The Paper of Wabash County - Dec. 14, 2016, issue

Page 1

Vol. 39, No. 40

PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326

of Wabash County Inc. December 14, 2016

www.thepaperofwabash.com Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977

County Council member resigns By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com

Dennis Starbuck and his daughter, Denise Snavely, take boxes from the Operation Christmas Spirit headquarters on Saturday morning. Photo by Emma Rausch

Christmas Spirit helps 900-plus By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com Santa Claus joined Wabash County Christmas Spirit volunteers Saturday morning, Dec. 10, to deliver gifts of holiday cheer to more than 950 youth. The day marked the program’s 48th anniversary, although it has not always been known by its current

name. In 1968, the late Ombra Keffaber and her husband, John, originally founded the program as “Santa’s Workshop” before it was taken over by the now-close Youth Service’s Bureau in 2002 and renamed “Operation Elf.” Wabash County Christmas Spirit took over the holiday service program in 2012 and has continued the

local tradition of assisting 982 youth and 365 families in need this year, according to Jennifer McConahay Meyer. Volunteers traveled to all corners of the county delivering gifts such as dolls, clothes, footballs and, even, mattresses to families in need. The program means a lot to the county’s community no matter if an (continued on page 10)

Wabash Presbyterian to host Blue Christmas service By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com Christmas is not always the most wonderful time of the year. To help those feeling lost this season, the Wabash Presbyterian Church will be hosting a Blue Christmas service Wednesday evening, Dec. 14. The service will acknowl-

edge the reality of life, “that life can be difficult,” according to Jonathan Cornell, WPC pastor. “There is a tension that we feel when the culture around us, the advertisers, the messages that are being sent to us (say) what we’re we are supposed to be feeling and what everyone around us is feeling during the most wonderful time of

the year,” Cornell told The Paper of Wabash County. “Sometimes, if we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t feel that. “I think what this service is is an attempt to kind of reclaim the season of Advent, which in the Christian church is a time of waiting. It’s a time of preparation.” The service will reflect on

the story of Mary and Joseph when they discovered she was pregnant with Jesus, he continued. “In a fiercely conservative Jewish culture, an unwed teenager who is expecting would have been a very scandalous thing,” Cornell said. “So for them, their journey to Bethlehem and the story of Jesus’s birth is surrounded by intrigue and (continued on page 10)

Claude Markstahler, Wabash County Council District 1 representative, resigned Monday night, Dec. 5, following the council’s final meeting of the year. Markstahler joined Chairman Mike Ridenour and Vice Chairman William Ruppel as they also exited the council, as their terms ended this year. Unlike Ridenour and Ruppel, Markstahler had two years remaining on his term. “We bought a place near where two sets of our

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children live in Dekalb County and I kind of hinted to some of the guys that we were going to be moving,” he said, “and I decided, (because) I didn’t know if I was going to be doing this in January, that it’s easier to make the switch at the end of the (year).” Markstahler served on the council for 14 years. With his seat vacant, Chester Township precinct committeemen will vote in closed caucus for a replacement. To be eligible, candidates must be members of the Republican Party “in good standing,” live within the district and file for the seat 72 hours prior to the caucus, according to Barbara Pearson, Wabash County Republican Party chair. Pearson told The Paper of Wabash County that as party chair, she is in charge of overseeing the caucus. “All six Chester Township committeemen will be voting on (the successor) at a caucus … but since Claude was a Republican and the county seat was held by a Republican, then the Republican Party is responsible for filling the vacancy,” she said. “So we have to make sure (the candidate) is a Republican in good standing (continued on page 10)


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