by Kalie Ammons

kalie@thepaperofwabash.com

Tommy Music, 37, and his son Trystin Music, 9, are making the trip to the Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, Canada to compete in the first TAFISA (The Association for International Sports for All) World Martial Arts Games in September 2014.

Team USA only has about 50 members, four from Indiana, and two of which are Tommy and Trystin. Amazingly, the father and son duo are only going together by chance.

by Kalie Ammons

kalie@thepaperofwabash.com

The annual Wabash Chili for Charity Cook Off is this Saturday, Oct. 19, from 12-4 p.m. at Paradise Spring Historical Park. Proceeds of the event go to help 10 core charities in Wabash County.

In preparation for the event, T-shirts and sweatshirts are being sold at Kitchen’s Plus. Friermood’s Tires, M&B Body Shop and the Wabash County Visitor Center are selling raffle tickets.

Local Farmer Jim Erickson will address the Somerset Lions Club on Monday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. He will discuss how pork is different today; it’s definitely not your parents’ pork! 30 years ago, not many people could have imagined pork would be among the leanest meats available. How and why pork changed will take center stage at the regularly scheduled Somerset Lions Club meeting.

By Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

The Salvation Army’s Indiana Service Extension is seeking a representative for the Wabash area. The representative will assist families in need of the organization’s services. He or she will help to decide which families will receive assistance and what kind of assistance is needed. The extension’s northern liaison, Major Gerald Smelser, hopes to have the volunteer position filled by the end of October.

“It’s not a difficult thing, and they can do it on their own schedule,” said Smelser.

For the youngest students in Wabash County, college is no longer simply something they imagine—it is a place they have visited and seen for themselves. On Sept. 27, every kindergarten through third grader in Wabash County visited Manchester University for a day full of activities and fun. The community celebrated students’ dreams for the future at the “Walk Into My Future” event. 

The event and Promise initiative were successful thanks in large part to the efforts of presenting sponsor, Beauchamp McSpadden.

By Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

The Wabash County Animal Shelter is making some changes, adding new services, while reinstating others that were not offered for a period of time.

The shelter has adopted a new vaccination and testing policy, through which each animal that arrives at the shelter is tested for likely diseases. Cats are tested for Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), while dogs are tested for heartworm. Cats and dogs receive their respective vaccinations along with a one-year rabies vaccine, which both animals receive.

Manchester Community Schools were named a $25,000 grant winner in this year’s America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program. A ceremony took place on Oct. 11 at Manchester High School.
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, offers farmers the chance to nominate a local public school district, which will compete for a grant of up to $25,000 to enhance math and/or science education. More than 1,150 nominated school districts submitted applications. The Monsanto Fund will invest $2.3 million through America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education grants this year.
Manchester Community Schools faculty, local farmers and Monsanto representatives participated in a check presentation ceremony before kickoff at the homecoming football game.
America's Farmers Grow Communities, which offers winning farmers the chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit organization in their county, is also part of this effort. To date, these programs combined have contributed more than $15 million to rural communities. To learn more about either program, please visit americasfarmers.com.
 

Mark your calendars for North Manchester’s most memorable night out on the town. Manchester Main Street’s 2nd annual “Light up the Town” Holiday Gala will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

This progressive dinner event will feature specialty treats from North Manchester’s finest restaurants, bars and entertainers. Four historic downtown venues will be transformed into holiday splendor, and filled with live music, dancing and silent auction treasures.