This August and September the Wayne Township Trustee Office will be celebrating as a few of our staff members will be reaching their retirement milestones. One of those staffers is Sharon Conrad who has been with the Township since 1997—that’s . . .
At the most recent Wayne Township Trustee Board Meeting held on the 11th of July, I presented sixteen students with our new Academic Encouragement Awards consisting of a Certificate of Achievement and a new Amazon Fire 7 tablet for each winner. The . . .
As part of our weekly Wednesday training class I talk with clients on many of the practical lessons I have learned from being Trustee and just by living as long as I have. Because the office of the township trustee helps with emergency financial needs, . . .
This year the Fourth of July falls on a Tuesday, so the Wayne Township Trustee Office will be open Monday, the 3rd and then closed the following day for the holiday. Unlike many federal holidays that are observed on the nearest Monday, the Fourth is . . .
With the Great American Cleanup, the Waynedale Parade and our other May activities behind us—isn’t 2017 just flying by—we turn now to our June activities. This month the Wayne Township Trustee Office will be at two events with our information . . .
Well the seasons are turning again and Memorial Day will be here shortly. The United States has been observing that holiday on the last Monday of May since 1971 when the “Uniform Monday Holiday Act” made several national holidays land on Mondays . . .
On Sunday, May 14, we will be celebrating Mother’s Day when we honor our mothers and all the contributions they have made to our lives. My mother passed away when I was only seventeen, but in the short time we were together she influenced me in so . . .
It’s getting toward the end of the school year, and once again the Wayne Township Trustee Office is taking applications for the Recognizing Achievement Scholarship that we offer to graduating high school seniors who are moving on to higher education. . . .
Early last month our office hosted a public meeting, at the downtown library, of landlords who rent their properties to recipients of Wayne Township assistance. I was pleased that we had a good turnout and were able to answer questions and converse . . .
As you may already know, the deadline for filing the Federal and State income taxes is Tuesday, April 18th. This is the third year in a row that taxes fall due on a day other than the traditional April 15th. You can thank Abraham Lincoln for those . . .
March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, is on a Friday this year, and there are lots of parties and celebrations planned around Wayne Township. The celebration we particularly watch is the Clover Classic which starts on Thursday night and runs through the . . .
The weather this winter has been very unusual-so warm these last few weeks that I’ve been wanting for a couple of months to get outside for some spring activities, both the fun and the necessary. I see that I’m not the only one thinking along these . . .
I see by my calendar that February 20th is Presidents Day. Now, as I recall, there was no such holiday when I was growing up. There were two United States presidents that we honored in February—Abraham Lincoln whose birthday was on February 12th . . .
February is Black History Month, and this week I’d like to share a little background on how that celebration came to be. In the early part of the twentieth century historian Carter G. Woodson, became convinced that African American history and the . . .
This time of year there’s a lot of talk about football and the teamwork involved in ensuring a winning season. This brings to my mind what the great Vince Lombardi said about teamwork, that “People who work together will win, whether it be against . . .
The Wayne Township Trustee Office has been hard at work helping assure that all families can enjoy a happy holiday this year. Earlier this month we distributed cheer to over 40 needy families who came to our office to pick up gifts donated through . . .
At this time of year many of you are thinking more about doing for others—with shopping, decorating, baking—than about attending to yourselves. I would like to revisit a past column on this subject, because I think it’s important to remind everyone . . .
Some years ago I had the opportunity to become a foster parent to four young children, three of whom were still in diapers. Before they could come home with us, my wife and I were required by Child Protective Services to take a First Aid/CPR (cardiopulmonary . . .
On October 21 the Wayne Township Trustee Office participated in the annual Stand Down event held at the Volunteers of America-Richard Lugar Safe Haven for Veterans on Fairfield Avenue in Fort Wayne. It was a crisp fall day and a little cold working . . .
We’ve had some beautiful October days here in Wayne Township, but we all know that cold, winter weather will be coming soon. And, with that comes an increase in utility bills due to the cost of heating our homes. One of our most important functions . . .
For October our Employee of the Month here at the Wayne Township Office is Patsy Brewer. She is an executive secretary who has also been running our Clothing Emporium for the past five years. Below is an excerpt of a Waynedale News article I wrote . . .
Fall is just a few days away now, but I felt the season change some weeks back when I heard the first crickets chirping as I left for work one morning. We may have a changing climate to worry about, but it’s comforting to see and hear those little . . .
Last month my office took part in a Community Health Assessment and Group Survey. Jered and Becca from Purdue University came to our office, took a tour and asked questions about the healthy habits of our workplace.
They wanted to know about the nutrition . . .
Think about plants. They all have certain requirements necessary for life and growth. For a healthy plant you need light, air, and water; the right temperature; and a good balance of minerals and nutrients in the soil. Conditions that lack any of those . . .
When a citizen comes to the Wayne Township Trustee Office for assistance, my staff works hard to process the request in the timeliest manner possible. Indiana law requires that we address emergency requests immediately. Non-emergencies must be addressed . . .
Back in April I wrote about the community gardens at Foster Park West on Bluffton Road. Maybe you remember the picture of Velveeta the lady scarecrow standing over one of the garden plots and pointing at the river. I mentioned in the article that the . . .
Another academic year has wound up, and at the Wayne Township Trustee Board Meeting held at our office in downtown Fort Wayne on July 12 we awarded Recognizing Achievement Scholarships to three 2016 high school graduates who will be attending institutions . . .
Well the sunny days of summer are upon us, and I’m ready for another festive July full of fireworks and flags on the Fourth and later for the Three Rivers Festival. Downtown Fort Wayne has become such a happening place with so many spots for outdoor . . .
I’m always looking for enjoyable inexpensive events for our clients to take part in. Most of our clients don’t have very much income they can use towards entertainment for the family.
I love a parade! During a time when many of us are isolated as . . .
In this year of 2016, the state of Indiana’s two hundredth birthday, I have been thinking a lot about history and about how knowing history can really give a better perspective on things. I think about my own family’s history here in Indiana, and . . .