A Farewell & A Welcome | Voice Of The Township
School is out for the kids in our community, and they are looking forward to a summer filled with fun and recreation. At the Wayne Township Trustee Office, our Director of Communications SuzAnne Runge is also looking forward to a summer, and beyond, of recreation and relaxation, as she officially retired from her role with us on June 1.
We will dearly miss SuzAnne and the great work she has done with the Wayne Township Trustee Office. From writing these columns for The Waynedale News, providing Township news to all of Fort Wayne’s media outlets, and helping plan WTTO events, to monitoring and posting on WTTO social media platforms, and more, SuzAnne is leaving behind some important shoes to fill.
“As a local history buff, I have had so much fun learning about the people and the past of the unique community that is Waynedale. And writing about the important role of the Wayne Township Trustee Office in that community and beyond has been an honor,” says SuzAnne. “I will definitely continue following the happenings in Waynedale by picking up the current issues of the Waynedale News as I frequent the local restaurants and businesses around southwest Fort Wayne.”
And now, as she aspires to honor SuzAnne’s legacy, we want to introduce our new Director of Communications, Mary McCaig. Mary has spent much of her career in public relations, marketing, media relations, and communications, primarily in the construction equipment industry. As part of that journey, Mary also put her road-building and maintenance knowledge to use several years ago working as Media Relations Director for the Fort Wayne District office of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).
A native of Fort Wayne, Mary grew up in the ’07. After spending a number of years on the Northeast side of the City, she recently moved back into the Waynedale area, where she enjoys the opportunities, resources, and amenities Waynedale offers. “I love the pride I see in the people living around Waynedale and Fort Wayne’s south side. I’m so glad that I not only live back in this area, but that I also now have a role helping to help serve the folks in Wayne Township,” Mary says.
One of Mary’s first responsibilities with the Wayne Township Trustee Office has been helping Trustee Austin Knox and his staff get ready to host the annual Family Fun Day event, which will take place on Saturday, June 6, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend this free event; the festivities will be at our facility downtown at 320 East Superior Street. In addition to our traditional attractions, including bounce houses, face painting, food, and snow cones, we will be awarding our scholarships and Academic Encouragement awards, and also announcing the winner of our fourth Person of the Year Award. This latter award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond to help our community members who may need a helping hand.
This year’s award will be given to Roderick Parker, founder and director of Big Hearts Community Projects.
For years, Roderick Parker worked with the Fort Wayne branch of the National Urban League, where he helped lead the Urban Youth Empowerment Program, working directly with more than 150 youth throughout the city. During his time in the program, he organized impactful opportunities and experiences designed to broaden young people’s understanding of community responsibility and compassion — including traveling with youth groups to the National Urban League Youth Leadership Conference for leadership development, career exposure, education initiatives, and community empowerment training. Experiences such as these have allowed youth from Fort Wayne to engage with broader perspectives, build leadership skills, and see opportunities beyond their immediate environments.
In 2025, Mr. Parker founded Big Hearts Community Projects, Inc., with the intention of expanding his ability to work directly in neighborhoods most affected by violence and trauma. The organization was created to confront youth gun violence through mentorship, outreach, violence intervention, community engagement, and positive youth development initiatives.
At his core, Mr. Parker is a community servant, mentor, and advocate whose lifelong work has centered on protecting and guiding young people. Mr. Parker’s heart is dedicated to saving our youth because he believes every child deserves support, opportunity, and someone willing to fight for their future. We are honored to recognize Mr. Parker as a great leader, mentor, and advocate.
The annual Family Fun Day is entirely funded by donations from our sponsors, including the free food, gifts, and prizes we will be handing out. We do not use any Wayne Township tax dollars, but depend solely on contributions from the community, so we especially want to thank all those who support us in these efforts.
Trustee Austin Knox and his staff all look forward to seeing you here at the 2026 Family Fun Day! We are anticipating sunny weather so we can party outside. The forecast is bright, but if the weather doesn’t cooperate, our rain date is June 13.
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