Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 133, Number 48, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 1 December 2011 — Page 1

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MILLER'S OFFERING WEIGHT WATCHERS Miller's Senior Living Community of Wakarusa is looking for people who would enjoy having a Weight Watcher class at their facility. Anyone 16 years and older who would like to lose weight can'join. Qasses will start Thursday, Dec.-1 at 4 p.m. but individuals must call with name and phone number ahead of time to take part. Call Diane or Cindy at 574-862-1918. CANDLE LIGHTING MEMORIAL SET A candle lighting memorial will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1 in recognition of World AIDS Day. Locations include AIDS Ministries/ AIDS assist at 616 S. Main St., Elkhart. Greater Wayside Temple COGIC, 638 Goshen Ave., Elkhart will host a United We Stand musical from 6 to 8 p.m. (call 574-523-2125 to leam more) and additional events will take place to hanor~the annual day throughout the Elkhart and St. Joseph County areas. Call Latorya Greene at 574-234-2870 to leam more. COOKIE WALK SET FOR DEC. 3 The Wakarusa United Methodist Women will be holding the annual Cookie Walk Saturday, Dec. 3. Cookies, candies, and cheese spreads will be available for sale 9 a.m. until gone. The church is located at 309 S. Elkhart St., three blocks south of the Wakarusa town square. To leam mire, contact Laura Zell at #4-862-4254. < 'RUN RL/bOLPH' 5K RUN/WALK DEC. 3 The "Run, Run, Rudolph" 5K run/walk to benefit the Family Christian Development Center's jubilee will take place Saturday, Dec. 3 at McCormick Creek Golf Course. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the race beginning at 9:30 a.m. There is a sls entry fee for all walkers and runners and $lO fee per person for families of four or more. Registration can be taken the day of the event or sent or dropped off at North Wood High School, 2101 N. Main St., Nappanee to the attention of Heather Bontrager (make checks payable to North Wood High School). See Around, Page 2

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Dime Store changes ‘Black Friday’ to ‘Sweet Friday’

By Angel Perkins Editor WAKARUSA The Wakarusa Dime Store changed "Black Friday" to "Sweet Friday" with the opening of its newest store in Mishawaka. Owners Mac and Deb McNally discovered the new location (built in the 1800 s) that houses the new store by accident, when looking at fixtures for sale from a business that was moving from the Centennial shopping mall strip. "We have a location in Shipshewana in the stunmer but we wanted to open this up permanently to serve some of our customers from the west," Mac McNally explained. "We have regu-

Nappanee community joins for fundraiser

J.P. Phipps’ ‘Life. Worth. Living.’ event is Dec. 3 * By Angel Perkins Editor NAPPANEE The Nappanee community is working together to do what it can to stand behind the family of a 15-year-old boy with numerous medical issues. J.P. Phipps was one-and-a-half when a pediatric cardiologist diagnosed him with an electrical defect in his heart called Wolfe-Parkinson-White Syndrome. "I put my hand on his back and I could feel his heart racing," said his mother, Becky Sumpter Tice. Her education, being halfway through training as a clinical nurse, told her that when it happened again, it was something abnormal. After his heart being controlled by medication (three times a day) for four years, J.P. underwent a procedure to correct the electrical

Fink wins Michiana Idol

By Lydia Beers Staff Whiter NAPPANEE the final round of Michiana Idol, a singing contest held by Sturgis, Mich, radio station WBET 99.3. Chelsea Fink, once one of 50 origihal contestants, had traveled to Sturgis from Nappanee every weekend since Oct. 1, slowly advancing in the competition. She had made it to the very end, the Nov. 5 final performance and £he wasn't feeling very confident. "There was really good competition," said Fink. "V was thinking that I wasn't going to win because everyone was really good." Fink and eight other finalists belted out their. last songs, each of them praying to sway the judges in their favor. Fink' said that out of the three songs she chose for the last round, one was special to her die Christian song "You're Not Alone," by Meredith Andrews. "I chose the songs that I felt probably fit my voice best," said Fink, ."but for my song or cnDtoe*r wanteu

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lars froth LaPorte, Michigan Gty arid Granger and the Mishawaka-Granger area has. really good shopping. When we saw the house was for rent we were really spurred on. We thought it was an interesting building, the kind that would lend itself to a candy store, especially one like ours that sells retro items like nostalgia candies." The McNally's weren’t always in the candy business; he worked national accounts for a company from Montreal, Canada and she worked as Midwest corporate training director for a company out of France, but when the couple derided to start a family, they traded See Store, Page 4

defect. Additionally, at 3 years of age (after vomiting as many as 10 times a day), Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis determined that he had a rare disorder of his esophagus called Eosinophilic Esophagitis, of which there is no cure. TRratment ’to pievertMflP* body's white blood cells from attacking his esophagus includes medication as well as visits to the hospital to monitor his condition. "For a long time he had basically an allergic reaction to all protein," J.P.'s mother said. "It became like an autoimmune disease and we had to eliminate one thing (category of food) to see what was causing it but it was everything. We have to feed him hypo allergenic foods like lamb and apples and at one point we had to give him a special formula from a drug store ... but that didn't improve his situation. His neurological issues cause him to have problems with food textures so he's very picky, but now he eats a pretty normal diet." By the age of 4, professionals found that he had Attention Deficit

Chelsea Fink

to sing (a song) that really meant something to me." Fink ultimately won the contest, taking home a $993 cash prize and hopes to record some time in the near future. One of the judges, owner of die Sturgis theatre the contest was held in, also offered Fink a job. She will be working at the theatre for future talent shows held there. "I was in'shock," said Fink of winning the contest. "I was really surprised but happy. I'm definitely blessed."

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Photo by Angel Perkins When the Jumbo Jelly Beans were first sold in Wakarusa, 100 pounds were sold.

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J.P. Phipps Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD and Tourette Syndrome. As well as having difficulties with attention and concentration, eye-rolling, blinking and facial tics, he was further diagnosed with Obsessive/ Compulsive Disorder, or OCD and at the age of 14 due likely to the compounded symptoms of his many neurological disorders J.P. was further diagnosed with anxiety and began having seizures, some violent enough to send him to be treated at the hospital for the wounds. At oftentimes 15 seizures a day, J.P. can only attend school three hours a day with an aide constantly at his side. He and his mother See Living, Page 5

Fink said that although there were some similarities between the contest and Fox's popular show, American Idol, a Simon Cowell-type judge wasn't one of them. "There weren't any mean judges," said Fink. "They were all really encouraging. One of (the judges) said, 'Be a performer from the moment you get on stage to file moment you leave.' That helped me out a lot." *i' Fink said that she lias, been singing since middle school, but never explored it as a career. Beyond doing talent shows in school and winning one karaoke contest, she had also never competed before Michiana Idol. Her family, she said, is excited about her win and encouraging *her fo' pursue singing professionally. 'T have a support," said Fink, smiling. "(My family) « trying to get me to start doing more filings." Tosee4*i*o«fq*B«» singing one of her favorite songs, visit www.thepilotnews.com and find file video feeds section at the bottom of the homepage. \

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Now more than 70 tons are sold each year and to shoppers worldwide.

Extension open, ceremony planned ’ ” By Merrie Chapman Correspondent NAPPANEE The extension of East Lincoln Street along the south side of Coppes Commons, 401 E. Market, is complete. The toad is now open to through traffic. Members of the Nappanee Board of Works voted Nov. 14, to remove eight street lights along the Lincoln Street Corridor which is now open to traffic. In celebration of the newly opened road, the city will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m., Dec. 9, outside Coppes Commons. The event is open to the public. . The street construction was done to connect two separate areas of E. Lincoln Street which were previously interrupted by approximately one block of privately owned property. The city gained right-of-way through one strip of the land, dividing that property into two separate spaces. Despite the city roadway being open to all traffic, it is expected that the extension will provide a safer, quieter travel for bicyclists, pedestrians and surrounding Amish residents traveling by horse-and-buggy all of which formerly traveled together on East Market Street (U.S. 6).

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Photo by Merrle Chapman Area residents filled Depot Plaza Saturday evening, Nov. 12 to kick-off the coming Christmas holiday. Time was spent adoring the Holy Family, hearing Christmas songs, and witnessing the reading of the original Christmas Story. Kyle Cripe, with parents Andrea and Randy Cripe, hover around the warmth of a burning barrel as they enjoy all of the small town celebration. Second Saturdays Offers house tours ,f By Angel Perkins Editor NAPPANEE As well as the many attractions to Nappanee's Second Saturdays celebration in December, event coordinators offer tours of two area, three-story homes for "A Homespun Christmas." Dec 10 a turn of file century home at 258 E. Walnut St., owned by Jennifer and Him Weaver will be opened to file public as will the second home, The Homespun Inn, 302 N. Main St., owned by Dianne and Dennis Debelak. The home tours are from 4 to 6 p.m. Cost is $5 per ticket for both tours and tickets can be purchased at the door or beforehand at Antiques on the Square, Coppes Commons, Downtown Design and Consign, Main Street Coffee Stop and the Nappanee Chamber office. Many area merchants will be open later for "moonlight madness" from 4 to 8:15 p.m. Another treat for Second Saturday shoppers, retailers will otter stickers to add to Set Tours, Page 3