by Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

For those who have been involved in 4-H or veterans’ affairs in Wabash County, Duane Truss is a household name. After receiving the Sagamore of the Wabash award on April 9, Truss will now be known by people across the state.

Family and friends surprised Truss at the courthouse Wednesday, but when he walked through the door of the Commissioners Meeting Room and saw representatives from the local VFW and Wabash County 4-H standing with Senator Jim Banks, he had an idea why he had been asked to come.

“You have a lot of friends,” Senator Banks said to Truss as he began to present the award. “What I like to emphasize…in a ceremony like this is to talk about how rare this award truly is, given to only a handful of great Hoosiers across our state.”

Sagamore of the Wabash is an honorary award given by the governor to Hoosiers who have demonstrated great leadership, service and dedication to making the Indiana a better place to live. It is the second-highest honor the governor can award a citizen. Its name comes from an Algonquian word used by Native Americans tribes to describe an individual within the tribe that the chief looks to for guidance. Senator Banks read from Truss’ award, where it states that he is “distinguished by his humanity in living, his loyalty in friendship, his wisdom in counsel, and his inspiration in leadership.”

The Easter Bunny makes his annual visit to Manchester University on Saturday, April 26 and all area children are invited. In addition to hugs from the big bunny, children age 1 to 12 will find lots to do on the North Manchester campus, beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Student residents of East Hall host the free event. On the schedule is: face painting, chalk drawing, sack races and other field games, photos with the Easter Bunny and the Egg Hunt. To give the wee ones equal opportunity, the activities are split into age categories: 1-6 and 7-12.

The Egg Hunt is between East and Garver residence halls, off East Street. A parent or guardian must accompany all children at all times and all children must register beforehand. The Egg Hunt begins at noon.

East Hall is home to about 200 MU students.

“One of the best parts about living in East Hall is that we get to host great events for the younger children of the community,” said Letha L. Parrott, East Hall director.

East Hall residents will fill 1,000 plastic eggs with treats for the Egg Hunt, she added.

“We want to form and uphold traditions that will allow the children to be comfortable on the Manchester University campus and have great memories here,” Parrott said. “Our hope is that one day they will become MU Spartans who also care about providing good, clean, fun to their communities.”

On Friday, April 25, high school students of all ages and their families and friends can check out campus life and discover why leading college guides say Manchester University is a “Best in the Midwest” and a great value.

Spartan Day visitors will tour the campus, meet current students, sit in on a class, discover academic and Division III NCAA athletics opportunities, learn about scholarships and financial aid, talk with faculty and admissions counselors and receive a complementary lunch.

Manchester University offers more than 60 areas of baccalaureate study, master’s degrees in education and athletic training, plus a professional Doctor of Pharmacy degree on its Fort Wayne campus. The beautiful 100-acre residential campus in North Manchester is home to more than 1,300 students from 24 states and 24 countries.

For more information or to make a reservation for Spartan Day or any campus visit, click on Visit Campus at www.admissions.manchester.edu or connect at 800-852-3648 or admitinfo@manchester.edu.

On Friday, April 25, high school students of all ages and their families and friends can check out campus life and discover why leading college guides say Manchester University is a “Best in the Midwest” and a great value.

Spartan Day visitors will tour the campus, meet current students, sit in on a class, discover academic and Division III NCAA athletics opportunities, learn about scholarships and financial aid, talk with faculty and admissions counselors and receive a complementary lunch.

Manchester University offers more than 60 areas of baccalaureate study, master’s degrees in education and athletic training, plus a professional Doctor of Pharmacy degree on its Fort Wayne campus. The beautiful 100-acre residential campus in North Manchester is home to more than 1,300 students from 24 states and 24 countries.

For more information or to make a reservation for Spartan Day or any campus visit, click on Visit Campus at www.admissions.manchester.edu or connect at 800-852-3648 or admitinfo@manchester.edu.

On Friday, April 25, high school students of all ages and their families and friends can check out campus life and discover why leading college guides say Manchester University is a “Best in the Midwest” and a great value.

Spartan Day visitors will tour the campus, meet current students, sit in on a class, discover academic and Division III NCAA athletics opportunities, learn about scholarships and financial aid, talk with faculty and admissions counselors and receive a complementary lunch.

Manchester University offers more than 60 areas of baccalaureate study, master’s degrees in education and athletic training, plus a professional Doctor of Pharmacy degree on its Fort Wayne campus. The beautiful 100-acre residential campus in North Manchester is home to more than 1,300 students from 24 states and 24 countries.

For more information or to make a reservation for Spartan Day or any campus visit, click on Visit Campus at www.admissions.manchester.edu or connect at 800-852-3648 or admitinfo@manchester.edu.

Help members of Wabash chapter of Thrivent Financial, Zion and Living Faith Lutheran and South Side Free Will Baptist give Nicholas Smith the gift of the outdoors! Come to a Nelson’s Port-A-Pit Chicken fundraiser at Brandt’s Harley Davidson on Saturday, April 25 from 3—7 p.m. and help Nicholas enjoy being outside. All proceeds will go directly toward building Nicholas the wheelchair ramp, porch and swing he needs.

Nicholas is nine years old. He has Trisomy 14, a rare genetic disease, and autism. He cannot walk or talk but loves to swing and be outside. Currently, his mother must lift his wheelchair up the steps to get Nicholas to enter or leave the house. With a wheelchair ramp, getting Nicholas inside and outside the will be much easier.

“Nicholas does not get to enjoy his summer like everyone else does,” Deborah Smith, Nicholas’ mother, says. “My goal is to have a swing made especially for him so that he can swing in the comfort of his own porch and enjoy the beauty that God has bestowed on us.”

Nicholas has two brothers, Zack, 11, and Braden, 8. The boys’ father passed away in 2011, so Deborah is raising them on her own.

“God chose me to be Nicholas’s mommy and I could never repay God for that blessing,” she said. “I thank God every day for him and the lessons that have come with him.”

Help spread a message of hope. Join the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of North Manchester and “Paint the Town Purple” on Saturday, April 19 beginning at 10 a.m. Businesses, community organizations and individuals are being asked to show their support for the event and help raise awareness for the fight against cancer by decking out the town—including homes, restaurants, businesses, meeting halls or other areas—in purple.

“We want everyone to see purple and to think about celebrating, remembering and fighting back,” said Sebrena Cline, Paint the Town Purple organizer. “Whether you use purple chalk to write an uplifting message, display a different reminder each day about important cancer screenings or dress a mannequin in Relay gear, it’s all about letting people know that there is hope. The sky is the limit on what you can do to decorate and send that message.”

Spring clean up, in the City of Wabash, will begin the week of April 28 through May 2, according to Scott Richardson, Wabash Street Department Superintendent.

Pick-up will be divided into four sections, following the same route as weekly trash. Items will be picked up from tree lawns and along city streets only. No pick-ups will take place in alleys.

Items to be picked up should be in place by 7 a.m. on the day of pick up or the items may not be picked up. Piles of items to be picked up should be no larger than 4 feet by 8 feet. Items for pick-up should be separate from brush piles. Brush will not be picked up the week of spring cleanup.

“If residents miss their pick-up time, they have the option of taking it to a city-provided dumpster at the Wastewater Treatment Plant or taking it back inside,” Richardson said.Spring clean up, in the City of Wabash, will begin the week of April 28 through May 2, according to Scott Richardson, Wabash Street Department Superintendent.