The Lakes Magazine November 2022

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6

SANTA’S HELPERS

Santa’s Clauset Spreads Holiday Cheer

PROVEN PROCESS

Nappanee Resident Starts Deer Processing Business

THE RIGHT KIND OF CARE

Alan Fisher Takes Over as CEO of Woodlawn Hospital

BUSINESS IS POPPING

King Korn Owners Open New Storefront Location

SEEING DOUBLE

Local Owners Enjoy Operating Sister Establishments in Bourbon

VERTICAL VISION

Warehouse Climbing Company’s Presence in Goshen Is Anything but Rocky

STANDARD OF CARE

Community Services of Starke County Turns 45

STORE FOR ALL STYLES

The Barn Door Antique Boutique Has Something for Many Tastes

FOR LOVE OF THE LAKE Koontz Lake Conservancy District Keeps Its Mission Alive Through Two Recent Projects

CREATIVE CORNER

THAT’S A WRAP

Magnum Wrapping Has Advertising Needs Covered

THE ART OF TURDUCKEN

Learn to Master an Uncommon and Tasty Dish for Thanksgiving

NOVEMBER IN HOOSIER HISTORY

SIGNS POINT TO SUCCESS

Landmark Sign Group Leaders Talk Four Decades of Superior Signage

REAL-TIME ANALYTICS

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CROSSWORD

UNDERGROUND SUCCESS

Middlebury Resident Continues to Grow Tire Tank Business

A POSITIVE OUTLET

The Outlet Youth Center Gives Youngsters Clubs, Events and More

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER AT THE LAKES

KEY CONTRIBUTORS

ALI SCHNEIDER / JULIE YATES / JEFF KINNEY JUBILEE EDGELL / LOIS TOMASZEWSKI / MATT KEATING AMY LANT-WENGER / KARI LIPSCOMB / TONY STRAW

Writer / Matt Keating

Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

im and Peg Brettin, co-owners of Santa’s Clauset, say they enjoy spreading holiday cheer to the community, and look forward to the Christmas season.

“We own the property for Santa’s Clauset,” Peg Brettin says. “We have an old farmhouse in the country consisting of 10 rooms, which includes two enclosed porches. The farmhouse belonged to my husband’s parents and family. There is old summer kitchen, a larger outbuilding, and three outdoor tents, also on the grounds, are part of Santa’s Clauset. We specialize in the Christmas season only. Usually we might have some late-fall business, but mainly Christmas. We start planning and decorating in June and/or July of every year, since it does take a while to make the magic happen.”

Santa’s Clauset started through a conversation Brettin had with friends.

“In 2005, five ladies and myself were discussing the empty farmhouse and what type of possibilities there could be to use it,” Brettin says. “Since we were all rather crafty and artistic, we thought, what better way to help our community than bringing Christmas to the community - by bringing an old house to life? We all had enough Christmas items to sell of our own, to get ourselves started.”

Brettin and her friends also wanted to help people.

“We knew that in the rural area of Starke and surrounding counties, there are families

that

money so they can enjoy Christmas, so why not provide them with good items?” Brettin says. “Why not offer handmade, vintage, refurbished and new items to those who are looking for a wonderful find, or a gift that people would like to afford? We have always been, and will continue to be, a Christianbased business.”

Brettin and her friends have enjoyed their work. “All of us had extra stuff in our homes to donate to our cause,” she says. “That was how we started. From there, we chose to give a portion of the funds collected to the Starke County scholarship fund. We worked with the Tri Kappa organization in Starke County, selling their pecans to assist in their fall campaign funding of scholarships as well.”

The business expanded from there.

“We began to grow,” Brettin says. “We really started with the old farmhouse, then the

summer kitchen. After a couple more years we added the large outbuilding, and first one tent, and now we are at three large tents.”

Tim’s sister, Margaret Brettin Schuster, was instrumental in starting Santa’s Clauset.

“She passed away of cancer,” Brettin says. “Since that time, a scholarship in her name was established with the Starke County scholarship fund. All scholarship donations we receive throughout the year now are marked for her name. We give out scholarships to three or four county schools in her name from Santa’s Clauset.”

Customer purchases at the shop also help a high school student furthering his or her education.

“Here it is 2022, and we are beginning our 17th year of service to our community,” Brettin says. “We honor our beginning

members who have passed away over the past 16 years with a lighted Christmas tree, all decorated with ornaments donated to us. The tree to the family is given to them by Santa’s Clauset for their service.”

Santa’s Clauset has a lot of different products and merchandise.

“We have unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for everyone,” Brettin says. “We have antiques, vintage glassware, jewelry and collectibles. If you cannot find a certain item anywhere else, you might find it here. We have local homemade honey, jams, quilts, centerpieces, wreaths, goat-milk soaps, and lotions. We also have vendor lip balms, scrubs, sinus rubs, shower bombs, bath teas, all-natural soap bars, flavored ground coffees, and woodworking items. We have artificial Christmas trees and lights, and so much more.”

Brettin says every week there are many

different items available for browsing and purchasing.

“Nearly all of our items are in reasonable price ranges,” Brettin says. “We have beautiful glassware, jewelry, outside decorations, and many homemade gifts and items. We would like everyone to shop locally and help others while doing so.”

Many of the products at Santa’s Clauset are continually popular.

“We have beautiful seasonal arrangements, farmhouse decorations, ornaments, vintage linens, vintage decorations, books and some furniture,” Brettin says. “We also usually have fresh Georgia pecans on hand. There is something different every week. Every year we are always surprised at what our customers are looking for when shopping.”

Many loyal customers return every year to

do their Christmas shopping.

“Some people come back each week since different items are added every week,” Brettin says. “Our customers do not want to miss anything. We do not expect our customers to make purchases, but we do want them to enjoy the memories that Santa’s Clauset brings them. You can see the memories they are making as they walk through the buildings and grounds. Some even get teary-eyed as they spend their time there shopping. They meet old friends and they make new friends.”

This year the shop will open one week later than usual.

“We open on Friday, November 18,” Brettin says. “Our schedule and times for the next five weekends are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. These hours are all Central Standard Time. Our last day will be December 18, 2022. You can find us at facebook.com/ santasclausetinknox.”

Brettin adds that the internet connection is not optimal in the store area, and she does not accept credit cards. “We will take a check or cash,” she says. “We will help with a 24-hour hold.”

Santa’s Clauset has Christmas music throughout the grounds and inside, while customers browse and shop. “We also have hot chocolate, coffee samples, and you might find some popcorn too,” Brettin says.

Customers can also make donations. “If you have any Christmas items you would like to donate, see one of the Clauset associates and they can either help you or refer to someone who can,” Brettin says. “We do have room for storage. Items must be of a Christmas holiday origin, and clean and unbroken.

Your items that are donated are designated and sold for our scholarship fund.” Brettin encourages more visitors.

“Have you thought about getting a great Christmas picture of someone, or a family photo together?” Brettin says. “Come out to Santa’s Clauset and we will take it for you for free, or you can take your own. You will find, once you see us in the country setting,

that you are in a magical place for certain.”

Brettin says Santa Claus will also visit.

“We are expecting to see Santa on the last weekend,” she says. “Contact our Facebook page. We are hopeful to have a local musical artist visiting us that weekend too.”

Brettin says the staff at Santa’s Clauset has been outstanding.

“I can’t forget to mention the associates who do all the work for Santa’s Clauset,” Brettin says. “They are our lifeline to all that is done getting ready, and during the time we are open.”

For more information on Santa’s Clauset, located at 7700 East Toto Road in Knox, call 574-772-3343.

PROVEN

NAPPANEE RESIDENT STARTS DEER PROCESSING BUSINESS

Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided

Jon Helmuth, owner of Heritage Custom Meats in Nappanee, enjoys working with his neighbors and helping them out. It’s something that makes him happy, and it also makes him feel closer to the Nappanee community he loves.

He works in a business where he is able to see his friends regularly, and his shop is also an extension of an old, fondly remembered business in the Nappanee area.

“I started this business in 2022 as a service for our hunting community,” Helmuth says. “My great-grandfather had a butcher shop back in the 1940s and 1950s right next door to where I now live. The name Heritage Custom Meats LLC is a nod to that.”

Helmuth has thoroughly enjoyed continuing in the same business.

“We are a family-based operation, with hired help only during the main harvest time of November,” Helmuth says.

Heritage Custom Meats does deer processing.

“Locally in the last few years, we have had a number of butcher shops stop taking in deer, as they are plenty busy processing

pork and beef,” Helmuth says.

Helmuth stepped in to help out. “I saw an opportunity to help fill the need of our hunters, taking their game from skinning, cutting, and all the way to processed, ready-to-eat summer sausage, snack sticks, jerky, deer brats, sweet bologna and more,” Helmuth says.

Helmuth loves his work.

“Deer processing is not something we do on the side only after the beef is done for the day,” Helmuth says. “As our slogan says, ‘We care for your deer.’”

Helmuth can process different meats, bratwursts and other items. His customers have told him they greatly appreciate it.

“Hunters can choose to keep the steaks separate, or they might prefer to have those cuts made into jerky,” Helmuth says. “Summer sausage, snack sticks, ring bologna

and the 4” sweet bologna are other options of processed meats we can do. We also have deer brats for the grill enthusiasts among us.”

They have all been popular.

Heritage Custom Meats offers many other services as well.

“We will take the game, debone, cut, grind, smoke, vacuum seal, label and box the meat,” Helmuth says. “If they have freezer space, some hunters prefer to debone their own meat and bring it all after the season closes.”

Helmuth notes that Heritage Custom Meats uses a high-quality smoker.

“We use a Southern Pride rotisserie smoker for the smoked meats, and we always use a minimum of three different kinds of woods,” Helmuth says. “The theory is, by mixing the wood species up, we end up with a smoke flavor that is balanced but not too strong.”

This thorough method has been a very big hit with customers. “The customers really like the flavor, without tiring of a single smoke flavor,” Helmuth says.

Helmuth uses a variety of wood types, which has also earned him a strong following with his regular customers. “Sassafras, apple, cherry, hickory and oak are some of the wood types we mix in the smoker,” he says. “The same goes with our seasoning mixes.”

The variety of woods has been appealing to customers.

Helmuth also goes out of his way to make sure all of his customers keep returning and recommending him to family and friends.

“We strive to have a balanced product, pleasing to a wide range of tastes,” Helmuth says. “I enjoyed sharing meat samples with friends and acquaintances this past summer, and they always say everything they had was great, so it must be working.”

For more information on Heritage Custom Meats LLC, located at 536 Beech Road in Nappanee, call 574-546-0640.

KIND OF CARE

ALAN FISHER TAKES OVER AS CEO OF WOODLAWN HOSPITAL

Writer / Lois Tomaszewski Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

Woodlawn Hospital’s new CEO, Alan Fisher, a hospital administration professional with many years of experience, took the helm at the Fulton County hospital in August. He has already come to appreciate the Rochester community and the hard-working staff he oversees.

“People are the biggest assets here, as everyone has a positive attitude and work ethic not found in many other communities,” Fisher says.

Fisher was welcomed to the area on August 11 with an informal gathering for the community. In his previous position, he was the CEO at Mid-Valley Hospital in Omak, Washington. The hospital is similar to Woodlawn, he says, in challenges and opportunities.

“Mid-Valley was also a 25-bed rural

Alan Fisher President & CEO with wife Linda Fisher

hospital, which was in the shape of Woodlawn,” Fisher says. “During my time at Mid-Valley I increased services offered, and we went from 10 days of cash to over 90 days of cash to support operations. The same principles I used at Mid-Valley are applicable with Woodlawn.”

Woodlawn has been a part of Fulton County’s medical services since 1905, growing from a house on Pontiac Street to the current facility, which encompasses 33 acres. Fisher is determined to honor that long tradition of health care, as he makes changes he believes will benefit the community and ensure long-term viability for the hospital.

“My goal is to create a sustainable, vibrant and relevant rural hospital that can support the health care needs of Fulton County,” Fisher says. “We will do this by actively marketing services. Presently Woodlawn does not have a formal marketing program, making Woodlawn

the best-kept secret in Indiana.”

Fisher says Woodlawn is the only facility in the region rated at four stars by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Fisher says reminding the community of the services accessible at Woodlawn will increase the number of patients served, and improve the financial status of the hospital.

Fisher notes that there have been some successful programs implemented recently by the Woodlawn leadership. These include an employee wellness program for local businesses, a Latina nurse practitioner working in the Akron clinic, and a second general surgeon who will begin rotations in December. The hospital also has a robotic-assisted surgery program that helps patients for faster healing times and less discomfort, Fisher says.

Fisher also plans to promote Woodlawn in the community it serves.

“In the past Woodlawn has been an island unto itself, not actively participating in the various civic and county organizations,” he says. “Our new direction of reaching out and integrating into the community has the leaders of the various community organizations excited about this new, exciting direction.”

Fisher, an Army veteran, says his career in health care was not planned.

“After graduation from college, I went to the Army as a second lieutenant assigned to the medical services corps, where I was in charge of a battalion aid station, and later to a health clinic,” he says. “I became interested in health care and the rest is history.”

Upon his honorable discharge, Fisher had earned the rank of captain and became a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Rochester was appealing to Fisher, who had previously worked in the South Bend area, due to the challenge of helping this

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medical facility thrive. The decision to accept the job and take over Woodlawn’s administration was also a personal one. Rochester is three hours away from Erie, Michigan, where Fisher and his wife Linda’s daughter, Stephanie, and their grandchild, Alex, live.

Alan and Linda have been married for 42 years. She is a retired school teacher.

“My wife and I have a tandem bicycle that we enjoy touring,” Fisher shares. “I also am a pianist enjoying jazz music.”

Although he is still new to the hospital and the community, he has observed many positive aspects of Woodlawn and its people.

“Our equipment is state of the art,” he says. “The hospital leaders are always looking for ways to provide efficient, quality care, and the board is extremely supportive and involved in the success of the hospital and

clinics. Personally, this is the best group of people with whom I have ever worked. The community as a whole is so positive and friendly. Everyone has a smile on their face and says hello. This isn’t found in other

communities I’ve lived in.”

For more info on Woodlawn Hospital, visit woodlawnhospital.com.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

We are thinking of you this season and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

We are thinking of you this season and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

STANDARD OF CARE

difficult

what

as Director Cindy

that

be like

who

a “hand

“We are the only food pantry in the county,” Benke says.

The food pantry is only one of the many programs coordinated by the organization. It is the place for people to apply for energy assistance for their heating bills. It operates the senior centers in Knox and North Liberty, operates a meals program for seniors, and provides transportation services for those who need it.

“Our

homes,” Benke says.

Her organization

community

assistance with paying rent.

Those

in

“People’s needs vary continuously,” she adds.

One problem she is trying to solve is the lack of nearby grocery stores in the northern end of the county. Benke says she hopes to find a location in that area to open a third site for food distribution in the Hamlet area.

As Community Services marks its 45th anniversary, there is a

need

people who need it most. To help

money, a Radiothon event is planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 11, on WKVI radio.

This is a

fundraiser for

organization.

says

“We hope to accomplish two things with the fundraiser - first, to inform people about us, and let people know we exist and what we do,” Benke says.

are “learning as they go” about the task. The

is that it will become a successful

event.

Some in the community refer to the organization as the Council on Aging, an outdated name for services that are not solely focused on the elderly. Community Services is for people of all ages, and administers programs targeting specific needs of residents.

Burr

“We are here for all people in our community, and people don’t realize we are here,” Benke says.

The second goal is to raise money, Benke says.

“Government cutbacks and a failing economy have made it difficult for us,” Benke says. “We have not been receiving the donations this year that we normally receive. It’s also been more difficult to find grants. We still have to keep things going.”

The food pantry alone has seen a 25% increase in the number of people seeking help. The amount of food coming from regional food banks has been reduced for several months. When this happens, money to keep the food pantry open comes from other programs, which, in turn, creates difficulties regarding the services those programs provide.

“People are struggling to take care of themselves,” Benke says. “People who would normally donate to us are coming to us for help. We need to raise more funds so we can continue to help those in need.”

Proceeds from the Radiothon will benefit all the agency’s programs. “In the end, the citizens of Starke County will benefit as well,” Benke says.

In addition to the established programs, the Community Services staff members are also addressing the changing needs of families in the community. In October a new program called It Takes a Village debuted, focusing on kinship care, which refers to family members other than parents who are tasked with raising relatives’ children. It is designed to be similar to a support group, but one that offers child care, and lets adults and children in these situations know they are not alone.

“There are a lot of people in this situation,” Benke says. Community Services of Starke County is located at 311 East Culver Road in Knox. For more information, call 574-772-7070 or visit communityservicesofstarkecounty.org.

Owner Janet Martin welcomes shoppers to her store.

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Ambience succinctly describes the sensation of walking into a room and being swept into a welcoming, inviting panorama of living scenery. It evokes an oasis of respite where the accents are captivating and the air seems warmer.

It’s that moment when folks truly feel as though they’re finally coming home. Janet Martin, proprietor of The Barn Door Antique Boutique in Middlebury, understands this wholeheartedly. Within her aptly named business, beautifully laid out in a rustic, farmstead setting, there are distinctive wares, unique gifts, and many items bound to suit shoppers across the spectrum of interests and styles.

Right now Martin is navigating one of the busiest times of year, with shades of fall and hints of the holidays dominating the merchandise and decor. As of November 1, virtually every inch of the vast, 7,500-squarefoot building will, symbolically and literally, be ready to deck the halls.

Martin describes her shop as a place to find medium-range to high-end items. That includes, to list only a few, antiques, home furnishings, repurposed goods, vintageinspired designs, and an array of notions ideally suited as gifts. Trends that have consistently been in demand for the majority of customers are lake-cottage themes, primitives, and kitchenware from brands like Beatriz Ball and Casafina.

Among some of the newest product lines to make an appearance at The Barn Door are Mud Pie apparel and gifts, and Bourbon Barrel spices, sauces and coffees. Martin is anticipating the arrival of even more exclusive products by the first of the year. Inventories and collections are

(March 7 -

-6PM

L-R: Karen Frederick (Assistant Manager), Chrystal Ewing (Sales Clerk) and Janet Martin (Owner)

consistently changing to reflect the seasons, and Martin works with a variety of vendors. She is also open to accepting items on consignment.

Another feature of The Barn Door that draws customers in from across the Midwest is the selection of floral designs, crafted from artificial yet realistically fashioned materials. “We’ve become a destination for our florals,” Martin says. “We’ve had customers from as far away as Wisconsin and Chicago.”

The Barn Door also has a sophisticated and visually exciting website, where shoppers can browse and buy the same premier gifts and quality home goods found at the store. There, guests can take in the sights of thoughtfully executed vignettes and decorating ideas, read customer reviews, and see the dimensions of various items before purchasing. A refined searching process allows customers to narrow their views according to price points, brands, occasions and departments. Folks can also create gift registries, enlist the assistance of personal shoppers, and compile wish lists to review favorite items at any time. Martin also maintains an evolving social media presence on Facebook and Instagram, through which new products, special events and other information are revealed and updated. There are also snippets of news from the designers she carries, who share the platform as a way to promote current and future releases.

As Martin readies her boutique for the festivities of the coming months, she is also proud to present some approaching special events to show her appreciation for customers both near and far. The Barn Door will be the perfect setting for a “Hometown Holiday” open house, scheduled for November 17, 18 and 19. She is planning an extravaganza of special sales, product tastings and door prizes. Additionally, as part of an ongoing mission to support local businesses, she will be participating in local Small Business Saturday promotions.

Visit The Barn Door Antique Boutique at 52886 State Road 13 in Middlebury. To check out everything that The Barn Door has to offer, go to barndoorllc.com. For questions and more info, call 574-358-0074 or email janet@barndoorllc.com.

How can you reduce the risk of

Breast Cancer?

Be Physically Fit Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables Avoid too much Alcohol Get a Mammogram

Thinking about scheduling your 3D mammogram…

Earning the right to care for you, your family, and our community!

That’s a Wrap

MAGNUM WRAPPING HAS ADVERTISING NEEDS COVERED

Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Tony Straw

Bao Tran, owner of Magnum Wrapping in Plymouth, considers himself lucky to be busy every day at a job he truly loves.

“I love the variety of everything we work on, and a lot of customers have told me they are happily surprised at everything we can do,” Tran says. “It has helped me build my business to the point where we are busy all the time. I’m not complaining. That’s a really nice problem to have. I’m also a wrap

installer, graphic designer, and I also do business branding.”

Tran says he looks forward to going to work every day.

“I’m the founder of Magnum Wrapping, and Toni Ann Erickson is the cofounder,” Tran says. “I think the business has built up because we also really listen to what our customers want. It’s been that way since we started. We go the extra mile to find out exactly what our customers need, and we offer the highest quality.”

Tran says Magnum Wrapping began as a completely different business. “Our company started as a travel installer,” he says. “We were subcontracting for various companies throughout the U.S.A. and Canada.”

Magnum Wrapping then expanded through positive word of mouth.

“We have done thousands of projects from small commercial projects to big fleet jobs for companies like Amazon, UPS and FedEx,” Tran says. “We have done a lot of work for helicopters and planes as well.”

Tran did a lot of traveling to grow the company.

“We eventually wanted to build a company closer to home, and to offer a high-quality

Owners Bao Tran and Co-Founder Toni Ann Erickson

digital wrap shop in the region,” Tran says.

“We really have been able to expand by having such a special niche. We succeeded in offering something a lot of different companies were looking for. It became something where the sky really was the limit in terms of where we could go.”

He set up shop in Plymouth, where he has been very happy.

“This is an absolutely great place to be,” Tran says. “The people are so nice and friendly. There are a lot of wonderful people in this community.”

Magnum Wrapping does many types of wrapping jobs for a variety of companies. “Our business is mainly catered towards commercial businesses who want to expose their business to more people so they can get more customers,” Tran says. “We wrap trailers, food trucks, commercial vehicles, boats, helicopters and planes. It’s been a

lot of fun to work on all of these different things. It also enables us to just keep expanding our customer base. We have a solid reputation for great work that is also really fast.”

Magnum Wrapping also has a lot of products for customers to choose from.

“We offer banners, billboards, wall graphics, window graphics, vehicle wraps and fleet graphics,” Tran says. “We have told customers that vehicle wraps give you 30,000 to 70,000 ad impressions, which is the number of people who will potentially see your particular ad per day. You just can’t beat that. That’s great.”

Tran says 80% of consumers can recall relevant details about a particular vehicle wrap after seeing it once.

“It really sticks in a person’s mind,” Tran says. “It’s perfect. It’s amazing how vehicle wraps just greatly increase brand

recognition more than other modes of different advertising.”

Tran believes the company has prospered because of its uniqueness in the area.

“We have been successful because we are the only Master Certified wrap company in the region,” Tran says. “That has helped us get quite a lot of businesses from so many companies in the region who have a real need for the quality work that we do. Our standards are high on every job that comes into the shop. We do a great job of printing too. We have outstanding, top-of-theline printing equipment that allows us to produce graphics for high-volume jobs.”

Tran says the printing equipment has made a huge difference in the company’s high quality.

“Our HP Latex wide format lets us provide not only high premium quality, it also

provides extremely durable prints,” he says. “We also really have an unmatched and outstanding efficiency to provide graphics that are on time, to install or ship on the same day. You just can’t beat that either.”

Tran adds that their high number of loyal customers has made a huge difference in the amount of growth they have been able to enjoy.

“We have had customers like Justin Time Plumbing & Heating, McGrath Air Conditioning, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and Culver’s Portside Marina who have recommended us highly to other people,” Tran says. “The word has spread that we will do an outstanding job.”

Other satisfied customers include A-Z Detailing and ALL Temp Heating & Cooling.

Tran notes that Magnum Wrapping also has its own line of apparel and gear.

“We have Magnum short-sleeve T-shirts, premium Magnum hoodies, sport bottles, cozy beanies, pet tank tops, long-sleeve T-shirts and coffee mugs,” he says. “People have really enjoyed them.”

For more information on Magnum Wrapping, located at 16210 Lincoln Highway in Plymouth, call 574-341-2334, email bao@ magnumwrapping.com, or visit magnumwrapping.com.

grain

AN UNCOMMON AND TASTY DISH FOR

Photography Provided by New Kitchen Store

Are you looking to impress your friends and family this Thanksgiving? To truly put your culinary skills to a test? We have just the thing for you.

Consider turducken. What on earth is this, you ask? Well, glad you asked.

Turducken is a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck, then stuffed into a mostly deboned turkey. It’s layered with savory stuffing, usually a sausage stuffing inside the chicken and between each bird.

From the outside, it looks like a traditional roasted turkey, because you leave the wings and legs attached, to make

shaping the stuffed birds much easier. Carving is easy, as the duck and chicken are completely deboned.

Turducken’s origin is unknown, but it is widely believed that chef Paul Prudhomme invented the dish sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. He trademarked the name in 1986 and served

it at his restaurant, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen.

The practice of cooking a meat inside another meat, called engastration, probably goes back to at least ancient Roman times. Seems chefs have always been looking to up their game and do something different.

Sports commentator John Madden made turducken famous after his first bite at a New Orleans Saints Game. He fell in love with it and mentioned it at every Thanksgiving Day game thereafter.

There are many recipes available online for Turducken. You can also find many different completed and cooked versions for sale online.

You will need a 15- to 20-pound turkey, thawed and deboned, except for wings and legs. Remember that a turkey can take four or five days to thaw in your

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refrigerator. You will need a five- or six-pound duck, and a three- or fourpound chicken. These will be completely deboned. You will need a very sharp knife, and you will be using mostly the tip, as close to the bone as you can.

You will need two to two and a half pounds of giblets, and use both chicken and duck giblets. You will need close to a gallon of good stock. You will want to debone your birds first, and use the bones and necks with about two gallons of water to make your stock. Remember to roast those bones for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees in the oven.

Then, put them in a large stock pot with two gallons of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for two to three hours. You want to reduce the stock by half for a good, rich flavor.

When deboning, it is probably best to start with the chicken, then the duck, so

that by the time you get to the turkey, you should have deboning down. With the turkey, you want no mistakes. You want the skin without any holes or cuts, and you do not want it to dry out.

You will need several pounds of your favorite sausage to make the stuffings, along with cornbread and any other desired stuffing ingredients.

Start several days in advance. Make your stuffings in advance. Debone your birds and construct your turducken the day before. Plan on about five hours for this step.

Recipes can vary a great deal in cooking temperatures and times, so look through several recipes and see which one you like. I think a roast of nine or 10 hours, at 190 degrees, is preferable.

That said, it is important to know your oven’s actual cooking temperatures when

it is cooking. When you have your oven at 325 degrees, is it actually at 325 degrees? Ovens can vary by 20 degrees or more from the temperature you actually pick.

This dinner is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to impress everyone, this is the way to go. People will talk about it for years to come.

Remember to read through several recipes. Once you pick the recipe you like, get all of the ingredients ahead of time and plan your time. Start a week ahead for thawing, stock making and other steps. Enlist the family, turn it into a family affair and have fun with it.

Good luck and good roasting!

New Kitchen Store has all your spice needs for whatever you are cooking. Visit the store are 330 Liberty Street in Walkerton. For more information, call 574-586-2745 or visit newkitchenstore.com.

UNDERGROUND SUCCESS

MIDDLEBURY RESIDENT CONTINUES TO GROW TIRE TANK BUSINESS

Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided

Owning a business means putting in a lot of hours, especially if you work two jobs.

Just ask Weldon Yoder, owner of The Tire Tank in Middlebury. When he’s not busy at The Tire Tank, he works during the early part of the day at Grand Design RV, also in Middlebury.

“I love to keep busy,” Yoder says. “I work at

Grand Design RV from 4:30 a.m. to noon. I work in the cabinet shop making cabinets, and I really enjoy the work. It’s very satisfying. After that, I work at my business in the afternoons and early evenings. I put in a lot of time to make sure everything is running smoothly. I have busy days and nights, but that’s what keeps me happy.”

Yoder isn’t complaining.

“It’s a perfect setup for me,” he says. “I like how the work at both jobs is very different

and satisfying, and I enjoy earning extra money. I like being able to pursue two completely different jobs where I can use what I know to do good work. It’s also a lot of fun.”

Yoder started The Tire Tank in July of 2021, and is pleased that he is able to keep growing his business through satisfied customers who have recommended him to their family and friends.

“I’m an agricultural dealer that makes

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automatic waterers, made out of used skip loader tires,” Yoder says. “A tire water storage tank is basically a container made from a tire. It’s used for storing water. It’s an opentop mining tire. It’s usually placed over an underground inlet pipe.”

Yoder adds that he bolts the tires together to act as tubes.

“Four of the tires go underground,” he says. “Two are sticking out above the ground. The tubes that go into the ground heat the ground around an inlet pipe to keep it from freezing. I can provide delivery service of the tire tanks, but I don’t install them.”

Yoder has a quick turnaround time.

“I keep the tire tanks in stock, so I’m ready to deliver as soon as a customer wants one,” Yoder says. “I enjoy working with my customers and finding out what will work best for them. I will also work with farm supply stores to make sure an order is just

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right. I can also go to the tire dealer to get the tires. I spend time with customers to make sure they get what they need, and what tire tank will really best work for them.”

The fall and winter months mean good business for Yoder.

“People want to make sure their underground pipes are ready for cold winter months ahead,” Yoder says. “I enjoy finding out exactly what my customers need for their tire tanks, and I enjoy spending time with my customers. That’s a great part of owning a business. I like putting in the time to get to know them.”

Yoder says the community of Middlebury has been very supportive of his business.

“I’ve been in Middlebury for seven years and I have loved the way people have helped me grow The Tire Tank,” he says. “They not only say nice things about the business and

the work I do, but they also like to tell a lot of their family members and friends about the quality work I will do for them. I’ve been able to get steady business. You just can’t beat that. It’s a very satisfying feeling, and reminds me why I’ve been so happy to live here. People are so neighborly. My family has also been very happy here.”

When Yoder isn’t busy working, he enjoys spending time with his family, which includes his wife Cheryl and children, Seth, 5, Caleb, 4, Kayla, 2, and Josiah, 1.

“We like to get to know our neighbors and spend a lot of time outside,” Yoder says. “I just can’t say enough nice things about this community, and I hope I can get to know more people through my business.”

To find out more about The Tire Tank, located at 465 South 1150 West in Middlebury, call 574-825-9812.

Monday - Friday 10 am -

pm,

BUSINESS IS POPPING

KING KORN OWNERS OPEN NEW STOREFRONT LOCATION

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Nostalgia often encompasses much more than what can be described in a simple word.

It’s a sentiment, a movement, a sense of capturing a moment in time and embracing it with an open heart.

Now, there is a place nestled in historic downtown Ligonier where folks can

engage all of their senses while surrounding themselves in that very same nostalgia.

At King Korn, members of the Culp family are devoting themselves to the cause of drawing upon bygone memories and creating cherished new ones. Their selections of flavored popcorn, retro candies and snacks, and premium ice cream are downright irresistible, as is their pledge to provide superior customer service.

The King Korn storefront is brand new, and the official grand opening was held

in June. The retail aspect of the business is a brick-and-mortar spinoff from the wholesale banner of Indiana Snack Foods in Cromwell. Thus far, even though it has only been open for a few months, the reception from the community and the customers has been overwhelmingly positive.

Co-owner Larry Culp is joined by Amber Culp, who oversees a spectrum of operations for the family business.

Larry Culp explains that the gourmet popcorn is made with unique and exclusive recipes, all truly homemade, at the nearby Cromwell warehouse location.

Approximately one year ago, the Culps were given a chance to purchase the business from longtime owners Sam and Ruth Buckles. With the proverbial passing of the torch, the Culp family became the titans of a beloved local tradition. It felt like a serendipitous decision at the time, as the Culps had very fond memories of their own late parents, Romane and Lillian, both of

Larry Culp of King Korn in Ligonier

whom shared a passion for popcorn as a special treat.

Initially the Indiana Snack Foods team distributed the popcorn selections via online sales, retail distribution and delivery.

Then, as Culp recalls, a somewhat comical and interesting phenomenon started happening - something that made the Culps wonder if there were other avenues to pursue.

“All of a sudden people were coming to Cromwell and they started coming in to the facility,” Culp says with a laugh. “It got to the point where we thought it might be time to start selling beyond online.”

Once the Culps made the necessary arrangements to open a shop, they went about making decisions on what products would entice customers the most. Of course, the gourmet popcorn, now available in 60 flavors, was at the top of the list. “We

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make every bit of it,” Culp says.

are also 16 different flavors of handdipped ice cream, all procured from regional creators such as Hudsonville, Ashby’s and Prairie Farms. There is also a vast assortment of bagged candies,

most of which comes from Albanese Candy. Culp says visitors are also excited to see the old-fashioned candy displays, featuring items that many believed were no longer available or readily distributed for years. The store also carries a few newer items such as freeze-dried candy,

which is exactly what it sounds like and is made to literally melt in your mouth.

Many of the popcorn mixes are a reflection of the community, or have been inspired by the tastes of customers. “We come up with all of the flavors ourselves,”

Amber Culp scoops up a delicious cone at King Korn.

King Korn’s new location in downtown Ligonier.

Culp says. Some of the biggest sellers so far for popcorn flavors include bacon cheddar, caramel, and a blend of jalapeño cheddar and caramel, which they call Sweet Heat. Culp says some other flavors that move well are peanut butter and jelly, and white cheddar, along with locally themed creations such as Cromwell Style and a blend named for the West Noble Chargers.

With the holiday season approaching, the Culps are gearing up for seasonal products including pumpkin spice, cinnamon, peppermint crunch and crème de menthe flavors. There are plans in the works to add a selection of nostalgic sodas to the inventory as well.

To find King Korn’s new store location, head to 316 South Cavin Street in downtown Ligonier. Go to kingkorn.com for more information, or call 260-856-4265.

Flight boards are popular. Customers can choose six different flavors of hand dipped ice cream.

Jim and Kim Kephart outside Journeys End & Bourbon hometown diner

egend has it that the town of Bourbon was built when it was certain that railroad tracks would be laid to its area. Another bit of trivia - its motto is “Small Town, Big Heart.” In the 1850s, many of its first settlers came from Bourbon County in Kentucky, where, at the time, there were more than 25 distilleries. All this lore makes Bourbon the perfect home for two establishments - Bourbon Hometown Diner and Journey’s End.

Jim and Kim Kephart recently assumed ownership of the businesses, which are located in a historic building right next door to each other. Although both have a separate door and individual space, they share the same kitchen. While Journey’s End is a fun and lively place to savor an adult beverage, Bourbon Hometown Diner has a family- and kid-friendly atmosphere.

“We’ve owned them since November of 2021,” Jim Kephart says.

“When we first saw they were for sale, it was under contract. Then, 30 days later the contract fell through. Over the years I’ve owned five businesses. I’m the one who’s usually up for adventure and my wife is the conservative one, but when we learned it was up for sale again, she was the one who wrote the check.”

“We think the building used to be a place that housed horses,” Kephart continues.

“There is a manual elevator in the back. It looks like it was used to raise up hay to the second floor. After that it might have been a barbershop. When we bought, the business had been a restaurant for 20 years. It had been owned by a father and two sons. We were able to keep all the employees. They are local and had worked there for a long time.”

Step by step, Kephart is enhancing the appearance of the two spaces and making needed structural improvements. He applied for and was granted financial assistance through the Facade Grant Program. Inside, the walls and hallway have a fresh coat of paint. The word is getting out to surrounding areas that the establishments are under new ownership.

“We have people starting to come from Plymouth, Bremen, South Bend, Warsaw and Rochester,” Kephart says. “Kim’s a mom of five and she’s a good cook. She’s developed a halfpound Triton burger with a sauce in the school colors. She’s got other ideas and we have specials that aren’t on the menu. Our son also cooks. There’s lots of good, home-cooked food.”

Kephart feels that you can’t have a bar and eatery in a town

named Bourbon without paying homage to the beverage. On the Journey’s End side, in addition to pool tables, there is a Bourbon cabinet that Kephart had custom made. It’s filled with a collection of high-end Bourbon.

produced by veterans who fought together against the Taliban. Hooten Young whiskey is the result of a partnership between Tim Young and Norm Hooten, the actual “Hoot” who inspired the movie “Black Hawk Down.” Responder Bourbon was founded by a group of police officers. A portion of sale profits are donated to first responders.

SOME

YODER POPCORN

Menus for the month are posted on Facebook. Featured dishes include meatloaf, country-fried steak, Swedish meatballs and pasta dishes, just to name a few. Brown-bag delivery from the sandwich menu is available, with a minimum of two orders, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Several weekly activities happen at Journey’s End. There is trivia on Tuesdays, and Fridays feature Karaoke. On Saturday nights there might be live bands or open-mic nights.

The Kepharts are glad to assist their vendors and beverage distributors with fundraising promotions. Bikers doing runs for charity are always welcome to stop in. On Veterans Day, vets get a

free drink, and Triton School Corporation employees have been treated to free burgers.

“We love it,” Kephart says. “We have a great staff. Our biggest surprise is how much the town of Bourbon supports us. They thank us for being owners that care. It’s a place where everyone knows each other.”

Bourbon Hometown Diner is located at 116 North Main Street, and Journey’s End is located at 118 North Main Street, in Bourbon. View both on Facebook for menus and upcoming activities. Call 574-342-0123 to reach both establishments.

VERTICAL VISION

WAREHOUSE CLIMBING COMPANY’S PRESENCE IN GOSHEN IS ANYTHING BUT ROCKY

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Ali Schneider

When Ryan Borntrager was growing up, he had an inquisitive mind and a bit of a restless spirit. While many of his peers were consumed by the typical allures of teenage life, Borntrager found a more adventurous way to channel his energy. With a group of his friends, he spent countless hours scaling a makeshift climbing wall that was built inside his parents’ barn.

Although he may not have realized it at that time, Borntrager had discovered a future purpose to inspire others to reach seemingly lofty goals, quite literally one step at a time.

In May of this year, Borntrager opened the doors to his new enterprise situated in Goshen, a place he has christened Warehouse Climbing Company. Within the spacious facility there are multiple walls of dazzling colors and patterns, studded with meticulously placed artificial stones for climbing.

Borntrager’s business is rapidly becoming known as among the first of its kind in northern Indianaa business known as a bouldering gym.

Warehouse Climbing Company is designed for folks of various ages, from beginners to the

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Pictured is owner Ryan Borntrager

most intrepid athletes. Borntrager is keen on emphasizing this, as the practice of rock climbing might initially seem daunting. It is about far more than just testing one’s mettle by maneuvering along a vertical incline. It is also a way to improve upon one’s fitness level, by using the power of one’s own body weight to propel forward and upward.

“It really is for everyone,” Borntrager says.

“We want to get people excited about being healthy and active. It’s not just a thrill-seeking thing. It’s about making it something to incorporate into a daily workout.” Currently, there are programs being developed that do not require machines, but rather allow people to reframe their idea of strength by working with the momentum of their own bodies and the resistance they provide.

Borntrager also says more than half of his customers are new to the sport. He strives to educate patrons on the benefits of this method of strength training. “It helps to build muscle

and it’s good for personal growth,” he says. Borntrager believes that those who visit Warehouse Climbing Company are drawn to the contemplative, introspective nature of the sport. He also feels there is a camaraderie that is established among like-minded individuals. It’s a mindset on which he’s well-versed. He reflects on the direction of his earlier life, and how his vision grew from something of a slow burn to the realization of a dream he spent years cultivating.

“I was doing some soul searching,” Borntrager recalls. “I had moved out and was working for the family business, and I could feel myself falling in my dad’s footsteps. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy working with my family, but it just wasn’t what I thought my purpose was.”

He began considering how he could best contribute something to the business landscape, while still pursuing a goal he is passionate about. “I started making small

moves, thinking about what was missing from this community,” he says. Once an opportunity presented itself to purchase a building in Goshen, things began to proceed.

Then the pandemic struck. It was the spring of 2020, and suddenly the list of tasks required to start a business grew painfully long and moved painstakingly slowly. There were permits to secure, construction items to complete and limited ways to achieve progress.

Yet what might have seemed overwhelming to most did little to hinder the realization of Borntrager’s fledgling business, as he chose to undergo much of the interior renovation by himself. Though it may have taken a little longer than what he had envisioned, Warehouse Climbing Company finally opened in May of 2022.

Borntrager’s entrepreneurial spirit, perhaps mixed in with a bit of adolescent mischief,

has served the business well so far. All along, he hoped for “a place where people could gather and meet new people, and work on themselves,” he says. And that, he has accomplished.

Warehouse Climbing Company is located at 605 Logan Street in Goshen. Call for pricing and reservation information at 574238-3562, and visit warehouseclimbingco. com for details on rental footwear, gift certificates and membership fees.

Writer / Lois Tomaszewski Photography Provided

Two significant projects will improve access to Koontz Lake for property owners and the public, and add to the lake quality for all who enjoy spending time on the lake in Walkerton.

“For years the lake has been plagued by chronic algae, weed and muck issues,” says Marty Wolf, board member and spokesperson for the Koontz Lake Conservancy District (KLCD).

The algae issue has been so bad that the lake and the beach had to be closed to the public in 2015, Wolf says. In 2019, more than half the lake was covered in curly-leaf pondweed that impeded boating. Access to other areas of the lake was impeded by the accumulation of muck along the shoreline, as much as 7’ deep in some places.

Two different projects sought to alleviate these issues. The first was a laminar flow aeration system, which is designed to reduce the accumulation of algae, weeds and muck.

FOR LOVE OF THE LAKE KOONTZ LAKE CONSERVANCY DISTRICT KEEPS ITS MISSION ALIVE THROUGH TWO RECENT PROJECTS

filtration

a

affecting the lake. The aeration increases the oxygen content at the bottom of the lake, reducing the phosphorus that feeds algae and weeds.

The system was installed in the spring and went live on June 25. Within a few weeks, Wolf says there was noticeable improvement, and the system had eliminated the thermocline (cold water

layer) that was leading to the algae and weed issues.

“Readings also showed that the oxygen levels at the bottom of the lake were no longer zero, which has been a significant contributor to the algae and weed problems,” Wolf says. “We will continue to monitor results, which we expect to be significant over the next few years.”

Another bonus, especially for anglers, is better health for fish and other aquatic life.

“We have already seen a marked increase in the fish activity, especially around the diffusers,” Wolf says.

The validity of this observation will be determined when the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) does its annual fish survey, and the results will be available in 2023.

A second project is aimed at improving the quality of lake access. Localized dredging started in July and was completed in early September. The lake area targeted for this project was the channel that leads from the public boat launch to the lake. The need for better public access was intensified by the closure of the marina last year, Wolf says.

“The channel had become so filled with sediment that it was only 18” deep at its center,” Wolf says. “Boats were constantly getting stuck in the muck or having their engines overheat when the cooling systems got plugged with muck. So, the KLCD had to quickly come up with a plan to dredge that channel out to the point where the lake was at least 3’ deep, to

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Blue-Green Algae (BGA) bloom that shut down our lake in the summer of 2015

Surface bubbles from two of the diffusers.

provide access for all the boaters on the lake.”

Dredging has been an ongoing solution to maintain access. A complete lake dredging, which carries a $3 million price tag, is needed. Projects are approved if the KLCD can fund them, with the limited funds the organization receives from a special assessment tax.

“The channel dredge project was engineered and permitted in record time thanks to the assistance of Doug Nusbaum of the DNR,” Wolf says.

The KLCD was formed in the 1980s. Its primary purpose, Wolf says, is to restore the lake to its original quality, or as close as possible, then maintain it so future generations can enjoy it.

The lake is home to 350 residences. It also draws people to the public areas surrounding the lake, especially on holiday weekends.

For more info, visit klcdonline.com.

Compressor, with large muffler on top to reduce noise. This one supplies air to 32 diffusers placed in the bottom of the large center basin of our lake. There is a smaller one that feeds 25 diffusers in the smaller East

Manifold - receives air from the compressor, distributes air to the 32 diffusers via weighted rubber hose (not yet attached in this picture).

BROCCOLI CHEESE CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 10oz Packages of Fro zen Chopped Broccoli 1 Stack of Ritz Crackers, crushed

• 1 Stick of Melted Butter

• 1 Can of Mushroom Soup

• Parmesan Cheese

• Dried Minced Onion

• 1 C of Cooked White Rice

• 1/2 lb of Velveeta Cheese

Sliced

STEPS

• Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.

• Add the broccoli and sprinkle with the minced onion and parmesan cheese. Add in the mush room soup, velveeta cheese and white rice and mix well. Mix the crushed crackers with the melt ed stick of butter.

• Add half the crackers to the mixture and stir in.

• Top the casserole with the rest of the crackers.

• Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

• Remove from oven and enjoy!

CRANBERRY APPLE MARGARITA

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces blanco tequila

• 2 ounces apple cider

• 2 ounces cranberry juice

• 1 ounce orange juice or orange liqueur such as Cointreau

• Ice

• Brown sugar and granulated sugar for rimming glass

INSTRUCTIONS

• On a small plate, stir together small, relatively equal amounts of brown sugar and granulated sugar until evenly combined. Wet the outer edge of the rim of the serving glasses with water, then press it into the sugar mixture until the rim is coated evenly.

• Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Pour in the tequila, apple cider, cranberry juice, and orange juice/ liqueur. Shake well, then pour/strain into the rimmed glasses. Serve with ice and/or with thin apple slices for garnish if you like.

NOVEMBER IN HOOSIER HISTORY

Writer / Jeff Kenney Photography Provided

It’s November in the lakes area - a month most people associate, appropriately enough, with the Thanksgiving holiday, or perhaps (due in large measure to said holiday) Native American history, football, or the sometimes unpleasant topic of elections. Poor November tends to be a rather brown or gray month. It’s not quite the time for Christmas excitement, and the sunnier pleasures of autumnal harvest events or Halloween have passed.

Readers have likely ascertained by now that these pages in your Lakes Magazine, particularly when this author’s name is attached to them, tend to focus on history-related matters. And as it turns out, November has some pretty interesting offerings in terms of Hoosier history. Below is a look at just a handful of highlights.

1778 (November 2): Frances Slocum, one of the best-known people of European descent to be abducted and raised by Native Americans, is taken from her home in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, at age 5 by three Delaware warriors, and eventually taken to today’s Ohio and Indiana. Slocum married a Miami chief known as Deaf Man and, taking the name Maconaquah, settled at Deaf Man’s village along the Mississinewa River near present-day Peru, Indiana.

Later in life, Slocum’s siblings learned of her whereabouts and sought to bring her with them, but by then she had become completely assimilated into Miami life, culture and language, and opted to remain with her Native American family and village.

Many entities in the Peru area today are named in her honor.

1791 (November 4): The greatest defeat suffered by the U.S. Army at the hands of North American Native Americans takes place when forces under the Northwest Territory governor, General Arthur St. Clair, are defeated near Fort Wayne. Famous Miami Indian Chief Little Turtle led an army of Miami, Delaware, Iroquois, Ojibwa, Potawatomi, Shawnee and Wyandot, which killed 623 of St. Clair’s men and wounded another 258 on the banks of the Wabash River. The event led Congress to authorize a larger army in 1792.

1806 (November 29): Vincennes University is incorporated, making it the oldest public institution of higher learning in Indiana (even if, at the time, the location’s official moniker was the Indiana Territory, becoming a state in 1816). It held the distinction of being the only such entity until Indiana University was established in 1820.

1811 (November 7): General William Henry Harrison’s forces are victorious at the legendary Battle of Tippecanoe against the Shawnee. The dramatic backdrop of the event, which took place near Lafayette, includes a warning from Shawnee leader Tecumseh to his brother Tenskwatawa, known as the Prophet, not to engage in the battle until Tecumseh returned from a wide-ranging campaign elsewhere in the U.S. to gather Native support for a united Indian movement. The “prophesies” of Tenskwatawa had often seemed to come true, but the U.S. victory effectively put an end to Tecumseh’s efforts and also aided

Harrison in his presidential bid in 1840.

A trip to Battle Ground, Indiana, and Prophetstown State Park allows visitors to walk the sites of various aspects of the story.

1862 (November 3): Dr. Richard Gatling patents the first machine gun, named

for him, in Indianapolis. Gatling had a number of inventions to his name prior to inventing the gun, and (perhaps ironically) had studied medicine not long before the outbreak of the American Civil War. With the onset of that brutal conflict, he turned his attention to inventing and enhancing firearms. He conceived of the crank-operated, rapid-fire machine gun in 1861, perfecting it by the following year. The war was nearly over before the federal government authorized its use, but it was certainly integral to future developments in and out of wartime.

1880 (November 12): Crawfordsvillebased author and American Civil War General Lew Wallace publishes “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.” The novel might seem a rather tough slog for modern audiences, but it was the best-selling book in the United States, after the Bible, in the entire 19th century. It would go on to be adapted numerous times for the stage and screen, including the 1959 movie version,

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which itself became one of the most awardwinning films of all time. Parts of the novel were written in the lakes region, including Lake Maxinkuckee and Bass Lake (Wallace, after all, was an avid fisherman).

1888 (November 6): Benjamin Harrison of Indiana wins the presidential election, making him the third Hoosier to serve in that office (if one counts Abraham Lincoln, who spent part of his childhood in southern Indiana). His status also makes his father,

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John Scott Harrison, the only person in U.S. history to hold the distinction of being both the son of a U.S. president (in this case, the

aforementioned other Hoosier president, William Henry Harrison) as well as the father of one. Benjamin Harrison defeated

incumbent Grover Cleveland via electoral vote (233-168), though Cleveland led in the popular vote.

1899 (November 22): Musical giant Hoagy Carmichael, who composed the music for some 50 hit recordings, is born in Bloomington. Best known for “Stardust” and the music for “Georgia on My Mind,” he appeared in numerous movies, TV shows and live productions.

1904 (November 6): Charles W. Fairbanks, an eight-year Indiana senator, is elected vice president of the United States. Besides the fact that the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, was named after him (due to his work on a commission settling the Alaska boundary dispute), he also visited the lakes area when he reviewed the corps of naval midshipmen at Culver Summer Schools in 1905.

1920 (November 2): As Hoosiers voted for the first time since the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which allows women to vote, Julia D. Nelson was elected as a state representative and became the first woman to serve in the Indiana General Assembly. The Delaware County native advocated for the support of impoverished parents and children, and introduced bills involving topics such as sexual assault and regulations of movies.

1928 (November 10): Notre Dame’s football team “wins one for the Gipper.” Few scenarios in American sports history rival

the legendary Notre Dame football teams of the 1920s under coach Knute Rockne, who took over as head coach in 1918. Up against the undefeated Army team and losing at halftime, team members rallied after Rockne shared what he said were the last words of former Notre Dame player George Gipp, who had died in 1920 at age 25. Among them was the encouragement to go out and “win one for the Gipper”

when things looked bleak. Notre Dame proceeded to upset Army and win 12-6 (though a week later, they lost their first home game in 23 years against powerhouse Carnegie Tech).

1941 (November 21): The USS Indiana battleship is launched from Newport News, Virginia. Not long after, on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

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Pulaski Memorial Hospital’s Outpatient Surgery is committed to providing compassionate and uncompromising care that allows patients to return to their optimum wellness with as little impact on their personal lives as possible. Our General Surgeons provide a wide array of services, including:

• Breast Biopsy

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For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call (574) 946-2576.

540 Hospital Dr., Winamac, IN • (574) 946-2194 • www.pmhnet.com

place and the USS Indiana, fully loaded with ammunition and supplies, departed for the Tonga islands and joined the Pacific Fleet in 1942. The ship was nicknamed the “Hoosier Houseboat” by her crew. Though decommissioned and sold for scrap in the 1960s, parts of her are on display at various museums and other sites around Indiana.

1986 (the week of November 7):

“Hoosiers,” arguably the most revered basketball movie in history, premieres at the Circle Theatre in Indianapolis. The movie is loosely based on the Milan High School boys basketball team of 1954, which won the state championship. Milan was the smallest school ever to win a single-class state basketball title in Indiana when they defeated much larger Muncie Central High School - an accomplishment known as the Milan Miracle. The movie, starring Gene Hackman, was shot entirely in Indiana.

In 1939, Hoosiers celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday on two different days. In 1839, Indiana Governor David Wallace proclaimed Thursday, November 28 as an official day of Thanksgiving statewide, asking residents to show appreciation for good harvest and health. However, in 1939, the holiday, always on the last Thursday of November, fell on November 30. This was a concern for business owners, who knew that most people waited to start Christmas shopping until after Thanksgiving. That year’s late date meant fewer shopping days, which led to a concerted effort from businesses to convince President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare Thanksgiving a

week early, on November 23. A wave of controversy followed, emanating from a variety of institutions such as schools, churches, managers of industry and many others, which left many communities opting to stick with the original date of November 30. Some communities, including the Indiana cities of Washington, New Albany and Delphi,

gave workers both dates off to celebrate the holiday. All of this led to 1939 being the year of two Thanksgivings!

Today’s policy of Thanksgiving falling on the fourth Thursday in November went into effect in 1941, thus ensuring that the holiday would never fall later than November 28.

SIGNS POINT TO SUCCESS

LANDMARK SIGN GROUP LEADERS TALK

FOUR DECADES OF SUPERIOR SIGNAGE

Julie Yates Photography Provided

Landmark Sign Group in Chesterton is celebrating 40 years in the business of creating quality signs. As the largest custom sign company in Chicago and Northwest Indiana, it has produced and installed projects all over the United States and even internationally. However, the company team takes great pride in developing signs for small businesses, area schools, doctor offices and medical facilities.

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Noted for its outside-the-box and innovative signage, the company takes abstract ideas all the way to installation. Examples are Chicago’s iconic Goodman Theatre marquee, Topshop/Topman in the Las Vegas Fashion Show mall, and restaurant projects such as Bar Louie, located from Wisconsin to Florida. Not forgotten, though, are local projects that helped the company grow to its current level of success. No job is too small, and renovating and cleaning signs are still part of the business.

“If someone can draw their idea on paper, we can design and build it, plus install it,” says Todd Wallsmith, owner. “When I first bought the business, at first I was surprised when one of the designers would look at a drawing and say, ‘There is no way that can be done.’

It was counter to my thought that people would never have a giveup attitude. But, I learned that about 20 minutes later, there would be a knock on my door and the designer would present me with a solution.”

Here When You Need Us

HOURS & LOCATION

Here When You Need Us

New Location

Effective 9-7-2021!

Here When You Need Us

HOURS & LOCATION

New Location

115 E. 7th Street Rochester, IN 46975 evansagencyrochester.com

HOURS & LOCATION

New Location

Effective 9-7-2021!

Tel: 574-224-6988

Effective 9-7-2021! 115 E. 7th Street Rochester, IN 46975 evansagencyrochester.com

evansagencyllc.com

Fax: 574-224-6925

115 E. 7th Street Rochester, IN 46975 evansagencyrochester.com

Tel: 574-224-6988

Fax: 574-224-6925

Tel: 574-224-6988

Hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Fax: 574-224-6925

Saturday By Appointment Evenings By Appointment

Hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Saturday By Appointment Evenings By Appointment

Hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Saturday By Appointment Evenings By Appointment

When Wallsmith purchased the company, one of the most important factors to him was retaining all the people who were currently working there. The business does everything in-house. Each sign, large or small, is designed, assembled and installed by employees who are experts at what they do and have many years of experience.

“We are a complete turnkey, custom electric sign manufacturer,” says Jason Moorehead, vice president of sales and marketing. “Our staff can do everything from sign design to construction in our nearly 20,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. We also take care of all permitting, as well as installation and service of the sign after the sale.”

in 49 of the 50 states - nothing in

continues. “We have done signs for some very high-profile clients such as Harry Caray’s in downtown Chicago, the Blue Cross Blue Shield building in Chicago, the Music Box Theatre in Chicago, the Gary SouthShore RailCats baseball team and Centier Bank in Indiana. We have also done signs for our local businesses such as Living Hope Church, Northwest Hospital, the LaPorte school system, Culver Community Schools, H&T Electrical, Hearthfire Self Storage, Valpo Parks, and the Boys & Girls Club.”

- and

When asked about the resurgence and popularity of retro neon signs, Wallsmith shares something surprising. What some people might think are neon signs today are made from plastic-covered LED lighting. Users reap many benefits from this technology such as low electricity usage, hence less cost, plus safety advantages. The lights don’t get hot and the flexible material the lights are encased in won’t shatter. Often, unless someone gets very close to the sign, it is hard to tell that it isn’t a true neon light.

Since the company produces signs in many places, employees love to point them out to their families. When Moorehead took his son to college in California, they were driving along a highway. He was able to proudly point out a sign that had been manufactured by Landmark.

“We like to pride ourselves on being able to do any job, whether it’s a high-profile job that will take weeks of planning and coordinating, to your local pizza place that only takes two weeks to build and install,” Moorehead says. “We make each job a top priority, and want to make sure that everyone feels important and is happy with their new sign.”

Landmark Sign Group is located at 7424 Industrial Avenue in Chesterton. For more info, visit landmarksign.com, email info@ landmarksign.com, or call 877-762-9577. View projects and see videos of installations on Facebook and Instagram.

A POSITIVE OUTLET

THE OUTLET YOUTH CENTER GIVES YOUNGSTERS CLUBS, EVENTS AND MORE

The Starke County Community Foundation granted $21,000 to Hope Restored Recovery Home.

The Northern Indiana Community Foundation (NICF) and several partners are taking steps to ensure that the future is bright for the youth in Fulton County. Their efforts and donors in the community are addressing what was determined to be a community priority by opening a new youth center.

To accomplish this, a building that formerly housed a winery, brewery, and cheese-making facility called Schnabeltier

is being renovated to become the Outlet Youth Center. The building was donated by RapidView LLC. Supporting the youth center was not a one-and-done decision, says Hannah Bahney, marketing and communications coordinator for the NICF. The company previously supported the youth center at its original downtown location.

At a meeting with Kris Robison, Rex Robison and Matt Sutton of RapidView, the NICF members expressed the need for a more suitable location for the existing youth center, due to building

conditions. The youth center and the NICF members were considering finding another building that would serve the youth of the county. A week later, Kris called with the offer of donating Schnabeltier. That donation included the building, furniture, lawn mower and other amenities, Bahney says.

“With a new space comes new challenges,” says Taylor Showley, the Outlet Youth Center’s assistant director. “We are currently working to make this building conducive to what we will use it for. Our community contractors have

Through supportive partnerships and active engagement with its members, the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce serves to foster economic development and build community strength within

County

Writer / Lois Tomaszewski

Photography Provided

been wonderful to work with, but our todo list is not quite done.”

A door, windows and a new security

system were added to the building before it was open to students. Showley says the to-do list still includes carpeting for the office, new flooring in the art and STEM

room, updated decor for all spaces, and a new coat of paint in the main student space.

In a press release from the NICF announcing the gift, Kris Robison, partner and chief financial officer for RapidView, said, “We always viewed Schnabeltier as a way to give back to the community, and it only seemed right that we could use this building to help support and expand the important work that the Outlet Youth Center is doing.”

The Outlet provides a service that was not available in Fulton County previously. Local youth did not have a dependable and safe place to use - one that provided clubs, activities and positive interactions with adults. This new space expands the activities to include indoor as well as outdoor space, to engage preteen and teenage youth, Bahney says.

“Fulton County never had programming

or a space like the youth center offers,” she says. “While the county has a fantastic library, it became very crowded after school as students sought a dependable space to gather. In a county needs assessment, youth services were listed at the top for needs.”

The Outlet Youth Center is located on 2.2 acres of land on Apache Drive in Rochester. The building is more than 10,000 square feet. The RapidView donation takes away the financial burden of paying for rent and maintenance at the former location.

“The community foundation helped facilitate the gift by being the initial recipient of the property before transferring it to the Youth Center,” explains NICF Director of Development Brian Johnson.

“The donors wanted to ensure that the gift

will always be used for charitable purposes. Included in the gift is a contingency that if the youth center closes or moves from the location in the next 10 years, the building will revert to the community foundation and be used to make grants for community needs.”

Showley says the community can still be a part of this project, as there is more work to do. Support can come from financial donations, or volunteering for offerings like the After School Program or the Preschool Book Club.

“We also are in constant need of tutors to help students with their homework,” Showley says. “We even could use volunteers to come pick up the recycling.”

To volunteer, call 574-223-5437 or email outletyouthcenter@gmail.com. Financial contributions can be made online at theoutletyouthcenter.org. Checks can be mailed to: P.O. Box 286, Rochester, IN 46975.

Not

Hours:

WE NOW HAVE SEVERAL VARIETIES OF FANNIE MAY CANDIES JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS ALONG WITH OTHER GREAT GIFTS!

What’s Happening

IN NOVEMBER AT THE LAKES

KOONTZ LAKE/WALKERTON

ALL Times listed are Central Time.

NOVEMBER 1ST - 6p - Koontz Lake Conservancy District board meeting will be held at the Sewer District Building located at 10625 E Prairie Ave.

EVERY MONDAY – Bingo – Doors open at 5p, Early Bird starts at 6p, and regular games start at 6:30p at the Koontz Lake Association Community building. The KLA Clubhouse is COVID Friendly, face masks & social distancing is your choice.

KLA Board Meeting at the KLA Club house are the second Tuesday of the month. Meeting are open to the public and community support is needed! Come to a board meeting to see if you might be interested in helping!

Rent the Koontz Lake Clubhouse for your next party! The rental fee is $50.00. If in terested, please contact Cathy at 219-229-

4424. The facility holds up to 100 people and has a fully equipped kitchen. Like us on Facebook! – Koontz Lake Association

KNOX/BASS LAKE

ALL Times listed are Central Time.

NOVEMBER 11TH - Community Services of Starke County - Food BAnk / Council on Aging Radiothon on WKVI

DECEMBER 3RD - 9a-3p - Christmas Marketplace Sponsored by Bass lake Festival & Bass lake property owners association

DECEMBER 3RD – City of Knox Pep permint Parade

LAKE MAXINKUCKEE/ CULVER

ALL Times listed are Eastern Time.

NOVEMBER 19TH 7:30a - 11a - VFW

Post 6919 Monthly Breakfast at 108 E Washington Street, Culver, IN

DECEMBER 2ND - 6p-8p - Cook

ie decorating, Christmas Tree Lighting, town-wide caroling, and Meet Santa at the Lake Max Beach Lodge and Train Depot

DECEMBER 3RD - Holiday HopShop and dine around town with a punch card and enter to win a gift basket.

MARSHALL COUNTY

ALL Times listed are Eastern Time.

NOVEMBER 12TH - 9a-2p - Crafts bizarre 305 S. Michigan St., Lakeville, IN. (Formally the working persons store).

If you’d like to have your events featured in the What’s Happening section, please email mandi@townepost.com.

Walter

David Cook , MD

Renae Atkins, NP

Perfect for your holiday gathering!