Senior Life - Allen County Edition - December 2022

The Christmas crib, the figurative representation of the Holy Night before the birth of Jesus Christ, has manifested itself among Christians around the world for many centuries.

During the Christmas period, artistic cribs or creches are set up in churches, houses and apartments, which differ from each other in material and number of characters. So, where does this custom come from?

The traditional creation of nativity sets presumably is due to St. Francis of Assisi. He reportedly recreated the first nativity set in the history of Christmas in 1223 with people and living animals. He chose as a setting a manger in a wood near the monastery of Greccio, Italy. He used the vivid scenery to bring the Christmas Gospel to believers who did not know how to read Luke 2:1-20.

At that time, St. Francis certainly was not aware of laying the foundation for a custom that would last many centuries. Since it was mainly about a child lying in a manger, it was assumed the newborn babe should come from a poor family and therefore from ordinary people. As a result, often only the image of Jesus in the manger was used to represent the Holy Night.

In the mid-16th century, Christmas representations began to appear in many Catholic churches throughout Europe. Elsewhere, farmers began to carve

nativity scenes out of wood during the winter. They created the Holy Family and added wooden stables to their wooden figures.

Nativity scenes eventually entered townhouses and farmsteads. While the representation of the cribs initially was limited to the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the ox and the donkey, more figures were added during the 19th century.

Since the Matthew 2:1-12 mentions the Magi who came from the east to worship the newborn Christ child, three kings, as well as many shepherds and their sheep, began appearing.

Many stables also were equipped with a comet star and an announcing angel. Christmas cribs gradually made their way into many private families, where they still delight collectors of large and small nativity scenes.

One such collector in our neck of the woods is Marty Kaylor, along with her husband, Bob. Married in 1966 not long after they met at Manchester College, that Christmas they decided to begin collecting nativ- that C Chr h istmas theey y de

Continued on page 5

Allen County Edition Reaching Fort Wayne And Surrounding Counties www.seniorlifenewspapers.com Ed Vol. 35, No. 8

Key Positions

Fire Chief Joshua Hale wears two hats

Chief Joshua Hale of the East Central Fire and EMS Protection Territory, based in New Haven, wears two hats.

He won a seat on the Allen County Council in the recent midterm elections and is eager to provide a voice on the council representing fire and EMS and Southeast Allen County when he’s sworn in Jan. 1.

He said, “Everything in life is a balancing act. I don’t think I’ll have a problem balancing my job here as fire chief with the new responsibilities with the council and my most important duties as husband and father to a daughter and two sons.

“I have to leave in the middle of the night on occasion, but my wife, Amber, and the kids have learned to take that in stride. My hours at the fire station are fairly flexible, so I can attend school functions, soccer and baseball games and other activities.

“As far as the council is concerned, it meets once a month at Citizen’s Square in downtown Fort Wayne during daytime hours. I’ll use my vacation/paid leave time to attend.

“Our job, as I understand it, is to act as the fiscal body to authorize and balance the budgets of a number of county departments that includes the sheriff’s department, health department and building department. I’ve watched a number of their meeting videos, so I’m fairly familiar with what goes on. I’m sure it will be a big adjustment, I don’t exactly know what to expect, but I plan to focus on the time commitment and move on from there.”

Hale said he actually hadn’t thought much about running for a council seat until some friends asked him to think it over about a year ago. New Haven Mayor Steve McMichael added his encouragement, too.

It’s been a busy year for Hale, because last January ECFEPT became official and his responsibilities expanded as Milan and Maumee townships were added to his area responsibility. He gained 15 new employees from the Woodburn and EMS Department and his coverage area was extended to the Ohio line on the east, Swartz Road on the north and Maples Road on the south.

“We operate in a team envi-

ronment, like a paramilitary organization. Responsibilities are divided among the Woodburn and New Haven stations. Things seem to be running smoothly with only a few minor hiccups,” added Hale.

The New Haven native’s desire to become a firefighter started in his senior year at New Haven High School when he was enrolled in a co-op program in 2001 with the local fire department.

“I spent two days a week learning and helping out here and became a fulltime firefighter in 2006,” he noted.

During his tenure with the department, he’s served as training officer, advanced to lieutenant and was named chief in 2016.

Hale is looking ahead to implementing a more robust ECFEPT training program next year. EMS and fire trainers have already been added to the staff to get the program rolling. In addition, he hopes to create a command training center within the fire department to instruct officers on how to make tactical decisions and function as command officers at a fire.

“I’m very proud of the members of ECFEPT,” Hale added.

Letter to the editor Appreciation for WWII Vetrean Honor Flights

Dear Editor: There are not enough words to say thank you and congratulations to fellow writer Lois Thomaszewski for her November Senior Life front page article, “Michiana veteran takes part in Honor Flight.”

I moved to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for seven and a half years back in November 2010 and returned to Mishawaka in the spring of 2018.

In early 2011, I became a guardian on their second WWII Honor Flight and the

We welcome readers’ letters.

next three flights: a total of four of their seven flights. My deceased father was a WWII vet, but died in 1979.

Being an assigned honor guardian was a highly satisfying and emotional experience. I endorse the Northeast Indiana Honor Flight and encourage everyone to get involved in one way or another.

Again, many thanks to Lois for her story and to all who make these flights possible.

Gratefully, Dr./Pastor Greg Lawson Mishawaka

•

*

* Other pharmacies are available in our network.

† This benefit is not to exceed 50 miles per trip.

Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Applicable to Humana Gold Plus H5619-051 (HMO-POS).

Our requirements are as follows: Letters must be written to the editor, not the public. They must be signed with full name in ink. Signature will be printed on all letters. Letters must include an address and phone number, which will be used for verification, but will not be published. Emailed letters will be accepted but the above information must be included.

We ask that letters be limited to 400 words. Letters longer than 400 words may be edited for brevity.

Writers may be limited to one published letter per month. Readers with lengthy comments should contact an editor about possible guest columns.

Send letters to: Senior Life, P. O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542 or dpatterson@the-papers.com.

Author tells the true tale of racial injustice

Sandi Baker Baron has recently completed a task that has been on her heart for 45 years.

She and her husband of 55 years, Dennis, were newlyweds in 1967 when they became teachers in New Orleans. She has since written their story.

On Oct. 4, Baron’s book, “Bridging The Mississippi: A Memoir of Racial Injustice and Missed Beads,” was released. It

tells her account of what it was like to teach during that time in the late 1960s in a school and culture so different from her own. Baron, 77, and her husband, were the only white teachers in an all-black school. She has found her students from those days and included their thoughts in the book.

“My book has sold quickly and 20 book clubs have already adopted the book. I was interviewed by NPR,” she said. “Former students reacted and purchased

the book and have written to me asking me to write the second book because they didn’t want this one to end.”

Baron added, “I hope people enjoy my journey of firsts — first year of marriage, teaching and bridging with the black community. I used many stories to show how I learned to be a teacher and wife and crossed culture lines. I will feel successful if my story motivates blacks and whites to reach out to each other one-onone and become a part of each other’s story. I will feel successful if my creative work motivates others to seek new relationships with other cultures and discover their gifts and perspective.”

The book is a memoir and creative nonfiction, meaning it’s based on factual events, and some broader details may be filled in from other sources she has found.

The book became a labor of love decades in the making. While in New Orleans in 196768, the couple experienced integrating and crossing color lines in New Orleans, and Dr. Martin Luther King assassinated. As a teacher, Baron sought to help her students grasp the events and cope with their feelings.

Decades later, having returned to the Muncie area and taught English for 35 years, she didn’t forget those early teaching experiences or those students. Motivated to write their story, she began taking writing classes online, and served on the Midwest Writers Committee for 15 years, among many ways she sought to bring the story to others.

“In 2005, Katrina hit New Orleans. I knew my former students were on those rooftops drown-

ing and starving,” Baron said. “I cried as I watched the news and determined in my heart I would find my students and return their essays they wrote in 1968 about their hopes and future after Dr. King was killed. So began my research and visits to New Orleans to find my students and staff. I interviewed them and gathered concrete memories of my first year of teaching, and totally wrote the first and completed draft in 2012. After interviews, I would upgrade the original manuscript over and over.”

Baron rewrote the story more than five times and sought out numerous publishers, and now the book is getting wide atten-

Thanks-Christmas is not a holiday —

tion. She’ll take a book tour to Atlanta and New Orleans next year.

Among many insights in the book: We are all God’s children and alike in heart and sensitivity. The color of our skin should be only an accessory, not a blemish. Skin color was not the purpose for which we were created.

Baron will have a reading and book signing from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, at Hyde Brothers Booksellers, Fort Wayne; and 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at Barnes and Noble, Orchard Crossing, Fort Wayne.

To contact her, visit facebook. com/sandi.baron or sandraleebaron.com or email sandraleebaronwrites@gmail.com.

Tips to stay on track

to write down what you eat each day, then do that. As you know, results happen over time — not overnight.

cially berries.

The trifecta of holidays is upon us: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Three days, but, in reality we need to add on the entire Thanksgiving weekend because of the leftovers, plus, Christmas party upon Christmas party throughout December, and then New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day …

Don’t let it happen. You can enjoy the holidays without going completely off the healthy eating rails.

Eating for health starts as a mindset, day ... after day ... after day. Declare your plan, write it down and work on it every single day. If it helps you

Eating a holiday meal with friends and family is good for your soul and you can make it good for your heart too by making it one meal, not meal after meal until all the pies are gone. If you say, “No, I shouldn’t,” then leave it there, don’t put that “but” after it. “No, I shouldn’t” is a complete sentence and it can keep you on your path.

Here are some tips from past columns that may be of help to you:

• Go one day a week without an ingredient list. That means whole foods only; nothing prepared from a box or a frozen dinner.

• Reduce or stop eating cheese. Cheese is addictive and it’s 70% fat.

• At the most, eat meat at only one meal per day.

• Eat a pound of cooked vegetables per day.

• Eat a pound of raw cruciferous and greens per day.

• Eat more fruit, espe-

• If you dine out, choose wisely — salad, vegetable wrap, soup or vegetables and brown rice.

• Make healthy soup and always keep it on hand.

• Meal prep or at a minimum make sure when you open the refrigerator there are vegetables, fruit, salad fixings and healthy leftovers.

• If you dine out — be the first one to order so you don’t change your mind. You know it happens.

• Watch the labels for added sugar. Females should have no more than 25 grams of added sugar and males 36 grams.

• If you bake for the holiday, take it all with you to wherever you go, or if you are hosting, make sure you put it all out and package it up for your guests to take with them. You will be so glad you did.

However you spend your holidays, keep your health goals in mind. It’s really about the holiday and sharing it with friends and family. Cheers!

The ‘birth’ of the

ity sets with one stipulation: each had to be different. They now have 370. Thirty-two of those are small ornaments for their Christmas tree.

Last July, the Kaylors moved from their home near Decatur to northeast Fort Wayne. Previously, five rooms were devoted to displaying their nativity collection, including the dining room table during the Christmas season. Now the couple has designated a special year-round place they call The Nativity Room, which holds about 300 nativity sets. The remaining sets are displayed in the living and dining rooms during the holidays. Just one small set is placed outside.

The couple have three children — two living in Fort Wayne and one residing in Indianapolis — and four grandchildren. Their son, Jeremy, made shelving for The Nativity Room displays, which consist of several children’s sets their grandchildren

Skilled nursing and rehab care — you are important

played with.

Marty, who also quilts, has made an extensive listing of her unique collection. It consists of the year it was acquired, the name of the nativity set, the place it’s from and in what box it’s stored. She said, “All are touchable except my favorite, called The Lenox, consisting of about 30 figurines.”

The collection from dozens of foreign countries includes music

Recovering from a surgery or an illness isn’t always as easy as eating two chocolate chip cookies and seeing the pint-sized doctor in the morning (for those of us old enough to remember that commercial). For some, it requires a regiment of prescription medications, personal care, and therapy that we cannot always receive adequately in our homes.

During my 32-plus years of experience in the health insurance industry, my perception of receiving in-patient skilled care is a constant “tug-of-war” between the facility and the insurance plan including Medicare Part A. The facility is constantly assessing the “need” for our continued stay, while our insurance plan (and Medicare) would prefer that we be released. The reason is obvious — money.

Even though it can sometimes be hard to discern whether the patient’s best interests are even part of the consideration, often the patient is the determining factor for the length of time they are approved for skilled care.

Yes, our doctors are required to paint the picture for the payer — Medicare or insurance plan — and provide medical evidence to support why the continued care is needed, but how we respond to that skilled care tops the list of things that are reviewed.

Are we taking our prescribed medications without argument?

Do we cooperate with our therapists during our sessions?

Do we heed the instruction of do’s and don’ts when not in therapy?

You are important.

If you haven’t yet looked at your Medicare Prescription Drug plan options for 2023, my staff and I would be more than happy to go through the options with you. Call us at (260) 484-7010 to discuss your options.

boxes, bracelets, pictures, wall hangings, single pieces and a variety of figurines. They are made of wood, metal, tin, wax, weighted rosin and numerous other materials. Many were gifts

from

made by some 120 disadvantaged artisan groups in more than 35 countries.

Villages, a nonprofit,

Does the couple plan to stop collecting? Their answer: “We’re just getting started.”

family and friends, came from close-out sales or were purchased at stores, such as Ten Thousand

fair-trade organization that markets handcrafted products

‘Soccer kept me out of trouble’

For a guy who grew up kicking beat-up soccer balls in the streets and on dirt fields in his native town of Thessaloniki, Greece, Bobby Poursanidis has risen to the top, at least as far as the Summit City is concerned. In fact, the rise of interest in the game locally is partly due to him.

In the past few years, he’s coached people from 2 years old to adults. He is now training to be coaches fathers of children he once coached. Along the way, he was named an All-American in high school in Philadelphia, where the family moved when he was 10, and while playing at LaSalle University.

He was drafted in 1986 and played professional soccer for 10 years in New York, Fort Wayne, Detroit and Greece. Today, he and his business partner, Tom Lapsley, own the two Plex facilities under the name of Caledonia Sports Management.

Poursanidis really liked Fort Wayne while playing here for the Flames and came back primarily because it’s his wife’s hometown. In 1994, he decided Fort Wayne needed

a soccer school. It started modestly with just 20 children and grew quickly to more than 200 attendees.

His summer camps drew 200 at first and within a couple years were hosting more than 1,000. Now he shares ownership of Beasley Futbol Camps with four-time World Club player from Fort Wayne, DaMarcus Beasley, a player he coached for several years.

Among the most popular programs is the Wee Bears for 2- to 6-year-olds.

“The neat thing about this is that we work with both kids and their parents. It teaches the kids the motor skills special to soccer and the parents learn how to work with their children. This was an outgrowth of a Munchkin program I started for 4- and 5-year-olds in the early 1990s,” he said.

According to Poursanidis, the Fort Wayne Flames professional team also did a lot to heighten the interest in the sport in the Summit City. He was pivotal in the creation of the Fort Wayne Fever, which later merged with Citadel to form United.

“The 1994 World Cup held in the United States really gave a boost to soccer. That’s

the Super Bowl of our sport,” he exclaimed.

“I owe everything to soccer,” said Poursanidis. “When we came to this country and settled in Philadelphia, I couldn’t speak English, but I was pretty good with a soccer ball. It kept me out of trouble.

“I was not a student, but I learned it was important to focus on studies because that was what allowed me to play. A neighborhood coach recommended me for a traveling team and that’s what got me into high school, college and professional soccer.”

As a business owner, he and his partner are focused on how they can diversify their two locations to make the most of the space. The north Plex, the epicenter for Fort Wayne soccer for the past 25 years, now includes flag football, seven-on-seven football and Frisbee football. They took over The Golf Dome, primarily a driving range, 22 years ago and added the above mentioned sports there. In addition, the venue hosts softball tournaments all winter long.

“The south property has room to build a soccer stadium,” he added.

‘JJ’ Shaw, Attorney at Law

Jeff

Allen County Public Library events

Every month the Allen County Public Library, through its branches around the county, offers educational and entertaining programs of interest to seniors.

Following is a sampling of programs at the various sites and via virtual presentation.

Some events require preregistration; register at acpl.lib. in.us (click on “Events”). Call the branches at the numbers listed or visit acpl.lib.in.us and click “Events” for a complete listing.

Main Library

• Music @ the Library: Sweetwater All-Stars Holiday Sounds, 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4.

• Chess Club, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, 18.

• A Gift of Greetings, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, or 2-3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Design a greeting card that will be delivered through the Library at Home program that serves homebound individuals in the community.

• Not Coming to a Theater Near You: “The French Dispatch” screening, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7.

• Cyber Safety 101: Identity Theft, 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13.

• Craft Cafe, 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14.

• ACPL Book Club: Bookends, 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15.

• All Abilities Club: Selfie Day, 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Adults with intellectual/ developmental disabilities and their caregivers can enjoy crafts, games, literacy activities, movies and guest speakers.

• Harp for the Holidays: Jan Aldridge Clark, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15.

900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1200.

Aboite Branch

• Creative Canvas: Birds in Birch Trees, 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5.

5630 Coventry Lane, Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1310.

Dupont Branch

• All Abilities Club: Selfie Day, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8.

536 E. Dupont Road, Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1315.

Georgetown Branch

• Photographic selections from Angela Green and Jim Gabbard, all day exhibit Thursday, Dec. 1.

• How-To Studio: Winter Bird Feeding, 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 3.

• Handsewing 101 Workshop. Make a felt plushie donut keychain, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5.

• Computer Basics: Microsoft Word, 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5.

• Sit & Stitch, 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, 12, 19.

• All Abilities Club: Movies with Friends, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 21.

• Practical Handsewing 101 Workshop. Sew holes, buttons and much more, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7.

• ACPL Book Club: The Book is Always Better - “Little Women,” 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7.

• Machine Sewing 101 Workshop. Make an apron, 10:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10.

6600 E. State Blvd., Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1320.

Grabill Branch

• All Abilities Club: Movies with Friends - “The Nutcracker and The Four Realms,” 2:30-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3.

• All Abilities Club: Selfie Day, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12.

• How-To Studio: Hot Mess Painting, 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13.

13521 Grabill Road, Grabill. (260) 421-1325.

Hessen Cassell Branch

• Talk It Up, 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6.

• A Gift of Greetings, noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28.

• Creative Canvas: Birds in Birch Trees, 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12.

• How-To Studio: Hot Mess Painting, 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13.

• Craft Cafe, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21.

• All Abilities Club: Selfie Day, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28.

3030 E. Paulding Road, Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1330.

Little Turtle Branch

• What’s Cooking?: Flatbread Pizza, 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8.

• How-To Studio; Alcohol Ink Jewelry, 7-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12.

• Computer Basics: Microsoft Word, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19.

2201 Sherman Blvd., Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1335.

Monroeville Branch

• Scrapbooking 101: Special Moments, 4-5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8.

• What’s Cooking?: Flatbread Pizza, 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15.

• Homesteading 101: Homemade Soap Making, 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29.

115 Main St., Monroeville. (260) 421-1340

New Haven Branch

• Sit & Stitch, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, 13, 20.

• Talk It Up, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12.

648 Green St., New Haven. (260) 421-1345.

Pontiac Branch

• Creative Canvas: Birds in the Birch Trees, 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 3.

• How-To Studio: Alcohol Ink Jewelry, 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22.

2215 S. Hanna St., Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1350.

Shawnee Branch

• Computer Basics: Microsoft Word, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14.

5600 Noll Ave., Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1355.

Tecumseh Branch

• How-To Studio: Alcohol Ink Jewelry, 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1.

1411 E. State Blvd., Fort Wayne. (260) 421-1360.

Waynedale Branch

• Open Board Gaming, 7-8:45 p.m. Tuesday Dec. 13, 27.

2200 Lower Huntington Road, Fort Wayne. (260) 4211365.

Woodburn Branch

• Tech Time, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 2.

• All Abilities Club: Selfie Day, 3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7.

• How-To Studio: Mason Jar Snow Globes, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 9.

• Cyber Safety 101: Identity Theft, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15.

• Tech Time, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16.

• What’s Cooking?: Flatbread Pizza, 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22.

4701 SR 101, Woodburn. (260) 421-1370.

Virtual Only

• Crime Talk: A Virtual Discussion of True Crime, 6-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19.

• Virtual Writers’ Forum, 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21.

• Virtual Craft Cafe, 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27.

Editor’s Note: Send listings of events, for nonprofit organizations only, to: Senior Life, P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542 or email Editor Phoebe Muthart by Monday, Dec. 19, at pmuthart@the-papers.com. With the listing, include the contact person, area code and phone number.

Art for the Holidays: Featuring

Handmade Ornaments & Nativities, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday from now until Dec. 31 at The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art, 6312-A Covington Road, Fort Wayne. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Closed Christmas day and New Year’s day. For more infor-

mation, visit theorchardgallery. com or call Gallery Director Sue Davis at (260) 489-9160 or (260) 436-0927.

Holiday Open House, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art, 6312A Covington Road, Fort Wayne. —o—

Art of Hope exhibit presented

by Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana, 1-6 p.m. Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 17, Wunderkammer Company, 3402 Fairfield Ave., Fort Wayne. —o—

Brookside Tours featuring crèches, University of Saint Francis, 2701 Spring St., Fort Wayne, 4-6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2 and 9, and

noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-4 and 10-11. Docent-led Brookside tours of decorated areas featuring crèches for Christmas. This is not a formal ticket event, but reservations are required. Reservations can be made at go.sf. edu/creches. There are limited spots; a freewill offering will be requested.

—o—

Apartment Living

Settlers’ Christmas At Home Tea with the Swinney Sisters, 1:30-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2-3, Fort Wayne’s Historic Swinney Homestead, 1424 W. Jefferson Blvd., which will be decorated in Victorian Christmas grandeur. Guests will enjoy tasty savories, sweets and tea. The Hearthstone Ensemble will provide music of the season. The second floor gift shop will be laden with unique gifts. Prepaid reservations are taken at (260) 747-1501 and (260) 432-4232. Cost: $25 per person. Tables seat four. This event is a fundraiser to help support maintenance and restoration of the Homestead. Visit settlersinc.org.

—o—

New Haven United Methodist Women annual holiday fantasies bazaar, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, United Methodist Church, 630 Lincoln Highway East, New Haven. Breakfast is from 9-11:30 a.m. and lunch is from noon to 1:30 p.m. All proceeds are used to support the missions work, both locally and globally, of New Haven United Methodist Women.

—o—

Breakfast with St. Nicholas, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 3, USF Performing Arts Center Ballroom, 431 W. Berry St., Fort Wayne. Bring family and friends for food and fun while learning about St. Nicholas. Buffet breakfast, storytime, crafts and games. Tickets are available at usfstnicholas2022. eventbrite.com. $10/adult, $6/ children 2-12. Contact the alumni office at alumni@sf.edu or call (260) 399-8034.

—o—

Lighting of the Lake and Living Nativity, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, St. Francis Chapel and Mirror Lake, University of Saint Francis, 2701 Spring St., Fort Wayne. Free petting zoo begins at 5:30 p.m., followed at 6 p.m. by the blessing of luminaries dedicated to those who are special. Immediately following the blessing, members of the university community will portray the living nativity. End the evening with complimentary cookies and hot cocoa at Achatz Hall of Science and John and Toni Murray Research Center. To place a luminary order, contact Willie Romero at jromero@sf.edu or call (260) 399-8033.

—o—

Art Side by Side, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, The Healing Arts Center, 6316 Mutual Drive, Fort Wayne. Bring your lunch and art projects as you enjoy fellowship with others.

—o—

University Singers Christmas Concert, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, St. Francis Chapel, University of Saint Francis, 2701 Spring St., Fort Wayne. The annual Christmas concert features traditional holiday favorites and sounds of the season, both old and new. The

Fort Wayne Southwest

Churubusco & Columbia City

Fort Wayne Northeast

Fort Wayne Southwest

‘No more mister nice guy’

In the early days of television, talk show hosts were always seen as being really, really nice folks. In a 2000 video, Regis Philbin said, “When you get right down to it, the personality of the person who is conducting that show is the chief selling factor in making it a success.”

But what if he or she is not so pleasant? In fact, just the opposite?

Case in point: Joseph Edward Pyne. He was born in 1924 in Chester, Pa., the son of a bricklayer and a homemaker. As a child, he stuttered and was often mocked by his classmates. He finished high school in 1942 and immediately escaped Chester by enlisting in the Marine Corps.

After the service, Pyne enrolled in a drama school and successfully overcame his handicap. He found work in radio, drifting through a series of announcing jobs. By 1949, he was in Kenosha, Wis., taking song requests from people who called in. Back then, listeners could hear only the announcer’s part

of a conversation. One night, Joe held his phone receiver up to his microphone — and two-way call-in radio was born.

As a strongly opinionated loose cannon, the chain-smoking Pyne grew increasingly conservative and outspoken over the years. He began arguing with — and eventually insulting — callers who disagreed with him, sometimes ending a debate with, “Go gargle with razor blades!”

As his ratings soared, Pyne moved inexorably from smaller radio markets to larger ones. When his show became syndicated, he was eventually heard on 254 stations around the country.

concert is free and open to the public.

—o—

Spiritual Forest Therapy Walk, 1-3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, 4879 N. Rangeline Road, Huntington. To register, contact Ann Hathaway at (260) 484-9560 or ahathaway@ cancer-services.org.

—o—

Christmas Tree Craft, 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, Impact Center, 3420 E. Paulding Road, Fort Wayne. To register, contact Keyonia Cox at (260) 484-9560 or kcox@cancer-services.org.

—o—

Community Christmas at The Lighthouse 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, The Lighthouse Community Center, 3000 E. State Blvd., Fort Wayne. Free gifts for kids under 18 will be available while supplies last. You must be present for the entire event to be eligible for one free gift.

—o—

Fort Wayne History Center

Unless otherwise noted, all events will occur at the History Center, 302 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne. For more information, call (260) 424-4419, email administration@fwhistorycenter.org or visit fwhistorycenter.org.

Science of Sugary Structures, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. $3 plus regular museum admission.

—o—

Woodlands Senior Activity Center

The center is located at 710 N. Opportunity Drive, Columbia City. For more information or to make reservations, call (260) 248-8944.

Euchre — 9-10 a.m. every Tuesday and Friday.

Dominoes — Noon to 1 p.m. every Tuesday.

Pixie Bingo — 9:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7 and 21.

Exercise w/ Carrie — 10-11 a.m. every Friday.

Bible Study w/ Cheryl — 9-10 a.m. every Tuesday.

—o—

Botanical Conservatory

1100 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne. $5/adult, $3/children 3-17. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday. (260) 427-6550, botanicalconservatory. org.

$1 Night Light Display, 5-8 p.m. every Thursday and Friday until Dec. 23.

—o—

Fort Wayne Embassy Theatre

125 W. Jefferson Blvd. For information or tickets, call (260) 424-6287 or visit fwembassytheatre.org.

Project Ballet; The Nutcracker, 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3; and 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. Tickets are $50 to $126.

A Motown Christmas, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5. Tickets are $95 to $129.

Holiday Pops, 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Tickets are $27 to $86.

Christmas At The Embassy, 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11. Tickets are $52.

Lindsey Stirling; Snow Waltz Tour, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12. Tickets are $41 to $282.

Straight No Chaser: The 25th Anniversary Celebration, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14. Tickets are $39 to $250.

The Rat Pack Is Back For The Holidays, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16. Tickets are $26.50 to $122.50.

In time, Pyne landed a bigger venue — television. He was lured to Los Angeles to independent station KTLA, who offered him $1,000 a week — more than the Yankees paid Mickey Mantle. “The Joe Pyne Show” then went into syndication, and he became a household name in 240 national markets.

The eternally skeptical Pyne invited guests from society’s fringe — astrologers, psychics, faith healers, UFO witnesses, hippies, “pinkos,” women’s libbers, Manson followers, KKK members and American Na-

zis, sparring with them all through a fog of cigarette smoke as he sat at his desk. “The subject must be visceral,” Pyne said. “We want emotion, not mental involvement.”

Media historian Donna Halpin enthused, “Pyne was one of broadcasting’s truly unique figures — the original angry talker. He rose from the lowest ranks of radio and founded the modern TV shoutfest.”

The money flowed in like a tsunami. In 1965, the 40-year-old celebrity married a 21-year-old Norwegian model. Together they shared a Hollywood Hills mansion complete with a swimming pool

and high-end foreign cars in the driveway.

But the good times weren’t to last. In the late 1960s, Pyne was diagnosed with lung cancer, and he died at age 45 in 1970. He quickly disappeared from the public consciousness. Later TV producers often recorded over his videotapes.

However, Joe’s spirit lives on through such abrasive would-be Pynes as Howard Stern, Bill Maher and Bill O’Reilly.

Does he deserve our thanks, or do we blame him for what he has brought to our TV screens today?

Giving for Christmas means more than toys

The Star of Bethlehem has been eclipsed by Santa’s sled burgeoning with expensive toys for all ages. The Three Wise Men have been shunted aside by Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

This is not a rail about how things were better “back then.” But it is an opportunity to discuss blending sound financial decisions with the true spirit of giving.

Grandparents do their grandchildren no favors by tumbling mountains of gifts and gadgets on them year after year.

To truly give a gift that’s

worthwhile, divert the amount of money spent on all that loot into long-term bonds that mature as the youngsters head for college, or in government savings bonds that can be cashed as needed, or into trust funds to help them get over the financial humps that coincide with raising a young family of their own.

Think about it. You just spent hundreds of dollars on the latest hitech gadget or on a set of wheels — skateboard, in-line skates, bicycle or auto — or on several humongous woolly monsters. Much of all that won’t be around in a couple or three years. And the kid probably won’t even remember what you

contributed to the pile of goodies he comes to expect annually.

However, if you funnel that money into a bank account or investment that is the child’s, you not only help secure his or her future, you build a separate memory all for yourself.

It also gives you an opportunity to help teach the youngster about the importance of investing as both of you watch the money grow over the years.

And it fits into the traditional spirit of Christmas that calls for loving the present (not presents), looking forward to the future, and preserving the past.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2022

Medicare Insurance

Medicare Advantage plans

A. Medicare Advantage (MA) plans offer an alternative way to pay for your health care expenses that would normally be covered under Original Medicare Part A & Part B. MA plans are sponsored by private insurance companies that contract with Medicare and must meet a strict set of standards each year to maintain the ability to offer plans to Medicare Beneficiaries. Star Ratings issued by Medicare to the MA plans provide consumers a quick way to gauge how well any particular plan has adhered to these standards. But how can they offer these plans without any additional premium?

To qualify for a MA plan, you MUST be enrolled in Original Medicare and

Walters Executive Vice President

must continue paying your Part B premium. Since Medicare is no longer involved in paying for your health care services, they transfer your Part B premium to the MA plan.

Elder Law

A: Many people say, “I need to get Power of Attorney (POA) over my loved one.” and I tell them that is not possible without the loved one agreeing. Durable Power of Attorney and Healthcare Representative documents (a.k.a. Advanced Directives) give authority to help handle financial, legal, and medical decisions. The authority cannot be taken by someone else.

David B. Anthony Attorney

tions are allowed to share without written authorization.

Fort Wayne’s Medicare Enrollment and Education Center

To learn more, call us today. Our consultation and education services are FREE! 3609 Lake Avenue Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 484-7010 www.buyhealthinsurancehere.com

You are the Boss. Advanced Directives do not put someone else in charge of you. You decide who makes financial, legal, and medical decisions if you are incapacitated or otherwise unable to act. Advanced Directives may name multiple people, and may be changed to name new people, at any time, without the approval of the person(s) you named in previous documents.

Married people also need Advanced Directives. Federal privacy protections limit information medical providers, insurance companies and financial institu-

Advanced Directives also helps keep your family from arguing about who should make your decisions when you can’t speak for yourself. Advanced Directives also help avoid the costs, burdens, and delays associated with Guardianships.

However, like insurance policies, the Advanced Directive needs to be in place BEFORE the emergency.

Professional Forum

Aging & In-Home Services offers many resources that promote the independence of older adults, persons with disabilities and family caregivers in the community. In 2021, AIHS opened the doors to its newest program: PACE of Northeast Indiana. This program is a PACE - ‘Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly’ – program and combines both clinical and social care in one setting to keep its Participants safe and independent in the community.

Participants in the PACE program are provided a unique, individualized care plan to meet their specific needs. The services on that care plan are prepared by the Interdisciplinary Team (IDTeam) which is made up of 11 disciplines ranging from primary care to transportation.

To be eligible for the PACE program, individuals must be 55 years of age, live in Allen County, require nursing home level of care and be able to live safely in the community with help from PACE.

PACE Enrollment Director

260-469-4148 ext. 639

Check your eligibility by taking our online eligibility quiz at www.pacenein.org/survey.

As a Medicare and Medicaid funded program, the PACE benefit may be available to you at no cost.

According to the National PACE Association, 97.5% of caregivers would recommend PACE to someone in a similar situation. If you are interested in learning more about PACE, visit our website www.pacenein.org or call 260-469-4148.

Tim McCulloch, Owner

Q: Why do I need a Power of Attorney now when I can make all my own decisions? I don’t want to give up my rights.

Q. What are

and how can some have “zero premium”?

Michelle

Q. My aunt needs nursing home level of care, but she wants to live in the community. What resources do you have for her?

A.

Lisa Sheeley

Suze Fair serves as director of prayer ministries

‘guide’ to the conversation,” she said.

Suze Fair is a person of faith, and she will be spending her Christmas Day Sunday in a unique way.

Fair is the director of prayer ministries for Grace Gathering, which has three area locations. But she’ll be taking on a special task Christmas day.

“For Christmas morning, Grace Gathering will be offering an online experience. We will be wrapping up a churchwide focus on the Advent season called ‘Make Ready.’ We’ve provided a prayer guide for folks around the themes of Advent: hope, joy, love and peace.

“The three site pastors will sit down for a conversation concerning their personal experience with the prayer guide, as well as anecdotally what they heard from their church attendees. I will be hosting this conversation, functioning as a

A Fort Wayne resident, Fair has served numerous functions in the church, which she and her husband, Kelly, have attended for four years.

“For the past three months, I have been serving as the director of prayer ministries for all the sites. Primarily, the role provides direction and support to each of the prayer directors at our sites as they provide prayer support and encouragement for the congregations.

I also sometimes preach on a Sunday morning and serve on the connections, which is the welcome team, for the site I regularly attend. Folks can watch the service at gracegathering.com/online.

She and her husband have been married for 37 years. She recently joined him in his executive coaching business, which he began after many years in ministry. They have three adult children: Ben, Katie

and Mackenzie. Her brother, Rob Robbins, a veterinarian, and his wife live in Grabill.

Fair is in somewhat of a transition, having left a job in banking last winter. She then went to a “boot camp” for writing and worked on writing a book through the spring and summer. In April, she started a podcast called “Pants on Fire” with daughter Katie; it can be found on Instagram.

“I have been thinking about writing a book for nearly 15 years,” Fair said. “The book is an expression of my story, specifically through the lens of the lies I’ve believed over the years that have shaped my experience and the journey I’ve taken to disentangle myself from those lies and live more fully, joyfully, and truthfully.”

“All the Lies I’ve Loved Before: Discover the Joy That Comes With an Honest and Authentic Life” was released Nov. 18. “The book talks a lot about how my faith has impacted

Explore independent living options at Golden Years Homestead

Are you tired of worrying about snow removal, mowing the grass, raking leaves and cleaning out gutters? Would you enjoy having the time to do things you enjoy?

Golden Years Homestead is excited to share the news about our new homes in The Orchard. The first four homes in phase one are almost finished. The floor plans range from 1,289 to 1,900 square feet of living space.

These homes are on schedule to be completed and available late winter. Commitments for new builds are also available should you wish to choose your flooring, cabinets, countertops and more, including upgrades such as a fireplace or a fourseason room.

The Orchard will have 46 homes surrounding a pond, and a community building. These new homes will have a refundable entrance fee starting at $195,000. This is an incredible value for a brand-new home in a community, like Golden Years Homestead, where peace of mind, safety and security are our first priority.

We also have a rare opportunity in our Terrace Homes, should you wish to move sooner. These homes also have a refundable entrance fee. The Terrace Homes are within walking distance to a community building where you can enjoy full-service dining and all of the amenities and activities for our active, independent living residents.

Come and talk to us about living in our senior housing community. Call (260) 7499655 to learn more and schedule a tour. Tours are available

by appointment Monday through Friday and on the third Saturday of each month.

At Golden Years, located in

Fort Wayne, you aren’t buying real estate, you are investing in a lifestyle and peace of mind.

every area of my life,” Fair said.

So on Sunday morning, Christmas day, Fair will be continuing to serve as part of her faith, as she does every day.

One of her favorite scriptures is Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Leave Your Legacy with the residents of

Saint Anne Communities!

The ONLY senior living community in Fort Wayne that offers daily Mass and Sacraments while providing the highest quality of health care.

Invest in honoring the lives of our seniors.

If you would like to give a monetary donation in honor of a loved one or if your business would like to donate, please contact our Fund Development Department at (260) 399-3232 or email miranda.haupert@sacfw.org for our list of needs.

Saint Anne Communities 1900 Randallia Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46805 260-484-5555 • www.sacfw.org

GOLDEN YEARS HOMESTEAD, INC.

A

Fort Wayne, IN 46815 Phone: (260) 749-6725, (260) 749-9655

SWISS VILLAGE, INC. 1350 W. Main St.

Berne, IN 46711 Phone: (260) 589-3173

AUDIOLOGY

CARTER HEARING CLINICS

1335 Getz Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46804

NORTHEAST: 3136 Goeglein Rd., Suite A

Phone: (260) 436-6400 or (877) 436-6401 www.carterhearingclinics.com

• Creating A Higher Standard of Care

• Board certified audiologists by the American Board of Audiology serving Fort Wayne since 1967

• Offices located in Fort Wayne, Auburn, Angola and Decatur.

PROVIDING

• Hearing Evaluations, Hearing Aids, Assistive Listening Devices and Auditory Training

• FREE TRIAL HEARING AID PROGRAM

THE HEARING CENTER

Phone: (260) 459-6924 • (800) 555-5402 www.enthearingcenter.com

Four offices located in Ft. Wayne. Also in Angola, Auburn, Bluffton, Columbia City, Decatur, Huntington, Kendallville, LaGrange, Marion, Warsaw, Wabash and Van Wert, OH.

* Specializing in hearing evaluations, hearing aids, and assistive listening devices.

* Trial hearing aid program.

* We practice excellence, setting the standard for hearing healthcare in Northeast Indiana. “Over 500 physicians refer their patients (and their own families) to The Hearing Center.”

BALANCE AND DIZZINESS

ENT BALANCE CENTER AT

Ear Nose And Throat Associates 10021 Dupont Circle Ct. Fort Wayne, IN 46825

Phone: (260) 426-8117, Choose Option 4 www.entfortwayne.com

The Premier Balance Program In The Region, ENT Balance Offers Comprehensive Care For Patients With Dizziness, Unteadiness And/Or Falling Problems. StateOf-The-Art Diagnostic Testing And A Full Complement Of Treatment Options Are Available. We May Be Able To Help You Regain A Steadier View Of The World.

GRIEF SUPPORT

PEGGY F. MURPHY

COMMUNITY GRIEF CENTER

A service of Stillwater Hospice, formerly Visiting Nurse 5920 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46814

Phone: (260) 435-3261

Web / email: www.vnfw.org / mail@vnfw.org

HOSPICE

STILLWATER HOSPICE

5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46814 (260) 435-3222 • (800) 288-4111

Formerly Visiting Nurse, Stillwater Hospice provides compassion, comfort and guidance along life’s journey. We provide palliative and hospice care wherever you call home or in our Hospice Home, the region’s only freestanding inpatient hospice unit. Grief support available for those who go on living. Hospice involvement not required. Locally based non-profit serving the community since 1888. Serving Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Noble, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties.

MEMORY CARE

LIFE CARE CENTER OF FORT WAYNE 1649 Spy Run Avenue

Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Phone: (260) 422-8520 www.lcca.com Denton Hall, Memory Care Unit We offer a premier special care unit for those with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. We provide a safe, homelike environment to increase and/or maintain each resident’s level of function at its highest sustainable stage.

NORTH WOODS VILLAGE AT INVERNESS LAKES

8075 Glencarin Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Phone: (260) 420-1866

www.NorthWoodsMemoryCare.com

Fort Wayne’s Premier Licensed Memory Care Assisted Living Community.

State-of-the-art, secure community designed and programmed specifically for those with Alzheimer’s, dementia and their families.

LIFE

1649

Grief counseling in your home or at our Grief Center, grief support groups, grief education programs/presentations — all at no charge.

HOME HEALTH CARE

BRIGHTSTAR

333 E. Washington Blvd.,

Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Phone: (260) 918-0933

www.brightstarcare.com

At

HOME PET CARE

Phone: (260) 387-6369 www.homecareisheart.net

Licensed

Care/Member of IN Assc. Home & Hospice Care

There’s no place like home to receive compassionate care that tends to the whole person. Body, Mind, and Spirit. We have a new approach to In-Home Assistance. We specialize in YOU! And it’s all from the heart. Non Medical attendant and companion services for disabled individuals and older adults. Children as well.

It was 50 years ago —

‘You’re So Vain’ refers to three famous, arrogant individuals

Carly Simon

“You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht.

“Your hat strategically dipped below one eye, your scarf it was apricot.

“You had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte.

“And all the girls dreamed that they’d be your partner, they’d be your partner.

“And you’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you.

“Don’t you, don’t you?”

Some lyrics of Carly Simon’s No. 1 hit often left many music fans scratching their heads in wonder. Let’s start with the little-known word gavotte. “A gavotte is a French dance,” Simon explained. “I thought I would use a word that was slightly presumptuous … He’s gavot-

ting because that’s what a pretentious, vain man would do.”

Then there is that mysterious line, “There were clouds in my coffee.” That statement came about during a flight Simon took with her piano player, Billy Merritt. She explained, “As I got my coffee, Billy said to me, ‘Look at the clouds in your coffee.’ There were clouds outside the window of the airplane, and you could see the reflection in a cup of coffee.” And we were supposed to figure this out?

But the question that most fans asked was: Who was Carly ridiculing in “You’re So Vain,” an Elektra Records tune that topped the Billboard singles chart for three weeks in the waning days of 1972? That hit, whose creation consumed nearly a year of Simon’s time, came from her third LP, “No Secrets,” a No. 1 Billboard album for more than a month.

Simon claims that “You’re So Vain” actually refers to a total of three famous, arrogant individuals. She has stated that ex-husband

James Taylor and Rolling Stone Mick Jagger are definitely not the men she had in mind when she put pen to paper many years ago.

Other possible candidates — deep breath here — have included David Bowie, Cat Stevens, Kris Kristofferson, David Cassidy and Jack Nicholson.

“I was brought up by a mother who was adamant you didn’t even kiss a man until you were in love with him,” Simon has admitted. “So I was in love with a lot of men. I was besotted by the lads. I was definitely a romantic.”

Recently, Simon admitted the second verse was about actor Warren Beatty — but only the second verse.

“You had me several years ago, when I was still quite naïve.

“Well, you said that we made such a pretty pair and that you would never leave.

“But you gave away the things you loved, and one of them was me.

“I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee, clouds in my coffee.” In August 2003, she

agreed to reveal the unknown names to the highest bidder of a Martha’s Vineyard charity auction. Dick Ebersole, the head of NBC Sports, won with a bid of

$50,000, but he had to agree to never reveal what she told him.

And so, to this day, Carly Simon’s mystery men have remained a mystery.

Seiberling Mansion in Kokomo is worth visiting during the holidays

This holiday season, consider a road trip to Kokomo to visit the elegant Seiberling Mansion.

The 11,000squarefoot NeoJacobean/ Romanesque Revival mansion, which is beautifully lit for the season, is a testament to the great Indiana Gas Boom of the late 1800s, which brought an era of prosperity to Hoosiers and laid the foundation for a new industrial economy.

Monroe Seiberling, lured to Kokomo with the offer of free land and free gas, was already a wealthy man in Akron, Ohio, before founding Diamond Plate Glass Company, Kokomo Strawboard and other firms in Jonesboro and Elwood.

Construction on the mansion began in late 1889. It was completed in 1891 because a wooden structure was built over the site for year-round work. After completion, the cover was dismantled and the materials given to anyone who could haul them away.

The initial estimate to build was $40,000 (a lot at that time), but ended up costing $50,000. The local gentry weren’t necessarily concerned by that figure, but when they learned that Seiberling had spent another $6,000 to build a carriage house they were shocked. Both, of course, were heated by natural gas.

The Seiberlings lived in the

mansion until mid-1895 when the gas fields dried up and the boom fizzled. They moved out — lock, stock and barrel —to Peoria, Ill., where he established new facto-

February 15–28 - Two week Florida Tour including Key West … $1,959 (double) 13 nights lodging, 22 meals, guided Tours of Amelia Island, St Augustine and Jacksonville, narrated cruise by celebrity homes on Biscayne Bay in Miami … visit Fairchild Gardens on a narrated Tram Tour, visit exciting island of Key West & stay for the Sunset Ceremony, optional free time in an Orlando area theme park (admission not included) Single Rates are $2,868

April 24-29 – Virginia Beach, Williamsburg & Norfolk … $799 (double) 5 nights lodging including 3 consecutive nights in Virginia Beach, 8 meals, The Virginia Beach Boardwalk, visit Colonial Williamsburg on a guided tour, Narrated Norfolk Naval Base Harbor Cruise, Virginia Beach Aquarium … Single Rate is $1,019 Deposit now $75 per person

June 19-24 – Lancaster, Pa Sights & Sounds to see Moses plus includes a guided tour of Gettysburg and Hershey, Pa Chocolate World … $799 per person (based on two to a room)

5 nights lodging, 8 meals, Admission to “Moses” at the Sight & Sound Theater, Admission to the Magic & Wonder Theatre, Admission to the Amish Experience, Admission to the Gettysburg National Park & guided Battlefield Tour, Guided Tour of Lancaster and a visit on the way home to Hershey’s Chocolate World … Single Rate $988 hurry sign-up now deposit $75 per person

September 2-13 – Yellowstone, Devils Tower & the Badlands, Black Hills of South Dakota & Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monuments … by motor coach $1,842 (double)

Includes 11 nights of lodging, 20 meals … Single Rate is $2,526 Deposit now $75 per person Tour is selling out fast! Call or email us for all the details. Such a great tour … I’m excited!

November 27-Dec 1- Pigeon Forge and Smoky Mountain Christmas Show Trip $738 based on two in a room … Incredible price includes 4 nights lodging in Pigeon Forge, 8 meals, seven shows plus Historic Downtown Gatlinburg … Single Rate $887 … $75 deposit

continued to make tons of money. There were a couple of owners after Seiberling and before George Kingston, inventor of the Continued on page 15

Seiberling Mansion in

Continued from page 14

carburetor used in Ford’s Model T automobiles, moved into it in 1914. He also founded Kingston Products, a major Kokomo manufacturer for years.

In 1946, Indiana University took over the property and established headquarters for IU Kokomo until 1965. It must have been special to attend classes in such historic surroundings. After IU, the mansion was empty until 1972. During that time it was vandalized and suffered from

weather and neglect.

It was close to feeling the power of the wrecking ball before the county stepped in and turned it over to the Howard County Historical Society, which carried out renovations and restored it to its original opulence.

Neither the furniture nor the light fixtures are original. They are, however, from the Victorian era. Brass door fixtures and window lifts are of Moorish design, while the woodwork is oak, walnut, maple, cherry, mahogany and

tulip poplar. Seiberling Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mansion includes a Miami Indian display, cooking ranges made by Globe America Company and a World War I exhibit of six-inch trench mortar shells produced in Kokomo. The company made 17,460 mortars, but none

of them made it to the battlefield. The ballroom on the third floor features photos of Howard County war heroes, uniforms, paintings and photos of the city through the years.

Seiberling Mansion is located at 1200 Sycamore St. Drive past the mansion and turn right at the next street. Go another block, turn

right again and come into the parking lot from the rear. It’s open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, February through December. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students (K-12) and free for children under 5.

For more information, visit howardcountymuseum.org or call (765) 452-4314.

Secret shopper

It’s so exciting these final days before Christmas. You never know who is going to be at the door ringing your bell.

Will it be UPS dropping off a package?

Maybe Federal Express with a holiday gift? Possibly the U.S. Mail with something for this past Mother’s or Father’s Day?

Sometimes it’s a grumpy neighbor telling you he’s tired of getting all your stuff by mistake.

’Tis the season.

This story begins about 2 p.m. last Tuesday. The UPS truck pulled up to the curb and we wondered what Brown was going to do for us. We saw the driver struggle with a huge carton the size of a big screen TV. He maneuvered it to the front porch and left it leaning against the door. I went outside to look at it.

“Who’s it for?” asked Mary Ellen.

I checked the label and it was addressed to me, but sometimes that sticker is misleading. Some of our credit cards are in my name, some are in Mary Ellen’s, so when a delivery is made, we are not sure who ordered it and who the gift is ultimately for. If the wrong person opens it, well, there goes the surprise on Christmas morning.

“It says it’s for me,” I told her, “but I have absolutely no recollection of ordering anything so big. Maybe you ordered it, Mary Ellen.”

My wife thought for a moment and so began the weirdest conversation in our

42-year marriage.

“Dick, I know what it is. It’s that special item I mentioned two months ago that I wanted for Christmas. You said you found it in a catalog. Don’t you remember? I am so excited! Thank you.”

“I have absolutely no idea what it is. Can you give me a hint?”

“No, I can’t give you a hint. That would ruin the surprise.”

“Ruin the surprise? Ruin the surprise? The gift is for you! It’s supposed to be your surprise. But you already know what it is. I’m the one who doesn’t have a clue.”

“It doesn’t seem right to tell you. That’s not in keeping with the spirit of giving, Dick.”

“Okay, how about if you whisper softly in my ear and I promise I won’t tell you what you said.” It scared me a little that for a brief moment this actually made sense. It was driving me crazy that I had no memory of what I bought her. “Is it a high tech item?” I asked.

“Not really,” said Mary Ellen.

“Do you plug it in?”

“No.”

“Is it artwork?”

“No, not even close. But I don’t want to play anymore. If you guess it, I’ll have nothing to look forward to on Christmas morning. I want to see the expression on your face when I open it.”

Later that morning when Mary Ellen went out grocery shopping, I opened the box. Let me tell you, it was a really neat present. I don’t think I have ever been happier with something I bought my wife.

Before Mary Ellen got home, I resealed it, then gift-wrapped it and placed it under the tree.

Of course, now we both knew what was in the package. It will still be a surprise on Christmas morning, as long as we can both keep a secret.

Christmas at Baer Field

It was two weeks before Christmas 1943 and GIs in World War II at Baer Field in Fort Wayne were busy planning the holiday events soon to happen.

Members of the USO were planning “an old-fashioned Christmas party on the night before Christmas (that would be) the busiest of the USO holiday festivities.” Included in the USO events were a formal dance to be held on Dec. 21 and another dance on Dec. 23.

USO members would not spare the “eats” which would consist, in part, of turkey sandwiches, available to the GIs all

week at the snack bar. Even a big sleigh was “displayed in the USO window which will be loaded with gifts to be given to visiting servicemen and women.”

It must have been a beautiful sight to behold as we learn that “a brimful of wassail bowl, and three big Christmas trees add the old-time traditional holiday spirit.” From the USO in downtown Fort Wayne, we return to Baer Field and the Base PX (Post Exchange).

From “The Beacon” newsletter Saturday, Dec. 18, 1943, page 7, the section headline reads: “Base PX Sales Indicate Bulging Packages For Soldier’s Folks Back Home Christmas.” For themselves, the GIs were “buying everything from shoes to caps and among the most popular

gifts are wool scarfs, hose and military regulation shirts.” The biggest item in demand was jewelry with “the distinctive insignia of the Air Corps.”

Gifts for the folks back home consisted of candied fruits and nuts, and the GIs were buying as much candy as the PX could purchase. Christmas cards were selling at a fast rate.

The Beacon news reported, “The Christmas spirit seems to have hit a new high among military personnel.” Soldiers are purchasing high-priced items “for their sweethearts back home, and for their mothers and sisters …”

No doubt it was a very Merry Christmas at Baer Field back in December 1943.

COSS awards $15,000 in grants for 2022

Council on Senior Services awarded $15,000 in grants Nov. 19 to multiple entities benefitting the maturing population of northeastern Indiana. Funds for grants were generated from COSS membership dues and by advertisement sales in the highly sought after COSS Senior Resource Guide.

The COSS board focused on broadly awarding grants to positively impact as many area nonprofits, businesses and seniors as possible.

Successful applicants receiving grant money included 18 businesses:

• Assistive Home Solutions LLC to assist with funding home modifications for seniors to successfully remain in their homes.

• Community Transportation Network for transportation access to medical care and services.

• A foster grandparents program to subsidize mileage reimbursement for volunteers.

• Give Hear to support growth of the agency as it provides assistance to restore hearing to

all clients.

• HealthVisions Midwest Inc. to use for health education funding and gift cards for healthy food purchases.

• Homebound meals for homedelivered meals to seniors.

• Hope Alive for shelter and counseling services for senior women.

• LTC Ombudsman program to promote and market their program to seniors.

• McMillen Health for senior health education programs.

• Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana to guardianship programs with volunteer advocates.

• One Purpose Senior Adventures to provide bucket list wishes for disadvantaged seniors.

• Promedica/Heartland Home Health and Hospice for special senior programs.

• St. Vincent de Paul Society to assist with senior programs, including care van transportation, food and financial programs, Carpenter’s Son and voucher program.

• Stillwater Hospice to purchase gas cards for use by families of hospice patients.

• The Lighthouse to provide a residential program for senior people with additions.

• Turnstone for activity supplies in adult day service and memory care programs.

• Wellspring Interfaith Social Services Inc. for their older adult program of activities and excursions.

E.

Less stuff and less stress

needs to be sold, donated or passed down?

The more stuff you have, the greater your stress level can be.

Ask yourself, “Do I use it?” or “Do I really need it?” If you answer no to either of these questions when going through your things, you may need to consider why you still have that item or items.

This doesn’t mean you have to toss anything you have or don’t need. You can clear items you haven’t used in a long time in a variety of ways, such as selling, donating or passing them down to children or grandchildren. Ask yourself if you would rather go through your things or would you rather family members do it and decide what keep and what

Planning ahead can give you the option, rather than the choice being made for you. This allows you to remain in control and keep the things most important to you, items you really love, the stuff you need and the stuff you have “just because.”

The ho-hum days of winter are perfect for cleaning and sorting your items — what to keep, what to donate and what to sell.

We’re here to help you if or when you need it. One of our Senior Relocation Program specialists can assist you with downsizing, moving needs or auctions. Call us at (260) 459-3911 or stop in our Fort Wayne office, 3344 Mallard Cove Lane, or Huntington office, 519 N. Jefferson St.

Any information welcome to: Dr. Greg Lawson, 1801

3rd St., Mishawaka, IN 46544.

Lawson is a longtime writer laureate of area history and human interest stories.