It is happening all over the nation. Mainstreet storefronts and restaurants that have been there for years are closing shop. This is all too real for us in our tight knit community of Waynedale, especially when you drive past the Lower Huntington / . . .
Due to the COVID-19 economic downturn, many of the storefronts in the Waynedale business district are vacant or hurting. An enthusiastic group of volunteers hope to motivate residents to participate in a “Shop Waynedale” week (August 23 – 29) . . .
Indiana is set to enter its fifth and final stage of Governor Holcomb’s “Back On Track Indiana” plan on July 4. Hospitals and testing sites in Allen County have continued to report around 35 new cases of coronavirus every day for the past few . . .
Months after closing in early April, assumedly because of COVID-19 shutdowns and lack of business, many speculated about when or if Azar’s Big Boy would reopen. Then, on Monday, June 8, social media was a-buzz with reports from unnamed employees . . .
We’ve missed you!
As you have likely noticed, our April 10th issue was cancelled because the many businesses that we depend on for our primary source of funding and advertising are now closed. So, over the past month, we’ve been working very hard . . .
The Waynedale News has been a long-standing tradition in the area, but as a free newspaper most people may not realize that this tradition comes with a large price tag that we pay in order for the newspaper to continue to roll off the presses and land . . .
Connie Middleton and her employee count of just 3, is the definition of a small, local business. Spotting, scrubbing, cleaning and pressing is just part of the daily grind at her dry-cleaning company, Sparkle Cleaners on Old Trail Road in Waynedale.
Sparkle . . .
In the wake of Avalon Pool, Baer Field Motorsports Park and the Waynedale Bakery recently closing, this week, Umber’s Do It Best Hardware in Waynedale announced that it too will close its doors. The announcement came as a shock to many on Facebook . . .
As this year comes to a close and we reflect on the accomplishments and memories of 2019, our newspaper staff began preparing for our year-end publication. We asked ourselves whom we should highlight in this last “Community Spotlight” article? . . .
For many, the holidays bring about a spirit of giving and community. In fact, almost one third of giving occurs in just the month of December alone. It’s a time of year when we begin to look around for others to help during their time of need. However, . . .
If you’ve been a Rich’s Auto Center customer or a guest, you would have likely met Charlie, the resident ‘Shop Dog.’ Charlie is typically lounging in the back of the shop, watching all the vehicles being serviced, and waiting for his next scratch . . .
Greetings Waynedale!
I’m proud to share with you that on September 2nd, I celebrated my 10th year as your Publisher of The Waynedale News! And best yet, the newspaper celebrated its 87th anniversary, sealing another year of our community news into . . .
This week, The Waynedale Community Picnic committee announced that last year was the 16th and final time they would hold the event at Waynedale Park. However, fans of the Picnic shouldn’t fret! Since the beginning of the year the Waynedale Community . . .
Did you know that Indiana is host to over 430 species of bees? Due to loss of habitat and other factors, their population numbers are rapidly falling. But, one thing residents can do to help is to give them a place to live!
On Saturday, May 11, Southwest . . .
Recently, the city’s Fort Wayne Historic Preservation Commission unanimously approved a Local Historic Designation of the Prairie Grove Chapel and Cemetery. This comes as a huge first step for the longstanding property that predates the original . . .
Do you remember the locally produced video/ commercial with people having fish flying at them for using single-use straws and cups? If you haven’t seen the video, it might sound strange, but it was viewed over 20,000 times alone from The Allen County . . .
It has been reported that residents typically see a group of teens combing the neighborhood for unlocked car doors. But, recently there has been a series of security camera photos of a middle-aged female circulating on social media, in which the car owner indicated that both of their vehicles and several neighbor’s cars were broken-into that night by that individual.
“The perpetrators of this crime are looking for an easy score of any type of valuables, whether it is spare change, digital devices, tools, golf clubs, etc. There are a number of ways that the Police Department are currently combating these crimes, but it all starts with resident action.” Joyner commented.
The top thing that police say you can do to protect yourself from falling victim of this crime is by making it a routine to take 30 seconds to do a spot-check on your car when you’re ready to leave it for the night. This includes removing any valuables from sight, including your cell-phone charger and loose change, and making sure that it is locked. Police indicate that parking under a street light may also help to deter criminals. They also say that installing house-mounted motion detector lights and surveillance camera systems might also combat break-ins and provide police with more evidence to catch the individuals responsible.
In addition, police indicate that you may want to consider removing your garage door opener from your car and to use an app on your phone to open your garage instead. They say that in some car break-in instances, the criminal will take the garage door opener, which is the same as a key and come back later when you’re not home to steal valuables. However, home and garage break-ins have been reported to be much less likely than individuals stealing items out of unlocked cars.
When asked, the Police Department did not provide a comment on how they are specifically addressing this problem and would also not comment on whether they were using GPS tracked items to track and find perpetrators of the crimes. However, they did indicate that in situations where a stolen item was trackable, like a cell phone, that they do work with the owner to geolocate and recover the device.
According to FWPD, residents should report car break-ins and any suspicious activity they may see near their home or in their neighborhood. If you have fallen victim of this type of crime, even if nothing is stolen, police say that you should report it. Each report they receive is tracked and used to create trends in conjunction with other reports in that area, of which police say leads to arrests. This data may also be used to indicate when and which neighborhoods should be patrolled more often. The non-emergency number for the police department is 260-427-1222.
Editor’s Note: At The Waynedale News, it is our policy to only publish positive, family friendly news from throughout South/ Southwest Fort Wayne. However, we are breaking this rule due to many requests and concerns from residents about this topic. We hope that publishing this article will help bring awareness to the problem and provide resources that residents can use to combat these crimes in our neighborhoods and city-wide.
One of the oldest and largest locally owned produce farm stands in Allen County is Hardy’s Farm Market on Knoll Rd. The Hardy family, who make up five-generations of farming history in their family, know all too well the benefits of eating local produce.
In grocery stores, shoppers have become accustomed to seeing a ripe fruit or vegetable and assuming that it provides the same nutrients and flavor that locally sourced produce offers. However, that’s not always true. Especially when taking in account out-of-season produce, that has to travel from distances as far as South America, the produce ripens on the truck instead of on the tree, bush or vine. The ‘on-the-vine’ ripening process provides more nutrients and will typically taste better, which serves as the primary advantage of shopping for local produce.
In its 92nd year in operation, the Southside Farmers Market on Warsaw St. almost always has its vendor spaces filled, and for good reason, people enjoy shopping and talking about how the food they buy is produced and where it comes from.
Recently it has become trendy for customers to seek local food options, but it’s more than just a fad, customers want to know that the food they buy doesn’t just look nice, they want it to be good for them too. Restaurants and grocery stores are also starting to make special considerations to list the origin of their produce and to go as far as to promote the local items they may be selling or using as ingredients.
However, locally sourced produce does come with a little extra cost and you may have to go out of your normal routine to shop for it. But, supporting small, local farms has been proven to contribute to more eco-friendly farming practices as well as keeping more money in our local economy.
Volunteers at the Southwest Conservation Club on Bluffton Road are beginning to see the impacts of their efforts to revitalize one acre of land back to it’s native roots.
The prairie was originally planted in December of 2016 with the assistance of a $1,000 grant from the Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society in addition to privately seeded donations from members of the Southwest Conservation Club. The project is intended to bring back habitat for wildlife, to benefit pollinators as well as to be used as a showcase for the public to view and consider native plants as an option for their home gardens.
Consisting primarily of wildflowers as well as tall and short grasses, the prairie is now about 3 feet tall, but still has at least 3 to 5 years until it is fully matured. It has been a continuous effort to maintain through environmentally friendly methods by volunteers of The Southwest Conservation Club. But now those volunteers are beginning to reap the fruits of their efforts, such as blooming flowers and the return of wildlife.
“We’ve seen birds, deer and critters of all kinds much more often than before when it was a large grass area. The Club has also saved gas and time from having to not mow the large area as well. It’s been a ton of work, removing invasive plant species, but it’s beginning to really look like something now.” Eddie Coble, a volunteer project manager commented.
The existence of the prairie has also lead to more educational activities held on the grounds of the 80-year-old Club. Recently, students from the University of Saint Francis, led by Club member and USF professor, Dr. Louise Weber, have also been assisting with revitalization of the prairie and surrounding trees. According to Coble, Dr. Webber hopes to utilize the prairie as a learning opportunity for students to conduct research projects and gain in-the-field conservation experience.
In addition to collegiate level education, the prairie has also served as a fantastic learning opportunity for children as well. In its third season this summer, the Southwest Honey Company has utilized the prairie as a part of the “Explore The Honey Bee” pollinator appreciation classes. And recently, local Boy Scout Troops and the Fort Wayne Zoo’s “Teens For Nature” have been on-site to learn through hands-on experiences to plant flowers and assist with general cleanup of the property.
“This is just the beginning of using the prairie to serve not only our environment, but our community as well through educational opportunities. To the average person, it might look like a bunch of weeds. But, to the birds, bugs and animals, it looks like a safe haven in the middle of the city. I would like to thank everyone who has assisted with all aspects of making this possible, especially the ‘Prairie Committee’ at the Southwest Conservation Club, Nanette Coble, Dr. Webber and Anne Horn.” Coble Commented.
Next time you attend a public event at the Southwest Conservation Club, the Club invites you check out the prairie, which will be on the left-hand side of the driveway as you enter the property.
Have you ever attended a large event in Waynedale? If you have, you may not have realized that you were a part of something special and unique not found anywhere else in Fort Wayne.
For as long as most people can remember, Waynedale has held a Memorial Day Parade, attracting over a thousand people to line Old Trail Road to celebrate and honor the holiday. Throughout the past 16 years, Waynedale has held the Waynedale Community Picnic which feeds free lunch and provides entertainment to over 2,000 guests for the day. And new this year, EMBARK, a community-wide celebration of sidewalks and trails on Bluffton Road is taking place.
You may be saying to yourself, “Well yeah, just look at downtown, they hold larger and more frequent events than we have. What makes Waynedale events so special?” The answer to that question lies within the community members and businesses that make it happen.
Waynedale has a unique culture of individuals, businesses and organizations who provide funding, prizes and volunteer time to make these and other community events possible. But, it may not be as well-known that these events aren’t funded by a grant or some form of government funding. Regardless, this doesn’t hold Waynedale back from attracting people from other communities or bringing our community together through these free events.
To hold just one of these events, it takes hundreds of hours from dedicated individuals from within our community and thousands of dollars from local businesses. For example, this weekend’s community event EMBARK, which will be held on Saturday, July 21 from noon to 4pm, is free for anyone to participate and has been made possible by a committee of community members who have designed the event and collected donations from over 40 businesses in the area.
Committee Chair for EMBARK and organizer of many other events in the area, Camille Garrison commented, “Many of these free events in Waynedale are designed without any other motive than to bring people together, and that’s what community is about. I think we are very blessed to have businesses in our area who support this idea. And I am so thankful that our community volunteers believe it’s important too. Without all of these people in the community coming together to make events new and old continue from year-to-year, Waynedale would be very bland.”
An annual event, the Waynedale Community Picnic is coming next month on Saturday, August 25 from 10am to 3pm. Throughout the day of the event, the Picnic organizers coordinate about 40 volunteers. But previous to the event, the committee receives donations from over 100 businesses to support the day of fun.
Megan Ryan, Lead Organizer of Waynedale’s largest event, The Waynedale Community Picnic, knows all too well what it takes to make the event happen. “The smiles are what make it worth for me after months of working on the event. From the food to the prizes to the time from volunteers and everything in-between, it’s all donated. Not every community has the volunteers and businesses who care enough to offer their resources to make it a great day for our thousands of guests, and I think that is very special.”
Ryan said that the average financial donation to the Picnic is just $60 and that most businesses are proud to support the event from year to year. She said, “Even small donations help add up to go towards the large cost to hold the event. However, there are also some large dollar donors that assist with funding. Each business knows what they can afford and we’re thankful for anything they are willing to give in support of the day of community togetherness.”
So, the next time you’re at an event in Waynedale, take a moment to reflect on how truly awesome it is to belong to a community that cares about bringing people together. Don’t forget to say “thanks for your time” to any volunteers you might see. And the next time you visit a local business that was on the event sponsor list, let them know how much it means to you that they supported an event that you enjoyed.
Waynedale is a jewel in Fort Wayne, rich with unique opportunities that not everyone else can say they have in their community. Together a community makes positivity and great things happen.
A leader in community improvement since its origination in 2015, The Waynedale Business Chamber (WBC) has recently elected Dave Umber of Umber’s Do It Best as their new President to lead the service organization into the future.
Over the past 3 years, Jordan Cornwell of The Waynedale News laid the groundwork as he served as President for the organization. Under Cornwell’s leadership, the WBC became more than just an idea by its founders who presented the bylaws at a summit meeting on July 9, 2015. Throughout the years, the organization grew to over 90 members and served to connect those business leaders to accomplish projects within the community.
“It’s been a lot of work, but it was a labor of love for our community. I feel that an organization is only as good as the people in it. And I’d like to give much of the credit for our successes to WBC members and supporters. We began at the bottom floor and I think we’ve risen to the occasion and have done a lot of good in the community. However, I feel that now is a great time for new ideas and new leadership to bring the organization to the next level. I am pleased that Mr. Umber stepped up to offer his leadership and I’m excited to see the Chamber accomplish much more for Waynedale in the future.” Cornwell reflected on his 3 terms as president.
Under Cornwell’s leadership, the WBC tackled such large projects as fundraising and working with area municipalities to install the Waynedale Emergency Siren. The WBC also received approval from the Fort Wayne City Council for its Comprehensive Improvement Plan for the Bluffton/Lower Huntington Corridor, which is an ongoing project that seeks to address accessibility, the preservation of current businesses, the promotion of positive business growth, community branding, beautification and overall unification of the community.
On Thursday, July 12 at his first meeting as President, Umber presented Cornwell with a certificate of appreciation for his dedication to the community and work on behalf of the Chamber. As Umber conducted the meeting, he introduced some new ideas that he hopes will help attract more business leaders to join the WBC, including holding a ‘Meet Me At 5’ style event in October as well as utilizing social media to hold discussions about projects in between the time of their monthly meetings.
“Because of all the hard work that Jordan did to set up the Chamber, I think the transition will be fairly smooth. There is already a large core group of members who are an integral part of the Chamber and I’m pleased to know that they have confidence in my abilities to serve as President. I’m excited to use what the business skills I’ve learned from my father and grandfather to assist Chamber members and Waynedale in general.” Umber commented.
If you are a business owner, manager, decision maker or commercial property owner in the area, you can learn more about becoming involved with Waynedale Business Chamber by visiting their webpage at Waynedale.com/business or by attending their next meeting on Thursday, August 9 at 2pm at the Southwest Fire District Station #1, 7001 Old Trail Rd. It is free to join and all businesses are welcome to complete an application.
When Pocahontas Swim & Dive Club opened its Olympic-sized swimming pool back in 1961, it was the first private swim club in Fort Wayne. The pool in Avalon opened shortly after in the following years. During that time, they both offered exclusive memberships that were quite sought-after and often had a long waiting list.
However, in recent years it has been a challenge to keep the pools afloat, according to Kristin Huff, President of the Pocahontas Swim Club. “After some financial issues in 2016 we were at a low point, but after fundraisers and a fresh Board of Directors, we are seeing much more enthusiasm for the Club. Our membership is up and we are working hard to revitalize the pool with projects, such as patching and painting. We’ve also recently added new sand to our volleyball court. The key has been to involve enthusiastic people who add more value to our property and our community of members.”
It may be a common perception to many that newer and larger facilities that offer more activities, such as the YMCA are a direct competitor with neighborhood pools such as the ones in Waynedale, but according to Justin Arkkelin, President of Avalon Summer Sports Club, “The YMCA isn’t really a competitor. People enjoy our pool because it’s quiet and it’s close by for most of our members. But we also have members that come all the way from Southwest Fort Wayne. One of our largest challenges is simply awareness. Many people, even in Avalon [neighborhood], don’t know that there is a pool here.”
Family memberships for the pools are around $400, yearly. Throughout the summer, both of the neighborhood pools offer opportunities to try out the pool’s facilities as well as to meet current members. Each pool has a website and Facebook page for those who would like to learn more information about these fantastic features of the community.
Huff commented, “We represent good, wholesome fun that gets families and kids outdoors, away from digital screens. We have so much to offer, including our swim and dive teams, swim lessons and other fun events throughout the summer. We’ve built a community that our people really enjoy. Come see what we’re about.”
With new trail installations, one of the largest challenges for communities is to learn how trail users should interact with motorists. Here in Waynedale, there have even been recent reports of uninformed drivers and trail users inappropriately interacting with the trails, such as mistaking the trail for a road and driving on it.
“As our community connectivity increases with more pedestrian facilities, like the trails, and becomes a larger part of our infrastructure, we all have to learn new ways of doing things. Awareness and caution for everyone interacting with the trail are just as important for trail users as it is for vehicular traffic,” commented Kent Castleman, Executive Director of Fort Wayne Trails.
Due to the high amount of vehicle traffic on Bluffton Road and a high amount of entrances to businesses, safety and caution should be used to prevent an accident. For trail users, Fort Wayne Trails, Inc. has issued the following ‘Rules of The Trail’ along with a simple overall statement which is “Be Safe. Be Kind. Be Respectful.”
• Keep to the right, pass on the left.
• Ring a bell or call out “on your left” prior to passing.
• Yield to slower trail users.
• Obey traffic signals and signage.
• Stop for cross traffic.
• Keep pets on short leashes.
• Animal waste must be removed from the trail.
• Never, ever litter.
• No motorized equipment except official and emergency vehicles and motorized wheelchairs.
“Basically, drivers and trails users should be on the lookout for each other. Also, similar to a driveway/ sidewalk situation, if a car is impeding the trail and waiting to pull out into the street, trail users should yield to the car. But, if trail users are crossing a driveway, the car should wait for them to finish crossing.” Castleman continued, in addition to the ‘Rules of The Trails.’ “Pedestrians and vehicles should always follow the rules of the road when at a street crosswalk, including waiting for crossing lights.”
In celebration of the opening of the new trails and sidewalks, a local group, The Waynedale Sidewalks and Trails Initiative, will be hosting ‘EMBARK’ on July 21 from Noon to 4pm. The event, sponsored by the Waynedale Community Improvement Team and area businesses, encourages the public to use the trails and sidewalks to visit area businesses who will be hosting activities and giveaways. Guests will receive a stamp on their event ‘passport’ for each business they visit and will be awarded with prizes if they visit a minimum number of the businesses listed. Additionally, there will be music, food trucks, a children’s scavenger hunt, a chalk walk and more. The event will be free to attend and participate in, and has been designed to promote healthy living and safe trail use in Waynedale.
Editor’s Note: EMBARK is a large community-wide celebration with many features of the event. More information about the event will be available in the upcoming edition of The Waynedale News on July 6.
A bald eagle was recently released back to the wild at Eagle Marsh after months of surgery and physical therapy.
Presumably struck by a vehicle, the eagle was originally found lying on the side of Yohne Road, near Fox Island in February. This is when the Sherriff’s office called Pam Whitacre, Volunteer of Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center.
“When we got there, he was lying down, but his head was also on the ground, and his eyes were closed. He looked dead. Fortunately, when we approached it, we were very relieved to see him lift his head. It took two people to pick him up and secure his talons and get him into the car,” Whitacre commented.
After a trip to the ICU, the veterinarian took radiographs to confirm that the bird’s humerus wing bone was broken. Since the bird seemed to be in good health and at a healthy weight, Soarin’ Hawk’s staff and the veterinarian decided the best chance for the bird to return to the wild would be to perform orthopedic surgery on the bird. After the successful surgery, much labor and time intensive physical therapy was performed. Three times a week for 3 months, the eagle, under anesthesia, would have its 7-foot wing span carefully extended to ensure both wings’ full function.
“Some birds are easier to work with, while others, like this one was a little more aggressive and didn’t like to be handled. For the bird’s and our volunteer’s safety, it took many people to position the bird when working with it because of the bird’s size and weight,” Whitacre reminisced the challenges with this rehabilitation.
After some tethered test flights, on Thursday, June 14 the eagle was finally ready to be released back to the wild. At Eagle Marsh, surrounded by Soarin’ Hawk’s volunteers and over 50 members of the public, the eagle was brought out in a large pet carrier. Within a split second of opening the top of the cage and removing the bird’s blinding hood, the eagle took flight. The crowd cheered as the eagle made a lap in the distance over the preserved marshlands.
Once endangered, according to Whitacre, there are now many bald eagle nests in northeast Indiana. For Soarin’ Hawk an eagle is rare, as they generally rehabilitate other birds of prey, such as owls, falcons and of course, hawks. Soarin’ Hawk takes in about 200 injured birds each year and with the assistance of volunteer veterinary services as well as the art of falconry, and depending on the severity of the injury, they release about 50% back into to the wild. While each bird’s injury or sickness comes with its own challenges, the most common ailments are a broken wing or a damaged eye.
Reaching over 12,000 participants last year, Soarin’ Hawk also holds educational programs and presentations with live birds to inform the public about why birds of prey are important.
“At our education programs, we tell our guests that the two top things that people can do to help birds of prey is to stop using pesticides, because it thins egg shells. And to stop littering. Because when people litter on the side of the road, it attracts rodents. Then, birds of prey are attracted to the road and are hit by cars. Which was likely the case with this eagle.”
Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehab is a not for profit service established in 1996 to serve northeast Indiana’s injured or orphaned birds of prey. If you see an injured bird of prey, they encourage you to call 260-241-0134. If you would like to learn more about their efforts or educational programs, please visit: www.soarinhawk.org
On June 23, the public is invited to the 2018 ARCH Home and Garden Tour, which features a tour through 9 of the historic homes in Illsley Place, as well as three near-by businesses located in historic buildings; ’07 Pub, Modern Mill and CookSpring Shared Kitchen. Guests will also receive a brochure with a picture and brief history of each home on the tour as well as the history of the neighborhood itself.
“Most homes built today are constructed with very similar styles, in a ‘cookie-cutter’ format. This event presents an opportunity to experience a truly beautiful, historic neighborhood. No home on the tour is quite like the previous. The craftsmanship in the woodwork and other fine details from the original construction of the homes are incredible.” Shawna Nicelley, ARCH Board Member and Event Chair, commented about Illsley Place.
Near Foster Park, Illsley Place has gained recognition including being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood contains outstanding examples of many architectural housing styles including Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Eclectic, French Eclectic, and Italianate. Named after Frank Illsley Brown, a land owner before the development of the area, advertisements to build a home in the neighborhood boasted it as an “exclusive district,” near Chief Richardville’s home. The district was also the first in Fort Wayne to plan space for extra-wide streets and homes set far enough off the road to allow for sidewalks with grass easements.
The Neighborhood Association and ARCH have been planning the tour for about a year. Since then, homeowners began sprucing up their houses, some even planning somewhat major renovations to be completed before the tour. Emily Fitzgerald, Vice President of Illsley Place Neighborhood Association commented, “There’s nothing like 600 people walking through your home to inspire renovations and improvements. Some homeowners have been working on their homes for months. However, it’s an honor and source of pride for homeowners and the association.”
The last time Illsley Place was chosen to host the tour was in 2005. However, the ARCH Home and Garden Tour is held annually, featuring historic neighborhoods throughout Fort Wayne. “ARCH works to protect architecture in our community. Proceeds are split between the neighborhood and ARCH, which help to fund the organization’s preservation and restoration efforts in the community.” Shawna Nicelley commented.
Tickets can be purchased online in advance of the June 23 event for $12 or on the day of for $14 at CookSpring Shared Kitchen, 1025 W Rudisill Blvd. 46807. Advance tickets and more information can be found on ARCH’s website: archfw.org/event/illsley-place-home-garden-tour/
The Conservation Club, 5703 Bluffton Rd. 46809, spruced up their 37 acres of preserved property and ponds leading up to the event, including repairing asphalt on their long driveway to the primary parking area, caretaker trailer refurbishment and a general prairie and grounds cleanup.
Tom McCutcheon, Club President commented, “Club members volunteered their time and worked very hard to make preparations and brush-up the grounds to present this old Club in the best way possible. It was an honor for the Club to be chosen to the host the national event, we wanted to provide guests a fantastic experience and show what the Club has to offer. It was also important to us, as representation of Fort Wayne, to make sure everything was perfect.”
In coordination with the event organizers of OWAA, guests of the conference were treated to many of the Club’s features, including a trap shooting experience, fishing and row-boating on the Club’s 4 ponds, a tour of the native Indiana prairie, a nature-trail walk and a presentation about pollinator education. Throughout the day, guests also had the opportunity to attend a variety of outdoor media-related lectures in the Clubhouse as well as to try out new outdoor products by various vendors.
Phil Bloom, OWAA president commented, “This is the first conference we’ve held in Indiana, we generally hold the conference in different areas of the country each year. Many of our members were impressed by what Fort Wayne had to offer. The Conservation Club was not the largest facility we’ve held the conference at in the past, but our guests thought it was cool because it was inside city limits and a short bus ride from their downtown hotel.”
According to their website, OWAA seeks to improve the professional skills of its 800 members, set the highest ethical and communications standards, encourage public enjoyment and conservation of natural resources, and be mentors for the next generation of professional outdoor communicators.
“Early on, The Conservation Club seemed excited about the possibility of holding the event and then when the day came, really delivered to show our guests a great time. Two notable individuals form the Club, Eddie Coble and Bill Branstrator, went over and above to make everyone feel welcome, ” Bloom comented as he looked back on the success of the event.
“It was great to have the opportunity to pair our conservation efforts and appreciation for nature with the efforts of the media professionals from throughout the nation,” McCutcheon commented.
Over the past 3 weeks, alumni Don and Hope Dressler have been working to preserve key elements of the gym floor at Elmhurst High School. A race for time against the excavator which will be coming to that side of the building within the next few weeks, the couple have been working to preserve the ‘E’ and both Trojan Head graphics which adorn the wooden floor.
The Dressler’s both graduated from Elmhurst, Don in 1986 and Hope in 1991, who remembered attending gym class, basketball games and other special events in the gym.
The idea to preserve the floor originated through conversations with fellow alumni who also felt it was a key feature of the school that should be saved. The Dressler’s sought approval from Hanson, the current owner of the property, as well as Lunz Excavating, the demolition company. After some persistence, they were able to gain the consent to begin work.
“It’s been a labor of love,” Hope commented. After some test cuts, they quickly discovered that the job would be a little more complicated than originally anticipated, but they had a plan. The floor has a basketball court-style surface that is thick and slatted, with a sub-floor that is glued to concrete, so instead of carefully taking up each wooden slat individually and piecing it together later, the plan was to keep each section together and move it all as one unit. “I commend Don as the leader in the process. I was just helping, sort of like an apprentice,” Hope humbly explained, as she remembered the many hours over the past 3 weeks that it had taken to accomplish the task.
The ‘E’ and Trojan Heads will be stored in a safe location until a permanent home is secured. The Dressler’s would like to see the pieces displayed in a public space on the south side of Fort Wayne, possibly included in the ‘Electric Works’ building or in a storefront featuring Elmhurst memorabilia. They also noted that there were efforts by others to preserve more elements of the former high school, however, none have began recently. Smaller items such as lockers, doors, clocks, etc. have been purchased by private individuals since the demolition process of the school has begun.
Hope commented, “Even when I attended school, I knew Hanson would buy the property someday, so it was no surprise to me when I heard the heartbreaking news. But, we’ll always have our memories and soon we’ll find a permanent home for the floor and items we were able to save.”
The damage was vast and extensive. The origin of the fire has been reported to have started over the kitchen area and spread throughout the kitchen and attic. Smoke, heat and water damage is visible throughout the rest of the building. It was indicated by firefighters that the fire was not caused due to negligence by any member and may have been a malfunction from a ventilation fan in the attic.
The Southwest Conservation Club has been a long-standing organization in the Fort Wayne area for the conservation and preservation of the natural environment since 1938. Its purpose and pledge is to “Promote true sportsmanship and principles of broad conservation; To promote legislation designed to conserve and restore wildlife in our coverts and waters; And to promote and cooperate in the beautification and purification of our rivers.”
The club is nested on 37 acres within the city, consisting of four ponds, trap & skeet fields, firearms range, archery course, a campground and hiking trail. Although the club is private to members, it generally holds more than two public events on its property each week.
The club’s plan is to continue to hold all of its regular outdoor events including 3D Archery (second Saturday every month), Trap & Skeet (second & last Sunday every month), and Flea Market (second Saturday every month). And new this year, the club will host a hands-on pollinator education program connecting kids and adults with the environment. All members will still have access to the grounds including the ponds, range and walking trails. A temporary club office, TBD, will be set up off-site to maintain the working organization.
This tragic event has been devastating to the organization who has operated on a shoe-string-budget through the support and hard work of volunteers over the course of its 78-year history. The club is working with insurance to create a plan for remodeling or rebuilding entirely, but all of the damage may not be covered and is estimated to take more than 6 months to be fully operational again.
They ask for your financial support of any amount to help this historic non-profit get through the troubled times. Funds raised will go towards remodeling/rebuilding and operating expenses to help them through the next 6 months. The Southwest Conservation Club is a 100% volunteer-based organization. No funds raised go towards payroll for any member of the non-profit organization.
For credit card / online donations visit: www.gofundme.com/swcchelp
For any donations by check please mail to:Southwest Conservation ClubMemo: DonationP.O. Box 9242Fort Wayne, IN 46899-9242
You may ask yourself “how do they feed and entertain so many attendees for free?” It starts with the local businesses and organizations who have so generously given what they can to see this event happen. Some provide their services, some needed supplies, some give prizes, but many give monetary donations. It is truly a great show of community spirit and support by these donors. The event actually has no public funding through a government entity or grant; it’s the over 100 area businesses and organizations that make it happen! The fundraising process begins the April before the event in August. If you’re counting, that’s 4 months of fundraising and working on building the event.
Which brings us to the next part of how this event takes place, the tireless organizers. The picnic organizers this year are Megan Ryan and Cheryl Connett. These ladies keep extremely busy over the months leading up to the picnic. This year, Megan has led the event operations, advertising and reached out to the donors of the picnic. And Cheryl worked with the over 50+ volunteers and will be facilitating them on the day of the event to make sure every guest is having a great time. With it being Megan Ryan’s first year organizing the event, Cheryl and Beulah Matzcak (former organizers of the event) assisted Megan with some pointers and traditions of how to prepare for the huge event.
Seemingly, once Megan took hold to the basics of the event, she ran with it. The organizers say that there are many new features guests can look forward to this year, in addition to many of the traditional favorites. The event has been entirely reorganized into a layout that is much more spread out to accommodate the new attractions including a live band on a stage, the splashpad, classic car and emergency vehicle show and an inflatable obstacle course.
Taking advantage of the entire park grounds, this new event layout also accommodates more vendors and booths where guests may meet and greet local businesses, as many of them are holding raffles for additional prizes.
The Waynedale Community Picnic is truly a reflection of our community. We have businesses, organizations and volunteers who are passionate about caring for Waynedale residents by supporting and helping to create a day that everyone can come to the Waynedale Park and enjoy a day of togetherness. Just as it was when the park was dedicated in 1949, the main dish will be hot dogs and the theme is fun and enjoying our community together.
SPLASHPADSplish, Splash! Bring your flip-flops, bathing suits and towels and cool off in Waynedale’s very own splashpad. This year, the Waynedale Park splashpad will be open during the picnic! In 2007, volunteers from the Waynedale area neighborhoods worked determinedly with the city to bring the splashpad to the Waynedale Park. In honor of those who had worked so hard to provide the community with such a neat and awesome feature, it was decided to keep it on for everyone to enjoy at the Waynedale Community Picnic.
LIVE MUSICAre you ready to groove? There will be a live performance by local band, “Loudmouth Soup!” This family-friendly 5-piece band has music and songs for all ages and genres. The band will perform from noon to 2:30pm on the newly built ‘Waynedale.com stage.’ Construction volunteers Alex Cornwell, Jordan Cornwell, Megan Ryan, Tim Ryan and Jim Lambert constructed the 12’ x 24’ stage specifically for the Waynedale Picnic, but you may see the stage at other various community events, just like this one. So, warm up your voice, shine up your dancing shoes, and be ready to enjoy some upbeat and funky live music at the picnic this year!
NEW THIS YEAR!This year, the Waynedale Community Picnic is offering some new and exciting features for the community to enjoy! The spalshpad will be open! It’s August, so why not skip on through the sprayers and cool down after you have a go at the Army National Guard’s inflatable obstacle course! Before you get too bogged down with the games, be sure to check out the classic cars on display for everyone’s viewing pleasure. The owners of these cars will be on site to answer any questions you might have about their beauties. Attendees will also be able to enjoy live music from local band “Loudmouth Soup” while they enjoy their free lunch, get their face painted, or explore the emergency vehicles on Koons Street.
OLD FAVORITES!Even with all the new features of the picnic this year, there will still be many of the old favorites to enjoy! Bingo starting at 10:45am is a fun way to start the morning, with prizes after each round. Free lunch, as always in the past, will be served at 11:00am and is brought to you by local restaurants in the Waynedale area. The face painting, craft tents, and kids games will be available all day for children. Don’t forget, adults ages 18+, enter your name in the door prize contest to win one of many prizes donated by local companies and organizations.
REGISTRATIONEvery guest should plan on checking in at the registration table when they arrive at the picnic. When you register you will receive your meal ticket and bingo ticket (if you wish to play bingo). Children 0-13 years will receive a prize bag and 6 game tickets to use at any 6 games or the craft tent.
The registration table is also where adults 18+ can sign up for the door prize raffle. Because the Waynedale Community Picnic is a FREE event, the food and prizes are available while supplies last. That being said, we have enough supplies for a minimum of 1500 guests!
OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!Each year, the picnic organizers reach out to the businesses and organizations in the Waynedale area to help put on this free and fun community event, and each and every year, they respond positively and generously! This year, over 110 Waynedale businesses contributed to the 13th Annual Waynedale Community Picnic. Please thank the sponsors by shopping or using their services as they’ve extended themselves to make sure you’ve had a great time at the event.
VENDORS40 different vendors from around Fort Wayne will be present the day of the picnic to visit with all the attendees! With all these vendors in one location and at one single event, this is a great way to hear from many local businesses all at once and to catch up on what’s new. You can expect to see the Boy Scouts, Waynedale Baptist Church, FFA, Army National Guard, Costco, YMCA, the Southwest Conservation Club, and many more local businesses.
AUGUST 22, 2015AGENDA10:45am – First Game of Bingo11:00am – LunchNOON – Live Band StartsSelect Times (TBA) – Car ShowSelect Times (TBA) – Emergency Vehicle Tour
ALL DAY ATTRACTIONSPetting ZooFace PaintingCraftsCaricaturesSplashpad FunInflatable Obstacle CourseFree LunchMusicKids Games & PrizesPinewood Derby RacesDoor Prize SignupPopcorn & Cotton CandyVendor Meet & GreetLocal Mascots
In the late summer of 2013, over 50 area businesses met at Kingston Residence for a presentation by The City of Fort Wayne’s Redevelopment Specialist & Grants Administrator, Aliza Tourkow about the Facade Grant program. This program assists businesses plan, design and fund a facelift of a storefront within the program’s guidelines. While this is a city wide opportunity, businesses in the Waynedale Community received 4 of the 13 grants given.
Recipients included Curly’s Village Inn, The Waynedale News, Coe Heating & Air Conditioning, and Colony Shops of Waynedale. Depending on the project size and other variables, not all the businesses are completed with their revamp, but look forward to completing their project in 2015.
Tina Brown, of Curly’s Village Inn commented at the completion of their project, “This program gives small businesses a chance to do much needed improvements that they might not normally have the financial ability to do. The fact that they focused on Waynedale this time around definitely improved the look of the community. We have seen an upswing in new business. Many people have commented that they like the new look, and it enticed them to come in and see what we are all about.”
Home-grown communities with generations of small and medium sized locally owned businesses like Waynedale depend on the continued patronage of community members to continue to prosper. Updating a building’s appearance is just one way to help attract more customers.
The facade grant recipients weren’t the only ones to recently make improvements to their curb appeal. Notably, Azar’s Big Boy, Something Old Something New, Verizon and Waynedale Car Wash contributed new aesthetics to the Waynedale business districts.
As many other area businesses have commented that they too will be improving their storefronts, the trend is undoubtedly growing. As these projects continue into 2015, community members anticipate the refreshing updates to this old town.
With the onset of the new year, the Waynedale business community has become noticeably revitalized. Throughout 2014, it has been exciting to watch the progress of the many companies giving their storefront a facelift. The improvements not only make Waynedale look better from the street, but also show that companies are making a significant investment and a show of faith in the community. In the late summer of 2013, over 50 area businesses met at Kingston Residence for a presentation by The City of Fort Wayne’s Redevelopment Specialist & Grants Administrator, Aliza Tourkow about the Facade Grant program. This program assists businesses plan, design and fund a facelift of a storefront within the program’s guidelines. While this is a city wide opportunity, businesses in the Waynedale Community received 4 of the 13 grants given. Recipients included Curly’s Village Inn, The Waynedale News, Coe Heating & Air Conditioning, and Colony Shops of Waynedale. Depending on the project size and other variables, not all the businesses are completed with their revamp, but look forward to completing their project in 2015. Tina Brown, of Curly’s Village Inn commented at the completion of their project, “This program gives small businesses a chance to do much needed improvements that they might not normally have the financial ability to do. The fact that they focused on Waynedale this time around definitely improved the look of the community. We have seen an upswing in new business. Many people have commented that they like the new look, and it enticed them to come in and see what we are all about.”Home-grown communities with generations of small and medium sized locally owned businesses like Waynedale depend on the continued patronage of community members to continue to prosper. Updating a building’s appearance is just one way to help attract more customers. The facade grant recipients weren’t the only ones to recently make improvements to their curb appeal. Notably, Azar’s Big Boy, Something Old Something New, Verizon and Waynedale Car Wash contributed new aesthetics to the Waynedale business districts. As many other area businesses have commented that they too will be improving their storefronts, the trend is undoubtedly growing. As these projects continue into 2015, community members anticipate the refreshing updates to this old town.