Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 127, Number 49, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 2 December 2004 — Page 1

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Vol. 127 Issue 49

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OPEN HOUSE Wakarusa Christmas Open House & Christmas Around the Tree will be on Monday, Dec. 13. Most area businesses will be open until 8:30 p.m. FREE MASONS All Nappanee and Bremen Free Masons are encouraged to attend the Bremen Lodge 414 meeting on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. TOY DONATIONS Toys for Tots boxes have been distributed to several local businesses and both libraries in the Wa-Nee community. A new, unwrapped toy or gift for children from birth through high school can now be dropped off at any of the locations. The donations will be used for the Christmas Jubilee to be held Dec. 11 and sponsored by the Family Christian Development Center. Anyone with questions about donating a toy or the Christmas Jubilee can contact the center at 773-2149. HOLY WALK The Bremen Holy Walk is set for Dec. 10 and 11. Shuttle buses depart from Bremen High School, 511 W. Grant St., every 15 minutes between 6 and 9 p.m. Friday and 5:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday. This annual reenactment of a journey from Judea to Bethlehem is hosted by Bremen area churches and is free of charge. Dress warmly for this outside event and expect a wait of several hours in the school gym. Call 546-2667 or 546-2042 between 9 a.m. and noon for more information.

Contact Us Advance News 158 W. Market St. P.O. Box 230 Nappanee, IN 46550 Office Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday Phone: 574-773-3127 (news) 1-800-933-0356 (ads) E-Mail: [email protected]

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Residents run Four’ a good cause

By Anthony Godson Advance News Editor The Fourth Annual I'm Thankful Four Race looked a lot different than the previous three races. "There used to be 25 to 30 of us that gathered at the Methodist Church for this and the only fee was a bag of canned goods," said organizer Mark Mikel. The race was rim in Wakarusa at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and this year's race brought out 318 runners and walkers, showing their support for the Mikel Family, following the passing of their daughter Kelsey in August. This year's race didn't only benefit the Family Christian Development Center's Food Pantry, as it had in the past, but also helped raise money for the Kelsey Mikel Trust Fund, which provides a scholarship to a North Wood yearbook staff member. At the end of the day, approximately $6,800 was raised. "This is an example of how

FCDC gives local family an 'extreme makeover'

By Stephanie Middaugh Correspondent WAKARUSA According to Michael and Heather Telschow, they liked where they lived. They knew that when they bought their house in Wakarusa they had also bought a. community, friends and good schools. But for them and their six children, ranging in age from 10 to 19, their house was just too small. Four years ago, the family lived in a one and a half story, 100-year-old farmhouse. There were two adjoining bedrooms upstairs, a landing downstairs used for another bedroom and only one bathroom. "We were using every comer for living space, and the house was in need of repairs from all the age ahd use," Michael said. "We decided to contact Family Christian Development Center to see if we qualified for home improvement."

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A photo of the home that the FCDC helped to build.

Boy Scouts return To Wakarusa

• Once disbanded troop now has 14 members By Stephanie Middaugh Correspondent WAKARUSA - The Wakarusa town cabin is once again being used for its original purpose - holding meetings for Wakarusa Boy Scouts Troop 4. The once disbanded troop became active again in January and already claims 14 members. According to Jim Smith, scoutmaster for the troop, many parents became concerned when their children grew too old for the Wakarusa Cub Scouts Troop with no Boy Scout troop to join in town. At the time, the closest troop was in Nappanee. Before reactivating the troop, the parents first had to find a chartered organization to sponsor the group. In Wakarusa, the Lions Club agreed to sponsor the troop. The sponsor provides financial and legal

Thursday, December 2,2004

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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/ANTHONV GADSON The runners take off from in front of the North Wood Middle School. More photos from the event can be found on Page 10.

the whole community has shown an outpour of help and support," Mikel said. Following the race, Mikel spoke to the participants in the middle school gymnasium, while results were still coming in.

Initially, Michael thought the house needed some new windows, heating ducts run to the second story, replacement of a utility room and a new bathtub. "The answer we received back was not what we had expected," Michael said. "We were told that besides making the much needed repairs downstairs, FCDC wanted to pursue adding a full second story, con-. sisting of four bedrooms and an additional bathroom. Although the family received the offer of their dreams, the project did not get started overnight. The entire process started in 2000 with construction beginning in August 2002. Plus, their home had to be annexed into the Wakarusa town limits before the project could begin. The family also had to spend months developing plans that remained within the predetermined budget. The funds the project

PHOTO PROVIDED

responsibility for the troop, while approving all leaders and making sure all Boy Scouts guidelines are met. Since reactivating the troop, the members have marched in the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival parade, helped with the Lions Club pancake and sausage breakfast during the festival and participated in the national "Scouting for Food" campaign by collecting 150 bags of food locally for Family Christian Development Center. Smith said he became scoutmaster for the troop because he was a Boy Scout and he is personally sold on the program. "It develops the character of young boys," he said. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young boys to make ethical choices over -their lifetimes by instilling strong values through character development, citizenship training and mental and physical fitness. Each troop is lead by a scoutmaster, who is usually a parent of one of the scouts. But Smith is quick to point out that parent involvement is See SCOUTS, Page 3

"l just want to say thanks to each and every one of you for your support," he said. "You don't know what it means to my heart to see all of you come out here today." The race appeared to be in doubt, following the heavy

came from an Indiana Housing Finance Authority (IHFA) grant applied for by FCDC. IHFA grants provide loans to qualified families at reduced interest rates, depending on the size and income of the family. A percentage of the loan is also forgiven after living in the home for 10 years following the rehabilitation. "The contractors must stay within pennies of the original estimate," said Joann Andrews, FCDC director. "There is no grace given for exceeding the budget." She added that through the grant, homeowners must meet strict codes for plumbing, sewer, electric and lead paint. According to Michael, there were many sacrifices made throughout the completion of the project with many rough spots, especially since the family lived in the house throughout the rehabilitation. "We were required to put many hours of sweat equity into clean up during the remodeling process," he said. "We wanted to make the money allocated for the project to go as far as possible, so we removed the old plaster and lathing from some rooms downstairs ourselves. We also constructed a new stairwell to match the plans for upstairs. "During the transformation, there were difficulties preparing food," he added. "We received much encouragement from our church. People brought over meals. Local restaurants invited

See FCDC, Page 6

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snowfall the day before, but the sun was out and racers showed up. "Just about everyone here knew my daughter," Mikel said. "It's amazing." Prizes for finishes were halfzip, yellow fleeces, commemo-

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Efforts continue to bring theatre to town

By Anthony Godson Advance News Editor As the City of Nappanee expands, the Nappanee Leadership Academy would like to see the town expand culturally as well, which is why it has proposed building an amphitheater in town. The still loosely named Nappanee Community amphitheater has been designed to be located on the north side of the commonly known "Sledding Hill" at the city park. There is still no construction dates or anything as a fundraising campaign to raise funds for the proposal begins on Dec. 6. The Elkhart Community Foundation has already granted the amphitheater committee a $25,000 matching grant, but $50,000 must be raised before the $25,000 would be kicke'd in . The offer grant is on the table until May. "Our first goal is to raise $50,000," committee chairman Greg Taylor said. After raising $50,000, the committee would receive the $25,000 grant, putting the total at $75,000, but Taylor feels that even more would have be raised to completely erect the type of amphitheater the committee has in mind. Most of the $75,000 would be used just to reconstruct the shape of the current hill. The hill is currently just a huge pile of dirt that was dug up-to build the condominium project just north of the golf course. The dirt was then placed at the location as a part of an agreement between the town and Gordon McCormick, who donated the land to the city as long as he could place the dirt there. For now the hill is only used for sledding, but sledders are not allowed to sled off the east and west sides, just the north and south. By reconstructing the hill, Taylor foresees the hill being much safer, while also

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rating Kelsey's favorite color. Overall Results: Aaron Hoover, 21:54; Jeff Schlock, 22:08; Dave Bursar, 22:18; Matte Zieske, 24:10; Andrew Simons, 24:15; Adam Polhemes, 24:21; Jody Sarber, 24:55; Blain McDowell, 25:26; Chad Schmucker, 25:35; Nick Simons, 25:42. Division Winners Male Under 15: Chad Schmucker, 25:35. 16-25: Matt Zieske, 24:10. 26-35: JeffSchrock, 22:08. 36-45: Rod Cart, 25:44. 46-55: Marc Laudeman, 26:11. 56-65: Verton Troyer, 30:37. Masters: Dave Bussard, 22:18. Female Overall Female: Keri Eby, 28:30. Under 15: Michelle Steffen, 32:28. 16-25: Heidi Stutzman, 32:43. 26-35: Julie Burnham 36-45: Joyce McDowell Masters: Priscilla Chesley, 36:02.

serving the amphitheater. The master plan for the amphitheater is for the stage to face the north side of the hill, making the hill work as seating. "We want to reshape the hill for some acoustic integrity to the amphitheater, as well as bettering the sledding capabilities," Taylor said. "(The reshaping) would serve a dual purpose." While the $75,000 would go a long way toward accomplishing the goal, the committee projects that the entire project could cost $110,280 on the low end and $154,780 on the high end. By completing this project, Tavlor and the committee, foresee the hill being used in both the winter and summer seasons. As a sledding hill in the winter, and as a venue for concerts and festivals in the summer. "The amphitheater would have a broad appeal to the communitv," he said. Tavlor cites the Fourth of July and Apple Festival as two times of the year when the amphitheater could be used. .Among other possibilities, the committee can see the amphitheater being used for a children's theater, outdoor movies and getting rented out to large corporations for company picnics. "With our softball fields and everything else in that area, the whole thing could be rented out for a weekend," Taylor said. The committee works closely with the Nappanee Parks Department, hoping not to step on any toes. "We want everything to filter through the Park Board," Taylor said. If the amphitheater is indeed built, it would be owned by the city. Taylor hopes to make the facility low maintenance, which would be self sustaining. "We don't want it to become a burden to the taxpayer," he said. See THEATRE, Page 6