st. joe times - december 2015

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A year at Atom AcresThe Times followed

a Fort Wayne family through four seasons of planting, picking and change. The Merritts shared their stories, their plans and their hopes.

By Garth [email protected]

When 2-year-old Bea pulled a beet from the warm soil of an Atom Acres greenhouse, her parents turned the impromptu harvest into a celebration.

When 4-year-old Trace plucked a 1-inch plant from the turnip bed, his dad calmly shared a lesson on thinning plants evenly.

When 6-year-old Oliver guided a visitor through the cabbage, he shared a lesson on the family’s approach to farming. “We don’t put anything on the plants,” said the home-schooled farmer.

Ann and Matt Merritt have raised a little of

everything on their 6-acre Bass Road farm over the past three years. They have watched their road-side garden burgeon with tomatoes, squash and more. They have watched their hoop houses produce kale, leeks, chard, fennel, celery and more. They have raised chickens, harbored bees, split firewood and cultured mushrooms. While they count on the income, they have a parallel priority. They are sharing their love of nature with Oliver, Trace, Bea and now 3-month-old Benjamin.

“We’re getting rich as a family,” Ann said. “It’s the experience that we’re really getting rich from.”

They have met chal-lenges. Passers-by helped themselves to the fire-wood beneath the roadside honor box. Something carried off every last chicken. Rabbits wiped out a hoop house full of winter greens.

The Merritts then stacked their firewood on top of the hill, behind the house. They built a fence so their dog, Lilly, can mark the whole property to discourage predators. They bought a cat that loves rabbits.

The white, wooden farmhouse overlooking the southeast corner of Bass and Thomas roads is the family home. The Merritts each moved a few times before they chose that property.

Ann’s journey began in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. “It was all just people who chose to live at this ranch for troubled boys,” she said. “Each family had to raise its own support. Eighteen families all lived collec-tively together.”

She finished school in Florida. “I had a friend from a previous school that had ended up in Hawaii, and she kept telling me that I should

come visit,” she said. “I was in extreme sports and I had done a lot of surfing. So I agreed to come for a while, and find a job.”

Matt was born in Denver, Colo., and lived in the Rocky Mountains of Summit County. The family moved to Fort

Wayne because of a job. Matt lived about four blocks south of Bishop Luers High School until he was 18. He served in Americorps for a year, then worked in Chicago for three years, and was introduced to farming in Michigan. “I traveled

out West and visited my biological father who was in California and my truck ended up breaking down there,” he said. “It was either Chicago or Hawaii, and I decided Hawaii.”

That’s where Ann met

Plants and family prosper on Bass Road hilltop

The hoop house known as Big Momma shelters the Merritt family for a Nov. 16 photo at their home at Atom Acres, on Bass Road. Ann holds newborn Benjamin, as 6-year-old Oliver stands between his mother and his father, Matt. Trace, 4, lower left, and Bea, 2, lower right, complete the family.

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

FWCS honors advocateof 2012 facilities outlineBy Garth [email protected]

Family and former co-workers gathered Nov. 16 to remember Steve Parker’s contributions as Fort Wayne Community Schools facilities director.

A stone marker at the entrance to Snider High School now honors Park-er’s service. A crab apple tree now grows in that same soil.

Parker died shortly after the passage of a 2012 referendum that funded improvements throughout the district. School leaders planted the tree as they work to gather support for the next phase of the long-range facilities plan.

Mary Ann Parker said she and her daughters are pleased with the remem-brance of her husband. “I think it’s a perfect honor for him and I appreciate the project because my

daughters went to school here, and I appreciate all of you,” she said.

“We’re certainly very honored that they would remember all the time and dedication and passion

that he had for the project and for the students,” she said later. “That really was his main focus — a safe and healthy environ-

Mary Ann Parker thanks school officials for honoring her late husband with a tree and marker near the entrance to Snider High School. She is flanked by School Board member Becky Hill, left, and former Snider Principal Deborah Watson. Steve Parker was the facilities director for Fort Wayne Community Schools.

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

See FWCS, Page A11

See ATOM, Page A8

Christmas in the Country has family-friendly appealBy Garth [email protected]

Families will bundle up and scoot close to ride the horse-drawn wagons through the December chill at Christmas in the Country at the Allen County Fairgrounds. Warm food, kids’ activi-ties, and Santa and Mrs. Claus wait inside.

It’s a family-friendly experience, according to Santa’s coordinators. Donald and Carolyn Rekeweg of Wood-burn have brought the Christmas couple to the event for three years.

“We take the opportu-nity to spend time with the kids,” Carolyn said.

“Usually the lines aren’t so terribly long, and you can ask the kids a few questions and spend just a little time with them,” Donald said. “When the lines go all the way across the room, you have to adjust.”

The Rekewegs also host the Clauses at their Woodburn home, and bring the Christmas guests to venues such as nursing homes.

Donald is a veteran of three trips to the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, and a longtime Santa observer. “The way this is presented, it’s such a family event. The best you can say is

it’s noncommercial,” he said. “Look at somebody taking their youngsters to the mall. That is a commercial situation, and I know Santas that work malls. It’s 30 seconds with a picture if possible and get them in and out. But look what they have here. They have things to do besides seeing Santa and Mrs. Claus. They have the face painting, the

crafts, the rides behind the horses out here and the live Nativity. And the whole facility is really decorated outside, all the trees are lit up. It’s gorgeous. The atmo-sphere is so family friendly.”

“I really enjoy it,” Carolyn said. “I had worked at a library 18 years, and I did story times. So to have little kids be able to sit on my lap is purely a joy, and to be able to talk to them about Christmas is so enjoyable.”

“Sometimes you have kids that are just petri-fied,” Donald said. “But usually Mrs. Claus can hold them and Santa can be sitting there and it works out right. You get a nice picture if they want. If we have room and time here, parents can hold them and stand behind, beside or around Mrs. Claus and Santa,

and so again they can get a picture with Santa if at all possible.”

“They are phenom-enal,” Fair Board member Marilou Linnemeier said of the Christmas couple. “They’re patient. They have just got that way with the children that makes the children believe in Santa Claus.”

She said a child might marvel that Santa knows what the child’s grand-parents once exhibited in the fair.

Linnemeier said the Rekewegs are a former 4-H family.

Families may take their own Santa photos. For a fee, Randy Williams Photography will help families capture their visit with Santa.

Donald said the Howard school is the oldest Santa school in the country. He said Howard founded the

school because he was so distressed at what he was seeing in department stories. Donald attended a session in 2012, the school’s 75th anniver-sary. “They still use the same basic curriculum, with a few updates,” he said. For more information, visit santa-clausschool.com.

Also in the 4-H Exhibit Building, visitors will vote for their favor-ites in the Christmas tree decorating contest. After the event, Cross Border Partners will distribute the decorated trees to the needy. That emergency assistance agency also asks visitors to bring unwrapped gifts for needy children in the area.

Chili will be available through the hallway in the Home Loan Building, along with sandwiches, snacks, hot dogs, desserts and bever-

ages. Linnemeier said sponsors always receive compliments on the chili, though the chef chooses to remain anonymous. Face painting, crafts and a silent auction will be available.

Outside the 4-H Building, the wagons of the DeKalb County Horsemen’s Association will carry visitors past decorated trees and light displays. Drivers will accept donations for the rides. The organization assists at more than 30 events throughout north-east Indiana each year.

The 4-H Show Barn will house animals from the Nativity. Linnemeier said donkeys, sheep, goats and a calf will return this year. The board also hopes to book other animals.

Organizers ask the public to donate deco-rations, lights or plastic milk jugs to hold the candles that light the path. Cash donations and volunteers also are needed. The fairgrounds office is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday. Call (260) 705-9526 to donate or volunteer or to arrange pickup of larger donations. Or email [email protected]. All proceeds benefit building and grounds improvements at the Allen County Fair-grounds. Get details at allencountyfairgroundsin.com.

Linnemeier said the fairgrounds does not receive tax money. Dona-tion boxes will be set up to accept cash donations. Work continues on the 25th anniversary gazebo project, which still needs landscaping and cement work. That building was completed just before the fair. Linnemeier said it can be used for weddings or photography.

A2 • INfortwayne.com St Joe Times • December 4, 2015

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Carolyn and Donald Rekeweg of Woodburn say children get to spend a little extra time with Santa and Mrs. Claus in the noncommercial setting of Christmas in the Country at the Allen County Fairgrounds.

PHOTOS BY JANE SNOW

Children bundle up for a close look at Nativity animals in the 4-H Show Barn during Christmas in the Country.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRYAllen County Fairgrounds, 2726 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne.6-9 p.m. Dec. 4, 5, 11 and 12.Admission $5. Children 5 and under admitted free.

St Joe Times • December 4, 2015 INfortwayne.com • A3

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Get ready for the New Year!Join hundreds of your neighbors and

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society Inc. invites the public aboard a train ride with Santa. Rides will be offered beginning at 9 a.m. Dec. 5, 12 and 19.

The 20-minute excur-sions depart from the organization’s restoration complex at 15808 Edgerton Road, New Haven.

A 1950s diesel loco-motive will pull a vintage caboose as passengers visit with Santa during the ride. Trains run continuously all three Saturdays and depart three times an hour. Tours of steam locomotive No. 765 and other activities will be available.

Tickets are available online, at fortwaynerail-road.org. Tickets are $5 for adults and $4 for children. Seating is limited.

Santa Train offers rides

Concordia, Homestead,North Side bands excelThe Homestead High

School Spartan Alliance Marching Band won recognition in two compe-titions in Indianapolis in November.

On Nov. 7, the band competed in the Indiana State School Music Asso-ciation state finals at Lucas Oil Stadium. Homestead placed third among 10 bands in Class A, which is for larger bands. Home-stead has qualified for 29 consecutive state band finals, and has placed in the top four 26 consecutive times. That string includes five state championships.

The band returned to the stadium the following week. The Bands of American Grand National Finals drew 96 bands from across the country, for preliminary compeition

on Thursday and Friday. Homestead advanced to the round of 34 Saturday morning, and to the final round of 12 that evening, placing 12th.

Concordia Lutheran High School’s Marching Cadets under Dianne Moellering advanced to the state finals for the ninth consecutive year, placing sixth in Class C. Concordia also entered a BOA Super Regional, Oct. 24 in Indi-anapolis, but did not enter the national finals. Under Moellering, Concordia was the the 2013 state cham-pion and 2012 state runner.

In all, four Allen County band advanced to the ISSMA finals.

In Class B, North Side High School placed sixth.

In Class D, Woodlan High School placed ninth.

St Joe Times • December 4, 2015

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The Fort Wayne Komets hockey team will hold a teddy bear toss at their game at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. Fans may bring a teddy bear or other stuffed animal (new or mint-condition) to toss onto the ice when the Komets make their first goal. The Disorderly Bear Den will give the stuffed animals to kids in trauma situa-tions and lonely adults in the Fort Wayne area.

COURTESY PHOTO

Bears on the ice

A4 • INfortwayne.com

Other Fort Wayne holiday events• “A North Woods Christmas” garden exhibit, Botanical Con-servatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St., through Jan. 3. Imagine the charm of a North Woods cabin during the holidays: nestled into a snow-drifted evergreen and birch forest, the homestead is preparing for Christmas. Take family photos or just stroll through the poinsettia-accented Showcase garden while enjoying the holiday exhibit. Call (260) 427-6440 for more info.• Garden in Lights, Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St., through Jan. 3. The Show-case House has been decorated

Judges have chosen the top creations of the 30th annual Festival of Gingerbread at The History Center.

Visitors still may cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award, which will be announced at the conclusion of the festival on Sunday, Dec. 13. This year’s festival attracted 133 gingerbread house entries.

The History Center is at 302 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne. Admission is $6 adults, $4 seniors and youth, and free to chil-dren age 2 and under.

The festival raises money to support programs at the History Center. The Fort Wayne holiday tradition boasts an attendance of more than 12,000 each year. Parkview Health is this year’s title sponsor.

For a closer look at special events, visit the History Center’s Facebook page or fwhis-torycenter.com; or call (260) 426-2882.

Entrants from the lower elementary grades to professional culinary artists vie to win prizes in the multiple levels of entries.

Remaining special events include:

• Saturday, Dec. 5: Santa Claus at the History Center, 1-3 p.m.

• Sunday, Dec. 6: Storytelling, 1-3 p.m.: Presented by United Way’s Real Men Read & Women United.

• Saturday, Dec. 12: Gingerbread Pursuit, 8:30 a.m.: For more information or to register, go to veepraces.com.

• Saturday, Dec. 12: Science of Sugary Structures, 1-4 p.m.: Sponsored by PNC Bank and presented by Science Central, $3 plus regular museum admission.

• Sunday, Dec. 13: Cookie Decorating Party, 1-4 p.m.; $1 each plus regular museum admis-sion.

• Sunday, Dec. 13: Festival of Gingerbread Final Day

Stay current on these events by visiting the History Center’s Face-book page or website www.fwhistorycenter.com.

Hours during the Festival of Gingerbread are: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Sat-urday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

The History Center released a list of 2015 winners.

Pre-kindergarten to second grade, individual: 1st, Colin Haupert; 2nd, Ian Smith; 3rd, Aidan Kimmel.

Pre-kindergarten to second grade, group: 1st, Saint Joseph Hessen Cassel second grade; 2nd, Shelden and Anika Klopfenstein; 3rd, Saint Aloysius Pre-Kinder-garten.

Third-sixth grade individual: 1st, Gracey Johnson; 2nd, Aidan Robb; 3rd, Joey Haupert.

Third-sixth grade group: 1st, Saint Vincent American Heritage Girls - Explorers; 2nd, Ella Johnson, Evette Kolev and Isabel Schenkel;

3rd, Kailey Hansen and Natalie Jones.

Teen individual: 1st, Austin Johnson; 2nd, Nora Rusher; 3rd, Vincent Schroeder.

Teen group: 1st, Career Academy — Alexus, Kelsey, Tyrsen; 2nd, Career Academy — Faith, Jazmin, Shania; 3rd, Abby Smith and Alia Davis.

Adult individual: 1st, Nicole Richardson; 2nd, Gretchen Andrus; 3rd, Lori Scheele.

Adult group: 1st,

Cookie Friends; 2nd, The Eaglesons; 3rd, Sue and Jim Courtney.

Family: 1st, Johnson Family; 2nd. McDonald/DeGaetano Family; 3rd, Gingerbuddies.

Professional: 1st, Debbie Ngo; 2nd, The Bakers; 3rd, Jayne Oliver.

Historical adult: Cookie Friends.

Historical student: Austin Johnson.

Gingerbread art on display through Dec. 13St Joe Times • December 4, 2015 INfortwayne.com • A5

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Danny Chapman gets a close look at an entry in the 30th annual Festival of Gingerbread at The History Center in Fort Wayne. His dad, Steve Chapman, also tours the gingerbread artwork.

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

See HOLIDAY, Page A6

with the customary poinsettias and elegance. The Tropical and Desert Houses and the outdoor gardens have been decorated, too. Call (260) 427-6440 for more info.• Botanical Conservatory extended holiday hours, through Dec. 18, 1100 S. Calhoun St. The Botanical Conservatory will be open until 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday evenings from Thanksgiving through the week before Christmas. Enjoy an evening downtown at the botanical gardens, done up for the holidays. The gift shop is also open until 8 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, the Conservatory will be open 4-8 p.m. Call (260) 427-6440 for more info.• “The Santaland Diaries,” First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St., remaining dates Dec. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 18 and 19. This is one man’s account of working as an elf at Macy’s Santaland in New York during the holiday crunch. From a contemporary American humorist, with a satirical style reminiscent of Mark Twain, comes this merrily subversive tale. Kevin Torwelle plays Crumpet, the elf. Call (260) 426-7421 for more info.• “The Nutcracker,” Arts United Center, 300 E. Main St., through Dec. 13. Tchaikovsky’s glorious, gorgeous holiday tale of Good’s triumph over Evil and a spectacular trip to Kingdom of Sweets performed by the Fort Wayne Ballet and with opening performances accompanied by the Philharmonic. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4, 5, 8, 11 and 12. Sugar Plum Parties follow 2:30 p.m. performances Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13. Sugar Plum Party guests will enjoy sweets and treats as they meet Clara and her friends. Attendees may get autographs and take pic-tures with select members of the cast. Tickets for all nine “Nutcracker” performances start at $17; Sugar Plum Party tickets are $8, and are avail-able at ArtsTix.org or by calling the ArtsTix Community Box Office, (260) 422-4226. Call (260) 423-4349 for details of the program.• Visit with Saint Nicholas, Cathedral Books & Gifts, 915 S. Clinton St. (at the corner of Clinton and Washington, across from the AEP build-ing), Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Bring your children to visit with Saint Nicholas. Every child will have a chance to sit and talk with Saint Nick about everything from what they want for Christmas, to “Who is Santa Claus?” Each child will also receive a small gift. Enjoy free cook-ies and hot wassail, and savings at the bookstore. Call (260) 399-1442 for more info.• December Holiday Luncheon, Community Center, 233 W. Main St., Monday, Dec. 7, 11:30 a.m. Bring a friend or two and join us for this special holiday Monday Luncheon. The fee is $5. Reservations are re-quired by Dec. 2 and payment is due at the time of the reservation. The luncheon is sponsored by Ossian and Englewood Health and Rehabilita-tion Centers. Call (260) 427-6460 for more info.• Totally Terrific Tuesday: Christmas Craft, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2-4 p.m. Use your creative ideas to make cheerful and festive decorations. All supplies provided. For grades 6-12. In the Young Adults Services Room at Main Library. Call (260) 421-1255 to sign up. Call (260) 421-1200 for more info.• Holiday Pops: Home for the Holidays, Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Dec. 11, 12 and 19. Holiday Pops is going back to its roots, and home for the holidays. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic and Chorus are joined by special guests in a program of traditional holiday favorites. The “Hallelujah” Chorus, a Christmas carol singalong, and visitors from the North Pole sparkle in the Embassy Theatre, decorated for the holidays. Call (260) 481-0770 for more info.• Holidaze: A Survival Guide for the Season, First Presbyterian Theater, 300 W. Wayne St., Dec. 11-20. This musical revue by the Fort Wayne Youtheatre journeys through the pageantry, the shopping, the family gatherings, and all the seasonal madness. Sing along and laugh during the performance. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays, 2 p.m..

• “The Nutcracker,” University of Saint Francis Performing Arts Center, 431 W. Berry St., Saturday, Dec. 12, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Enjoy the New American Youth Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker.” General ad-mission $15, special reserve seating $25. Visit nayb.info for tickets.• Gingerbread Pursuit, Downtown Fort Wayne, Saturday, Dec. 12, 8:30 a.m. Start a new holiday season tradition with the Gingerbread Pursuit 4 Mile Run. Register at veepraces.com.• 55+ Holiday Dinner and Light Tour, Community Center, 233 W. Main St., Monday, Dec. 14, 5:30-9 p.m. For ages 55-plus. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner and holiday music. Board motor coaches (cour-tesy of Excursion Travel) at 6:30 p.m. and follow a planned route of Fort Wayne’s finest Christmas light displays. Registration deadline is Dec. 1. Fee: $15. Sponsored by American Senior Communities. Call (260) 427-6460 for more info.• Holiday Light Tour, Community Center, 233 W. Main St., Thursday, Dec. 17, 6-8 p.m. See the beautiful holiday light displays around the city from the comfort of a motor coach. Board buses at 6 p.m. and return to the Community Center at approximately 8 p.m.. This evening is spon-sored by Grey Stone and Saber Health. Registration deadline is Dec. 4. Call (260) 427-6460 for more info.• Chamber Orchestra: “Messiah by Candlelight,” First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, 300 E. Wayne St., Friday, Dec. 18, 7:30-9 p.m. Handel’s most recognizable and revered masterpiece is performed to the warm glow of candlelight. Experience the “Hallelujah” Chorus and other favorites. Call (260) 481-0770 or (260) 423-4349 for more information.• “The Spirit of Christmas,” Allen County Courthouse, 715 S. Calhoun St., Dec. 19 and 20. Start a new holiday tradition with Heartland at “The Spirit of Christmas.” Under the rotunda of the historic Allen County Courthouse, the singers of Heartland fill this beaux arts-style venue with resonant, a cappella harmonies. This combination of acoustics and ar-

chitecture enchants audiences of all ages and reminds the listener of the reason for the season. General admission $20. Call (260) 436-8080 for more information.• Gingerbread Storytime and Craft, Allen County Public Library, 900 Li-brary Plaza, Monday, Dec. 21, 2 p.m. Join us for a storytime with books about gingerbread. After storytime enjoy the smells of gingerbread as we decorate gingerbread ornaments together to take home. Call (260) 421-1200 for more info.• Wintertime Fun, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Dec. 26-31, during regular library hours. Come to the library during winter break from school and enjoy making a fun craft. We’ll have all the sup-plies you need available during all library hours. Call (260) 421-1200 for more info.• Ice skating at Headwaters Park, 333 S. Clinton St., seasonal. Due to construction, this year’s ice skating season will begin later. See fort-wayneparks.org for updated information. Call (260) 427-6000.• Swingin’ Singin’ New Year’s Eve, Grand Wayne Convention Center, 120 W. Jefferson Blvd., Thursday, Dec. 31. Get all dressed up for a night of music, dancing, drinks and celebration in the heart of Downtown Fort Wayne. Heartland’s jazz vocalists and 17-piece jazz orchestra ring in the New Year with big band-style arrangements of jazz standards, classic rock songs, and pop hits. Dance Tonight will offer free lessons for begin-ner and advanced dancers before the show and perform dance features. A cash bar will be available all night. Call (260) 436-8080 for more info.• Winterval, Community Center, 233 W. Main St., Saturday, Jan. 30, 1-4 p.m. Come celebrate the winter and visit downtown for a day of fun. There will be plenty to do for all ages. Watch ice sculptures take shape. Go for a horse and carriage ride, play indoor winter games, and watch the Youth Theatre perform. Go to fortwayneparks.org and click on the Winterval link to check out the latest schedule of events. Call (260) 427-6460 for more info.


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HOLIDAY from Page A5

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOWThe Nick Johnson family took first place in the Family Category of the Festival of Gingerbread, with a replica of the Salomon Farm barn. Family members also won several individual awards.

Steininger to be honoredReal estate devel-

oper and philanthropist Don Steininger will be honored with Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly’s 2015 Legend of Leadership Award.

The prestigious award, recognizing a long-term record of leadership in northeast Indiana, is given annually.

Steininger is the founder and president of Steininger Develop-ment Corp., is actively involved in Fort Wayne’s riverfront redevelopment efforts and sits on the

boards of the AWS Foun-dation and the Commu-nity Foun-dation

of Greater Fort Wayne. He will be honored at a breakfast event Feb. 18, at the Memorial Coli-seum Conference Center in Fort Wayne, at which area leaders will high-light his contributions to the community.

“The kind of visionary

leadership Don Steininger has shown in northeast Indiana over the years is exactly why this award was created,” said Randy Mitchell, CEO for KPC Media Group, which publishes Busi-ness Weekly. “Sharing a vision and inspiring others to help effect change is not something everyone is suited to do. But a truly great lead-er’s strength is in his or her ability to guide and motivate others to build something for the common good. Don has

been doing that his whole life and we are privileged to be able to highlight his accomplishments for the community.”

Tickets for the event are $25 each. Event sponsorship pack-ages are available. For more information, visit FWBusiness.com under the Events tab or email [email protected].


A state highways spokeswoman said 280 drivers are prepared to keep 140 snowplows at work in 17 northeast Indiana counties around the clock.

“We’re hoping that this is not a very snowy winter, but we are prepared as if we will have snow or ice for 24 hours every single day,” said Nichole Hacha-Thomas, the media relations director for the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Fort Wayne District. “Our drivers are ready to jump in a plow truck at a moment’s notice.”

Hacha-Thomas shared advice and statistics at a press briefing at INDOT’s Hatfield Road complex.

The Fort Wayne District expects to spend $5,500,000 for salt this winter. Last winter, the district spread 60,000 tons of highway salt.

“The use of salt reduces crashes by 88 percent,” Hacha-Thomas said. Injuries are reduced by a similar percentage. “So salt is one of the tools that we use in our toolbox, but is one of the most important and most effec-

tive tools,” she said.The district has 127,000

gallons of brine avail-able to treat shady areas such as overpasses. That product is 23.3 percent salt.

Hacha-Thomas said impassable roads can cost the economy millions of dollars a day, in addition to safety concerns. “So we do the best job that we possibly can to keep every road safe,” she said.

Officials also cautioned motorists to keep a safe distance from plow trucks. The crew set up a demon-

stration of how cars can follow a truck too closely, or can be hit by flying salt, or can be near a plow but not be visible in the plow driver’s mirror.

Finally, highway employees listed items that drivers should keep in the car’s trunk in case they are stranded in the snow. Those items include cat litter or sand for traction, a snow shovel and ice scraper, jumper cables, a flashlight, blankets, a cell phone charger, warm clothing, a candle and matches, bottled water and

snacks, and medications. Drivers should keep gas tanks at least half-full, Hacha-Thomas said.

She also cautioned to make sure the exterior exhaust is clear of snow to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

The INDOT Fort Wayne District serves an area approximately from the Ohio line west to Elkhart and from the Michigan line south to Marion. Follow construction updates and other safety alerts at Facebook.com/INDOTNortheast.

INDOT drivers prepare to plow around the clock

Laurel McCurdy explains that motorists stranded in the snow could use cat litter for traction. The customer service manager for the Indiana Department of Highways Fort Wayne District demonstrated a dozen winter safety tips at a media day Oct. 29.

PHOTOS BY GARTH SNOW


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An INDOT winter safety demonstration at the Fort Wayne office shows two cars that are blocked from the vision of a snowplow driver.

COUNTY CLEARS 24 ZONESThe Allen County Highway Department said crews are pre-pared for snow or ice on the county’s 3,000 lane miles of roads and streets. The department is ready to deploy five graders, 25 tandem axle dump trucks, seven single axle dump trucks, and four one-ton dump trucks. ACHD also uses eight heavy duty pickups to help clear road intersections and smaller areas.Allen County is divided into north and south districts with 12 zones in each district. Each zone will have at least one truck. Graders are assigned to gravel roads, areas with large drifts of snow, and clearing berms of snow build-ups.

Steininger

Matt. They set a date.Ann did not want to

change her last name. “I was always really, really close and felt a great affinity for my name. I never wanted to give that up,” she said. So Matt took Ann’s last name.

When they put up a sign at Atom Acres, they realized the symbolism of nature’s tiny building blocks, but chose the name for a different reason. “It’s an acronym for our names — Ann, Trace, Oliver, Matthew,” Ann said. Then Bea and Benjamin arrived.

The Merritts raise vege-tables in hoop houses, and sell the produce at farm markets and from a cooler in their shed.

“A huge love of mine is working with plants and being attentive to things. I used to do pruning and manicuring,” Ann said. She said they balance their love of travel with their responsibility to take charge of their destiny. “You’re growing food, having something that you’ve created, that you’ve made,” she said. “It’s not your safety net, but your way of life. You’re trying to be sustainable and not just rely completely on automated systems that are so simple to use. The way that I grew up there

wasn’t a lot of automa-tion, there were no cell phones, we didn’t have TV. So life was about growing things and going on adventures and hiking and going hunting for animals, because that’s what we lived off of and that’s how we had meat for the winter season and the spring season.

“I want that for my kids. I think that’s really important.”

Their choice brought year-round work.

Late last December, Matt and Oliver gave a tour of the hoop houses.

“The really, really small plants are parsley all throughout here,” Matt said. “We’re going

to have a really good spring crop, and when I say spring I’m talking March. Not most people’s spring.”

In the largest hoop house, which they call Big Momma, Dad and son checked the kale and other hardy plants. The second hoop house held greens. The smaller house has a space heater. The larger house is warmed by passive solar heat. “It’s all what the sun gives us,” Matt said.

Oliver bent down near the fennel. “Oh no, don’t pull it, just break it,” Matt said.

Matt and Oliver were not the first to find the fennel plant. “It looks like

a rabbit has been eating that,” Matt said. “Last winter after the second or third big snowstorm, when there was no grass, I came out here and looked around and I did ‘Why did Ann harvest like this?’ And I kept walking and I was ‘I didn’t eat this much and I didn’t make this much money.’ And then I saw rabbit poop everywhere. Everything was cleaned out in two days.

“We bought a female cat and let her be free for a while, and now we have six cats. And Momma cat comes back with a mouse at least once a day. She has come back with rabbits; so that’s good.”

Matt was working on raised beds, to lift the plants above the dirt floor of the greenhouse so he wouldn’t have to bend over to tend the crops, he said. He planned to fill the beds with wood chips or compost. “That’s actually all re-purposed material,” he said. “I didn’t pay a dime for any of that.”

That was the last day of fall. By the last day of spring, the Merritts had seen a return on the raised beds. The wettest month of June in memory left water standing almost everywhere, including on top of the Atom Acres hilltop. Ann sold produce at the Barr Street Market on June 20. “It’s been wet and the raised beds have really saved us because they keep everything up

out of the soft clay and it helps against the pests and disease,” she said. “We haven’t had to water anything.

“I cross my fingers thinking that it’s going to be another cool year, which is good because we plant hot things inside the houses so we can have tomatoes ripening sooner than if we just had them outside.”

Vegetables and herbs grew throughout the season The family grew, too, with the birth of Benjamin Asher Morgan Merritt on Sept. 23, the first full day of fall.

At the end of their third year on the farm, the Merritts reflected on their journey and their goals.

“Our goal a year ago was definitely to get the water under control,” Ann said, adding that they have succeeded. Water now runs off the hoop houses and toward the barn, and through a patch of compost.

Matt said after three years, they are still trying to figure out the Fort Wayne market. “It’s been a difficult journey,” he said. “People in theory want local food, but they want Walmart prices or whatever the sale of the week is. And that’s really difficult for us, because it’s two different prod-ucts.”

Matt operates the farm, works as a painter, and helps to set up conven-tions. He could take on more outside work,

“We’re trying to understand how to keep a balance,” Matt said,

explaining that taking a 9-to-5 job off the farm probably would require hiring someone to work at Atom Acres. “We ulti-mately want to be here every day of the week doing this. This is our dream. This is our love,” he said.

Ann and Matt said the Atom Acres lifestyle is the only life their children know.

“The other day he [Oliver] and I went out and we picked celery and carrots for part of our dinner,” Ann said. “And I was like ‘You don’t realize how fortu-nate you are to be out here collecting pieces for our dinner. Do you realize how few people in our country go in their backyard for what they’re having for dinner?’ And he’s like ‘They don’t?’ And I thought that was great. I thought ‘I’m glad you don’t know how special this is.’ ”

ATOM from Page A1

Matt Merritt shows Oliver, then 5, how to pick rosemary on the last day of fall, 2014. Matt was busy building raised beds in the greenhouse. He said the higher platform would be easier to tend.

PHOTOS BY GARTH SNOW

Ann Merrit sells Atom Acres vegetables at the Barr Street Market in downtown Fort Wayne on June 20, the last full day of spring, 2015. The raised beds had spared the plants from record rainfall.


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Bea Merritt, 2, and her siblings pick vegetables from an Atom Acres greenhouse.

The Canterbury School Board of Trustees announced the appointment of William Ennist Jr. as head of school, effective July 1, 2016. Current Head-master Jonathan Hancock announced in December 2014 that he would retire after 34 years with Canter-bury School at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.

“Ennist has a demon-strated record of leadership and collaboration over his 22-year career in indepen-dent schools,” Canterbury said in a statement. He currently serves as the assistant head of school for academics at Flint Hill School, a co-educational, college preparatory, inde-pendent JK-12 day school serving approximately 1,000 students in Oakton, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C.

“Bill’s unique background combines a wide-ranging knowledge of adolescent development, curriculum

enhance-ment and educa-tional program manage-ment with solid

experience in fundraising, marketing and commu-nications, finance and technology,” said Jennifer Haines, Canterbury Board of Trustees chair. “Bill strongly embraces a holistic approach to education and recognizes the impor-tance of developing artists, athletes and scholars, which is integral to our school’s mission.”

The Canterbury board announced Ennist’s appoint-ment Oct. 23.

In accepting his appoint-ment, Ennist shared, “I am thrilled to have the opportu-nity to join the Canterbury community and to be a part of its continuing evolution as a school of excellence.”

Ennist will be joined by his spouse, Robin, and their three children. “Robin and I were so inspired by the warmth and generosity of spirit demonstrated by everyone we met. It was wonderful to see so many people — students, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, founders, board and search committee members — who are so proud of their school, its traditions and history, and who are so engaged in ensuring that the Canterbury experience remains strong and vibrant for current and future gener-ations,” he said.

“The Canterbury School Board of Trustees wishes to recognize and extend its gratitude to Jonathan Hancock for his leadership and dedication. We are fully aware that his stewardship and wisdom have played a critical role in creating the school we all love so dearly,” Haines said.

Philharmonic, Chorus to be ‘Home for the Holidays’

The Fort Wayne Phil-harmonic and Chorus will present Holiday Pops traditional holiday music at the Embassy Theatre on Dec. 11, 12 and 19.

Highlights include the “Hallelujah Chorus,” a Christmas carol sing-along, and visitors from the North Pole.

The program features a cast including soprano Kishna Davis, backed by hometown native Billy Dawson and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music graduate Nathaniel Irvin, The Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, and The Philharmonic Chorus. The entire production will be led by assistant conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin.

“Our holiday concerts have always been lively and fun. I very much look forward to directing the Fort Wayne Phil-harmonic, Chorus, and guests in these revered performances,” Lin said. “We’ll focus on beloved holiday classics, but add sparkle and visual excite-ment while celebrating the season with friends, performers and our loyal audiences.”

A balance between traditional and popular, the program will include “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “The First Noel,” “Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Winter Wonderland.” In addition, everyone will be invited to stand to sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah,” as well as participate in a Christmas carol sing-along. Theat-rical direction of the

program is by longtime collaborator Christopher Murphy.

“The first act is more traditional with Christmas carols and other selections which will match perfectly with Kishna Davis’ operatic talents. The second half will be more secular, in line with previous Holiday Pops shows, featuring popular tunes along with Santa and Mrs. Claus. I encourage anyone who hasn’t seen the Holiday Pops in a few years to check it out,” Murphy said.

Davis has won wide critical acclaim throughout the United States and Europe. She made her New York City Opera debut singing the role of Bess in “Porgy and Bess,” a role she repeated many times including performances with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Indianapolis Opera, as well as European performances in Rome, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Berlin and Siena. A graduate of Morgan State University and the Juilliard Opera Center, Davis is a voice faculty member at Kent State University.

Dawson’s credits include Sir David McVicar’s new produc-tion of “Wozzeck” at Lyric Opera of Chicago. He now lives in Chicago.

Irvin is a recent graduate of the Univer-sity of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he played numerous roles including Ernst in “Spring Awak-ening” and Captain Hook in “Peter Pan.”


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MUSIC OF THE SEASONSweetwater Pops Series, “Holiday Pops: Home for the Holidays.”Presented by the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and Chorus.The Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne.Friday, Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 12, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 19, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.Tickets start at $29 and are available at fwphil.org; at The Phil Box Office located at 4901 Fuller Drive; or at (260) 481-0777.

Canterbury names successor to retiring headmaster

Ennist

Masons await big turnoutfor Pancakes with SantaThe man in the red and

white suit will be seen again at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, at the New Haven and Adams Township Park Center, 1125 Hartzell St. He will arrive by firetruck.

The New Haven Masonic Lodge and the Parks Department are sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast with

Santa. Hours are 8-11 a.m. The cost is $5.50 for adults, $3.50 for children 6-14, and free to children 5 and under. The meal includes pancakes, sausage, apple-sauce, coffee and juice. Tickets are available in advance at the park office, and also will be available at the door.

Parents are invited to take their child’s picture with Santa, socialize, and share in a craft.

Masonic Lodge Secretary Chris Langford said the lodge and parks department have shared the venture for years. He said a fellow Mason from the Waynedale lodge will finalize arrange-ments with Santa.

Langford said several members of the lodge contribute coloring books or other gifts for the chil-dren. Everyone gets a chance to sit on Santa’s lap.

“It is especially popular among the local kids,” Langford said. “We provide all the food, the materials, and whatnot, and the parks department let’s us use the facility. They do the deco-rations and the centerpieces for tables, and we provide the plates, silverware and napkins. It seems to be growing in popularity every year.” Last year, the sponsors had to make extra trips to the store during the breakfast.

Santa plans a grand entrance in New Haven the evening of Friday, Dec. 11.

The guest from the north will arrive by firetruck at Canal Landing Park across from the fire station on Broadway Street at 5:45 p.m., and pause to light the Christmas tree. Then he will hop aboard the firetruck for a ride to the New Haven Depot across from the Moser Park entrance. There, he will greet children until 7:30 p.m.

“Hopefully there’s just a small trickle of little snow-flakes,” said Deb-Anne Smith, executive assistant to Mayor Terry McDonald.

Meanwhile, Peter Franklin Jewelers, 507 Broadway St., will host a holiday open house and New Haven Chamber of Commerce Meet Me @ 5 reception from 4-8 p.m.

The Downtown New Haven Christmas open house continues from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The DeKalb County Horsemen’s Association will offer free horse-drawn carriage rides from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Each ride begins at Ruhl Furniture, 511 Broadway St. Rides are available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Smith said the two

wagons hold up to 16 passengers each.

Free art activities and refreshments will be avail-able from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Power House on Main Street. Guests may enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie. Children may participate in free art activities.

At 7:45 p.m., Santa will go to Ruhl Furniture for closing festivities. There, he will draw the name of the winner of a child’s bicycle. Children up to age 10 are eligible to register, from 5:30-7:30 that evening only. Both parent and child must be present to win the bicycle. Other prizes also are available.

In a separate contest, Santa will draw the name of the winner of the Find the Snowman contest. Children in kindergarten through second grade are challenged to find the snowman on one of the holiday banners displayed somewhere along Broadway beginning Dec. 1. Kids then will fill out a registration form and drop it off at Ruhl Furniture.

Smith said this will mark Santa’s fourth visit to the Depot as part of the downtown Christmas. “A lot of downtown busi-nesses get involved and it works out well,” she said.

The Fort Wayne Phil-harmonic and Chorus will present Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” by candlelight at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, at First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, 300 E. Wayne St.

Tickets are available at fwphil.org and start at $35. In a statement, The Phil said the public is responding warmly to the announcement. Church seating capacity is 380.

Music director Andrew Constantine will conduct the performance, which features guest vocal soloists soprano Jose-fien Stoppelenburg,

mezzo-soprano Angela Young Smucker, tenor Hoss Brock, and bass David Govertsen. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Chorus is led by chorus director Benjamin Rivera.

Written in just 24 days in 1741, “Messiah” was conceived as an oratorio because the staged Italian operas Handel was composing at the time started to wane in popularity with the English music loving public. Based on scrip-tural texts compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible, and from the version of

the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer, “Messiah” was first performed in Dublin on April 13, 1742, to a modest reception. It took one year for the work to receive its London premiere, and even more time to gain widespread popularity, but now is one of the most frequently performed choral works in all of Western music.

“ ‘Messiah’ is a masterpiece of Western civilization. The fact that Handel wrote it at such breakneck speed — in just over three weeks — makes it an even more remarkable

work,” Constantine said. “It is full of great tunes and memorable moments. What a thrill it will be to perform the work in such a lovely sacred setting, with marvelous soloists and our dedicated chorus, all to the warm glow of candlelight.”

Tickets for “Messiah by Candlelight” also can be purchased at The Phil Box Office, at 4901 Fuller Drive, or by phone at (260) 481-0777. Tickets are also available for purchase one hour prior to the concert at the venue. Full program and series information is available at fwphil.org.


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The Phil, chorus present‘Messiah by Candlelight’

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ment for the students to be able to learn.”

The Parkers’ daughter Lauren, of Fort Wayne, attended the dedica-tion. Lauren held the Parkers’ 8-month-old granddaughter, Grace, as Lauren’s husband, Eric Touchet, stood at her side.

“I think he loved his job and he loved making sure that the schools were safe for the students,” said Lauren, who remem-bered how her father had worked for the project despite his illness.

Lauren’s sister, Stephanie, now lives in Baltimore.

Mary Ann Parker said her husband, a former Ironman triathlete, succumbed to ALS just 22 months after the diag-nosis. He was 54.

Mary Ann Parker now lives in Aboite Township. She is director of faith formation for Trinity English Lutheran Church, which she has served in three roles for 22 years.

FWCS School Board President Mark GiaQuinta said the 2012 referendum was “a victory for those who believe in a clean, safe school environment

for our children.”“Nobody was more

dedicated to that purpose than Steve Parker, and we are so honored that Mary Ann and Lauren are here today to help us commemorate all that Steve meant to the first phase of the project, which laid the ground-work for the completion of this amazing effort,” GiaQuinta said. “Certainly Steve was battling his illness, ALS, which we hear so much about and

we’re doing so much to eradicate, but he did not let that stop him, not one bit.

“He would come to our meetings well past the point when many would have said, ‘Now I’m done, I’m going to concentrate on me, my family and my next journey.’ And [through] Mary Ann — when he was having trouble communicating — he let us know what he thought in any way he could. And it was one

of the most inspirational acts of public service I have ever witnessed. And for that, our district will forever be indebted to him and to his family members who allowed him to give the kind of time and effort he did to our project.”

Former School Board member John Pierce said the occasion was a fitting tribute to a man who had been an inspiration to other school supporters.

School Board member Becky Hill said Parker

even anticipated the chal-lenges that his successor would face. “He was so concerned, and he set things up so that we would be successful,” she said. “And that to me is just a huge indicator of what he wanted for this school district.”

The school district hosted tours of four build-ings that were improved through the project that was authorized in 2012. After touring Snider on

the day of the tribute to Parker, officials opened the doors to Northrop High School, Weisser Park Elementary School and Harrison Hill Elemen-tary School. Each tour was followed by a presen-tation on the proposed 2016 referendum.

District leaders describe the measure as a $130 million tax-neutral bond referendum. It would fund improvements at 42 schools.

FWCS from Page A1

Lauren Touchet looks at a marker honoring her father, Steve Parker. Her husband, Eric Touchet, photographs the marker. Lauren holds their daughter, 8-month-old Grace.

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

PUBLIC HEARINGThe Fort Wayne Community School Board will hold a public hearing on a proposed $130 million referendum to upgrade schools. The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, at the Grile Administrative Center, 1200 S. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. If the board approves the plan, it will be placed on the May 3, 2016, ballot.


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Allen County 4-H clubs elect officers, directorsAllen County 4-H Clubs

held their annual meeting on Nov. 6, in conjunction with the 4-H Volunteer Recog-nition program. Renee McKee, state 4-H Program leader, spoke on “Today’s Indiana 4-H Program.”

Elected to the Allen County 4-H board of direc-tors for a three-year term were: Stephanie Bailey, Roger Clark, Donna Dafforn and Kim Smith. Rachel Hammond was elected to a two-year term as youth director. Outgoing 4-H board members Chloe Buchanan, Fred Hammond, Shawn Parker and Mike

Shirey were recognized for their service on the 4-H board. Shawn Parker served two, three-year terms, most recently as the 4-H Board vice president. Mike Shirey served two three-year terms. Fred Hammond served one three-year term. Chloe Buchanan was recognized for serving one year as the 4-H Junior Leader represen-tative.

Trent Kleine was elected president of the not-for-profit corporation that supports the local 4-H program efforts. Other officers elected for the 2016 year included Heather

Anderson as vice president, Donna Dafforn as secretary, and Sue Schaefer as trea-surer.

In 2015, 223 adult volun-teers contributed to the 4-H program in Allen County. Their tenure ranged from one to 51 years of service.

The 4-H program is overseen by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, a joint federal, state and county funded, educational program. Additional infor-mation about Allen County 4-H is available at extension.purdue.edu/allen or call (260) 481-6826.


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The sprawling winter clothing giveaway that serves Allen and surrounding counties started with a single email, according to volunteer Sherry Myers.

That was six Novem-bers ago. A Huntertown United Methodist Church ministry already was supplying donated winter clothing through case-workers.

“A couple of us just said, ‘Why don’t we send an email to caseworkers we work with and have them refer people?’ ” Myers recalled. “We just sort of opened the doors and said to refer them and bring some verifi-cation. We had 1,200 people we served, in four days. We had no plan-ning. It was faith, and open the doors, and here they came.”

Now operating from the larger space at the church’s Third Place venue on Cedar Canyon Road, Christmas in Hunt-ertown is seeking still more donations for its December distribution. This year, the clothing outreach ministry will serve about 300 families referred by agencies, schools and churches. The visitors will find

tables piled high with clothing and other household needs. Like the approximately 170 volunteers, those clients will come from Hunter-town, Fort Wayne and surrounding counties.

“We just want to give a little hope in this season, and just be Jesus to some of these people,” Myers said, adding that sometimes the outreach is the receiving family’s entire Christmas. “I think we are blessed just as much as those that we’re blessing,” she said. “And the Santa’s helpers are so excited to be able to help.”

“It’s just over-

whelming,” said volunteer organizer Marcia Holmes. “They’ll come back and say ‘Can I please give you a hug?’ Some will tell you their stories when you’re walking with them. And some are quiet, but they’re very grateful. You can tell in their demeanor that it means a lot to them.”

Myers said the ministry fills a gap in Christmas charity. “A lot of people do this really great stuff for Christmas, and you have to sign up by September or October,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know that they’re not going to be able

to afford Christmas in October; they’re working. Maybe by November they’re not working. And this ministry has grown and grown and grown.”

The project welcomes donations at these loca-tions:

• Huntertown United Methodist Church, 16021 Lima Road, Huntertown, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, through Dec. 10;

• Third Place, 1601 W. Cedar Canyon Road at the corner of Lima Road, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8.

Questions should be directed to (260)

633-8744 or by email to [email protected]. Anyone wishing to volunteer may email [email protected].

The ministry welcomes new or gently used clothing for children or adults, hats, mittens, scarves, toys and games and wrapping paper and related Christmas items. Other suggested items include microwave popcorn, theater candy in boxes, and individual hot chocolate packs.

Donations are welcome year-round. “People start bringing the clothes in in January,” Holmes said. The clothing is sorted, packed, labeled and hauled to a warehouse.

“We’ve been totally

blessed with all the dona-tions that come in on a daily basis,” Holmes said. “And if there’s something that we don’t have, then the next day or two it’s in the donation bin. It’s just awesome. It’s just the way God works.”

Regional project fills gap in holiday charity

Carol Hiatt, from left, Marcia Holmes, Sherry Myers and Liz Decker greet clients at the 2014 Christmas in Huntertown, at Third Place on Cedar Canyon Road. Recipient fami-lies are chosen and referred by other agencies.

FILE PHOTOS BY GARTH SNOW

Longtime volunteer Bob Smith pushes a cart full of gifts to load into a client’s car at 2014 Christmas in Huntertown.

Though Christmas in Huntertown’s main goal is to distribute winter clothing, contributors make a wide variety of other gifts available.

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St Joe Times • December 4, 2015

NOTICES / REGISTRATION / MULTIPLE DATESShare your Lenten activities. Ash Wednesday in 2016 falls on Feb. 10, and Easter Sunday falls on March 27. Submit your church’s Lenten and Holy Week activities to Times Community Publications’ Community Calen-dar. Please include the name of the event, the location and address, the time and date, and a phone number to call with any questions. Send the information to [email protected]. Please include “Easter” in the subject line. Please submit Ash Wednesday notices by Jan. 7 to be in-cluded in all four Times publications. Please submit Holy Week notices by Feb. 18.Holiday Supper Club. New Huntington Theater and Supper Club, 528 N. Jef-ferson St., Huntington. Dec. 4, 5, 6: buffet dinner at 6 p.m. and show at 7:30 p.m., with a combined price of $49. Dec. 6: show-only matinee at 1 p.m., $35. Three New York City-based singers will perform. Get details and order tickets at thenewhuntington.com or call (260) 454-0881.Food pantry. Cornerstone Alliance Church, 5833 E. 900 N., Roanoke.

Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-noon; Wednesdays, 6-7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, by ap-pointment. Call (260) 672-2257.“Goodies for God” cookie sale. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, 10650 Aboite Center Road, Fort Wayne. During school hours, Dec. 7-10. The public is welcome to support this annual service project for the first-graders who advertise, bake, bag and sell the cookies. All proceeds are donated to a local Catholic charity.The Hoosier Salon. Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne. Exhibit continues Dec. 13-Jan. 8 in the Jeffrey R. Krull Gallery, featuring the best by Indiana artists.Bob Leiman Toastmasters Club. Build confidence, and improve your commu-nication and leadership skills. The second and fourth Mondays of the month, 6:30-8 p.m., Pizza Hut at Northcrest Shopping Center. Social hour 5:30-6:30 p.m. Contact Mary Hilger at [email protected] or 489-4440 with questions.Organization seeks tax aide volunteers. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is seek-ing volunteers in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, LaGrange, Wells and Whitley counties to help taxpayers seeking assistance preparing and filing their 2015 tax returns. Volunteers receive free tax training and help taxpay-ers at libraries, senior centers and other convenient locations. They are reimbursed on a limited basis for qualified program-related expenses. A volunteers does not need to be an AARP member or retiree. For more in-formation, visit aarp.org/taxaide or call 1 (888) 687-2277. AARP Foun-dation Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS.

FRIDAY, DEC. 4Christmas in the Village. Downtown Roanoke. Santa will arrive downtown by firetruck at 6 p.m., to join in singing hymns and to light the town Christmas tree. Children then may enjoy refreshments. The celebration continues until 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 5Cookies with Santa. St. Joe Township Community Hall, 6033 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne. 2-4 p.m. Join Santa for cookies and hot chocolate. Bring your camera to have your picture taken with Santa.Christmas on the Farm. Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Road, Fort Wayne. 1-5 p.m. Admission $5 per car. Families are invited to bundle up and hear sleigh bells ring. Also enjoy live music, horse drawn wagon rides, a craft for the kids, a visit from Father Christmas, holiday vendors and more at this traditional Christmas celebration. The Fort Wayne Parks Department is looking for crafters and artisans to offer homemade gifts and goodies; contact Amy.Hicks@ cityoffortwayne.org or (260) 427-6005 for more information.Santa at Subway. Georgetown Subway, 6501 E. State Blvd., Fort Wayne. 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free sandwiches for kids, plus cookies and activities. Parents are invited to bring their cameras and take candid photos of their children with Santa.Holiday Fantasies Bazaar. New Haven United Methodist Church, 630 Lin-coln Highway East (at Mourey Street), New Haven. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Pro-fessional arts and crafts, cookies by the pound, baked goods and silent auction. A la carte luncheon from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.Craft Bazaar and Cookie Walk. Lifeway Wesleyan Church, 7722 Moeller Road, Fort Wayne. 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sonrise Cafe offers sloppy Joes, nachos, baked potatoes and cinnamon rolls. Wesleyan Youth cookie walk offers cookies for $8 per box, to benefit the 2016 missions trip. Door prize tickets are $1 each or six for $5. Vendors will sell hand-crafted

products, with some vendors selling especially to benefit others in need.Fort Wayne Farmer’s Indoor Market. Lincoln Financial Event Center at Parkview Field. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Markets continue the first and third Satur-days of each month through May.Cornerstone Cookie Walk. Cornerstone Youth Center, 19819 Monroeville Road, Monroeville. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., during Monroeville Holiday Magic. Also featuring craft and jewelry boutiques, a children’s activity table and a last chance to order poinsettias for pickup Dec. 12.Matt Maher, I Am They and Jon Guerra present “The Saints & Sinners Tour.” CountyLine Church of God, 7716 N. County Line Road, Auburn. 7 p.m. Tickets $12-$30. For tickets and details, visit TrinityCommunications.org.Breakfast with Santa. Albion Fire Station, Fire Station Drive off Indiana 8 East. 8-11 a.m. The pancake and sausage breakfast is available for a free-will donation.

SUNDAY, DEC. 6Lincoln at the Library. Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne. 2 p.m. On the 150th anniversary of the Thirteenth Amendment’s ratification by the states, Professor Brian Dirck of Anderson University will discuss the amendment and President Abraham Lincoln’s role in its success. The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Allen County Public Library.Candlelight service. Trinity English Lutheran Church, 450 W. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne. Prelude, 4 p.m. Service, 4:30 p.m. Trinity presents a candlelight service of lessons and carols with Santa Lucia processional. The service includes the children’s choir, junior choir, youth choir, chancel choir, recorder consort, Trinity Ringers handbell ensemble, steel drum ensembles and instrumentalists from the congregation. Pastor the Rev. Gary Erdos will preach the homily, and the service will culminate in the Santa Lucia candlelight procession. A wassail reception sponsored by the Women of the ELCA will follow the service.Summit City Singers fall concert. Saint Anne Home and Retirement Commu-nity, 1900 Randallia Drive, Fort Wayne. 2:30 p.m. Free, and open to the public. The theme of the fall concert series is “Around the World in 80 Minutes.” Selections include “Aiken Drum” from Scotland, “Waltzing Matilda” from Australia, “Hamabe no Uta” from Japan, “He Is Born, the Divine Christ Child” from France and others.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8Gera Haus restaurant concludes. Holiday Inn at IPFW, Coliseum Boulevard and Paul Shafer Drive. 5-10 p.m. Gera Haus, the pop-up restaurant run by hospitality and tourism management students at IPFW, will wrap up its one-semester run. Reservations are recommended; call the Holiday Inn at (260) 482-3800. On this closing night, the students will conduct a children’s food drive in support of the Community Harvest Food Bank. All patrons who donate a nonperishable food item will receive a free toy. Operating Gera Haus is part of the Advanced Food Service Management course for hospitality and tourism management students. This semester the students chose the name Gera Haus to celebrate the sister city rela-tionship of Fort Wayne and Gera, Germany.Deliberative Dialogue. Lafayette Meadows Elementary School, 11420 Ernst Road, Roanoke. 7 p.m. The public is invited. Southwest Allen County Schools is conducting a community conversation about funding of schools. Superintendent Philip Downs said public school funding in the United States is complex. The meetings will examine various ways that schools have been funded and the tradeoffs for each. SACS is partnering


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Community Calendar

with IPFW’s Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics, which will facili-tate the meetings.Summit City Singers fall concert. Park Place Senior Living, 4411 Park Place Drive, Fort Wayne. 7 p.m. Free, and open to the public. The theme of the fall concert series is “Around the World in 80 Minutes.” Selections include “Aiken Drum” from Scotland, “Waltzing Matilda” from Austra-lia, “Hamabe no Uta” from Japan, “He Is Born, the Divine Christ Child” from France and others.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10A look at Sweetwater music programs. Sweetwater Academy of Music and Technology, 5501 U.S. 30 W., Fort Wayne. 8:30-10 a.m. The event and breakfast are free, but RSVP at iyi.org/YWC. The Indiana Youth Institute is teaming up with the Early Childhood Alliance, Benchmark Family Services and the Bowen Center to host a seminar about Sweewater Academy of Music and Technology. The event is part of IYI’s Youth Worker Cafe Series. Academy director Kevin Christenson will discuss the programs offered by Sweetwater. Doug Laughlin, the Academy’s drum instructor, also will speak with participants. Attendees will be able to meet professional music instructors and discover new ways to intro-duce team building exercise with young people. This event is funded in part by Old National Bank Foundation. Youth Worker Cafés are designed to bring together local youth workers to build relationships and inspire collaborations that will benefit children.

SATURDAY, DEC. 12Church and School Cookie Fair. Emmaus Lutheran Church, 8626 Covington Road, Fort Wayne. 9 a.m.-noon. A variety of homemade cookies, includ-ing gluten-free and sugar-free, will be available for $6 per pound.Poinsettia sale. Cornerstone Youth Center, 19819 Monroeville Road, Mon-roeville. Pick up poinsettias from 9-11 a.m. Poinsettia advance orders are due by Dec. 5; email [email protected] for an order form. Or call (260) 384-2973. Potted plants are priced from $8 to $28.Christmas Cookie Walk and Crafts. Agape Church of the Brethren, 11610 Lima Road, Fort Wayne. 9 a.m.-noon. Cookies $6.50 per pound. Pro-ceeds will be used for Women’s Fellowship projects and Outreach Min-istries. Many varieties of cookies will be available, including holiday cut-outs, buckeyes, peanut butter blossoms, monster cookies and more. A limited number of homemade chocolate covered caramel apples decorated for the holidays will be available for sale. Holiday and gift items handmade by Agape craftspeople will be available. The sale of the wooden, quilted, knitted, crocheted and and other specialties will benefit the Agape Women’s Fellowship projects.Walk to Bethlehem. First Christian Church, 4800 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Tours begin at about 10-minute intervals. Guides will lead visitors to scenes outside the church, where visitors will be drawn into the story of Jesus’ birth. The walk features live scenes and live animals. After the outside tour, visitors may experience the bustling marketplace of Bethlehem, complete with spice and bread vendors, Roman soldiers, a census taker, a potter, and a spinner of wool and other characters of the time. Activity then moves to the sanctuary for a time of prayer and reflection. This free event is presented wih the help of friends of First Christian Church.Scholarship / placement makeup exam. Bishop Luers High School Library, 333 E. Paulding Road, Fort Wayne. 8-11:30 a.m. No testing fee. No ad-vance registration required. Available to incoming freshmen. $10,000 in total scholarship money available in Henry-Keefer Scholarship money, to be awarded among students scoring in the top ten of the placement test. Students should only bring a few pencils. Any current eighth-grade student who wishes to attend Bishop Luers in the fall of 2017 will be re-quired to take the exam. Contact Jenny Andorfer, director of admissions,

at [email protected] or (260) 456-1261, ext. 3139.

SUNDAY, DEC. 13Walk to Bethlehem. First Christian Church, 4800 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Tours begin at about 10-minute intervals. Guides will lead visitors to scenes outside the church, where visitors will be drawn into the story of Jesus’ birth. The walk features live scenes and live animals. After the outside tour, visitors may experience the bustling marketplace of Bethlehem, complete with spice and bread vendors, Roman soldiers, a census taker, a potter, and a spinner of wool and other characters of the time. Activity then moves to the sanctuary for a time of prayer and reflection. This free event is presented wih the help of friends of First Christian Church.Bishop Luers High School holiday fundraiser. Barnes & Noble, Jefferson Pointe. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. In an effort to raise funds to replenish and expand their library collection, Bishop Luers High School is working with Barnes & Noble Booksellers to host a Bookfair for their family, friends and supporters. Barnes & Noble will donate a percentage of every sale made by Bishop Luers supporters with a special voucher throughout the day. Supporters can choose from all varieties of merchandise, or from a “wish list” table of books selected by Bishop Luers Librarian Laura Sturm to donate directly to the school’s library. Luers supporters also can help the school by shopping at Barnes & Noble online at bn.com on Dec. 13. For more information, or to get donation vouchers, visit bishopluers.org or call Laura Sturm at Bishop Luers at (260) 456-1261, ext. 3011.Concordia’s Christmas at the Embassy. Embassy Theatre, 125 E. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. 4 p.m. $13 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. No reserved seats. Concordia Lutheran High School will present the 2015 event “Lo, How a Rose: A Prophecy Fulfilled.” The program will

showcase the talents of the CLHS Music Department students including those from Central, Holy Cross, Suburban Bethlehem, Lutheran South Unity, Saint John Emmanuel-Decatur, and Saint Peter Lutheran schools. The concert will include both traditional and contemporary Christmas favorites. Tickets are on sale through the Embassy Box Office and through TicketMaster.

TUESDAY, DEC. 15Fort Wayne Women’s Midday Connection’s “The Gift of Giving” luncheon. OrchardRidge Country Club, 4531 Lower Huntington Road, Fort Wayne. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. $15.50, inclusive of luncheon. All women are invited. Res-ervations are due to Meridith by Dec. 8; call (260) 672-3414. Joni Wolf will tell the story of the Immanuel Quilt. Baby sitting is available. Fort Wayne Women’s Midday Connection is a ministry of Stonecraft Minis-tries.

THURSDAY, DEC. 24Christmas Eve service. Saint Michael Lutheran Church, 2131 Getz Road, Fort Wayne. 5, 7 and 11 p.m. For details visit stmfw.org or call (260) 432-2033.

FRIDAY, DEC. 25Christmas Day service. Saint Michael Lutheran Church, 231 Getz Road, Fort Wayne. 10 a.m. For details visit stmfw.org or call (260) 432-2033.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DONATION OPPORTUNITIESTo make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call (800) 733-2767.Blood donation opportunities in Allen County:• Saturday, Dec. 5, 7:15-10:45 a.m. Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, Suite 107.• Saturday, Dec. 5, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E. California Road.• Sunday, Dec. 6, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 11337 Old U.S. 27 South, Fort Wayne.• Monday, Dec. 7, 2-8 p.m. Christian Community Center of Harlan, 12616 Spencerville Road, Harlan.• Monday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E. California Road.• Monday, Dec. 7, 1:15-5:15 p.m. Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, Suite 107.• Tuesday, Dec. 8, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E. California Road.• Tuesday, Dec. 8, 1-4 p.m. Granite City Food & Brewery, 3809 Coldwa-ter Road, Fort Wayne.• Tuesday, Dec. 8, 1:15-5:15 p.m. Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, Suite 107• Wednesay, Dec. 9, 7:15-10:45 a.m. Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, Suite 107.• Wednesday, Dec. 9, 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PNC Building, 110 W. Berry St., Fort Wayne, Suite 2400.• Wednesday, Dec. 9, noon-6 p.m. Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E. California Road.• Thursday, Dec. 10, noon-6 p.m. Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E. California Road.• Thursday, Dec. 10, 1:15-5:15 p.m. Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, Suite 107.• Friday, Dec. 11, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E. California Road.• Saturday, Dec. 12, 7:15-10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, Suite 107.

Worshipers take part in a Christmas Eve candlelight service at Forest Park United Methodist Church. The 2015 service will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 24. The service will include special music by the Chancel Choir and the Carillon Choir, and communion. The Rev. Kathie Jones, the new pastor, has chosen the theme of “Light” for the Advent season. Forest Park UMC is at 2100 Kentucky Ave., Fort Wayne.

FILE PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

Christmas Eve

Fort Wayne city leadersbegin new terms Jan. 1Officials who will lead

Fort Wayne for the next four years will take their oath of office on New Year’s Day.

Details of the ceremony are being finalized, a city spokesman said.

In the Nov. 3 munic-ipal election, Mayor Tom Henry secured a third term in office by defeating Republican District 4 City Councilman Mitch Harper. Henry will work with a City Council that will have a 7-2 Republican majority.

• Republicans Michael Barranda, Thomas Freis-troffer and incumbent John Crawford won the three at-large seats.

• In District 1, Repub-lican Paul Ensley defeated Democratic nominee Mike Conley.

• In District 2, Repub-lican incumbent Russ Jehl defeated Democrat Michelle Merritt.

• In District 3, incumbent Republican Thomas Didier was unopposed.

• In District 4, Repub-lican Jason Arp defeated

Democrat Rusty York, to succeed Harper.

• In District 5, incumbent Democrat Geoff Paddock was unopposed.

• In District 6, Demo-cratic incumbent Glynn Hines defeated Republican Joe Renner.

The Republicans also won the City Clerk’s office, with Lana Keesling capturing more than 60 percent of the vote. That office saw three interim clerks in three months after longtime Clerk Sandy Kennedy resigned in early October.

Within Allen County, 22.49 percent of registered voters cast ballots Nov. 3.

Woodburn also had a contest for mayor. Repub-lican Joe Kelsey won more than 80 percent of the vote over Democrat Ryan Reichhart. Incumbent Richard Hoeppner with-drew from the race after the May primary.

Voter registration for the the May 3 primary election began Dec. 1. The general election will be Nov. 8.

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Birders to lift binocularsin two Christmas counts


Cynthia and Ed Powers have recorded sightings of hundreds of bird species across North America.

Jim Haw remembers seeing an endangered species bobbing in the Pacific Ocean.

The three birders and dozens of their fellow enthusiasts from the Fort Wayne area will look to add more species to their records in two separate Christmas bird counts. The Powerses are signing up observers for a southwest Allen County count, which was hatched in 2015. Haw is enrolling birders for the Dec. 19 Fort Wayne count, which is in its second century.

Both counts will report their findings to the state and national Audubon societies, to assist research into bird populations and territories.

The Powerses were thrilled to see a hooded crane — an Asian species — mingling with sandhill cranes migrating through southern Indiana. Cynthia has seen more than 600 bird species; Ed has tallied 703 across North America

and north of Mexico. “I would love to see a great gray owl,” Cynthia said. Ed has seen that species, in Minnesota. “And I’ve been where they were supposed to be, and they weren’t there.”

Haw once saw an

endangered short-tailed albatross in the waters off the California coast. “This is one of the rarest sea birds in the world. It’s quite a thrill,” Haw said. He also saw a California condor

Boar’s Head and Yule Logfree tickets ready Dec. 17


The 41st Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival will present six services at Plymouth Congrega-tional Church, 501 W. Berry St., Fort Wayne. Services are at 5:30 and 8 p.m. each day, Dec. 28, 29 and 30. Tickets are free, and will be avail-able Dec. 17.

This year’s presen-tation is dedicated to Joan Stanger, one of the founding members of the festival. Stanger, who once taught drama at Canterbury School, died Easter Sunday, April

15. She was the wife of former Plymouth senior pastor Richard Stanger, who now lives in the Indianapolis area.

Festival busi-ness manager Beth Walker said Stanger’s contributions will be acknowledged at each festival, and the honor will be listed in the program.

Walker said patrons of record as of Dec. 4 are listed in that program. Donors who come forward before the public distribution also will be eligible for tickets. Patronage levels begin at $50, and entitle the

patron to a maximum of six tickets.

Tickets will be distrib-uted to church members on Dec. 6. The church does not underwrite the festival. “But the church supports it in that it takes over their facility for four days,” Walker said.

On Dec. 17, the box office will be open to the public from 4:30- 7 p.m. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each visitor may pick up as many as six tickets per family. The line forms early, and tickets are

Cynthia Powers attaches a suet block to a tree outside the bird observation building at Fox Island County Park. Ed Powers carries a feeder of grain that he will hang outside the the bird counters’ window.

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

Laura McCoy directs the children’s music and also plays flute in the orchestra for the Plymouth Church post-Christmas tradition.

FILE PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

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Tickets for the opening day of the Fort Wayne TinCaps’ 2016 baseball season are on sale through Dec. 31. The TinCaps will face the Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians affiliates) at 6:05 p.m. Saturday, April 9.

Tickets are available at TinCapsTickets.com; The Orchard Team Store

at Glenbrook Square; and The Orchard Team Store at Parkview Field.

Tickets for the remainder of the 2016 TinCaps schedule will go on sale in February. Meanwhile, season ticket packages are on sale; call (260) 482-6400.

In 2015, the TinCaps drew more than 400,000

fans for a third consec-utive year and set an attendance record by averaging 5,971 fans per game. Last season the club extended the longest active playoff streak in Minor League Baseball to seven years, while garnering multiple national honors for orga-nizational excellence.

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Canterbury School put the new auxiliary gymnasium to use the very day of the cere-monial ribbon-cutting. The versatile space is adjacent to the Middle School gymnasium on the Covington Road campus.

Construction on the Steffy Family Event Center began over the summer. The project was made possible through a lead gift from the Steffy family, which covered a portion of the construc-tion cost. Construction was under the direction of Weigand Construction and Design Collabora-tive. The project cost was $605,000. The event center measures 5,160 square feet.

Members of the Steffy family were on hand for the ribbon-cutting, and Steffy children took part in that ceremony. Lower and Middle School students witnessed the ceremony in place of their chapel time Monday morning, Oct. 19.

The floor plan allows room for two prac-tice volleyball courts. The basketball court is middle school regula-tion size, with two main basketball goals and four goals located on the side-lines. The surface is hard composite flooring.“This space has been

on our wish list for quite some time, and we are thankful to the Steffy family for helping to make it possible,” said

Jonathan Hancock, Canterbury School headmaster. “The Steffy Family Event Center will impact all four school divisions at Canterbury School by providing additional space for P.E. classes, an extra after-school indoor practice facility, and space for classes displaced when the main gymnasiums are used for events such as science fair or the visual arts exhibit.”

Canterbury completesversatile event center

Members of the Steffy family join with Canterbury School faculty in the ribbon-cutting for the Steffy Family Center. Taking part in the Oct. 19 ceremony are (from left) Beckett Steffy, Jack Steffy, Middle School Athletic Director Connie Oberlin, High School Athletic Director Ken Harkenrider, Lower School physical education teacher Barb Treleaven, Luke Steffy and Drake Steffy.

PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW

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City of Fort Wayne leaders, organizers and sponsors of this past spring’s Dragon Boat Races/Riverpalooza event presented a check for $10,000 to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana.“We’re honored to be

able to assist Cancer Services in their efforts to make a meaningful difference for individ-uals and families in our community,” Mayor Tom Henry said. “Fort Wayne is fortunate to have orga-nizations like Cancer Services who work each day to improve the quality of life for those experiencing challenges.”

Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana has been serving people diagnosed with cancer and their families since 1944. The organization’s mission is to enhance the quality of life of those affected by cancer by providing meaningful resources, information and compassionate assis-tance. Each year, client advocates at Cancer Services serve more than 2,500 people with cancer.

The Glorious Gates Rowing Association and the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council also presented donations.

The title sponsor

of the Dragon Boat Races/Riverpalooza was Parkview Regional Medical Center. Partic-ipating sponsors were Greater Fort Wayne Inc., Lincoln Financial Group, and Steel Dynamics. The media sponsor was 21Alive. The Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council presented the event.

Dragon boat racing combines Chinese traditions, competition, teamwork and fun. Often, dragon boats are emblazoned with bright colors, dragon scales, and a dragon head and tail. Typical dragon boats are 46

feet long and feature 20 paddlers, a drummer, and a steersman. During the course of the race, the job of the drummer is to keep an effective beat in order to synchronize the paddlers. Actual races are usually between 200-2000 meters and can last up to 10 minutes.

Plans are underway for the 2016 Dragon Boat Races, Saturday, June 25, in downtown Fort Wayne. Anyone inter-ested in participating or being a sponsor may contact Karen Richards with the City of Fort Wayne at (260) 427-2146 or [email protected].

River events net $10,000for Cancer Services work

Church invites all agesto Las Posadas journeyTrinity English Lutheran

Church will share the Holy Family’s search for shelter in Bethlehem through Las Posadas, from 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11. The church is at 450 W. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne.

The procession will “journey” through the church, knocking on doors. At the last door, everyone will be welcomed in to enjoy dinner, a piñata and other fun.

Las Posadas is a tradi-tional Christmas event in Mexico, Latin American countries, and the south-west United States.

Dinner will be catered by Moe’s Southwest Grill, along with home-made tamales, appetizers and dessert. Music will be provided by a group from Fort Wayne’s Iglesia Bautista Principe de Paz. Children will be provided

with costumes for the journey. All ages are welcome and invited to be a part of Trinity English’s second Las Posadas event.

To RSVP for food planning purposes or for more information, contact the Rev. Dan Fugate ([email protected]) or Mary Ann Parker ([email protected]) or call them at (260) 426-3424.

Children seek shelter in Bethlehem during Las Posadas at Trinity English Lutheran Church.

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Cornerstone Youth Center founder and Executive Director Kent Castleman recently announced he will retire from his position with the organization by July 1.

The Southeast Youth Council Inc. (Cornerstone) board of directors and executive committee are working with Castleman during the transition. A search and transition team has been established.

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with the Monro-eville youth center opening its doors two years later.

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Questions and comments may be submitted to Gasparini at (260) 623-3972 or [email protected], or Castleman at (260) 348-2973 or [email protected].

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aloft, before that threatened species was captured for breeding and later reintro-duced into the wild. Haw, a retired history professor, has been birding since his junior high days in south-east Missouri.

The count that Haw coordinates was begun before World War I. He has participated since about 1974. He said about 12 observers saw about 48 species in December 2014. That was below average, he said.

Cynthia Powers and other members of the Stockbridge Audubon Society held the first south-west count in January 2015. Seven people watched their home bird feeders and 18 observers took to the field to count 42 species. Powers has petitioned the national Audubon Society to accept the new count as an offi-cial count. “I bet we’ll get official status, but that’s not going to stop us from doing it, because we do it just for fun,” she said.

Observers from both local counts said the data is useful for mapping where birds winter in the south,

their migration route, and where they go north to breed. Those ranges change. “And I suppose the climate changes as the birds adapt to different condi-tions,” Cynthia Powers said.

“This is an international activity that takes place in about a 2-week period around Christmas,” Haw said. “And you compile just a mass of information about how many birds are out there, which can be useful to a variety of scien-tific researchers.”

“The point is to save habitat, and save them

before they are an endan-gered species,” Cynthia Powers said. “Because everything is connected, if you think about it.”

Six Christmas bird counts will be held across northern Indiana.

Both Haw and Cynthia Powers said habitat has changed locally since they began observing birds.

“The current circle was drawn in 1960,” Haw said of the Fort Wayne count. “And naturally Fort Wayne has been expanding north like crazy, and a lot of our circle has been urban-

BIRDS from Page B1 CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTSFort Wayne bird count.Saturday, Dec. 19. The 15-mile-radius count area extends from approximately Franke Park to Cedarville Reservoirs, including southern DeKalb County. To help, call Jim Haw at (260) 485-7802, or email [email protected]. Take part in a field party for the day, or for half a day, morning or afternoon. All-day and morning par-ticipants meet inside Hall’s Restaurant, at the corner of Coliseum Boulevard and Lima Road, by 8 a.m. Some will arrive earlier, to share breakfast. Birders may call Haw to sign up for a chili sup-per at 5:30 p.m. at the Salomon Farm Park Learning Center.Southwest Allen County bird count.Saturday, Jan. 2. The 15-mile-radius count area extends from just south of Illinois Road on the north, south through Eagle Marsh, Fox Island County Park, the Arrowhead properties of Little River Wetlands Project along Aboite Road, the Little Wabash River Preserve, and other preserves. Meet at the LRWP office off Engle Road at 8 a.m. to receive maps and assignments. Gather again at lunchtime at Fox Island, where chili will supplement packed lunches. To help, contact Cynthia Powers by Dec. 26. Call (260) 638-4291 or email [email protected].

See BIRDS, Page B10


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ized. There are generally fewer places to go that are productive.”

Cynthia Powers, too, said the northern count area has grown more urbanized. “We’ve helped with that watch for a long, long time,” she said. “But we’ve got Fox Island, we’ve got Eagle Marsh.”

Those two properties, separated only by a railroad track, have more than 1,400 acres. That’s bigger than Pokagon State Park, Ed Powers said.

“And some of us thought we ought to [count} southwest Allen County,” Cynthia Powers said.

Some observers will

watch their home feeders, some will drive country roads, some will trek the marsh, and others will watch from the shelter of the bird observatory at Fox Island County Park. That’s where Ed and Cynthia feed, observe and count birds each Monday. Other volun-teers watch the feeders on other days from November to April, as part of Project Feeder Watch.

Before they take their stations, the Powerses fill mesh tubes with layers of cracked corn and black oil sunflowers seeds. “Those have more oil and the birds need calories to keep warm in the wintertime,” Ed said. Other feeders are filled with thistle seed. Blocks of

suet — beef or mutton fat — are pressed into holders attached to trees.

And then they wait, and count. Red and gray squir-rels and chipmunks waste no time in sharing the grain. A whitetail deer sporting fall antlers wandered about 100 feet from the feeders on a recent Monday. The Powerses noticed the deer, but didn’t record it in their count. They were watching for the usual flying visitors and perhaps something special.

“Sometime something

rare comes up,” Cynthia said. “There is a pair of pileated woodpeckers here at Fox Island, and they have come straight to that suet. They’re pretty rare, those big Woody Wood-ecker hairdos.”

“It’s big, big as a crow,” said Ed, quickly locating a photo on his cell phone.

“In the middle of winter, sometimes we get what they call a winter finch invasion year,” Cynthia said. “We will get purple finches and pine siskins, and these are things that

kind of belong up north.”“We saw a Carolina wren

when we walked up. They say ‘teakettle, teakettle, teakettle,’ ” Cynthia said.

She added that Fox Island is on the edge of the Carolina chickadees that live as far south as the Florida Keys, and the black-capped chickadees that flourish as far north as Alaska. “They can hybridize and learn each other’s songs,” she said.

Cynthia Powers said the Christmas bird count began about 1900, as a protest against hunters who shot hawks for sport on Christmas Day.

Last year’s northern Fort Wayne observers saw a bald eagle. Haw said that

species is present in the area, but observers saw it in a surprising location.

“They’ll drive down country roads or they’ll come here and document every species and the numbers the best they can,” Cynthia Powers said. “And I suppose the ultimate would be if you found a snowy oil, you would really be famous for 15 minutes. Some years they come down and other years they don’t. Last year there were quite a few.”

The first southwest Allen County count, held in January 2015, might have had more observers except for an ice storm. “I’m planning good weather this time,” Cynthia Powers said.

BIRDS from Page B9 A LOST SPECIESCynthia Powers, a member of a local Audubon Society, advo-cates on behalf of bird habitat and related public policy. Read her 2014 paper on the extinction of the passenger pigeon at foxislandalliance.org.


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distributed quickly. The festival advises potential guests to arrive early. Free-will contributions are welcome.

Patronage-level contributors may call (260) 423-9424 and ask to leave a message on the Boar’s Head line.

The characters of wassailers and beefeaters also accept donations during the festival. “We manage our pennies well. We have increases in costs, too,” Walker said. According to the festival website, each year’s presentation costs about $20,000.

Costume coordinator Katherine Caldwell said costumes are replaced as needed.

“This year we’ve been working on what we’ve been calling the Three Kings costumes, their three pages and six torchbearers,” she said. “I have my fingers crosssed that we get those done in time for the performance this year. If not, they’ll be rolled out next year.”

Caldwell was involved in the first year of the festival, at age 8, as a caroler. She and her family have served the festival in several ways over the years.

Walker, the busi-ness manager, has been involved in the festival in come capacity for about 25 years. She

began by working in makeup. Then her youngest daughter was Baby Jesus in the festival. Walker then returned to makeup and then became the business manager.

Over 300 cast, crew, choir and orchestra members participate each year. The audience since 1975 totals 129,160.

Jim Schmidt and Kara Jaurique serve as festival artistic directors. Robert Nance is festival music director. Kay Porter is ticket chairwoman.

For details, visit plym-outhfw.org and find the Music/Arts tab.

BOARS from Page B1

The Boar’s Head festival is taken from a story of an Oxford professor who shoved his book into a wild boar’s mouth, killing it. The feast celebrates the victory of good over evil.

FILE PHOTOS BY GARTH SNOW

The story of the Nativity is the basis for the religious aspect of the Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival.

The seculary portion of the festival features a jester, madrigals, wassailers, beefeaters and noblemen.


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