Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 133, Number 52, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 29 December 2011 — Page 1

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UFE-CHANGING OPPORIUNmES SET NAPPANEE Center for Hospice Care needs vohmteers in Kosciusko, Elkhart, and LaGrange counties. The next volunteer training (15 total hours) is in January. No previous health car? experience is necessary. Volunteers are needed for patient care, companionship, bereavement callers, office support, massage therapists, veteran to veteran, hair stylists, and barbers. Following training, volunteers may assist patients and families with respite, transportation, laundry, errands, companionship, or bereavement. Raining dates are Jan. 10, 12, 17,19 and 23, 2012 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. To register, contact Valorie Eads, volunteer recruitment coordinator at 574-286-1198 or email her at eadsv@centerforhospice. org. WATER AEROBICS, CLASSES TO BEGIN NAPPANEE Wa-Nee Continuing Education reminds that water aerobics is recommended as one of the best forms of exercise and can be enjoyed by all ages. Benefits include: less muscle strain, toning and strengthening, losing inches, and releasing tension and no swimming skills are required as all exercises are conducted in water of standing depth. The pool at North Wood High School has its temperature set at 81 degrees. Classes begin with a 10-minute warm-up on deck and continues with a 30-minute workout in the pool that ends with a 10 minute cool-down. Attendees should wear a swimsuit and bring a towel. If it is necessary to bring children with you, they should sit on the pool deck while class is in session. The classes are held Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 11 through Feb. 20 for Class I and Feb. 27 through April II for Class 2. Cost is S3O per dass (which indudes 12 sessions). Pay for the dass at the Nappanee Public Library or Wa-Nee Community Schools Administration Office only. FLORIDA'S DAY FOR WAKARUSA FEB. 7 WAKARUSA Wakarusa Day in Florida, is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Homer's Buffet on Route 27 in Sebring, Fla.

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Baby wipes leading to sewer blockages

By Merrie Chatman Correspondent NAPPANEE - Gale Gerber, Water and Waste Water Superintendent/ Manager, is asking parents to refrain from flushing baby wipes. During the Dec. 12 Nappanee Board of Public Works and Safety meeting Gerber reported that numerous sewer blockages have occurred in recent weeks which were caused by the disposable doths being flushed down toilets. The superintendent/ manager was also given permission to hire Commercial Sewer Cleaning Company

Final look at 2011

EDITOR’S NOTE - Asa new year approaches we can all look back at 2011 to see what we lived through, accomplished, or lost before stepping ahead to the future before us. This is part one of a two-part feature of headlines, notes of interest and images highlighted in the Advance News in 2011. JANUARY New year brings new director By Brent Glasgow Editor NAPPANEE With the holiday season in the rear-

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Students stocking shelves

Photo provided Fifth grader Madison Craven boxes up some cans for the annual Open Door fundraiser. Woodview Elementary students helped stock the shelves of Open Door in Nappanee for the long winter with the annual holiday food drive. Open Door is an organization staffed by volunteers to distribute food to needy families in the community. During the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, elementary students

New year, two new, yet familiar faces at council table

By Angel Perkins Editor s , WAKARUSA—Wakarusa will see two different though not new faces at the council table in January. Jeff Troxel defeated Phillip Klotz (current vice-presi-dent) to replace Ron Berkey (current president) for Ward 3 and Laurelyn Street defeated Denny Grove for Ward 2. Incumbent Fred Avery Jr. was uncontested for die Ward 1 seat Street is no stranger to die Wakarusa Town Council. The 63-year-old mother of one (Pamela) served at that realm for 24 years, six terms in a row and as an

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to dean out 3000 feet of interceptor sewer located on the south side of the Berlin Court Ditch. The company is being hired because the Nappanee Waste Water Treatment Plant doesn't have the proper equipment. Cost for me work is an estimated $2,864. POTENTIAL FRAUD Gerber also warned that if dtizens receive a mailer from any company offering water line insurance they should immediately check with the Better Business Bureau to ensure the company is legitimate. Gerber stressed that residents

view mirror, many folks had a feeling of uncontrollable lethargy when returning to work Jan. 3. Not Jeff Kitson. Replacing the retired Larry Andrews, Kitson took over as director of the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce and Nappanee Redevelopment Commission. "There's definitely 1 quite a level of excitement," Kitson said. "There are going to be challenges in 2011, and that really exdtes me, because I like to face them head-on and attack them with a good attitude and hard work. This is what I'm supposed to be doing."

in grades K-5 brought in non-per-ishable foods and paper products to place under the school’s Christmas tree. Each day, helpful fifth grade students would box up the food to make room for the next day’s haul. The generous Woodview families ended up donating approximately 1,400 items this year. Every year the Nappanee Street Department workers graciously transport the (heavy) boxes of collected cans from the school to the train depot where Open Door is housed.

"at large" member. She said she was voted out die last term because she was running "against several good candidates."* Street said, "You learn a lot in 24 years," of her time served on die council, "and I really enjoy it I grew up in the town and I love it." She added that being openminded is another asset she brings to the table besides die experience and knowledge tnat running a town entails. The things she's addressed as a council member in the past that she said she is most proud of was being involved in the culmination of the. grant that

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should call the 888 before they agree to any contracts, or purchase any merchandise. TOWNSHIP SEEKS TO END SERVICE CHARGES Nappanee Board of Public Works and Safety also reviewed a request from Scott Township to eliminate the $1,500 rent charged to the district each year for services offered by the South Side Fire Station. Residents were said to feel members of their township have little demand, need or service, from the trucks housed at the South Side Fire Station. Mayor Thompson

Multi-title season The North Wood Middle School seventh grade boys basketball team had' an outstanding 2010 season, winning the North Wood Shoot Out, Indian Springs Championship, Big 11 regular season and conference tournament crowns. IMayor fills former councilman’s positions By Merrie Chapman Correspondent NAPPANEE Nappanee * See Look, Page A 3

allowed for the Streetscape project, which renewed tne downtown area with new streetlights and landscaping. "We are one of the few towns that people can walk down the main street, push their strollers, or gather to visit and enjoy their downtown area," she said. Street said she is happy with the council's development and defining of longrange planning and the direction things are going with town affairs. She said goals she will work toward for the town indude creating more diversified employment in the area, continuing with the growth of die

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explained the 2012 Scott Township Agreement with the City of Nappanee for fire protection had already been settled and signed, and could not be changed. Township residents and representatives can still plan to meet with the Board of Works at a later date to negotiate the amount of a 2013 fire protection agreement with the city. Lowering, or eliminating, the yearly fee would be negotiable at that time. BILLING MADE EASIER Board members also approved a two-year agreement with Ambulance

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Photo by Amy Wenger Michael Gongwer (left) and Connor Yoder were chosen as the top speller and the runner-up, respectively, during the spelling bee held Tuesday, Dec. 20 at North Wood Middle School. For their efforts, both boys will represent North Wood Middle School at the advanced level, during the Newspapers in Education Regional Bee to be held at Bethel College in March.

Stellar spellers to compete aft NIE Glee By Amy Wenger Correspondent WAKARUSA—Ordinarily, one might expect the hallways of a junior high school to be buzzing with activity, especially in the days leading up to a much-anticipated Christmas vacation. But during one recent event, quite the opposite proved true. Dozens of students were seated alongside each other in thoughtful contemplation, inching their way toward hopeful victories, through one carefully chosen letter at a time. The setting was North Wood Middle School, the occasion, a wintertime spelling bee during which nearly 50 scholars, ranging from grades sixth through eighth, worked their way through a list of words for the chance to become one of the ultimate top spellers. The competition, held after school Tuesday, Dec. 20, stretched well beyond the projected completion time of 4 p.m. All of the contenders had risen to the challenge of arriving well prepared, and it took several rounds to finally reveal a winner. The participants, extremely gracious to one another, occasionally gesturing signs of support silently to each other at various intervals. Yet there were moments of levity as well, particularly when certain words sprung up that perhaps revealed something about playful characteristics, sudj, as See Bee, Page A 3

downtown area, keeping the community "retirementfriendly," and connecting newer housing developments to the Wakarusa downtown businesses and their services as well as the local resources. Troxel, 45, and his wife of 16 years, Stacy, have two children Brayden (18) and Ashley (17). Itoxel has been employed with the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department for a total of 24 years and is currently a Detective Lieutenant "I was on the Wakarusa Town Council for eight years prior to this, from 2002 through 2010," he said. "I held an 'at

Billing Services, Elkhart. Cost will be seven percent of net collections. The company hired will handle all billing fees for services provided by the Nappanee Paramedic and Emergency Medical Services Department. Ambulance Billing Services is up-to-date on all changes and details regarding Medicare/ Medicaid charges. Allowing the outside source to handle filing all those charges will speed up the city's billing process. The company also accepts credit card payments which the city cannot currently do.

large' seat at that time and served as president of the council for two years." He said he couldn't run a third time because he was running for Sheriff in 2010. His career at the sheriff's department as a public servant led him to want to continue to serve just in a deferent capacity and like Street, enjoyed doing what he could to make the place he lives in a place to be proud of. "I care about what happens to our town and want to have a pvt in making it a great pfece to live," he said. Sm Council, Pagt A 3