa, said. This was the organization’s fourth year of participating in Christmas in the Park, sewing 500 dresses, more than they’ve ever had before, she said. One of the many kid-friendly booths was run by Big Blast Minis-

Christmas in the Park featured a bow and arrow game and other activities for children. PHOTOS BY MEGHAN SHRADER

Bob Hudelson shows off camels at Christmas in the Park at Franke Park.

tries. This group created balloon figures for guests before taking to the stage and telling the story of Christmas with a life-like balloon Nativity scene of their own creation. Pastors Steve and Janet Rayburn, the founders of Big Blast Ministries, have been doing this full time for 12 years, though it was the group’s second time at Christmas in the Park. The couple and their family have traveled to 28 states, Canada and even Honduras to minister to

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children there through balloons, puppets, illusions and more. “It’s what God called us to do,” Rayburn said. Just outside the pavilion was perhaps the biggest hit of the festival: the two dromedary camels owned by Bob Hudelson. Hudelson himself was dressed in clothing that one might have seen a shepherd wear at the time of Jesus’ birth. This clothing, though, was made by his wife. He said his family has “always

loved critters” and has been doing this for 30 years, traveling with his camels all over Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. Two tents could be found at the festival, one housing a likeness of the town of Bethlehem where volunteers from local churches played the parts of citizens making pottery, woodworking, calling for a census and running the no-vacancy inn. The second tent was full of games and activities for children, most of which were run by volunteers from Concordia Lutheran High School’s swim team. A

small petting zoo also resided in this tent with a goat, sheep, pig, chicken and several rabbits not far from the stage where several performances took place. Brian and Shelia Grillett experienced the festival for the first time this year and said they appreciate the petting zoo with its “soft animals” and the way the Spirit was of such great focus there. For more information regarding the event and how to get involved for the 2018 Christmas in the Park, visit christchildfest. org.

A16 • INfortwayne.com

Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

Embassy to celebrate 90th anniversary in ’18 Contributed A “90 Years of Film” series will launch the Embassy Theatre’s 90th anniversary celebration. The downtown Fort Wayne landmark at 125 W. Jefferson Blvd. also will celebrate with music and tributes in 2018. Kelly Updike, Embassy president and CEO, said the theater is tapping into nostalgia for the celebration. “Since opening day on May 14, 1928, the theater – and Grande Page pipe organ – have served up thousands of magical moments,” Updike said. The theater was originally known as the Emboyd, and welcomed stars of stage and screen. The Embassy staff picked movies from the

past 90 years, representing every decade in the theater’s lifetime. Guests are encouraged to dress up as a favorite character or sing along to the soundtrack. Each movie includes a pre-show Grande Page organ performance. The featured movies are: • “Back to the Future” (1985), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19. • “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20. • “Grease” (1978), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20. • “Casablanca” (1942), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10. • “Frozen” (2013), 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 13. A Mother’s Day brunch option will be available for purchase in the

COURTESY PHOTO

“Back to the Future,” 1985, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at the Embassy Theatre.

“The Wizard of Oz” from 1939 will be shown at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Embassy.

spring. • “Wings” (1927), 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 17. • “Independence Day” (1996), 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 13. • “Pirates of the Caribbean” (2003), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24.

• “The Sound of Music” (1965), 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21. Movie tickets are $10, with savings available for passes to four or all nine movies, and are available at the STAR Bank box office at the Embassy,

through TicketMaster. com or by calling (800) 745-3000. The emphasis on audience participation continues at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19, when the arts organization re-creates the theater’s 1928 grand opening. The “90th Anniversary Community Celebration,” sponsored by Mutual Bank, will be a throwback to the 1920s, showcasing vaudeville-style entertainment, musical performances and a black-and-white movie screening and red carpet arrivals. Organist Mark Herman headlines the festivities. Tickets are $9. The 90th celebration year also will include: the grand opening of a history center, a dedicated space displaying memo-

rabilia from the theater’s archives; a new recording featuring the Grande Page pipe organ; restoration of one of the theater’s original still-image projectors (Brenograph); and more. The Embassy is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “The Embassy belongs to the people of northeast Indiana,” Updike said. “We look forward to celebrating this milestone together.” Watch for updates at www.fwembassytheatre. org. The yearlong celebration is presented by Sweetwater and Chuck and Lisa Surack. Ambassador Enterprises, Mutual Bank and Markey’s Rental & Staging also are supporting with sponsorships.

Matthew 25 adds free mental health counseling Contributed Matthew 25 Health and Dental Clinic has added mental health counseling to its downtown Fort Wayne services. The clinic at 413 E. Jefferson Blvd. provides

medical, optical, dental and specialty care to adults who have no insurance and live at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Counseling services that address depression, anxiety, substance abuse,

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PTSD and family conflict have been added. Certain screenings and treatments already were available. Initial providers are senior-level students from the IPFW counseling program. The additions were announced Nov. 27.

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Medical Director Dr. Bradley Isbister stressed the importance of offering both medication and counseling therapy. “By providing all mental health services at the same location we can improve coordination and

access to care as well as outcomes and compliance,” Isbister said in a statement. Matthew 25 is the only full-time, nonprofit clinic in Allen County that offers primary health care at no cost to patients.

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you’ve got your orange and black ready, because no New Year’s Eve would be complete without partaking in the annual last-day-of-theyear Komets game, this time against the Toledo Walleye, at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. After the game: Head back downtown to enjoy the New Year’s Eve festivities, which begin with music and fireworks and end up with a countdown to 2018, complete with Fort Wayne’s own ball drop (with a real ball this time). Note: If you enjoy a little too much to drink, be sure to take the Holiday Cab home.

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take you to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art to see the part of the collection of David Shapiro’s paintings and prints that were given to the museum by his estate. 5 p.m.: Grab dinner

at one of the many great eateries downtown. 6 p.m.: Drive over to Franke Park to take advantage of one last chance to see the Fantasy of Lights, which consists of more than 100 animated light displays to delight the whole family. 7:30 p.m.: We hope

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INfortwayne.com • A19

Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

POLAR from Page A1 raise funds for state and local Special Olympics programs, according to a release from Special Olympics Indiana. These programs “allow children and adults with intellectual disabilities to live active lives through socialization, exercise and friendly competition,” the release states. Currently there are more than 13,000 athletes that participate in at least one sport through Special Olympics in Indiana. Plungers are invited to take a dip in Metea Park’s ice-cold pond before enjoying the After Splash Bash with food and beverages at the Metea Park Nature Center. Past Fort Wayne plunges have had more than 100 plungers apiece and have raised more than $10,000, according to the release. Ryan Clark, 11th-grade English teacher at Leo High School, has been participating in the Special Olympics Polar Plunge for eight years. Each year, he also seeks to extend the opportunity to students. “The way we grow most in life is by getting out of our comfort zones and doing things that are uncomfortable for something that is for the greater good,” Clark said. “I think most students will look back and say even though it was painful for those few minutes, it was really worth it because of the good that

came out of it.” Jumping in freezing cold water is “definitely out of most people’s comfort zones” he added with a laugh, but will result in personal growth while benefiting others. Clark recommends fellow plungers wear old shoes that “it doesn’t matter if they get a little bit mucky and dirty,” socks, shorts and a long sleeved shirt — and don’t forget a change of clothes and a towel. To prospective participants, he asks, “Are you going to sit around, watching TV on a Saturday morning or are you going to do something in the world?” It is sure to be “a morning you won’t forget,” he adds. To participate, register online at polarplungeIN. org, raise a minimum of $75 in pledges and arrive at Metea County Park between 8-10 a.m. Local businesses and schools are encouraged to get involved by putting together teams of plungers and helping to raise funds. Prizes are awarded for fundraising levels met and door prizes will be drawn at the After Splash Bash. Special Olympics is seeking door prize donations, sponsors and event volunteers as well. For more information, contact Julie Burkholder at jburkholder@soindiana.org or (260) 466-1528 or online by visiting polarplungeIN. org.

12-day Savor Fort Wayne means three-course deals Staff reports Savor Fort Wayne, a 12-day celebration of Fort Wayne’s restaurants sponsored by Visit Fort Wayne, will be back next year, Jan. 10-21. Each of the participating restaurants will offer special three-course menu deals priced at no more than $30 per person. Four dozen restaurants signed up to participate: 07 Pub, Asakusa, Bandidos – Aboite, Bandidos – Glenbrook, Bandidos – Georgetown, Bandidos – Waynedale, Black Canyon, Bourbon Street Hideaway, Casa Grille, Casa Grille Italiano, Casa Ristorante Italiano, Casa! Ristorante, Champions Sport Bar & Restaurant, Chappell’s Coral Grill, Chop’s Wine Bar, Club Soda, DeBrand Fine Chocolates, Don Hall’s Factory, Don Hall’s Gas House, Don Hall’s Guesthouse Grille, Don Hall’s Takaoka, Don Hall’s Tavern at Coventry, Don Hall’s Triangle Park. Eddie Merlot’s, el Azteca Mexican Restaurant, Features Bar & Restaurant, HT2, Henry’s, J.K.

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A20 • INfortwayne.com

Statistics show northeast Indiana adoption need By Louis Wyatt lwyatt@kpcmedia.com

Indiana residents adopted 1,509 children statewide in 2016, say statistics from the Indiana Department of Child Services. But while the Hoosier state boasts the nation’s fourthhighest rate of adoption per live births, another question remains: What about the children still waiting for their forever homes? In October 2017, a total of 17,292 Children in Need of Services — children under the age of 18 who are neglected or abused, and who are not getting the care or treatment they deserve — were placed in foster homes throughout Indiana. Of those placements, 1,383 (8 percent) were in Allen, Whitley and the four counties of DeKalb, LaGrange, Noble and Steuben. Ann Freeman, family development specialist at SAFY, Fort Wayne, said

those numbers don’t tell the whole story. “It’s a fluid number because any day, children who are currently being fostered may have their parental rights terminated and then become available for adoption, so the number is always changing,” Freeman said. “And, of course, the opposite way it changes is children get adopted and that number drops, but there are always more kids to take their place, unfortunately.” Freeman said the majority of children waiting to be adopted in northeast Indiana are either in foster homes that aren’t pre-adoptive, residential facilities or hospital settings if they have specific medical needs. “The majority of those kids will be in homes that aren’t looking to adopt and are still looking for their forever families,” she said. Of the total number of foster children in Hoosier

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homes as of Nov. 3, Allen County held the third-highest number (1,041) behind only Marion (3,736) and Lake (1,335) counties. Placements in other northeast Indiana counties indicated by the Office of Data Management, Reports and Analysis include DeKalb (62), LaGrange (57), Noble (103), Steuben (74) and Whitley (46). While foster parents choose to take in children for a number of reasons, SAFY Foster Parent Recruiter Ebonee Hower said the majority of the individuals she meets with are looking to adopt. Nevertheless, age preference is still a roadblock for many. “The majority of people I would say are interested in adopting babies — 5 and under and 3 and under — because maybe they’re nervous of certain behaviors,” Hower said. “They

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Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

7 years, 8 kids: Keeping a family together By Meghan Schrader for IN|Fort Wayne

Christmas at the Stayer residence is a little different from most other families. With eight kids, decorating the tree and baking sugar cookies can get a little hectic, and opening presents is an all-day event. The family is also very passionate about helping foster children. In the past they’ve supplied Christmas presents for youth who have aged out of the foster care system, and this year they are putting on a New Year’s party for foster children. Only seven years ago, it was a different story for Robert and Jody Stayer, as they had not yet begun to foster and adopt their eight children. Adoption had long been something close to Jody’s heart: she worked as a marriage and family therapist in the Los Angeles foster care system, which is responsible for 10 percent of all the foster children in the United States, she said. When she and Robert met, their goal to adopt became one and the same. “They’re completely overwhelmed,” Jody

Stayer said of the LA foster care system. “Bobby and I have both seen the destruction that abuse and neglect [can have] in children that don’t have a place, don’t have anyone that cares about them, what that does to a child. So when we started our family we wanted to be purposeful about helping some of those children.” Navigating through social workers, attorneys and judges as well as advocating for their child are all obstacles prospective adoptive parents must deal with. Starting the process

In 2010 the couple began the process of navigating the foster care and adoption system. By 2011 their eldest daughter, Monique, 11 years old at the time, along with her three younger siblings, Serena, 7, Mariah, 5, and Antonio, 3, were placed with Robert and Jody. The four were adopted in 2012. As first-time parents, not only did Robert and Jody have to learn how to parent their kids but the children had to learn how to be members of the Stayer family.

“The challenging part was to reteach and have them relearn how we expected them to be as our kids,” Robert said, explaining he felt they were at a disadvantage by not having raised the kids from birth. “They already had their bad habits. We didn’t have any influence on how they were before they moved into our house.” “Our kids just really needed to trust us. A lot of those behaviors that people think kids from foster care have, a lot of those go away with a permanent home and adult to love them, parents to love them,” Jody Stayer said. The couple as well as Monique agreed that trust was the biggest issue during their initial fostering and adoption. Monique recounts that she was used to “being the mom” for her siblings and it was hard for her to let that go. She wasn’t accustomed to “that feeling of being wanted or loved,” she said, and initially rejected her prospective foster parents. It took her time to realize “this was the real deal and they actually wanted to adopt us.”

“They felt the need to reject us before we could reject them. In their minds, they knew that was going to happen,” Jody said. This, however, was not the end of their story. Sibling bond

“We just felt that, that sibling bond is so important and enduring. COURTESY PHOTO Dr. David Reichwage and Team at Fort Wayne Smiles It’s the most enduring The Stayer family, clockwise from bottom left, Antonio, ®

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Jody hopes that her passion for helping foster children is something her kids will have as well. Monique, now 18 years old and graduating from Leo High School this spring, is considering Orphans and Vulnerable Children Studies at Taylor University, and will be the first person in her biological family to

attend college. Jody and Robert sought to extend their passion beyond their family. After moving to Indiana, the couple decided to get their church involved with the foster care system. “As Christians we’re all called to care for the orphan and whichever way you choose to do that is all up to you,” Jody said. In 2013 the family started Called to Care Outreach through Grabill Missionary Church in Grabill. The program has a very large resource closet of new to lightly used clothing, shoes and other items available to foster families who may need them. The group also puts together gifts for foster kids graduating high school as well as baskets of household items for those aging out of the foster care system. There are 26,000 children aging out the system every year in the United States, Jody explains. If anyone is interested in donating new to lightly used clothing, shoes or other items, these can be dropped off at Grabill Missionary Church during business hours. For more information regarding the program email Jody Stayer at jrediger7@hotmail.com.

children in the hospital who wouldn’t have family present so they wouldn’t be alone. They ended up taking the baby home as a foster child, continuing to work with the DCS and the child’s parents toward reunification with her birth family. “You have a job to do, and that’s reunification, and you’ve always got to keep that going in the back of your mind. Your job is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for that child and to work with DCS on whatever case

plan they have going at that time,” Don said about his role as a foster parent. As the months went on, it became more clear that reunification wasn’t going to happen, and the child’s parents eventually voluntarily terminated their parental rights. “So we decided we were going to get out of foster care and adopt this one, and that was Kyleigh,” Don said, placing his head on his now 10-year-old daughter’s head. For seven months, Kyleigh remained the

Cochrans’ only child. “They kept calling us to take additional foster kids, but Kyleigh liked the attention she was getting and we were very hesitant to bring in another foster child, so we declined,” Don said.

that,” Jody said. Having such a large family does come with its challenges, Jody said, but added it’s all been worth it to them. “When they’re older I think they’ll understand the significance of being together and how it was hard to do that. It was a sacrifice we made but I think it’s worth it in the long run,” Robert Stayer said. Years later now, the family is together and happy. The children stay in contact with their birth family, sending pictures, writing letters and texting. Robert and Jody make sure to incorporate the kids’ Hispanic heritage into their lives, making tamales during the holidays, having piñatas at birthday parties and giving their girls the choice of having a quinceañera for their 15th birthday.

bond that you’ll ever have,” Jody Stayer said. So, compelled by the teachings of Christ and reassured through prayer, the couple continued to bring three more siblings of their adoptive children into their home after moving to Indiana: Elliana, Frankie and Carlos, adopting them between 2014 and 2015. In addition, they are currently fostering 10-month old Annabell. Jody’s sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Eric Reynolds, had long since been thinking about adoption as well, so when the couple learned the Stayer children’s birthmother had another baby up for adoption, they decided to start the process. Selah and Lilliana, now age 3 and 2, were adopted by the couple in 2015 and 2016 in the hopes of maintaining that sibling bond. “By helping our kids look to their siblings for similarities in their personalities, in the way they look, that will help them have a sense of control over their environment and just better self-confidence. There’s so many benefits of maintaining that sibling bond and we’ve just always been passionate about

Helping others

FINDING from Page A1 be placed with family members. Some, like 9-month-old Kyleigh, stayed much longer. Kyleigh

In September 2008 Don was at a band contest in Louisville when he got a call requesting that he go to the hospital to sit with an infant “who had blunt force trauma to the head and severe injuries,” he said. As licensed foster parents, the Cochrans were sometimes asked to sit with

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haven’t been with the child since birth and maybe they’re worried about how they will connect with them, but teenagers don’t need any less love than a baby does.” Foster parents taking in SAFY-served youth may take on children from a variety of backgrounds, whether they have had their parental rights terminated and are up for adoption, are in the process of having their rights terminated by the court or are likely to return home to their birth parents. In 2016, Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth Indiana — which has offices in Fort Wayne, South Bend, Merrillville and Indianapolis — served 734 families and youths. Hower said the Fort Wayne agency currently serves about 30 foster kids and four of their children were adopted this year. However, while adoptions are an essential component of the agency’s work, the main focus is any kind of permanency. “In foster care, permanency can mean reuniting with their birth parents or adoption,” Hower said. “The

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Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

first goal of foster care always is reunification, but then when it comes to a point where a child is unable to go home, that’s when we look into the foster-to-adopt part.” Hower said many foster parents grieve when children leave their homes, but while living situations aren’t guaranteed to be permanent — especially through legal risk placements — prospective parents should value the children’s well-being first and foremost. “Legal risk means that the courts may be leaning towards termination of parental rights but it hasn’t been finalized yet, so there’s that legal risk that it might not happen, the child may end up going back home or another relative may come into the picture that wants to adopt,” Hower said. “It’s kind of a heavy job because I have to tell people that they have to accept the fact that the child may go home. That fear might make people shy away from fosterto-adopt because, if you get really attached and the child goes home, it’s heartbreaking, but one of the things I always try to tell our parents is that our kids need healthy attachments.”

On the other hand, even children with their rights terminated are waiting to be adopted. A visit to adoptuskids. org/states/in/browse.aspx can offer a glimpse of that unfortunate reality. The website contains 123 results of individual children and siblings waiting to be adopted in Indiana as of November 2017. Of those 139 individuals, which range between 5 and 17 years old, 12 currently reside in foster homes in Allen County, two are in Steuben County, and Noble and DeKalb counties are home to one each. Every year and every Christmas that goes by puts each of these children one year ahead of most adoptive parents’ preferred age ranges, making it increasingly less likely they will make it out of the foster care system before the age of 18. “The kids that are ready to be adopted with their rights terminated through foster care are typically older,” Hower said. “These kids really need a forever family. Everyone deserves that.” For more information on adoptions in the state of Indiana, visit the Indiana Department of Child Services at in.gov/ dcs.

extended belly, he had cuts and bruises all over him. It was a crisis situation, so I went and sat with him.” Eventually, the little boy, who was 18 months old at the time, came into the Cochrans’ house as well. His situation provided some new challenges for the young family. The little boy, Uriel, and his biological parents were not legal immigrants, so he was in limbo for some time as the Cochrans worked to adopt him. The family worked to obtain citizenship for their new son, which they were only recently able to finalize. For both children, the adoption process was not quick. Kyleigh, whom the Cochrans first met at 9 months old, was 2½ when she was adopted. For Uriel, the process lasted until he was 4½. Despite the lengths they had to go through, the choice to adopt both Kyleigh and Uriel was obvious, the Cochrans said. “You just fall in love with these kids, and when you realize that they’re not going to go home, that they are going to be adopted, we already felt at place there because it wasn’t a matter of months with us, at this point it was years with us,” Don said.

because we didn’t have any kids on our own and that changed really quick when I realized what foster care was about,” Don said. “Foster care wasn’t about going into this to adopt kids, it was about providing a safe environment and working with the case plan. … That was what those families were needing to get things back on a healthy and safe track and that’s when my focus changed. Once I found my role, and they tell you that … but you have to feel it, but once I fell into that role I became, it was almost like a calling.” “And, I think, providing that unconditional love and that nurture and safe home and at the same time we also worked with the birth families … helping them [know] how to care for their children and communicate with their children,” Mindy added. The Cochrans had their share of difficulties, with one foster child even breaking Mindy’s wrist. Still, they would encourage those interested to open their home to help foster kids in need. “If they’re interested, I think the only way to do it is to try it. You just have to be patient,” Don said. “The only thing that will change is absolutely everything. And that’s true. Everything will change with every child. Everything you’ve come to know as a family unit will be disrupted. And once you come to accept that, it sure is rewarding.”

A heart for fostering

Though they did end up adopting through the foster system, Don said he felt a special calling when they were foster parents. “I wanted to adopt when we first got into [fostering]

Community Calendar Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

served the first Friday of and third Fridays of each month. The meal includes green beans, corn, french fries, coleslaw, dinner rolls and pudding or Jell-O. Coffee and cash bar available. The club has been safeguarding local wildlife and habitat since 1938. southwestconservationclub.org.

Include news of your group, too Send news of your group to gsnow@kpcmedia.com by January 15 for the February issue. Items will be selected and edited as space permits.

Febuary

Community Calendar 2018

SUNDAY, JAN. 7

Church celebrates 50th anniversary. Faith Baptist Church, 6600 Trier Road, Fort Wayne. 10 a.m. Former members and church friends invited. George R. Mather Lecture. The History Center, 302 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne. 2 p.m. Free admission. Jason Kissell of ACRES Land Trust will discuss “Preserving Places and Their History.” The Mather lectures are free to the public and made possible through the support of the Dunsire Family Foundation.

January

Community Calendar 2018

DEC. 31 DEC. SUNDAY, Countdown To Noon. Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton

JAN.

St., Fort Wayne. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Included with admission of $9 for adults and children older than 2. Ring in 2018 with New Year’s-themed activities and the annual balloon drop.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10

TUESDAY, JAN. 2

Winter book sale. New Haven Branch Library, 648

Green St., New Haven. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Every branch of the library will be hosting a book sale this winter, sponsored by the Friends of the Allen County Public Library. Books are 50 cents for paperbacks, $1 for hardbacks, $2 for oversize books and $3 for media. Appleseed Quilt Guild. Classic Cafe, 4831 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m., meeting at 7 p.m. Learn about the varied quilting journeys of the club’s executive board members. Another member, Vicki Goltz, will also share her skill of making hexies using a hand-sewing method, eliminating paper piecing. For more information, visit appleseedquiltersguild.com or email appleseedquilters@yahoo.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 5

Fish and tenderloin fry. Southwest Conservation

Club, 5703 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne. 5-7 p.m. $9. All-you-can-eat fish and tenderloin fries are

New Family Financial Aid Knight. Bishop Luers High School, 333 E. Paulding Road, Fort Wayne; in the media center. 6-8 p.m. Business office staff will answer questions about Indiana Choice Scholarship, financial aid, all Bishop Luers High School scholarships and the FACTS tuition management system. There will also be a question-answer session. No reservations are necessary. Coffee and snacks are available. Breakfast on the Marsh. Indiana Wesleyan University Education and Conference Center, Room 102/104, 8211 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. 8:30-9:45 a.m. Well-seasoned nature lovers (50+) are invited to enjoy a light breakfast and nature presentation presented by Little River Wetlands Project, the governing body of Eagle Marsh. Today’s topic is volunteer opportunities at LRWP. Register with Dana Claussen at (260) 478-2515 or d.claussen@ lrwp.org to help ensure that enough food is provided. Winter book sale. Monroeville Branch Library, 115 Main St., Monroeville. 10 a.m.-noon and 1-6 p.m. Every branch of the library will be hosting a book sale this winter, sponsored by the Friends of the

Living Well Changes Everything!

Allen County Public Library. Books are 50 cents for paperbacks, $1 for hardbacks, $2 for oversize books and $3 for media. “The A to ZZZZZZ’s of Sleep.” Allen County Extension Office, on the IPFW Campus, 4001 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne. 1 p.m. Learn how sleep is essential to overall mental and physical health and wellbeing, and how people of any age can change their behavior to improve their sleep. Taught by Nancy Manuel, Health & Human Sciences educator, Adams County. For information or special accommodations, contact Vickie Hadley at the Allen County Extension Office, (260) 481-6826.

FRIDAY, JAN. 12

Winter book sale. Monroeville Branch Library, 115 Main St., Monroeville. 10 a.m.-noon and 1-6 p.m. Every branch of the library will be hosting a book sale this winter, sponsored by the Friends of the Allen County Public Library. Books are 50 cents for paperbacks, $1 for hardbacks, $2 for oversize books and $3 for media.

SATURDAY, JAN. 13

Sports card and collectibles show. Ramada Plaza Hotel, 305 E. Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission. Dealers from three states will buy, sell or trade sports cards and other cards and collectibles. The public may bring items to be appraised. For more information contact Brian Mayne at (260) 824-4867 or mcscards@icloud. com.

SUNDAY, JAN. 14

Cabaret Knight. Bishop Luers High School, 333 E. Paulding Road, Fort Wayne. 4:30 p.m. $15 for dinner and show choirs show. Advance tickets $15, available until Jan. 8; email Carrie Monnier at cbmonnier@gmail.com

MORE ONLINE Find the remainder of the Community Calendar at INFortWayne.com.

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Dupont Valley • December/January 2018

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(ALLEN COUNTY) The nationwide credit

crisis may have turned “the American dream” into an extended nightmare for many Indiana home buyers and sellers. Banks and mortgage lenders (who are not going out of business) have tightened up their lending requirements to the point where many home buyers today can no longer qualify for a mortgage. Record foreclosures, rising unemployment, losses in the financial markets and the current credit crunch have not only reduced the number of buyers who can buy but have also increased the number of houses that sellers need to sell. Prices are under pressure as home sellers lower their asking price to attract a buyer, and as lenders resell their foreclosed homes below market value. And it’s turning into a vicious cycle -- as many buyers need to sell their current home first -- and many sellers (unless they plan to rent) need new financing to get into their next home. As a result, a sea of real estate agents, mortgage brokers and home builders are going out of business. These professionals are in the business of serving buyers and sellers. But that’s hard to do with the credit crisis when the entire real estate industry traditionally relies on mortgage lending to finance buyers and get houses sold. What can homeowners do to sell their homes? How can buyers get financing if they can’t meet the tougher lending criteria on credit scores, income verification, down payment amounts and debt ratios?

There’s one local real estate professional who has found a way to make things work even with the present banking crisis. Mike MacDonald is the president of Summit City Investments, Inc. Since 1999, his private investment company has been buying houses throughout the Allen County, IN region without ever relying on banks. MacDonald’s company takes over existing mortgages or brings in private lenders allowing him to pay homeowners all cash for the properties. He then offers his properties for rent or “for sale by owner” using a variety of unique seller financing programs. By taking a long term approach and never relying on banks, business has never been better for MacDonald and his company. “Most sellers are unaware of the options we offer. What they need most is a qualified buyer... and we might just be that buyer. We can buy houses in as-is condition, pay top dollar and close in just a few days… or whenever they’re ready.”

Mike says it’s normal for people to think

they must be desperate before calling him to buy their house. “It’s a very common misconception. But until I look at a house and do some research, I won’t know my game plan for the property or what I can offer. But after a single visit to the property and meeting with the homeowners I can let them know exactly what I can do. My offer is good for 7 days and it’s only at that point, with my offer on the table, that a seller can decide if I’m going to become their buyer.” In fact, price is not an issue for MacDonald. As an investor, what’s important to him is the determination of what income the property can produce. “It’s easy to determine. I also do an appraisal and look at the recent comparable sales. Then I do whatever I can to offer a seller up to full price today -- or about what they might net sometime in the future pursuing a more conventional route. What I can pay depends on the condition, location and financing options available for that type of property. It only takes about 10 minutes to prescreen a property over the phone and to set an appointment. We typically buy 1 out of every 4 properties we see. In fact, for about half of those I have purchased, the seller pursued their other options and then came to realize that my offer was the best all along.” MacDonald believes the three biggest reasons a house doesn’t sell are: 1) it is overpriced, 2) it is poorly marketed, or 3) it is not fixed up to show well. “I can pay a fair price on a home that needs work. I might even plan to increase the value or marketability by adding a bedroom or bath, finishing a basement or installing a new heating system. Brand new carpet and paint will go a long way to attract a qualified buyer. But I understand that many sellers don’t have the time, inclination or money to remodel a house... just to get it sold. We solve that problem for sellers.” Overpricing a home could be the biggest mistake. Listing agents sometimes suggest (or a seller might decide) to ask for a higher price than needed. This might be to test the market or leave wiggle room to negotiate. However, this can backfire if the seller wants (or needs) a quick sale, or when the “days on the market” stacks up causing buyers to wonder what’s wrong with the property. Another misconception about how Mike MacDonald buys houses is the idea that he’s probably looking for sellers in financial distress. “Look, when a seller is out of time or out of options, then I’m usually their best solution -- if their property is not over-financed. But most people headed for foreclosure are either overleveraged or actually looking to save their house. If I buy the house the seller must move. They really need to get into a more affordable home... but sometimes I can help by swapping properties.” MacDonald warns about companies and real estate investors who target distressed homeowners. “Recent laws have been passed in Indiana that apply to any business and investor who targets people in foreclosure. Be cautious, do your research and perhaps seek legal advice when anyone wants to charge you an upfront fee for helping to get your loan modified, or... if they’re promising to lease the home back to you. That rarely works out like the borrower expects and can lead to accusations of fraud. Perhaps rightly so.” What does a real estate investor like Mike MacDonald do with the houses he

buys each month? What about the hundreds of houses his company has bought throughout Allen County, Indiana over the last 14 years? Simple. He rents them out or resells them. “We’re usually managing 80 to 100 properties at any given time -- making us one of the largest owners of single family homes in the area. Each month we may have 10 to 15 houses for sale. Some we’ve owned for years and others we have recently bought.” With a reasonable down payment, MacDonald says he can sell you one of his properties using his popular owner financing programs -- even if you have damaged credit or a short job history. His most popular owner financing “If you can afford a first month’s rent, a last month’s rent and a security deposit, then I can probably sell you one of my houses.”

out some sellers who have found themselves in over their head.” “We do everything we can to get our buyers permanent bank financing. It’s a win-win because we pay sellers all cash and fund our deals with private lenders. Our lenders are mostly local individuals seeking alternatives to low bank CD rates. They earn 8 to 10% interest on real estate notes well-secured by our properties. When we get our buyer cashed out, we finally make our money and can payoff our investor. These investors usually want to reinvest allowing us to buy even more houses.” Unfortunately many of the mortgage programs once available are now gone. It’s reported that 75% of the available lending disappeared when FHA changed their rules last October and again early this year. But, if you have money to put down and can prove your income, there are still loans available now. In fact, some rural development loans and VA loans still allow qualified buyers to borrow with no money down. “We help all of our buyers get a bank loan as quickly as possible... or we finance them ourselves. But we’ve never relied on banks. That keeps us in control and maintains our sanity. But we get those loans done every chance we get. In fact, sometimes a buyer can qualify and doesn’t even know it. Other times they can qualify but need a flexible seller. We’re one of the most creative and flexible sellers you’ll ever find,” says MacDonald. Does buying or selling a home have to be difficult? Maybe not! “President Obama says today's economy is the worst since the Great Depression and it may take many years to recover. Unfortunately I think he’s right and so do many sharp economists.” Interested in selling your property quickly and easily? Looking to buy a new home without bank qualifying? It may be worth checking in with Mike MacDonald and his staff at Summit City Investments, Inc. Call them at (260) 267-0760 485-9437 or visit them online at www.SummitCityInvestments.com. They’re in a unique position to help buyers and sellers overcome the new challenges created by the recent mortgage market meltdown and credit crisis. And if you’re looking for a conservative way to earn 8-10% interest on your idle cash savings or retirement funds, call and ask for info on becoming one of their private lenders.

program includes the opportunity to build “sweat equity.” Before repairing or remodeling a newly acquired house, MacDonald offers it in “as-is” condition to his buyer’s list. This allows his client to do the work (to suit their own preferences) in exchange for all or part of a down payment. “I have a lot of buyers who check my website each week looking for these ‘fixer upper’ deals. But if the home is not under contract within 10 days or so then I’ll hire my contractors to fix it up completely.” His next most popular program is a down payment assistance plan. Many buyers turn to MacDonald’s company because they don’t have the down payment required by today’s cautious lenders. Mike helps buyers build up equity or a down payment over time with his rent-to-own (or lease with the option to buy) program. In this program you can rent the property you’ve decided to buy, but have the option to close anytime over the next 1, 2... or even 5 years. A portion of the rent each month is credited toward buying. Additional amounts can be paid monthly for more rapid equity build up plus other promised amounts can be made later... like proceeds from the sale of another property or a pending tax refund. Once the buyer has enough “skin” in the deal, MacDonald can close with owner financing at the predetermined, mutually agreed upon price and terms. Or the buyer SUMMIT CITY INVESTMENTS, INC. is can close with a new bank loan. According located at 2200 Lake Avenue, Suite 123 in to MacDonald, “There are so many reasons Fort Wayne, IN, holds a Certificate of my buyers like some time before qualifying Good Standing from the Indiana Secretary for a mortgage. They may need to sell their of State, and is a BBB Accredited business house, work on their credit, establish more with the Indiana Better Business Bureau time on a job or establish two years of with an A+ rating, provable income on tax returns when self-employed. All our buyers are put in Mike MacDonald is the President of touch with a sharp mortgage broker who Summit City Investments, Inc. He is a creates a plan for them. We can recommend an affordable credit repair company that can 37-year resident in the local community, do unbelievable things given even a short 6 to and has been a long term partner in his 12 months to work on a file. This also helps family’s independent insurance agency and tax & accounting firm (G. A. MacDonald Associates, Inc.)

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For more information or to view a list of properties for sale, just visit www.SummitCityInvestments.com 2200 Lake Avenue, Suite 123 Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 485-9437 Phone (260) 267-0760 -----------------