INSIDE THIS ISSUE ClassiďŹ eds..............................................................................A4 Community Calendar .................................................B9,10,11 Father’s Day ........................................................................A10 Discover Coliseum................................................................A9 Fitness & Wellness ..............................................................A6 Healthy Times ...................................................................B2,3 Kid’s Summer ...................................................................... B5 Outdoor Dining................................................................... A14
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May 23, 2014
Faith UCC plans graceful farewell By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
Scholar credits parents, ‘most inuential teacher’ By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
Faith United Church of Christ plans to end its story with dignity. The church at 10707 Coldwater Road will say goodbye to 46 years of ministry with a ďŹ nal service at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 15. Church historian Sheryl Stebbins busied herself recently sorting ďŹ les, marriage records and black-and-white photos from the church archives. “My grandkids were baptized here and they’re going to preschool here,â€? said Stebbins, who has been associated with the church for about 10 years. “It’s a grieving process,â€? she said of the impending closing and her work with the archives. “Our membership is down and we couldn’t afford the building,â€? she explained. A nearby church has signed a short-term lease on the building. Efforts to sell the building continue. As the story ends,
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Faith United Church of Christ historian Sheryl Stebbins shares church photos with her grandson Ryan Stebbins, 4.
though, Faith parishioners want to say goodbye with grace. “We’re going through all the papers and the pictures,� Stebbins said. “We want to leave a legacy that this church meant something to a lot of people for a long time.
So we want to leave it meaningful and do honor to the church.â€? “We hope to scan a lot of the pictures, especially conďŹ rmations and baptisms, on a disc,â€? Stebbins said. Copies will be made available to parishioners. Stebbins will
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Chris Brandell and Cody Knapp of Three Rivers Barricade & Equipment Co. load up the Carroll Road detour signs at the corner of Johnson Road. The company also added some striping as Carroll Road reopened May 14.
Carroll Road to U.S. 33 opens after bridge work Carroll Road reopened as scheduled May 14, after nine months of construction on two bridges. “I appreciate the general
public putting up with the road being closed since August,� said Kevin Butts, project manager for the Allen County Highway Department. “If we had let the bridges crumble, they’d have had to use the detours forever. It’s a real
improvement.� The affected one-mile segment of Carroll Road extends east from U.S. 33, past homes, Eel River Baptist Church, and Eel River and Riverview See BRIDGE, Page A5
COURTESY PHOTO
Abby Lemert will receive the Presidential Scholar medallion June 22 in Washington, D.C.
she learned of Abby’s selection — and her own honor — as she and her husband were watching TV. “Seeing my name scroll across the bottom of the screen was bizarre. I was so happy for Abby, and so honored that she chose me,â€? she said. In an interview, Lemert also said Bruce and Doris Lemert have been supportive throughout her education. “My parents have always been very inuential, helping me See SCHOLAR, Page A7
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Times Community Publications
gsnow@kpcmedia.com
3306 Independence Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
By Garth Snow
send a copy to the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ. Other records will be donated to a library or historical society. Among them will be a well preserved photo See FAITH, Page A6
Carroll High School senior Abby Lemert has been named a Presidential Scholar, one of only 141 students who will receive that honor June 22 in Washington, D.C. In turn, she has honored Tish Clendenen as her “most inuential teacher.â€? Lemert was taking a foreign language for advanced placement credit and was a sophomore in her third year of Spanish when she entered Clendenen’s classroom. “By the time I walked out of there, I knew that Spanish was something I wanted to pursue,â€? Lemert said. Clendenen returned the compliment. “She was always strong, willing to do whatever I asked her to do and more,â€? she said. “She’s just an impressive individual and a good person, too. She deserves it. This is huge.â€? Clendenen, in her sixth year at Carroll, is on maternity leave. She said