Smart Living Fort Wayne - December 1, 2022

Happy Holidays!

It’s the holiday season! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving complete with deli cious food and quality family time.

For me, the holiday was a much-needed break. I typically have a very scheduled-out routine, but for four glorious days, I was able to abandon said schedule and visit family in Northern Wisconsin. My aunts and 81-year-old grandma all gladly volunteered to entertain my 1 year old while I enjoyed some time to my self. I finally finished reading Katie Couric’s memoir “Going There” while my husband fin ished “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck. For us, that’s a hugely successful long weekend.

At this point in the year, I love to fully em brace the holiday spirit. My mom and I bake Christmas cookies, my husband and I decorate our Christmas tree, I listen to Christmas mu sic almost exclusively, and we all indulge in seasonal beverages from locally owned coffee shops.

Speaking of locally owned, if you still need to buy presents for your friends or family, I strongly urge you to finish up your holiday shopping at locally owned stores in our region. (And if you’re all done with your shopping — wow. I’m mildly envious of you).

As a reminder, dollars spent at locally owned businesses help to strengthen our re gional economy. When you buy gifts on Ama zon or at big-box stores, that money flies away to some out-of-state headquarters. But at local ly owned shops, a much larger portion of every dollar spent stays within our community. Plus, when you shop local, you’re helping out your neighbors as opposed to some corporate CEO you’ll likely never meet.

Look, I don’t mean to shame anyone who buys gifts online or at Target. It’s hard to avoid sometimes. But, if there’s any way you can shop local for some (or most) of your gifts, you’ll be helping our community out. Most of the time, you wind up with gifts that are more creative, unique and personalized anyway.

Best of luck with getting everything done this year, and happy holidays! ❚

Lindsey Lukas Senior Editor

A Pinball Experience Like No Other

By Lindsey Lukas, senior editor

Whether you want to relive fond memories from your childhood or discover something new, Wiz ard’s World Pinball Arcade, 14613 Lima Road, Fort Wayne, is a “pinball heaven.”

The largest pinball arcade in Indiana, Wizard’s World has grown to also become one of the largest in the world. Owner Mike “The Wizard” Burgess is a pinball enthusiast become oper ator, sharing his collection of machines with anyone who wants to play.

“I’ve been playing pinball since the early ‘70s when we only had EM (electromagnetic) machines to play,” he recalls. “Being the only employee at the original Wizard’s World in 1980 from the day it opened until the day it closed has always been special to me and definitely established our vision for today. Thinking back, I recall purchasing my first machine in 1986 and the rest is history in the making.”

Burgess re-opened Wizard’s World in 2017 after realizing he wanted to share his home arcade with the public. Most of his seven children were grown, so he and his wife, Trish “Mrs. Wiz ard” Burgess were ready for a new adventure.

Today, Wizard’s World has 144 ready-to-play pinball ma chines and Burgess owns 340 machines in total.

“They’re like my children – I love them all the same,” he says. He tries to rotate machines in and out of the store frequent ly to keep players interested.

Anyone can walk into Wizard’s World and play on the ma chines, and Burgess hopes visitors have “a pinball experience like no other.” He additionally runs four major tournaments a year for those who want to play more competitively.

Major tournaments include the $500 Silverball Spring Training in March; $12,000 in cash and prizes Wizard’s World War tournament in June; WOW (Women of Wizard’s World) tournament in August (where this year, Burgess hopes to give away a brand-new Stern pinball machine); and the Wizard’s World Championship in December.

“Not only is Wizard’s World among the largest arcades in the world, but we’re also home to several of the top 1,000 play ers worldwide,” Burgess says. “We’ve been blessed to provide a world-class facility that is constantly evolving into a more challenging and enjoyable destination for family, friends, school groups and yes, very high-level competition on a regular basis.”

In addition to major tournaments, Wizard’s World hosts weekly tournaments on a smaller scale. The weekly 4-strike tournament takes place every Monday at 7 p.m. (52 times a year), and the Stern Army Boot Camp, where only modern Stern Pinball machines are used, takes place on the third Sunday of ev ery month (12 times a year). The Women’s 4-strike tournament takes place the second and fourth Fridays of the month (24 times per year), and starting in 2023, it will take place every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Finally, the Wiz Kids 3-strike youth tourna

ment takes place the second and fourth Fridays of the month (24 times a year) and will also take place Saturdays at 10 a.m. start ing in 2023.

All tournaments are registered on the IFPA Pinball website and details are posted at facebook.com/fwapinball.

Wizard’s World also hosts parties, charity events and special requests.

“We are honored to partner with our community and provide a great resource to help raise funds in a very unique way by or chestrating, running and promoting charity pinball tournaments for various groups,” Burgess says. “One event we were partic ularly excited to help with last year was when a local middle school’s science class built pinball machines as a project. To sup port the effort, we were able to provide technical guidance and prizes for the top vote-getters, plus a souvenir for each student.”

Reviews of Wizard’s Pinball on their website tout the arcade as “a great place to take the family.” Machines are consistently praised for their pristine condition and affordable price to play. Other “pinheads” have referred to the arcade as a great place to go on a date or to do something different with friends or family. The staff is also praised for how they treat customers like family.

Wizard’s World opens at noon seven days a week. On Mon days, the arcade is open until 11 p.m. – or whenever the weekly tourney is over – while Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are open until 9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m.; and Sunday until 8 p.m. Each machine is cash only and cost ranges from a single quarter to $1 per game. Machines vary from an tique mechanical to new, high-tech, state-of-the art games.

“Our team is presently working toward expanding the col lection to well over 200 pinball machines before our big Wiz ard’s World War tournament in June,” Burgress adds. “In 2021, we were excited to host 108 players and gave away a brandnew Stern Pinball machine, along with loads of cash prizes. We set out to build a world-class championship pinball venue that hosted tournaments and was also open to the public year-round. We’re back on track and certainly looking forward to another capstone tournament this summer.”

For more information, call (260) 210-6536 or visit fort waynepinball.com. ❚

Mike “The Wizard” Burgess owns the largest pinball arcade in Indiana and one of the largest in the world.

COLA is Sweet for Social Security Recipients

If you receive Social Security, you’ve probably already heard that your checks in 2023 will be bigger – considerably big ger, in fact. How can you make the best use of this extra money?

Here’s what’s happening: For 2023, there’s an 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security benefits – the largest increase in 40 years. Also, the monthly Medicare Part B premiums are declining next year, to $164.90/month from $170.10/month, which will also modestly boost Social Securi ty checks for those enrolled in Part B, as these premiums are automatically deducted.

Of course, the sizable COLA is due to the high inflation of 2022, as the Social Se curity Administration uses a formula based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). So, it’s certainly possible that you will need some, or perhaps all, of your larger checks to pay for the increased cost of goods and services. But if your cash flow is already relatively strong, you might want to consider these sug gestions for using your bigger checks:

• Reduce withdrawals from your investment portfolio. When you’re retired, you will likely need to withdraw a certain amount from your portfolio each year to meet your expenses. A boost in your Social Security may enable you to withdraw less, at least for a year. This can be particularly advantageous when the mar kets are down, as you’d like to avoid, as much as possible, sell ing investments and withdrawing the money when investment prices are low. And the fewer investments you need to sell, the longer your portfolio may last during your retirement years.

• Help build your cash reserves. When you’re retired, it’s a good idea to maintain about a year’s worth of the amount you’ll spend from your portfolio in cash, while also keeping three months’ of your spending needs in an emergency fund, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. Your higher Social Se curity checks could help you build these cash reserves. (Also, it’s helpful to keep another three to five years’ worth of spend ing from your portfolio in short-term, fixed-income investments, which now, due to higher interest rates, offer better income op portunities.)

• Contribute to a 529 plan. You could use some of your ex tra Social Security money to contribute to a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan for your grandchildren or other family members.

• Contribute to charitable organizations. You might want to use some of your Social Security money to expand your chari table giving. Your generosity will help worthy groups and pos sibly bring you some tax benefits, too.

While it’s nice to have these possible options in 2023, you can’t count on future COLA increases being as large. The jump in inflation in 2022 was due to several unusual factors, includ ing pandemic-related government spending, supply shortages and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It’s quite possible, perhaps even likely, that inflation will subside in 2023, which, in turn, would mean a smaller COLA bump in 2024.

Nonetheless, while you might not want to include large an nual COLA increases as part of your long-term financial strat egy, you may well choose to take advantage, in some of the ways described above, of the bigger Social Security checks you’ll re ceive in 2023. When opportunity knocks, you may want to open the door. ❚

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states and Washington D.C., through Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P., and in California, New Mexico and Massachusetts through Edward Jones Insurance Agency of California, L.L.C., Edward Jones Insurance Agency of New Mexico, L.L.C., and Edward Jones Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, L.L.C. California Insurance License OC24309.

Pamela S. Covington, CFP® RICP® AAMS®

Financial Advisor

6525 Constitution Drive, Fort Wayne, IN, 46804 (260) 478-8038

edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/ pam-covington

Firmly Fixed

We humans get into a lot of trouble by forgetting God’s God and we’re not.

Hubris often rules our lives until we find ourselves helpless in an impossible situation. Only then do we remember we’re made of dust. If we’re wise, we run like chil dren back into God’s open arms. We resolve to keep the Greatest Commandment: to love God with all our heart, soul and mind, both in good times and bad. (Matthew 22:37-39)

The Bible, especially the Old Testament, is full of the following story: God puts person/people in a good situa tion. Person forgets God. Person stumbles. (Pride goes before a fall, Proverbs 16:18). Person returns to God and begs for help. God looks at person’s heart and responds accordingly.

It’s worth repeating that God looks on our hearts, not our credentials. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Sam. 16:7)

The Old Testament reveals a parade of flawed and disadvantaged persons who succeed against grave odds only when they humble themselves before God. Deborah leads armies in a man’s world; Gideon faces down his anxiety disorder; Moses overcomes a speech impediment; Jacob is a liar; Rahab is a prostitute; Noah drinks too much; Jephthah is illegitimate; Oncehumble King David lets power go to his head and commits murder and adultery. No human will ever be “good.” (Mark 10:18) But each of us has an open invitation to cling to the One who is – to love Him with our heart, soul and mind.

Apostle Paul, the top brass of the early church, asks God three times to remove a painful hardship from his life. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ESV). But God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul responds: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, per secutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Through our loving obedience, God unleashes his power of good. Our task is not to be good, but to keep our eyes firmly fixed on the One who is. ❚ – Janine Pumilia

Check out state-of-the-art exhibits and engaging programming to learn the rich history of this one-of-a-kind county.

A Full Christmas Extravaganza at “Noel”

By Lindsey Lukas, senior editor

The holiday season is a perfect time to create family memo ries. That’s the whole idea behind “Noel,” a dazzling and uplifting show presented by Shipshewana Majestic.

Touted as two full hours of nonstop Christmas excitement, “Noel” is returning to the charming Amish town of Shipshewa na, Ind., at the Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver St., on Dec. 9-10 and 13-17 at 7 p.m., and Dec. 10 and 17 at 1 p.m.

“It’s a wholesome family show with longevity,” says Karen Flanhardt, director of the Michiana Event Center. “‘Noel’ gives you a warm, loving, family-togetherness type of atmosphere.”

Along with the Michiana Event Center, “Noel” is made pos sible by Water 2 Wine Family Entertainment. A family-owned

company, Water 2 Wine specializes in producing family-friendly programming with an emphasis on sharing their love of Christ.

Audience members at “Noel” can witness equestrian per formances, featuring impressive horses and riders alike, in ad dition to singers, dancers, aerialists, performing dogs and more. The show also emphasizes “the reason for the season,” the birth of Jesus Christ. “Noel” features a large living nativity complete with a re-creation of the stable and manger in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The audience watches as angels, wise men and real-life camels come out to witness the birth of their Savior. Other animals including sheep, goats, a donkey and a cow also make appearances.

Audiences can expect two hours of non-stop Christmas excitement at “Noel,” happening throughout December at the Michiana Event Center, in Shipshewana.

While the two-hour production is full of Christmas-themed entertainment, there’s also festive pre-show and intermission ac tivities at “Noel.” Doors open two hours before the main event, and for $10 per activity, guests can take photos with Santa Claus, ride a camel, and/or get their faces painted.

Camel rides are also available during intermission, as well as taking photos with the “Noel” hog.

As another treat, guests can opt to enjoy a feast that begins 1.5 hours before the show. The menu features a mixed garden sal ad garnished with cranberries, a main course of turkey and gravy, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans and garlic biscuits, and des sert of chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and peppermint shavings. Drinks include water, lemonade and coffee.

Tickets for the meal must be purchased in advance and in addition to the main event tickets, and cost $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 4-11. Children ages 3 and under can eat at no cost.

During the meal, guests are able to enjoy a juggling and com edy variety show from Niels Duinker, a Netherlands native who has performed in more than 40 countries and holds eight Guin ness World Records.

Clubs and machetes are just a few things he may juggle, and

comedy mixed with audience participation is to be expected dur ing his performance.

After the main show, guests can also take advantage of the VIP experience, which includes a backstage tour. VIPs get to meet the cast, take pictures, have souvenirs autographed, see the animals up close and even ride the horses.

Tickets for “Noel” cost $34.95 for adults and $19.95 for chil dren ages 4-11. Children 3 and under can enter free. The VIP ex perience is an additional $10 per person, but groups of 12 or more can receive a discount by calling (260) 768-4990 ahead of time.

In addition to “Noel,” The Michiana Event Center has a long lineup of family-friendly entertainment scheduled for next year.

“There are nearly 150 events happening in 2023,” Flanhardt says.

Built in 2017, the Michiana Event Center sits on 26 acres of land and has a 5500-seat coliseum, a 100,000-square-foot trade/ expo center and a 340-stall horse barn. Events include everything from auctions, horse sales, craft shows and fundraisers to go kart ing, tractor pulls, rodeos, the circus and more.

For more information about “Noel” or future events at the Michiana Event Center, visit michianaevents.com, call the box office at (260) 768-4990, or the main line at (260) 768-3300.

Entertainment at “Noel” includes dancing, equestrian performances, aerialists and more. Guests with VIP tickets can meet the talented cast after the show.

Enjoy the Outdoors All Year With a Fire Pit

By Peggy Werner

As temperatures dip, people can extend their enjoyment of the outdoors with fire pits that pro duce heat as well as ambiance.

“Depending on the size of the fire pit, heat can radiate from a radius of six to 16 feet, providing a nice, cozy feeling while sitting outside in cooler weather,” says Sam Schmucker, co-owner of The BBQ Store and More, 17007 Doty Road, New Haven.

Sales of fire pits have greatly in creased as people want to expand their home entertaining to include the out doors, he says.

The local family-owned business opened four years ago, having merged with S & W Swing Sets that was in busi ness for 30 years. The store has all things to do with BBQ, including a wide assort ment of grills, griddles, smokers, and more. To help customers make the most

of cooking outdoors, they also sell patio furniture, playsets, gazebos and pavil ions. The 4,500-square-foot showroom also has outside displays.

BBQ Store and More carries “Breeo” and “Warming Trends” brand fire pits, both quality products made in America with good warranties, Schmucker says.

“What sets us apart is we know our product and have the best customer service to help people know how to ac complish the look and result they want to achieve,” he says.

Breeo invented the first smoke less fire pit in 2011, which can be used to grill food. The fire pits are about 90 percent smokeless after burning for 12-15 minutes. Breeo fire pits work through a double-wall secondary combustion de sign. When the fire is burning, the walls heat up and the hot air rises through the gap between the two walls. The air exits

the wall cavity through a series of holes around the rim. The pressurized heated oxygen mixes with the smoke and causes it to reburn. Available in three sizes and 15 styles, Breeo fire pits can stand alone or be surrounded by a brick or stone outer wall to give a different look and blend with landscaping. The Warming Trends fire pits have a patent-pending technol ogy behind the brass crossfire burner that uses an air-to-gas ration to produce a tall er, brighter, and fuller flame, resembling a natural wood burning fire.

For more information, call the store at (260) 632-0620. ❚

Is Your Home Well-Insulated for Winter?

By Peggy Werner

As the temperatures dip and heating costs rise, there’s no better time to make sure your home is well-insulated for energy savings and comfort.

Koala Insulation of Fort Wayne, 5427 Keystone Dr., spe cializes in high-performance insulation to deliver comfort, lower energy bills and reduced noise, in addition to protecting the en vironment by reducing energy waste.

“We cover the entire spectrum of insulation products from batt [rolled fiberglass] to sound deadening, to spray foam and the newest state-of-the-art cellulose products,” says Owner Greg Williams.

Open and closed cell spray foam are both newer technolo gies and are great solutions for air sealing and insulation, but they are more expensive than fiberglass or cellulose, Williams says. Koala is an exclusive Nu-Wood cellulose installer for Northeast Indiana, and one of the benefits of the product is a 10-year utility reduction guarantee.

Heating and cooling account for more than half of a home’s energy costs. As a home ages, insulation deteriorates and so do seals around windows, doors and lights.

Water leaks and rodent feces can ruin fiberglass and cel lulose insulation. If you have had problems with mice, bats, rats or other wild animals, chances are your insulation has been af fected, Williams says.

“We can vacuum out any contaminated insulation and re place it with new product. Signs of deterioration include in creased energy costs, feeling colder in the winter and feeling hotter in the summer. Most insulation settles after time and we simply have to blow in or top off the existing insulation base to increase the ‘R’ value, which is an indicator of how well insula tion is working to keep heat in or out of a home” he says.

Insulation is designed to slow the loss of heating or cooling in a home, but there also needs to be proper airflow to avoid mold, the spreading of pollutants, energy loss and a negative im pact on health.

“Ventilation is important to control the environment in a home,” Williams says. “When properly installed, insulation will not cover or block air flow through soffit vents. Solar attic fans can ensure proper attic ventilation. Keeping the attic temperature lower in the summer months will maximize energy efficiency and comfort.”

Koala Insulation has more than 15 years of experience in construction and home services and does free on-site insulation evaluations to determine which product fits each homeowner’s needs and budget. Most jobs can be completed in one day.

“We will help you in the decision-making process, are de pendable and will leave no mess behind,” Williams says.

For a free consultation, call Koala at (260) 582-2240. ❚

Current Trends in Home Renovation

By Peggy Werner

Founded in the historic district of New Haven more than 60 years ago, Trinity Kitchen, Bath and Lighting, 11034 Lincoln Highway E, has evolved through the years to be a “one-stop shop” for home renovation.

Owner Kevin Walsh bought the business 18 years ago with plans to breathe new life into it with new product lines, increased sales, improved relationships with existing customers, and by bringing in new customers.

Five years ago, Walsh opened a lighting center in Indianapo lis and meanwhile changed the name of the New Haven store to reflect the growth that had taken place from adding cabinets, countertops and other products for home renovation.

“Since the pandemic, more people are spending time at home and wanting to update and renovate their kitchens and baths,” Walsh says. “It’s been great for our business in recent years. I’ve always wanted to own a small business and when this opportunity came along, I liked the product and wanted to build on what was already here.”

Today, there are still some issues with the supply chain, but it’s not as bad as it was a year ago. Price increases, too, seem to have settled down, Walsh says. He believes that anyone can do a home renovation, not just those with a large budget.

“We offer great, quality products and can work within any budget, whether wanting to save money or make a dream come true,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be a matter of deciding to do it or not do it. You can go with fewer features and still have a good result.”

Designer Anna Francis Biz says homeowners who want to create a different look usually begin their kitchen renovations with new countertops. They’ll also often add an island for more meal preparation space and storage.

The most popular flooring choices right now are durable and easy-to-clean hardwood or luxury vinyl, and cabinets are trend ing toward darker colors like deep blue and black-brown, Biz adds. Today, tile is mainly used for backsplashes, she says.

“Light, bright and interesting” is the goal of most people who want to renovate a bathroom, Biz continues. Ceramic and porcelain tiles in various shapes and patterns can be used throughout the entire bathroom. Light colors make a room look bigger and are most often accented with dark hardware for cab inets, faucets and shower heads, usually stainless steel with a black matte finish.

For more information about home renovation, visit trinity homecenter.com or call (260) 493-2574. ❚

Smooth Tuesdays

Every Tuesday, 6-9 p.m., enjoy the best in soft rock and classic hits with rotating art ists. Clyde Theater, 1808 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne, (574) 344-0566, clydetheatre.com.

Nashville Thursdays

Weekly country, bluegrass and other free live music 7-10 p.m. in the Clyde Theater Club Room. Food and drink specials. 1808 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne, clydeclubroom.com.

Fort Wayne Komets

Join the Jungle and cheer on the Fort Wayne Komets as they make another run for a cham pionship. Games are at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Visit komets.com to see the complete 2022-2023 schedule.

20th Annual Santa Train

Thru Dec. 18, Saturdays 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sundays noon-4:30 p.m. Explore Santa’s rail road workshop and take a 20-minute ride on a heated train. Due to demand, tickets must be purchased online and in advance. Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee serves warm beverages and baked goods. 15808 Edgerton, New Haven, fortwaynerailroad.org

YLNI Winter Farmers Market

Thru April 29, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for fresh produce, a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables, hand-made jewelry and crafts, lo cal artwork and more at the former Wayne Candy Factory building, 1501 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne, facebook.com/YLNIFarmersMarket/.

“The Nutcracker”

Dec. 2-4 & 8-11, Thu. & Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Holiday magic abounds as Clara’s toy Nutcracker springs to life and sweeps her off to a land of won derment. Presented by Fort Wayne Ballet at the Arts United Center, 303 E. Main St., Fort Wayne, (260) 484-9646, fortwayneballet.org.

Wild Zoo Wonderland

Dec. 2-4, 9-11, 16-22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Visit San ta in his workshop, enjoy story time featuring ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas at the Zoo,’ decorate cookies, take free train rides and more. Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, 3411 Sher man Blvd., Fort Wayne, kidszoo.org

Lindsey Stirling Snow Waltz Tour

Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m. Lindsey Stirling enchants audiences across the globe by performing a

certain spellbinding magic with her electronic violin. Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, fwembassytheatre.org.

Harlem Globetrotters 2023 World Tour

Dec. 26, 7 p.m. Your favorite Globetrotter stars are bringing their amazing basketball skill and outrageous athleticism for a nonstop good time. Join the Globetrotters as they go head-to-head against the Washington Generals who will stop at nothing to try and defeat the world’s “winningest” team. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, memorialcoliseum.com. ❚

The Harlem Globetrotters bring their world tour to Fort Wayne on Dec. 26.

Smart Living Fort Wayne