Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 121, Number 15, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 15 April 1998 — Page 2

Nappanee Advance News Wednesday, April 15, 1998

Page 2

Father/son team continue tradition of excellence

(This continues the series of articles highlighting individuals in our community who give willingly and freely of themselves for the betterment of all who live here. I hope you will come to know and appreciate each of them as I have.) •, By Merrie Chapman ;. With the recent appointment of Chris Abel, probationary member Jo the Nappanee Fire Department, ;the Smokey Stovers have welcomed their first father/son teanrin .ever a decade. v- Don Abel, former fire chief of six and 21-year veteran of Jhe department, is Chris' father. .The duo express excitement about working together.

I J -■ 1 * I x^i— ft _ r %

FAMILY TRADITION—Don (left) and Chris Abel are the first father/son team in over a decade to serve simultaneously on the Nappanee Fire Department. See related article for details on this dynamic duo. (AN photo by Merrie Chaoman)

JU NAPPANEE AMBULANCE CALLS

April t>, 4:28p.m.-Annabelle Evans, 208 E. Walnut St., Nappanee, transported from home to Elkhart General Hospital due to chest pain. April 7, 11:02a.m.-Fred R. Schultz, 412 W. South St., Bremen, no transport required from the comer of Williams St. and Walnut St., Nappanee, following a motor vehicle accident. April 7, 11:02a.m.-Kimberly L. Pezan, 351 Woodies Ln. Apt. G, Bremen, transported from the corner of Williams St. and Walnut St., Nappanee to Bremen Community Hospital following a motor vehicle accident. April 9, 3:15p.m.-Terry George, 207 Stonewall Ct. Apt. 1, Nappanee, transported from home to Elkhart General Hospital due to illness. Crime of the Week This week’s Crime of the Week comes from the files of the Special Crimes Unit in St. Joseph County. On October 11, 1997, 2:00p.m., South Bend Police were called to the alley in the rear of 1137 N Meade St. When they found 39-year-old Roderick Taylor he had been shot multiple times. Police feel that he may have been chased t down the alley prior to his death. Investigators are looking for a vehicle which was between 1986 to 1991 white Ford Taurus or Mercury Sable. This vehicle was seen leaving the alley right after the shooting and police feel that it’s occupants were involved in Taylors death. If you know who killed Roderick Taylor and call Crime Stoppers this week, you could receive a cash reward of up to SIOOO upon the arrest or indictment of the suspect involved. Remember you can call Crime Stoppers about this or any other felony crime or fugitive. BE A CRIME STOPPER! Call Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-342-STOP. You will be given a code number and you won’t be asked your name. Crime Stoppers does not have caller ID. CRIME .STOPPERS, IT WORKS!

“I wouldn’t want to work with anyone else,” says the 21-year-old Abel. His father echoes the sentiment behind that statement. Don swells with pride that his son wants to be part of the “noblest profession I know 0f...” Chris grew up watching his father race off to fire calls and gradually started going on the assignments, riding along side his dad to the fire. Once there he was Building A Better Community...

April 10, 4:10p.m.-Mary Zelwskf, 508 E. Market St., Nappanee. transported from home to Elkhart General Hospital due to overdose. April 12, 6:23p.m.-Robert L. Shaw Jr., 204 S. Metzler St., Nappanee, transported from home to Elkhart General Hospital due to fall. Court news... The following cases were handled through the Nappanee City Court. David Widmoyer is the judge. Cheryl Fritz, charged with failure to use seatbelt, paid total fine and costs of $25.00. Nelson Mjller, charged with speeding 52mph in a 30mph, paid total fine and costs of $97.50. Danny White, charged with driving with no operator’s license, paid total fine and costs of $225.50. Norma Becker, charged with operating while intoxicated, paid total fine and costs of $575.50. Chris Dunn, charged with no operator’s license in possession, paid total fine and costs of $175.50. Philip Willard, charged with failure to use seatbelt, paid total fine and costs of $25.00. Marc Blanchette, charged with driving while license suspended infraction, paid total fine and costs of $100.50. Jason charged with no operator’s license, paid total fine and costs of $80.50. Jerry Eby, charged with driving while license suspended infraction, paid total fine and costs of $150.50. Shane Cumming, charged with driving while license suspended misdemeanor, paid total fine and costs of $225.50.

| [.■rv”

When you’re running air-condi-tioners or heat pumps, keep windows and doors closed to help keep your home energy efficient.

forced to stay in the truck while his father and the others. rushed to duty. That early influence continued with Chris throughout his life. To some it may seem a logical conclusion that he would eventually end up a fire fighter as well. But Chris chose college following graduation at North Wood High School. That decision would point his feet toward Vincennes University, a path that led him too far from his hometown to volunteer. Chris stayed four years working in the area of business administration and graduated December 1998. He returned home and announced his decision to join the Smokey Stovers. “The first thing that went through my mind,” says Don, “was I don’t want my son in a dangerous situation.” That reaction he says was from a parental standpoint. Once Abel expressed his fears and realized that Chris had already thought of all the angles involved in volunteering, he was proud to consider his son a Smokey Stover. “It’s in the blood,” says Chris. But he admits that “if he (Don) weren’t on (the department) I probably wouldn’t have an interest in it.” That alone shows the influence the senior Abel has had as a role model in his son’s life. “I never pressured him,” says Don. “If anything I tried to tell him not to because of the dangers involved.” r The hazards of the job are facts that have been apparent to Chris over the years as he watched his father’s efforts on the squad. With 21 hours of training under his belt and up to a year of probation in front of him, Abel has a realistic picture to accompany his childhood fascinations. Now he too has his own concerns about Don volunteering. I worry about him too every time he goes out on a call,” says Chris. But both are confident that when they are called on for duty, instincts will kick in and they will be fellow fire fighters like any other two people serving the department. The Abels are a close-knit father/son team who live and work alongside one another. Don is the vice-president at Franklin Coach. Since his arrival home from college, Chris has filled in at various places in the family-owned business.

Circuit Court closes for primaries The Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, located on the second floor of the courthouse, 101 North Main Street, Room 204, Goshen, will be closing at noon on Monday, May 4. This is in preparation for the primary election. All other clerk’s offices in Goshen and Elkhart will remain open as approved by the Board of Commissioners. Absentee voting at the courthouse in Goshen and also the County Courts Building, Elkhart, will also end at noon on May 4. Recipes and other information about Virginia Seafood are at www.state.va.us/-vdacs/seafood. htm on the World Wide Web

Maximize Your TIMBER INCOME Sell Directly to OUR SAWMILL Licensed and Bonded Selective Harvesting 3573 Thorn Road Walkerton, IN 46574 1-219-586-7925 v

/ ' % *****

SOUNDSATIONS—The North Wood High School Performing Arts Department will be presenting its "Soundsations" concert Friday, April 17,7p.m., in the North Wood High School Auditorium. This annual concert features the talents of North Wood's Dawning Generation, Jazz Band and Classic Reflections. A variety of music from jazz, pop and Broadway will be performed in this

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Indianapolis; Gene Zercher, science instructor. North Wood High School, Using Internet in Science Classroom, April 29, Indianapolis; Karen Ringler, Wa-Nee Speech & Hearing Therapist, Indiana Speech & Hearing Association, April 30May 5, Indianapolis; Georgia Ernst, guidance, Wakarusa Elementary School, Guidance Strategies, April 30, Ft. Wayne; and Carol Heckaman, WEA President, ISTA Critical Issues Meeting, April 17, Indianapolis. The Wa-Nee School Board meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month, 7:30p.m., in the administration building, SR 19 North. Nappanee. Meetings are open to the public. TRUSTEES MEETING The Board of Trustees of the Nappanee Public Library will meet in regular session, Thursday, April 23, 7:30p.m.. The public is invited to attend. Cardholders to tour library New cardholders and those interested in learning more about library services are invited to a guided tour of the library Monday, April 20 and 7 pm. In addition, to discovering where to find current bestsellers or the latest business information, participants will be introduced to many special services. Services include NapCAT (the library's computerized catalog). Books in Print Plus with Reviews, Magazine Article Summaries, phone disc, computers, and typewriters lor use in the library and art prints, cameras, and compact discs for loan.

Guardian Bathroom Aids: Safety independence and Comfort

in the barttrtxHTt, preserving your independence m bmi A Partners Health Plan Preferred Provider Assignment Accepted on Covered Items Participating Provider of Medicare and Medicaid !■, I I Visit Our Showroom or Today: riTTK 1 — 1-800-284-8999 2320 W. Lexington, l-llkl I B GUARDIAN Home Medical J GUARDIAN t 1 Equipment ■ [ ’"J s^MptsEMEDtOV.

upbeat, popular musical showcase. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for students. Music directors Tom Wilson and Michael Cole would like to invite the communities of Wakarusa and Nappanee to this evening of music and dance. Picture: Members of DG and Jazz Band perform for local elementary students. (AN. photo by Merrie Chapman)

Library hosts art sale

Celebrate art April 18-19 at the Nappanee Public Library Art Exhibit and Sale, 107 E. Marion St. Spring Into Art is the theme and over 45 artists are participation in a fine art show with artwork priced from the very affordable to the very special! “This year’s show has a wonderful variety of media,” Library Director Linda Yoder shared. “We will have a Wilma Harder’s jewelry, Jacqueline Gnott's watercolors, photography, exquisite woodcarvings by Wayne Walker, pottery, paintings on silk, gourd art and much more! And we have many demonstrations and hands-on activities too! It’s an event you won’t want to miss!” There is no admission charge for the exhibit and sale and all of the workshops are free. Storyteller Valerie Marsh starts off the weekend Saturday at 10:00a.m. with stories for all ages (see related article). Ken Ernsberger will be available from Noon until 2:00p.m. to make fantastic balloon creations for kids. Ken will teach a balloon sculpting workshop at 2:00p.m. Children under grade three should be accompanied by an adult. There will be no need to go home for lunch. The Country Cottage will have box lunches available from 11:00a.m to 4:00p.m. Relax Sunday afternoon to the soft strains of Matthias Stegmann on guitar, and treat yourself to a cappuccino, cream puffs, cheesecake. or coffee at the dessert bar. Quick sketch caricatures will be done by Mary Minton and the North Wood cheerleaders will be doing free face painting for the children. At 2:00p.m., the Art of Herb Gardening will be presented

by Renee Campbell, owner of The Secret Garden in the Old Bag Factory in Goshen and Prairie Trail Farm. Tips will be given on using herbs for decoration, fragrance and cooking. Artist Chama Bear-Boren will do charcoal portraits throughout the weekend. Visit the Kids' Art Room for special activities to bring children and art together. On Saturday do body tracings at 1:00p.m. and origami at 3:00p.m. Art teacher, Jenni Shaw will be making macrame necklaces and bracelets at 4:00p.m. Sunday will begin with gourd art featuring artist Dennis Wainscott at 2:00p.m., and conclude with mono-printing with local artist Dawn Strand at 3:00p.m. Let your kids enjoy art on their own while you browse the exhibit or take in a workshop. Childcare with special story times and activities is planned throughout the weekend. N.A. Noel’s books, T-shirts, prints, canvas to canvas reproductions, and a specially selected original will be on exhibit and sale. Enter a drawing for a free N.A. Noel framed print from her popular “Faces of Angels” series. The purpose of the Spring Into Art Exhibit and Sale is threefold: to promote the arts, the artists, and to benefit the Nappanee Public Library Endowment Fund. A portion of all proceeds from the weekend will benefit the library. Sponsoring organizations for the weekend include the Friends of the Nappanee Public Library, Thursday Club, Psi lota Xi, and Tri Kappa Sororities. Por more information or a complete schedule of events, call 219-773-7919.