Smart Living Fort Wayne - December 8, 2022

Christmas Hope

SomethingI’ve been pondering lately:

The “reason for the season” is the birth of Jesus Christ, but the meaning of Christmas can change from person to person.

I cringe to admit that when I was a kid, all I cared about was receiving presents. Between my grandparents, multiple aunts and uncles, and of course, “Santa Claus,” I’d always re ceive quite the haul. I remember something changing around age 10, when my elementary school had its first “Christmas sale.” Booths were set up all around the gymnasium for stu dents to shop at, and I carefully selected a small gift for each of my immediate family members. I had maybe a dollar left over, so I used it to buy a candle for my grandma.

Let’s be clear, that candle was no taller than 2 inches. In terms of glitz and glam, it was a pretty lame gift.

But on Christmas Day, my grandma was so touched. She didn’t expect anything from me, and even though it was just a 2-inch-tall candle, she became emotional. That Christmas was a game-changer for me.

It’s easy to get caught up in the commer cialism of Christmas. According to Gallup, consumers estimate they will spend an average of $932 on gifts this year. Thinking about the ramifications of this on the environment sends me into a tailspin. In terms of faith vs. material ism, it feels like the latter is dominating when it comes to “the meaning of Christmas.”

What gives me hope, however, is the “rea son for the season” has never changed. This is a holiday rooted in someone’s humble birth in a barn. Whether you’re Christian or not, it’s al most comical to think about. The Savior was probably 5 feet away from manure, just saying.

I think to most of us, Christmas means put ting others’ happiness before ourselves. Often times, that looks like buying a whole bunch of presents. But maybe we should ease up a bit and focus more on do ing what the Messiah did... returning light to a dark world, in whatever small ways we can. Wishing you a wonderful season,

Lindsey Lukas Senior Editor

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

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. ❚

Advice Helps When Making Charitable Gifts

Now that it’s the holiday sea son, gifts are probably on your mind – and you might intend for some of those gifts to go to charities. Although your intentions are good, you could be shortchanging both your recipients and yourself with your method of giving. But with some guidance, you can make choices that work well for you and those charita ble groups you support.

Of course, you could simply give money to these groups. However, by donating other types of assets, can you increase the value of your gift and gain greater tax benefits, too?

It’s certainly possible, but your ability to gain any tax advantages de pends somewhat on whether or not you can itemize deductions on your tax return. Due to legislation passed a few years ago that significantly increased the standard deduc tion, many people may no longer be itemizing. But if you still itemize, you can generally deduct up to 60% of your adjusted gross income for cash donations to IRS-qualified charities.

Another contribution strategy involves donating other as sets, such as stocks. You could donate stocks directly to a chari table group, but you might gain more benefits by making an ir revocable contribution to a donor-advised fund (DAF). Again, assuming you can itemize, you can deduct the full fair-market value of the asset, up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross in come, and your contributions can be invested in mutual funds or similar vehicles. The contributions have the opportunity for growth, and distributions to the charity are tax-free. You can then decide, on your own timetable, which IRS-qualified charitable groups you would like to receive the money. Furthermore, if you donate stocks that have risen in value, you won’t incur potential capital gains taxes that you would have when you eventually sold the stocks. These taxes can be considerable, especially if you’ve held the stocks for a long time. (You’ll want to consult with your tax advisor on how charitable gifts can affect your tax es, especially if you’re thinking of using a donor-advised fund.)

These charitable donation methods are not secrets, and they are available to many people – you don’t have to be wealthy to employ them. Yet, here’s an interesting statistic:

Those who work with a financial advisor on charitable strat egies are more than three times as likely to donate non-cash as sets such as stocks than those who contribute to charities but don’t work with an advisor, according to an August 2022 survey from financial services firm Edward Jones and Morning Consult, a global data intelligence company. These findings suggest that

many more people could be taking advantage of tax-smart chari table giving moves – if only they had some help or guidance.

Also, by getting some professional financial assistance, you may find it easier to implement your charitable giving decisions within your overall financial strategy, which is designed to help you meet all your important long-term goals, such as achieving a comfortable retirement.

Your instinct to help support charitable groups is a worthy one – and by getting some help, you can turn this impulse into actions that may work to everyone’s benefit.

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation. ❚

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

The Christmas Story

The following is a portion of the Christmas Story from Luke chapter 2. Give yourself the gift of some quiet time this holiday to con template the greatest gift of all.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terri fied. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heav enly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the high est heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shep herds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told ... ❚

-Janine Pumilia

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. ❚

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.

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. 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 wonderment. Pre sented by Fort Wayne Ballet at the Arts Unit ed Center, 303 E. Main St., Fort Wayne, (260) 484-9646, fortwayneballet.org.

Wild Zoo Wonderland

Dec. 9-11, 16-22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Visit Santa 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

Clara’s toy nutcracker comes to life in Fort Wayne Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 8-11.

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. ❚