Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 135, Number 40, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 6 October 2016 — Page 1

102 W. Market SL, Nappanee • 514-773-0700 1M Free. o*o-773.0700 Beaten Kindle

SURVEY OFFERED WAKARUSA During the month of October, the staff of the Wakarusa Public Library will be asking patrons to participate in a short survey. The survey will be available to pick up at several places in the community, including the library. It will also be available online, linked to their website, and on its Facebook page. Anyone who is elementary school aged and up is encouraged to take time to respond. Surveys must be completed and/or returned to the library by 0ct.31. SHADY CALLS IN NAPPANEE AREA NAPPANEE - The Better Business Bureau has placed a scam watch alert with regard to an incident that recently occurred at a Nappanee business. The owner of Schmucker's LP Gas received a questionable phone call from one of its customers. The customer received two calls from someone trying to collect SB9, claiming to be a representative of Schmucker's. The caller stated that he was told to provide a credit card number over the phone,-so-4he matter could be resolved. The customer replied that he had no debt with Schmucker, yet the caller persisted, until the customer hung up. The caller rang again, saying "This is very serious...you need to pay right away!" The customer then reported the exchange to Schmucker's, which then called the 888. Should anyone receive a call of this nature, know that this practice is against the law, and should be reported to the Attorney General at 800-382-5516. DRAGON FOLKLORE WAKARUSA Bites" will take place on Friday, Oct. 7 at 10:15 a.m. Children will hear the story, "Oh, So Brave Dragon" by David Kirk and participate in either a craft or an activity related to the story. No registration is required, and all ages are welcome to attend. STOCK UPON FALL READING NAPPANEE The Nappanee Public Library will be conducting their annual Book and Tag Sale this week, from Oct. 7 through Oct.lo. Hours will be Oct. 7, 9-5:30, 50 cents per pound; Oct. 8, 9-5, 25 cents per pound; Oct. 9,1-5, 10 cents per pound, and Oct. 10, 9-12, all materials free. For those who are See Around, Page A 2

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Excellence honored in Wakarusa

By Amy Lant-Wenger Assistant Editor WAKARUSA On the evening of Monday, Sept. 19, members of the Wakarusa community gathered together for "A Celebration of Hope." The occasion was the 18th annual Wakarusa Chamber of Commerce Appreciation Banquet, during which outstanding contributions to the business and volunteer fields are recognized and revered. The festivities began with a social hour and a dinner, held in the banquet hall of Nelson's, which also catered the affair. Several vocal performances emphasized the theme of hope, with Brandie Yoder sharing "In

Grace Point welcomes new minister

By Amy Lant-Wenger Assistant Editor NAPPANEE - From the shores of dreamy lush locales and sun-drenched beaches, Tom and Nancy Nelson were spiritually called to share the faith in the little land of Nappanee, Indiana. On Sunday, October 16, Tom will lead the congregation of Grace Point Presbyterian Church, 1155 N. Main St., Nappanee, as its newest pastor. His ordination and installation will take place at 2 p.m. at the church, where he will be joined by his wife, Nancy. Earlier this summer, Tom accepted the call from Grace Point, and he was received as a pastor at the EPC Presbytery of the Midwest on September 16. The Nelsons nave arrived in Nappanee by way of Freeport in the Bahamas, where Tom served as the interim pastor for Lucaya Presbyterian Church. "Nancy and I fell in love with mis church, its members, and the island. We thank God each and every day for the blessing He gave us in allowing us to serve at Lucaya." Tom also

Restaurant embraces needs of entrepreneurs for 90 years

Embrace the Pace... By Merrie Chapman Staff Writer NAPPANEE Long before I dreamed of being a journalist I worked for a brief period at the B&B Restaurant a quaint little place in downtown Nappanee. I have no memory of exactly what prompted me to jump from babysitting to being paid for what naturally needed done washing dishes but my time there was well spent At age 121 was learning the fast pace of a kitchen feeding a large public, me importance of keeping things continually in motion, and I even learned to waitress several times when people were on vacation. I was clueless at the time that my employer, David Widmoyet was the Nappanee City Judge. I only knew him, and his wife Donna, as the smiling faces that welcomed everyone into the restaurant as if they were family. At that time, I was also unaware of the significant role the business played in local history. Now as an adult I am continually more fascinated with every new detail I discover, or story I hear about the building which is now blown as the Main Street Coffee House. Located at the comer of Ufi. 6 and S.R. 19, the B&B Restaurant first opened on April 12, 1926. Bernard "Bunk" Widmoyer and Russell "Buss" Hostetter owned it thus the B&B Restaurant was bom. The partnership lasted only one year as

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Photo provided by Deb Shively Among those honored at the 18th annual Wakarusa Chamber Appreciation Banquet, held at Nelson's on Monday, Sept. 19 are, from left: Gene Zercher,Teacher of the Year; Scott Weldy, Weldy Insurance, Business of the Year; Bernie Beer, McCormick Motors, Business of the Year; Terry Flickinger,"Friend of the Chamber;"and Dave Fox, Jenkins Automotive/NAPA, Business of the Year.

God We Still Trust," Andrea Holdeman serenading with "Trust in You," and Steve

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had a pastoral stint serving a congregation in Lake Mary, Florida. Tom was beckoned to the ministry while in college at the University of Central Florida, graduating in 1985 with a BA in Radio-Television and a minor in Political Science. He enrolled in a few classes at Reformed Theological Seminary in 1999 before becoming a full-time

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Master of Divinity student in January of 2007. During his time at the Seminary, Tom took on the role of Director of Admissions, and served in that position until he graduated. He was responsible for overseeing all recruiting, application approval, and financial aid assistance. Tom finally completed his Master of Divinity degree See Minister, Page A 2

the two men discovered the new business could not support two families. Local legend has it that Widmoyer and Hostetter flipped a coin to see who would get the restaurant. "Bunk" Widmoyer won the coin toss. The original building which housed the restaurant was moved from Locke to Nappanee in 1874. There is no record of how it was used before the restaurant opened. Just three years after the restaurant opened The United States went into an economic recession, in August 1929. That was followed by the stock market crash in October 1929 which began The Great Depression nationwide. During that period the B&B Restaurant offered 1 cent egg sandwiches, and a bowl of soup or a piece of pie for a nickel each in an effort to ensure all area residents could at least afford a simple meal. It was during that same time period that Huffman Bakery, also located in downtown Nappanee, provided bread buns for free. The restaurant, the owners, their hometown and neighbors, as well as the nation, survived The Depression. In 1952, son David Widmoyer started a partnership with his father. It is recorded that the duo razed the building and built a new one in 1963 without losing a single day of business throughout the process. The renovations created a total seating capacity for 200 people. In 1972 two more dining rooms were added, increasing the seating capacity to 325 people.

"Friend of the Chamber" honoree, served as a master of ceremonies for the

Torch relay continues journey

By Amy Lant-Wenger Assistant Editor ELKHART COUNTY-By now, Hoosiers are well aware that the year 2016 has become, and will henceforth be known as, the Bicentennial year. Indiana's recognizance of the 200th anniversary of statehood has been a sprawling extravaganza of parties, commemorations, and spirited observances throughout the course of the year. In keeping with the celebratory theme, Tuesday, Oct. 4 was an exceptionally memorable day for Elkhart County, as the region was the site of the Torch Relay as it continues its journey around the 92 counties of the Hoosier State. Several local individuals from the Wa-Nee communities were chosen to carry the torch as distinguished Torchbearers, chosen for their leadership abilities in fields such as educatioa volunteerism, and other civic endeavors. Those who will be leading the Nappanee Torch Relay as it passes through the city will be Gale Gerber, Peg Hoffer, Sarah Stump, and Larry Thompson. In Wakarusa, the

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honor was bestowed on Dr. Robert Abel, Mark Mikel, and Jeff Troxel. The official starting point for the Elkhart County section of the relay was the Myßrook Dairy Farm, located at 57922 CR 43 in Middlebury. From there, the route continued through Middlebury, Elkhart, and Goshen, before heading west toward Wakarusa, via CR 7 and CR 40, and through the downtown thoroughfare at approximately 1:15 p.m. The run continued through Nappanee, along CR 50 and State Road 19, before concluding with a closing ceremony at Amish Acres. Schoolchildren throughout the Wa-Nee district were given the afternoon away from classes to witness and to cheer on the community runners. The Nappanee Chamber of Commerce also sponsored a cookout for members of the Chamber. To stay updated on any of the events pertaining to the Indiana Bicentennial, as it occurs in Elkhart County, visithttp: / / www.elkhartcoimty2ol6.com. Watch for photos from this historic day in the Oct. 13 edition of the Advance-News.

Throughout its existence the B&B was a history making, and trend setting, site at which all people gathered. It was the first restaurant in Northern Indiana to offer air conditioning, and the first restaurant in the United States to feature "sizzling" steaks. The latter was achieved using equipment purchased from Coppes Hotel when it stopped serving meals. Being located at the crossroads of America's famous Route 66 (now U.S. 6), and Indiana State Road 19, the B&B Restaurant was a prime location for people to "sit and rest a spell" during their journeys both statewide and nationwide. People from all walks of life walked in the doors to dine at the restaurant including such famous customers as Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Pat Boone and Olympian Jesse Owens. It was not uncommon to stop in for a quick lunch and be witness to up-and-coming political figures meeting and greeting the public over a cup of coffee. It did not matter if they were running for city council, Mayor of the City of Nappanee, or wanted to represent the people at state or national levels of government, members of each level were at some point visitors at the B&B, talking to prospective voters and learning to know the very people they wished to represent. The historical B&B Restaurant closed in 1993. It remained abandoned, but not forgotten, for a See Embraces, Page A 2

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night, and also donated seven pieces of glass art that he designed and created, each with its own distinctive story. Those were given away as door prizes, as were offerings from Subway, Miller's Senior Living, Pro IT, and J&N Stone. "It was a very special evening with a great appreciation among all who attended for the privilege we have to voice our faith in our sovereign Lord as a community," said Deb Shively, Wakarusa Chamber secretary. There were tnree local businesses that were bestowed with Business of the Year honors. "This award is presented each See Honored, Page A 3