Right in Our Region .....................Cover

Local Boat Show Returns Feb. 10-13

The Fort Wayne region has about 400 fresh-water lakes in which to play, most of them spring-fed and made by glaciers.

By Peggy Werner

Looking ahead to all the summer fun you can have starts with the 41st annual Fort Wayne Boat Show and Sale.

“This is the best place to come and look forward to summer,” says Tracy Sweeney, executive show director. “People can start planning and talking about their plans while looking around to see what’s new. This boat show is important because boating as an industry is good at bringing families together so they can make great memories on our many lakes in Northeast Indiana.”

The show will run Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 10-13, at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave. Hours are 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

More than 60 exhibitors, including about 40 marine dealers from Indiana and Michigan, will show their latest products, answer questions and give special incentives for the purchase of boats and watercraft, accessories, piers and more.

Daily giveaways will include free parking with a coupon on Thursday; floating speakers on Friday; and Yeti Rambler insulated cups on Saturday. The first 500 attendees on Sunday will receive boat show sunglasses.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will conduct a Water and Boating Safety class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12. Register for the class at the show’s DNR booth or go online at fortwayneboatshow.com.

Three Rivers Credit Union will be available to answer questions and provide on-the-spot financing for a boat purchase made at the show. Vendors will provide snacks such as fudge, roasted almonds and caramel corn.

Each year, the show attracts about 10,000 people from around the Midwest, and it’s grown every year, Sweeney says.

“Boating is a popular sport because people love to be outdoors,” she says. “During the pandemic, being outdoors is the safest place to be.”

A boat owner herself, Sweeney says people enjoy boating for various reasons. Some like to fish and have short, relaxing getaways; others like to exercise and do sporting activities on the water like wakeboarding, surfboarding and skiing; still others just like to bring people together, move around the lake and enjoy its natural beauty. “There’s enjoyment to be had by people of all ages and from all walks of life,” she says. “Some of the best memories are made on the lake. For a lot of families, a lake cottage or cabin reunites family members who’ve scattered in all directions due to work or other obligations.”

Sweeney anticipates this year’s show will be more popular than ever after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic.

People who want to trade in a boat are encouraged to bring pictures and information about it to help dealers determine its value.

Doug Anderson is co-owner of Wawasee Boat Company, 6521 E. Cornelius Road, Syracuse, Ind., along with his wife, Carolyn, and their son, Russell. His business is one of the largest marinas in the state, with two big showrooms and 23 storage buildings on 45 acres.

Anderson has participated in the Fort Wayne Boat Show and Sale since its beginning. He says the dealer-owned and -operated show makes the event more attractive to serious boaters, who don’t have to put up with the fanfare of a show that’s put on by

The Fort Wayne boat show is especially popular among serious boaters because it’s owned and operated by boat dealers with deep knowledge of their products and our region’s lakes and waterways. promoters and geared mostly to entertainment. “We’re businesspeople and we’re looking out for what the boating public needs and wants,” says Anderson. “We’re serious about boating, are very attuned to what this market is looking for, and, most importantly, we’re not an entertainment venue, like some shows. Any kind of boat anyone would want for the lakes and rivers of Northeast Indiana can be found at our show.” He estimates there are about 400 lakes in the area, most of which are spring-fed, fresh-water, glacier-made lakes. “Wawasee Lake is one of the lowest-latitude glacial lakes in the world. By comparison, there are only 11 glacial lakes in Ohio and four in Illinois,” he says. Anderson has observed more demand for pontoon boats, wave runners, wakeboarding and wake surfing boats, in recent years, and less demand for water skiing boats. The quality of the show speaks for itself, since most of the dealers have been with the show since its beginning. “The stability of dealers here amazes me,” says Anderson. “There’s an inherent demand for boats, boat maintenance and storage, and boat products for our lakes, and it’s quite apparent local businesses are doing a good job of taking care of people.” Admission is $10. Children under 12 are admitted free. For money-saving coupons, visit forwayneboatshow. com. To learn more, contact Sweeney at sales@fortwayneboatshow.com or call her at (260) 482-7819. ❚ About 60 dealers will exhibit at the boat show. A water and boating safety class will be taught on Saturday.

Fireplaces: Still Warming Homes and Hearts

By Janine Pumilia

There’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 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. ❚

Kevin Lehman and Chuck Ault, co-owners of Collier’s Fireplace Shoppe