Northeast News April 2017

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Dwenger plans high-energy ‘Birdie’

By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com

A cast of more than 75 Bishop Dwenger High School students will present “Bye Bye Birdie.”

“Get out your poodle skirts, put on your saddle shoes, slick back your hair and join this cast …” the school said in a statement.

The plot and music have been American staples for almost 60 years. The school offered this description: “An Elvis-type rock star gives his farewell concert in a small town in Ohio before heading off to war. To the dismay of her father and boyfriend, one lucky fan gets to receive his good-bye kiss.”

Christy Maloney serves as musical director, Eric Smead is choreographer, Kia Miller directs, and Riley Neumeier is stage manager.

“Overall, we have a younger group this year which is great for this show because this show is so much energy,”

April 14, 2017

Tradition marches on with Cadet Battalion

By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

Conrad sings to his fans in a rehearsal of “Bye Bye Birdie” at Bishop Dwenger High School. Dwenger junior Ian Capuyan plays the fictional 1950s rock star. Jennifer Litchfield, Mackenzie Stroud, Amanda Weber and Grace Roberts portray girls vying for Conrad’s attention.

Maloney said. “This was actually the first musical I was in when I was in the

seventh grade. I was one of those screaming girls.”

She invited the commu-

nity to visit the musical’s See BIRDIE, Page A10

When the drill meet was over, the JROTC Cadet Battalion had even more awards to carry back to Concordia Lutheran High School. The Cadets earned some intangibles, too, said the parents who watched their cadets march in unison.

For the first time, the Homer L. Clendenen Memorial Drill Meet was held at IPFW, at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center. Concordia Lutheran High School originated the drill meet 46 years and hosted it for 45 years. The event capped Concordia’s season.

Jeanene Kerlegrand’s son Preston joined the color guard in precise and intricate steps.

“They work extremely hard, and lots of hours, before and after school,” she said. “They get there at 6 in the morning before

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

Emma Martin directs Concordia’s Infantry Drill Regulation Platoon at a JROTC meet at IPFW.

school and work on their drills, whether they’re in snap squad or IDR or color guard, and work on their routines. And then some of them stay after school also to do their duets or individual work.”

The drill meets are voluntary, beyond the normal commitment, she said. “Preston would like to go to the military. Some of them do go to the military See CADET, Page A9

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ has fun with dark comedy

By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com

COURTESY PHOTO

Morgan Thoma (from left), Kelsey Erexson and director Rowdy Halter get an early start on “Little Shop of Horrors,” to be presented May 4-6 at Leo High School.

Halter holds the first of four stages of Audrey II, a blood-eating plant.

ON STAGE

“Little Shop of Horrors.”

Leo Jr./Sr. High School, 14600 Amstutz Road, Leo-Cedarville.

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“Suddenly, Seymour,” and American has been rooting for unlikely hero Seymour Krelborn since 1982.

Leo junior Kelsey Erexson is not only the set

manager for the production, but has the coveted leading role.

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The silence of spring break filled Leo Jr./Sr. High School, but the tap, tap of a hammer echoed through the halls leading to the auditorium.

The lighthearted atmosphere among the set and props crew seemed at odds with the play that will fill that stage in a few short weeks.

Director Rowdy Halter agreed that “Little Shop of Horrors” is best described as a dark comedy. “It is based on an old sci-fi B movie from the ’50s, blackand-white, just kind of goofy horror comedy that an alien plant comes and eats everybody and destroys the world,” Halter said.

Then along came the musical. Alan Menken, more recently known for his music for Disney animated films, penned the “Little Shop” trademark song

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Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Fourth-graders compose ‘Twelve Chinese Animals’

By Garth Snow

2016-17 FAME-OUS COMPOSERS

gsnow@kpcmedia.com

Twenty local fourthgrade composers listened as FAME Festival composer-in-residence and conductor David Crowe explained how he crafted their individual music into “Twelve Chinese Animals.”

One piece “had this flowing horse mane that I liked,” he said.

Of another, he said, “It’s a nice little playful dog and then it gets kid of growly at the end.”

Some of the student composers said they envisioned certain animals as they wrote. Others were surprised at how their works fit into the work presenting the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.

The original composition was performed on the closing afternoon of the FAME Festival, accompanied by youth ballet and philharmonic groups. The Foundation for Art and Music in Education held its 30th annual celebration March 18 and 19 at the Grand Wayne Center in

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

FAME composer-in-residence David Crowe explains how fourth-graders’ compositions combine to create a work that premiered at the FAME Festival.

Fort Wayne. Crowe spoke with the young composers at a final composium the morning of March 18.

“The first time we met was way back in October and you were probably wondering what the project was going to be about,” he said. “We started literally with nothing and this weekend we’re going to have orchestra and ballet and

tai chi movement, and the music all started with you.

“I’m happy to say that all 20 composers got their signature into the piece in one form or another and it represents one of the animals,” he said.

Haley Elementary School music teacher Wendy Bloom, who served as project coordinator, said Crowe and the students began the

M A I M A A ’ S M P ZZA

project in October. “First they explored music compositions using instruments and even something as simple as a piece of paper,” she said.

“And then they went to the computers and they composed what we like to call their musical signature compositions where they take their name and using a key and a sort of a name like approach they

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Mia Broadnax, Weisser Park Elementary School, FWCS Martin Carapia, Fairfield Elementary School, FWCS Joshua Cromwell, Weisser Park Elementary School, FWCS Reagan Danzter, Towles Montessori Elementary School, FWCS Ella Edwards, South Side Elementary School, Concord Samuel Ellenwood, Haley Elementary School, FWCS Sienna Galloway, Haley Elementary School, FWCS Bryn Godt, Whispering Meadows Elementary School, SACS Erin Hamlin, Haley Elementary School, FWCS Evan Hassell, Hickory Center Elementary School, NACS Evan Holt, Hickory Center Elementary School, NACS Keyton Kenny, Arlington Elementary School, FWCS Olivia Knipscheer, Whispering Meadows Elementary School, SACS Reese Loshe, Wyneken Memorial Lutheran School, Decatur Kieran Niska, Eel River Elementary School, NACS Pamela Nonnamacher, Haley Elementary School, FWCS Sydney Potter, Deer Ridge Elementary School, SACS Lucia Rippe, Arlington Elementary School, FWCS Steven Spencer Jr., Haley Elementary School, FWCS Kenny Wang, Oak View Elementary School, NACS

create a musical composition, rather short, that includes the musical notes that are in the letters of their name. And then they work with Mr. Crowe and he actually goes through everybody’s musical signature composition in a composium. Then the director of the Fort Wayne Youth Ballet dancers comes and they explore dance movements … Then Mr. Crowe goes back to his home in Connecticut and he finishes the composition and he weaves all of these kids’ compositions right into it.”

She told student composers that Crowe did a fantastic job of composing the work. “I want you to realize how this is so fabulous of an experience for a fourthgrade kid to hear the music as they composed it out of their heart …

“Get ready because your heart is gong to be stirred.”

Sydney Potter from Deer Ridge Elementary School recognized her music during the opening segment — the horse.

She said she tried to use as many quarter notes as possible. She had expected the music to be used for the horse, or rooster or sheep.

Olivia Knipscheer of Whispering Meadows Elementary School heard her music with the ox segment; she had been hoping for the tiger.

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Erin Hamlin of Haley Elementary School was not surprised to hear her music during the dog segment.

Sienna Galloway of Haley Elementary was happy with her music.

“I think I did a good job because I kept messing with it,” she said.

Reagan Danzter of Towles Montessori Elementary recognized her music. “I kind of made it a little bit skitterish so I would skip a couple of lines and I would start playing music again, so I’m not really surprised that it was the rat but I didn’t really expect it.”

Evan Hassell from Hickory Center Elementary School heard his music in the opening horse segment in which Crowe pictured a flowing mane. That’s how Evan had pictured it, too.

“I had more of a slow piece and then I decided to make it go faster, and every night I would work on it for maybe a halfhour on the computer and eventually I got it done and I played it a few times to make sure that I liked it, and I did,” he said.

He said he was pleased to be among the 20 students who were chosen to participate. He also said he would build on the experience. “I think it could help me compose a song if I want to when I get older and it could help my playing, too,” he said.

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Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Fundraiser is pet owner’s thanks to ACSPCA

By Garth Snow

Park fundraiser. Admission is $1 for ages 3 and older.

Back to Lake’s pets story, picking up with adopting Holly from the Allen County SPCA in 1980. “She was a good dog. She was a Heinz 57,” Lake said. Holly shared the house with Major, who was a miniature pinscher.

“We just couldn’t let him stay in the pet store,” Lake said. In 1997, Shadow followed Lake’s daughter, Pam, home. “I don’t know how much it followed her,” Lake said. They called the ACSPCA, which put up posters to no avail; Shadow was now Pam’s dog. About two weeks after Shadow died in 2013, Lake checked out rescue sites online. “We came across this little black dog and I thought it was funny because if Shadow had been a puppy, I would swear that was what

gsnow@kpcmedia.com

Marlene Lake tells the short version of a story of 37 years with her pets. Her husband, David, co-stars in that story, which wouldn’t be complete without dogs Holly, Major, Shadow or Jasper. Now there’s a cat, too, named Lucy or maybe Luke.

Well, some stories just aren’t meant to be condensed.

Lake’s appreciation of the Allen County SPCA isn’t told quickly, either.

Her latest focus is an April 22 fundraiser at Franke Park. “We’re calling it Shop. Rescue. Support.

Allen County SPCA Benefit,” she said. Lake can call it what she wants; it was her idea, and she’s been up past midnight since December pulling together the details.

“I decided to hold an event for two reasons,” she said. “One is to raise money for the ACSPCA because my husband and I got our first dog from the ACSPCA back in 1980.

Her name was Holly. She was with us for 13 years.”

The second goal is exposure for independent sales representatives who pay their bills by offering soap, candles, popcorn, plastic ware and cosmetics at such events. Lake sells jewelry and luxury bath and body products. Lake will share Park Pavilion No. 1 with at least 52 other vendors, who will be joined by three food trucks. They all know what it takes to move their business from place to place from spring through fall.

“It’s a lot of work. For just my jewelry it takes me an hour and a half to set up my display,” she said.

She has booked vendors from across Indiana and even Ohio. “As soon as they heard it was for the

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

Marlene Lake, her husband, David, and their granddaughter Amaya walk Jasper at Franke Park, next to Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Marlene Lake organized a benefit for the Allen County SPCA, to be held Saturday, April 22, at Franke Park.

ACSPCA they all wanted to be part of this,” she said.

So from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Lake and company will offer their goods. There will be drawings and a silent auction.

Allen County SPCA Community Relations Manager Melissa Gibson is working with Lake to plan out the day. “Marlene has such a beautiful heart for this organization and she has had rescue dogs herself,” Gibson said. “She came in here and said ‘I want to do this event’ and we said OK.” The ACSPCA will have adoptable pets on hand at the April 22 event. When everything is in place, dogs can be adopted in one day.

“If you’re adopting a cat it’s a little looser,” Gibson said.

“But if you’re adopting a doggy we want to make sure the entire family including Dad and the doggies are there. We want to make sure it’s a good fit.”

“We are serving more animals than we’ve ever served,” Gibson said from the Hanna Street shelter.

“We had 2,600 adoptions last year, and the need is growing.”

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Shadow would have looked like,” Lake said. “And so we drove down to a rescue [shelter] in Indianapolis and that’s where we got Jasper.”

That leaves only the cat portion of the story. No, not yet. Lake had kept pets while she was growing up, including but not limited to hamsters, iguanas, guinea pigs, turtles and birds. She owned two Siamese cats when she married David, who was not a cat person.

So the Lakes kept dogs, only dogs.

“And in 2013 again we lived with a pond behind us and there was this stray cat and it just cried. It had this ungodly cry,” she said. Then the cat decided to climb onto Marlene’s lap. She realized it was a former house cat because it had had its front claws removed. Then the cat climbed onto David’s lap.

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“He said ‘Just go ahead and let the cat stay,’” Marlene said. “And now they’re best buddies.”

They thought the new pet was a little girl, Lucy. The veterinarian said the cat is really Luke. The family is not convinced. The feline companion is now LucyLuke, just to be safe. And Lucy-Luke is crying no longer.

Marlene, David, Jasper and the new arrival live near Northrop High School.

Now Marlene wants to repay the ACSPCA for helping her to find a pet, and for protecting so many other pets. She will repay the agency with a fundraiser. And that’s the short version.

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Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Soarin’ Hawk searches for future home

By Megan Knowles

mknowles@kpcmedia.com

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Garth Snow Editor/Feature Writer gsnow@kpcmedia.com

Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center needs to spread its wings as it looks to the future.

The volunteer-run nonprofit was founded in 1996 with about 20 volunteers rescuing about 20 birds, Director of Development Mike Dobbs said.

Last year, the organization, now up to about 200 volunteers, rescued about 220 birds and continues to grow “exponentially,” he said, largely due to more people knowing to bring injured birds to the facility, located a few miles outside Leo-Cedarville.

Because of this growth, Soarin’ Hawk is looking for a new home.

“The facilities were built a long time ago.

We’re basically out of room – we’re out of room for the number of birds we take in for rehab, we’re out of room for the number of birds we like to keep here as resident, education birds. And we need better working conditions for the volunteers because (now) … everything we do is outside,” Dobbs said.

The organization rescues, rehabilitates and releases into the wild injured or orphaned birds

PHOTOS BY MEGAN KNOWLES

Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center volunteer Mary Koher looks at Peabody, a barred owl. Peabody is one of about 16 permanently injured birds Soarin’ Hawk uses to educate the public about the importance of raptors.

of prey, Soarin’ Hawk President Pat Funnell said.

Soarin’ Hawk has about 16 birds that cannot be returned to the wild due to permanent injury, she said. Those birds are trained and taken to educate the public about the importance of these animals, whose diet of animals like mice and squirrels help keep those populations in check.

The organization reaches thousands of children, teens and adults a year, Dobbs said in

an email, but still more people want to see their operation firsthand. Right now, those people simply can’t.

Dobbs hopes to change that with the move.

Soarin’ Hawk is looking for 10-20 acres in Allen County on which to construct several buildings. A clinic and education building would be used for rehab and to show the public what the organization does. There would also be updated habitats for the owls, hawks and eagles who

Soarin’ Hawk Director of Development Mike Dobbs, left, and President Pat Funnell do rehab therapy on an injured red-tailed hawk. Soarin’ Hawk cares for around 200 injured birds, Dobbs said.

PROTECTING BIRDS OF PREY Most birds at Soarin’ Hawk are injured by car strikes, President Pat Funnell said. The birds will hunt near roadways, where their prey is easier to find or carrion is present.

Volunteer Mary Koher said people can help these birds of prey by not littering and not using rodenticides or lead shot while hunting, both of which can poison the birds.

If someone finds a raptor, contact Soarin’ Hawk at (260) 241-0134. Funnell said do not try to handle the bird alone.

“The larger birds can be very dangerous, their talons can be very sharp,” she said. “Often we recommend, because we don’t want them to run away, if it’s a wing injury they can still run really fast, often we’ll have them contain them, put a clothes basket over them or something like that, until we come to get it, but picking them up can be very dangerous.” permanently call Soarin’ Hawk home.

There would also be exercise buildings, which would act as homes for birds being rehabilitated

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as well as offer more suitable space for free flight exercise. Dobbs said this kind of exercise is important to get the birds back into the wild quickly, but because Soarin’ Hawk is currently all outdoors it makes untethered exercise a challenge.

Dobbs expects the organization will need $350,000-$450,000 to make these dreams a reality. Soarin’ Hawk has already raised about $120,000 toward that goal.

While the new facilities are a goal by December 2018, Soarin’ Hawk is also in need of volunteers now.

Mary Koher has been volunteering with Soarin’ Hawk for a little more than two-and-a-half years, starting with feeding and caring for the birds and moving up to being a rescuer and a handler who gives presentations in the community.

Funnell said Soarin’ Hawk can use people with a variety of skills and interests.

“We use volunteers for everything from behindthe-scenes (such as) grant writers to people who like to do social media that work with our website, that type of thing, to everything else – people to do maintenance, people who actually work with the birds, so if anybody has a skill we can probably use it,” she said.

Those interested in volunteering or donating can visit Soarin’ Hawk’s website at soarinhawk. org.

INfortwayne.com • A5

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Planning society honors NewAllen Alliance’s ideas

By Garth Snow

gsnow@kpcmedia.com

The American Planning Association honored the NewAllen Alliance for its unified approach to economic development in seven Allen County communities.

County officials joined community representatives March 22 for the announcement at the New Haven Community Center. Alliance representatives will formally accept the honor at the APA conference May 6-9 in New York.

NewAllen President Kent Castleman, of Monroeville, thanked the elected officials and volunteers who contributed to the initiative that advocates on behalf of Grabill, Harlan, Hoagland, Leo-Cedarville, Monroeville, New Haven and Woodburn.

Kristi Sturtz with Sturtz Public Management Group, Churubusco, engaged with more than 80 elected leaders and volunteers across the county in 2015 and 2016.

The process included several community meetings. “We built capacity by providing information to leadership and we established trust,” Sturtz said.

“The initiative then

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

NewAllen Alliance Executive Director Kent Castleman of Monroeville and Sturtz Public Management Group President Kristi Sturtz announced a national award for the seven-community investment plan. The American Planning Association will present the corresponding plaque May 7 in New York. Representatives of Leo-Cedarville, New Haven and Woodburn also attended the announcement. Grabill, Harlan and Hoagland also belong to the alliance.

was culminated into a website and there you can search each of the individual plans. You can see the collective priorities that are being offered by the NewAllen Alliance. You can also see a toolbox.”

Visitors to newalliance.net will see photos, background, resources and demographics of each community. For instance, the Harlan page discusses the small-town atmosphere and proximity to Fort Wayne. The Hoagland page discusses

the community’s agricultural history and potential for development. Each community’s page lists five targeted projects.

Castleman said those same seven community snapshots are on display at Citizens Square in Fort Wayne.

The “toolbox” holds links to dozens of local, state and national sources of information and grants in areas from agribusiness to farmers markets to tax abatement. Sturtz said those links represent

the subjects in which the communities expressed interest.

Castleman said the ongoing strategy focuses on economic growth, quality of place and assurance of continued access to jobs. He called for continuing business and philanthropic investments.

Alliance Vice President Barb Smith of Leo-Cedarville said the group has secured several facade grants for that town, and that the upgrades are particularly

evident in the 4-way-stop area of Old Leo. About 10 new owners or landlords of “buildings that were there for a long time” have secured grants of up to $1,000 for new facades or other upgrades, she said. New businesses have sprouted.

“Everything in Leo is really looking spruced up right now,” she said.

Smith said Sturtz was hired through a grant of approximately $85,000, which the Alliance secured through the Allen County Capital Improvement Board.

Woodburn Mayor Joe Kelsey attended the announcement. He said he meets regularly with the city’s designated representatives to the Alliance. “The good thing about this is it gives the small communities a voice in Allen County,” he said. “And if we can collaborate and create something nice for all our communities, that’s a good thing.”

Castleman said leaders gave hundreds of hours to the award-winning effort. “The committee was particularly impressed with a refreshing and innovative approach to economic development on a regional scale that stays true to the identities of

the individual communities,” he said. He said the Alliance ensured that “the individual gifts of those communities, the individual skills, the individual feel and culture were maintained throughout the process.”

Allen County Commissioner Nelson Peters said the NewAllen Alliance “stole a page” from the regional planning strategy demonstrated in Marion County, which he said involves many communities in an overarching philosophy of shared goals.

“That strength will help to leverage some of the available dollars around the community to fulfill that mission and dream,” he said. “Thanks, Kristi.

We look forward to hearing bigger and better things.”

Read more about Sturtz Public Management Group’s work with regional projects and northeast Indiana individual projects at sturtzpmg.com.

NewAllen Alliance received the APA’s 2017 John Keller Award for Outstanding Planning Initiative in the Small Town and Rural Planning Division. Read more about the APA conference and past winners at planning.org.

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Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Blessing of the Bikes heralds in season for many

By Megan Knowles

mknowles@kpcmedia.com

If you ride motorcycles in northeast Indiana, you know spring actually starts the Saturday after Easter, with the Blessing of the Bikes in Arcola.

The 2017 event begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 12305 Arcola Road.

The event began in 1989 after St. Pat’s parishioner Jerry Gordon decided to put something he saw in a magazine into action locally.

“The priest at the time was all for it,” Gordon said. “So we started out with just a few bikes, 16 or so. Then it went from that to a hundred to a couple hundred.

“It depends on the weather. If it’s even a

COURTESY PHOTO

The 2011 Blessing of the Bikes. The annual event takes place at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Arcola.

cloudy day like this but not raining, we’ll have all the parking lots full of bikes.

On a nice sunny day…there could be anywhere from a thousand to two, three, four thousand bikes plus.”

The event is simple: Riders from northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio and southern Michigan gather at the church in

Arcola. The event consists usually of a couple of readings and a prayer, with everyone gathered saying an “Our Father,” Gordon said.

Then comes the official blessing of the bikes. In the early days, the priest would walk from bike to bike, christening them with holy water.

“It got so big for a couple years that we have it set up so it’s more of a drivethrough (now),” Gordon said.

In addition to the blessing, the church youth group provides hot dogs, bratwurst and refreshments, Gordon said. There is also a 50/50 drawing that benefits the youth group’s summer

trip.

“It’s a community affair.

The whole church gets involved in it,” he said.

Though the official event ends after the ceremony, local businesses have taken to hosting after parties.

The Arcola Inn and Ale has been holding an after party for several years, manager Katie Martin said.

This year, there will be drink specials and the Hubie Ashcraft Band will play from 2-5 p.m.

Martin said the after party is usually well attended.

“We’re pretty packed,” Gordon said. “It’s the first biggest motorcycle event of the year in town. Rain or shine people are out riding.”

Harley-Davidson of Fort Wayne is hosting its second after party this year, spokesperson Becca Reichard said.

There will be food and beer provided by the Red Rock Saloon from noon to 6 p.m. and the Grateful Groove, a Grateful Dead cover band, will begin playing at 2 p.m.

“It’s kind of a little gathering to hang out and check out everybody’s bike afterward,” Reichard said, adding last year’s event was well attended.

For many, Blessing of the Bikes is a good way to start the riding year.

“People look forward to it, to start the riding season on the right foot,” Gordon said.

Two St. Charles students reach state competition Two students represented St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Fort Wayne at The Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on April 1.

David Thurber, Grade 4, and Zachary Schubert, Grade 7, represented the Trier Road school.

Thurber was awarded a certificate of merit along with $50 for Best Project for Work Related to Tribology.

“It was a long day for David and Zach, but a fun one! Both boys talked to many judges, and represented St. Charles well,” fourth-grade teacher Rita Sordelet said in an email.

“They came home with a certificate and medal along with some great memories.”

Both students’ projects advanced from the regional event March 18 at IPFW.

Thurber’s project, “How Does Weight Affect a Pinewood Derby Car?” was awarded second place in the elementary division, for Grades 4 and 5. Schubert’s project, “Blood Glucose vs Breath Acetone,” was honored with a second place in the Junior Division, Grades 6 to 8. Schubert’s project also received additional awards: Isaac Knapp District Dental Society, a monetary award; Northeast Indiana Optometric Society, a monetary award; Northeast Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, a monetary award; Science and Regulatory Consultants, a monetary award; and a nomination to compete in the 2017 Broadcom Masters.

Visit http://www.sefi.org for information on other northeast Indiana students who participated in Indianapolis.

INfortwayne.com • A7

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Dwenger earns more Science Olympiad awards Sixteen students from Bishop Dwenger High School competed March 18 in the Indiana Science Olympiad State Tournament at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Thirty-seven teams from across the state were challenged in 23 events and four trial competitions.

Max DiFilippo and Patrick Morr won first place in the Tower Competition, also earning the Tom Sayrs Excellence in Engineering Award.

Their tower weighed 6.2 grams (the weight of two pennies), and supported the maximum weight of 15 kg (33 lbs).

Nikki Gloudemans and Kyle Weingartner are the new state champions in Robot Arm. Their robot flipped five stacks of 10 pennies and strategically placed them on a bull’s-eye in less than three minutes.

Patrick Morr and Max DiFilippo also earned third in the Electric Vehicle category. A vehicle that uses electrical energy as its sole means of propulsion must travel as quickly as possible and come to a complete stop, at the distance announced the day of the competition.

Laura Carroll and Cierra Stith earned fifth place in

COURTESY PHOTOS

Representing Bishop Dwenger High School at the Indiana Science Olympiad state tournament were (front row, from left) Kevin LaMaster, Farrah Pilling, Natalie Guisinger, Cierra Stith, Laura Carroll, Nicole Gloudemans, Sam Fair, Kyle Weingartner, (second row) David LaMaster, Chino Eke, Ryan McArdle, Jacob Nicholson, Matthias Post, Patrick Morr, Max DiFilippo and Mike Voors.

Max DiFilippo and Patrick Morr of Bishop Dwenger High School took first place in the tower competition at the Indiana Science Olympiad state tournament.

Ecology.

Additional top finishers were: • Optics, sixth place, Kevin LaMaster and Patrick Morr; • Anatomy and Physiology, seventh place, Chino Eke and Ryan McArdle; • Trivia Time, seventh place, Max DiFilippo and Mike Voors; • Hovercraft, eighth place, Nikki Gloudemans and Kyle Weingartner; • Game On, ninth place, David LaMaster and Kyle Weingartner; • Helicopters, ninth place, Jacob Nicholson and Mike Voors; • Disease Detectives, 11th place, Sam Fair and Kevin LaMaster; • Material Science, 12th

place, Max DiFilippo and Kevin LaMaster.

“The Bishop Dwenger Science Olympiad team would like to thank their generous sponsors: Steel Dynamics Inc. and The Ray Huser Foundation,” the team said in a statement.

Competing for Bishop Dwenger were: seniors Laura Carroll, Max DiFilippo, Samuel Fair, Kevin LaMaster, Patrick Morr, Mike Voors and Kyle Weingartner; juniors Chino Eke, Nicole Gloudemans, Farrah Pilling and Ryan McArdle; sophomores Natalie Guisinger and Matthias Post; and freshmen David LaMaster, Jacob Nicholson and Cierra Stith

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A8 • INfortwayne.com

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Flight to take 85 veterans to Washington memorials Carwein

Honor Flight Northeast Indiana will make its 23rd flight to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 26.

Flight No. 23 will carry 27 World War II veterans, 53 Korean War veterans and five Vietnam War veterans.

Three veterans are dual war veterans. One is a Battle of the Bulge veteran. One female

veteran is among that number.

Included in these numbers is Herbert Boyer, a 101-year-old Army Air Corps World War II veteran. Additionally, there are two brothers and a brother-in-law, all veterans, planning to travel to Washington together.

Another World War II Army Air Corps veteran,

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Honor Flight President Dennis Covert said, “Each Honor Flight from Fort Wayne is unique in its veteran mix and a testament to the history of service given to our country. Honor Flight Northeast Indiana is pleased to continue our mission to safely transport veterans to Washington, D.C., to view their memorials.

Presently our veteran waiting list consists of

over 557 veterans.”

The veterans and volunteer guardians will gather at the 122nd Air National Guard Fighter Wing at 6 a.m. with take-off projected to be at 8:30 a.m. Returning home, the community is encouraged to patriotically welcome the veterans in the Main Terminal of the Fort Wayne International Airport the evening of April 26. Return time is tentative, but expected to be about 8:30 p.m. More information regarding the public’s participation and return timing

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to leave IPFW

Staff reports Vicky Carwein, the embattled chancellor of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, will retire no later than the end of this year, Purdue President Mitch Daniels said April 5.

Carwein took on the top job at IPFW in 2012.

Daniels said in a statement that he and Carwein have discussed since last summer her intent to step down as the end of her five-year commitment to IPFW neared.

A search committee will be appointed within the coming weeks with the goal of having a new chancellor in place at the beginning or soon after the start of the 2017-18 academic year, Daniels said.

IPFW has been torn by far-reaching budget cuts and plans by IU and Purdue to separate the combined institution into two regional campuses.

Carwein has come under criticism by students and faculty, many of whom signed a letter of no confidence in her management last year.

Visit fwbusiness.com for a more detailed report and for updates.

INfortwayne.com • A9

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

CADET from Page A1 and continue on, and others just use it as a leadership program and for discipline,” she said.

Joel Flaningan and family watched as his daughter — senior Caitlynn Flaningan — and stepdaughter — freshman Caroline Snuggs — marched in competition.

“This is the armed regulation event where they have to follow the military regulation codes, the drill movements with rifles, exact marching and rifle movements, almost like a precision event,” he said.

He echoed Kerlegrand’s descriptions of the long hours, and then he told of the long season.

“They have competitions throughout the year. They travel all over, Chicago, Indianapolis, Michigan City and this one,” he said.

The students strive to be the best when competing against other schools, he said.

“They have to get inspected, so it’s not just marching movements but also memorization of military history, terminology, special events, chain of command throughout the United States military,” he said. “So they’re quizzed on common knowledge, and (they are judged) on how clean their uniform is,

FUN from Page A1 of mine, so I was very excited when I got it,” he said. “One of my songs is called ‘Grow for Me,’ and I’m singing to the plant, begging it to grow, because it’s sick. And a lot happens and I fall in love with my co-worker and I sing a song called ‘Suddenly, Seymour.’ ” “We’re right around a month in it right now, and we’re supposed to be off-script next week so we have to have all our lines memorized,” he said.

That part is going well, he said. “I have a lot going on because I am also set head for this production. Rowdy and I work together pretty closely on that, getting it all figured out.”

Halter is directing his second production at the high school, but has been part of the East Allen County Schools music staff for 10 years. He was part of drama while a student at Leo High School, where he graduated in 2003. He teaches general music four days each week at Leo Elementary School, and one day each week at New Haven Intermediate School.

He also directs the spring musicals at the elementary school. “The elementary has a long tradition of doing musicals every spring, and they were in a rotation of doing the same shows every three years,” he said.

“I decided 25 years of the same thing is enough.” So he staged “Seussical” and “Xanadu,” and so on.

Then, last fall, he took on

PHOTOS BY GARTH SNOW

Concordia’s Infantry Drill Regulation Platoon competes at IPFW. The squad leaders at the head of each column are (from left) Caitlynn Flaningan, Ian Brown and Cody Hough. Emma Martin leads the platoon.

how things are lined up, their movements, how they speak, and their mannerisms and demeanor.”

He said the skills can serve the students for a lifetime. “A lot of kids get to learn about how to be a leader and how to be an upcoming citizen, and it helps them with careers and jobs,” he said. “It’s not just all about the military.

It’s about how to uphold yourself as a citizen. So it prepares them for jobs and resumes and how to interview and how to just know how to carry themselves as human beings.”

Clendenen, for whom the drill meet is named, was a senior Army instructor from 1968 until his death in 1972. In a statement,

CLHS said, “Capt. Clendenen brought the CLHS Army JROTC Cadet Battalion into the new age of instruction. Capt.

Clendenen was focused on training the Cadets to make decisions, plan and execute those strategies. With this in mind, he founded the Concordia Drill Meet in the winter of 1971. After his passing, the Cadets changed the name to honor the memory of his efforts at Concordia Lutheran High School. For this year, the site was changed to IPFW.” Although students did their marching at IPFW, it was Concordia’s home meet, said Major (retired) John C. Sheaffer, the Concordia JROTC senior Army instructor. Sheaffer

the high school productions.

“Leading Ladies” offered the right challenge, he said.

“It was a modern telling

of a Shakespeare play, and they actually had to learn See FUN, Page A13

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said CLHS was blessed to place in several categories.

• Unarmed Exhibition Squad, led by Abby Goertzen: 3rd.

• Unarmed Exhibition Platoon, led by Austin Whaley: 3rd.

• Armed Exhibition Platoon, led by Tucker Bennett: 1st.

The JROTC color guard of Concordia Lutheran High School competes in the Clendenen Memorial Drill Meet at IPFW. Marching for the Cadet Battalion are (from left) Jason Behl, Preston Kerlegrand, Faith Poor and Cooper Christlieb. All are juniors and hold the rank of cadet 2nd lieutenant.

• Unarmed Exhibition Duet. Lindsay Bennett and Kaneise Mitchell-Casey, 4th. Sam Blanchard and Grace Donley, 2nd.

• Armed Exhibition Duet.

Preston Kerlegrand and Gavin Seifert, 1st.

• Unarmed Individual Drill. Dashanae Davis, 3rd.

Caitlynn Flaningan, 2nd.

Ian Brown, 1st.

• Armed Individual Drill.

Caroline Snuggs, 2nd.

Garrett Spires, 1st.

The meet was sponsored by the IPFW ROTC and the Indiana Army National Guard. Junior ROTC units from Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky consisting of more than 500 cadets in total represented the branches of the military at this event.

A10 • INfortwayne.com

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

BIRDIE from Page A1 Facebook page. “We have a lot of different offers to come see the show and we want to fill those seats,” she said.

Maloney said early rehearsals and choreography were going well, but one can never rule out preshow jitters down the road. “That comes later,” she said. “That comes in those last two weeks where everything finally falls into place and you hope for no technical issues.”

As stage manager, Dwenger junior Riley Neumeier has to be both a crew member and a leader. “It’s difficult at times because you have to learn to have fun with it, but also learn how to be an authority figure,” she said.

And they’re definitely having fun, she said.

“They tell me they love the music, they love the scenes, the characters are all really fun and outrageous,” she said.

“I’m learning how important it is to work with others and share creative ideas, bounce them off each other and work together to make one awesome thing as a team, to make a great show together,” she said.

She said Maloney, who also is her sixth-period choir teacher, is a great teacher and a fun presence at the rehearsals.

Neumeier has worked with the drama department since her freshman year, first working backstage and with the lights.

“Then at the beginning of this year I moved to stage manager,” she said. “You need to be organized and time management skills are definitely necessary, to go home after rehearsal and get all of my homework done, do all of

PHOTOS BY GARTH SNOW

The cast of “Bye Bye Birdie” learns the dances for the Bishop Dwenger High School spring musical.

‘BYE BYE BIRDIE’

Bishop Dwenger High School, 1300 E. Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne.

Friday, May 5, 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m.; Sunday, May 7, 2 p.m.

Reserved tickets, $10, email brecord@grandwayne. com. General admission tickets, $8 at the door. Student tickets, $6 at the door. my reports and get back here.”

After high school, she plans to work in theater production and stage management. She is considering attending Ball State University to study that craft.

Principal cast members are: Albert, Luke Sarrazine; Rose, Allie Strzelecki; Ursula, Paloma Sutter; Kim, Rebecca Weber; Mrs. MacAfee, Megan Campbell; Mr. MacAfee, Matthew Schmieman; Randolph, Will Francis; Mrs. Peterson, Breianna Mildor; Conrad, Ian Capuyan; Hugo, Tyler Birely; Mayor, Joey Fischer; Mayor’s Wife, Emma Pillie; Mrs. Merkle, Krista Odum; Gloria Rasputin,

Courtney Stise; Mr. Johnson, Joe Trenadue; Maude, Noah Cook; Maude’s Dishwasher, John Dumford; Maude’s first customer, Quinton Davis; Maude’s second customer, Connor Ort; Harvey Johnson, Dylan Record; two sad girls, Maddie Bopp and Haley Kline; Helen, Maddie Barondeau; Nancy, Elly Bogle; Alice, Julia Giron; Margie, Emily Shearer; Deborah Sue, Audrey Schiffli; Penelope, Jennifer Litchfield; and Suzie, Hannah Zedaker.

Ensemble members are: Isabella Ardhuerumly, Maddie Bopp, Erika Bougher, AJ Brandell, Megan Buensonejo, Ethan Burns, Christi Capuyan, Noah Cook,

AJ Brandell and Julia Giron practice a dance for “Bye Bye Birdie” at Bishop Dwenger High School.

Aspen Curry, Quinton Davis, Faith Didier, John Dumford, Hope Ensley, Joey Fischer, Taryn Glatt, Haley Kline, Krista Odum, Connor Ort, Emma Pillie, Allison Reed, Grace Roberts, Sydney Schneider, Courtney Stise, Mackenzie Stroud, Joe Trentadue, Amanda Weber, Grace Wagner

and Kendall Willwerth.

Performances are May 5-7, with shows at 7 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m.

Saturday, and 2 p.m.

Sunday. Reserved tickets, which guarantee seating in the first five rows, are $10 and available for purchase immediately by contacting Babette Record at brecord@grandwayne.

com. General admission and student tickets are available for purchase 30 minutes before each performance at the Bishop Dwenger Ticket Office for $8 and $6, respectively.

Bishop Dwenger High School is at 1300 E. Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne.

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Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Allen County news briefs: Events, results and more

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at IPFW

IPFW has added extra performances of “Little Shop of Horrors.” The play will be presented in the Williams Theatre. Tickets are $5 for students; all other tickets are $18 or under.

Shows are: April 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28 and 29 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 23, at 2 p.m. The April 23 performance will be sign-language interpreted.

Degree candidates’ artwork on exhibit

The works of IPFW Department of Fine Arts Senior B.F.A. graduates will remain on display through May 7 at the Visual Arts Gallery. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends.

The B.F.A. candidates include: Brenda J. Drayer, sculpture; Derek S. Hibbs, printmaking; Ellen J. Mensch, painting; Nate Morris, sculpture; and Kyle R. Snodgrass, sculpture.

Vera Bradley Outlet Sale set

The annual Vera Bradley Outlet Sale will be held April 19 through 23 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne.

The first three days have ticketed shopping sessions.

Tickets are $5; find the link at memorialcoliseum.com.

Children 13 and under are admitted free. Saturday and Sunday are free admission shopping days. Hours are 7:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Saturday; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Free seminar looks at opioids

A free seminar will explore solutions to opioids addictions, consequences and assistance. The seminar will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Public Safety Academy, 7602 Patriot Crossing, Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne Police Department, Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health and other community partners are sponsoring “Impacting the Community: Solutions & Resources for the Addiction Crisis.”

Topics will include addiction behaviors, accidental addiction, impact of addiction on families and how they can cope.

Registration and exhibitor displays begin at 8 a.m.

Visit http://tiny.cc/communityworkshop to register.

‘ReNEWal’ art on exhibit

An exhibit entitled “ReNEWal, Art of All Abilities” is on display at the art gallery of First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St., Fort Wayne. Admission is

free.

The exhibit features the work of artists with disabilities. The gallery is open 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

Arts Festival deadline April 28

Fort Wayne Arts Festival at Jefferson Pointe will celebrate original music and original fine art.

Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept.

10. Application deadline is Saturday, April 29. For fees and rules, visit JeffersonShopping.com or visit the mall office.

This exclusive juried outdoor festival will showcase the master works of local and regional fine artists. Offerings will include an array of works in clay, fiber, photography, painting, sculpture, jewelry, metal, wood, glass, printmaking and drawing.

Original music by local musicians will be performed from 6-8 p.m Saturday, Sept. 9, near the Courtyard Fountain.

History group plans bus trip

Minnetrista Gardens in Muncie and the Levi Coffin House, the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad in Fountain City, Ind., will be the destination of a bus trip sponsored by Settlers Inc. Cost of the June 22 trip is $50 per person. For more information or to reserve a spot, call Linda Black (260) 747-1229.

Shrine Center plans fish fries

The Mizpah Shrine Center in Fort Wayne will serve all-you-can-eat fish fries open to the public on six Fridays in 2017.

The Shrine is at 1015A Memorial Way, between Clinton Street and Parnell Avenue, just south of Coliseum Boulevard. The meals are $10 for adults and $7 for ages 5-12. Fish is served from 5:30-8 p.m.

Fish fry dates are April 14, May 26, June 23, Aug. 25, Sept. 29 and Nov. 10, with veterans receiving a special welcome on Nov. 10.

Cedar Creek Lions offer fish, chicken

The Cedar Creek Lions Club is having a fish fry and chicken fundraiser from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Grabill Fire Station of Northeast Allen County Fire & EMS. Proceeds will be shared with the fire department to support the Northeast Allen County Fire & EMS and local community needs.

The all-you-can-eat dinner will consist of fish and/or chicken, baked beans, applesauce, potato chips, bread, coffee or lemonade. Carry-out

dinners are available.

Adults pay $10, children 4-9 pay $7 and children 3 and under eat for free.

The Grabill Fire Station is at 13413 State St., Grabill. Indoor seating is available in the fire station for dining.

‘Memories of Mom’ is just for daughters Visiting Nurse has invited the public to attend Memories of Mom on Saturday, May 6, at The Peggy F. Murphy Community Grief Center, 5920 Homestead Road, on the Visiting Nurse campus in southwest Fort Wayne.

This daylong retreat is offered at no charge to any daughter who has experienced the loss of her mother and is a day for daughters to reflect, remember and reminisce about their mothers. Regis-

tration begins at 8:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 9 a.m. and ending by 4 p.m. The program will feature presentations on grief, the mother-daughter relationship and healing through music with Visiting Nurse’s music therapist Emily Paar.

Lunch will be served, and there will be time to focus on self-care. Seating is limited. Register by May 3, by calling (260) 465-3261.

Sunny 103.9, Lima Road Dentistry, Haller & Colvin Attorneys at Law, Fort Wayne TinCaps, 96.3 WXKE and the Ski Pole.

“With the help of these businesses and 53 skiers and snowboarders, we raised $1,404 for Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana, and 119 pounds of food for St. Mary’s Soup Kitchen,” Ehle said in a statement.

The Toucan Snow Adventure was held Feb. 11 at Timber Ridge Resort in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Club says thanks to ski event backers

Rummage sales support missions

The Fort Wayne Ski Club thanked several local businesses for their support of the Toucan Snow Adventure IX, which the club sponsored.

Club President Michael Ehle thanked Legacy Heating and Air Conditioning, Rogers Electric,

New Haven United Methodist Church will hold a three-day rummage sale to support the missions work of the United Methodist Women.

The church is at 630 Lincoln Highway East, New Haven. Parking is available on the south side

of the church on the west side of Mourey Street.

On Wednesday, May 3, early-bird shopping will be available at a $2 charge, from 1-3 p.m. The public is welcome without charge from 3-6 p.m. The sale will be open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday, May 4. The sale will close with a $2-a-bag sale on Friday, May 5, from 9 a.m.-noon.

The UMC Women of Indiana support the Lucille Raines Residence in downtown Indianapolis. Many of those at the LRR are rebuilding their lives after substance abuse. The UMC Women support other missions throughout the year, including the New Haven Food Bank. The local organization funds its missions through rummage sales in May and October, and a bazaar the first Saturday in December.

A12 • INfortwayne.com

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

Food for thought: Restaurant updates and more Serving Great Lawns Famous taco is here

Since 1979

A new take on authentic Mexican food, the Famous Taco, is now open at 4104 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne.

The owner is Martin Quintana, who is known for his other local restaurants, Los Lomas and Dos Margaritas.

Open every day at 11 a.m., the Famous Taco cooks food to order as customers move through the cafeteria style restaurant.

It specializes in huarache, a homemade thick tortilla loaded with beans, queso fresco, onion, cilantro and a choice of meats, but also offers burritos, salads and more as well as beer, wine and margaritas. Dine in or carry out.

For a full menu, visit the Famous Taco on Facebook.

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medals for its spirits at two national level competitions in its first year of business.

The American Craft Spirits Association recognized Three Rivers Distilling for its Harvester Vodka in February and the American Distilling Institute gave the distiller a bronze medal for its Harvester Vodka and Summit City Gin in April.

Harvester Vodka is made with 100 percent Indiana grown, organic, non-GMO wheat and was named in honor of the former International Harvester plant in Fort Wayne. Summit City Gin is also made with 100 percent Indiana grown, organic non-GMO wheat.

BJ’s up and running

BJ’s Restaurants Inc., a California-based restaurant chain, opened its newly constructed restaurant on Coliseum Boulevard, in front of Glenbrook Square Mall in Fort Wayne, on April 10.

The BJ’s Brewhouse is the fourth the company has opened in Indiana. It already has restaurants in Avon, Greenwood and Noblesville and also expects to open one in Bloomington this year.

The restaurants have extensive menus, including BJ’s signature deep-dish pizza and its hand-crafted beers. The Fort Wayne restaurant is its 189th location.

Core values

Restaurant owner Melissa Rohwer, who operates four Moe’s Southwest Grill restaurants in Indiana, plans to open 10 new CoreLife Eatery restaurants in the next four years, including two in Fort Wayne.

Seven of the locations are planned for Indianapolis and one will be in Lafayette.

Her husband, Bill Rohwer, and mother, Sandra McKeithin, are partners in the venture.

With greens, grains, and bone broth as basic building blocks, CoreLife Eatery focuses on food first through high-level customization of menu items. The single line service system and a narrowly defined menu structure allow for maximum interaction with guests. Dressings, broths and beverages are made from scratch every day in each location.

CoreLife Eatery opened its first location in Syracuse, N.Y., in May 2015 and wants to expand to 300 total locations, including both corporate and franchise restaurants, over the next five years. For more information, visit www. eatatcore.com.

Buy a Hero, Be a hero Participating Subway restaurants in Mississippi, Indiana, Texas and Loui-

siana have launched the “Buy a Hero, Be a Hero” campaign in an effort to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital continue to lead the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

During the promotion, from March 13 to May 21, customers are encouraged to visit participating restaurants and buy the new Italian Hero sub. For every one sold, Subway will donate 10 percent of the purchase price to St. Jude, up to a maximum donation of $29,500.

Customers may also donate directly to the cause at any participating restaurant until May 21. This is the first year that Subway has participated in the program.

Meijer will deliver

Meijer was set to launch its home delivery service in Fort Wayne beginning April 13.

Through its partnership with Shipt, Meijer will allow customers to shop for more than 55,000 items for home delivery in as little as one hour, seven days a week. Customers can sign up for Shipt through an annual or monthly membership. For $99 a year, Shipt members will receive free deliveries on all orders over $35.

The program was launched in Detroit-area Meijer stores last year.

Since September 2016, Shipt “shoppers” have made more than 65,000 deliveries to customers in southeastern Michigan. The Midwest retailer will also begin offering delivery services in Indianapolis stores and will continue its expansion into additional markets in six states later this year.

Because most Meijer stores are open 24 hours a day, Shipt deliveries will be available at most Meijer locations around the clock, with the exception of certain holidays.

For more information on becoming a Shipt member and to see the full coverage areas, visit www.shipt.com/ Meijer.

New Aldi opens

Aldi opened a new store March 23 at 4750 Coldwater Road, Fort Wayne, in the Jo-Ann Plaza.

The new, larger store replaces another one at 3802 Lima Road, which closed after 20 years in operation.

The budget grocer’s new store has a more modern look, with natural lighting, improved layout and signs and expanded sections for favorite products, such as fresh produce.

Aldi has more than 1,600 stores in 35 states.

Compiled by Linda Lipp

INfortwayne.com • A13

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

FUN from Page A9

‘LITTLE SHOP’ CAST

some Shakespeare,” he said.

That play, like “Little Shop,” featured a small cast. “We had 25 or 30 try out for 15 parts,” he said of the latest effort.

He said Erexson has a beautiful voice, and one of his best friends — Bella Hadley — was the right fit for Seymour’s girlfriend, Audrey. “She was in the book. She knew her character,” Halter said.

Steve Steffey, Halter’s longtime friend and a zumba instructor in Leo, is the choreographer. Music director Lori Kapell has played for the Arena Dinner Theater in Fort Wayne.

“Other than that, it’s me and the kids,” Halter said. “I want this to be a student-run organization as much as it can be. We have a student bookkeeper, and students in charge of building sets and running lights.” Student Sydney Gamble is in charge of publicity.

Halter said Leo has room for more theater work. “The middle-schoolers really want to be in something.

It’s at the elementary, but there’s a gap there,” he said.

Erexson is involved in his sixth production on stage. “I’ve worked with it even before I came to this school; I helped my siblings,” the sets manager said.

While saws, hammers and paint create the set on the stage, Erexson and his father also work on

Seymour Krelborn — Kelsey Erexson Audrey — Bella Hadley Mr. Mushnik — Zaw Oo Orin Scrivello D.D.S./Patrick Martin — Jacob Byler Audrey II (voice) — Emma Shade Audrey II (puppeteer) — Aiden Sobieck Crystal — Brooke Bolinger Ronnette — Tea Smith Chiffon — Maria Isaacson Bernstein/Ensemble — Evan Snaufer Mrs. Luce/Ensemble — Quinn Barlow Skip Snip/Ensemble — Audrey Kanka Interviewer/Ensemble — Arielle Kinsey the props for the bloodeating Audrey II. “We’re building the plant at the house. It looks pretty good right now. We’re going to put fiberglass on it so it won’t break,” he said. “We have four plants; It grows throughout the production.”

For Erexson’s father, Bob, it’s an opportunity to share something with his family. He has worked on props and even more sets for eight years. He worked with his eldest son, Logan, now 22. He worked with his daughter Taylor, who mastered dance parts for former director Sue Nelson and who now is a sophomore in college. Now Bob works behind the scenes with Kelsey. “It’s a way I can spend time with my kids and be interested in what they’re interested in,” he said.

He has built some novel props, but he said the “Little Shop” plants are probably the strangest creations. All four stages of the plant are made from scraps of urethane foam from his work.

Stage manager Morgan Thoma will maneuver those plants about the stage.

This marks the senior’s fourth year in drama and her eighth production. She has been stage manager since her sophomore year.

This musical has some special touches, she said.

“We have a scene where we drop a front in, in one of the scenes, a white curtain, and then we bring on the dentist chair. That’s what my crew will be doing.

And we’re also moving the big plant at the end. I have three boys on my crew who are doing that. Also, during the last few minutes of the show we open up the shop and bring the plant forward.”

She said the final night of her final show might be difficult. She loves the art, but has chosen a different path of study and career.

Thoma already is attending the University of Saint Francis, studying nursing.

“I’m going to miss it a lot,” she said. “I’m going to keep it with me for a lifetime.”

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Community Calendar A14 • INfortwayne.com

Include news of your group, too

19

Send news of your group to gsnow@kpcmedia.com by Nov. 30 for the Dec. 9º issue. Items will be selected and edited as space permits.

April

Community Calendar 2017

May Community Calendar 2017

APR.

15

16 18

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

Eggstravaganza Easter egg hunt. Byron Health Center, 12101 Lima Road, Fort Wayne. 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Free. Public invited.

Discover Roanoke 10K/5K and 1-mile kids fun run. Downtown Roanoke. 9 a.m.-noon. Bring family and friends to the start/finish line for activities before and after the race. Get details and sign up at discoverroanoke.org.

Easter egg hunt. Arcola United Methodist Church, 11311 Arcola Road, Arcola. 10 a.m. For all children through age 12. To be held ouside, weather-permitting. Last year’s hunt drew 40 children, who gathered 500 eggs. This year the church is preparing 1,000 eggs.

Huntington County Walk/Run & Easter Egg Hunt. Kreigbaum Field, Huntington North High School, 2001 N. Jefferson St., Huntington. egg hung, 3-3:45 p.m. Walk/run, 4-7:30 p.m. Run/walk fees: children 11 and under, $4; adults, $7 online, or $8 at the door. The price includes a T-shirt, snack and water. Fees will go to the Huntington Councy Community Foundation, which has accepted donations for this community event. Visit www. protectachildwalkamile.com for more information.

The Fort Wayne VisionWalk Kickoff. Parkview Field, 1301 Ewing St., Fort Wayne, Suite Level Lounge.

11 a.m.-1 p.m. The Fort Wayne VisionWalk Kickoff is a free, informative luncheon to discuss the upcoming VisionWalk and kick off team fundraising. Visit www.FightBlindness.org/FortWayneVisionWalk for details. The walk will be held Saturday, June 10, at Headwaters Park, with registration at 8:30 a.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 16

Easter Sunrise Service. Covenant United Methodist Church, 10001 Coldwater Road, Fort Wayne.

7 a.m. “Sign of Hope and Joy.” Other services today include: Easter Cantata, 8:15 and 11 a.m., “THIS Changes Everything”; Easter contemporary service, 9:30 a.m., “Chain Breaker.”

TUESDAY, APRIL 18

Spring concert. Canterbury High School, 3210 Smith Road, Fort Wayne. 7 p.m. The public is welcome and admission is free. The choir, band and orchestra will perform.

Trombone ensemble recital. IPFW, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne; in the Rhinehart Recital Hall.

7:30 p.m. $7 for adults, $6 for ages 60 and older, $4 for non-IPFW students, free for students 18 and younger and for IPFW students with ID. The Trombone Ensemble will deliver a varied program featuring the music of Franz Josef Haydn, Anton Bruckner, Weezer, and Earth, Wind and Fire.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19

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THURSDAY, APRIL 20

Open house. Southwest Montessori Academy, 1625 Magnavox Way, Fort Wayne. 6-8 p.m. The open house is for prospective students — 3- to 6-yearolds — and their families. Activities will include coloring and board game. Enrollment is underway.

Renovation celebration. McMillen Health, 600 Jim Kelley Blvd., Fort Wayne. 4:30-6:30 p.m. Facility tours, hors d’oeuvres, live music.

Spring concert. Homestead High School, 4310 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne. 7:30 p.m. Free.

Public welcome. Various music groups will perform. The state champion Homestead winter guard will perform.

Rain garden workshop. Citizens Square, 200 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne; in the Omni Room. 5:30-9 p.m.

Free. Register by calling 311 or (260) 427-8311.

City residents who attend a workshop may be eligible to receive a cash incentive to assist with plant purchases for their rain garden. For more information visit http://www.catchingrainfw.org/.

Saxophone quartet and saxophone choir recital. IPFW, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne; in the Rhinehart Recital Hall. 7:30 p.m. $7 for adults, $6 for ages 60 and older, $4 for non-IPFW students, free for students 18 and younger and for IPFW students with ID. The first half of this concert will

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feature the saxophone quartet. The second half of the concert includes the IPFW Saxophone Choir, which expands the saxophone family by adding the sopranino saxophone as the highest voice and the bass saxophone as the lowest voice. The program features music by Nigel Wood. Farrell Vernon directs. Buy tickets online at www.ipfw. edu/tickets or by calling (260) 481-6555.

David Cooke directs. Buy tickets online at www. ipfw.edu/tickets or by calling (260) 481-6555.

Short Hikes for Short Legs. Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn, 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. 9-10 a.m.

For children ages 3-5 and a responsible adult.

Today’s topic is “Frogs are Calling, It Must be Spring.” Frog calls are one of the signs of spring, but can you identify which frogs are part of the chorus? Start in the barn with a hands-on activity to discover and identify the calls that the local frogs make. Then hike to look and listen for the frogs of the marsh. Dress for the weather; boots recommended.

Veteran peer support group. VA Annex, 2500 E. State Blvd., Fort Wayne. 4:30-6 p.m. Free coffee. Visit vet2vetusa.org for more information. This group is run by veterans but it not a VA-run group. Meetings are held each Wednesday.

Living with Depression support group. First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St., Fort Wayne. 7-8:30 p.m. each Wednesday. These non-professionals have lived with depression and help one another by sharing experiences and through the use of literature. Anyone interested in the group is asked to call Marilee Stroud at (260) 312-6069 for further information Allen County Retired Educators. Biaggi’s, Jefferson Pointe, 4010 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne.

Gather at 10:45 a.m., meeting begins at 11 a.m.

Program by Jim Anderson of Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Make reservations by April 12 to Mary Jo Purvis at (260) 492-6992 or mpurvis1@ frontier.com.

Guitar studio showcase. IPFW, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne; in the Rhinehart Recital Hall.

7:30 p.m. $7 for adults, $6 for ages 60 and older, $4 for non-IPFW students, free for students 18 and younger and for IPFW students with ID. Guitar students from the studio of Laura Lydy will perform solo works from a vast classical guitar repertoire. Buy tickets online at www.ipfw. edu/tickets or by calling (260) 481-6555.

FORT WAYNE AREA COMMUNITY BAND Tuesday, May 2nd 7:30 pm IN CONCERT AT JOHN & RUTH RHINEHART MUSIC CENTER IPFW CAMPUS

Adults: $8 • Seniors: $7 • Students Under 18: Free IPFW Students Free with ID FREE PARKING IN GARAGE ACROSS FROM MUSIC CENTER

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

Opinion leaders luncheon. Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 311 E. Main St., Fort Wayne. Noon. Free.

RSVP to Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne by calling (260) 456-0400 or email office@fwjf.org.

Moran Birman, representing the consulate general of Israel to the Midwest in Chicago, will discuss “Israel: A Positive Influence on the World.”

Birman has been a diplomat since 2014.

Focus on Health health fair. University of Saint Francis North Campus, 2702 Spring St., Fort Wayne. 7:30-11 a.m. Sponsored by Parkview Health. Get blood pressure and other tests for free.

Or choose from a wider range of tests starting at $10. Get details at fohealth.com.

Jazz Ensemble featuring IPFW Chamber Singers. IPFW, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne; in the Rhinehart Recital Hall. 7:30 p.m. $7 for adults, $6 for ages 60 and older, $4 for non-IPFW students, free for students 18 and younger and for IPFW students with ID. The premier IPFW big band and the IPFW Chamber Singers join forces to offer standard jazz arrangements from swing through jazz-rock. Vocal a cappella and instrumental improvisation round out the evening. Farrell Vernon and Vaughn Roste direct. Buy tickets online at www.ipfw.edu/tickets or by calling (260) 481-6555.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

Fish and chicken fry. Grabill Fire Station, 13413 State St., Grabill. 4:30-7:30 p.m. Adults pay $10, ages 4-9 pay $7, children 3 or younger eat for free. Sponsored by Cedar Creek Lions Club to support the Northeast Allen County Fire & EMS and local community needs.

The Outcry Tour. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. 7 p.m Tickets $19.95-$64.95, plus fees. Featuring Jesus Culture, Lauren Daigle and Elevation Worship.

For details, visit TrinityCommunications.org.

MDA Muscle Walk. Parkview Field, 1301 Ewing St., Fort Wayne. 5:30 p.m. For information, contact Clarissa Fenker, (260) 486-6698 or cfenker@ mdausa.org. To register, visit mdausa.org and search for Fort Wayne.

Artist reception. Crestwoods, 314 N. Main St., Roanoke. 2-5 p.m. “Norman Bradley and Friends” continues through May 20. Featured artists: Norman and Dixie Bradley, John Hrehov, Don Osos, Karen Moriarty, Betty Fishman, Russell Oettel, Don Kruse, Patricia Weiss and George McCullough. Crestwoods Frame Shop and Gallery is open 10 a.m-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, or by appointment. Learn more at crestwoodsgallery. com.

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

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Northeast News • April 14, 2017

INfortwayne.com • A15

PAID PAIDADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISMENT

(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.)

260-344-4663

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 -----------------

A16 • INfortwayne.com

Northeast News • April 14, 2017

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