Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 128, Number 45, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 10 November 2005 — Page 4

• Advance News • Thursday, November 10, 2005

Page A4

Letters to the Editor

lAppreciation ; The Earl family wishes to thank all who participated in ai)y way ;in the benefit for Charlianna Earl. Gratitude is expressed to those ;who said prayers, those that donated items for the auction, those Ithat donated food for the benefit or meals for our home and the ■ We want to thank the people who came to the benefit and bought 3tjeir hearts out, those who donated cash, those who visited is at home and to all the wonderful friends and family who gave their time to make it all possible. » Although we lost Charlianna the morning of the benefit, you could feel her presence in the love that was shared that night. She was definitely looking down and smiling on all the caring people opening their hearts to us. A thank you does not nearly seem enough for the generosity shared during this difficult time. Our lives have been deeply touched. In loving memory of Charlianna, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Todd, Danielle and Skyler Football League Bremen Junior Football thanks the players and coaches for our 2005 season. This year's league has 58 players with four teams. Thank you to our community of volunteer coaches, players and families; this Bremen Community League would not be possible without your support over the last 35 years. Also, special thanks to our League Sponsors: Precision Painting, State Farm Insurance, Miller NorCen, ET Lubricants, The Wooden Peel, Edward Jones, Copperfield, Universal Bearing, Bremen Ford, Dairy Queen, The Bremen Inn and Pritchard Mechanical Contractors Incorporated. Bremen Junior Football Thank You We would like to thank our friends and neighbors for all of the prayers, cards, flowers, food and calls in the recent days since the death of our father, son, and brother, Todd Buss. A special thank you to Todd’s neighbors, the Nappanee Police Dept, Nappanee EMS, Elkhart County Sheriff's Dept, Myron Metzler, Jim and Phil Sumpter, Jim and Retha Yoder, and Todd's' and our friends at the Nappanee Missionary Church. What a caring community we live in. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! The family of Todd Buss - Brandon Buss, James and Sharon Buss, Jerry Buss and Family, Larry and Linda Thompson and Family, Chuck and Darcy Mitschelen and Family, Jay and Ann Heckaman and Family, and Amy and Brian Venghous and Family. House of Holly Put "House of Holly" on your list of holiday activities! This annual fundraiser sponsored by the Eta Zeta Chapter of Psi lota Xi, is a silent auction of handmade crafts, clothing, holiday gift items and much more! This year the sorority will be selling their newly published cookbooks, as well as their famous cheeseballs. The event takes place on Sunday, Nov. 20, from noon to 4 p.m., at the home of Jeff and Amy Martin, 26262 CR 40, Goshen (between CR 7 and CR 9). A $3 donation for each House of Holly ticket purchased also buys an entry in a drawing for a special door prize. This year's door prize is the 2005 Longaberger Christmas Basket, pottery piece and stand. Entrants do not need to be present to win. Tickets for House of Holly can be purchased from any sorority member or at the door. Don't miss this opportunity to do some holiday shopping and support local causes as well. Refreshments are also served. It's a great afternoon that will quickly put you in the holiday spirit. The Eta Zeta Chapter of Psi lota Xi is a nonprofit organization with commitments to Riley Children's Hospital, North Wood Dollars for Scholars, Camp Millhouse, Boys and Girls Club of Nappanee and many other local needs. For more information about House of Holly, call 862-1111.

Continuous Publication Since 1879 Advance News Serving Nappanee VWaharma HOW TO REACH US: (USPS 370-960) If you do not receiv e your paper by 5 p.m. Thursday, please call the circulation department at 936-3101 up to 6 p.m. and we will deliver your newspaper that day. Publisher . . Rick Kreps General Manager Jerry L. Bingle Managing Editor Jim Hekel Advance News Editor Anthony Gadson Sports Editor Ron Haramia Production/IT Manager Greg Hildebrand Marketing Manager Cindy Stockton Circulation Manager Nic Circosta www.thepilomews.com 158 W. Market Su P.O. Box 230, Nappanee, IN 46550 (574)773-3127 Published weekly. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 214 N. Michigan St, Plymouth, IN 46563 Periodical postage paid Nappanee, IN 46550 Mail Rates: Indiana, $20.00 for 52 issues; out-of-state $25.00 for 52 issues. Displav Ad Deadlines: Pilot News - 2 Days Prior at 5:00 p.m. Bremen Enquirer. Nappanee Advance News, Culver Citizen, Bourbon News-Mirror, The leader - Thursday at 5:00 p.m. The Review - Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. TV Week - Friday (Week Prior) at *>:00 p.m. Classified Ad Deadlines: Pilot New s - Day Prior at 11:30 am Bremen Enquirer, Nappanee Advance News, Culver Citizen, Bourbon News-Mirror, The leader - Monday at 11:30 am. The Rev iew - Tuesday at f:()0 p.m. Legal Deadlines: Pilot News - Three Days Prior at 4:00 p.m. Bremen Enquirer, Nappanee Advance News, Culver Citizen, Bourbon New s-Mirror, The Leader - Wednesday (A Week Prior) at 4:00 p.m. All ads larger than 1/4 page need to be e-mailed, sent in a word document or dropped off on a floppy disk. To Place A Classified Ad call 14100-9330550 or 574-936-310 L To Order Your Subscription call 1 800-933-0556 or 5744)36-3101.

Community

Cyclist makes a stop in Nappanee

By Anthony Godson Editor Forrest Gump did it for no good reason, but Ernie Neupert is travelling across the country for a great reason to raise diabetes awareness. "I want to make awareness and raise funds to help cure the cause," the Florida native said about his cross country bike ride. "I could be saving my own wife's life, so there's no better reason than that." Neupert's wife, Jean, suffers from type 2 diabetes, while his 16-year old niece suffers from type .1 diabetes. To help raise awareness, and hopefully contribute to a cure, the 65-year old Neupert left his home in Paisley, Fla. on April 16 to ride his bicycle around the perimeter of the United States of America. Neupert %pst headed west on his journey, travelling through Nappanee on Nov. 2. By the time he'd reached Nappanee, he had travelled 6,329 miles, with plenty more to go. Following his stop here, he was headed to Maine, before traveling down the east coast back home. "I think this trip will take about 10 months," he said. While the trip is quite a novelty, it's not Neupert's first long, leisurely bike ride. In 2000, after surviving colon cancer and losing his wife, Helene, to breast cancer in 1997, Neupert travelled 8,038 miles to raise money for cancer research. "1 just woke up, and there was a clear, blue sky," Neupert said about his first inkling to hop the bike. "I decided it was time to do something that I had wanted to do since I was in high school." The thing he had always wanted to do, but hadn't had the time to do, was travel across the country on a bicycle. "I had always wanted to do it since I was out of high school, but never had the time," he said. "After I survived cancer, lost my wife and the kids were out of the house, I began to get depressed. That's when I began planning the ride." His first ride took him from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast and back again. After losing Helene, Neupert then married a longtime friend of his and his late-wife's, Jean. "We were all friends for years," Neupert said about his relationship with Jean while Helene was still with him. "One

New members expo scheduled

By Anthony Gadson Editor The Nappanee Retail Committee took its meeting to the road on Nov. 3, holding its meeting at the Market Street Guest House. While it usually meets at the Nappanee Chamber of Commerce office, the committee will have different surroundings for its upcoming meetings. Following the Market Street Guest House meeting, the committee will meet at the Scottish Bed & Breakfast in December and at the Homespun Country Inn in January. While the location was different, the topics were the same. Executive Director Larry Andrews opened his report by telling the committee

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day we just decided to get married. By doing that, we lost S7OO a month in social security." Now, after already riding for cancer, Neupert wants to raise awareness about the disease which affects his current wife — diabetes. "Each day, 160,000 people die from a disease related with diabetes, and they don't even know they have it," he said. With this ride dedicated to his wife, he's putting all he has into it. Neupert tries to cover about 50 miles a day, but some days are a little tougher than others. During a 38-mile stretch of road in southern Nevada, between Arizona and California, Neupert had his toughest go of it. "On the first day it was 120 degrees, so I only made it three miles," he said. "The next day it was 114 degrees and 116 degrees on the third. I finally made it across in three days." Following the three-day heat wave, things didn't get all that easy for him. "During a nine-week period, there wasn't a day below 100 degrees," he said. "Once on Oregon, the temperature dropped below 100." As a cyclist, Neupert isn't too keen on the temperature reaching the century mark, but he isn't too critical of the current climate. "I love it out right now," he said. "Anything between 70 and 40 degrees is good." Neupert also loves what he's been able to experience on his bike rides. "Really, everything is memorable to me," he said. "Each state has its own unique beauty. It's up to the individual to find that beauty." While pedaling through Nappanee, he's likely come across other two-wheejed travellers, and expressed delight with the area. "I love it, and I love the food," he said about his brief time in Nappanee. While he travelled through town on a bicycle, he also had a support vehicle nearby, something he didn't have on his first trip. Along with the 34-fOot RV, Ernie and Jean also pull their red pick-up truck, which carries some needed supplies. "We call that our rolling garage," Ernie said. "We have repair tools and spare parts in

about the upcoming New Members Expo on Nov. 10 at the Nappanee Chamber of Commerce office. "We used to have monthly open houses," Andrews said about the former technique for drawing attention to new chamber of commerce members. "Sometimes the number of people that showed up was not where we wanted it to be." As an alternative to showcase its new members, the chamber of commerce is now hosting two expos a year. "We now have one in the spring and one in the fall," Andrews said about the expos. "It gives new chamber members the opportunity to network with other chamber members." There are 10 new members to the cham-

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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/ANTHONY GADSON Ernie Neupert took a time-out in Nappanee on Nov. 2 during his bicycle trip around the perimeter of the United States of America.

there, and we've needed them." Neupert's travelling garage has come in handy many times, and it's also a lot cheaper than visiting a real garage each time something goes wrong. The Neuperts are paying for their trip, completely out of their own pockets. "We are using our social secu- . rity checks of less than $1,500 a month to pafy for this," Neupert said. "And we spend about SBOO to S9OO a month on gas." During his trip, Neupert is handing out flyers letting people know how they can donate to the American Diabetes Association. "I don't collect anything," he said. "It's all mailed in. The money first goes to the Florida chapter, then on to the national level."

After already fighting tornadoes, snow and extreme heat on this trip, he's already planning another trip for his 70th birthday. "My wife also has a heart condition as a result of the diabetes, so I'm in the planning stages for my 70th birthday," he said. "At that time, I'll ride for the Heart Foundation. After that, i'll plan for my 75th birthday." * To donate money to make Neupert's ride everf more worthwhile, donations may be sent to: Uncle Sonny's Bike-A-Thon, c/o American Diabetes Association, 1101 N. Lake Destiny Rd., Suite 415, Maitland, FL, 32751. Any questions may be directed to the ADA at 800-676-4065, extension 3037.

ber, which will display their services or products from 5 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 10. Following the expo discussion, Andrews addressed the latest actions of the Business Improvement District (BID). The BID is a collection of downtown businesses, who generate their own funds, which are then spent inside the BID. Andrews reported that at its last meeting, the BID board approved its assessments for next year. In its assessment, the BID is looking to generate SII,OOO. The Nappanee city administration has said it would match whatever the BID generated. "They may have $22,000 to $23,000 to spend in the downtown for the future," Andrews said.