Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 135, Number 42, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 19 October 2017 — Page 4

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> Advance News • Thursday. October 19, 2017

The Great Pants Massacre I mentioned in a recent column how I gave up the things

of youth, including saying good-bye to a 36 inch waist. For a long time I wasn't willing to admit my pants were too tight so I'd walk around all day with my eyes bulging out of their

sockets. Afterwards I'd have the pants surgically removed. Now look. I exercise six times a week 1 park as far away as I can from tire store and I take the stairs instead of the elevator every chance I get. It's not enough. Fortunately my wife Jennie set about buying me new suits. Jennie loves shopping for others because it's guilt free. She loves saving money. That meant buying me new clothes was going to have to involve massive savings so she could crow about it later. Recently we drove to a well known retailer because Jennie noticed that they were offering fifty percent off. That's fifty percent off of the clearance price. That sounds great, until you think about it. Not only did people avoid these clothes at full price, they avoided them when they were on clearance! Even when they were selling them for next to nothing, no one was buying. Nobody else wanted these pants, and these suits, and nobody wanted them even when they were offered for next to nothing. Shoppers had already walked by the rack and decided they'd pass on buying tthem because the circus already had enough clowns. And it was at that point they cut the clearance price in half, and that's when I showed up with Jennie. Now it's just possible that some of the clothes 1 bought almost qualified as stylish. A couple suits, for instance, were part of the line named after a particular early morning television host who has a Super Bowl ring on nis finger and a good looking gap between his two front teeth that makes him irresistable to the ladies. Let's just say that no matter how how well these clothes fit me, they'd sure look a whole lot better on a guy who owns a Super Bowl ring. Look, I'm a good sport. I tried every suit Jennie handed me. An hour later we walked out of there with nine hundred and twelve dollars worth of clothes. More important, my wife walked out of that store with a receipt that said we'd onlly spent a hundred and seventy dollars. That means we'd saved that told her she'd saved seven hundred and forty-two dollars. Mind you - That seven hundred and forty-two dollars we saved doesn't actually translate to cash money I can stick in my wallet and use to buy groceries. But then, there's just two of us in the house. All the kids have flown the coop. So we don't need seven hundred and forty-two dollars worth of groceries. What we did buy was seven hundred and forty-two dollars woth of smugness. The kind of smugness you nomrally have to donate blood to obtain. And since I hate the idea of spending money on anything except books and burritos, I came away with the peace of mind thatcomes with knowing you accomplished a distasteful and annoying task and spent the absolute minimum you can get away with. I'd say that makes me a rich man. Frank Ramirez is the Senior Pastor of the Union Center Church of the Brethren.

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County Road Seven By Frank Ramirez, Pastor

Community

A message to my grandchildren about the storms of life

October 18, 2007—1 cannot recall what I made for supper that evening. I do remember our boys coming home from school. There are vague images in my mind of them doing homework and eating a meal as they prepared for the evening Boy Scouts meeting. And I remember being so warm that

even shorts felt heavy and hot. But that is not unusual for me. In the middle of winter when everyone else is wearing three layers of clothing and piling on blankets to keep warm, I feel at room temperature while wearing shorts and a t-shirt. My most vivid memories of that evening are watching updates on the weather. There were reports of harsh storms, and assurances that things were being monitored for any signs of "possible rotation." Those were all common lingo on stormy nights and so we still took the boys to their Scout meeting. One storm, then two, and now there was a third one on the way. Meteorologist Mike Hoffman was sounding more and more interested in tracking the steady path this third one was making into areas far southwest of Nappanee. He could see no signs tornadoes in our area but he kept reminding us that the storms were volatile

enough they could potentially spawn tornadoes. At one point I heard a change in the meteorologist's tone. His professional voice sounded off in personal concern. I instantly urged my husband —a volunteer Nappanee fireman—to go collect the boys from Boy Scouts. He had been busy working on projects and so had not been seeing the information posts at the bottom of the television screen, or listening to the updates. I explained to him that we had a third storm headed our way and he would likely be getting called out on storm watch. Allen reluctantly abandoned his work to bring the boys home. On his way back home Allen called to let me know his tones were going off, and ask that I meet the boys at our backdoor because he was headed to the station for storm watch. Already my husband had heard enough on his scanner to advise that I call the neighbors and see about getting into their basement. If they were not home we were to head into a city tornado shelter. I had already filled containers of water earlier that evening. After Allen called, I immediately contacted the neighbors who confirmed they were home and we were all welcome to join them in their basement. As the boys reached the backdoor we gathered up cell phones, chargers, stored water and our dog before heading to the neighbors. Two steps out the back door the heavy winds flung Alec against a parked car. Andrew barely made it across the cement drive before the wind blew him into a bush. I was the next victim as the unforgiving winds pushed me into a large hole which was an ongoing renovation outside the neighbor's back window. At last we made it to their back doorstep, went inside and down to the basement. Upon Allen's advisement I had taken our scanner from home with me on the trip. As a result the boys and I huddled with the neighbors and their children listening to all voices on the scanner. We would later learn that when Allen dropped the boys off, he headed back to US6 and into town, and as he reached the stoplight at US6 and Oakland Avenue/CR7 the tornado was passing through Fairmont Homes —just across the field behind our backyard. Those winds that were flinging the three of us against cars and bushes and into holes was the outter limits of that tornado and its wind currents. Had it not curved northeast it would have easily passed over that field and scooped us up with it. But by the grace of God it bent

100 YEARS AGO October 20,1917 A short meeting of the town board was held at the derk's office Monday evening. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved and the usual number of bills were allowed. A resolution and specifications were ordered prepared for the Lamb-Parson sewer, which will extend from the Lamb factory and empty into the South Main street sewer. This sewer will be constructed this fall. Four cars of cinders were ordered purchased for use upon the streets. A recess adjournment was taken till the last of the week when several important matters wifi be disposed of. The prohibition motor brigade which is making a tour of Indiana will hold a meeting on the public square on Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock. There will be addresses by leading workers of the party and fine music will be a feature of the meeting. Among the guest speakers will be the Rev. Wm. Howard Hickman, D.C. candidate for United States Senator, short term. Dr. Hickman was former Chancellor of DePauw University, has occupied some of the best pulpits in the state, is an old soldier, eloquent, interesting, and persuasive. You will want to hear him. 75 YEARS AGO October 22,1942 At a time when the purchase of war stamps and bonds is ultimately necessary, the high school is doing their bit toward a high goal in the following manner. A contest was started Monday to elect a War Stamp King and Queen. During the next two weeks, nominations are being made, and to make a nomination, one must buy $3.50 worth of war stamps, and boys must nominate girls and vice versa. Votes are cast by buying war stamps and each penny in a stamp will count as a vote, as in 25 votes in a 25 cent war stamp. Each room has a stamp chairman and stamps are purchased through these chairmen. However, a student in one room may vote for a member of any other room if he wishes. The county-wide blackout will take place on Wednesday evneing from 8:30 to 9 o'clock and every home, not only in die city limits of all communities in the county, but every rural home is to be blacked out for this half hour. In die rural sections, not so much attention is to be paid to this order) but

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Just as Dorothy awakened to discover she was no longer in Kansas instead in the Land of Oz sure my grandmother had a moment of wondering where her house had landed after the Nappanee Tornado of 2007 lifted her home up off its foundation. My widowed grandmother, Nancy Gilley, was home at the time and luckily unharmed as her home was picked up and set into the backyard by the funnel cloud passing through South Summit Street.

All Those Years Ago

Merrie’s Musings By Merrte Chapman Staff Writer

to check on my grandmother. My aunt was horrified to see the house rocked off its foundation and scared of what she would find inside. Again, by the grace of God all our family was well. My mother and various family members were already at work on her two properties when 1 was reached with the information. I ventured into town with the neighbors who had housed us safely through the night and took a few photos for the newspaper. We were unable to get remotely dose to South Summit Street because there were so many cleanup crews, emergency responders and other volunteers at work. Still 1 kept in contact by phone, and would gladly have barged in there had it been necessary. I didn't see much of my husband the next 4-5 days. He was among many traveling door-to-door searching to make sure no one was inside injured or deceased. The boys and 1 helped with cleanup crews and held down the homefront. Now here we are 10 years later. Today, prior to writing this, 1 held our newest grandson. He will turn one-month-old this week. I looked at him with so much excitement on all the new things we will experience together. But in reflection of the significance of this week I note of all that I must one day share with him. I want him to know how brave his father and uncle were as they stayed awake with me listening to the scanner, keeping our dog calm, ensuring that the water and snacks we brought lasted in case we were held up in that basement far longer than anticipated. I want little Lucas and his brother Kaiden to know how heroic their grandfather was—as were so many responders, community leaders and volunteers from near and far—both during and after that tornado struck. And I want them to hear all that we learned as we boarded that bus and went into Blackstone and the county road bordering it to help with cleanup —stories of those who came from Pennsylvania to offer their professional services—others visiting from west of the Mississippi River to do whatever was needed. May they learn the importance of service to others... the strength of faith... and tne unfailing love of our Heavenly Father. My prayer for our grandchildren is that they will always hold fast to the God who brought us through this tornado when they face the storms of life. Blessings to all on this 10th anniversary of a night that rocked our world but made each of us only better through the experience!

a request is made by the Nappanee Civilian Defense Council for those homes adjacent to Nappanee to black out along with those in the city. Under the block warden system, a check will be made to see that all cooperate in this practice blackout. 50 YEARS AGO October 18,1967 The cast list has been released for the next production offered by the Nappanee Civic Theatre. Among those who will appear in the play include Brenda Graham, John Johnsen, Bob Schmeltz, Judy Brown, Lisle Roose, Gerry Lichti, Wayne Hilliker, Pat Weaver, James Wilson, James Muncy, Mike Kelly, J.W. Wright, lone Frick, Juna Graham, Sandra Roose, Kent Schwartz, Jean Zimmerman, Sue McKee, Susie Callander, and Cheryl Crane. The Jayshees will soon be selling Dessert Cookbooks, which consist of recipes submitted by Jaycee wives throughout die United States. Meat cookbooks were sold six months ago, and they will also be available again. The Dessert cookbook contains recipes submitted by Nappanee Jaycee wives. Anyone interested in purchasing a cookbook, please contact Mrs. Kathy Braat or Mrs. Susan Conrad. Price of the books is $2.95. , •» 25 YEARS AGO October 21,1992 The new Wood view Elementary School was dedicated Sunday afternoon, with ceremonies held in the school gymnasium, followed by an open house. Among those in attendance were Wa-Nee School Board President Laura Zell, Richard Barton of Barton-Coe-Vilamaa and Associates, PTO president Bob Waters, and Wood view Principal Robert Hamman. The fifth grade choir from Wood view provided musical entertainment, and a number of students offered demonstrations in die computer lab. Several dog owners attended the Nappanee Common Council meeting on Monday to voice their opinions on die possible new dog ordinance. Their main concerns involved die cost of required fencing of specific size and chain link materials that may be included in die new ordinance. One person viewed the city as "making decisions that die public should have a say in." Ordinance committee members repeated that they had started defining the terms of die ordinance, but that it was not yet ready to be presented fra first reading.

north toward the Blackstone housing division. Later that night we heard a report on the scanner of emergency responders on our road reporting that the houses in our neighborhood were still standing. I knew at that moment that just as I had been aching with worry about Allen and

his safety all those long hours... he too had been worried about the boys and I. My heart smiled to know that the report would bring him relief knowing we hadn't lost our home and there was no reason to worry the boys and I had been harmed. The next day I was out taking photos for the newspaper I worked for at that time. Information started coming in on the newslines. And then my mother called. The tornado had swept through South Summit Street and hit the two houses she owned. The first, my grandmother lived in. It had been literally picked up off the foundation and set into the backyard. Grandma was home at the time but thankfully not gravely injured. Mom's second home, next door to the first, housed my aunt. She too was home but took shelter in the bathtub and was not injured. The windows in her vehicle were blown out. Her door was unhinged and damaged. The front half of her roof was peeled off. But she survived unscathed—and immediately went