Wabash Area Community Theater, in collaboration with Charley Creek Inn, announces plans for their dinner theater show, “Champagne and Mistletoe”, to be held on the Friday and Saturday evenings of Dec. 5-6. The evening will begin with cash bar service beginning at 6 p.m. in the downstairs ballroom. The singers will begin the evening festivities at 6:30 p.m. as they sing from the mezzanine, entertaining guests as they arrive for the evening. Chef Scott Howell and his staff will prepare a gourmet holiday dinner, featuring roasted tomato basil soup, tossed seasonal greens with champagne vinaigrette dressing, homemade rolls and whipped butter, chicken marsala, roasted red skinned potatoes, cinnamon carrots, and cranberry apple crumble. The show will begin at 7 p.m. in the Charley Creek Inn Ballroom and the meal served shortly thereafter.

“Champagne and Mistletoe” will feature an original script that will provide the narrative for favorite songs, readings, dances, and drama as the cast highlights Christmas melodies and memories spanning the decades from 1822 to the present. The ensemble will include songs mentioning mistletoe as part of their program, while the speakers present “champagne toasts” for the music and legends. Singers in the ensemble include Jennifer Denney, Susie Jones, Drea Konyha, Josie Wade, Jane Willmert, Samantha Kramer, Beth Miller, Cindy Rich, Amanda Shull, Charly Dye, Bruce Rovelstad, Bob Wade, Gary Dale, Bruce Green, and Ham Sadler. They will present favorite songs in a variety of musical styles, from classic musical standards, to rock and roll and gospel jazz. Most of the music will feature the keyboard artistry of Rick Elliott and the percussion enrichment of Bob Ferguson.

by Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

On Dec. 7, the Wabash Valley Dance Theatre will take the Ford Theater stage to present its 50th Anniversary Christmas Ballet. The performance will also commemorate owner Vickie Lambert’s 30 years as artistic director.

“We had our first one 50 years ago, so we’re celebrating this year, having our 50th, hoping to bring back lots of people from the past who were in the dance company and danced in previous festivals,” said Lambert.”

Lambert danced in the very first Christmas performance as a freshman in high school 50 years ago. She went on to teach under founder Pauline Geyer. Lambert took over in 1984 after Geyer passed away and served as the school’s artistic director until this year.

“I’ve been involved for a long, long time, so it’s all exciting,” said Lambert.

While Lambert continues to be involved with the dance theatre, Lisa Traver has taken over as artistic director for this year’s performance.

“She’s been teaching at the school for years. She’s been there for most of the time that I’ve been in charge,” said Lambert. “She’s excited, and a little nervous.”

During the Christmas ballet, students will dance to selections taken from performances over the past 50 years. In addition, former members returning for the event will have two opportunities to join in and celebrate the half-century of Christmas performances with a dance of their own.

Signup has begun for the 2015 4-H year and will run through Jan. 15. The signup process has become completely digital and can be accessed by visiting in.4Honline.com.

The Wabash County 4-H program will be hosting a project fair to display the different projects, clubs and programs available in Wabash County 4-H. The project fair will take place on Sunday, Nov. 9 from 2-4 p.m. at the Wabash County Fairgrounds.

Purdue Extension Wabash County will be on hand to answer questions, along with 4-Hers who will be displaying their past projects and answering questions for future 4-H members.

“This is a great way to figure out if 4-H is for them and to see what we have to offer,” Angela Christopher, Purdue Extension - Wabash County, Extension Educator - 4-H Youth Development, told The Paper.

There will be snacks available and the extension will have computers set up on site to help people signup for 4-H during the project fair.

An achievement awards ceremony for the 2014 4-H season will be held following the project fair, beginning at 4 p.m.

by Shaun Tilghman

Claypool resident Sue Baker never dreamed of being a writer, but then a special kitten came into her life and changed everything. Now, the Manchester High School graduate has published her third children’s book, which is expected to come out in December.

“This all started with me and my husband (Matt) finding a kitten in our backyard,” said Sue. “The kitten was too young to be left alone, so we ended up having to bottle-feed her. It was the same week as our 25th anniversary, and instead of going on a trip, we stayed home and took turns bottle-feeding her until she was strong enough that we could leave her by herself.

“We ended up having to teach her how to eat solid food and how to use the litter box because her mother wasn’t there to show her. Her siblings ended up surviving under a boat at the neighbors and became barn cats. So, that’s where the story really started unfolding in my mind. It was a couple years after we found her when I actually started writing the story down.”

Sue and Matt found the kitten, which they named Scooter, in 2005, but it wasn’t until 2008 that she decided the story would make a good children’s book. According to Sue, Matt likes to write and is very good with children, so he helped her with the wording in order to make it work for the target audience.

Once Sue finished her manuscript, she realized that she didn’t really know what to do with it; so, she put it away and didn’t do anything with it for about eight months. Then, early in 2009, she decided to research publishing options.

By Shaun Tilghman

Beacon Credit Union recently wrapped up its fourth annual Project Spotlight giving campaign and has begun distributing the monies won by local nonprofits. In North Manchester, Beacon is donating a total of $1,750 to the three charitable organizations/projects that received the most votes – Gamsby’s Project, Manchester Fellowship of Churches Food Pantry, and One World Handcrafts, Inc.

Project Spotlight is a community support program designed to discover worthwhile projects in each area that Beacon serves, according to the website. The hope is to be able to support community projects, both large and small, while also bringing awareness to the many good things happening in those communities every day.

“Project Spotlight is a charitable giving campaign that allows you to nominate local charities, not-for-profits, and community projects for the potential to earn funding from Beacon Credit Union. First, we ask community members to submit their local projects and organizations that they feel deserve support. Then, we open the two-month voting process and have each community vote to support their favorite organization. With your help and participation, once the voting has ended at the end of September, we’ll donate a total of $21,000 benefiting 36 charitable organizations and projects in Northeast Indiana.”

During the first two years, Project Spotlight began the nomination process in April and a special panel then narrowed those down to three nominations per community. In 2013, the process was changed in order to allow all nominations the opportunity to receive votes. In addition, a Facebook component was implemented so that, after voting on the website, you could immediately post your vote on Facebook.

Every year, Beacon Credit Union raises money for the Riley Children’s Hospital Foundation through their Credit Unions for Kids Campaign.  The Riley Children’s Hospital Foundation offers hope to thousands of families seeking help for seriously ill and injured children – help that only Riley Hospital for Children can provide. Every gift makes an impact, as the dedicated medical team at Riley Hospital could not deliver expert and compassionate care without external financial support.

Beacon Credit Union is proud to announce that they will be presenting a donation of over $16,000 to the Riley Children’s Hospital Foundation.  Beacon Credit Union proudly supports Riley Children’s Hospital.

Beacon Credit Union is a full service, locally owned, credit union that provides a wide range of products and services including savings accounts; checking accounts; Certificates of Deposit; IRAs; Investment and Trust Opportunities; Consumer, Real Estate, Commercial and Agricultural Loans; plus all of today's conveniences of mobile banking, internet banking, online bill pay, online statements, Debit Cards, ATM's and Telephone Teller access. The credit union operates 20 convenient service offices throughout north central and northeast Indiana to provide financial products and services to 46,000 members.

The fall installment of property tax will be due Nov. 10. Spring and fall statements were mailed in April.

Taxes that are delinquent after Nov. 10, 2014 will have a penalty added. That penalty will be 5 percent if it is paid within 30 days and there is no other delinquency. If it is paid after 30 days or has other delinquency, the penalty is 10 percent.

You may pay your taxes with one of the following options:

*Pay in person: You may pay in the Wabash County Treasurer’s Office.

*Pay by mail: Please sent the spring and/or fall payment coupon along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a return receipt. Make sure your payment is postmarked by Nov. 10.

*Pay at local banks: Those banks that are accepting property tax payments include Bippus State Bank, Crossroads Bank, First Farmer’s Bank, First Financial Bank, First Merchant’s Bank and Mutual Bank.

*Drop box: There is a gold drop box located in front of the Judicial Center on the west side of the Court House parking lot.

If you have any questions, you may contact the Wabash County Treasurer’s Office at 260-563-0661, ext. 1259 or treasurer@wabashcounty.in.gov.

In February 2014, Congress signed a new five year farm bill creating many new farm programs. The new programs will cover crop years 2014-2018. While some final adjustments are still being made, many details about the new programs are being made available.

In August of 2014 landowners with crop bases were sent letters telling them what their current crop bases are along with their current counter cyclical payment yields. They were told to review the information and contact their local FSA office with questions.

Landowners could first visit their local FSA office on Sept. 29 to decide whether to keep their current base acreage or reallocate their bases. Reallocation looks at what was grown on the farm in 2009 – 2012 and calculates a new crop base off of those planted acres. The landowner has until Feb. 27, 2015 to make this decision. Since many landowners head south for the winter, FSA encourages an office visit before leaving.