Vol. 39, No. 35
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
of Wabash County Inc. November 9, 2016
www.thepaperofwabash.com Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
IUK, Promise join forces Local 8th graders have chance to earn $1,000 scholarships By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com Indiana University Kokomo is teaming with Wabash County Promise to provide scholarships for Wabash County students who participate in the local program. IUK Chancellor Susan SiameGiesecke pledged $1,000 scholarships to all current eighth grade students who meet program requirements and enroll at IU Kokomo. The scholarships were announced during a brief ceremony Monday, Nov. 7, in the Wabash County YMCA lobby. IUK and Wabash County Promise officials were on hand, as were representatives from the Community Foundation of Wabash County and the three local school districts. Siame-Giesecke, during brief remarks, said it was the job of a chancellor of a regional campus to help lift up the region it serves. Wabash is one of about 14 communities in the region served by IUK. “We can lift the region up by helping more and more young
people, helping them realize the potential of going to college,” she said. “It was just natural when we heard about what Wabash was doing, and how impressive it was, and what it was doing to help their young people rise to college.” She said thousands of young people come through the IUK campus each year. “What we want them to do is to see college, to feel college, to see themselves in college,” Siame-Giesecke said. “Hopefully they will look around and see the hundreds of young people from Wabash who are attending IU Kokomo. Hopefully they look up and say, ‘Hey, that’s Joey’s brother or that’s Mary’s sister, and I could go there, too.’” IUK officials, she said, will continue to encourage area principals to bring their students to the campus to realize the experience. “We really don’t care where the students go to college,” Siame-Giesecke said. “We’d like for them to come to IU Kokomo. But if they choose to go to Ball State or Purdue or wherever
Clint Kugler, Wabash County YMCA CEO and the person who spearheaded the Wabash County Promise program, speaks with Indiana University Kokomo Chancellor Susan Siame-Giesecke. Photo by Joseph Slacian they choose to go, we planted the seed to help raise the region up in an educational way.” She noted that the $1,000 can be combined with many other scholarships available to the students. “You think about that, with a tuition of $7,500, and college becomes very real,” SiameGiesecke said. “It’s not this outrageous number that you hear
in the press, that college is too expensive and that you just can’t do it. With $7,5000, and you already have a $1,000 scholarship, and think about what’s in that savings account … and the child is off to college.” Promise Indiana Vice President Phil Maurizi called the partnership between the program and IUK “an opportunity for the campus to become
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71 years later, World War II vet reflects on service
Gray to be named Healthcare Hero By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com Daniel Gray, the director of the Wabash County Tobacco Free Coalition, is Parkview Wabash Hospital’s 2016 Healthcare Hero. On Tuesday, Nov. 2, Gray was named this year’s recipient of the Healthcare Hero Award, a title that recognizes exceptional healthcare workers and volunteers. He will receive the award at the Parkview Wabash Hospital Foundation’s 22nd annual gala on Saturday, Nov. 12. The award, which was created by the Parkview Wabash Foundation in 2000, provides an opportunity to celebrate and honor individuals like Gray for their aspirations and achievements that are geared toward the betterment of health in Wabash and surrounding communities. Chris Sloan, Wabash County YMCA director of community engagement, nominated Gray for the award. The Healthcare Hero committee then selected him as recipient for his hard work, dedication and passion to fight against tobacco use. When Gray accepted his position as the coalition’s
another champion in these children’s lives.” “The scholarship is the first from a university saying that we believe in this process of starting to prepare for college at a young age, and that we want these kids to be dreaming about going to college,” he continued. “It’s more realistic that they can go if there is money available.”
By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com
Daniel Gray (center), Director of the Wabash County Tobacco Free Coalition, is Parkview Wabash Hospital’s Healthcare Hero for 2016. He will receive his award at the Parkview Wabash Foundation’s annual Gala on Nov. 12. Picture with Gray are Kerri Mattern, PWB Healthcare Hero Committee Chairperson and Chris Sloan, Director of Community Engagement for the Wabash County YMCA. Sloan nominated Gray for the award. Photo provided
Earl Harrell, a World War II veteran, is one of many that will be honored on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11. Although 71 years have passed since his duty ended, the national holiday serves as a memorial to veterans like Harrell and the time they spent serving their country. In observation of Veterans Day, The Paper of Wabash County asked Harrell to share his story of valor.
director, Wabash County’s smoking rate was 26 percent. Since then, it has dropped to 19 percent. “Dan’s innovation and leadership has deeply and pos-
Joining the service In December 1941, Harrell, a Marion-native and former Wabash resident, enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps nearly six months after graduating high school. Why join the Air Corps? “Because I didn’t want to be on the ground forces,” Harrell told The Paper. “They were drafting my age and we decided, me and my friend (Gene Estel), we
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