Another Christmas has arrived, and here at Wayne Township we are feeling the glow of having achieved another successful Christmas Bureau Drive (serving more families and children than ever before) and also of holding our 7th Annual Holiday Celebration . . .
As I make my way around the township this holiday season it appears that lots of folks are out shopping—the traffic is heavy and the parking lots full. That says to me that people are working and have money to spend. This is always good for our office, . . .
I am always very excited about our Holiday Celebration. We started holding this free party in 2012 as a way of giving some holiday cheer to families who maybe didn’t have the means to provide their kids with such a great holiday on their own. I expected the community would appreciate our efforts, but I was surprised that at our first event we had over 2,000 attendees. The turnout has remained high each of the last six years, and it is clear to me that there is a need in the community for an event like this.
In early 2013 we began awarding the “Recognizing Achievement Scholarship” to graduating high school students as part of our effort to promote education in the community. Later that year, at the 2013 Holiday Celebration we made “Education” our theme. At the party that year we provided not only free food, fun games, toys and bicycles but we gave out many educational gifts like books, computer notepads and more. We also announced that once again the RAS would be awarded to students showing the most improvement in their academic performance in the upcoming semester.
Two years ago at the Holiday Celebration we announced and started taking applications for the RAS and for a new educational incentive for younger students, the Academic Encouragement Award. In July of 2018 we were able to award eleven AEA scholars and four Recognizing Achievement Scholarships to worthy graduating students who were going on to higher education.
We use no tax dollars to hold the Holiday Celebration or for the scholarships, so as our event grows from year to year my staff puts in greater effort toward raising the money, planning the events, putting on a great party and awarding young students. The whole community participates as local businesses and individuals contribute money and in-kind donations toward the party and toward the scholarships. This is a true collaboration between the Wayne Township Trustee Office, our citizens and the businesses and individuals who help make it happen.
While the economy is improving and more people are finding jobs, I would like to invite all who are able to consider donating toward our Holiday Celebration, making a happy holiday for the children of Wayne Township. You can do that by contacting us at (260) 449-7000 extension 328.
At this festive time of year it warms my heart as the community comes together for another afternoon of holiday fun with games, prizes, food and educational activities…all for free. The joy on the faces of young and old alike is priceless; come and see for yourself!
During the Thanksgiving season I always take time to think about the many blessings for which I am grateful. Once again I am especially thankful this year that you, the voters of Wayne Township, have given me the privilege of serving as your Trustee for another four years.
This has been a wonderful job for me over the past eleven years. Being able to help those in need and watch them progress toward independence is exactly what I think public service should be. I am grateful for the opportunity to carry on this work.
In January of 2007 I took office during a “perfect storm.” The economy was getting worse and worse and more clients needed our help. Yet, tax revenue was dwindling, and we had fewer dollars available for assisting our clients. We had to find innovative ways to continue to provide the best service possible with less money.
To tackle these problems we spent time revising our Township Eligibility Standards. We placed caps on the amount of assistance we were providing while at the same time looking at ways to help clients become independent and no longer need Township Assistance.
We really focused on our Employment program. We created our “Employment Training Center” and started our Wednesday employment training classes. All clients able to work were required to attend employment training each week. We improved our Workfare Department, which oversees the work clients are required to perform for non-profit agencies in exchange for their assistance.
In our Representative Payee Program, we developed better communication with clients and started a procedure to make sure each client was getting all the benefits to which he or she was entitled. The Representative Payee Program helps clients, most of whom receive Social Security disability benefits, to manage their own money. The program has been and still is a service provided for the public at no cost to the clients.
Most importantly, during the past eleven-plus years, I have continued to stress the importance of treating every person who walks through our door with dignity and respect. Any one of us could fall on hard times. I believe we must treat clients the same way we would want to be treated if we were on the other side of the desk.
Our whole community works to help those in need, and I’d like to mention a few places where people looking for a good Thanksgiving meal can head to this season. In our local community, Waynedale United Methodist at 2501 Church Street will be serving turkey on Monday November 12th from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. On Saturday November 17 the “Dinner of Thanksgiving” will be held at Pilgrim Baptist Church at 1331 Gay Street at 2:00 PM. This is a feast that was originally started by our own LeRoy Page and his wife Sylvia. LeRoy worked here at Wayne Township as Director of Employment, and we’ve missed him since his passing last year. His wife is continuing their tradition of providing a free Thanksgiving meal to all who come.
And this from the website of St Mary Mother of God: “A complimentary, complete Thanksgiving dinner is served to any and all on Thanksgiving Day. Serving is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Carry-outs are available 1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Currently we serve over 900 carry-out and 900 sit-down dinners during the day.”
These are just a few of the Thanksgiving Dinner opportunities here in Fort Wayne. Everyone should be able to find a place to celebrate their own gratitude for life’s goodness. Thank you!
I am a great proponent of teamwork, both at work and in the home, and I’m proud to say that my staff believes in teamwork, too, especially in teaming up with our clients to improve their lives and the lives of everyone in our community.
When people think of a team, they think of a sports or work team. However, some think of their family as a team, with each member working together to provide a stable environment and great home life for all members of the team.
A team is most effective when the members understand their roles and responsibilities within the group, and try hard to achieve them. Some families function in a traditional manner with responsibilities split up such as the male in the family the outside chores, and the female doing the inside housework and cooking. Some families consider who likes to do what, or who does what the best, to decide on each person’s role in the household. Family members must be able to communicate and share ideas, and there needs to be a feeling of respect in place for each team member’s contribution.
Family members can have unnecessary conflicts with one another when some on the team feel like their ideas are not being heard or are not important to others. Members should listen to what others have to say. You may need to practice and work to improve your listening skills. “Win/win” solutions come about when everyone’s contributions can be respected and used. Be positive and give recognition for one another’s ideas and accomplishments. When issues arise, attack the issue not the person. Work at not putting others on the defense.
This time of year you hear discussion about football teams and the teamwork involved in ensuring a winning season. I like these quotes by Vince Lombardi: “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society” and “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
When it comes to our work here at Wayne Township, we function as a team with all the members working to provide prompt, necessary relief to eligible citizens and residents of our community. Our Intake Department welcomes the clients, gathers information about their needs, and sets appointments for assistance. Our Investigations Department gathers additional information from the clients and works to provide the needed assistance for the clients. Our Workfare Department assists the clients in performing volunteer work at nonprofit agencies, to improve their work habits and interpersonal skills. Our Employment Department provides training and job leads for the clients, with the hopes of eliminating employment obstacles. We continually study our statutes and then work within the eligibility guidelines to provide assistance and guidance to the clients. Our employees team with one another, our clients, and other community resources to accomplish goals and to enrich the lives of all the citizens of our township.
During his time with our office Bennie was in charge of our Employment Training Center, where he ran the weekly Orientation classes to help clients successfully enter or re-enter the workforce. He also went out into the community recruiting potential employers who might have open positions and would be looking for qualified job candidates. This is a department I’m particularly proud to have here at Wayne Township, as it forms a core part of our mission to help our clients move from assistance to independence.
Bennie will remain active in his retirement, especially with coaching youth basketball and with his travels Down Under. He plans to return to Australia next month where he will be inducted into their Basketball Hall of Fame. He played there professionally from 1981 to 1990, and his son is currently there, as a professional player with the Frankston Blues in Melbourne. Bennie’s father was a legendary basketball coach in East St. Louis, Illinois, and several of his players went on to become important players and coaches in their own rights.
Speaking of the Holiday Celebration, we will be holding our next event at the same time, same place, from 1 to 5pm on December 15th at the McMillen Park Community Center. We have been planning and fundraising for several months now, and I’d like to invite you to consider making a tax-exempt donation to this event—new toys or other educational items for young people. Cash donations are welcome as well. This is event has become the highlight of the holiday season for so many of our community children. We also welcome volunteer to help with games and other light duties. Put it on your calendar to come out and join us and see what all the talk is about.
I remember learning as a young child in school a song about Columbus that started “In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” The point was to help us remember that year in American history, and I think that children may still be learning it for that reason, but the celebration of Christopher Columbus coming to America has become more controversial over time. It turns out that Christopher Columbus never actually set foot on any land that would later become one of the 50 states. And in the parts of the New World he did colonize he was faced with rebellions and mutinies and came to govern by enslaving and even killing members of the native population.
While some cities celebrate Columbus Day with parades and Italian culture festivals, several states have stopped recognizing it as a holiday, and even in states that still do, like Indiana, many if not most carry on as on any ordinary day of business.
Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, South Dakota, and Vermont do not recognize Columbus Day at all, but they mark the day with an alternative holiday. Hawaii celebrates Discoverer’s Day, which commemorates the Polynesian discoverers of Hawaii on the same date, the second Monday of October, though the name change has not ended protest related to the observance of Columbus’s discovery. Similarly, in 2016, Vermont started celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day. South Dakota celebrates the day as an official state holiday known as Native American Day. Until 2017, Oregon did not recognize Columbus Day at all; schools and public offices remained open. However, on Columbus Day, 2017, Oregon Governor Kate Brown renamed the holiday “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” to remember these cultures and commemorate the struggles of native peoples during European colonization. Several other states have removed the day as a paid holiday for government workers while still maintaining it either as a day of recognition, or as a legal holiday for other purposes. These include California and Texas.
It’s interesting how things can change over time.
Regardless of how you view the coming of Columbus to the New World, if you have the day off on October 8 make the most of it. The beauty of the fall season should be in full swing by then, so why not get out onto the new trails in Waynedale and take it all in!
Speaking of communication I would like to remind you about your power to speak back to your government, and that is called voting. To be eligible to vote in the upcoming election—that will be held on November 6, 2018—you need to be properly registered before Voter Registration ends on October 9th. Following is some information that may be of use for that.
To vote in the state of Indiana you must be a citizen of the United States and at least 18 years of age on the day of the next general election. If your address or name has changed, you should update your registration records now so that you are registered correctly at your polling site when it’s time to vote. Many people who might have a criminal record don’t realize that they are still entitled to vote, and therefore miss the opportunity. Indiana state law permits convicted felons to register to vote or to resume voting when they are released from incarceration.
Once you are registered there are various ways to vote: in-person during early voting, in-person at a polling site on Election Day, absentee by mail, or absentee ballot by traveling board. If you are confined to your home or plan to be out of the area at voting time, request an application for absentee voting. An acceptable photo ID is required to vote in person. Acceptable IDs include U.S. passports, military IDs, Indiana driver’s licenses and BMV-issued ID cards. If you don’t have funds to purchase a BMV-issued ID card for voting, ask the BMV about a free ID card.
To check your assigned voting location, contact the Allen County Election Board. The office is located at 1 E Main Street, Suite 172 in Fort Wayne, IN. The Election Board’s website is full of information about voting and registering to vote. I got all of my questions answered at www.allencountyvoters.info. If you’d rather call, their number is (260) 449-7329.
We all have the opportunity to express ourselves through our vote. It is so important for citizens to vote and thus make their voices heard.
In honor of Labor Day, I would like to recognize all of the hard-working people of Waynedale, and I would like to tell you about a program at the Wayne Township Trustee Office where Township Assistance recipients work to give back to the community.
Back in the mid-1800s, able-bodied persons who received Township Assistance were required to work in the community to give something back. Assistance recipients chopped firewood and worked in the farms and gardens for those unable to do these tasks themselves.
Through giving back to the community, persons receiving assistance were able to accept financial help while maintaining their dignity. This same spirit still exists today at the Wayne Township Trustee’s Office.
Today’s Wayne Township clients must become involved in our Workfare program if they are not otherwise employed and are able to work. Through that program, the clients are assigned “workdays,” when they work at various non-profit or governmental agencies. The number of “workdays” assigned to each client depends on the amount of Township Assistance they are receiving.
The Workfare clients provide a variety of services for those agencies. Some of them work in the Wayne Township office, assisting with cleaning, lawn care and other projects that need to be done around our office.
If a client is eligible for Workfare and does not complete the program, that client risks losing his or her Township Assistance. When clients begin with the Workfare program, those clients must go through orientation. At orientation, the clients learn about appropriate dress and conduct when going out on a job.
The Workfare program benefits both the clients and the agencies for which they are working. The agencies get extra help at no cost to them, and the clients learn skills that translate into the client obtaining employment. Some clients have even gotten jobs at agencies where they have been working through Workfare.
This year, as we have done for the past several years, the Wayne Township Trustee Office will have a booth at the annual Labor Day Picnic held at Headwaters Park on September 3rd from 11:00am to 3:00pm. This is a free event for all laborers, their families and their friends. Not only is admission free but so is the food, beverages, games and entertainment (musicians from the Fort Wayne Philharmonic play jazz and other musical fare there). A real gift to the community sponsored by our local labor unions. I hope to see you there.
Earlier this month, on August 4th, we provided a booth for the 2nd Annual Summer Community Celebration at McMillen Park where we sold snow cones and bottled water. We made over $500 that day, kicking off the fundraising for our December Holiday Celebration and our Scholarship Program. Porsche Williams, our director of Intake and Investigations, was the point person for this event and several other staff members pitched in to help. It was hot but we had a lot of fun.
Over the last five years or so I have been selecting one staff member each month to be named Employee of the Month. The EOM gets a special parking spot, a token gift card, a framed certificate, and his or her name on a plaque displayed in our lobby for the month. On August 1st Porsche Williams received the honor.
As I have written before, each of the 1,008 townships in Indiana has its own unique personality and mission within its community. At Wayne Township we work with citizens in lots of ways to find jobs, get a leg up with school supplies, or fill a food shortage from our pantry, but the ‘Intake and Investigations’ department is our core program. This is where we process requests for assistance with basic needs like keeping the utilities on, avoiding eviction for lack of a month’s rent, or finding burial assistance for a bereaved family in need.
The Intake and Investigations department consists of a director, two lead investigators, eight investigators and a front desk attendant. Actually, because of cross-training, all of the members of this department can work in any of these capacities.
This department is always busy, but I asked Porsche if she has seen many changes as the economy goes through its cycles. She said that people are working more these days which relieves some of the financial stress, but clients still need help getting by. They may have a job that pays them just enough to disqualify them for assistance while they still face rising costs in utilities, child care, and other basic needs.
As director, Porsche’s responsible for reviewing and signing off on each case brought to her by an investigator. “A lot of what I’m doing these days,” she says, “is helping people budget their tight resources so they can make it from one month to the next.” “There’s still a lot of stress out there that we try to help people with.”
It can be hard to see clients struggle to take care of their families or of even just themselves. It makes me appreciate my staff members, who are so experienced in offering a helping hand to those in need. That’s why I like it when we can go to a park, take in the sun and spend some time with friends and neighbors. I look forward to seeing you on August 25th at the Waynedale Community Picnic.
For many families this is an exciting time of year as they take their children shopping for new clothes and new school supplies. For some, though, spending the extra funds for their children to go to school presents a financial hardship. An education is so important in the fight against poverty that we here at the township take the challenges faced by these struggling families very seriously, and we try to help out in every way we can. In August each year we start ramping up the back-to-school activities in several of our departments.
For households already struggling financially, spending money on books, clothes and other needed school items often means that other expenses get behind. That’s when clients come to us seeking help. After reviewing a family’s income and expenditures we often find that they are eligible for Township Assistance, maybe for help with a utility bill or a rent payment. By helping in this way we can make sure that the children in the household don’t suffer because their parents have a financial setback.
There are many places in town that children can get free lunches during the summer, but those programs end before school is back in session. Families may need help feeding their children before the reduced-lunch program can supply them with a daily meal. The demand on our food pantry often picks up considerably at this time of year, especially in the week before school starts.
School clothes are another necessity we can help with here at the township. Our Clothing Emporium, a store of donated items, offers children’s clothes in all sizes, and often we have school uniform items like polo shirts, khakis and navy skirts and pants.
Since 2008 we have stocked a school supply ‘store’ at the Wayne Township Trustee Office. You may have heard me tell how, back in 2007 when I first took office, one of our staff members at the time, Sharon Conrad, was doing her personal shopping when she ran across some bargains on school supplies that were just too good to pass up. She bought a large quantity of pencils, markers, notebooks, and other items and brought them in to the township office for the investigators to give to clients who needed them. This was such a boon to our families that each year after that during the month of August, we have purchased and distributed school supplies through our Investigations Department.
This year two of our staff members, Shataya Little and Andrea Martinez, are running our School Supply Store. It is well-stocked with colorful backpacks, pens, pencils and erasers, hand sanitizers, notebooks, and other items on the list of needed supplies the schools send home with students.
In the last column I talked about the Recognizing Achievement Scholarships and the Academic Encouragement Awards the township presented to students this summer. This year these scholarships, the money for which was raised without using taxpayer dollars, helped four RAS graduating students with educational expenses like book bills, dormitory items and other college necessities and eleven younger AEA scholars with Amazon Fire 7 Tablets.
In all these ways the Wayne Township Trustee Office continues in its commitment to help needy families with the cost of education so that the next generation can keep improving their chances at a bright future and successful life. Isn’t that what we want for all of our children?
Al’Yson Harris moved here to Fort Wayne with her father from Florida, and she did not start at South Side High School until the beginning of her senior year. Her school counselor wrote in her letter of recommendation that despite being the new kid on the block, Al’Yson quickly adjusted and was able to graduate in the top 19% of her class while tutoring and taking a course at Trine University. She has been accepted at IUPUI in Indianapolis where she wants to study to be a Dental Hygienist or a Physical Therapist.
Aschlee Holloway wrote in her personal essay that growing up she saw very little of her father and missed him greatly, but she used that experience to commit herself to succeeding no matter what. Along with her schoolwork she became active in her church youth group, the Brave Sisters Volunteer Organization, and she became the captain of her dance team. This year she graduated from Northrup High School, applied to Indiana University, Bloomington and was accepted into the Indiana University Groups Scholars Program.
Chloe Mostes wrote in her personal statement that despite financial setbacks growing up, her experience at Bishop Luers High School was a most valuable experience for her development. She completed honors courses there with high marks including Honors Spanish, A+ grades in Composition, and religious studies. She was instrumental in organizing a Community Gardens program that supplied fresh produce for the school cafeteria. She has studied poverty extensively and plans to pursue psychology or teaching to continue helping others. She has been accepted at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Chanel Tyra was described by her teachers as a student leader. Despite challenges growing up, she studied hard at North Side High School, completing a practicum in Early Childhood Education, worked a part-time job (buying herself her own car), and she was named Most Valuable Player on her basketball team. She has been accepted at Marian University in Indianapolis who’s Women’s Basketball Team was the 2016 and 2017 NAIA National Champions.
Along with these graduating high school seniors, eleven younger students won Academic Encouragement Awards based on their applications that included personal essays and letters of recommendation: Mariah Craig, Naima Esters, William Holley, David Hunter, IJan’aiyan James, Sharia Macon-Lee, Citlali Monterroso, Martha Ngugi, NaSya Pickens, Maria Guadalupe Solis Valtierra, and Mary Wyatt.
We are proud that for the sixth year in a row we have been able to help and encourage our local young people to advance toward their education goals. We’ve been able to do this by fundraising both from the local community and from our own staff, not by using taxpayer dollars. I want to thank everyone who worked on this project and those who donated to the cause. And to our Scholars—Congratulations!
Each one of us decides what our priorities are in life. To make it in life a top priority should be to meet life’s basic necessities. Our township Eligibility Guidelines, which are based on Indiana law, define “basic necessities” to include such things as food, shelter, essential utility services, clothing and medical care. When an individual applies for township assistance, all members of the household must certify their income and verify how their income is expended. We expect clients to use their funds first for basic necessities. When an applicant’s money or resources are spent on items other than basic necessities we consider it “wasting resources” and that may result in a denial of assistance. As individuals are going though the process of applying for assistance, our Investigators help them to prioritize their financial responsibilities and create monthly household budgets that reflect those priorities.
Following are some of the tips we offer for frugal living: strive for an energy efficient home by turning off lights and other appliances when not in use, and reduce your water usage by fixing leaky toilets and faucets. Cook and eat at home; buy food with a longer shelf life in bulk if you can get a better price, and buy less junk food. Drink water instead of soda, fruit punch or beer. Use coupons and watch for sales. Visit the local library instead of renting DVDS, CDs, and purchasing books. Shop at thrift stores like the Goodwill, Salvation Army, and St. Vincent DePaul and make use of the Wayne Township Trustee Office’s Clothing Emporium for free stylish items. Consider ‘lay-away’ over credit card purchases. Cut back or quit smoking, and save your money rather than gambling it away. Not only do our Investigators offer such advice to individuals, but we hold regular classes with guest speakers who teach skills for smart and healthy living.
The Trustee’s office considers whether an applicant’s needs can be met by means other than an expenditure of township money. We expect individuals who are applying for township assistance to also apply for state or federal programs such as SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) through the Family and Social Services Administration and utility bill help through the state’s Energy Assistance Programs. Applicants are expected to do their best to make payments on their utility bills while waiting for assistance from other programs and to use the free tax preparation programs offered in the community.
Under the Township Guidelines a client’s non-cash property that is considered not essential to maintaining the health, safety, or decent living standard of a household is referred to as a “countable asset.” Countable assets are those owned wholly or in part by the applicant or household member who has the legal right to sell or liquidate it. Examples of countable assets include certificates of deposit, bonds, stocks, jewelry, and boats. The Trustee is not obligated to provide continued assistance to households that have not liquidated countable assets or other unnecessary items. Nonessential assets purchased by any member of a household after having applied for township assistance must be liquidated before further assistance can be authorized.
Our goal when working with applicants is to help them move from assistance to independence. We encourage economical living while our Employment Department searches for job openings, shares that information with clients, and posts offerings on our “Wall of Opportunity” (which can be readily viewed at the entrance to our office). In employment training classes we help clients with their resumes, and our Clothing Emporium offers gently-used items and friendly advice to put together outfits to wear to job interviews. Our clients who are seeking employment and don’t have transportation can get help with Citilink bus tickets. Through all of these ways we strive to remove the obstacles that stand in the way of our clients securing employment and regaining control over their financial lives.
And what a great parade it was. The weather was sunny and it was early enough in the day that it was not too hot. I always enjoy participating in the Memorial Day Parade and greeting all the wonderful residents of Waynedale. This year I was privileged to ride in a glossy black Corvette with one of the members of Reflections N Glass, a local Corvette owners’ club. Those were some beautiful cars. To see them and all the rest of the parade you can catch the video on The Waynedale News Facebook page and see the entire parade again.
Besides outside community events we continue with our more routine duties in the office. A very important project we engage in every spring here at the Wayne Township office is updating our Eligibility Standards. Updating the Standards annually is required by Indiana law. Once we complete our update, we present the new Standards to our Board for approval, which we did at the May Board meeting. After approval, we are required to file the new Eligibility Standards with the County Commissioners.
In some instances, Indiana law tells township trustees exactly what and how to act on a particular case. Other parts of the statute allow trustees flexibility in determining their own standards. The law takes into account that townships are different, and what might work well in a populous urban township like Wayne might not be the best approach for a smaller rural township. The law also takes into account that circumstances like the economy can change, and the Standards may need to change along with the changing world.
Making sure our Eligibility Standards are the best they can be is very important for our office and for our clients. Besides the Indiana law our standards are based on our mission statement and on past decisions handed down in Administrative Court cases when a client appeals one of our decisions. Our decisions regarding granting or denying Township Assistance applications are based on our Eligibility Standards, in conjunction with Indiana law. If a client appeals, the County Administrative Law Judge uses our Standards to decide the case.
Our mission statement at Wayne Township embodies the idea that we are here to help with temporary emergency assistance for township citizens who fall on hard times. We help those folks who qualify with financial assistance and with guidance on getting through a rough period in life. Our ultimate goal is to move clients from assistance to independence.
Independence is one of our common values as Americans. None of us like having to depend on others to make it through our lives. I think that is a big reason that the Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is one of our most honored holidays. In the Declaration of Independence, the document that enshrines this most American of values, the founding fathers made it clear that it was time to get out from under the yoke of what had become a foreign power, Great Britain. And after fighting our way through we gained our independence to become the Land of the Free. Let’s all celebrate that fact as the fireworks light up our skies this summer holiday season.
“’How’s that jump shot?’ was a question that I always knew was coming from Grandpa Tom, no matter what the circumstances. You see my grandfather is the late Tom Knox, and sports were his thing. Since his passing many people have come forward with moving or funny stories of Grandpa Tom; from fellow referees, teammates, schoolmates, coaches and the many ball players he worked with over the years. For this Father’s Day I wanted to tell the story from my own point of view as one of Tom Knox’s grandchildren.
Growing up in the Knox household my parents, Ron and Karen Knox, taught us that Family means more than words can tell. They learned this from their own parents, and I could see that from my earliest to my last memories of Grandpa Tom.
I remember summer days when my siblings and I would be outside playing and grandpa would show up out of the blue to play catch or shoot some jump shots with us in the driveway. I can still hear him teaching me how to shoot the basketball; “Fire it!” he would shout.
Grandpa also used to take me to school, not because I didn’t have a ride but because he wanted to spend time with me. During these trips he would tell me his stories but he also asked about me, checking that I was doing okay. After he made sure my academics and the other important things in life were in order, it was time to talk about sports. Just before I got out of the car grandpa would look at me and ask “How’s that jump shot?”
Grandpa Tom never missed a sporting event for any of the Knox kids. He always sat by himself off to the side at the gym or stadium. At one of those events, Grandpa was given what my Aunt called one of his “favorite memories.” My cousin and I played on the same football team in high school and our team won a regional championship. Grandpa loved being able to see two of his grandchildren on the same team, and a winning team at that! It wasn’t Grandpa’s style to stay after the games to talk and congratulate, but he stayed that night and his smile after the game was huge. Hearing about how proud of us he was gave me a memory that I’ll have forever.
In his later life I would try to go see grandpa every other Friday just to hang out and chat like we did when he used to take me to school. He would ask how work was going and how my friends and coworkers were doing. I loved to visit him, and I think he felt the same. He loved it when any of his grandchildren came for a visit but I think he loved mine just a little bit more since I was his favorite (don’t tell the other Knox kids). Of course, before I could leave he’d deliver his famous line, “How’s that jump shot?”
On this Father’s Day spend some time with your father, grandfather, or other father figure in your life if you can. As I celebrate my father and spend time with him I will also be thinking of Grandpa Tom and wishing I could hear him ask me one more time ‘How’s that jump shot?’”
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Poor People’s Campaign, a multicultural, multi-faith coalition organized by Martin Luther King, Jr. in early 1968. The campaign was carried on by his followers in the months following Dr. King’s assassination in April. June of ‘68 brought thousands of Americans living in poverty to the national mall in Washington, D.C. to demand better living conditions and higher wages. This was a moving demonstration that captured the nation’s attention.
Dr. King was really on to something in his fight for economic justice. Today, fifty years later, the movement continues. On Monday, May 14 of this year, hundreds of people took to the streets in cities across the country continuing King’s movement to challenge poverty in America in a kickoff to 40 days of planned demonstrations across the country called the “Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.”
Why do we need such a campaign now especially since things are looking up? As I have heard time and again ‘the poor will be with us always,’ but an important lesson I think many people learned in this last recession is that poverty can come to us all. In these times of greater and greater income inequality (a situation that is worse today than it was fifty years ago), fewer and fewer of us can claim safety from a personal economic downfall. One medical crisis can mean the loss of economic security for all but the wealthiest of us.
I am happy that people are getting back to work, and I am hopeful that wages and benefits can keep up with our living expenses and help our children get ahead and do even better than their parents. I also want to keep a clear view of what it takes to make it, economically, today and I am thankful that our community has resources to be a safety net for us all. Keeping hope for the future and remembrance of the past; that’s my motto.
I hope to see all of you, once again at the Waynedale Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 28. What better way to remember our veterans than coming together as a community for a parade.
This is the second year we will be awarding the Academic Encouragement Award, for the younger students—those in the 11th grade and younger—who can show us, in their applications, how they have worked to improve their performance in school. Each winner of the Academic Encouragement Award will receive an internet-ready tablet.
This year we have extended the deadline for submission of applications to noon on Friday, June 1, 2018. We are doing this to give extra time to busy students who are wrapping up their school year. Both of these scholarships are intended to encourage all students to keep trying to improve in their studies.
If you live in Wayne Township and are a senior in high school or younger, you may be eligible to win one of these scholarships. For further information and to get an application, visit our website: www.waynetownship.org, call our office: (260) 449-7000 extension 363, or send us an email at srunge@waynetownship.org. We look forward to hearing from you.
Mothers’ Day is coming soon; and, without a doubt, our mothers are our unsung heroines. They love us unconditionally and make sure their children are cared for before all else. I see this every day in the families who come to the Township for help. These mothers are passionate about caring for their children. They want their kids to get all the opportunities possible to improve their lives.
I am very blessed to have had three mothers in my life. Those include my Mother, my Grandmother and my Aunt, all deceased now. I owe so much to these great women, and I will never be able to repay them other than to put into practice those life skills they imparted to me. My own mother passed away when I was only 17 years old. Yet, in my short time with her, she influenced me in so many positive ways. I am still thankful to her and honor her in my thoughts every Mother’s Day.
I want to take this opportunity to wish all mothers and mother figures a very happy Mother’s Day, and I want to thank all these unsung heroines for the contributions they make every day to better our lives and our community.
Primaries are the elections when voters choose which candidate they want to run on their party’s ticket in the general election coming in November. Oftentimes these more local elections draw fewer voters than some of the high-profile contests like the presidential race, but both of these elections, primary and general, (called “midterm elections” because they come halfway through the current president’s term) are at least as important. This time voters are choosing more local officials that make decisions affecting us closer to home. Also, the results can make a difference in the overall political climate as every election is an opportunity for the public to speak its voice.
I have noticed over the last few years that many people are paying closer attention to politics. I see this in the old and young alike. Even high school students are watching what’s happening in their government, and they are ready to get involved. Anyone who will be 18 on or before the date of the General Election (November 6) can register and cast a ballot in the Primary Election. If you didn’t get registered in time for the Primary, it’s not too late to do so for the General Election in the fall.
On Primary Election Day the polls will be open 6 a.m.-6 p.m. You can verify your registration, find out where you vote (by precinct or by address), and see a list of the candidates you will find on your ballot, by going online to allencounty.us/election-board or by calling the Election Board at (260) 449-7329.
In-person early voting, or, voting before Election Day started on April 10 and is being held on the main floor at the Rousseau Centre, 1 E. Main St., Fort Wayne: Saturday, April 28, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Monday-Friday, until May 1, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; and Monday, May 7, 8 a.m.-noon.
Early voting is also available at five sites during extended hours: Indiana Wesleyan University (8211 W. Jefferson Blvd), Ivy Tech Northeast (3800 N. Anthony Blvd.), Manchester University (10627 Diebold Road), the Public Safety Academy (7602 Patriot Crossing), and the Rousseau Center (1 E. Main St.). Hours are Wednesday-Friday, May 2-4, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
You can also cast a mail-in ballot if you are unable to get to the polls. Details on that process can be found online (allencounty.us/election-board) or, again, by calling the Election Board at (260) 449-7329.
Voter registration for the primary ended on April 9 (Indiana law closes voter registration thirty days prior to an election.), but to vote in November you can still submit a registration form up until October 9, 2018. The voter registration office is at the Rousseau Centre, 1 E. Main St., Fort Wayne, in Suite 176. Hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays. Visit allencounty.us/voter-registration for details or to register online.
It’s never too late to get involved in your community, and a great way to do that is to pay attention to the news and get out to vote!
Today I would like to talk about three people who are often unsung heroes of our work here at Wayne Township. Those are Tony Henry, Pat Turner and Bruce Stier—our Wayne Township Board Members.
Tony Henry
Tony Henry currently serves as the Chairman of the Wayne Township Board. Along with his board service he works at St. Mary’s Catholic Church assisting folks who come to the church in need of help. Mr. Henry graduated from St. Louis University with a BA in Philosophy and Fine Arts and later received his Masters Degree in Education from Catholic University of America. You may also recognize Tony as the owner of Deer Park, the hotspot for Irish fun in Fort Wayne. He is the fifth of seventeen children, the son of social worker and well-known community activist the late Jerome Henry. Mr. Henry has served on several non-profit boards including the East Wayne Street Center, Miss Virginia Mission House and the Hungry Hill Fraternity Foundation.
Patricia Turner
Currently serving as Wayne Township Board Secretary, Pat Turner is a lifelong resident of Fort Wayne having attended Central High School and then earning her degree from Indiana University-Purdue University of Fort Wayne. She is also an alumna of Leadership Fort Wayne. Ms. Turner has many years of experience in non-profit organization management and has been active in all levels of the local community, including serving as a board member of Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry, the Urban Enterprise Association and past president of the LaRez Neighborhood Association. Her community service is focused on raising people up in their personal finances and in their physical health through her work with Pathfinder Community Connections and for Parkview’s Tobacco Free Allen County and the Indiana Tobacco Quitline.
Bruce Stier
Bruce Stier, current Board Finance Chair, another lifelong resident of Fort Wayne, graduated from Bishop Luers High School and received his Bachelor of Arts in History at Indiana-Purdue University. He graduated from John Marshall Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1977. Mr. Stier practices law in downtown Fort Wayne and devotes much of his practice to elder care, probate, estate planning and Medicaid matters. Mr. Stier is a frequent radio talk show speaker and guest editorial writer on public policy concerns in the area of economic and fiscal policy as well as elder care issues. He serves as attorney for the Fort Wayne Hospital Authority and formerly served as Associate City Attorney for the City of Fort Wayne. He belongs to the Allen County Bar Association, the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and he is a member of the NAACP. Bruce is also a long-standing member of the Churchill Centre (formerly the International Churchill Society), and he formerly served on the Red Cross Health Services Committee and the St. Mary’s Parish Council.
As you might be able to tell, I am proud to be working with such dedicated community members. Not only have they shown that they have the best interests of Wayne Township citizens at heart, they all three have demonstrated their care and commitment for all people in need of social justice and a helping hand. Thank you, Tony, Pat and Bruce for all your years of public services.
The Wayne Township Board meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. at our offices on 320 East Superior Street. These meetings are open to the public, and I always encourage citizens to attend and get a little more familiar with township government. We always post in advance the meeting agenda and any other public notices on the front door of our office to let people know what business will be discussed. Wayne Township adheres to the Indiana Open Door Law regarding public meetings, and questions and/or comments from members of the public are entertained at the close of the meeting.
March, you see, is Disability Awareness month, and the message this year was meant to tell us all to just relax when dealing with others—those with or without a disability–and see not how we differ from one another, but what we have in common, how in most ways we are all the same.
Just over 10% of Indiana citizens are considered disabled. That is one out of every ten people. With numbers like that, chances are you know a person with a disability—maybe at work, maybe in your home; maybe you even help care for someone in your family with a disability, or maybe you, yourself, live with a disability. The Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities has identified three things that disabled citizens have identified as important values, necessary for leading fulfilling lives, that many of us take for granted—those are independence, equality and empowerment.
In our society we all have many freedoms—to move about, to go where we want to go and do what we want to do; but those freedoms may not exist for all of us. One may be free to cross a street, but if they depend on a walker and can’t make it up or down a curb, that freedom becomes lost. A flight of stairs will stop any wheelchair-bound person from entering a building whether or not it’s a free public space. The more we see the world through the eyes of someone with a disability, the more we realize that there are all kinds of barriers and restrictions to access freedoms that many of us take for granted.
By hindering those who are less able, we are hurting not just them but our society as a whole. So many disabled people have so much to offer our world. Dr. Stephen Hawking, who passed away March 14, made huge contributions to our knowledge of space and the universe despite being confined by the effects of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Though he lost the ability to move or talk, he continued, with the help of technology, to write and lecture, sharing with the world his gifts of the mind. Wouldn’t this be a poorer world without him?
The Americans with Disabilities Act has been in effect since 1990 with the aim of “leveling the playing field” for people with disabilities. This has been a great thing for our country as it has meant many changes allowing the disabled greater access to services and more tools to fight discrimination. But we must stay vigilant. There is still much to be done to ensure equality, and the ADA still needs enforcement to fulfill its goals of free access.
Disability Awareness Month always reminds me that communities thrive when we all take an active part. “People are the heart of community, and when you embrace diversity, spirit and possibilities, everyone feels at home.”
I am always happy to hang posters and hand out the stickers and bookmarks that come from the Council and I often keep them up in our lobby past the month of March because I think that it’s so important that all people get equal treatment and opportunity in our society. To make that happen we need to be aware of the conditions around us that affect everyone. Let’s learn to relax, and value what we and those around us have to offer. Live and let live, and Just Be You!
Because the township staff and I feel so strongly that education is most important in the effort toward reducing poverty we strive to go beyond emergency assistance and try to get to the root of an individual’s financial problems. Oftentimes it’s a matter of education, whether for adults who have missed out on learning some basic living or financial skills or for the younger crowd. For the adults we bring in speakers from many agencies around the county to talk about living skills like nutrition, job search techniques and basic home accounting.
For those still in school, we offer the Recognizing Achievement Award and the Academic Encouragement Award. I am proud to say that both of these scholarships are funded not with taxpayer dollars but by individual donations collected in conjunction with our annual Holiday Celebration in December.
Following is some information on applying for our Recognizing Achievement Scholarship (RAS) Award. These are $500 scholarships awarded to selected high school seniors who are heading off to higher education opportunities. Awards are given on the basis of financial need, scholastic achievement or improvement, community service and educational aspirations. Students who are residents of Wayne Township are encouraged to apply.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
1) Residence in Wayne Township (call 260-449-7000 x 328 to verify that your address is in Wayne Township)
2) Graduation from a public or private high school by the spring of 2018
3) Acceptance to an institution of higher learning to start in the summer or fall of 2018
4) Meeting income eligibility guidelines
RAS applicants are required to submit: a fully-completed application form (obtained from your high school or our office); a high school transcript; a recommendation letter from a teacher, counselor, coach or other individual validating your academic improvements; and a one-page essay written by the applicant (discussing your most significant challenge or accomplishment and its value to you).
Applications can be picked up at our office at 320 E. Superior Street, Fort Wayne IN 46802.
For those in the lower grades we offer the Academic Encouragement Award for younger students (up to grade 11) who can show that they are committed to their schoolwork.
Each student who submits a completed application showing achievement or improvement will receive an Academic Encouragement Certificate of Recognition, and the top submissions (based on the quality of your personal statement writing and your teacher/counselor recommendation) will be selected to receive a new, internet-ready electronic device.
You can stop in at our office to request a RAS Award Packet or an application for the Academic Encouragement Award, or send an email to pbrewer@waynetownship.org. Completed applications must be returned to our office by noon on May 11, 2018, to be considered for the award. If you have questions, or, would like to make a donation towards the RAS Award, contact our office (260) 449-7000 extension 328.
Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which laid out the territory now occupied by Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota, the lands of the new territory were surveyed into six by six-mile townships. Each township was then divided into 36 one-square-mile sections and each section covered 640 acres. Sections were divided into quarter-sections of 160 acres each and quarter-quarter sections of 40 acres each. In the Homestead Act of 1862, one quarter-section of land was the amount allocated to each settler. This is where such expressions as “the lower 40” came from. That was the 40 acres on a settler’s land that was the lowest in elevation where the water drained toward a stream. The “back forty” was the portion farthest from the settler’s dwelling. “Forty acres and a mule” was the phrase going around after the Civil War when the United States considered repaying African-American families for their years of servitude under slavery (a promise that remained unfulfilled).
In Indiana, in fact in most of the Midwestern states, the townships were surveyed well before the territories achieved statehood. In fact, many of the state and county lines were drawn along the already established township lines.
A civil township is a form of government that serves a township area. Civil townships generally have a name—in our case it’s Wayne Township.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau “In most midwestern states, a civil township often corresponds to a single survey township, although in less populated areas, the civil township may be made up of all or portions of several survey townships. In areas where there are natural features such as a lake or river, the civil township boundaries may follow the geographic features rather than the survey township boundaries. Municipalities such as cities may incorporate or annex land in a township, which is then generally removed from township government. Only one state, Indiana, has township governments covering all its area and population.”
Wayne Township, which occupies a somewhat modified 6-mile square survey township, has like all the townships in Indiana a civil government consisting of a township trustee and a three-member board who administer township services. Wayne also still has, unlike most of the rest of Indiana, a township assessor. This happened because the voters of our township chose in a referendum to keep their assessor rather than turning those duties over to the county. Only thirteen townships in Indiana still have assessors.
Jump forward over 200 years. Earlier this month a proposal to reduce the number of townships in Indiana was introduced in the state Legislature, but it died without a vote. House Bill 1005 would have eliminated approximately 300 of the smallest townships, those with populations of fewer than 1200 residents, by merging them into larger, neighboring townships.
Just two townships on Allen County’s east side would have been eliminated by merger due to their small populations: Scipio Township with 414 residents and Jackson Township with 504, but in other counties across the state many more rural townships would have been on the chopping block.
HB 1005 would not have immediately affected Wayne Township, which is among the ten largest townships in the state, but it did raise many issues that are important to all of us as citizens, and those issues should be part of the public discussion. Chief among them is the question ‘What do we want our government to do for us?’
Those in favor of HB 1005 including the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, argue that reducing the number of townships in Indiana—currently there are just over 1000—would lead to greater efficiency, saving tax money and improving service. The bill’s opponents, including the Indiana Farm Bureau, say that township government even at the smallest units’ level should be preserved because it is the government that is closest to the people. They also worry that such mergers would shift the tax burden of the larger townships onto rural residents who currently pay a lower tax rate.
The Indiana Township Association first supported HB 1005 as a compromise that would merge the smallest townships but then allow for more latitude in borrowing funds for fire protection and township assistance (poor relief) obligations. However, when those options were stripped from the bill in committee the ITA withdrew its support of the bill.
In forthcoming columns, I hope to discuss these, and other issues related to the future of township government, including the mysterious relationship between survey townships and civil townships in Indiana.
I went to the Little River Wetlands webpage to see what our local nature might have in store for us soon, and I found that World Wetlands Day will be celebrated on February 2.
“World Wetlands Day is celebrated around the world on February 2 under the leadership of the Convention on Wetlands, also known as the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental collaboration. This year’s theme is “Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future,” recognizing wetlands’ critical role in making urban areas livable.”
The programs planned for that day in Fort Wayne include:
10:00 am – World Wetlands Day Walk at Fox Island County Park, 7324 Yohne Road, hosted by Allen County Parks (registration required).
1:00 pm – “Secrets of a Wetland: Keeping Your City Clean and Green” presented by Betsy Yankowiak of Little River Wetlands Project at Aboite Branch of the Allen County Public Library, 5630 Coventry Lane, hosted by LRWP.
4:00 pm – Urban Wetland Hike at Mengerson Nature Preserve, 5895 Stellhorn Road, hosted by ACRES Land Trust.
7:00 pm – “Ephemeral Wetlands: Jewels in the Forest” presented by Dr. Bruce Kingsbury at JK O’Donnell’s, 121 W. Wayne Street, Fort Wayne. Hosted by IPFW’s Environmental Resources Center.
I also found that on February 14th there will be a Winter Birding Hike—what they call Short Hikes for Short Legs—for the kids—from 9:00 am to 10:00 am starting at the Eagle Marsh barn, 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne.
“Not all birds fly south for the winter. First, we’ll show our winter birds love by creating a treat for them. Later, we’ll take a short hike in search of our winter feathered friends. This part hike, part interactive educational activity event is open to the public with a curriculum and trail length appropriate for kids ages 3-5 years.”
This sounded like a good way to celebrate February 14, and I was reminded of something I wrote about a few years ago concerning birds and Valentine’s Day from my friend, John Brennan—a retired English professor. He described to me how celebrating love on Valentine’s Day actually began with a story about birds.
“In a dream poem by Geoffrey Chaucer, written around the year 1380, a meeting of birds comes together on the 14th of February, the time when they begin returning from their winter homes and looking to choose a mate for the coming year. In this story three young male eagles (tercels) argue over which of them will win the ‘hand’ of one formel or female eagle. Soon the lower class birds enter to protest, and they launch into a comic parliamentary debate. In the end, none of the three tercels wins the formel. She is allowed to go off and choose a mate for herself in her own time. Nature allows the other birds, however, to pair off, and the dream ends with a song welcoming the new spring.”
Dr. Brennan, who taught courses on Chaucer at IPFW, said that “The Parliament of Birds” was the first reference to the idea that St. Valentine’s Day is a special day for lovers, though February 14 had long before that been the Christian feast day of Saint Valentine who was martyred in 269 AD.
I like to think that Valentine’s Day is about more than just romantic love. I remember the cards and little candy hearts that my children exchanged at school as they were growing up. Their teachers took special care to make sure that everyone in the class was included, and that’s something I really thought was important. That meant that my children were being taught that love should be shared with everyone—early lessons of inclusion!
This year on Valentine’s Day let’s all do something not just for the sweetheart in our lives but for everyone we meet. Take time to stop, listen, and share a hug or a smile. If you receive flowers or candy or a gift be sure and show your gratitude, read the cards you receive and know that the sender probably took some time and care to pick that card out just for you. As I know it does for everybody, the busy-ness in life often eats up the time I should be taking to show my family and friends just how much they mean to me, that I really love them, and that I am glad they are in my life.
And maybe by sharing some love, the rest of the winter can feel a little kinder for all of us.
The first thing I do when the cold sets in is to add some layers of clothing (like a set of long underwear), and then I lower the heat. This works with children as well; dress them in an extra layer, even when indoors, and they won’t even notice that you’ve turned down the thermostat. Next, turn down the temperature on your water heater. It’s more efficient, and it’s safer— a lower water temperature makes it less likely anyone could get burned in a hot bath. Check your overhead fans to see if they are set for cold temperatures. During the winter, your ceiling fan should run at a low speed in a clockwise direction. That keeps the warmer air down low where the people are, instead of up by the ceiling where warm air naturally rises. And turn fans off as soon as they’ve done their jobs. If no one is in the room to feel it, moving air is a waste of electricity. Close off seldom-used rooms and close the heating vents inside. Move rugs or furniture away from your vents. Open curtains and shades on south-facing windows during the day to allow solar radiation to warm the living space. Close curtains at night to slow down the escape of heat. You can find additional tips at www.Energy.gov. There are many up-to-date ideas on ways to save energy and money.
When families find themselves in need of assistance with their heat and other utility bills they should come to the township where workers can help with financial assistance or with connecting them to other resources. One of those resources is the Energy Assistance Program administered by Brightpoint. If you want to learn more about that program, or to download forms to apply for that assistance you can visit them online at MyBrightpoint.org.
The Energy Assistance Program allows certain households to be put under a moratorium, so that their heat stays on through the winter months. Payments on utility bills are expected during the moratorium. If no payment is made there will be an extremely large bill once the spring weather arrives. We expect clients on the moratorium to continue to request assistance from our office as needed.
Call our information line, (260) 449-7000 x312, if you need assistance. For an appointment, individuals should come in on their letter day before 9:00 a.m. Letter days are determined by the first letter of the last name. Assigned letter days are as follows: Monday A-F, Tuesday G-L, Wednesday M-R, and Thursday S-Z.
Letter days do not apply when requesting medical or burial assistance. Individuals should bring the following items on appointment day: a copy of the bill(s) you are seeking assistance with, verification of household income for the past sixty days, paid bill receipts for the past sixty days, receipts for items purchased in the last sixty days, your rental agreement, lease, or mortgage payment booklet or statement, government-issued unexpired picture identification such as a state ID or driver’s license for all adults in the household, social security cards for everyone in the household, birth certificates for all minors in the household, a copy of the most current income tax return if filed, or W2 if a return has not been filed, and bank or credit union balance statements. Have receipts grouped together by category. Additional items may be requested at the time of your appointment, so bringing in all the appropriate information could result in fewer and shorter visits with the investigator.
Combining Township Assistance and Brightpoint’s Energy Assistance, along with doing the best you can individually to conserve energy should allow families to keep their heat on during the harsh winter months.