Nonprofits step up to meet FALL FOOD DEMAND
By LILLI DWYER Staff Writer
As fall continues and the Thanksgiving season approaches, food pantries and other organizations are preparing to do everything they can to address food insecurity in their communities.
Combined Community Services of Warsaw, for instance, typically serves about 800 families through its food pantry every month.
Shawne Buller of CCS reported the pantry served 912 families in the month of October. The annual Food-A-Thon food drive is held every November in order to keep up its stock through the winter months.
Warsaw Salvation Army Envoy Ken Locke has found an uptick in demand for food pantry offerings.
“When we compare it over last year, we saw a 17% increase in requests,” he noted.
Locke said there could be several reasons for the recent increase, but, “I think the main thing is food costs are up right now. And if people are on a fixed income, they’re really trying to stretch that.”
For many, food pantry offerings can help fill in the gaps where their needs are not being met.
“If they want to have something for their holiday, maybe they’re trying to bring their family together, then this just helps to supplement what they’re trying to do,” Locke added.
Also, in the spirit of community assistance, the Elks Lodge of Warsaw offers a Thanksgiving meal at no cost to the public each year.
People can either pick up their meals at American Legion Post
mentioned its organization has been carrying on the tradition of the community Thanksgiving dinner for 44 years now, and many of the same volunteers have been cooking, delivering and handing out meals for the past 20 years.
“They feel the need in the community,” said Hughes. “There’s a lot of older people that can’t get out and if we weren’t doing Thanksgiving for them, then they wouldn’t have Thanksgiving. I think that’s the drive for most of the people that help out; they just want to make sure that people are getting a Thanksgiving dinner.”
For those in the Nappanee area, The Center has a food pantry and offers something similar. Anyone who lives within the Wa-Nee Community Schools district or
FILLING A NEED — Last year, the Food-aThon food drive brought in over 6,000 pounds of food. CCS’ pantry typically serves 800 families per month, with a total of 912 families served in October. Photo provided by Combined Community Services.
STOCKING UP — In the fall, area food pantries are looking to keep their shelves stocked. Combined Community Service of Warsaw holds its Food-a-Thon food drive every November to keep the pantry stocked through the winter. This year’s drive took place Nov. 8-9.
Last year, volunteers from local businesses, including Zimmer-Biomet, chipped in to fill the pantry. Photo provided by Combined Community Services.
who has children in the schools can receive Thanksgiving din ner trimmings and a Martin’s Supermarket gift card for their own turkey or ham. The Center is located at 107 E. Marion St., Pick-up times are during regu
• Gospel Hill Pentecostal, 303
• Our Father’s Pantry, 2212 E.tries in Elkhart and Kosciusko -
Counselor gives clients hope for positive change
By LAURIE LECHLITNER Staff Writer
“I’m very interested in neuropsychology — the study of how behavior affects the brain and nervous system” stated Sandy Stauffer, Warsaw. “Because our brain is constantly regenerating cells, we can grow new brain cells even into old age. We can change some gene expression by our behaviors. Because of this, you can go to bed a slightly different person than when you woke up that morning. This gives us hope.”
Stauffer has been a counselor at Lifetouch Ministry, Warsaw, for five years.
“I’ve always wanted to help people. I started out as a dental hygienist in public health. I participated in Stephen Ministries at my church but I’ve always wanted to be a counselor.”
Stauffer earned her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Grace College in her early 60s.
Stauffer understands people need to be heard and understood. She doesn’t offer ad-
vice. She works with clients to understand who they are and what they’re struggling with. The first few counseling sessions are spent with Stauffer actively listening to the client.
“Clients talk and I reflect back what I think I’ve heard. This gives them a chance to correct me. We continue this process until the client feels that I understand them. Once a client feels really heard, we will begin work on goals and skills.”
Stauffer has always considered herself a pretty good listener. “Every person is a unique creation of God. As a counselor I need to be curious about the person sitting across from me. I want to help them discover their own uniqueness and help them see the person God created them to be — a uniquely lovely individual.”
Because Lifetouch is a non-profit ministry, when Stauffer has the opportunity, she can share with clients the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. “Christ died for our sins. Salvation is a free gift for those who accept His payment for
their sins. That’s good news.”
However, Stauffer makes it clear she does not force her beliefs on clients. “In a secular agency, I might not have the opportunity to share my faith but we are Biblically based. I hope to reflect that each person is made in the image of God and highly valued by Him. I want a client to understand their true identity based on their relationship to Jesus Christ.”
Counselors need to have particular skills to work in any organization. “We must be able to empathize. We must desire to help people. We need adequate training in theory and practice. We need to listen non-judgmentally without labeling clients.” Stauffer emphasized, “It is not within the scope of my Indiana LMHC license to diagnose clients.”
She also sees the necessity of meeting a person where they are. “I’m not here to label clients or jump to conclusions. I want to help clients understand themselves better and to help guide them to more healthy beliefs and behaviors.”
Don’t Miss Out On Winning Some Christmas Bucks!
Ace Hardware-North Webster
Arby’s-North Detroit St., Warsaw
BatteryTech-Millersburg
Biryani Kitchen-Warsaw
Brouwers Carpet and Furniture-Warsaw
Burkholder Country Store-Nappanee
BZ Auto Group-Ligonier
Casey’s Erosion & Seed Solutions-Goshen
Chubbie’s Pub-N-Grub-Syracuse
Clayton’s Garden Center-North Webster
Creighton’s Crazy Egg Cafe-Warsaw
Decorative Beginnings-Warsaw
Dental Solutions-Warsaw
Dockside Apparel & Gifts-Syracuse
Grandma’s Pantry-Wakarusa
H & L Motors & Decorative Beginnings-Warsaw
Heritage Fabrics-Nappanee
Hometown Pharmacy-Warsaw
JB’s Furniture-Warsaw
Maggie’s Coffee & Treats-Warsaw
Millersburg Feeds-Millersburg
Millersburg Lumber Co. Inc.-Millersburg
NAPA Auto Parts-Warsaw, Syracuse & North Webster
Neighborhood Fresh-North Webster & Syracuse
Oak & Alley Public House-Warsaw
Olympia Candy Kitchen-Goshen
Papa John’s Pizza-Warsaw
Pine Valley Feeds-New Paris
Reinholt’s Town Square Furniture-Warsaw
Service Liquors-Warsaw
Simplify Tech-New Paris
Steuby’s-Leesburg
The Spectacle Shoppe-Warsaw
Village Florist-Warsaw
Woodling Tire & Auto-Syracuse
A WELCOME SMILE Sandy Stauffer has been a counselor at Lifetouch Ministry, Warsaw, for five years. Because Lifetouch is a non-profit ministry, she is able to share the lifegiving message of Jesus Christ with her clients. It’s her desire for clients to understand the love of Jesus Christ as she works with them toward their personal goals. Photo provided by Sandy Stauffer.
Stauffer has been married for 45 years. She and her husband love spending time with their grandson. “My grandson is a joyful person.”
She concluded, “It is my desire for a client to fully understand the love of Jesus Christ as we work together toward their personal goals.”
Menards hosts
toy
drive and Enchanted Forest
In the spirit of Christmas, your local Menards home improvement stores are proudly serving as a toy drive drop-off site.
Menards is excited to participate in this wonderful opportunity to put smiles on the faces of less fortunate children in the community. They will have a drop box near the exit door to collect new and unwrapped presents from now through the end of November.
A growing tradition in the Midwest for more than 50 years, expe-
rience the magic of Christmas by visiting the Enchanted Forest at Menards. Kids of all ages will be fascinated by the beautifully- decorated trees, colorful lights, wonderful displays and Christmas decor, which make up the Enchanted Forest.
It’s been a most unusual year for everyone, and a visit with your family to the Menards’ Enchanted Forest might be the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit and restore the wonder of Christmas.
Free community dinner in Pierceton Nov. 21
Pierceton will once again have a drive-thru-only, free community dinner starting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Parish Church Hall, 408 W. Catholic St., Pierceton.
The meal is being offered a week before Thanksgiving, serving as a reminder of gratitude the
community is able to pull together to provide a free meal every other month, organizers said.
The menu for November will be chicken noodle soup, crackers, fruit cup and cookies.
The meal is truly free, but donations will be accepted to assist with the next meal in January.
Kozon Plumbing and Heating NWTT Chamber Member of the Month
The North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce announces Kozon Plumbing and Heating as the October Business of the Month.
Co-Owners Brandy Kozon-Hatfield and Jeremy Stookey accepted the acknowledgment from the Chamber and received accolades from other
community members, “ You guys deserve it! You all work so hard!”
After 40-plus years in the industry, Kozon Plumbing and Heating released a new logo and rebranding this past summer, but the quality of service for full-service plumbing, heating and cooling, and electrical
services is assured to stay the same.
“From the littlest drip to the largest project, no call is too big or too small for the professionals of KPH,” says their website, kozonplumbingandheating.com. Company officials can also be reached at (260) 856-2225.
Area business featured in ‘Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana’ tournament
By LILLI DWYER Staff Writer
Voting for the Indiana Chamber’s fourth annual “Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana” online tournament has officially begun.
This year’s contest includes 90 entrants from over 50 cities, encompassing a wide variety of products. Voting is available online at indianachamber.com/ coolestthing, along with information on all participating businesses and their products.
Some of the area business-
es featured in the competition include Bond Technologies of Elkhart, manufacturers of the CW-15, the first welding machine for sealing canisters of nuclear fuel for safe final disposal. Other Elkhart businesses are: Crown Broadcast, makers of the Companion, a device that controls radio transmissions remotely; and ThermoDyne, which makes the Data Bunker, a heavy-duty data protection device.
Goshen Brewing Co. entered not only as makers of food and craft beer, but as a community
hub, citing cultural event and fundraising events it hosts, like the Ethiopian Meal night for Ten Thousand Villages.
Nappanee’s GEN-Y Hitch entered its GEN-Y SNAP LATCH, a self-latching trailer hitch.
From New Paris, KMC Controls’ entry is its TrueFit Airflow Measurement device.
New Paris’s Smoker Craft has entered the DLZ Bar, a convertible bar for boats.
Other area businesses include Columbia City’s 80/20 LLC and Gator; and Shipshewana’s Lambright Country Chimes and Silver Star Leather.
Junior Achievement hosting Pirate Mystery Dinner
The voting schedule includes seven rounds:
Round 1: Oct. 31 — Nov. 5
Round 2: Nov. 6-11
Round 3: Nov. 12-15
Round 4: Nov. 16-21
Friday, Nov. 15
Looking for a novel way to have some fun in the month of November and at the same time support students in the Warsaw and Tippecanoe Valley Schools?
Buy yourself and your “maties” tickets to the first ever Pirate Mystery Dinner from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15.
This event will be held at The Roost, 4217 West Old Road 30,
Second District mobile office hours Nov. 26
Republican U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, representing Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District, has set up mobile staff office hours for November throughout the district. Mobile office hours allow Yakym’s staff to assist constituents with questions.
In Kosciusko County, mobile office hours will be from 1:303:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Warsaw City Hall, 102 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw.
Warsaw. Dinner will be provided by Hogs R Wild. Tickets are $60 per person or your whole crew of eight can attend for just $600.
Proceeds from these events benefit local students through Junior Achievement career education and exploration activities.
Round 5: Nov. 22-26
Semis: Nov. 27 — Dec. 2
Finals: Dec. 3-5
All rounds conclude at 9 p.m. Rounds two through to the finals begin at 9 a.m.
Last year, Hoosier Racing Tire took home the winning title for its racing tire.
The 2024 top prize will be presented at this year’s Best IN Manufacturing Awards luncheon Dec. 11.
NWTT CHAMBER MEMBER OF THE MONTH Kozon Plumbing and Heating was recently recognized as the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month for October. Shown from left are Cooper, Harley, Brandy Kozon-Hatfield and Jeremy Stookey, owners.
Church hosting fish fry
North Webster Church of the Brethren is hosting a fish fry Saturday, Nov. 16. The church, located at 7281 E. 600N, North Webster, will host the
meal from 4-6 p.m. or until sold out. Dinner is $15. The meal consists of fish, homemade potato chips, coleslaw, and pie. Food will be served inside.
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Good Neighbors is a column in which readers share friendly advice. To ask or answer questions, write the Shopping Guide News, Good Neighbors, P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542; fax 800-886-3796; or e-mail abias@the-papers.com. Please no phone calls.
Editor’s Note: The Good Neighbors column is for people looking for hard-to-find or old items or for people seeking advice, not for items you can find in a local store or sell through the help of a classified ad. This column will now run every other week.
Paint
Good neighbors: Are you a crafter in need of some paint or maybe you need some paint for a small project? I have multiple different colors in a variety of different amounts; some colors have a couple gallons and others have less. Call (574) 214-2020 and leave a message.
Free magazines
Good neighbors: Free magazines; you pick up. Family Life, Young Companion, Country, Country Extra and Country Gardens. Call (574) 646-2114.
New questions
Bench vise — Wanted: Good, sturdy 6-inch bench vise in good condition somewhere in the Nappanee or Etna Green area. Call (574) 209-6721.
Hearing aids — Is there a place you can get hearing aids that work without spending thousands of dollars? Reply through this column. — A reader
Craft items — Wanted: Craft items to entertain my preschool children this winter. Also looking for a small child’s rocking chair. Call (574) 325-2475.
Times drawn for Salvation Army bell ringing
The Salvation Army held its annual bell- ringing drawing for Saturdays recently at the Kosciusko County Community Foundation office in Warsaw.
Representatives have met for many years to draw the day they will volunteer to ring.
Anyone interested in ring-
ing from Nov. 29 to Dec. 24 (not Sundays) may sign up at registertoring.com to help raise funds to help others not only at Christmas but throughout the year. This year marks the 103rd annual Christmas campaign of The Salvation Army in Kosciusko County.
Times people drew for bell ringing included: Scott Fox, Warsaw Kiwanis Club, Nov. 30; Seth Bradford, Warsaw Rotary Club, Dec. 7; Jerry Deturk, Lake City Lions Club, Dec. 7; Kosciusko County Shrine Club, Dec. 14; and David Byers, Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club, Dec. 21.
BELLS WILL BE RINGING — The Salvation Army held its annual bell-ringing drawing recently at the Kosciusko County Community Foundation office in Warsaw.
Pictured from left are Seth Bradford, Warsaw Rotary Club; David Byers, Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club; Jerry Deturk, Lake City Lions Club; Scott Fox, Warsaw Kiwanis Club; and Envoy Ken Locke, The Salvation Army. Photo provided by The Salvation Army.
Community supports Old Fashioned Christmas
Chautauqua-Wawasee’s 2024
Old Fashioned Christmas is set to take place at Oakwood Resort, Syracuse, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 30, with music starting at 5:30 p.m. and activities opening at 6 p.m. after the countdown and big tree lighting.
The activities include lots of fun for kids of all ages and families — all free to attend. “I tell people to leave their wallet at home,” said Chautauqua’s Mark Knecht. “This event costs more than $11,000 to put on, so we couldn’t do it without support from local businesses and organizations who make it possible for us to offer this event for free.”
Oakwood is the perfect setting for the many activities such as the live Nativity, horse-drawn wagon rides, petting a live reindeer, visiting with Santa, taking the annual family Christmas picture, and hearing the Christmas Story read from the Bible at the historic chapel. In addition to needing financial support, the program requires more than 60 volunteers who help in setting up activities, decorations, luminaries, tents, firepits, as well as performing as characters such as the Grinch, Frosty, Elf, Gingerbread Man and others.
This year’s program will start with music groups and caroling gathered around the big tree at the Oakwood Inn. Music will be interrupted at various times to throw out Grinch and Cindy Lu Who dolls from the stage to the gathered audience. Knecht continued “last year we had huge attendance, so I’ve been reminding people to arrive early.”
The program is sponsored by Chautauqua-Wawasee, Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, town of Syracuse Parks Department, Oakwood Resort and 15 local businesses and organizations listed on the Chautauqua website and the event’s program handout.
People can monitor chqw.org
BIG TREE LIGHTING — Kicking off the Chautauqua-Wawasee’s 2024 Old Fashioned Christmas is the countdown and big tree lighting Saturday, Nov. 30. the event is held at Oakwood Resort, Syracuse. Events begin at 5:30 p.m. with music and the countdown followed by activities at 6 p.m. Photo by Larry Baumgardt. and Chautauqua-Wawasee’s Facebook for last minute changes and more information.
Melanie
Walls
Walls
Walls Ceilings Window
Woodwork
Woodwork
Woodwork
Small
Drywall
Drywall
Small
Great
Drywall
574-304-5075
‘Nine Lessons and Carols’ Dec. 7-8
This year’s Christmas offering for Winona Lake’s Christmas in the Village is titled “Noel.”
“The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols” features dozens of local singers and instrumentalists of all ages. Three identical performances will be available in the Winona Heritage Room, 901 Park Ave. in Winona Lake — at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, and 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.
Come experience the Christmas story in a way you never have before. Using the traditional “Nine Lessons and Carols” format of King’s College in Cambridge, England, while incorporating modern, familiar and fresh renditions of Christmas music, this presentation will pull you into the Christmas story and put you in the holiday spirit.
Adult, college, and youth sing-
ers will be joined by musicians from the Symphony of the Lakes in this annual Christmas extravaganza.
The Christmas concert is a production of the Community Arts Program of Kosciusko County and will include exceptional local talent. The evening of familiar carols and seasonal favorites will feature: Vocal Vision, Vocal Vision Youth, Vocal Vibes, and the Lancer Chorus of Grace College. Musicians from the Wagon Wheel Symphony of the Lakes and the Grace College String Ensemble will combine to fill the hall with Christmas spirit.
“Nine Lessons and Carols is traditionally celebrated on Christmas Eve in Cambridge, England,” stated Dr. Ardis Faber, Community Arts Program Vocal
Vision’s artistic director. “The Christmas story is framed within a larger narrative of redemption and conveys a message of hope, joy and peace that starkly contrasts the chaos experienced today.
This narrative is conveyed through a mix of Scripture readings, audience carols and performances by choirs and instrumentalists.
Faber said Bishop Edward White Benson called the service of 1880 “Festal Service for Christmas Eve.”
Using Benson’s service format, Dean Eric Milner-White of King’s College in Cambridge, England, planned a service for Christmas Eve in 1918. This simple service of hope and healing was created shortly before the end of World War I for the people, who were suffering and grieving the loss of family and friends in the war. The service was “Nine Lessons and Carols” that we know today — 100-plus years later.”
Dr. Judie Meulink, Community Arts Program Youth Program’s artistic director, commented, “Vocal Vision Youth is excited about sharing one of our favor-
IN THE VILLAGE
ite Christmas tunes: “Come and See.” This upbeat song describes the entire Christmas story and invites the audience to come and see for yourselves.
Faber summarized, “As we enter the season of Christmas, our program will deliver the message of hope and salvation in the coming of our Savior. Our gift of music is given so that all may hear the word and experience the joy of Christmas anew.”
Tickets may be purchased at capwarsaw.com. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior-aged adults, and students, and children 5 and under are free.
Elkhart Extension offering program on mindful eating
Mindful eating involves paying close attention to your food choices and hunger cues. It’s important to understand how food makes you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Learn about the benefits of mindful eating and ways to practice this healthy-eating concept.
This free educational program is presented by Emily Christ,
Purdue University Extension educator in health and human sciences in Elkhart County.
This program is being offered at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2, at the Owls Club 2715 E. Jackson Blvd., Elkhart. To register, call the Owls Club at (574) 336-2652.
The Owls Club is a private, community organization which exists to help aging adults in
Elkhart County and surrounding communities thrive.
This program and all programs of the Purdue University Extension Service are open to everyone. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, call Christ at (574) 533-0554 by Nov. 18. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The Chain-O-Lakes Barbershop Chorus will host a veterans’ celebration concert at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, to benefit the Honor Flights of Northeast Indiana.
The concert will be held at the First Baptist Church of Warsaw, 2819 Patterson Road, Warsaw. There will be performances from the barbershop chorus, as well as two local quartets, Four O’Clock Shadow and The Chain Gang.
This year’s special guest group will be Vocal Vibes. The singers serve as musical ambassadors to promote the Community Arts Program by performing through-
out the area.
Vocal Vibes is composed of eight singers from within Vocal Vision and focuses on performing more complex songs in a variety of jazz styles, many taken from the Great American Songbook.
Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose will emcee the program.
Admission is free, and all donations given will be for the Honor Flights of Northeast Indiana.
CHRISTMAS
NOEL Community Arts Program will present seasonal music for the community. The performance will feature the “Nine Lessons and Carols” with spoken and seasonal songs to lift the spirits and mark the beginning of the Christmas season. Photo by Community Arts Program.
Art in Action —
School bus tour with Kaitlyn Murphy
By DEEANNA MURASKI and DARLA MCCAMMON Guest Writers
We are back in class this week with an art teacher who instructs at Eisenhower and Harrison Elementary Schools in the Warsaw Community School district.
Kaitlyn Murphy graduated from Warsaw Community High School and then attended Wheaton College, earning her bachelor’s degree in art. After college, Murphy freelanced as a designer and illustrator; however, she felt led to instruct. She completed Taylor University’s Transition to Teaching program and has been teaching eight years in the school system.
Murphy loves inspiring all of her students, even those who feel they might not be good at art. She tells them “Even great artists have room to improve.” She shows her students how they can turn even their mistakes into masterpieces. While allowing room for creativity, she also aligns her lessons with the art skills, elements, principles and terminology required through Indiana state standards.
Murphy likes that art teaches children the beauty of creating and looking at the world in new ways. The children can then turn
that into an expression of what they see and feel.
The budding students also learn hand-eye coordination, dexterity and attention to detail. Murphy fosters the aspect of teamwork by having them help each other clean up their art supplies, have group critiques and do group or whole class collaborative pieces. Murphy gets to learn too as she sees things from the perspective of her students’ little eyes and big minds.
Murphy’s favorite medium is watercolor and colored pencil. She freelances outside of work to help keep her skills current and on trend. In summer 2024, she was able to receive a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship, which allowed her to travel along the coast of Maine and Prince Edward Island to paint en plein air (in the open air). Her favorite artist is Norman Rockwell and specifically his “The Four Freedoms” artwork pieces, which she got to experience in person.
To Go
The Norman Rockwell Museum is located in Norman Rockwell’s hometown, Stockbridge, Mass., an 11-hour car ride from Warsaw or catch a plane in Fort Wayne.
Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms” are intact and all together at the museum. Rockwell created these
LEARNING — Art teacher Kaitlyn Murphy, who instructs at Eisenhower and Harrison Elementary Schools in the Warsaw Community School district, received a Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant, which allowed her to travel along the coast of Main and Prince Edward Island to paint en plein air. She’s shown using water color, her favorite medium. Murphy freelances outside of work to help keep her skills current and on trend. Photo provided
in response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s State of the Union speech reiterating the importance of these four freedoms: freedom of speech, worship, want and fear.
Visit nrm.org.
Along with Rockwell’s paintings and memorabilia, the current exhibit is on artist Anita Kunz’s portrait series of impactful wom-
en throughout history. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; closed Wednesdays and holidays.
Pretend pups for sale
By TROY KIDDER President, Kidder Media
Editor’s Note: This article is one of the stories in Troy Kidder’s new book “The Soul of a Boy.” Kidder grew up in a small town in Elkhart County. When he and his family are not in Florida, they still reside in the area of his youth. After teaching school for a number of years, Kidder and his wife Lori started a school marketing and communication company that now extends across the country — reaching millions of people each year. He wrote his first published story, “School All Day … Lunch on a Tray” on the back of his wife’s shopping list one morning while sitting in his car waiting for the local license bureau to open. Kidder is a corporate trainer, recording artist and has also written curriculum for schools and business. He credits these stories for the many opportunities he enjoys today. His new book of stories, “The Soul of a Boy” is available at troykidderstories.com.
Ah, first grade! School all day, lunch on a tray. What can I say? It was grand. Next to lunch and gym, “Show and Tell” was my favorite time. I loved to see what other kids had and what they were doing. My imagination would run wild as my classmates shared about their father being a fireman, doctor or heavy-equipment operator — and they had the pictures to prove it. Greg Eash even brought in his dad’s
official police officer cap. Wow! Others talked about their relatives, their homes and cars, their toys and trips. But what did I have?
Then it finally happened. It was an ordinary Show and Tell Tuesday, right after Christine told about her much older brother joining the Navy. She even had a duffel bag that said “NAVY” stamped in large letters right on it.
I could take it no more. I jumped to my feet and called out, “Mrs. Yoder! Mrs. Yoder! I have something.”
Taking note of my enthusiasm, she graciously said, “Come up front, Troy, and please share this exciting news.”
Before I knew it, I had told the class that we had a litter of puppies — 10 puppies, to be exact. I continued, “And there are brown ones and black ones and brown and black ones. And even a little tan one I named Koala, since she looks like a bear.” It was wonderful. My classmates were oohing
and ahhing, wiggling and giggling. And then the request rang out: “I want one!”
“Yeah, I want one too!”
And without thinking I blurted back, “Fifty cents. Fifty cents for a puppy.”
Now that I had stirred the class into a complete frenzy, Mrs. Yoder had to step in to restore order: “Okay, okay, class. Settle down. Troy has pups for sale. You can talk with him during recess about it. But remember to ask Dad and Mom before anything is decided.”
I was feeling so good that it didn’t really hit me, at least not very hard, that I had put myself in quite a predicament. Not only would I fail to produce puppies, I didn’t even have a dog . . . male or female. I had thought the whole thing would pass, but it didn’t.
The very next day, kids were bringing me 50 cents — sometimes two quarters, sometimes pennies and nickels. And by the end of the day, I had quite a stash.
(I didn’t know what else to do, so I took the money.)
This worked fine with the excitement still high and me the center of attention for three days. It sounds funny now, but in my first-grade mind it never really occurred to me that somehow this had to end — and would end badly for me. Well, that third night or so, my buddy Bruce’s mom, Mrs.
Buller, who worked in the school cafeteria, called my mom and wanted to pick up “their” puppy. My mother was perplexed to say the least.
Funny thing is, I don’t remember the punishment or even if there was one. I don’t recall returning the money, though I’m sure my parents saw to it. And I don’t remember how the kids treated me after they found out the truth. (Kids are much more forgiving than adults in those situations anyway.) I just have a fond memory. Sure, I knew deep down that what I did was wrong. But my heart wasn’t set to deceive anyone. I just wanted to have something that nobody else had — something others admired and could enjoy with me. I guess all of us need that from time to time.
STILL
by DeeAnna Muraski.
TROY KIDDER
O B ituaries
Jeff Gose
Avid Fisherman
Jeff “Beetle” Gose, 62, Syracuse, passed away Friday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne.
He was born on Feb. 9, 1962, to Ralph and Gertrude (Crouch) Gose. On Sept. 12, 2002, he married Janet Carwile, who survives.
He was employed by Wabash of Goshen for the past seven years. Before that, he was an overthe-road trucker for many years. He was an avid fisherman and mushroom hunter. He enjoyed the outdoors, especially camping. He loved his dogs, Sophia and Cooper.
He is survived by his wife, Janet Gose of Syracuse; daughter, Brittani Gose of Elkhart; son, Casey Gose of Elkhart; stepson, John (Amber) Oswald of Syracuse; four grandchildren; and brother, Dennis Gose of Fort Wayne.
He was preceded by a stepson, Joseph Oswald; and sister, Cindy Smart.
A visitation was held from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, at Eastlund Funeral Home, Syracuse.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Welfare League.
Gaynol Lynn Von Blon
Retired From Johnson Controls
Gaynol “Gaye” Lynn Von Blon, 82, Syracuse, passed away on Saturday evening, Nov. 2, 2024, at home surrounded by her family.
She was born on July 22, 1942, the daughter of Gerald and Marjorie (Tenney) LaRue in Kosciusko County.
Gaye graduated from North Webster High School in 1960 and retired from Johnson Controls in Goshen after over 30 years of service. Gaye enjoyed sewing, crafting and gardening.
GAYNOL LYNN VON BLON
She is survived by three daughters, Lori Howe of Cromwell, Christine Flaugh and Cyndee Robbins, both of Syracuse; 12 grandchildren; a great-grandson; and nephews, Tom Hughes of Leesburg and Sheldon Cooper of Warsaw.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Sherry Hughes and Candace Cooper.
In keeping with her wishes, cremation will take place. A committal will take place at a later date at Syracuse Cemetery.
Memorial contributions in memory of Gaye may be directed to The Magical Meadows, 3386 E. 525N, Warsaw, IN 46582.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family online at mishlerfhcc.com.
James Henry Plumb Sr. Golf Course Superintendent
James Henry Plumb Sr., affectionately known as “Jim,” “Dad” or “Pawpaw,” passed away peacefully on Nov. 5, 2024, in Fort Wayne, surrounded by his devoted family. Born on March 10, 1940, to Clyde and Leora (Myer) Plumb.
He dedicated his life to the game of golf as a golf course superintendent with 32 of those years at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club. He was a member of the Anthony Wayne Lions Club, where his community service was recognized with the Lion of the Year Award and the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.
An avid euchre player, he was a beloved partner at the card table. Jim’s love for sports kept him tuned to ESPN, where he enjoyed countless highlight reels of football, basketball and golf. In the summer, early mornings often found him fishing at the lake with his grandkids.
A lover of wonder word “word search,” Jim enjoyed friendly rivalry with his sister-in-law, racing to see who could finish first. He enjoyed telling stories around the picnic table at the lake, laughing with friends or offering a kind word.
Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Marilyn (Rietdorf); and their children, Lisa Plumb (Claudia), Jim Jr. (Stephanie) Plumb, David (Melissa) Plumb and Wendi (Brian) Chalifoux. He was the proud Pawpaw of five grandchildren — Sam, Ava, Hank, Carter and Cal. Whether playing with them, cheering at their games or watching them grow, his grandchildren were the light of his life. Surviving also is his brother, Richard (Cecilia) Plumb. He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Lori Plumb.
Funeral service was Tuesday, Nov. 12, at Fairhaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 6557 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior. Visitation was also from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at the funeral home. Burial followed the service at Greenlawn Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Jim’s memory to The League for the Blind and Disabled, 5821 S. Anthony, Fort Wayne, IN 46816 or online donations to the-league.org, to ensure that his legacy continues. Donations can be made at the funeral home.
Ruby Brower
Ruby Brower, 78, Loon Lake, Columbia City, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of North Webster.
David Kuhn
David Kuhn, 85, North Webster, died Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of North Webster.
Alice Marshall
Alice Marshall, 83, Warsaw, died Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at Miller’s Merry Manor of Warsaw.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw.
William J. Reiland
William J. Reiland, 71, Syracuse, died Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at Parkview Noble Hospital.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of Syracuse.
Mary E. Smith
Mary E. Smith, 90, Warsaw, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at Miller’s Merry Manor of Warsaw.
Arrangements are currently pending at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels, Warsaw.
Booker Dean Vanover Connor and Sidney (Fisher) Vanover, Nappanee, are the parents of a son, Booker Dean, born at 3:03 p.m. Oct. 27, 2024. He weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 21 inches long.
Maternal grandparents are Kevin and Jeanie Fisher, Warsaw. Paternal grandparents are Mac and Tona Vanover, Goshen, and Art and Davonna Bills, Albion. Booker joins a sister, Ricki, 2. Jace Andre Hochstetler
Michael and Vonda Hochstetler, Nappanee, are the parents of a son, Jace Andre, born at 5:24 a.m. Nov. 4, 2024, at Blessed Beginnings Care
Center, Nappanee. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and was 19 inches long.
Benson Lee Schwartz
Joel and Samantha Schwartz are the parents of a son, Benson Lee, born at 11:48 a.m. Nov. 6, 2024, at Blessed Beginnings Care Center, Nappanee. He weighed 8 pounds, 12.2 ounces, and was 20 1/2 inches long.
Kim Jolie Hochstetler
Michael and Marilyn (Miller) Hochstetler, Nappanee, are the parents of a daughter, Kim Jolie, born at 11:52 a.m. Nov. 7, 2024. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces.
Local student graduates from UW-Madison
Just over 1,300 students received doctoral, bachelor’s, master’s and professional degrees in August from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
While there was no commencement ceremony in August, many of the graduates take part in the ceremonies the previous spring or in December. A local degree recipient is Ryan Wettschurack of Warsaw, College of Letters and Science, who received a Master of Arts in journalism and mass communication.
Matthews’ Painting Company awards $1,000 in scholarships to two youths
Matthews’ Painting Company awarded the 2024 $1,000 Young Entrepreneur Scholarship to Jerome Karth and Wesley Yoder. The community nominated many contestants across Kosciusko County. These two were chosen based on a review of their business plan and presentation of their business plan and $500 was issued to each winner with an ongoing mentorship program offered by the owner, Jason Matthews.
Jerome Karth
Jerome Karth is the oldest son of Samuel and Naomi Karth. He is a home-school student doing mostly third-grade work but is doing fourth-grade math. For several years, his family has been working to create a pollinator garden in their front yard in Syracuse, inspired by needing to replace a dead tree, which left a
large area of mulch.
In 2023, Karth took over caring for the garden, researching which plants would be best to feed and house the many pollinators of the area. In addition to planting and expanding the garden, he also added a second ecosystem in the family’s backyard, and soon realized he wanted to share his knowledge with others.
In 2024, he decided to start a gardening business where he creates and plants basic gardens to help ensure pollinators have food, water and places to live. He has plans to have a blog to help educate others on why pollinator gardens are so important. He’s already started a list of places that want to have a pollinator garden planted in 2025.
Karth hopes to help inspire others to grow pollination gardens and plans to use his business to offer
installment of basic pollinator gardens, specializing in native plants, to help others get started.
In 2025, he wants to start working toward having his personal gardens certified as wildlife habitats, due to the many animals and insects in need of places to live and grow.
Wesley Yoder
“My name is Wesley Yoder, I am a 15-year-old home-schooled student. I love playing video games and am learning game design and programming skills in school and on my own personal time. I currently own The Lemon Patch, a freshsqueezed lemonade stand, and have been growing this business for seven years. I love being funny and making people laugh.
In 2023, my brother, Jeremy, and I won a local Youth Entrepreneur Continued on page 11
JEFF GOSE
JAMES HENRY PLUMB SR.
JEROME KARTH Shown from left are Derrick Matthews, Amanda Richards, Jamey Shirk, Jada Arnett, Jerome Karth, Roger Levitz, Jason Matthews, Melissa Matthews, Victoria Zorn and Trevor Owens. Photo provided.
WESLEY YODER Shown from left are Derrick Matthews, Amanda Richards, Jamey Shirk, Jada Arnett, Roger Levitz, Wesley Yoder, Jason Matthews, Melissa Matthews, Trevor Owen and Victoria Zorn. Photo provided.
C ounty R epo R t
Court News
Small Claims
The following small claims have been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding: Rockhill Pinnick LLP v. Brandon Alfano, $2,293.13; v. Daniel Bidelman, $3,932.31; v. Mark VanBurk, $5,430.79
Stucky, Lauer and Young LLP v. Brittany Barber (Baez), $464.77; v. Ian E. Fussle, $753.46
Warsaw Health System LLC, d/b/a Kosciusko Community Hospital v. Jennifer Batta, $2,927.99; v. Christopher Monroe, $824.15; v. Kevin Riley, $809.86
Aegis Dental Group Warsaw PC v. Kyle R. Campbell, $699; v. Levi J. Hayward, $2,347.21; v. Marco I. Guzman, $1,055.68; v. Jessica N. Lackey, $775.20; v. Andrew J. Lee, $1,292.41; v. Johnny Warner, $1,355.18; v. Amanda V. Wilkinson, $2,883.83; v. Christopher D. Yates, $3,744.64
General Audit Corp. v. Tricia Chupp, $605.35; v. John R. Holmes, $2,706.51; v. Samantha J. Young, $3,340.21
Hollar Dental Group v. Tracy Corral, $984.71; v. Tess Miller, $2,441.15 CommunityWide Federal Credit Union v. Cathy L. Sechrist, $471.36 Civil Collections
The following civil collections have been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court IV, Judge Christopher D. Kehler presiding:
Citibank NA v. Thomas M. Armstrong, $3,644.65; v. Nichole Baker, $4,047.09
Ashley Starkweather, $2,959.73
OneMain Financial Group LLC v. Joshua J. Bolin, $7,020.75; v. Todd P. Crappa, $8,233.62
Midland Credit Management Inc. v. Jocelyn Combs, $7,974.14; v. Elicia Kingrey, $6,453.14 LVNV Funding LLC v. Heather Garcia, $2,405.48; v. Carrie A. Lindzy, $1,385.44
Larita Mason, $1,494.31; v. Martha Richardson, $2,092.56; v. Carrie Sturgill, $862.26; v. Everett Yoder, $932.10
Three Rivers Federal Credit Union v. Rick J. Henk, $1,658 Farmers State Bank v. Tiana Larrew, L.D. Slone III, $7,641.35 PLC, Synchrony Bank, c/o Lloyd and McDaniel v. Abby Moe, $4,233.42
Capital One NA v. Christi Muniz-Lopez, $4,024.72; v. Damon Perine, $1,965.45 and $3,342.14; v. Tamera S. Thompson, $7,383.66 PCA Acquisitions V, LLC v. Doug J. Riebe, $5,368.44
Jefferson Capital Systems LLC v. Paul Wahlig, $8,659.93 Civil Torts
The following civil tort has been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court IV, Judge Christopher D. Kehler presiding: Northern Indiana Public Service
Co. v. Jody Yeazel, $6,874.25 Plenaries
The following plenaries have been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court I, Judge Karin McGrath presiding: Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals v. Vickie S. Kain, $5,000; v. James A. Kuhn, $10,000 Evictions
The following eviction has been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding: Three Z LLC v. Elijah Prater, $6,038.15 Mortgage Foreclosures
The following mortgage foreclosures have been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding: Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC v. Jeffrey Scott Allen Sr., $181,207.96
American Neighborhood Mortgage Acceptance Co. LLC v. Evan Pickens, $203,781.80
Superior Court III
The following fines for infractions have been assessed in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding:
Speeding — Judah D. Thilmony, Warsaw, $164.50; Kalista R. Dobbins, Warsaw, $164.50; Tanner A. Rothenberger, Warsaw, $164.50; Alyssa L. Walker, Warsaw, $164.50; Trent M. Feeny, Warsaw, $164.50; Lindsay M. Gast, Rochester, $164.50; Skyler Z. Clemans, Akron, $164.50; Ethan J. Booren, Warsaw, $164.50; Haley A. Hoover, Warsaw, $164.50; Anika L. Lortie, Larwill, $164.50
Holding or using a telecommunications device while operating a moving motor vehicle — Jason F. Dorsett, Warsaw, $164.50; Tessa R. Lozano, Warsaw, $164.50
Littering — Dallas G. Honeycutt, Silver Lake, $239
Disregarding stop sign — Justin F. Clark, Warsaw, $189.50
Failure to register — Carlos A. De La Cruz, Nappanee, $164.50
Failure to register, failure of occupant to use a safety belt — Jeiman A. Perez Molina, Warsaw, $189.50
No valid driver’s license, failure of occupant to use a safety belt — Rudolph Reyna, Warsaw, $189.50
Failure of occupant to use a safety belt — Mark E. Kelly, Warsaw, $25; Bradley E. Barnes, Claypool, $25; Ritchie Hernandez, Warsaw, $25; Jusandra P. Williams, Ligonier, $25; Anthony J. Elder, Pierceton, $25; Daniel A. Alexander, Akron, $25; Rachelle J. Nicasio, Anderson, $25
Operating with expired plates
— Andrik Bautista, Milford, $164
Operating a motor vehicle without financial responsibility
Ty Wayne M. Brown, Silver Lake, $189.50
Learner’s permit violation — Joshua F. Stutzman, Warsaw, $164.50
Failure to possess hunting license while hunting — Alec J.
Wortinger, Leesburg, $164
Marriage Licenses
The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk of the Court Anne Torpy: Schroeder-Phillips
Audrey Schroeder, 29, Warsaw, and Troy Phillips, 30, Warsaw Stoller-Bogner
Amanda Brook Stoller, 31, Warsaw, and Jeremy Allen Bogner, 35, Warsaw Garcia-Barron
Josue Miguel Garcia, 32, Warsaw, and Ixsayana Barron, 25, Warsaw Stutzman-Mast
Kayla Marie Stutzman, 35, Nappanee, and Trevor Austin Mast, 30, Nappanee
Davis-Cowles
Meggen A. Davis, 30, Winona Lake, and Zachary Cowles, 30, Winona Lake
Marriage
Dissolutions
The following couples have filed for a marriage dissolution in Kosciusko Superior Courts I or IV:
Bird — Emily Bird, Winona Lake, and Russel Bird, Warsaw. No minor child(ren). No other information was available.
Stetzel-Ruggles — Aaron T. Stetzel, Etna Green, and Elizabeth A. Ruggles, Silver Lake. They were married July 7, 2018, and separated March 31, 2023. No minor child(ren).
Valentine — Marilyn Valentine, Winona Lake, and Austin Valentine, Pierceton. They were married Oct. 19, 2019, and separated Oct. 12, 2024. No minor child(ren).
Habegger — Paul Habegger, Warsaw, and Neal Habegger, Warsaw. No minor child(ren). No other information was available.
Gibson-Mills — Carlie Gibson, Warsaw, and Michael Mills III, North Webster. They were married May 18, 2024, and separated July 7, 2024. Two minor children.
Steller — Alicia Steller, Syracuse, and Douglas Steller, Roann. They were married June 3, 2016, and separated April 10, 2019. One minor child.
Warren — Jaclyn Warren, Warsaw, and Brandon Warren, Edinburgh. They were married Oct. 14, 2000, and separated Jan. 27, 2021. No minor child(ren).
Howard — Adam Howard, Warsaw, and Stephan Howard, Warsaw. They were married Oct. 12, 2014, and separated Aug. 23, 2024. No minor child(ren).
Reiter — Dianne Reiter, Warsaw, and Frank Reiter, Warsaw. They were married Sept. 2, 2000, and separated June 10, 2024. No minor child (ren).
NEW ART EXHIBIT AT GRACE COLLEGE The Grace College Department of Visual and Performing Arts has announced its new art exhibition, “Women’s Work” by Simona Bortiș-Schultz. Photo provided by Grace College.
Grace College exhibits ‘Women’s Work’
The Grace College Department of Visual and Performing Arts recently announced its new art exhibition, “Women’s Work” by Simona Bortis-Schultz. The exhibit will feature a collection of posters and a large canvas illustration inspired by traditional Romanian blouse folk art. The show is currently on display through Friday, Dec. 13, at the Art Gallery of Mount Memorial Hall, 1 Lancer Way, Winona Lake.
Bortis-Schultz originally immigrated to the U.S. as a child from Romania when she was 8. As an adult, Bortis-Schultz worked for many years as an art director in advertising, completing branding and marketing work for national and international clients. Her current illustrative work focuses on capturing the magic of visual narrative within a community. Her commercial projects involve super graphics, surface design, books and motion design. She also enjoys using other available mediums.
A copy of Bortis-Schultz’s book, “To Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth, Women’s Work: The Visual Language of the Romanian Blouse,” will also be displayed. The book revolves around the artifacts of material culture as they relate to symbols, storytelling and design. It is available at Set Margins’ press.
“My book is a cultural-historical biography of the blouse, from Neolithic beginnings in northeastern Romania and western Ukraine through the period of the folk revival, the communist era and the post-communist immigration out of the region,” said Bortis-Schultz.
“I am a New York-based child of this immigration. The weaving of
my personal narrative is revealed throughout the aesthetics of artwork, writing and design.”
“At Grace, we encourage our students to allow their interests and cultural experiences to influence the art they create,” said Professor Aaron Winey, director of the Media Arts Program at Grace. “Simona’s work beautifully exemplifies the intersection of cultural research and personal history as inspiration for creating art with deep and lasting meaning.”
Bortis-Schultz double-majored in advertising and visual design at the University of Oregon. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in graphic design from the Vermont College of Fine Art. Beyond her work in design and illustration, Bortis-Schultz teaches communication design and enjoys life in rural Albany County, N.Y,. with her family.
Bortis-Schultz will give an artist talk in the Mount Memorial Art Gallery at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. The community is invited to attend the free reception from 7-9 p.m.
The exhibit is open to all without charge through Friday, Dec. 13. Art Gallery hours are 1-5 p.m. Monday to Friday. For more information, call the Grace College Department of Visual and Performing Arts at (574) 372-5100, ext. 6022 or email artgallery@grace. edu. The exhibit is ADA-accessible.
For more information about the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, visit grace. edu/academics/undergraduate/ academic-schools-departments/ school-of-arts-and-humanities/ department-of-visual-performing-and-media-arts.
Operation Read launches book collection drive for kids impacted by hurricanes
Operation Read is calling on the community to donate new children’s books for families affected by the recent hurricane, aiming to bring comfort, learning, and a sense of normalcy to children facing significant disruptions.
Books for ages birth to 12 years are needed and will be delivered to impacted areas on three separate occasions between now and Christmas.
With the help of partner, EnPak, Operation Read will collect and shrink-wrap the books for secure delivery. The Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary is help-
ing to coordinate the delivery to impacted areas. Books can be dropped off between 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 939 E Pound Drive N, Warsaw.
“During emergencies, children lose access to safe spaces like schools and libraries, and power outages interrupt typical sources of entertainment. Books provide a crucial escape and can help calm children while keeping them engaged,” said DeeAnna Muraski, executive director at Operation Read. “With many libraries and schools destroyed, these books will also help rebuild essential resources in these communities.”
Operation Read announces three planned deliveries leading up to Christmas, ensuring families in the hardest-hit areas will receive new books in time for the holidays.
How You Can Help
Donate a New Book: Drop off new children’s books at 939 E Pound Drive N, Warsaw between 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Coordinate a Book Drop: Schools, churches, and local businesses are encouraged to host collection drives to support this initiative. Collected books can then be delivered to EnPak for
processing and shipment.
Special thanks to EnPak and Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary for helping make this project possible and to Maria Waltz for asking,
“What can we do to help.”
Join Operation Read in giving back this holiday season by helping children find solace, joy, and imagination through books.
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and other furniture, electric piano, musical instruments, recumbent bicycle, Pyrex and other vintage/kitchenware, vintage games, antique vintage glassware, memorabilia, several ceramic Christmas trees and lots of Christmas and other decor, vintage Santa Blowmolds, new Rascal Scooter, golf cart, Longaberger baskets and so much more!! The house and garage are full!! Pictures and details on estatesales.net
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Grace College journalism students tour The Papers
By ANNA KEZAR Grace College Sounding Board
Journalism students from Grace College toured The Papers Inc. on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
The trip was led by adjunct instructors Jim Cox and Deborah Sprong to supplement learning in the Layout and Design for Journalists and Introduction to Journalism courses.
The students learned about the printing process from Cox, a long-time employee of The Papers. He showed the uses of the plate machine and drum imagers. They saw 500 copies of the latest issue of the Grace College campus newspaper “The Sounding Board” be printed in minutes.
“Observing the newspaper printing process was a fascinating experience,” Lois Huang, a student on the trip, said.
Cox then led the students past stacks of 5-mile-long rolls of paper and through both of The Papers’ buildings. Cox told the history of The Papers as a generationally
family-owned and operated business.
Deb Patterson, editor-in-chief of The Papers, shared knowledge from her 47 years of journalism experience as a reporter and editor at The Papers. Her insights stemmed from her varied experiences, covering everything from murders to town council meetings.
“My job is to make sure all my writers are busy,” Patterson said.
Each of the eight reporters cover their own beat. The Papers’ partnership with the Times-Union ensures that every meeting and newsworthy event in the region are covered.
Patterson also explained the digital workflow process and project management through the Scoop database which is crucial for organizing the 11 publications The Papers oversees.
She concluded with telling the students her favorite parts of her job — the people she gets to meet and that every day is different.
Bowen Health opened new facility in Plymouth Nov. 11
Bowen Health opened a new facility in Plymouth with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and public tours Monday, Nov. 11.
Bowen Health’s completion of the new building marks a growing investment in the health of all northern Indiana residents regardless of their ability to pay.
The ribbon cutting took place at 10 a.m. and was followed by
The new facility offers easy access to health care services, including primary health care, mental health care, addiction recovery treatment, and lifeskills coaching.
RENTALS
a public open house until 5 p.m.
Bowen Health is located at 2904 Miller Drive, Plymouth, immediately southwest of the intersection of Pioneer Drive and US 30.
The convenient location provides a site for expanded primary health care, mental and behavioral health care, addiction recovery treatment and lifeskills coaching services. The building also includes unfinished space, which
will house a specialty, like dentistry or optometry, in the near future.
Bowen Health’s move to integrated care is aimed at addressing the unique health care challenges underserved populations face.
“People living in poverty and especially those with mental illnesses have shorter life expectancies,” said Dr. Rob Ryan, Bowen Health president/CEO. “That has got to
change. By improving access to income-based care and providing it in a setting where multidisciplinary teams work together, we are improving and extending the lives of our patients.”
The Plymouth site is the second new building to open this year. The first opening was in Columbia City in January. Work is also underway on Bowen Health in Warsaw, scheduled to open in 2025.
NORTHWOOD APARTMENTS
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Matthews’ Painting
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of the Year Award. We appeared on live television on ABC 57 and were on the front page of the Goshen News. With our win, we were invited to some big festivals and with the profits we earned, we reinvested into our business and created a freshsqueezed lemonade stand with pneumatic machines and many different
flavors in large 32-ounce cups.
“In 2024, we set a goal to make $5,000 in profit on our vision board and we exceeded that goal.
I have a few goals that I would like to achieve before the 2025 lemonade season. The first being to build a mobile trailer so I can travel easier to festival events. I already have the pop-up camper and have done the demo. I just need some help building it to the health department codes. I also plan to rebrand with a new name and logo. I also would like to build a safe inclusive business outreach program that invites other autistic kids, like me, to be able to experience how to run a lemonade stand in an environment that suits them best.”
P ublic A uctions
Baker Online Estate Auction
Bidding open until 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14. Pickup located in Silver Lake. Zero turn mower, vehicles, trailer, boat, tools, NASCAR collectibles, furniture, primitives. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Public Auction
9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16. Located 1 miles south of Emma on 600 W, then west 1/4 mile to 6350 W. 100S, Topeka. Syracuse Lake Channelfront Properties Auction
Noon Saturday, Nov. 16. Located at 106 N. Medusa Court, Syracuse. Tract 1: 1,648 sq. ft. house with 50’ channel frontage. Tract 2: 50’ x 123’ lot. Tract 3: 50’ x 145’ lot. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction.com.
Online Real Estate Auction
Bidding open until 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. Property located at 1004 Charlie St., North Manchester. Three-bed ranch with attached garage. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Online Real Estate Auction
Bidding open until 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. Property located at 1001 SR 13, North Manches-
ter. 5,000 sq. ft. building on 2.63 acres. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Martin Real Estate Auction
7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. Real estate surrounds 58262 Old CR 17, Goshen. Parcel 1: 15.5 acres bare tillable land, about 560’ of frontage by about 1175’ deep. Parcel 2: 14.5 acres bare tillable land, about 250’ of frontage. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction. com.
Public Auction
3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19. Located at 10661 N. 400W, Ligonier. Kirkdorffer Trust
Real Estate Auction
6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19. Open house 3-5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4. Located at 72531 CR 19, Milford. House and pole barn on 6 acres. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction.com.
Online Real Estate Auction Bidding open until 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20. Property located at Lakeshore Drive, Silver Lake. Lakefront property on twin lakes. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Online Excavating Auction
Bidding open until 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 20. Pickup located in Warsaw. Landscaping rocks, mowers and equipment, architectural salvage vehicles, tools. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Conklin Bay
Property Auction
10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. Located at 1422 S. Harkless Drive, Syracuse. Two-bed, one-bath house, two piers, 100’ of bay frontage. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction.com.
Land Auction
6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25. Auction located at Mt. Tabor Church, 8424 N. 800W, Etna Green. Property located on W. 825N, Leesburg. Inspection 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30 and Nov. 20. 47.5 acres, offered in five tracts. Schrader Auction, schraderauction.com.
Real Estate and Personal Property Auction
10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. Open house 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. Located at 4671 E. Woodland Acres Drive, Syracuse. Threebed house, heated pole barn, two sheds. Appliances, furniture, lawn and garden tools. Salazar Auction.
JOURNALISM STUDENTS VISIT Pictured, from left, Grace students Ava Crampton, Emryn Williams, Anabelle Freeman, Elyse Genzink, Alexis Brunswick, Ella Throne, Anna Kezar, Prof. Deb Sprong, Kaitlin Linville, Lois Huang, Lydia Enas and Becca Schuh tour The Papers with instructors Jim Cox and Sprong on Oct. 30.
Photo by Jim Cox.
DONATION TO KIWANIS
AKTION CLUB
The Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary Club recently made a $1,000 donation to the Kiwanis Aktion Club of Warsaw. Aktion Club, sponsored by Kiwanis, is a service club open to all adults living with disabilities who want to make a difference in their communities. The check is for help with the Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary Club’s Tour Des Lakes bike ride.
Pictured in front from left are Richard Brungardt; Susan Stump; Jordan Nieto, Aktion Club; Matthew Bochard; Alan Wilson, Aktion Club; and Kris McQuown, Aktion Club.
In back are Brad Potuleny, Cameron Plew, Wil Maule, Jeremy Doerr, Melody Cusick, Alan Tehan, Clarkson Leffler, and Erick Leffler.
Photo provided by the Rotary Club.
Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds to spread holiday cheer
The holiday season is just around the corner, and the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds is ready to spread festive cheer with an array of family-friendly events. From dazzling light displays to magical holiday mar-
kets and a one-of-a-kind 5K, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Holiday Lights
Come experience the magic of the holiday lights display, running from 6-10 p.m. Dec 6-7,
Dec. 12-14, Dec. 19-21, and Dec. 27-28. Visitors can drive through a winter wonderland filled with sparkling lights and themed decorations, creating unforgettable memories for the whole family. Admission is just $10
CUB SCOUTS PLANT TREES Pictured are several children and adults who were involved with Warsaw Cub Scout Pack 3731’s tree-planting volunteer work Nov. 2.
In front from left are Aaron Brost, Grey Hammer, Josie King, Sam Mason, Derek Penninger and Mylo Hammer.
In back are Charlie Penninger, Chad Brost, Bill King, Connie Penninger and Russ T. Hammer. Photo provided by Connie Penninger.
Warsaw Cub Scouts help city plant trees in park
Cub Scout Pack 3731 helped plant trees in Bixler Park in Warsaw on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The Cub Scout Pack recruited 18 of the 30 volunteers who attended the Warsaw Community Tree Planting Day at Center Lake. There were six Cub Scouts in attendance. The rest of the volunteers representing the Cub Scout Pack were parents, siblings and friends. Some parents came to help the pack even though their Scout was unable to attend that day.
“Since the Cub Scouts are involved in many outdoor activities, we wanted to participate in this community service opportunity,” said Connie Penninger, Cub Master. “We felt that planting
these trees was a great way to have the parents, Scouts, siblings and friends collaborate together.
The Cub Scouts enjoyed planting the trees, and they will reminisce about which tree(s) they planted whenever we have meetings at Bixler Park.”
The city of Warsaw appreciated the help from the Cub Scout Pack.
“We have been hard at work planning the community planting since May, and the Cub Scouts were among our first and most excited volunteers,” said Iris Sorrell, an Indiana University intern who oversaw the project. “We are so grateful for such a large and energetic group, and their enthusiasm helped us get
over 20 trees in the ground for our friends, neighbors and park visitors to enjoy.”
“The Cub Scouts and all our volunteers were a huge help today as we planted trees around the parks at Center Lake,” said Jackson Longenbaugh, assistant city planner. “Thank you for all of your help. It’s great to know that the entire community can enjoy these trees for years to come, and everyone can see the impact they had.”
Anyone interested in joining Cub Scout Pack 3731 is welcome to reach out to Penninger at WarsawPack3731@gmail.com. The pack meets from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, at the First United Methodist Church in Warsaw.
per carload and $15 for vehicles with 15 or more passengers. All vehicles in line by closing time will be admitted.
Mistletoe Market
New this year, the Mistletoe Market will take place from 5-9 p.m. Dec. 19-20. This festive market is the perfect place to do some holiday shopping. It features a variety of food and artisan vendors, offering unique gifts and seasonal treats.
Enjoy free activities for kids, meet Santa and his reindeer, and relax in the Biergarten, hosted by Goshen Brewing Co. The Mistletoe Market is a must-visit destination for a magical holiday experience.
Dash Away 5K
Sign up for the Dash Away 5K, a holiday run like no other.
On Dec. 2, participants will dash through the fairgrounds on a route illuminated by twinkling lights and festive displays.
This family-friendly event welcomes runners and walkers of all ages and skill levels, with costumes encouraged to add to the holiday spirit. Whether you’re looking to set a new personal best or just have some fun, the Dash Away 5K will be a glowing, unforgettable experience. The race will start at 5:30 p.m. with packet pickup and registration beforehand.
“Our elves have been hard at work to make this holiday season the most memorable yet,” said Amanda Schutz, community engagement coordinator at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds. “With new pop-up events and expanded holiday offerings, there’s even more reason to gather with family and friends to celebrate the magic of the season.”
For more details on these events, visit 4hfair.org/ events/2024/holiday-lights.
Celebrate Library Customer Appreciation Day Thursday, Nov. 21
The Nappanee Public Library will host Library Customer Appreciation Day, a celebration dedicated to thanking all who visit and support the library. It is on Thursday, Nov. 21. The event is an opportunity for the library team to recognize the community’s ongoing enthusiasm and engagement, especially as the library has implemented many new updates and changes.
During the celebration, enjoy snacks and enter to win a Nappanee gift basket full of local goodies and gift cards.
Library tours will be available throughout the day to highlight
new changes and updates, and a customer feedback survey will be available to gather input from the community. By participating in the survey, customers can help shape future library services and offerings.
Library staff can’t wait to celebrate patrons. Stop by on Nov. 21 for a day filled with fun, gratitude, and community spirit. Come see what makes the library such a special place for all who use it.
Library tours will be at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. No registration necessary.
