Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 127, Number 46, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 11 November 2004 — Page 1

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golden benefit A spaghetti dinner benefit will be held at American Legion Post #154, 201 W. Lincoln St., Nappanee for Ron and Tammy Golden’s family on Nov. 13 from 5 to 7 p.nj. The Goldens have two sons with muscular dystrophy who will be confined to wheelchairs. The tickets cost $lO per person and can be purchased from members of the Nappanee Sons of the American Legion, the Nappanee EMS Department or by calling 773-4697. There will be cash prizes of $l5O, SIOO and SSO. You do not need to be present to win. There will be other door prizes, as well. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated. FOOD DONATIONS FCD£ is asking for donations for more than 300 Thanksgiving dinners that will given to needy families in the Wa-Nee area. The center will accept turkeys, canned vegetables and gift certificates for food items. Call 773-2149 for more information. HOUSE OF HOLLY The annual fundraiser sponsored by the Eta Zeta Chapter of Psi lota Xi, is a silent auction of handmade crafts, clothing, holiday items and much more! The event takes place Sunday, Nov. 21 from 12 to 4 p.m. at the home of David and Peggy Tompos, 26225 CR 52, Nappanee. A $3 donation for each House of Holly ticket also buys an entry in a drawing for a special door prize. Entrants need not be present to win. Tickets for House of Holly are available from Sorority members or at the door. Don’t miss this opportunity to do some holiday shopping and support local causes, as well. It's a great afternoon that will put you in the holiday spirit in a hurry! The Eta Zeta Chapter of Psi lota Xi is a nonprofit organization with commitments to Riley Hospital for Children, Dollars for Scholars, Camp Millhouse and other local needs. For more information about House of Holly, call 773-7628. POINSETTIA SALE The Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee and the Nappanee Rotary Club are selling holiday poinsettias. The plants are priced at $lO each and may be purchased from either group. All plants are red and will be delivered in 6-inch pots. Plants will be available to pick-up at the Boys & Girls Club on Dec. 4. Fore more information, call 773-5200. Contact Us Advance News 158 W. Market St. P.O. Box 230 Nappanee, IN 46550 Office Hours: 9 a m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday through Friday Phone: 574-773-3127 (news) 1-800-933-0356 (ads) Fax: 574-773-3512 A E-mail: [email protected] 111

Local artist begins to spread her wings

By Amy Wenger Correspondent WAKARUSA Diane Overmyer is a woman who is fortunate to possess a great talent, one that is traly of a divine nature, in more ways than one. She is able to view the life and the world around and within her from a distinctly different perspective, and she has the ability to transform what she sees into a grand interpretation of her own design. But only recently has she made a kind of peace with this realization, and the designation that it represents. Diane can now proclaim, with heartfelt certainty, that she has become an artist. Wakarusa has been home to the Overmyer family for a little more than four yean. Shortly after they settled in, Diane chose to return to college to study a range of artistic mediums, from drawing to painting to sculpting. She has a particular affinity for portraying her works in the form of landscapes, still life, and figurative creations. Presently, Diane is enrolled at Indiana University of South Bend, a decision that has culminated from many years of her spiritual journey, as well as the desires and dreams of her heart. Long journey Upon graduating from high school in 1978, Diane had initially planned to study art Western Michigan University, an institution closer to her Kalamazoo roots. However, Diane was left disillusioned, as she observed the culture of the era projecting a type of art known as abstract expressionism.

“I didn't understand that type of art, and was not at all interested in it,” Diane recalled. “Also, I made several life choices based on an extreme deepening of my Christian faith during the winter of my senior year in high school.” So she opted to continue her studies elsew here, first at a community college, then a Christian-based school. She also served on staff for the organization Youth For Christ. A few years later, she became a wife, then eventually, a mother. She is about to celebrate Zffyears -of marriage to hep husband, Tim. The Overmyer family also includes two sons, Nathan, who turns 18 this week, and Kenneth, 16; a daughter, Candice, 12; and two dogs, Kinsley and Tucker.

Liz’s Furniture Shoppe Grand Re-opening

ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/STEPHANIE MIDOAUGH A grand re-openlng and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Nov. 5 for Liz's Furniture Shoppe. The store Is now located at 252 W. Market St„ Nappanee, where It features 37,000 square feet of showroom space. The store offers furniture, home d6cor (including Thomas Kincaid paintings) and floral arrangements. Free gift wrapping is also offered to customers. ABOVE Assisting with the ribbon cutting, from left to right: Arden Graber, Nappanee Chamber of Commerce retail chairman; Larry Andrews, Nappanee Chamber of Commerce executive director; Linda Thompson, wife of Nappanee mayor; Liz and Kenny Mullett, owners of Liz's Furniture Shoppe; Tom Lehman, Nappanee deputy mayor; Myrna Thomas, Nappanee Chamber of Commerce ambassador chairman; Joe Focht, pastor of the Nappanee Missionary Church; and Jeff Krusenklaus, Nappanee Chamber of Commerce ambassador. RIGHT Harpist Julie Mowery played during the grand re-opening of Liz's Furniture Shoppe.

FBCU now open in Nappanee

-- NAFPANEE The new Farm Bureau Credit Union Nappanee office is now open. It is located in Borkholder Dutch Village, at 700 N. Tomahawk Trail on the west side of Nappanee. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday,. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday. The office is closed on Wednesday * The office includes a full-service lobby and a walk-up night depository

Serving Nappanee & Wakarusa

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Renaissance Faire GOSHEN Diane Ovetmyer, an artist from Wakarasa, will be presenting a showing of her artwork during the sixth annual Renaissance Faire, to be held at the Old Bag Factory on Nov, 12,13 and 14. The event features a setting relevant to the Renaissance era, and will offer such attractions as jesters, wandering minstrels and shopkeepers dressed in period attire. Other novelties include the medieval SCA group, Barony of White Water and a madrigal group- of students from Elkhart Memorial High School all on hand to present musical selections. Diane will be located on the main level of the factory, and aside from her exhibit, she will also be providing portrait sketches. Proceeds from the sketches will be donated to a couple embarking on missionary work at Ball State University. Diane's display will continue beyond the Renaissance Faire, and can be found in the Swartzendmber’s showroom. Other local artists at the Faire will provide a selection of artistry ranging from pen and ink, watercblor, paintings, photography and textiles. The Faire will also provide an opportunity for visitors to witness some unique demonstrations, such as artisans using alpaca fibers for weaving and spiraling. The alpacas will even be present for visitors to see and to pet. Nappanee nursery owners Robert and Esther Benedict will also show the craft of creating hypertufa troughs, an English stone-type planter. Bladesmiths will even be present to forge medieval-style instruments. On the final day of the Faire, a trolley car will run from the Old Bag Factory to the holiday open house in downtown Goshen. The three-day event will also feature conceits on Friday and Saturday evenings, with such musicians as Kennedy's Kitchen, an Irish band; and Harvey Reid and Joyce Andersen, fiddler and guitarist They will be performing at LVD’s concert hall. The hours for the Renaissance Faire will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

and ATM. All types of credit union loans, such as consumer, mortgage, commercial and agricultural, will be available at the office. In addition, the member services department will serve member needs in the areas of new accounts, certificates and other related products. Manager of the new office is Liz Bomtrager of Goshen. A Goshen College graduate, Liz joined the FBCU in 1999. She has experience at all FBCU offices and most recently

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Yet even as she became swept up and overjoyed in the traditional roles of family, the yearning to develop and nurture her talents remained with her. “I had thought about returning to college, but when my children- were young, I really wanted to stay at home with them,” Diane said. “I could have gone back earlier, but one thing or another kept me from it.” That is, until a pivotal moment of enlightenment changed her winwni and gwdmkher into a new direction. “During the summer of 2001, our Sunday School class was studying a book titled, ‘lf You Want to Walk on Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat,’" she said. “One of the chapters

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served as the administrative assistant at the New Paris office since it opened in September 2001. The Nappanee Office represents the seventh Farm Bureau Credit Union location. The Main Office and College Green Office are located in Goshen, with other branches in Wakarusa, New Paris, Millersburg and Middlebury. With assets of $355 million. Farm Bureau Credit Union serves more than 37,000 member-owners.

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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/STEPHANIE MIDOAUGH Diane Overmyer, an artist from Wakarusa, will be presenting a showing of her artwork during the sixth annual Renaissance Faire, to be held at the Old Bag Factory on Nov. 12,13 and 14.

Nappanee Police to increase traffic enforcement during Thanksgiving

NAPPANEE The Nappanee Police Department will participate in a statewide traffic safety enforcement blitz leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday season. The campaign, which also includes media outreach, will use funding to put additional officers on the street to enforce impaired driving and seat belt laws. “This is the time of year when many families and friends travel great distances to get together and celebrate," said Ptl. Brad Balasa. “We want to make sure none of those celebrations turn into senseless tragedies." The three-week media campaign, which includes television, radio and outdoor advertising, will begin on Nov. 7. The enforcement campaign will begin on Nov. 13 and continue through Nov. 28. During the period in 2002 between Thanksgiving and New

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Election Day at Nappanee Elementary PHOTO PROVDtO Election Day at Nappanee Elementary School was exciting for Mrs. Kelley's T-l students. They choose to vote between the elephant and the lion for President of the Day. Pictured are Mrs. Kelley's students campaigning for the Lion, and Apdl Krantok representing the elephant. •

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dealt with facing our fears, and how often we miss God’s best because fear keeps us from going out on a limb for Him." It was then, Diane realized, "It felt like God was speaking directly to me through that chapter." Next step The next step was to approach her family, to ask for their siqjport as she embarked on a new found mission to further her education. Her husband and children all offered their affirmation, and soon, Diane was a college student once again. She began taking her first class, specializing in foundations drawing, See Artist on Page 3

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Year's Day, 2,464 people died across the United States in alcoholrelated crashes or in crashes where safety belts were not used, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Research has shown that high visibility enforcement and a strong media message lead to a higher seat belt usage rates and a reduction in alcohol-related crash fatalities. “We want to encourage Hoosiers to make smart and safe decisions during the holiday season and throughout the year,” said Ptl. Balasa. “If you buckle up and drive responsibly, you'll arrive alive." This campaign is sponsored by the Governor's Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving, a division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Federal funding for the initiative is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.