IN Aboite News January 2017

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January 6, 2017

Homestead H.S. to celebrate half-century mark

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By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com

Homestead High School is gearing up for a three-year celebration of the school’s 50th birthday, and has invited five decades of Spartans to contribute.

The school opened in the fall of 1970, but the Class of 1971 completed studies at Elmhurst High School. The Class of 1972 was the first to graduate from Homestead High School. The 50th anniversary celebration will span the years 2020-2022. The school is gathering memorabilia and contact information to mark the occasion.

Southwest Allen County Schools was formed in 1966, and construction on the high school began in 1968.

Work was completed in August 1970.

Principal Park Ginder has enlisted the help of office intern Kelly Asiala to reach out to the first several classes. Asiala,

Fletcher Moppert donated a 1973 Homestead letter sweater for a permanent display at the school.

PHOTOS BY GARTH SNOW

Homestead High School alumni can catch up on 50 years of school photos on Facebook, at Homestead Spartans Alumni. Kelly Asiala, a senior and office intern, created the page to gather contact information to plan a Blue & Gold celebration of the school’s 50th year.

a senior, has launched the Homestead Spartans Alumni page on Facebook, has sent letters to more than 80 early graduates, and is compiling her findings.

“People will message me with their information, that I put in a database,” Asiala said.

“When the time comes for a Blue & Gold anniversary, Mr. Ginder and

COURTESY PHOTO

Fort Wayne Rugby Club members and guest athletes clash during a Snow Bowl at Winterval in downtown Fort Wayne.

Rugby players to clash in Snow Bowl at Winterval January is tough for outdoor athletes, even for the rugged players of the Fort Wayne Rugby Club.

But rugby has never been about comfort,

according to Sam DiFilippo, the club president and the development officer for Rugby Indiana.

The Snow Bowl rugby match returns at 1 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 28, for

the sixth installment of Winterval, a Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation celebration of frosty sights and welcoming shelters.

“We’ve actually been pretty lucky,” DiFilippo See WINTERVAL, Page A13

Times Community Publications

gsnow@kpcmedia.com

3306 Independence Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46808

By Garth Snow

his current intern can reach out to those who want to be part of it.”

Alumni are invited to message the Facebook page with their name, graduation year, email

and postal mailing addresses in order to receive information on the 50th anniversary.

Questions can be directed to HomesteadOFC@ sacs.k12.in.us or to (260) 431-2200.

The school has asked alumni and the community to donate memorabilia for a permanent display. Already, Asiala has received a 1973 letter sweater, an

early Homestead T-shirt, a basketball program and other items. She marks each item with the name of the donor. The school office located a program from the dedication ceremony in the fall of 1970.

But many blanks remain to be filled, such as a graduation program from 1972. “That would be really great,” Asiala said.

“Really, anything that is See HOMESTEAD, Page A12

A2 • INfortwayne.com

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Students use book’s message to unify school

By Stacey Fleming

Southwest Allen County Schools

Not unlike any other teacher, Homestead High School English teacher Sara Hoeppner was working to find a way to engage her students in their studies — a way for them to make personal connections to what they were studying. Little did she know, what began with an assigned book reading and a simple exercise with note cards and ball of yarn would help transform her 12th-grade English class and inspire a schoolwide campaign.

It all started after Hoeppner assigned the book “An Invisible Thread”

by Laura Schroff. The critically acclaimed memoir details the then 35-year-old advertising sales executive’s encounter with Maurice, an 11-year-old panhandler in the mid-80s, and how one small act of kindness changed their lives forever.

In preparation for the reading, Hoeppner asked her class of seniors to anonymously write one word on a note card describing their mood and how they felt. After collecting the responses, it was evident many students were bored, tired, even sad. Hoeppner, while holding the end of

COURTESY PHOTOS

A network takes form as Homestead High School seniors thread yarn across poles in the school’s courtyard. The exercise illustrated how each person is connected to others.

the string, tossed the ball of yarn to a student and proceeded to say something positive about that student. From there, the students held the string and tossed it amongst themselves, relaying positive comments about one another. This created a sort of web, a visual connection illustrating how each student is connected to one another.

After the exercise, students were once again asked to write one word on a note card describing their mood. Nearly every one of the responses improved. Students wrote they felt appreciated, energized and happy — a stark difference to the initial words shared. And the change didn’t stop there.

In the days following

the exercise, Hoeppner’s students became active in class, both reading the book and participating in discussions. The students were engaged. Working off the ancient Chinese proverb featured in the book, “An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place and circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle. But it will never break.”, the students created a project, the Yarn of Unity (Y.O.U), and coupled it with a plan to share the message with the entire school.

In a courtyard at Homestead High School, Hoeppner’s students installed 12-ft. poles in the shape of a circle and labeled each pole with statements, e.g., “I know

my future plans;” “I have been discriminated against;” “I play sports.”

Organizers then invited all high school students and staff to visit the courtyard.

Students were given a ball of yarn. Starting at the center pole labeled “I am a Homestead Spartan,” each student was encouraged to stretch the yarn to each pole/statement they could identify with.

The end result, a visually stunning web that illustrates how each and every student and teacher are somehow connected.

“The purpose of Yarn of Unity was to show that we are all a united people,” said Jason Reed, a student in Hoeppner’s English class. “Our goal was to show everyone that the beauty of our differences

Sara Hoeppner’s English class based an exercise on the book “An Invisible Thread” by Laura Schroff.

is the fact that no matter how different we are, our paths cross and we can all connect to each other in some way. When I go out there and look at the yarn all I see is a beautiful, vibrant community of people who, whether they believe it or not, are all connected and all matter. It’s about bringing people together, and showing them that they are not alone and there is someone else out there they can identify with.

This project’s purpose is to show our unity within our community, for if we don’t have unity, we don’t have a community, and without a community what do we have?”

For Hoeppner, the Y.O.U. project has been life changing for her, too.

“I love seeing the passion and pride my students have developed as this project has grown. I am amazed every day how my students are able to see the bigger picture — a world where we are stronger united rather than divided.

The tension surrounding this year’s presidential election has taught us, more than ever, how important it is that we see how we are connected and what we can accomplish when we think of more than just ourselves.”

(Stacey Fleming is the director of district communications for Southwest Allen County Schools.

Contact her at sfleming@sacs.k12.in.us.)

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Aboite News • January 6, 2017

January summit targets Allen County food waste

By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com

Food is going to waste while people are going hungry.

The Allen County Solid Waste Management District hopes to address both problems and to capture the momentum for change at a Food Waste Reduction Summit on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Jodi Leamon, the District’s business technical coordinator, expects that conference to present an overview and to generate smaller task forces with short-term action plans. “We’ve all committed to eliminating food waste,” Leamon said. “Most people can get behind that. It’s a very solvable problem.”

The summit will convene from 10 a.m.12:30 p.m. at The Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation, 10622 Parkview Plaza Drive, Fort Wayne.

All are welcome, but attendees are asked to RSVP before Jan. 13 to assist the District with planning. Visit acwastewatcher.org/foodwaste-reduction-summit,

or email info@acwastewatcher.org, or call (260) 449-7878.

Tom Carpenter, the director of Sustainability Services for Waste Management, will discuss the state of food waste in the United States.

“He will speak on zerowaste initiatives, and he will give us a bird’s-eye view of what he has seen from all over the world,” Leamon said. “He will give us some of the more concrete steps we can take as soon as possible.

“We will have a panel discussion with experts from the EPA and Kroger and Republic Services, which is our hauler, and from the Board of Health to answer questions. All of the municipalities in Allen County will be represented in an open discussion.

“We’re covering a lot, the whole spectrum of food waste from farm to disposal and then circling back around to composting on the farm.

We hope to leave that day having formed some smaller groups with some action plans, some task forces on topics such as getting food from large

SINCE 1927

events to the hungry and homeless in our community.

“We hope to answer questions about the legality of donating food, and clear up misconceptions so there’s a more clear pathway for the food to reach the people.”

Leamon cited reports that perhaps 40 percent of the food produced in America goes to waste, while an estimated 1 million Hoosiers are food-insecure.

She said freshness dates on packaged foods contribute to confusion and to a food shortage.

“There are several different terms. There’s ‘Sell By.’ There’s ‘Use By.’ There’s ‘Best By.’ And those are completely unregulated, and people don’t know what they mean,” Leamon said.

“People are throwing away food that is perfectly fine.”

Families might hesitate to donate food that is approaching one of those dates. “But there is zero liability,” Leamon said. A federal law to that effect took effect in the ’90s, she said.

She said the District

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also will provide tools for families to plan ahead to create meals while the food is at its freshest.

So-called “ugly food” — produce that might not be cosmetically desirable but which is perfectly edible — might not make it to market.

With the help of partner agencies such as Serving Simply, food that is left over from large, public events can go directly to those who need it on very short notice.

“There are different strategies for producers, consumers, grocers, restaurants, institutions and charities,” the District said in a statement.

“Attendees will share their experiences and the District will serve to provide resources for finding solutions to the problem of food waste.”

Leamon’s high hope for the January summit is based on the enthusiasm that grew from an exploratory meeting in October.

“We overflowed the room, and we had so much interest, and the Mirro Center was generous enough to donate their facility for a larger meeting,” she said.

Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana will hold the My City Summit on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the University of Saint Francis Performing Arts Center, 431 W. Berry St. in downtown Fort Wayne.

The event will run from 5-9 p.m., with registration opening at 4:30 p.m. and speakers beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at MyCitySummit.com.

The Ian Rolland Courageous Leadership Award and YLNI Emerging Leader Award recipients will be recognized at the event.

My City Summit will address harnessing diversity to generate and implement ideas. The keynote is author, speaker and political and cultural analyst Rich Benjamin,

who wrote “Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America.”

Courtney Tritch of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Allison Green from Lincoln Financial Group also will speak.

My City Summit began in 2012, created to strengthen community attachment for young college graduates.

“These inspired individuals are the future of our economy and the cornerstone of cultural development that will continue to shape Fort Wayne as an attractive place to live and work for all generations,” said Stephanie Veit, YLNI president.

For details, visit YLNI. org.

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Aboite News • January 6, 2017

More riders needed to fuel Citilink growth

Bus service hopeful downtown density will generate new ridership

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Increased public transit ridership means increased frequency and better service, one of the founding blocks of any of the thriving metropolises around the world.

With Fort Wayne Citilink’s 50-year anniversary coming up next year, managers are excited about the future of the service, especially as downtown Fort Wayne continues to become more populated.

At 2 million trips per year, it may seem that the Fort Wayne Citilink bus service is already cruising smoothly on the fares of its riders. However, fares for the bus service only cover about 12 percent of

PHOTO BY RAY STEUP

Citilink buses wait at the transportation hub near Baker Street Station in downtown Fort Wayne.

service expenses.

To help make ends meet, Citilink rides on local property taxes and also advocates for continued state funding, as part of its biannual budget.

Yet, even with all of the

combined funding, the bus service is far from profitable, said Betsy Kachmar, assistant general manager of Citilink.

The service also has experienced stagnant ridership since about 2008. During the reces-

sion, a surge of people chose to ride the service because of the soaring gas prices and rough economic times. However, usage has not increased since the economy improved and it is now more affordable to own

DR. ALAN WOLFELT SEMINAR April 18th and 19th It is the desire of the McComb family to offer assistance to everyone throughout the Fort Wayne community who has been touched by grief. D.O. McComb & Sons will be hosting Dr. Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D., at our annual grief seminar. This will be our 26th consecutive year sponsoring Dr. Wolfelt and his teachings. We have designed two seminars to better meet the needs of all attending.

Garth Snow Editor/Feature Writer gsnow@kpcmedia.com

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and drive a car due to oil prices falling to historically low levels.

Part of the issue in increasing Fort Wayne Citilink’s ridership is the city’s lack of density.

Public transportation in larger cities, like New York and Chicago, thrive on high volumes of ridership and public advocacy for better and more frequent transit service.

In larger cities, both those who do not have another choice, as well as those who do not want the stress or inconvenience of driving a car in a city, use the public transportation services. Citilink officials want to create a service more similar to the likes of big cities as Fort Wayne’s downtown population grows.

But doing so brings about a bit of a paradox.

Citilink needs more people to ride to justify more frequent service but more frequent service is typically what attracts more people to ride. So, Citilink truly needs the cart before the horse, so to speak.

“More people would ride it if it were better and it would be better if more people rode it,” said Kachmar. “More frequent service is what makes it attractive for people who have another choice. If I have to wait an hour for a bus, then I’m not going to.”

Despite Citilink’s ridership stagnation, the service continues to improve and incorporate new technology. It now has 17 hybrid buses, which are quieter, better for the environment, more fuel-efficient and ride and look better. A trip planner phone app provides real-time trip information and bus location for the service’s routes. Citilink also partners with the University of Saint Francis, Ivy Tech and Parkview Health to provide various free routes, which go downtown and between the two Parkview campuses.

Other popular routes include Route 8, which stops by Glenbrook Square Mall, and Route 2, which drops riders off at Jefferson Point Mall.

Route 4 is also ridden frequently because it runs between the school corridors.

Citilink’s next project may include increased service to New Haven, especially as that part of the county continues to grow.

For now, only Route 10 provides rides to New Haven, though riders too far from frequent service can use Citilink’s flex routes to catch a ride to a route’s more central location, like a mall.

INfortwayne.com • A5

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

City plans to repair, construct more sidewalks

By Whitney Wright

For Times Community Publications

A city’s walkability is one of its most crucial attributes to its vitality.

For the first time in Fort Wayne’s history, the mayor dedicated funds specifically to sidewalk repairs and construction, including $75,000 for trip hazard repairs with a 2-inch heave or greater, $600,00 for neighborhood sidewalk improvements and $250,000 for the street department’s trip hazard repair.

One of the reasons a focus was put on sidewalks in recent years is a result of the mayor’s goals for the city, which currently has 1,600 miles of sidewalks. “[Mayor Tom Henry] is very tied to the neighborhoods. He was on City Council for 20 years … he has a large family that lives all over the community,” said Frank Suarez, director of the public information division of public works and city utilities.

As part of efforts to make the city more accessible on foot, multiple sidewalk repair and creation projects were recently announced at a public work’s sidewalk talk presentation to the City Council. The presentation was hosted by Public Works Director Bob Kennedy, and the manager of transportation engineering, Mario Trevino.

Sidewalk repairs and construction are often initiated through resident complaints or surveys and, after evaluation, are put on the city’s to-do list or must undergo a petition process.

Once a sidewalk project is on the city’s radar, it is prioritized based on the severity and the material of the street and sidewalk.

COURTESY PHOTO

A crumbling sidewalk in a Fort Wayne neighborhood was recently replaced as part of the city’s “Walk Fort Wayne” plan.

A common sidewalk issue includes upheaves, where part of the sidewalk becomes uneven with the ground, which creates a safety hazard. Trip hazard repairs involve multiple sidewalks in a given neighborhood with a sidewalk upheave of one and a half

inches or smaller. Some of these repairs this past year included Arlington Heights, Pine Valley and Frances Slocum.

Many times, these types of sidewalk issues are caused by natural elements, like a tree root growing underneath a side-

walk. In these instances, a crew will use a horizontal saw to cut back the upheaved section of sidewalk and then fill and smooth the hole so it is flush with the remaining part of the sidewalk once more, said Kennedy.

If an upheave is greater than 2 inches, affects less than four squares of sidewalk and the street is made of asphalt, the street department’s concrete crew, funded by the motor vehicle highway fund, will remove and replace the sidewalk. For streets made of concrete, the job is bid out to various concrete companies in the area, who then also may consider repairs on the curbs and Americans with Disabilities Act compliant ramps on that street. Previous projects completed via a bid

are repairs on Maumee Avenue and Lincoln Park.

Sidewalk repair needs that do not make the city’s list are addressed through petitions for a 50/50 cost-sharing program, an update Henry implemented from the original 60 percent resident, 40 percent city cost-sharing program from before.

This is a way for residents to expedite the sidewalk repair process rather than waiting to gain recognition by the city. There are already 74 residents who have petitioned through the board of public works for 50 percent financing for repairs in 2017, the other 50 percent of which must be funded by the resident.

For entirely new sidewalk construction, the city community development’s “Walk Fort Wayne”

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plan looks at the major streets of Fort Wayne and considers where sidewalks are needed to better bridge the gaps, providing safer walking conditions around popular shopping centers and schools. Sidewalk construction on these roads is prioritized based on access and population density.

One of the major projects for the near future is at the intersection of Coliseum Boulevard and North Anthony Boulevard and on Illinois Road, Bluffton Road and Lake Avenue.

Though the development team has many plans to make Fort Wayne more accessible by foot, the community often changes and so the plan must be adjusted each year accordingly, said Pam Holocher, director of planning and policy for Fort Wayne.

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Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Biosolids find new purpose at Lake Avenue facility

By Rod King

For Times Community Publications

Fort Wayne’s Biosolids Handling Facility between the Maumee River and Lake Avenue has routinely gone about its business for nearly 50 years primarily out of public view. Settling lagoons, windrows of biosolids and lime, bulldozers, giant road scrapers, mixing bins and conveyor belts were all pretty much out of view from Lake Avenue.

People who took yard waste, brush trimmings and logs to the site and those who biked or hiked along the River Greenway were the only ones who really saw what was going on there. That was the case until Maplecrest Road was extended from Lake Avenue south across the river to U.S. 24 just west of New Haven a couple years ago. Now, drivers have an unobstructed view as they cut across part of the 400-acre facility.

The property is much more than a dumping ground for yard waste and effluent from the city’s Water Pollution Control plant on Dwenger Avenue. Instead, it is an efficiently run business that turns waste water into lime for use on farmers’ fields and sludge from the treatment plant and leaves from throughout the city into biosolids that can be

PHOTOS BY ROD KING

During the peak of fall leaf collection, trucks bring 61 tons of leaves each day to be composted on the east side of Maplecrest Road at Lake Street. The City of Fort Wayne’s Biosolids Handling Facility covers 400 acres.

used in landscaping and gardening.

As Frank Suarez, information director for City Utilities, said, “Every day out here is Earth Day. Everything that comes here is repurposed. Leaves are composted and then mixed with dry biosolids from 10 2-acre lagoons to make an extraordinarily rich fertilizer. Chemicals used to soften Fort Wayne’s drinking water are piped from the water treatment plant into 27 lagoons at the site. It settles for four to six months before it can be dredged out and put in windrows to dry. Prior to that it has the consistency of toothpaste and takes about two years from the time it is pumped into the lagoons to being a finished

product — lime.”

“This is an important city facility,” he added, “because it operates as a profit center and keeps thousands and thousands of tons of waste from going into landfills every year.

We sell more than 20,000 tons of biosolid products, nearly 30,000 tons of lime and around 2,500 tons of mulch a year. In addition, in October 2015 we began using the methane gas produced from ‘cooking’ the waste sludge in the anaerobic digestion process at the waste water treatment plant to make electricity.

It saved the city $420,000 on its electric bill this past year. We’re also looking into a method to process waste food byproducts. In short, we’re looking for

ways of improving the city’s carbon footprint.”

The city has contracted the operation of the Biosolids Handling Facility to Fox Contractors. Travis Medina of Fox is in charge of the day-to-day operation.

He works closely with Brian Robinson, biosolids superintendent and head of the waste water treatment plant. During peak season, more than 61 tons of leaves a day are brought to the site and dumped in a huge pile that includes bedding straw from the zoo. It will compost throughout the winter before being blended with the bulking agents (tree trimmings and yard waste) and biosolid waste and then placed in windrows. Special equipment is used to turn the windrows

Steam rises from biosolids material being aeriated by a windrow turner at the City of Fort Wayne’s Biosolids Handling Facility on East Lake Street at Maplecrest Road.

that otherwise would go to a landfill. We screen the rocks out of the dirt and recycle it for use by the city. The concrete is crushed and used for road bedding.”

Residential waste accepted at the facility includes branches, logs, grass, leaves (loose or in biodegradable paper bags), brush trimmings and clean root balls no bigger than 42 inches in diameter. There is a minimal charge for residential waste. Mulch and fertilizer is free when loaded by the homeowner.

Hours at the facility from December through March are 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. April through November hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For more information, call (260) 749-8040.

five times in the first 15 days to maintain an internal temperature of 140 degrees, which kills weed seeds and micro-organisms.

As Robinson explained, “the biosolid material is better than dry/granular fertilizer because it sticks well to the soil and acts more like dirt. It actually improves the physical characteristic of the soil. It tends to make clay-like soils lighter and more porous and helps sandy soils retain water. Blended with mulch, biosolids reduce watering requirements. As a potting medium, biosolids make an excellent substitute for manure composts, peat moss and other typical soil mixes.”

“We also run a spoils recovery operation, which involves bringing dirt, rocks and concrete here from various city projects

Financial Focus

Financial Financial Focus Focus

When You Retire, Where Can You Find Investment Income?

As an investor, your main goals will change at different times in your life.

During your working years, you need to grow as many resources as possible for retirement. Once you retire, however, you will likely need to focus more on getting income from your investments.

But what are your options?

There’s no shortage of incomeproducing investments, of course. You might immediately think of bonds, which can provide regular interest payments and probable preservation of principal, provided the bonds are considered “investment grade.” Still, if interest rates are low when you retire – as they have been for several years now – bonds might not provide you with as much income as you need. And just as importantly, the income you receive from most bonds won’t rise over time, leaving you susceptible to inflation and the loss of purchasing power.

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Consequently, you may also need to explore other types of incomegenerating vehicles, including dividendpaying stocks and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

Some stocks have not only paid but also increased their dividends for many consecutive years. These stocks have historically provided the potential for rising income to help combat inflation and are typically well-run companies that strive to reward their investors.

Nonetheless, you need to recognize that even these stocks are not obligated to pay you dividends, and they are free to lower or discontinue them at any time without notice.

as hotels and shopping centers, while mortgage REITs, as the name suggests, own and invest in property mortgages.

Is one form of REIT better than another?

There’s no simple answer. On the one hand, mortgage REITs are considered riskier than equity REITs. However, mortgage REITs often pay quite large dividends, although the payout can be inconsistent. (Like all REITs, mortgage REITs must pay 90% of their taxable income to investors in the form of dividends. Due to this requirement, REITs generally need to raise capital to finance their growth plans, and this necessity can affect their share prices.)

Federal Reserve raises interest rates, as such a move would indicate a strong economy, more jobs and greater demand for office space. In the short term, though, even equity REITs can react negatively to an interest-rate increase.

But over the long term, this movement can be offset by the benefits of earnings and dividend growth driven by a growing economy.

Clearly, there’s much to think about when considering potential incomeproducing options such as bonds, dividend-paying stocks and REITs. Ultimately, you will need to weigh the merits and risks of these investments – including interest rate risk, credit risk and market risk – and determine which of them, or which combination of them, are most appropriate for your needs.

Other factors, such as changing interest rates, will affect the value of mortgage Now, let’s turn to a second type of and equity REITs differently. Specifically, potential income-producing asset: Real rising interest rates will likely cause the estate investment trusts (REITs). market value of the property mortgages This article was written by Edward Jones Different types of REITs are available. inside mortgage REITs to fall, whereas for use by your local Edward Jones For example, equity REITs invest in equity REITs, which own actual and own commercial properties, such buildings, might actually benefi t if the Financial Advisor.

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Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Environmental focus:

By Whitney Wright

Riverfront Fort Wayne, IPFW team up to plan environmental stewardship center

For Times Community Publications

Riverfront Fort Wayne’s mission to make Fort Wayne’s waterways an iconic part of living and visiting the area not only rests on its ability to provide recreation and economic development, but also sustainability and environmental protection.

As a part of this effort, plans for an Environmental Stewardship Center are underway through efforts of Environmental Resources Center, at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, and its collaboration with the city and interested residents.

The stewardship center was a part of the original vision of Riverfront Fort Wayne and is the first major environment-focused development for the riverfront. To gain additional ideas for what the center may involve, an IPFW student distributed surveys to various stakeholders.

The location of the stewardship center is yet to be determined, though Guldlin Park is in high consideration because it will have access to the river, said Bruce Kingsbury, director of IPFW’s Environmental Resources Center.

While plans for the stewardship center are still in the works, Riverfront Fort Wayne provided a handful of programs that are envi-

Life

COURTESY DRAWINGS

Riverfront Fort Wayne recently released updated final renderings for the development along the rivers in downtown Fort Wayne. Here you see a planned canopy trail.

ronmentally related in 2015 and 2016, including educational panels on the river water quality and bird watching once a month.

The parks department hosted a river camp for children eight to 12 years old that focused on the environment and its history and the Tri-State Watershed Alliance also heads a river water cleanup and eradication of invasive species, said Alison Gerardot, manager of programs and events for Riverfront Fort Wayne.

These activities and events are all a precursor to what Riverfront Fort Wayne’s environmental stewardship center is to become. A physical facility with relevant local ecological information and demonstrations is certainly a major consideration for the center.

It also will likely include

through

some of the surrounding grounds and green space for demonstrations while also providing accessibility to nature trails and examples of sustainable and natural landscaping.

All of these elements will also likely become a multiple-use base for events, such as receptions and weddings, and act as a complement to some of the harder concrete modifications on the riverfront.

Members of the city and IPFW are also interested in providing educational resources for learning about the local habitats, the proper use of wetlands as a way to keep water clean and displays on wildlife and restoration. A riverfront stewardship center could include a wet lab, where samples of the river could be brought into the facility for study and analyzing.

“The facility itself would

A pavilion faces the St. Mary’s River in an updated final rendering that was released recently by Riverfront Fort Wayne.

mostly be about education … a destination for students, older kids for research or a professional agency’s personnel for studies on the environ-

ment,” said Kingsbury.

Riverfront Fort Wayne’s stewardship center could be an example of the possibilities with new technology in sustainable energy. This

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could include harvesting solar energy to run the lights, heating and cooling, or cleaning collected run-off from the building and parking lot to use for landscape before it enters the river.

For now, all of these ideas are simply up on the drawing board. Members of Riverfront Fort Wayne and those involved in IPFW’s Environmental Resources Center continue to work on the feasibility of these projects, gaining ideas and advice from other similar programs in the Midwest and fundraising.

A8 • INfortwayne.com

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Hoffman honored for occupational therapy

Huntington University’s Dr. Denise Hoffman has been awarded the honor of Roster of Fellow for the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association. The award was presented at the association’s annual conference.

The Roster of Fellows recognizes members of the MiOTA who during

their career have made a significant contribution to the continuing education and professional development of members through therapeutic practice, education, research, and/ or administration. Both scholarly contribution and organizational leadership are considered for Roster of Fellow award.

“Dr. Hoffman’s professional engagement in advocacy, policy development and occupational therapy clinical skills provide the Huntington University OTD students and faculty a wealth of experience and network opportunities,” said Dr. Ruth Ford, associate dean of health sciences and Occupational Therapy Doctorate program director.

Hoffman joined the faculty in 2016 and specializes in pediatrics,

adolescents and adults with developmental delays. After working in a variety Hoffman of settings over the years including hospital based, school, home health, women’s health and mental health, Hoffman transitioned into a clinic director position in outpatient therapy creating new programming and leadership opportunities

for occupational therapists.

Hoffman’s entrepreneur interests led her to open a private practice and serve the community of southwest Michigan using hippotherapy and animal assisted therapy. Hoffman has served as the lead occupational therapist at Western Michigan School of Medicine Multidisciplinary Medically Complex and Cleft Palate Clinics.

Hoffman is a graduate of Central Michigan University receiving a bachelor of

science degree with a focus on pre-veterinary medicine.

She completed her occupational therapy degree from Western Michigan University and continued her education earning both her master’s and doctorate degrees from Quinnipiac University.

Huntington University’s occupational therapy doctorate program began in 2014 and has been ranked No. 1 out of 450 OT schools in the United States

by GraduatePrograms.com.

HU’s online marketing degree ranked nationally BestChoiceSchools.com has ranked Huntington University’s online bachelor’s degree in marketing No. 11 out of the top 20 schools to make the list for 2016-2017. To create this year’s Top 20 list, BestChoiceSchools.com examined 136 accredited colleges and universities that offer an online bach-

elor’s in marketing or a bachelor’s in business administration with a marketing concentration.

“Marketing is at the center of success for any organization. Our goal is to provide an environment where our students are able to blend theory, training and ethical behaviors into practice. We are honored

to be featured among the nation’s best marketing programs,” Julie Goetz, director of Graduate and Professional Programs, said in a statement.

For this list of schools, BestChoiceSchools.com noted the percentage of applicants admitted, graduation rates, undergraduate tuition/fees, and

student-to-faculty ratios.

BestChoiceSchools.com’s data was taken from the most recent information published by the National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator.

To review the list of schools and ranking points, go to bestchoiceschools. com/rankings/online/ marketing/.

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INfortwayne.com • A9

$40,000 gift allocated to Welcome Center

LIFE SKILLS

COURTESY PHOTOS

Each week, Roanoke Elementary School designates a life skill to pursue through its Our Strongest Link effort.

The focus for a recent week was Curiosity. The following students were chosen by their teachers as exhibiting the life skill of Curiosity: (front row, from left) Mason Dondjkowski, Benjamin Thurston, Jacob Hosler, (middle row) Ella Perkins, Norman Wilkinson, Ben Augspurger, Kristen Plasterer, Owen Crago, Kennedy Zahm, (back row) Cohen Endsley, Georgia Denney, Alexis Nunemaker, Josie Mueller, Dylan Cissell, Breyden Black and Braianah Reed.

A recent weekly Our Strongest Link life skill at Roanoke Elementary School was Initiative. The following students were chosen by their teachers as exhibiting the life skill of Initiative: (front row, from left) Wyatt Shockney, Balen Hoffman, Jaxon Crawford, (middle row) Mason Morris, Ambrea Milton, Emily Fritz, Lily Campbell, MaKenzie Cuttriss, Tyler Gross, (back row) Belle Ottinger, Jesalyn Klopfenstein, Chloe Horne, Kirah Klepper, Mason Grom, Carissa Gasper, Kaitlyn Sparks, (not pictured) Israel Herrin and Derrik Horne

A recent weekly Our Strongest Link life skill at Roanoke Elementary School was Courage. The following students were chosen by their teachers as exhibiting the life skill of Courage: (front, from left) Molly Hawkins, Adriana Geiger, Gavin Pape, (middle row) Elijah Coleman, Audrey Crawford, Corbin Ingram, Sydney Taylor, Landon Bratton, Caiden Pohler, (back row) Aubrie Cox, Codie Sumner, Michael Rice, Evan Hoffman, Sophia Scheer, Braydon Lawhorn, Chloe North and Danny Horne.

Huntington University announced it has received a $40,000 donation from First Federal Savings Bank and Steve and Alyce Zahn of Huntington. The funds will be allocated to the university’s recently completed Welcome Center.

“We are so thankful to the Zahn family, First Federal Savings Bank and its shareholders for this impactful gift. This new space will provide the type of first impression to our guests that truly

represents the excellence we pursue at Huntington University,” Vince Haupert, vice president for advancement, said in a statement.

Officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in October, the 3,000-square-foot Welcome Center is part of the Merillat Centre for the Arts and houses both undergraduate and graduate admissions offices, as well as meeting spaces for prospective students and campus visitors.

“The development of the new Welcome Center has transformed the work of the admissions team,” Daniel Solms, vice president of enrollment management and marketing, said in a statement. “The new space allows us to focus on our visitors and their experience while they are on campus, helping us to better connect as we share the legacy of Huntington University.”

First Federal Savings Bank and the Zahn family

have been longtime supporters of Huntington University and both are members of the Milton Wright Fellowship.

Stephen Zahn was a director on the Huntington University Foundation, board of trustees, and received Huntington University’s Distinguished Service Award in 2004.

Michael Zahn, Steve’s son, currently serves as vice president of finance for the Huntington University Foundation board of directors.

Parkview Huntington on telecardiology platform The Parkview Heart Institute, in partnership with Parkview Physicians Group – Cardiology, Parkview Huntington Hospital and Professional Emergency Physicians, has introduced a new way to deliver care to cardiology patients. The first of its kind in northeast Indiana, the telecardiology platform allows admitted patients to meet via video from PHH with a cardiologist at PHI, creating a higher level of cardiology care in Huntington and reducing transfers to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.

“This innovative approach allows us to offer the same expert care and consultation a patient would receive at PHI, from the convenience of their local hospital,” Michael GeRue, chief operating officer, Parkview Heart Institute, said in a statement.

When a patient with nonurgent, cardiac-related symptoms is admitted to PHH and an on-site cardiologist is not available within four hours,

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a telecardiology visit is scheduled. Consultation and examination is completed using a video camera, monitor and digital stethoscope, which is positioned on the patient by a nurse.

The cardiologist talks directly to the patient via video, utilizing the digital stethoscope to hear the patient’s heart and lungs and reviewing all testing that has been performed via the patient’s electronic health record. After the consultation, the cardiologist may place orders, prescribe medications or provide recommendations to the attending physi-

cian regarding further diagnostic testing and followup outpatient care at PHH. “The patient is at the physician’s fingertips, just like if they were in an exam room,” said Roy Robertson, MD, president, Parkview Heart Institute, and interventional cardiologist, Parkview Physicians Group – Cardiology.

“Our feedback on the platform thus far has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to evaluating the use of this program throughout Parkview’s four other community hospitals, giving even more patients

access to convenient cardiology care.”

Telecardiology is an extension of the consultative cardiology care PHI has offered for many years. All cardiologists from Parkview Physicians Group – Cardiology may be available via telecardiology for their patients seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Telecardiology is just one of the ways Parkview is advancing the way we deliver specialty care.

It’s transformative platforms like this that create greater access for patients and result in a healthier community,” GeRue said.

A10 • INfortwayne.com

Public programs’ topics cover hobbies and health

SANTACON SCENE

PHOTO BY RAY STEUP

Brooke Auld and Sean Dold, both of Fort Wayne, become Cindy Lou Who and The Grinch for the first Santacon Fort Wayne. Hundreds of Santas and other Christmas characters visited nine downtown pubs Dec. 10 for the charity fundraiser. Learn more about Santacon by watching Ray Steup’s video on InFortWayne.com.

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The Allen County Extension Office will offer several public programs this winter and spring. The general public is invited to attend. No registration is required. All programs are held at the Allen County Extension Office on the IPFW campus, 4001 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne.

Direct questions to Vickie Hadley at the Allen County Extension Office, (260) 481-6826.

The Extension Office offered these details and descriptions: • Vitamin D: Sunshine or Supplement? Thursday, Feb. 9, 1 p.m. Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, plays an important role in bone health and

overall health. How much do you need? Are you getting enough from your diet and the sun? Are supplements safe? What foods provide Vitamin D? Come learn how Vitamin D plays an essential role to your health.

• Easy Care Flower Favorites. Monday, March 13, 7 p.m. Do you enjoy the beauty of flowers in your gardens, but it is becoming more difficult to keep up with their care?

Learn easy care flower favorites from a Master Gardener.

• Raised Bed Gardening.

Tuesday, April 25, 7 p.m.

Enjoy gardening, but getting down and back up is challenging? Frus-

trated with the high level of clay in the soil that makes gardening success difficult? Learn how to garden in raised beds from a Master Gardener.

• D.A.S.H. to the Mediterranean. Tuesday, May 9, 7 p.m. All of the eating plans out there add to the confusion of which one to follow. The D.A.S.H. and Mediterranean eating plans are both top-rated for being relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe, effective for weight loss and protective against diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.

This class will contrast and compare the plans and will include some healthy recipes and menus that you can try.

Children’s Zoo accepting scholarship applications The Fort Wayne Zoological Society is accepting applications for the Lawrence A. Ackerman Scholarship, which bestows a one-time, $2,000 award to a college-bound high school senior pursuing an animal-related career.

The scholarship award is based on an applicant’s character, commitment to the stewardship of animals, financial need

and scholastic achievement. Graduating high school seniors in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties in Indiana are eligible to apply.

The Fort Wayne Zoological Society established the scholarship in 1992 to honor the career of the late Dr. Larry

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Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Ackerman, who served as the zoo’s veterinarian for 25 years.

Interested students can download an application at kidszoo.org/ employment-opportunities/. Students may also request an application by calling the zoo office at (260) 427-6800 or visiting their school guidance office. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2017

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Special interest courses on history, media, more The Allen County Extension Homemakers will offer the following programs this winter and spring. The general public is invited to attend.

Prior registration is required as some class space is limited. Any and all lesson fees must be paid in advance to hold reservations. Registration forms are available at the Extension Office and on the web at extension. purdue.edu/allen. All programs are held at the Allen County Extension Office on the IPFW campus, 4001 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne.

Direct questions to Vickie Hadley at (260) 481-6826 or TDD -711.

The Extension Office provided these details and course descriptions: • Olive Oil 101.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m.

Do you use olive oil in cooking? Learn from the owner of Olive Twist the benefits and uses of olive oil.

• Tracing Family History. Wednesday, Feb. 8, 1 p.m. Learn from the Genealogy Department of the Allen County Public Library the resources to trace your family history, searching cemetery records and the use of DNA. • Using Social Media.

Thursday, March 30, 7 p.m. Are you on Facebook? Sending Tweets?

COURTESY PHOTO

Fourth-grader Zach Calderon plays Michael the Archangel in the Christmas program “Angels Aware!” at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School.

Preschool to fourth grade present Seton Christmas Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School preschoolers through fourth-graders performed in the annual Christmas program Dec. 6, with both a matinee and an evening performance for fellow students, staff, families and friends.

For the matinee performance, the all-day and 4-year-old preschoolers of teachers Molly Schwartz and Sharen Gall sang three Christmas songs and were accompanied on the banjo by technology teacher Steve Palmer.

The kindergartners in the classes of Tonya Brown,

Margaret Widner and Karen Tippmann sang three songs accompanied by hand motions.

The first- through fourth-graders performed in the Christmas program “Angels Aware!” A number of the fourthgraders had speaking parts and singing solos.

The students sang and performed in “Angels Aware!” at both a matinee and evening performance. The students were directed by music teacher Danielle Rush. Media specialist Mr. Steve Gallagher assisted at the sound board.

Following LinkedIn? Don’t understand these terms? Come and learn.

• Famous and Not-So Famous People — Past and Present. Thursday, April 27, 7 p.m. Join Gen Dornbush, board member of Settler’s and The History Center of Fort Wayne, to learn about famous and not-so-famous people, past and present from Allen County.

• Different Uses of Glass. Wednesday, May 10, 1 p.m. Learn many decorating and gift ideas for canning jars. Put your creativity to use by: painting on glass, $3; or decorating votive candles, $2; or both. ” All supplies are included in the fees.

INfortwayne.com • A11

CITY OF CHURCHES TOUR

PHOTO BY RAY STEUP

Visitors tour the sanctuary of First Wayne Street United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne during the inaugural City of Churches tour, the evening of Dec. 9.

Many of the historic downtown churches opened to visitors. Several offered food and refreshments during the free tours. See 24 photos by Ray Steup at “City of Churches Tour” on InFortWayne.com.

A12 • INfortwayne.com

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Students portray saints for school and community

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School had some special visitors for All Saints Day. The guests included Saint Pope John Paul II, Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Peter, Saint Juan Diego, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Perpetua, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and others.

Seton fourth-graders sponsored the annual “Wax Museum of Saints.”

Prior to the event, the fourth-graders researched their saints. Before and after the All Saints Day Mass, the fourth-grade student-saints posed in the school’s hallways and atrium. In front of each student-saint was a can and a red circle “button.”

When a visitor dropped a coin in the can and pressed the red button, the student-saint told some facts about his or her saint.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Fourth-grader Luke Ellis tells about his saint, Saint Patrick, as Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School parent Andrea O’Neill listens.

The student-saints shared the information they had researched, such as the time and place of their saint’s birth, how he or she died, other significant facts about the saint’s life, and of which group their saint

is the patron saint.

“Our school community looks forward to this event each year!” said Principal Lois Widner.

“The students work so hard on researching their saints, and then they have

Student-saints Maren Augustine, Faith Steffan and Isabel Gabriel pose for a photo on All Saints Day at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School.

the opportunity to share the Good News with all our school and parish. I am so proud of our fourthgraders and our teachers.”

The fourth-grade student-saints were directed in this annual project by teachers Sarah Darling and Katie Klinker.

All money collected during the Wax Museum of Saints is donated to the Saint Mary’s Soup Kitchen in downtown Fort Wayne.

‘JOURNEY’ ACROSS AMERICA

COURTESY PHOTO

Amy Bowman speaks to the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton congregation after the announcement that she is the school’s Light of Learning Award recipient. The Rev. Matt Soberalski and Principal Lois Widner listen to Bowman’s remarks.

COURTESY PHOTO

Alexis Miguel and Anna Verslype look at a poster board of New York as part of the Journey Across America festival at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School. Students in first- through fifth-grades researched different states and Washington, D.C., and created displays. Visitors were issued “boarding passes” to visit the various classrooms.

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Bowman receives Seton’s Light of Learning Award Fifth-grade teacher Amy Bowman is this year’s Light of Learning Award teacher at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton School. Principal Lois Widner made the announcement at an all-school Mass.

Widner described Bowman as meeting all the criteria for the award, as well as being positive, cheerful, Christ-like, an excellent communicator, an outstanding educator

and “a gem.”

Bowman came up to the front of the church to receive several gifts in honor of the award. On her way, she met both of her parents and three of her four children, who surprised her with their presence.

“This just made my day!” Bowman said.

Bowman has taught at Seton School for three years. Prior to this teaching assignment,

she taught at Saint Jude Catholic School and Saint Joseph Hessen Cassel Catholic School.

Bowman attended Indiana University — Purdue University Fort Wayne and majored in elementary education.

Bowman will attend a special luncheon with Bishop Kevin Rhoades that honors all the Light of Learning Award recipients from the Fort Wayne area Catholic schools.

HOMESTEAD

tagging them in it,” she said.

More recent posts have included some current events, such as the Friendsgiving at Homestead. Overall, though, the page is attuned to alumni and victories past.

Intern Emma Leininger, a junior, has written several “Where Are They Now?” features for the Facebook page.

Asiala, a senior, also

wrote a profile.

“I think it’s a really good way to connect people back to their high school,” Asiala said.

“Homestead is turning 50, so to speak. That’s a long time, and for all the alumni back to 1972 to as current as the spring of 2017 to come together is an interesting mix. It’s interesting to see how people from then and now experienced Homestead.”

from Page A1

2448 Getz Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46804 • 260-432-5007

unique to Homestead.”

Asiala is drawing from the archived yearbooks to supplement the Facebook page. She has scanned and posted eight photos from each year.

“When I first published the page people were looking at the albums and commenting on the pictures, like ‘Oh, I know who this is,’ or

INfortwayne.com • A13

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

WINTERVAL

WINTERVAL 2017 ACTIVITIES

from Page A1

said of Snow Bowl playing conditions.

“We’ve had some that were pretty muddy.

We’ve only canceled one in the last 10 years. That was because of really bad weather, like negative 8.”

“If it’s good snow, it’s a great game. It it’s mud, it’s a great game,” he said. But there’s something about crunching through jagged ice in rugby shorts and short-sleeve jerseys that takes the fun out of a midwinter match, even for the fiercest of athletes.

The hits just seem harder when the world is frozen. “It’s gonna hurt a little worse than usual, but it’s kind of a tradition,” DiFilippo said.

“Some of the older guys are like ‘I’ve had my fair share of Snow Bowls.’ ” “We call it a motley game,” he said. “Since it’s the middle of winter we don’t want to be super-competitive, so we mix the teams up and we get some guys from Taylor University and IPFW that come out and they mix in with the local men’s club.”

Spectators are welcome to assemble at Lawton Park, 1900 N. Clinton St., and watch the match. Anyone who is willing to wait in the cold is welcome to see some good, free rugby, DiFilippo said, adding that the match also serves as a recruiting tool. “January is a time when people are getting their New Year’s resolutions together and they say this looks like fun.

But at the end of the day, it’s a community event for us, because we don’t have many opportunities to put ourselves in front of the city. So it’s a good opportunity for people to

FILE PHOTO

Ice sculptors create art from blocks of ice for Winterval. Completed sculptures also will be available for viewing at six stops in downtown Fort Wayne.

understand what rugby is all about.”

And what is rugby all about? DiFilippo loves to hear that question.

“Rugby is the meeting in the middle of soccer and American football,” he said. “It was popular here [America] during the Victorian era, but they thought it was just a little too violent, so they started adding some rules.” And some padding, he added; and football was born. “[Rugby] is the most fun you can have in a contact sport because there are no pads, and it’s a very athletic game. Not only do you have to be the kind of person to sustain the contact, you also have to be able to play the whole game, because we play an 80-minute match.”

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‘You have to have really great stamina and be a hard hitter.

We’re one of the fastest growing sports in the country. We’re where youth soccer was 10 years ago,” he said.

The team plays 18 competitive matches each year, and four competitive tournaments across the Midwest, with the bulk of the games in Indiana. Home matches are played at McMillen Park; for the schedule, follow fwrfc.com.

Fort Wayne also supports a women’s rugby team. Boys club teams bear the names of Bishop Dwenger, Carroll, Leo, Homestead, Angola and Warsaw high schools, and there is a Bishop Dwenger girls club team.

In his position

Downtown Fort Wayne. Most activities are on Saturday, Jan. 28. Visit fortwayneparks.org for details.

• Live ice carvings. Times to be announced. Watch ice sculptors create their masterpieces at: Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St.; Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, noon-2 p.m.; The Community Center, 233 W. Main St. • Presculpted ice carvings. Stop by these sites at your convenience to see completed ice carvings: Hoppy Gnome, 203 E. Berry St.; Riverfront Fort Wayne, 916 S. Calhoun St.; Visit Fort Wayne, 927 S. Harrison St.; Saint Francis Performing Arts Center, 431 W. Berry St.; and Freimann Square, 200 E. Main St. • Winter Carnival at the Community Center, 233 W. Main St., 1-4 p.m. Bring the whole family out for snow crafts and activities, ice carving demonstrations and treats. If there’s no snow, the fun will move indoors. Fort Wayne Youththeater presents “Dr. Seuss on the Loose” at 2 p.m.; free. Carriage rides are available on a first-come basis from 1-4 p.m.

• Winterval at the Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St., 10 am.-3 p.m. Make a winter bird feeder, learn about the different winter survival strategies of animals, and explore the “Mary Poppins” garden exhibit. Regular Conservatory admission applies.

• Nouvelle Annee: A French Garrison 1757. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Experience a winter with the French of Fort Miamis.

Re-enactors from “Les Habitants et Marines du Post ed Miamis” will spend the weekend living in The with Rugby Indiana, DiFilippo trains coaches around the Midwest on safe tackling techniques and the coaching process.

Fort Wayne Rugby has played the Snow Bowl for several years, usually on the day after

Old Fort and re-creating events that occurred in and around what is now Fort Wayne in the year 1757. They do so by examining letters written by the French commanders of what was then known as Fort Miamis and then attempt to re-create those events.

Mail call, military drills, scouting, cooking and sewing are some of the activities that will be re-enacted.

• Snow Bowl rugby game. 1 p.m., Lawton Park, 1900 N. Clinton St. • Winterval at Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Regular admission rates apply.

• Winterval at the Library, 900 Library Plaza, 2-4 p.m. Free.

• Ice skating at Headwaters Park, 333 S. Clinton St., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Regular fees apply.

• Freeze Frame Picture Car & Truck Show, First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St., 8 a.m.-noon. Bring a photo of your model car to be judged. $10 entry. Spectators admitted free.

• Penguin Hunt; new for 2017. The Winterval penguin will be hanging out downtown in the days prior to Winterval. Go to majic951.com each morning for clues to its location for the day.

Find the penguin, take a selfie and send it to the WintervalFW Facebook page (facebook.com/Wintervalfw) to be entered into the daily prize drawing. During the Winterval event, a Grand Prize winner will be selected from those who participated.

• Winter Cozy; new for 2017. Friday, Jan. 27, 8-10 p.m. Historic Wells Street Bridge. This event will feature a heated tent, bonfires, live music and beverages for ages 21-plus. Tickets are $10. Space is limited.

Christmas or New Year’s Day. When the Parks Department asked the club to lend its talents to the new Winterval, the match moved to late January.

“It’s just a chance to play between seasons and have a social event.

December-January is kind of the middle of playing in the fall and the spring, so we just kind of dust the cobwebs off and get outdoors no matter what the weather is and have a little rugby game,” DiFilippo said.

Community Calendar

A14 • INfortwayne.com

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

Include news of your group, too

Send news of your group to gsnow@kpcmedia.com by Jan. 24 for the Feb. 3 issue. Items will be selected and edited as space permits.

and program details, visit sciencecentral.org.

FRIDAY, JAN. 20

Fort Wayne. 6-9 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m. $7 cover includes disc jockey, cash bar and potluck carry-in. For more information, call Doug at (260) 704-3669.

“Three Rivers: A Brief History.” The History Center, 302 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne. 2 p.m. Free and open to the public. Don Orban presents this installment in the 23rd annual George R. Mather Sunday Lecture Series.

Exposing human trafficking. Victory Noll Center, 1900 W. Park Drive, Huntington. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $35, which includes lunch. Register by Jan. 17 at victorynollcenter.org/social-justice-formation or by calling (260) 200-1740. January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The Northeast Indiana Anti-Trafficking Network will host this day of education and training, entitled “It Happens Here: Human Trafficking in Indiana.” The program will begin with sessions on topics such as what human trafficking is, the trends in the region and state, and how to talk with and assist victims of trafficking. A human trafficking survivor will share their personal story. There will also be a panel made up of service providers, law enforcement, and former victims discussing what steps to take to help put an end to human trafficking in Indiana.

SUNDAY, JAN. 15

SATURDAY, JAN. 21

SUNDAY, JAN. 8 Include news of your group, too Sunday Night Singles Dance. American Legion Post 47, 601 Reed Road,

Mannerchor, an 80-voice male chorus. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3425 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne. At the 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services.

All are welcome. The chorus represents Holy Cross and five Michigan churches. Various hymns and anthems will be offered, including a recent arrangement of the “Te Deum” by Kantor Kevin Hildebrand, Concordia Theological Seminary. Kantor Hildebrand will also be the guest organist for those services along with brass and timpani. Jonathan Busarow, executive artistic director for the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, will serve as guest soloist. Holy Cross’s senior pastor, Rev. Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer, will share the Gospel found in John 1:38.

MONDAY, JAN. 16

Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Day celebration. Grand Wayne Center, 120 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. 8 a.m. Breakfast with the Clergy, $20. The keynote speaker is MLK look-alike Troy Thomas, who has been performing the civil rights leader’s speeches around the country for more than 20 years. The breakfast program also includes a film tribute to the Obama White House years. Buy breakfast reservations in advance by calling Bennie Edwards at (260) 760-6867, or email bjecsm011@frontier.com. Unity Day is admission is $5. Buy a membership for $20 and receive a ball cap and souvenir booklet.

TUESDAY, JAN. 17

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. 7:30 p.m. This performance opens the four-part Broadway at the Embassy series. Season tickets range from $135 to $255. For more information, visit the STAR Bank box office at the Embassy or call (260) 424-5665 or visit fwembassytheatre.org. The series also includes: “Once,” March 27; “Pippin,” April 18; and “Rent” 20th Anniversary Tour, June 13. The Princess Party at 6 p.m. the evening of “Cinderella” is available separately, for $15. To get tickets, follow the link at fwembassytheatre.org.

Tuffy’s Trivia Night. Bishop Dwenger High School, 1300 E. Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne. 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person in advance or $15 per person at the door. Assemble a team of 10, or be placed on a team. Carry-in food is OK; a cash bar will be available.

Must be 21 or older to attend. Register at bishopdwenger.com/trivianight or call Molly Schreck at (260) 496-4775.

SUNDAY, JAN. 22

Sunday Night Singles Dance. American Legion Post 47, 601 Reed Road, Fort Wayne. 6-9 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m. $7 cover includes disc jockey, cash bar and potluck carry-in. For more information, call Doug at (260) 704-3669.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 25

Free lecture on ISIS. University of Saint Francis, 5201 Spring St., Fort Wayne; in the Brookside Ballroom. 7 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Dr. Adam DeVille presents “ISIS and the Crusades: On the Uses and Abuses of History.” This lecture is sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Theology.

FRIDAY, JAN. 27

Fish fry. Fort Wayne Sport Club, 3102 Ardmore Ave., Fort Wayne. 4:30 p.m. $9 for adults, $4 for children 6-10, younger children eat for free.

Dinner includes dessert, all made by members of the Sport Club.

SUNDAY, FEB. 5 History lecture. The History Center, 302 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne. 2

p.m. Free and open to the public. Anthony Conley presents “War as a Tool for Group Uplift: African American Thought & Wartime Military Service in the 20th Century.” The lecture is part of the 23rd annual George R. Mather Sunday Lecture Series.

FRIDAY, FEB. 10

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18

State Ballet of Russia: Tchaikovsky Spectacular. Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $25 to $55. To get tickets, follow the link from fwembassytheatre.org.

Special Abilities Day. Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne.

Free to members of the special-abilities community with advance registration. Presented with the support of the AWS Foundation. For hours

My Cold Hearted Valentine: Season III. Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. 6-10 p.m. Must be 21 to attend. Early-bird and member price, $20 for individuals or $35 for couples. Nonmember price after Feb. 2, $25 for individuals or $45 for couples. A night of mystery and mingling. Explore the science center, drink in hand, interview suspects and examine the evidence. Deluxe ticket packages are available at a

higher rate, include one beverage ticket per person and a reserved seat in the Demonstration Theater during the 9:30 p.m. reveal. Get tickets at sciencecentral.org.

SUNDAY, FEB. 12 Sunday Night Singles Dance. American Legion Post 47, 601 Reed Road, Fort Wayne. 6-9 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m. $7 cover includes disc jockey, cash bar and potluck carry-in. For more information, call Doug at (260) 704-3669.

NOTICES / REGISTRATION / MULTIPLE DATES / TICKETS ON SALE

Fort Wayne Farmer’s Indoor Winter Market. Lincoln Financial Event Center, 1301 Ewing St., Fort Wayne. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., every Saturday. Local market enthusiasts and vendors have come together in a grass-roots effort to create an indoor farmers market. For details, visit ftwaynesfarmersmarket.com.

Fort Wayne Farm Show. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Free admission. Hours are: Tuesday, Jan. 17, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Thursday, Jan. 19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

71st annual Mizpah Shrine Circus. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Tickets start at $14. Performances: Thursday, Jan. 26, 6:30 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 27, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 29, 1 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. For tickets, visit mizpahshrinecircus.com.

Outdoor Sports, Lake & Cabin Show. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Tickets $10 for adults, with children 12 and under admitted free. Show hours: Friday, Jan. 27, noon-10 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit outdoorsportlakecabinshow.com for details. Beer & Bacon Fest will be held within the outdoors show area from 5-10 p.m. Jan. 27, for a separate admission.

Get Fort Wayne ChocolateFest 2017 tickets. 6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, Parkview Field. Visit eventbrite.com. John Chapman Kiwanis Club Foundation presents this fundraiser to support Riley Hospital for Children and local children’s charities. Kick off the Valentine’s Day weekend with three all-you-can-eat chocolate fountains, chocolate desserts and hors d’oeuvres. Dance to live entertainment from the Dee Gees Band. Cash bar. Free parking. Silent auction.

Master Gardeners applications. The Purdue University Master Gardener volunteer training sessions will begin April 3 and conclude in midJune. Training sessions will be conducted from 6-9:15 p.m. at the Allen County Extension office, 4001 Crescent Ave. on the IPFW Campus.

Weekly classes are separate teaching sessions, not repetition of the same material. The $125 program fee includes class material and a reference notebook. To learn more about this program, contact Ricky Kemery at the Allen County Extension office at (260) 481-6435 or (260) 505-7493 or email at kemeryr@purdue.edu.

Alpha — an exploration of faith. Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church, 7308 Saint Joe Road, Fort Wayne, is offering 12 nights of this nondenominational exploration of the basic teachings of the Christian faith. The program begins 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15. All are welcome. Supper will be served at the beginning of each session. Call the Saint Alban’s Church office at (260) 485-8022 to register in order to facilitate planning food and materials.

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Community Calendar

Aboite News • January 6, 2017 Community Sew-In. The Pieceful Quilters club will gather Feb. 18 at the Monroeville Branch of the Allen County Public Library to make items for various non-profit groups. They have selected five groups for their first service project: Parkview Regional Hospital – Neonatal Unit, Woodburn Christian Children’s Home, Adams Heritage Nursing Facility, Res Care Youth Services and Lutheran Social Services. Quilters will make baby quilts/blankets, lap quilts/blankets, pillow cases and walker bags. The community is invited to participate in this project.

Everyone is welcome to help. Those who do not sew can help by cutting fabric or ironing. The club will accept donations of cotton, flannel, fleece fabric or thread. Contact Kathy Beauchot at (260) 623-2290 to help at the sew-in, donate items or to obtain additional information.

Headwaters Park Ice Skating Rink. 333 S. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. Through Feb. 28, 2017. Mondays-Thursdays, 1-8 p.m.; Fridays, noon-10 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sundays, noon-8 p.m. Admission: 14 years and older, $5; 13 years and under, $3; skate rental, $2 Savor Fort Wayne. Forty-one Fort Wayne restaurants are offering threecourse, value-priced menus during the fourth annual Savor Fort Wayne, from Jan. 11-22. Participating restaurants will feature specially crafted menus, including appetizers, salads, steaks, sandwiches, seafood, pasta, ethnic delights, dessert, and more in addition to vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. New restaurants to Savor Fort Wayne this year include Shoccu, The Rib Room, Tolon, The Golden, Salud!, Trubble Brewing, Main Street Bistro and Naked Tchopstix. Diners can also make an evening out during Savor Fort Wayne by taking advantage of special ticket offers from the Philharmonic and others. For a list of participating restaurants, menus, and special offers, visit SavorFortWayne. com.

Gun & Knife Show. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. Saturday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission $7.

“The Price is Right” stage show tickets on sale. Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. Thursday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $33, $43 or $53, and are available at ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000, and at the STAR Bank box office at the Embassy.

Eligible contestants can win cash, appliances, vacations and possibly even a new car. Jerry Springer will emcee the stage show.

Last chance to see Bones Carnival. Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne. Through Jan. 8. Admission is $9 for ages 3 and up, free to ages 2 and under. This exhibit builds awareness about the importance of developing proper, lifelong habits for healthy bones. The interactive exhibits and informational signs describe the vital need for people to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods, avoid osteoporosis and bone disease, and get plenty of exercise to ensure better bone health now and in the future.

The exhibition was developed by Purdue University. Check Science Central hours at sciencecentral.org.

Jerry Seinfeld tickets. Embassy Theatre, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. Thursday, April 6, 7 p.m. Tickets $50 to $150. Tickets on sale at the Embassy box office or at ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000.

The comedian will perform his stand-up routine, joking about the little things in life that relate to all audiences.

Holiday art show. Castle Gallery Fine Art, 1202 W. Wayne St., Fort Wayne.

Through Jan. 7. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., or by appointment.

Featuring the works of local and national artists. Visit castlegallery.com for details.

Concordia Comedy Festival. Concordia Lutheran High School is accepting entries for its second comedy festival, 7 p.m. Friday, April 28, at IPFW. This year, the festival will include action/suspense/thriller, documentary (long-form journalism), and animation. Entries are due Feb. 24, and finalists will be announced April 10. All of the finalists’ films will be shown on the big screen in Neff 101 at IPFW and then a reception will be held in the lobby where the finalists can meet and talk to the judges, which will be announced at a later date. Entries can be uploaded at ConcordiaComedyFestival.com. Submissions may not be longer than three minutes, including credits, which are not required. Entries should be free of profanity and appropriate to show in front of a large audience of students and adults. No more than four entries per person.

— Courtesy Little River Wetlands Project This local nature organization protects almost 1,200 acres of natural and restored wetlands in Allen and Huntington counties, and offers informative nature events. Events are free and open to the community. Contact

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The Concordia Comedy Festival is open to any student in Grade 6-12 currently attending a school or being home-schooled in the following counties: Allen, Adams, DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Wells and Whitley.

To learn more, visit ConcordiaComedyFestival.com.

4-H dog obedience training. Allen County 4-H is offering a series of workshops on dog obedience training. The program is open to youth in Grades 3-12. Youth will learn how to teach their dog to heel on a leash, stand for examination, sit, stay, and more. They will also learn about the health, care and grooming of their dog. The dog should be at least 6 months of age. The cost of the 16-week program is $70. The meetings will be held 6-7 p.m. Monday evenings at the Home Loan Bank Building, Allen County Fairgrounds, 2726 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne, beginning in March. All participants must register in advance, pay fees and complete their paperwork by Feb. 17. Class size is limited. For more information and registration materials, contact Samm Johnson, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, at (260) 481-6826.

FRANCINE’S FRIENDS MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY

The Breast Diagnostic Center performs the screening. For women who have insurance, they will bill the insurance company. If the patient does not have insurance but has the ability to pay, the BDC offers a reduced rate if paid the day of the screening. For women without insurance, a high deductible, or resources to pay, funding is available.

Appointments preferably should be scheduled prior to the date. For an appointment, call 483-1847 or (800) 727-8439, ext. 68120. Walk-in openings are available depending on schedule.

• Friday, Jan. 6. WalMart, 7502 Southtown Crossing Blvd., Fort Wayne.

• Thursday, Jan. 12. Paul Harding Jr. High School, 6501 Wayne Trace, Fort Wayne.

• Monday, Jan 16. Kroger, 4120 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne.

• Tuesday, Jan. 17. Genesis Healthcare, 1201 Daly Drive, New Haven.

• Wednesday, Jan. 18. Vincent Village, 2827 Holton Ave., Fort Wayne.

• Thursday, Jan. 19. PHD Inc., 9009 Clubridge Drive, Fort Wayne.

• Monday, Jan. 23. Nelson Global Products, 3405 Engle Road, Fort Wayne.

• Tuesday, Jan. 24. Harrison College, 6413 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne.

• Friday, Jan.27. Parkview Physician’s Group Family Practice, 1331 Minnich Road, New Haven.

• Monday, Jan. 30. McMahon Tire, 4201 Coldwater Road, Fort Wayne.

• Tuesday, Jan. 31. PPG Family Practice, 2710 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne.

• Wednesday, Feb. 1. Prince Chapman Academy Elementary, 4808 E. Paulding Ave., Fort Wayne.

• Thursday, Feb. 2. Manchester University, 604 E. College St., North Manchester.

• Friday, Feb. 3. Ivy Tech Community College, 4900 St. Joe Road, Fort Wayne.

• Saturday, Feb. 4. Jennings Recreation Center, 1330 McCulloch St., Fort Wayne.

• Monday, Feb. 6. New Haven High School, 1300 Green Road, New Haven.

• Monday, Feb. 13. Health Visions, 2135 S. Hanna St., Fort Wayne.

• Tuesday, Feb.14. Cedarville Elementary, 12225 Hardisty Road, Fort Wayne.

• Thursday, Feb. 16. Hamilton Community Schools, 903 S. Wayne St., Hamilton.

To schedule a visit of the mobile mammography coach at your site, contact Debi Kennedy, the community outreach coordinator, at (260) 266-9180 or debi.kennedy@parkview.com.

Francine’s Friends Mobile Mammography is a partnership between Francine’s Friends, Parkview Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Breast Diagnostic Center.

LITTLE RIVER WETLANDS PROJECT ACTIVITIES

INfortwayne.com • A15 info@lrwp.org or (260) 478-2515 for information or to reserve a spot.

• Every Tuesday in January, 9-11 a.m. “Little River Ramblers.” Meet at the Boy Scout office parking lot, 8315 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, to hike and explore the interesting plants and wildlife of Eagle Marsh.

Dress for the weather, boots recommended.

• Thursday, Jan. 12, 8:30-9:45 a.m. “Breakfast on the Marsh: Riverfront Fort Wayne.” Light breakfast and nature presentation for nature lovers 50+ at Indiana Wesleyan University Education & Conference Center, Room 102/104, 8211 W Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne. Alison Gerardot, director of programming and events for Riverfront Fort Wayne, will talk about the progress and changes that the riverfront development plan for the downtown area has made in the past year and what will be happening in 2017. Sponsored by Little River Wetlands Project. Free. Contact info@lrwp.org or (260) 478-2515 to reserve a spot.

• Saturday, Jan. 14, 9-10:30 a.m. “Walk the Winter Woods.” Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn, 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. Join us for a walk through the woods, learning how to identify trees by the buds that were set months earlier, the trees’ bark, and the adaptations they make to living on a wetland. We’ll start in the barn exploring parts of trees and testing our skills, then hike the trails that wind through our woods. Fun for all ages. Dress for the weather, boots recommended.

• Wednesday, Jan. 18, 9-10 a.m. “Short Hikes for Short Legs: What Lives Under the Snow?” Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn, 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. (For children ages 3 to 5 and a responsible adult.)

Snow is beautiful, but have you ever thought about what lives beneath it? We’ll start in the barn with “snow boxes” to discover and identify what animals winter on the marsh. Then we’ll hike looking for tracks and trying to find animal homes. Dress for the weather, boots recommended. add to Little River …

• Little River Ramblers. Every Tuesday in February, 9-11 a.m. Meet at the Arrowhead Prairie parking lot, 8624 Aboite Road, Roanoke, to hike and explore the interesting plants and wildlife of the preserve. Dress for the weather, boots recommended.

• Celebrate World Wetlands Day with a Wetland Hike. Thursday, Feb. 2, 10-11:30 a.m. Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn, 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. Join people all around the world who are also celebrating World Wetlands Day as we explore some of the preserve’s trails and learn more about why wetlands are so important to us all. Dress for the weather, boots recommended.

• Celebrate World Wetlands Day. Thursday, Feb. 2, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Meet at the Aboite Branch Library, 5630 Coventry Lane, Fort Wayne. Join Betsy Yankowiak, LRWP’s director of preserves and programs, to learn more about wetlands, why they are important, and what you can do to help preserve and restore wetlands around you.

• Breakfast on the Marsh: “You’re Going to Love LRWP in 2017!”

Thursday, Feb. 9, 8:30-9:45 a.m. Light breakfast and nature presentation for nature lovers 50+ at Indiana Wesleyan University Education & Conference Center, Room 102/104, 8211 W. Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne. Betsy Yankowiak, LRWP’s director of preserves and programs, will share highlights of 2016 and tell you of the exciting events and changes planned for 2017.

• Short Hikes for Short Legs: Winter Birds of Eagle Marsh. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 9-10 a.m. Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn, 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. (For children ages 3 to 5 and a responsible adult.) Many birds, including owls, eagles and herons, spend the winter at our preserves. In the barn we’ll learn about these birds and others using life-sized models.

Can you fit inside an eagles’ nest? Ride on their wings? Then we’ll hike to look for winter birds, the signs they leave at the marsh, and the plants that feed them. Dress for the weather, boots recommended.

• Prairies in Winter. Saturday, Feb. 18, 9-10:30 a.m. Meet at the Arrowhead Prairie parking lot, 8624 Aboite Road, Roanoke. Prairies are an important ecosystem within our wetlands even in winter. Join us as we hike the preserve looking for the birds and other wildlife that live there and the winter plants that feed them. Dress for the weather, boots recommended.

A16 • INfortwayne.com

Aboite News • January 6, 2017

PAID PAIDADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISMENT

(ALLEN COUNTY) The nationwide credit

crisis may have turned “the American dream” into an extended nightmare for many Indiana home buyers and sellers.

Banks and mortgage lenders (who are not going out of business) have tightened up their lending requirements to the point where many home buyers today can no longer qualify for a mortgage.

Record foreclosures, rising unemployment, losses in the financial markets and the current credit crunch have not only reduced the number of buyers who can buy but have also increased the number of houses that sellers need to sell.

Prices are under pressure as home sellers lower their asking price to attract a buyer, and as lenders resell their foreclosed homes below market value.

And it’s turning into a vicious cycle -- as many buyers need to sell their current home first -- and many sellers (unless they plan to rent) need new financing to get into their next home. As a result, a sea of real estate agents, mortgage brokers and home builders are going out of business. These professionals are in the business of serving buyers and sellers. But that’s hard to do with the credit crisis when the entire real estate industry traditionally relies on mortgage lending to finance buyers and get houses sold.

What can homeowners do to sell their homes? How can buyers get financing if they can’t meet the tougher lending criteria on credit scores, income verification, down payment amounts and debt ratios?

There’s one local real estate professional who has found a way to make things work even with the present banking crisis. Mike MacDonald is the president of Summit City Investments, Inc. Since 1999, his private investment company has been buying houses throughout the Allen County, IN region without ever relying on banks.

MacDonald’s company takes over existing mortgages or brings in private lenders allowing him to pay homeowners all cash for the properties. He then offers his properties for rent or “for sale by owner” using a variety of unique seller financing programs.

By taking a long term approach and never relying on banks, business has never been better for MacDonald and his company.

“Most sellers are unaware of the options we offer.

What they need most is a qualified buyer... and we might just be that buyer.

We can buy houses in as-is condition, pay top dollar and close in just a few days… or whenever they’re ready.”

Mike says it’s normal for people to think

they must be desperate before calling him to buy their house. “It’s a very common misconception. But until I look at a house and do some research, I won’t know my game plan for the property or what I can offer. But after a single visit to the property and meeting with the homeowners I can let them know exactly what I can do. My offer is good for 7 days and it’s only at that point, with my offer on the table, that a seller can decide if I’m going to become their buyer.”

In fact, price is not an issue for MacDonald. As an investor, what’s important to him is the determination of what income the property can produce. “It’s easy to determine. I also do an appraisal and look at the recent comparable sales. Then I do whatever I can to offer a seller up to full price today -- or about what they might net sometime in the future pursuing a more conventional route. What I can pay depends on the condition, location and financing options available for that type of property. It only takes about 10 minutes to prescreen a property over the phone and to set an appointment. We typically buy 1 out of every 4 properties we see. In fact, for about half of those I have purchased, the seller pursued their other options and then came to realize that my offer was the best all along.”

MacDonald believes the three biggest reasons a house doesn’t sell are: 1) it is overpriced, 2) it is poorly marketed, or 3) it is not fixed up to show well. “I can pay a fair price on a home that needs work. I might even plan to increase the value or marketability by adding a bedroom or bath, finishing a basement or installing a new heating system. Brand new carpet and paint will go a long way to attract a qualified buyer. But I understand that many sellers don’t have the time, inclination or money to remodel a house... just to get it sold. We solve that problem for sellers.”

Overpricing a home could be the biggest mistake.

Listing agents sometimes suggest (or a seller might decide) to ask for a higher price than needed. This might be to test the market or leave wiggle room to negotiate.

However, this can backfire if the seller wants (or needs) a quick sale, or when the “days on the market” stacks up causing buyers to wonder what’s wrong with the property.

Another misconception about how Mike MacDonald buys houses is the idea that he’s probably looking for sellers in financial distress. “Look, when a seller is out of time or out of options, then I’m usually their best solution -- if their property is not over-financed. But most people headed for foreclosure are either overleveraged or actually looking to save their house. If I buy the house the seller must move. They really need to get into a more affordable home... but sometimes I can help by swapping properties.”

MacDonald warns about companies and real estate investors who target distressed homeowners. “Recent laws have been passed in Indiana that apply to any business and investor who targets people in foreclosure. Be cautious, do your research and perhaps seek legal advice when anyone wants to charge you an upfront fee for helping to get your loan modified, or... if they’re promising to lease the home back to you. That rarely works out like the borrower expects and can lead to accusations of fraud.

Perhaps rightly so.”

What does a real estate investor like Mike MacDonald do with the houses he

buys each month? What about the hundreds of houses his company has bought throughout Allen County, Indiana over the last 14 years? Simple. He rents them out or resells them. “We’re usually managing 80 to 100 properties at any given time -- making us one of the largest owners of single family homes in the area. Each month we may have 10 to 15 houses for sale. Some we’ve owned for years and others we have recently bought.”

With a reasonable down payment, MacDonald says he can sell you one of his properties using his popular owner financing programs -- even if you have damaged credit or a short job history.

His most popular owner financing “If you can afford a first month’s rent, a last month’s rent and a security deposit, then I can probably sell you one of my houses.”

out some sellers who have found themselves in over their head.”

“We do everything we can to get our buyers permanent bank financing. It’s a win-win because we pay sellers all cash and fund our deals with private lenders. Our lenders are mostly local individuals seeking alternatives to low bank CD rates. They earn 8 to 10% interest on real estate notes well-secured by our properties. When we get our buyer cashed out, we finally make our money and can payoff our investor. These investors usually want to reinvest allowing us to buy even more houses.”

Unfortunately many of the mortgage programs once available are now gone. It’s reported that 75% of the available lending disappeared when FHA changed their rules last October and again early this year. But, if you have money to put down and can prove your income, there are still loans available now. In fact, some rural development loans and VA loans still allow qualified buyers to borrow with no money down.

“We help all of our buyers get a bank loan as quickly as possible... or we finance them ourselves. But we’ve never relied on banks. That keeps us in control and maintains our sanity. But we get those loans done every chance we get. In fact, sometimes a buyer can qualify and doesn’t even know it.

Other times they can qualify but need a flexible seller. We’re one of the most creative and flexible sellers you’ll ever find,” says MacDonald.

Does buying or selling a home have to be difficult? Maybe not!

“President Obama says today's economy is the worst since the Great Depression and it may take many years to recover. Unfortunately I think he’s right and so do many sharp economists.”

Interested in selling your property quickly and easily? Looking to buy a new home without bank qualifying? It may be worth checking in with Mike MacDonald and his staff at Summit City Investments, Inc. Call them at (260) 267-0760 485-9437 or visit them online at www.SummitCityInvestments.com.

They’re in a unique position to help buyers and sellers overcome the new challenges created by the recent mortgage market meltdown and credit crisis. And if you’re looking for a conservative way to earn 8-10% interest on your idle cash savings or retirement funds, call and ask for info on becoming one of their private lenders.

program includes the opportunity to build “sweat equity.” Before repairing or remodeling a newly acquired house, MacDonald offers it in “as-is” condition to his buyer’s list. This allows his client to do the work (to suit their own preferences) in exchange for all or part of a down payment.

“I have a lot of buyers who check my website each week looking for these ‘fixer upper’ deals. But if the home is not under contract within 10 days or so then I’ll hire my contractors to fix it up completely.”

His next most popular program is a down payment assistance plan. Many buyers turn to MacDonald’s company because they don’t have the down payment required by today’s cautious lenders. Mike helps buyers build up equity or a down payment over time with his rent-to-own (or lease with the option to buy) program. In this program you can rent the property you’ve decided to buy, but have the option to close anytime over the next 1, 2... or even 5 years. A portion of the rent each month is credited toward buying. Additional amounts can be paid monthly for more rapid equity build up plus other promised amounts can be made later... like proceeds from the sale of another property or a pending tax refund.

Once the buyer has enough “skin” in the deal, MacDonald can close with owner financing at the predetermined, mutually agreed upon price and terms. Or the buyer SUMMIT CITY INVESTMENTS, INC. is can close with a new bank loan. According located at 2200 Lake Avenue, Suite 123 in to MacDonald, “There are so many reasons Fort Wayne, IN, holds a Certificate of my buyers like some time before qualifying Good Standing from the Indiana Secretary for a mortgage. They may need to sell their of State, and is a BBB Accredited business house, work on their credit, establish more with the Indiana Better Business Bureau time on a job or establish two years of with an A+ rating, provable income on tax returns when self-employed. All our buyers are put in Mike MacDonald is the President of touch with a sharp mortgage broker who Summit City Investments, Inc. He is a creates a plan for them. We can recommend an affordable credit repair company that can 37-year resident in the local community, do unbelievable things given even a short 6 to and has been a long term partner in his 12 months to work on a file. This also helps family’s independent insurance agency and tax & accounting firm (G. A. MacDonald Associates, Inc.)

260-344-4663

For more information or to view a list of properties for sale, just visit www.SummitCityInvestments.com 2200 Lake Avenue, Suite 123 Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 485-9437 Phone (260) 267-0760 -----------------