The American Heritage Craft Show, sponsored by Gaunt & Son Asphalt Inc. and The Crow’s Nest Antique Mall, returns to the Honeywell Center in downtown Wabash on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

The juried craft show features high-quality handmade craftwork including country, primitive, holiday items, home decor, purses, baskets, clothing, jewelry, gift items and more.   Proceeds benefit the Honeywell Center’s Educational Outreach Program.  Regional vendors will fill the Honeywell Center  lobby, Honeywell Room, and gymnasium, selling holiday and home décor, primitives, jewelry, baskets, natural body care products, and furniture.  Eugenia’s Restaurant will also be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If you would like to participate in the craft show as a vendor call the Honeywell Center at 260-563-1102 for information.  Applications and guidelines for potential vendors are also available on our website at www.honeywellcenter.org/2014/05/29/american-heritage-craft-show.

Also, that same day in Wabash, the Wabash Cannonball Chili for Charity Cook off, which will be held at Paradise Spring Historical Park, just blocks away from the Honeywell Center, will take place from 12 to 4 p.m.  This event is the largest of its kind east of the Mississippi and raises over $25,000 each year for area charities. 

by Emily Armentrout

emily@thepaperofwabash.com

June 22 marked 50 years of employment at Thermafiber for Rodger Rapp. The company held a surprise luncheon to commemorate Rapp’s time there on Friday, June 20.

“Rodger has seen six different owners of the company over his 50 years here,” Steve Edris, director and general manager of Owens Corning Thermafiber told The Paper. “He has seen a lot of change with the company, but with Rodger, each day, he’s here; he shows up and is usually one of the first ones here. You never hear problems with him. He’s been a very dependable employee.”

Six different owners is only part of the changes Rapp has seen through his 50 years at the company. Position changes and technological changes have improved the productivity of his job over the years. Rapp has worked in Thermafiber’s office since he started. He has held positions in cost accounting and billing, but he also handles different office functions as needed. Rapp worked at Thermafiber for 19 years before the company had its first computer.

“It was a big change going from a typewriter to a computer with a printer. That was an adjustment for me, but as things evolve and different programs come along, the learning process is frustrating but once you get it, it makes the job quicker,” said Rapp.

Rapp also saw the first copy machine, which took 2-3 minutes to develop one copy, and he saw the office’s first fax machine, known back then as a telecopier.

“It is amazing how things have changed,” added Rapp.

On June 18, at approximately 3:30 p.m., officers from the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department responded to a personal injury crash on SR13 near 400 South.

A 1999 Ford Mustang, driven by Jonathan Bailey, 24, Converse, was northbound on SR 13 near 400 South. The vehicle left the roadway on the west side of the road, traveled into the ditch, crossed 400 South and continued airborne and struck a paving crew, who were working on a driveway at 3946 South SR 13.

While airborne, the vehicle crashed into a utility pole and came to rest in the front yard of the residence.  Mr. Bailey was transported to Lutheran Hospital. Mr. Bailey told officers he fell asleep as he was driving.

Two members of the paving crew were injured. Joshua Newsome, 30, Huntington, and Gregory Ness, 51, Huntington; both were transported to Lutheran Hospital. All three were treated and released.

Assisting at the scene was Wabash City Fire/Rescue, Noble Township Fire Department and Wabash County EMA.

by Emily Armentrout

emily@thepaperofwabash.com

Stella’s Resale and Thrift was opened in Wabash by Tammy Snyder two years ago. Now, in a full partnership with Christine Napier, the store is about to re-open at a new location, 563 North Cass Street, Wabash, allowing the store to offer more items, big and small. There new location is also wheelchair accessible, unlike their old building.

Stella’s continues to offer a variety of items including furniture, clothing, antiques and knick-knacks. The new building offers three times the space that the building on Wabash Street had to offer. They had expanded but quickly outgrew their former location. “We expanded to the other side and then we outgrew it. we just had a bigger vision. Who knows, in the next two years, we might outgrow this,” Snyder told The Paper.

“We love the traffic. It’s easy access. We love this location,” added Snyder.

“I had this lady tell me she goes to Dollar General all the time and never noticed us before,” Napier told The Paper of Stella’s previous location.
 

I think being a Grandma is one of God's greatest blessings. Grandchildren bring us joy and make our lives complete. Our six-year-old granddaughter came for a short visit last week. She loves to "help" her Papa work in the garden, especially giving leaf lettuce " haircuts". So, after a few minutes of playing beauty shop in the garden and "trimming" leaf lettuce it was time for me to make the salad dressing.

You can use most any variety of salad greens. Totally your preference. I just use leaf lettuce but adding a mixture of spinach or romaine will give your salad texture and color. Make sure to wash each leaf separately. This can be a pain, but it’s very necessary. Using a salad spinner or blotting with paper towel will help remove excess water from greens.

This recipe for hot bacon dressing will become a staple in your kitchen as it has mine. I seldom buy salad dressing from the store. With a combination of sweet and tart, this salad dressing will leave you wondering whether the salad you made is a salad or dessert.

The Wabash County Chamber of Commerece will be showcasing our community to the Stellar Committee beginning with a Wabash movie at Eagle’s Theatre. They need to fill the theater with supporters. Everyone who is interested in being part of this MUST BE in their seats by 1 p.m.; HOWEVER, it is important that there be no supporter interaction with the Stellar Committee. Your effort is to show support by filling the theater. Key project coordinators will be the only ones speaking and taking questions from the committee. However, by having the theater filled it would show the whole community is behind this project.

If interest in volunteering, please call Emily Gardner at 260-563-1168 or e-mail info@wabashchamber.org.

by Emily Armentrout

emily@thepaperofwabash.com

Brittany Hobson, Indiana Wesleyan University student and 2011 graduate of Southwood High School, began making jewelry as a hobby when she was in the 8th grade. As a sophomore, Hobson was able to go to India on a mission trip with Friends Church. Never did Hobson think that such a “girly” hobby could be used to bring people to Christ, but as she has learned over the past five years, “God’s a creative God,” Hobson told The Paper.

“I met Eric Fleck from Friends Church and he just randomly asked me if I wanted to go to India. I didn’t even know him, but I was going to India,” Hobson explained.

Fleck works a lot creating sustainable income while in India. Hobson was able to work for the first time with some women in making jewelry while visiting India in 2009. After her first visit to India, she knew she wanted to return. Her second trip to India actually began in Atlanta, Ga., at Passion conference in May 2013. 60,000 youth members gathered at the Georgia Dome and Hobson found in her group of 10 people someone who had been praying for her. He was not praying for Brittany specifically, but for a woman to come along and help him with his business venture. Cole Johnson had decided to build a factory in India for women to make scarves to make and sell to support their families. Though Hobson doesn’t make scarves, she was the woman he had been waiting for, and Hobson found herself back in Kolkata, India in August 2013, a few months after meeting Johnson.

“This was a total God thing. 60,000 people and he had been praying for a woman to come along,” Hobson told The Paper.

Sam Watkins, Peru Junior High principal and Peru Junior High were honored at a ceremony on Friday, June 6. Watkins was awarded the key to the city of Peru and was named Peru Community Schools principal of the year. Peru Junior High received a Four Star Academic Excellence award.

“It’s humbling to me,” Watkins said of receiving the key to the city. “I didn’t expect this. This is only the fourth or fifth time he has given a key to the city. It’s humbling.”

Watkins was quick to move the attention off himself, praising his staff and even the mayor. “I’m part of something that s doing He’s been an unbelievable community supporter. He’s been very good for Peru. He cares about the city. He cares about the schools. For him to do this is humbling and it makes me feel very proud to be the principal of Peru Junior High,” added Watkins.

Peru Junior High also received a four star rating in academic excellence, which Watkins attributes to his staff and their students. “This is the first time any school in Miami County has received a four star status. It solidifies our methods and our hard work. The teachers of Peru are the hardest working teachers in the area and this kind of says thank you and lets them know they are doing a great job,” Watkins told The Paper.