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Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • 95¢ • February 2022 • No. II
Solving Family Puzzles at the Genealogy Center Treatments for Sore Knees Does Your Fireplace Need Help? Tips for Choosing the Right Flooring A Primer on Child Custody Laws
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In This Issue
Right in Our Region ......................Cover & p. 16 A Fort Wayne Gem: The Genealogy Center Your Health & Fitness .......................................11 Treating Sore Knees Without Surgery Your Legal Tips ...................................................13 A Primer on Child Custody in Indiana Inspiration & Worship .......................................14 Courage to Love Your Recipe ..........................................................15 Red Velvet Heart Pancakes Your Home ......................................................19, 23 All About Fireplaces; Tips for Buying Flooring Your Kitchen .........................................................27 The Kitchen Just Keeps Getting Smarter Your Family Fun .................................................28
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Multimedia Editor Jim Taylor Graphics Director Samantha Behling Graphic Designer Ashley Smith Contributing Writer Peggy Werner General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Lisa Brandt, Nita Lasky Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes Distribution Kelly Fairbairn Published by Hughes Media Corp. 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com Smart Living. Copyright 2022 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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Finding Family
I
n our culture, we value few concepts more than family. Yet most of us can’t name our great grandparents, or the places they lived, or explain how world events impacted them. Granted, most of us are pretty busy with the “now” of our lives and there’s no reason we have to know our ancestry. No one is going to test us on it or make such knowledge a job requirement. And yet there exists within us an innate curiosity about our family stories. Fort Wayne is fortunate to have a leading family research center right here in its downtown. People come from all over the country to use it. Several years ago, I was writing a magazine article about genealogy and decided to trace the lineage of one of my great grandmothers as part of my research. To my utter shock, I easily traced her ancestors back to the Mayflower; she descended from William Bradford, the Puritan governor of Plymouth Colony. Neither my parents nor grandparents had told me about this; they probably didn’t know about it. Our personal histories so quickly vanish! Today there are at least 35 million living Mayflower descendants. To be clear, no person is any better, any worse, or any “more American” because of his or her ancestry. In the U.S., citizenship is about shared ideals, not bloodlines. New Americans take a Civics Test, not a DNA test. But I’m still glad to know about my ancestor Bradford, who risked so much to flee oppression from the Church of England because he loved scripture, as I do. I’ve never known religious persecution, but I have more empathy for those who do experience it because I know his story. Many of our ancestors fled extreme hardship. There are reasons people did and still do risk everything to live in our free society. By piecing together our family puzzles, perhaps we can understand our shared American story just a little bit better. And, learning is fun! ❚ Janine Pumilia SL Editor Tell them you saw it in ... Smart Living Fort Wayne
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Your Health
Avoiding Knee Surgery with Chiropractic By Toni Rocha
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nee injuries and long-term damage need not result in surgery. For alternative treatment methods, patients are looking to Dr. David M. Gafken, DC, of Health N.O.W. Chiropractic Center, 2146 State Road 8 in Auburn, Ind., for help in relieving pain. Gafken says patients come to him either with undiagnosed knee pain or because they’ve seen other medical professionals and are seeking nonsurgical alternatives to bone-on-bone issues. “These patients have had X-rays, MRIs and/or have been receiving cortisone shots without achieving any lasting relief,” Gafken says. “We conduct a thorough exam which may include additional nerve testing, X-rays and MRIs if significant time has passed since their last tests.” Knee injuries or age-related damage rarely heal by themselves, he says. It’s better to seek alternative methods of treating knee issues than to tough it out alone. Once the examination is complete and the patient is approved as a candidate for chiropractic, Gafken decides on a course of treatment using several highly effective methods to promote joint health: decompression, laser, plus radial pressure, shockwave or acoustic waves. Gafken says decompression on knee joints is achieved by seating the patient in a chair and hooking the knee up to a machine which pulls the joint open and closed using less than 16 pounds of force. By gently separating the joint space between the bottom of the femur (thigh bone) and the top of the tibia (shin bone), a vacuum effect inside the knee joint is created which brings more nutrient-rich fluid to the area. The method also stretches the tendons, ligaments and other soft tissue around the joint, which helps re-establish some of the natural joint space and cushioning in the knee. “We gently work the knee for about seven to eight minutes,” Gafken explains. “The course of treatment is given three times weekly for four to five weeks.”
Low-level laser light wave therapy consists of using four levels of intensity to penetrate the appropriate depth in the knee joint, Gafken says. These waves have a healing effect by increasing the production of stem cells and generating venous nitric oxide to increase peripheral blood flow to the afflicted areas around the knee. “This is called organogenesis,” Gafken says. “It aids in the growth of new blood vessels while flushing out any damaged tissue, alleviating pain.” Acoustic or shockwave has been in use for more than 10 years, Gafken explains. The method sends pulses through the joint to promote stem cell growth, to encourage the development of new blood vessels and to increase blood flow, all of which induces quicker healing. “It’s a powerful tool that hasn’t been used as much as it could be because it’s expensive,” Gafken says. “The treatment not only reduces pain but also induces biochemical changes that promote healing.” A patient is given a course of treatment which employs one or several of the above methods. As a rule, the patient is treated up to three times each week during which all of the selected methods are applied in a stepped order. “The patient may receive decompression for seven to eight minutes, then move to another room for a five-minute laser treatment, and then to another room for the five-minute electroshockwave session,” Gafken says. Along with treatment in the office, patients are encouraged to exercise as appropriate, to ice the knee joint to reduce inflammation and swelling, and to use various at-home remedies. “We have a 90-percent success rate with this course of treatment,” Gafken says. For more information or to make an appointment, call Health N.O.W. at (260) 920-8811 or visit seekhealthnow.com ❚
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Legal Tips
Understanding Parental Custody in Indiana
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ecisions about child custody can be stressful for everyone involved, but they can also be managed amicably. Here are some things to keep in mind, according to Robert H. Bellinger, principal attorney at Bellinger Law Office, 116 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne. First, it’s the responsibility of the court to determine what’s in the best interest of the child. “That may not always be what the child wants, and it may not be what the parents want, either,” says Bellinger. “Nonetheless, it’s the foremost consideration for the court, when deciding these matters.” Indiana law makes room for two types of custody, says Bellinger. Just because a child primarily lives with one parent doesn’t mean that the other parent does not have custody of the child. One parent may have physical custody, while another or both parents have legal custody. “Legal custody is a different concept that refers to the right of a parent to make critical decisions on the child’s behalf,” says Bellinger. “This includes the ability to make health care and education decisions for the child. When both parents have legal custody of a child, we call it joint custody. When one parent has legal custody of a child, we say that parent has sole custody. However, that does not mean that the other parent does not have visitation rights. It simply means that important decisions are vested with only one parent.” The reasons for denying a parent legal custody can range
anywhere from prior incidents of abuse in the household to the fact that they simply cannot get along with their former spouse. “In cases in which a parent is opposed to the choices of the other parent, it can create serious conflict for the family,” Bellinger explains. “The court must then weigh the child’s best interests against the parents’ conduct and will render a decision based only on the child’s best interests. Oftentimes, courts will enlist the aid of social workers or psychologists to determine if one or the other parent is unfit to have decision-making power.” Parents with legal custody have powers and responsibilities. They also have rights to make specific decisions for the child. In most cases, the decisions will involve what school the child goes to, what medical interventions they receive, and their access to religion or cultural institutions. “Parents who do not have legal custody of their child must accept the decisions of the parent with legal custody or petition the court to review their decisions, under the litmus test of the best interests of the child,” he says. Bellinger says his job is to argue to the court how his client’s interests are best aligned with the child’s interests. “When parents put the best interest of the child first and foremost, custody issues often can be managed amicably,” he says. “Other times, more aggressive tactics are needed.”
Learn more about The Bellinger Law Office by calling (260) 428-2214. ❚ 13 February 2022 • II Tell them you saw it in ... Smart Living Fort Wayne
Inspiration & Worship
Courage to Love
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e live in a time of increasing bitterness and ugly behavior. Dissension among Americans, often exploited by our enemies, is taking a toll. “How can they be so blind?” one group cries indignantly. A different group responds with equal rancor. Dehumanizing rhetoric, dishonesty and lawlessness grow as decency gives way to hatred. At these times, and at all times, we Christians must ask ourselves whether our thoughts and behaviors are conforming to the mind of Christ or to the world’s influence. We may feel very emotional about various issues that we’re certain we’re “right” about. But nothing is right when love is absent. We need to read and obey God’s Word, tune out confusing chatter and listen to the still, small voice within us. Prayerfully. Honestly. Scripture is the place to start because Jesus Christ has already told us what to value. He tells us the first commandment is to love God with all of our strength; the second is to love other people as we love ourselves. (Matthew 22:36). His commandments have nothing to do with self-righteousness and everything to do with love. But what is love? “Love is patient, love is kind,” Paul writes in Corinthians 13. “It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” When we see behavior that’s boastful or dishonest, we should reject it. When we see behavior that belittles others and glorifies self, we should know it’s wrong. When we hear words that ask us to put hatred or love of money or a powerful person above God, we shouldn’t be fooled. We’re followers of Jesus Christ. And when people sow chaos in order to obscure truth, we should condemn it. God is not the author of confusion. (I Cor. 33) Love risks all to help others. Love is true strength. Love can make itself vulnerable because its confidence is in Christ Jesus. Love never fails. (I Cor. 13:8) God gives us eyes to see truth and the courage to act upon it – with love. ❚ – Janine Pumilia 14
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Your Recipe
Red Velvet Pancakes for Your Loved Ones
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hese Red Velvet Heart Pancakes are a delicious treat for your loved ones. Start by combining flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk an egg and add buttermilk, butter, vanilla extract and a few drops of red food coloring. Whisk everything together and pour it into the first bowl of dry ingredients. Prepare a skillet and grab a heartshaped cookie cutter. Pour a small amount of batter into the cookie cutter in
the skillet, let it cook for 2 minutes then remove the cookie cutter and flip. Let it cook for 1 additional minute. Add your favorite pancake toppings like butter, syrup, powdered sugar or raspberries. In the end, you will have yourself a scrumptious breakfast, made with love and as sweet as can be. Find more breakfast recipes and sweet treat ideas at Culinary.net.
Red Velvet Heart Pancakes
Servings: 8-10 1 cup flour 1/4 cup sugar 3 TB cocoa powder 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk 2 TB unsalted butter, melted 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
30-40 drops red food coloring Nonstick cooking spray Syrup, powdered sugar & raspberries, for garnish In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In medium bowl, whisk egg. Add buttermilk, 2 tablespoons butter, vanilla extract and food coloring; whisk until combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Spray heart-shaped cookie cutter with nonstick cooking spray and place in skillet. Add enough batter to fill heart. Cook 2 minutes. Remove heart cutter. Flip pancake and cook 1 minute. Serve with butter, syrup, powdered sugar and raspberries. Note: If mixture is too thick, add water until desired consistency is reached. ❚ Source: Culinary.net
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Right in Our Region
Solving Family Puzzles in Fort Wayne
(Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library photo)
By Janine Pumilia
People new to family research need not be intimidated. It’s a matter of asking and answering one question at a time.
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ear comfortable shoes.” That friendly piece of advice, posted on the website of the Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library in downtown Fort Wayne, is a clue to what’s in store for visitors: A collection so vast that it inhabits a space equal in size to a football field. Only the famed LDS genealogical library in Salt Lake City is larger. “I believe in each of us there is a longing to know our stories,” says Curt Witcher, the nationally recognized genealogist who’s managed this Fort Wayne gem for 34 years. “Our primary task – and we don’t really view it as a task because we love doing it so much – is to help people succeed in discovering their family stories.” To that end, his team of seven professional genealogists help novices and seasoned researchers alike to navigate the sprawling facility that welcomes 100,000 visitors each year from across the U.S. and beyond. The caliber of staff; the quality and breadth of both physical and digital collections; and unwavering community support that began long before genealogy exploded in popularity, add up to the Center’s national reputation for excellence.
nealogists are – amateur historians. These folks don’t just come to a library seeking one specific thing and then leave. They settle in and keep digging. “So, mid-century, Fred made it his mission to build a genealogist-friendly library. It was like putting a match to dry wood – it grew like wildfire. All sorts of groups in Fort Wayne donated books to support the collection, groups like the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and Fort Wayne Women’s Reading Club. They recognized the importance of people being able to research their family histories.” The size and quality of the genealogy collections grew, as did staff expertise, and the community funded the $65 million facility housing it. Today, the Center boasts 1.2 million items in its physical collection and provides access to a long list of databases, many of them licensed and only available inside certain libraries. The Center is especially well known among researchers for its Periodical Source Index, which subject indexes more than 10,000 titles of genealogical and historical periodicals published since 1800.
Ahead of its Time
Without community support, this feather in Fort Wayne’s cap – a feather that indirectly generates $6 million of economic impact each year (pre-pandemic) – would not exist. “Like most local libraries, we’re supported by local taxpayers,” Witcher says. “This community loves its library.” Because it serves people from across the U.S. at no charge, the Genealogy Center is a gift from Fort Wayne to the entire country.
So, how did Fort Wayne become a mecca for family researchers? The idea first took shape in the mind of a 1960s Fort Wayne library director named Fred C. Reynolds. “He was somewhat alarmed when he looked around the country and saw that genealogy researchers were being treated like second-class citizens,” explains Witcher. “A lot of libraries weren’t set up to accommodate ‘power users,’ which is what ge16
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Right in Our Region “When people hear about us, they sometimes say, ‘How nice for Indiana citizens to have such good resources.’ And it is nice for Indiana citizens,” says Witcher. “But it’s just as beneficial to citizens of Florida or California or Ireland, for that matter.” All visitors use the collections and services, including consultations by appointment with genealogists on staff, at no charge. Curt Witcher “There are no barriers to using our resources, whether you live here or across the world,” says Witcher. “The only cost is dimes for making copies on a machine.” Even during the worst of the pandemic, the Center’s influence was felt widely. “More than 30,000 people ‘attended’ the 150 virtual presentations we gave in 2021,” notes Witcher. Because the Genealogy Center attracts people from out of state, it partners with Visit Fort Wayne to help visitors make the most of their stay in the city. “We cherish that partnership,” says Witcher. “A lot of people are not very familiar with Fort Wayne and are surprised to see how much we have to offer here.” Visit Fort Wayne provides genealogy visitors with a package containing items like a notebook for their research and information about assets near the downtown library – hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums, shops and parks along the riverfront.
Super Sleuths
At the heart of the Genealogy Center is Witcher’s team of supersleuth genealogist librarians. “Each member of our team not only has broad and deep expertise in the field of genealogical research, but also specialty areas such as ‘Irish and British lineage’ or ‘people of color in North America,’” he says. “One person is an expert on how to use DNA results in your search. And what’s really exciting to me is that, if we don’t know something, we can find out who does know it because we’re so well connected with other specialists in the field across the country.” Among items in the massive physical collection are city directories, passenger lists, maps, periodicals, U.S. Census lists, military records and much more. The digital database collection includes free use of several commercial sites like Ancestry.com and FindMyPast. com. A visit to the library is an ideal way to “test drive” brands before committing money to a personal subscription. Some people ask why a Genealogy Center is needed in this digital age. Can’t we just find everything we need online from home?
“The resources available publicly online are like the very tiptop of an iceberg,” Witcher explains. “There’s a whole world of resources below the surface that aren’t yet digitized and won’t be within our lifetimes. It’s just too large. And many important databases that are digitized are accessible only through libraries like ours that have special licensing agreements.”
The Boom
When the popularity of family research exploded in the 21st Century, Fort Wayne’s Genealogy Center was already well-positioned to handle it. The boom was fueled by several factors, including the rise of the Internet and the digital companies it spawned. Witcher had an up-close view of the exponential growth in the popularity of his field. On the cusp of its explosion, he was made a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association in 1995, an honor awarded to just one person each year in recognition of their contributions to the field of genealogy. “It took Ancestry.com about six years in the late 1990s to earn its first $1 million,” says Witcher. “Now it’s valued at $4.6 billion. Instead of being run like a non-profit, real money was spent, for the first time, on marketing the concept of genealogical research.” TV shows like “Finding Your Roots,” “Genealogy Roadshow” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” have familiarized people with tools used to trace family lines. Viewers vicariously share in the thrill of discovery and become more curious about their own ancestors. And even if they start with little more than their grandparents’ names, they can learn to puzzle out who and where they came from. “Almost without fail, every person who comes through our door learns something about their family that they didn’t know before,” says Witcher. “It’s so exciting for us to watch them as the lightbulb goes off and they have that ‘aha!’ moment and learn how to put pieces of information together. We librarians just love that. Connecting people with meaningful information is the heart of what we do.” Novices and seasoned researchers alike can feel at home in the Genealogy Center, says Witcher; beginners need not be intimidated by the mammoth collection. “It all begins with one question,” he says. “What is it you’re trying to learn?” Some people worry they’ll discover something shameful in their family histories. Others may be adopted and wonder if genealogy has any value for them. “Your family history doesn’t have to be your bloodline, it can be your heartline,” says Witcher. “It’s perfectly fine, exciting and informative to research the ancestry of the family in your heart – the family that raised you, or to research only Mom’s line if Dad is not in your life. Every family story has twists and turns in it. One thing we know for sure: There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family.” Learn more, sign up for a newsletter and find a list of upcoming virtual presentations at genealogycenter.org. ❚
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Your Home & Garden
Fireplaces: Still Warming Homes and Hearts By Janine Pumilia
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here’s a reason the expression “hearth and home” represents our precious family lives. Since ancient times, fireplaces were the heart of the home, keeping people warm and fed. Our affection for them didn’t end once furnace-powered heat replaced them in most American homes during the 20th century. “We no longer build fireplaces for physical warmth,” observed novelist Edna Ferber. “We build them for the warmth of the soul; we build them to dream by, to hope by, to home by.” And, many people just want a supplemental heat source, says Chuck Ault, co-owner of Collier’s Heating & Air Conditioning and Collier’s Fireplace Shoppe in Warsaw, Ind. He should know. For nearly two decades, before he and co-owner Kevin Lehman purchased Collier’s, he worked for the business installing and repairing fireplaces and stoves. “We install and service gas stoves, gas fireplaces, wood stoves and wood fireplaces,” says Ault. “We can replace old equipment. We do fireplaces in new homes. We can install gas lines. We can handle the whole job, from start to finish, from the design to framing to installation, venting, gas, electrical and masonry.” Now celebrating its 25th year, Collier’s Fireplace Shoppe displays and sells wood, electric and gas fireplaces, both vented and unvented. It also installs electric fireplaces, wood boilers and pellet stoves and helps customers to understand the benefits of each kind of product. “Our fireplace experts help you to determine the best fit for your home and your specific needs,” says Ault. “We have a range of cost options to fit almost any budget.” These days, many customers want to convert a masonry wood fireplace to a gas fireplace. “That’s a fairly simple process,” Ault explains. “There are a couple of options – you could install a gas log in the existing fireplace or you could install a gas insert, which would be much more efficient.” A gas insert causes the fireplace to draw air from outdoors rather than drawing furnace-heated air from your home and sending it up the chimney. “Old wood-burning fireplaces are not very efficient, so the draft can actually start to pull heat out of the house,” Ault explains. “If the fireplace is updated, we can do more efficient inserts that draw air in from outside, so it stops pulling heat out of the house. Most gas inserts are around 80 percent efficient. These can be a supplemental heat source or a good heat source for emergency situations.” Collier’s also helps homeowners to update their old, unattractive fireplaces by replacing the doors or adding gas logs. “A gas insert changes the whole look of the fireplace,” says Ault. “We can do everything, from just a simple update to a complete remodel of an existing fireplace.” If you live in a home with no fireplace but you’re thinking of
Kevin Lehman and Chuck Ault, co-owners of Collier’s Fireplace Shoppe
installing one, Ault suggests taking some pictures of where you would like the fireplace to be or what you currently have. “Take measurements,” he says. “Pinterest pictures can help us to get an idea of what your vision and goals are. Then talk to our fireplace experts and we can help you begin the process.” Residents of apartments and condominiums may want to consider installing an electric fireplace. “Electric fireplaces have come a long way,” says Ault. “They require no chimney and provide an amazing array of flame patterns to fit the mood you’re in. We’ve also installed them in restaurants and conference rooms and we carry the best brands in the industry.” When it comes to fireplace maintenance, Ault recommends having a gas fireplace checked and serviced annually. “We go through and clean the system, redress the logs and make everything look like new,” he says. For wood-burning fireplaces, he recommends having the chimney cleaned and inspected annually. During their decades of hands-on work at Collier’s, Ault and Lehman never imagined they would someday own the company, but they were identified as potential successors and moved into management positions. “We got the opportunity to buy into the company and we didn’t think we should pass it up,” says Ault. “We have a vested interest in the company – it’s been good to our families over the years, and we look at Collier’s as an opportunity to extend our family to the team that we’ve built, to include the households we serve, and the communities where we live and work.” Another branch of the business, Collier’s Solar, has more than 10 years of experience installing ground-mount and roofmount solar panels. The company has also been in the heating and air-conditioning business for more than 34 years, including geothermal installations, serving the greater Warsaw area. Whether you yearn for the roar and scent of a wood-burning fireplace or want the convenience and tidiness of a gas or electric fireplace, there have never been more options to suit your individual situation. Learn more by calling (574) 203-5882 or visit the showroom at 2315 North Shelby Dr., Warsaw, Ind. ❚ 19 February 2022 • II Tell them you saw it in ... Smart Living Fort Wayne
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Your Home & Garden
Flooring Options Have Never Been Better By Janine Pumilia
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hether you’re flooring a high-end home or a modest rental unit, there have never been better products on the market at all price points, says Krista Jones, co-owner of Select Flooring with her husband, Mike Jones. “The technology now used to manufacture every kind of flooring has come such a long way,” says Jones. “Flooring is more attractive and easier to maintain than it used to be. And the variety of textures, styles and colors is just amazing.” Hard surface flooring has trended upward for many years and vinyl luxury plank (VLP) is the most in demand. “It’s very durable, easy to maintain, water-resistant, petfriendly and works with every kind of design,” says Jones. “Vinyl is also warmer and a little softer underfoot – easier on your body if you’re standing on your feet a long time while cooking etc. We’re seeing the owners of beautiful, high-end homes install vinyl plank throughout the whole home, everywhere except in the shower. Then they change out area rugs every four or five years and give rooms a whole new look.” A sister product to LVP is LVT, luxury vinyl tile, which imitates the look of solid stone flooring. Anyone who’s ever installed or removed a grouted tile or stone floor understands the benefit of getting a stone look without the labor-intensive mess. Using vinyl flooring throughout a home especially makes sense with today’s open-concept floor plans, where one room seamlessly flows into the next, notes Jones. At its showroom in Kendallville, Ind., Select Flooring carries a wide variety of area rugs to top off hard-surface flooring. It also employs a binding specialist who can size, cut, back and bind any kind of carpeting for your home. “This is a nice alternative to area rugs,” Jones explains. “New carpeting is beautiful and stain-proof and it can be more affordable to cut carpeting to the size you need instead of buying an area rug.” Wall-to-wall carpeting is still favored by many people, especially in bedrooms. “It’s nice to wake up and step onto soft, warm carpeting on cold mornings,” says Jones. Real wood floors, both solid and engineered, also are in high demand. Each type offers benefits. “Engineered wood looks exactly like solid hardwood because there’s a veneer of wood on the surface,” says Jones. “But underneath are criss-crossed layers of a highly compressed core that enables fibers to expand evenly in all directions with changes of humidity. Especially in a climate like Indiana, where we can experience all four seasons within one week, engineered wood is very practical.” Hardwood is more inclined to develop cupping or gaps between boards with changes in humidity, but some people prefer it because it can be sanded down and refinished more times than engineered wood. The price points of each are comparable.
The beauty and durability of luxury vinyl plank flooring makes it popular.
As with other flooring types, the wide variety of wood products is really exciting, says Jones. “It’s not just the oak hardwood floor anymore. There are all sorts of wood species and stains to choose from.” Mike Jones has nearly 40 years of experience in the home product industry and he and Krista opened Select Flooring 17 years ago. Krista says this is a wonderful era for designers like herself to be involved with home renovations. “What’s really exciting to me is that, in the past five to seven years, the home has become more of a fashion statement. People are doing more fun, upbeat things and aren’t afraid to use bold colors or to make their rooms a reflection of who they are. This is easier than ever before to do because of the enormous selection of high-quality products now available.” Along with flooring, Select Flooring carries cabinetry and hardware, countertops, tile, window treatments, accent furniture and lighting. It also has a reputation for designing custom bathroom showers. The store employs its own designers and installers for all products it sells. “We have our own installers and they make all the difference,” Jones says. “The work they do is impeccable and I’m so proud that we have them on our team.” A freshly updated home is not exclusively the domain of the well-heeled. “With everything we carry, we have a variety of price points. For example, sheet vinyl flooring is at a low price point but is really attractive compared to how it once looked and the same holds true with laminate countertops. Good design is about knowing what you like, not just how much you spend,” she says. As the parents of six children, the Joneses understand that most families have a limited budget for home projects. “We know the value of a dollar and the work that goes into earning it,” says Jones. “We want our customers to get the most for their money. We have a great team of people working here and once we work with a customer, it’s like they become part of our extended family.” Learn more by calling (260) 347-5565 or stop in at the showroom, 964 Harlash St., Kendallville, Ind. ❚
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If you’ve been dreaming of the perfect hearth for your home, Collier’s Fireplace Shoppe is here to help you turn your dream into a reality. We have 25 years experience transforming blank walls and generic builder’s grade fireplaces into showstoppers. Whether you’re looking for an elegant solution for your living room, a wood stove for a cozy family room, or an outdoor kitchen that will make your neighbors green with envy, make your first call to the experts at Collier’s.
2315 Shelby Drive, Warsaw TrustColliers.com
574.900.2909
Celebrating 25 years!
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Your Kitchen
What ‘Smart’ Appliances Can Do for You
Today we can control our household appliances from the palm of our hands, no matter where we are.
By Peggy Werner
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f that 30-year-old appliance quits working and you need to replace it, and you haven’t done your homework, you’ll be surprised to learn how technological advances allow you to manage your life from your smartphone. That could improve the way you do laundry, prepare dinner, turn on the oven and more. “Everything is ‘smart’ now because we live in a ‘smart’ world where everything is connected and can be controlled from a phone held in the palm of your hand,” says Brittany Brouer, marketing director at Van’s Home Center, Auburn, Ind. For example, one of the most advanced appliances is the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator which is WI-FI enabled and allows you to send notes, sync schedules, see who’s at your front door, search recipes, get meal ideas, play music, stream movies and look inside the refrigerator as you shop, she says. Other Wi-Fi enabled appliances also allow you to start and stop equipment with your smartphone. A washing machine can hold a large amount of laundry detergent and dispense as needed. Large loads of laundry can be finished in 30 minutes and a small load left in the washer overnight will dry. “So, you can start the laundry and pre-heat the oven before you even get home. There’s quite a range of what appliances can do for you today and it’s all about what you want and need and
what you’re willing to pay for,” she says. Most people interested in the smart appliances are between 25 and 40 years old, but many others also love technology and are not afraid of it, she says. “The advances give people lots of choice to make life easier and do more in one day. It’s all about personal preference and the choices are driven by consumers who want to do more with their time than laundry,” Brouer says. Brouer suggests that people who are unsure about such technology should get online information from manufacturers about how to use appliances. YouTube, also, is a great source for learning how to do just about anything. A locally-owned, family business, Van’s Home Center opened in 1973 and has expanded from a 1,500 square-foot store to a 75,000 square-foot “one stop” showroom for the home. Along with appliances, it sells flooring, furniture, mattresses, cabinetry, countertops and more. “We’re large enough to compete with big-box stores and we price competitively.” Learn more by calling (260) 927-8267 or stop in at 106 Peckhart Ct., Auburn, Ind. ❚
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Your Fun
Entertainment & Events
Gregory Porter All Rise Tour Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m. This artist successfully blends the sounds of jazz, soul and gospel. This, along with his unmistakable voice, has led him to much success over the past decade. The Clyde Theatre, 1808 Bluffton Road, (260) 747-0989, clydetheatre.com Open Mic Night at Sweetwater Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m., free. Just show up and play! It’s that simple, whether you’ve never performed or you’re a seasoned professional. It’s all about having a great time making music in a relaxed, coffeehouse-style setting. 5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, sweetwater.com. Travis Tritt: Solo Acoustic Tour Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m. “An Evening with Travis Tritt” is an up-close event in which Tritt shares personal anecdotes about his life and musical influences. Embassy Theater, 125 W. Jefferson. Learn more at fwembassytheatre. org. Ashley McBryde at the Clyde Feb. 26, 8 p.m. “This Town Talks” Tour with special guest Ashland Craft. McBryde’s witty, confessional, detail-driven songwrit-
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ing addresses a wide spectrum of blue-collar Southern women’s experiences. The music is stadium-ready rock ’n’ roll with a bluegrass wink. The Clyde Theatre, 1808 Bluffton Road, (260) 747-0989, clydetheatre.com Shipshewana On the Road March 12 & 13, Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Two fun days of browsing the same unique trinkets, treasures, foods, gifts and crafts found in the high quality, Amishinfluenced community of Shipshewana, Ind. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Shipshewanaontheroad.com. ‘A Sense of Place: Abstract Art in N. Indiana’ Through March 13, daily. This exhibition highlights the beauty and meaning of abstract art that relies on expressive qualities of color and non-representational marks. Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 311 E. Main St., fwmoa.org. Eric Johnson at Club Room at the Clyde March 13, 7 p.m. This pianist and vocalist is among the most accomplished guitar players of his generation. His style touches on smooth fusion jazz, classic rock shredding and a bit of country. Clyde Theater, 1806
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Enjoy browsing unique gifts, food & crafts during Shipshewana on the Road, March 12 & 13.
Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne. Clydetheatre. com. Ice Skating at Headwaters Park Through Feb. 27, 3-8 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; noon to 9 p.m. Fri. & Sat.; noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Closed Mondays except Feb. 14 & 21. Indoor concessions available. fortwayneparks.org. Under the Big Top Through April 17, daily. Attempt great feats of derring-do including acrobatics and tightrope walking at Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, (260) 427-6440, botanicalconservatory.org. ❚
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