Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 129, Number 29, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 20 July 2006 — Page 1

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Embrace the Pace CLASS OF 1945 The Nappanee High School Class of 1945 will meet for breakfast on Thursday, July 27 at 8:30 a.m. at Traditions Restaurant. BLOSSOM QUEEN The Nappanee Apple Festival Miss Apple Blossom Queen contest will be held on Aug. 5 at Northwood High School. Wa-Nee girls between the ages of 16 and 21 are eligible, and no talent is required. First place will be awarded SI,OOO, second place will receive S3OO and S2OO will be awarded to the third place finisher. Pick up application and rules at the Nappanee Chamber of Commerce, 451 North Main St., Nappanee. The deadline to return applications is July 30. For questions please contact Missy Fisher 7735344 pageant coordinator. USBefUNBRAISER The NappaAee USBC Bowling Association will hold a fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Gold Crown Lanes in Nappanee from 4 to 7 p.m. Money raised will go towards high school bowling team, youth bowling, scholarships and city tournaments. The all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner will be $6 for adults and $4 for children between 4 and 11 years of age. CLASS OF 1996 The North Wood Class of 1996 will hold its 10year reunion on Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Dal-Mar Banquet Hall in Nappanee. Tickets are sls, and the following graduates are still being sought: Clyde Borthoff, Todd Earl, Heather Hepler, Jennifer Keen, Lelah Mevis, Sam Harrington, Kelly Teal, Katrina Null, Alan Nunemaker, Erik Nunemaker, Michael Stutzman, Brad Kaylor and Rebekkah Barr See AROUND, Page 2 Contact Us Advance News 158 W Market St. PG. Box 230 Nappanee, IN 46550 - . • Office Hours: 10 a m. to 2 p.m Phone: 574-773-3127 (newg 1-800*933-0356 (ads) ; • - ■■ f A rex 574-773-351^ E-mail ■heaftymt

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Pace is embraced in Nappanee

By Mandy McFarland Intern Over the weekend, the city of Nappanee invited families to set aside the hurried pace of everyday modem life and experience a more laid-back stride. On Saturday July 15 the city of Nappanee held its first annual Embrace the Pace Day celebration in honor of the city's new branding, which states, "Embrace the Pace." A number of local businesses participated in the day's events, handing out free Frisbees with the Embrace the Pace brand, an Amish horse and buggy.

Just monkeying around Bryndin Howard, 7, focuses intently as he prepres to swing from the monkey bars at West Park. Howard was one of many who spent a hot Saturday afternoon at West Side Park as part of Embrace the Pace Day in Nappanee. Along with spending time at the park, the Firemen’s Fish Fry and Concert on the Green were also incorporated into the Embrace the Pace Day activities. PTvowrfrom all the events of the day can be found on Page 6. ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/ MANDY MCFARLAND

Firemen’s Fish Fry, Concert on the Green part of Embrace the Pace Day

By Mandy McFarland Intern A good meal and relaxing family atmosphere are just two of the ways Nappanee dwellers were invited to "embrace the pace." On Saturday, the Nappanee Fire Department sponsored its annual fish fry. Hundreds showed up to enjoy a good supper , and to support the fire department. The fire department has been sponsoring its annual fish fry since the early 19705. Since then, the event has become a tradition. For one afternoon, the firefighters trade in their fire helmets for chefs' aprons and stand behind the grill, cooking and serving fried fish and coleslaw. This year's* event was in conjunction, with the first annual Embrace the Pace Day. Don Lehman, Ist Captain of the Nappanee Fire Department, commented on the pace of a community like Nappanee. "We have the Amish community along with the RV industry and the two go hand in hand," said Lehman. "It's a good community to raise a family in." Proceeds go to cover the cost of such items as supplying bottled water and Gatorade during fire calls. In the past, money earned from the fish fry has been used to purchase a pickup truck to be used by the fire department. "That way the city doesn't have to pay for it and neither do the taxpayers," said Lehman. Following the fish fry, the Nappanee Chamber of

Joan Andrews, Executive Director of the Family Christian Development Center, handed ouf free inflatable beach balls sporting the Embrace the Pace emblem. "We're just trying to get out our message that this is a county that values family," said Andrews. Nappanee's West Park was also open to anyone wishing to enjoy a leisurely day of fun and family time. Despite the heat, several families took advantage of this opportunity For Mark and Joi Walter and their daughters Alissa, 11 and Arianna, 6, Embrace the Pace Day has been a way to connect with a new communi-

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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTOS/MANDY MCFARLAND The Union Center Church of the Brethren Praise Team (left to right: Nick Yoder, Deb Shively, Corey Hepler, Zack Stutzman, Kevin Ramer, Jill Everest, Jamie Gill, Shari Searer and Jana Burkholder) perform as part of Concert on the Green

Commerce sponsored its annual Concert on the green. This year's concert featured praise bands, including the Union Center Church of the Brethren Praise Team and the Ist Brethren Church Worship Team. Also featured among the list of artists were the Hymn Tymers with their Bluegrass style of Gospel and local singer/ songwriter / instrumentalist Mark Hoelfiger from Elkhart. Dianne Debelak and h es husband Dennis lent a hand with the event, selling ice cream sandwiches and bot? tied water. "It's very important that everybody just relax and embrace the pace of this weekend," said Debelak. The Debelaks are both members of the Chamber of Commerce and own die Homespun Country Inn. Gale Gerber of the Chamber of Commerce! worked the sound booth for! the performers. Gerber com-j] men ted on the team efforr to -> ■ *

"We just moved here," explained Mark. For those who preferred air conditioning, the Nappanee Public Library sponsored a special story time. Kids were invited to listen to a story about a turtle and to participate in a turtle-themed discussion. They were also allowed to make their own edible turtles out of caramel and pretzels ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/ MANDY MCFARLAND Carlie Salinas, 11, takes advantage of the shade as she participates in a game of Monkey in the Middle with some of her friends.

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Nappanee firemen Mike Beer (left) and Don Abel prepare fish for lam weekend’s Fish Fry.

that went into the event. "It's neat when -everybody can pull agether and make this happen for the city of Nappanee," he said. Deb Shively also from the Chamber of Commerce, sang with the Union Center praise team. She J|p emceed the event. "It realy is a community event," Shively said.

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"We're so thankful that we live in a country where we can worship out behind a fire station." Shively invites anyone who wishes to participate in next year's event "If other singers and praise teams would like to perform, they can," she said.

School gets Meat’s theirs By Anthony Gadson Editor By the end of this month, the state will be making a $454,682 payment to the WaNee School Corporation, but that doesn't mean the corporation has extra money to spend. "This is money owed to us," Wa-Nee Business Manager Janet Gruwell said. "We were going to receive the money in September, but have received it early. Which is something we're happy about." Wa-Nee, along with every other Indiana school, will be receiving back payments this year, totaling $l6O million. The state can afford to pay the schools their money, having successfully reached its first balanced budget in eight years, and first true surplus in three years. "It was wrong for the state to paper over its deficit spending on the backs of schools," Gov. Mitch Daniels said in a release. "Now that we have restored the state to solvency, it’s important to pay these debts back as fast as we possibly can and continue practicing fiscal responsibility so no future state government is tempted to use this unfair tactic again." State government began delaying payments to K-12 schools, higher education and local governments several years ago during a prolonged period of deficit spending, and currently owes $622.1 million to those entities and SSO million to the Public Deposit Insurance Fund. In January, Daniels directed that half of delayed payments to schools ($156 million) be repaid, utilizing proceeds collected through the tax amnesty program. The Indiana General Assembly also has authorized the repayment of $176.5 million to higher education and municipalities (S4O million, higher education; $136.5 million, municipalities) during the current fiscal year which dnds June 30. While the payment of money is nice to the schools, it's not like they're getting free money. They're only getting money owed to them. "It is not extra money," Gruwell said. "This is what is owed to-os, and should have been paid back in Tjnhn i inr * * reuiuary. y_ , Sat SCHOOLS, NetlL