The Lakes Magazine May 2022

FREE MONTHLY PRINT MAGAZINE WITH CORRESPONDING MOBILE APP AND SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURING THE PEOPLE, BUSINESSES, AND EVENTS IN AND AROUND MARSHALL, STARKE, PULASKI, FULTON, WHITE & LA PORTE COUNTY INDIANA + BERRIEN COUNTY MICHIGAN

MAGAZINE

MAY 2022

LAY OF THE LAND

GET READY FOR THE OUTDOORS WITH HIATT’S LANDSCAPING

FLOWER POWER

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An Open Letter to All the Moms This Mother’s Day

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IN THIS ISSUE

MAY 2022

7

46

JOHNSON-DANIELSON FUNERAL HOME

FLOWER POWER

Plymouth Company Helps Clients Navigate the Funeral Planning Process

13

Goshen Floral & Gift Shop Enjoys Continued Success

50 FOR THE MOMS

VICTORY CITY

A Look Back at the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant During World War II

17 ROCHESTER BOAT COMPANY

Local Business Gets Customers Ready for the Lake Life

21

An Open Letter to All the Moms This Mother’s Day

54 PASSION FOR GIFTING

Mia Bella Specializes in Personalized Gift Boxes

59 CULTIVATING CHARACTER

HOMETOWN HEART

Marshall County Crossroads Aims to Improve Local Towns

25

Manitou DeMolay Helps Young Men Become Leaders

66 PREGIS

LAY OF THE LAND

Get Ready for the Outdoors With Hiatt’s Landscaping

Plymouth Facility Produces Quality Protective Packaging & Customer Service

30

71

KERLIN MOTOR COMPANY

NOSTALGIA ON THE RAILS

Three Generations of Trust and Community

Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum Brings History to Life

35

77

GET AN EDGE

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Choosing the Right Knives for Home Cooking Tasks

In May at the Lakes

41 FAMILY FUN SWING SETS

Local Swing Set Business Is a Family Affair KEY CONTRIBUTORS ABIGAIL HAKE / ADAM CALHOUN / ANGELA CORNELL / JEFF KENNEY JUBILEE EDGELL / JULIE YATES / KARI LIPSCOMB / LOIS TOMASZEWSKI MATT KEATING / TONY STRAW

6 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

JOHNSON-DANIELSON FUNERAL HOME PLYMOUTH COMPANY HELPS CLIENTS NAVIGATE THE FUNERAL PLANNING PROCESS

Writer / Lois Tomaszewski Photographer / Tony Straw

the business. She is also the daughter of Owners Jim and Terri Weldy.

Family defines Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home. The services provided by this familyowned company provide comfort to those who have lost cherished loved ones. It is about the cycle of life that families find themselves in, and a family coming together to serve the community in these vulnerable moments.

“Through the years, names, faces and buildings have changed,” she says. “What has not changed is our commitment to providing all families a means of recognizing a life with a tribute service that is not only meaningful, but affordable to all.”

“We pride ourselves on providing care that goes beyond the expectation,” says Jamie Beckwith, strategic planning manager for

Johnson-Danielson Funeral home has been a part of the Plymouth community since 1879. Through the past 143 years, seven families have been stewards of what has become a part of the community landscape, THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 7

Beckwith says.

Jim and Terri Weldy are at the helm of the funeral home and Remembrance Centre.

Beckwith and her husband Ryan are also involved with operations in various capacities.

Natives of Central Illinois, the Weldys assumed ownership in 2017 and the Beckwiths moved to Plymouth in 2020.

The Weldy family, however, has roots in Wakarusa, Beckwith says.

“My father Jim spent a great deal of time

growing up with his grandparents in the Goshen and Elkhart areas,” Beckwith says.

Jim has more than 40 years of experience in funeral services. He attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois, graduating in 1978. Beckwith is

currently attending the same school.

“I take great pride in carrying on the legacy that he and the preceding families of Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home have created over the years,” she says.

8 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home offers traditional visitation and graveside services, as well as cremation options and funeral pre-planning. They can help a family navigate the decisions that come about from the death of a loved one, and even alternative ways to express grief and pay

tribute to those who have passed. Staff is available 24 hours a day.

The Remembrance Centre is considered a sister company, and opened in 2009. It is a retail store with a variety of life-event gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, memorials and more. Beckwith says it is also the place to find something

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“just because.” Gift items offered in the Remembrance Centre include Carson wind chimes, stepping stones, rain gauges, various yard stakes and shepherd’s hooks. Home decor items and clothing, scarves, jewelry and handbags are also on hand.

addition to that,” Beckwith says.

Terri oversees the Remembrance Centre, supported by staff members Vicky Rich and Elaine Guzak.

“While the store features a variety of “We might be known best for our granite products in addition to memorial items, monuments or our line of urn and memorial one of the most common reasons someone items, but we have so much more to offer in shops in our store is for a memorial gift,”

Beckwith explains. “It may be the reason you initially came to the store, but we hope that you’ll be back to see us again for other special occasions in your life.”

Besides being locally owned, another important aspect of Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home and the Remembrance Centre is making sure the staff is committed to helping families, Beckwith says. The staff includes three full-time funeral directors, Jim Weldy, Caryn Durski and Jordan Mayfield. Jim Smart is the life celebrant and is joined by the support staff of Patty Welch, Betty Yoder, Donna Girten, Ruth Weist and Ryan Beckwith.

“We acknowledge that the level of service that is provided by our funeral home could not be achieved if it were not for the efforts of our dedicated staff,” Beckwith says.

The Remembrance Centre is located at 1218 South Michigan Street in Plymouth.

Shop online at theremembrancecentre.com.

Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home is located at 1100 North Michigan Street in Plymouth.

For more information on funeral services, call 574-936-2829, email info@johnson-danielson.com, or visit johnson-danielson.com.

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VICTORY CITY

A LOOK BACK AT THE KINGSBURY ORDNANCE PLANT DURING WORLD WAR II Remnants of the sprawling Kingsbury Ordnance Plant are still visible in LaPorte County, and the adjacent town of Kingsford Besides the fact that the annual Heights represents the vibrant continuity of remembrance of the storming of the beach a Hoosier community created intentionally at Normandy on D-Day on June 4, 1944, for the purpose of housing workers who one of the most decisive moments in ending helped provide the armaments for the World War II, is just a month away, warfare massive war effort with their own hands. has unfortunately been on the minds of many Lakes area residents in recent weeks By the late 1930s, the federal government due mainly to the attacks on the Ukraine by was already scouting locations for munitions Russia. production ahead of America’s involvement Writer / Jeff Kenney Photography Provided

Surely, though, that was all the more the case in the years leading up to World War II. Perhaps unnoticed to many presentday readers are the physical (and even municipal) reminders of the significant role played in this region in wartime activities.

in the growing war in Europe, though of course a formal declaration of war on the part of the U.S. occurred after the Dec. 7, 1941 bombing of the US Naval base in Pearl Harbor.

Some 13,000 acres in LaPorte County were eventually set aside for construction of the

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Kingsbury Ordnance Plant, ideal for its abundance of flat land, fresh water, highway and railroad access, and distance from coasts more prone to attack from enemies. Its remote locale also provided some distance from denser populations in the event of accidental explosions and the like.

Construction on the fourth American facility federally authorized for war preparation began in 1940, with some 250 local families relocated when the government purchased the land. In addition to construction facilities, bomb shelters, offices, and barracks were built at the plant, which eventually employed more than 20,000 workers. Since so many ablebodied men were engaged in the war effort overseas, nearly half of the plant’s employees were women.

Workers could produce on any given day 180,000 point-detonating fuses, more than 46,000 40mm shells, and 500,000 rounds of 20mm ammunition. Some workers who were exposed to the explosive tetryl experienced skin discoloration, noticing an orange tint to their skin. All employees had to pass through multiple checkpoints for security reasons, and those working in production buildings found their respective facilities separated by a mile each, in case of explosions.

All of those workers, of course, needed housing. Some were local residents, but many found temporary residence in newlycreated subdivisions in LaPorte (Maple Terrace) and Starke County (Parkview). But the most visible lasting legacy of wartimeera housing created in relation to the plant is the nearby town of Kingsford Heights, near the intersection of highways 6 and 35.

Initially dubbed “Victory City,” planning for the town had begun alongside planning of the ordnance plant. Construction was underway for nearly 3,000 houses, on 775 acres of former farmland, in 1942. President Roosevelt had established the National Housing Agency in February of that year, including provisions for housing relating to the war effort. Most houses at the LaPorte County site were one-story bungalows, and plans for the new community included schools, a civic center, a “village green,” police, fire, and medical facilities, and an administration center acting as the “town hall.”

As even modern-day maps and aerial

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photos show, the design for the town’s layout differed from most American municipalities: rather than a squared “grid” of streets, Kingsford Heights was laid out in a sort of “wagon wheel,” circular pattern, with municipal services and the like at the center. Rumors persisted that U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt had had a hand in the planning of the town, whether in its unusual shape or the naming of its streets, but so far efforts to substantiate the claim have failed.

permanently closed and decommissioned in 1960. Five years later, 7,280 acres were made the property of the State of Indiana and eventually converted to the Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area. Portions were converted into the Kingsbury Industrial Park and some returned to farmland.

Since its closure, the old ordnance plant site has persisted as a sort of “ghost town” and a visible reminder of an important piece of statewide and national history, though through the decades, remaining aspects of it have continued to decay and crumble.

Workers rented their housing from the And while the area has attracted curiosity government but, while some indeed took seekers and even ghost hunters over the advantage of the available residences in “Victory City,” many preferred to commute years, visitors should be aware that much of the land is on private property and may even from their own homes to the nearby be dangerous to access. Some remnants, ordnance plant, and postwar news reports indicated that only around 300 of the homes however, are visible from publicly accessible were actually occupied during World War II. locations.

As the war ended, production at the Kingsbury ordnance plant naturally slowed to a near halt as well. It was briefly reopened for the Korean War a few years later, but

Lasting residents of Kingsford Heights, meanwhile, purchased their town from the U.S. government and in 1956 it was incorporated as a municipality, with state funds made available to revitalize. New housing was added in the early 1970s and a plethora of new amenities emerged in the years since.

Today, the town’s 300-plus families call home an active community which signifies the notable contributions of the Lakes area to the World War II effort.

Jeff Kenney is a local historian and museum and archives manager for Culver Academies.

More focused information, and an array of artifacts and photos, for interested readers can be found at the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum in Laporte.

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ROCHESTER BOAT COMPANY LOCAL BUSINESS GETS CUSTOMERS READY FOR THE LAKE LIFE Writer / Lois Tomaszewski Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

Necessity may be known as the mother of invention, but it is also a pretty good reason to start a business. Shane and Lisa Reffett exemplify this with their business, Rochester Boat Company, LLC. “We started the business because we couldn’t get our own boat lift and dock installed at our house on the lake,” Lisa recalls.

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locally-based service for property owners.

These docks, lifts and other devices are removed for the winter and then reinstalled when the lakes thaw for spring. That means Rochester Boat Company crews are often working in 30-degree water to get their customers ready for the boating season.

Many of the people who use their services have second homes on the lake, Lisa explains. These Rochester Boat Company customers escape to their second homes to get away from stressful jobs and demanding lifestyles. The seasonal service of installing and removing the docks and apparatuses gives their customers peace of mind and the THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 17

reassurance that the job will be completed correctly.

“We want to provide quality service, quality products and quality staff training that provides the customer the best service, and gives our customers what they need,” the Reffetts say.

Their full-time and seasonal part-time staff members service their customers with quality products and courtesy, along with safe procedures. They are expected to follow the rules that govern the products Rochester Boat Company sells and the services it provides, the owners say.

“People who work for us have pride in what they deliver to the customer,” the Reffetts say.

Opportunities are offered to the staff for professional development. Technicians, for example, can opt to take online national certifications for Suzuki and Mercury engines. The sales team is encouraged to

attend workshops, dealer meetings and boat shows.

What started as a side business in 2009 began to grow as other lakefront property owners began calling for docks and related accessories. The Reffetts merged their new business, and purchased other pier and lift services on Lake Manitou. Three storage

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buildings totaling 33,000 square feet were added to operations beginning in 2011, and a showroom was built to highlight the lake products offered and marine repair services.

The business expanded again in 2014, adding more boat brands to their available products.

Today Rochester Boat Company still offers

the same services as well as new Crest pontoon sales, Mercury and Suzuki engine sales and service, Shorestation, LakeShore and Ryco boat lift sales, and storage.

Rochester Boat Company is the only dealer of new pontoons in Fulton County.

A new venture starting Memorial Day is pontoon, kayak and paddleboard rental.

“We got a significant number of calls asking for this,” Lisa says. “We were tired of telling people no.”

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At the same time, the Reffetts were careful to not grow their business in a way that could be detrimental to the excellent customer service they provide.

Understanding their resource capacities and the time needed to complete proposed projects for customers allowed them to turn down jobs that didn’t fit into their current operations.

Their customers appreciate the quality products and great customer service, Shane says, as evidenced by the repeat business Rochester Boat Company enjoys year after year. To him, it is an indication that their focus on top-of-the-line service and quality is the right way to do business.

Rochester Boat Company is a true family business, Lisa says. It started with her uncle doing the books and her aunt answering the phones, and later incorporated her sister, mother and son. Family provided a strong support system as the business was established and grew.

Shane grew up in Rochester and worked at Smitty’s Marina. He was an engineer with Navistar. Lisa also grew up in Rochester, and spent time with her grandparents at the lake and her aunt and uncle at their house on Treasure Island.

lake,” she says.

Rochester Boat Company is located at 410 North State Road 25 in Rochester. For service or more information, call 574-2232675 or visit rochesterboatcompany.com.

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HOMETOWN HEART MARSHALL COUNTY CROSSROADS AIMS TO IMPROVE LOCAL TOWNS

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expertise and so on.”

Creating quality hometowns is the goal of the Marshall County Crossroads members.

For example, Munroe says what leaders are doing in Culver could be helpful to Argos, Bremen, Bourbon, Plymouth and LaPaz, and vice versa.

Ginny Munroe, Culver town manager, says the approach the Crossroads leaders take in Marshall County is as important as the mission to create high-quality hometowns.

“Our Crossroads team takes seriously a process that involves connecting, collaborating, communicating, engaging and creating,” she says. “We try to follow that process with everything we do. When we are connecting with each other, we are sharing our knowledge, experience,

“Sharing information with each other and sharing a common mission to create great hometowns makes us all more efficient, more knowledgeable and more capable of achievement,” Munroe says. “The other aspect of our process is to engage our public. It’s the people we are working for who matter. What they experience of our communities is what matters.”

To achieve great hometowns, Munroe says

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 21

they need to know what people want for their hometowns.

“What is important to them?” Munroe says. “Is it housing, recreational activities or health? We try to know what the priorities are, and then we collaborate among ourselves to try to make that happen. It’s about what the people we work for experience in our communities.

Quality of life is our vision and that vision includes all aspects of a quality life - health, wellness, recreation, gathering, arts, culture, economic vitality and so on.”

The Crossroads team’s plans are built around what people experience in each of these areas of life.

communications and marketing for Marshall County Crossroads, says the leaders work hard every day to help make the county’s hometowns better places to live, work and play.

“With the process we follow, we feel like we can create the best quality of life for everyone,” Munroe says. “Quality of life attracts business, workers and so on.”

Marshall County Crossroads is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that involves a collaboration of leaders from across the region that engages and inspires communities to connect, collaborate and create high-quality hometowns.

Martin Oosterbaan, who provides

“The team is made up of over 100 members who are otherwise generally aligned with a local government, business, civic or educational organization,” Oosterbaan says. “There are 22 members of the steering committee led by Kevin Overmyer, president of Marshall County Commissioners.”

The goal is the creation of healthy, livable, thriving and sustainable communities.

The team was originally formed in 2018 in pursuit of the Stellar Communities designation, a state program under Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch administered primarily by Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs and Indiana Housing and Community

Development Authority.

“The town of Culver achieved the Stellar designation in 2017,” Oosterbaan says. “The state program expanded after that to require two or more communities working together to apply for the designation. This change effectively acknowledged that we live in a regional economic environment, and no one town or city working alone can accomplish what several municipalities can accomplish working together.”

After discussions initiated by Overmyer, local leaders decided to bring all the communities in Marshall County together in an attempt to achieve the Stellar designation.

“After a difficult six-month planning effort, the team was named a finalist,” Oosterbaan says. “We presented our regional development plan to government officials in Indianapolis. The designation was not awarded that year to Marshall County.”

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The team pursued the designation again in 2019, and this time it was awarded the Stellar designation.

“The impact of that designation was first-inline status for millions in grant funding from the state for eligible quality-of-life projects and housing,” Oosterbaan says.

Oosterbaan notes that it became obvious early on to the members of the team how powerful they could be in shaping the future of Marshall County.

“By creating a shared pool of knowledge, experience and contacts, achieving difficult things became more routine, and previously impossible things became possible,” he says.

“Following the Stellar designation, the team decided to remain together as a long-term planning group to set priorities and bring projects to fruition even after the four-year cycle for Stellar projects ends in 2023.”

The team incorporated as Marshall County Crossroads, adopted bylaws, and remains an all-volunteer organization operating on a small administrative budget funded by hometowns.

The Crossroads team is also supporting several arts-related projects, including renovations at the REES Theatre and the Bremen Community Center, as well as the establishment of arts-based learning centers throughout the county by staff members at Wild Rose Moon. An arts council has also been established.

“The team is currently working hard to position Marshall County successfully for project funding from the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, to be awarded later this year,” Oosterbaan says.

The team is also currently working hard on bringing the Blue Zones initiative to Marshall County.

“A Blue Zones program would be a first in the state, and is geared to making the healthy choice the easy choice, and by doing so, improving the statistics associated with wellness, obesity, smoking, etcetera,” THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 23

Oosterbaan says. “This would be a huge, multiyear undertaking by our team led by our Health and Wellness subcommittee.”

Surrisi says. “Crossroads was formed to help keep the conversation surrounding these important aspects of our lives going.”

Sean Surrisi, the Crossroads secretary and City of Plymouth representative, says Crossroads creates healthy, livable, thriving and sustainable communities that help current and future residents of all ages.

Surrisi notes that the nearly 100 members of the various Crossroads subcommittees are helping to drive that discussion, and are leading tangible projects to improve Marshall County.

“The communities of Marshall County have been working together to improve our quality of life for many years,” Surrisi says. “Those efforts intensified in 2019 as we engaged residents for input in drafting what became the Crossroads Quality of Life Plan.”

“They say that you have to see it to be it,” Surrisi says. “We in Marshall County have seen that it’s already a great place to live, work and play. Crossroads has a vision of how the county could be even better, attracting new residents, growing our economy and building up our people. By continuing this hard but exciting work, Crossroads will make that vision a reality.”

The plan is based on three pillars including spaces, economy and capacity building.

“Within those pillars are all the components that make up a thriving community, from arts and culture to health and wellness to workforce development and much more,”

visit us across social media platforms @ GreatHometowns.”

Overmyer says he is grateful for Crossroads.

“I would just like to say how humbled and grateful I am to see these people and towns all working together for the benefit of Marshall County,” Overmyer says. “It’s not always easy and we don’t necessarily root for each other’s high school teams, but this team is focused on making our hometowns truly great places to live, work and play.”

“We have made it very simple for people to learn more and get engaged,” adds Kerri Langdon-Martin of Red Door Marketing, who assists Crossroads. “Visit our website, marshallcountycrossroads.com, or IS YOUR HOME OR BARN WELL INSULATED? Licensed, Bonded, Insured

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LAY OF THE LAND GET READY FOR THE OUTDOORS WITH HIATT’S LANDSCAPING

Writer / Lois Tomaszewski Photographer / Tony Straw

When you own a home on a lake, there is more to living in it than what is contained inside. The backyard becomes a place to relax and enjoy lake life. A well-planned, well-constructed, beautifully landscaped space adds value and comfort to any lakefront home.

Goose Hiatt, owner of Hiatt’s Landscaping in Rochester, understands how an outdoor space works with a home or business. His design for an outdoor patio at a popular Rochester eatery won awards. He is committed to bringing that same attention to detail to clients who want their outdoor living to match their upscale lifestyle.

Hiatt places a company emphasis on quality work. His crew members attend seminars and workshops that familiarize them with the newest materials. His credentials

include certifications from the National Concrete Masonry Association for retaining walls, and the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute for patio construction.

His company is a Unilock Authorized Contractor.

“We were the first contractor in Indiana to use Unilock’s U-Cara wall system and the Beacon Hill Smooth product,” Hiatt says.

“We are not afraid of innovation. We try things other companies haven’t tried yet. We are excited about projects that are different.”

Hiatt uses the best material for any job he takes on, using his years of experience and specialized training to design and construct an outdoor space that fits within the parameters of the homeowner’s budget, tastes, and the space identified for use as a backyard retreat. These products include Unilock pavers and natural stone.

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 25

Outdoor living encompasses much more than a patio and a fire pit. People use their outdoor spaces as kitchens, living rooms and gathering places. Fireplaces, water features, retaining walls, pavilions and patio space are among many elements Hiatt and his crew have installed.

Many people, especially those who choose to live on any of the many lakes in the region, want to “make their own house a destination,” Hiatt says. That means an outdoor space that heightens the appreciation and enjoyment of time on a lake.

Using the industry’s best practices assures quality. That also means that Hiatt’s Landscaping is booked well in advance. The company’s reputation for quality precedes them.

“People will wait for us,” Hiatt says.

Lifestyle trends and decorating tastes change all the time. Hiatt says some popular trends right now are focused on adding pergolas, outdoor sound systems and lighting systems, as well as a higher percentage of paved spaces in the outdoor places people want to use.

Hardscape installations have been a specialized service of Hiatt’s Landscaping since 2006. Hiatt started a mowing company in 1993 after graduating from Taylor University with a business degree. As his experience and reputation developed, landscaping was added to the company service profile in 1999.

In 2018 the outdoor patio designed for the Rochester Bagel Shop provided the opportunity to upgrade to more large-scale projects, with more elaborate designs and multiple features. It also raised awareness of the company’s multiple services including hardscaping.

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“Before this project, people thought we were just a mowing company,” Hiatt recalls.

Pretty Lake, Lake Latonka, and a lake in Cassopolis, Michigan.

This successful installation opened up more opportunities for larger residential and business projects in a multi-county region.

Hiatt’s Landscaping has completed projects for Indiana homeowners on Lake Manitou, Lake Maxinkuckee, Lake Wawasee,

Most of Hiatt’s recent projects have been at lakeside properties, which often present challenges in positioning equipment.

Hiatt looks for equipment that can work effectively within the sometimes-limited space of a lakefront home’s backyard.

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Hiatt’s Landscaping is also the site of continuing education for other landscapers in the region. Every winter Hiatt invites speakers to talk to landscapers about new products and techniques, and watch

demonstrations. He also shares some of his knowledge on business. Many landscapers have the skills they need to be successful, but may not have the business acumen to keep their business running efficiently and

profitably.

“I came into this business from the education sector,” Hiatt says. “I had to learn how to do the occupation.”

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Now he is in the position to be able to share his advice with others. He does this to help other landscapers thrive. Hiatt says these landscapers are not his competitors, but rather his colleagues, part of a network in which referrals frequently result in work for others or work for his company.

“There is so much work out there,” he says.

“I want those jobs that fit my company.”

About eight employees comprise Hiatt’s crews. He considers these employees family.

“I have a great group of guys,” he says. “They deliver quality service and build customer rapport.”

Many times his employees are the face of the company. There are some clients Hiatt himself has never met, but are still loyal because of the relationship they have with the mowing or landscaping crews.

landscaping maintenance, as well as leaf and snow removal.

Hiatt, a Fulton County native, and his wife Amy, have a 2-year-old son, Shepherd. The couple are expecting their second son, Sage, in April.

For more information, follow Hiatt’s Landscaping on Facebook or call 574-223-7515. Hiatt can be reached directly at 574-835-1999.

In addition to hardscape design and installation, Hiatt’s Landscaping also offers mowing and landscaping services, lawn and

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KERLIN MOTOR COMPANY

THREE GENERATIONS OF TRUST AND COMMUNITY Writer / Angela Cornell Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Back in the day, car dealerships were one of those places where people gathered.

Locals might stop in and have a cup of coffee with the owner and catch up on all the latest news. Although it’s typical for car dealerships to keep a warm pot of coffee, it’s usually the customers who pour themselves a cup before returning to their smartphones as they wait for the shop to finish. Kerlin Motor Company, which has been a family operation for 95 years, services many coffee drinkers on a regular basis. They’re such a fixture in the community that people still come in and chat with the owners and staff.

Russell Kerlin and his wife Pearl first

purchased the motor dealership in 1927.

Through the years their four sons, Arthur “Dean,” Kenneth, Ed and Ted, took turns owning it, and then their grandson, Rick Kerlin, took over the business in the 1990s along with his sister, Valerie Warner. Both have fond memories of growing up around the dealership.

“It was interesting and fun,” Rick says. “I would head down there, hang around and enjoy everything that was going on there.

I wanted to be part of the business when I grew up.”

Valerie always appreciated the office side of things - a job that she eventually took over.

“Mom would let me, once in a while, walk 30 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

Russell and Pearl Kerlin

down to the dealership because it was two blocks from the school, and just hang out with grandpa, dad and the bookkeeper,” she says. “I would just go in the office and just sit, listen and watch, then my mom would come by and pick me up. That was my treat, to be with them all.”

One of the biggest draws for both siblings is the people that they work with. “We have great employees who we like to be around and spend time with,” Rick says. “We have great clients - a customer base. We end up being friends with a lot of them. It’s not just the business side of it. It’s more the people side of it.”

For the Kerlin siblings, their business means more than just work. It’s a three-generation

We work hard to gain the trust and respect from our customers that they’ve always had, from grandpa through dad and his brothers. To me that’s the best part, knowing that we are fulfilling the legacy that has been laid out, and knowing how grandpa and our dad wanted the business run and wanted customers treated.

Valerie Warner

legacy, and a platform from which to give back to the community by building relationships based on respect, courtesy and trust with every customer who walks through the door.

“We work hard to gain the trust and respect from our customers that they’ve always had, from grandpa through dad and his brothers,” Valerie says. “To me that’s the best part, knowing that we are fulfilling the legacy

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that has been laid out, and knowing how grandpa and our dad wanted the business run and wanted customers treated.”

They are also heavily involved in their community, offering a community breakfast every Christmas and running an annual

coat drive every fall since 1999. Since the first year they offered the coat drive, they have collected and given away 25,281 coats in the local area, and donated $250,000 to charitable organizations including Riley Hospital for Children and the American Diabetes Association.

Their success in continuing that legacy is evident in the customer-centric business practices, and the proof lies in the fact that some people have been loyal customers since their grandfather owned the business.

The rest of the evidence lies in the number of awards they have gotten over the years,

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including the President’s Award from Ford five times over. “We’ve won it two times in a row now,” Rick says. “Less than 10% of the dealers receive that award. It’s a customer service award, so we’re really proud of that.

We’ve won more customer service awards than any dealer around.”

The Kerlins eventually added onto the business with tractors, selling both vehicles and tractors out of the same location. Then in 1949, the family built a new facility for the car side of the business. Rick and Valerie’s father Ted worked in the tractor facility, which was only three blocks from where they lived growing up, until it moved

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to its current location on State Road 15 in Silver Lake.

They also have an award-winning service department with factory-certified technicians overseen by Parts and Services Director Kevin Kersey, who has been on the Kerlin team for 34 years. Parts Manager Dan

O’Hara is also a longtime employee and has been with them for 22 years.

“We’re very low key,” Rick says. “We’re there to serve our customers. Our people are just great. They take pride in what they do.”

Valerie concurs. “We’ve had people come in and say that it’s the amount of respect that they get that sets us apart,” she says.

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Their inventory includes Ford cars, Mahindra tractors, and Grasshopper and Ferris zero-turn mowers. These include residential and commercial. They also sell CFMOTO ATVs and UTVs. They also have a variety of agricultural trailers, including livestock, cargo, and utility. “The majority is horse and livestock trailers,” Rick says.

“That’s our biggest seller. They’re basically an RV that holds horses. People go to a horse show or go trail riding, and the trailers are fully self-contained.”

The tractor side of the business also has several longtime employees including Robin Shepherd, who has been the parts and service advisor for 30 years, and Doug Presson, who has been the senior mechanic for 22 years.

Rick enjoys helping a customer find the perfect car, trailer or tractor. “For most people, it’s probably the second-largest purchase they’ll make outside of their house,” he says. “We try to make it very easy, transparent and fun. I tell the sales staff all the time, ‘If somebody is going to buy a new car, you should make it a fun experience for them.’ This is a happy time for them.”

Kerlin Motor Company is located at 9944 South State Road 15 in Silver Lake. Visit them online at kerlinmotors.com or call the service department at 260-352-2162.

Kerlin Tractor & Motorsports is located at 9910 South State Road 15 in Silver Lake. To reach them, go to kerlintractors.com or call 260-352-2490.

Kerlin Trailers is located at 9908 South State Road 15 in Silver Lake. Call them at 260-352-2295 or visit kerlintrailers.com.

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574-586-2745 | NewKitchenStore.com | 330 Liberty Street Walkerton, IN 46574

GET AN EDGE

CHOOSING THE RIGHT KNIVES FOR HOME COOKING TASKS Story and Photography Provided

Are you looking to improve your cooking game?

The easiest, and perhaps even more importantly, the most fun way to achieve this is to upgrade your knives. There is nothing like using quality, sharp knives to take cooking from an everyday chore to a pleasure.

Here at New Kitchen Store, we carry the complete line of WÜSTHOF and Miyabi knives.

WÜSTHOF knives are among the finest German kitchen knives you can buy. The company is family owned and has been in business since 1814.

Miyabi is a very fine brand of Japanese

cutlery, owned by Zwilling Henckels from Germany. They are made in Seki, Japan.

We will discuss Miyabi knives in a future article. Today we are going to discuss WÜSTHOF knives. If you have never had a truly quality kitchen knife before, WÜSTHOF is the perfect place to start.

WÜSTHOF knives are used by more than 80% of today’s professional chefs. That alone should tell you everything you need to know. They are designed with the home cook in mind. They are easy to care for and able to stand up to extreme conditions.

When you hold the 8” cook’s knife in your hand, several things jump out at you - first, the perfect balance, right in the middle of the knife. They are not too blade-heavy or handle-heavy. WÜSTHOF knives are the perfect weight - not too heavy and not too THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 35

light. They just feel good, like an extension of your hand. The handle construction helps with this. The best material for knife handles is high-impact plastic rather than wood.

WÜSTHOF’s new plastic holds up much better than previous plastics, and is 100% hygienic.

This makes using them an absolute joy, and there is much less fatigue as you effortlessly slice through anything you are preparing.

You do not have to fight your way through your food - just slice and dice.

They are also full-tang knives. A full tang makes a knife much stronger, and securely holds the blade and handle together. It also helps to perfectly balance the knife. They also have a bolster - a hallmark of a forged knife. The bolster helps with the balance and protects your fingers from the blade.

WÜSTHOF knives are tempered to a perfect 58 on the Rockwell hardness scale - a hardness that holds a very sharp edge.

Plus, they are easy to sharpen. The edge right out of the box is probably sharper than any knife you have ever used. With proper care, because of the design, they stay sharp much longer than most knives in the highend knife market.

WÜSTHOF has taken their edge angle from 19 degrees to 14 degrees. A 14-degree angle allows for a much sharper edge than any other western-made knife you can currently buy.

The steel formula used is a high-carbon, nostain steel. They are designed to be easy to sharpen and to hold an edge much longer

than most knives - up to two years if you follow WÜSTHOF’s care guidelines.

While dishwasher-safe, these knives should be hand-washed and hand-dried for optimal performance.

If you drop your knife, do not try and catch it. Move out of the way and let it drop.

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Otherwise you are very likely to either cut yourself or have a knife sticking out of your foot. Move and let it fall.

Come into New Kitchen Store at 330 Liberty Street in Walkerton, and let our experienced staff put one of these knives in your hand. Feel the perfect balance, see the edge and imagine how much fun you can have using this to prep your food for your nightly meals. For more info, call 574-586-2745 or visit newkitchenstore.com.

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P.J. Gilsinger & Co. A Place to Visit!

P.J. Gilsinger family museum will explain the history of the oldest John Deere Dealer in the world at it’s original store location. Since 1899 The Gilsinger family has served farmers in our area.

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FAMILY FUN SWING SETS

LOCAL SWING SET BUSINESS IS A FAMILY AFFAIR Writer / Julie Yates Photography Provided

Stanley and Eldora Shock, owners of Family Fun Swing Sets, are celebrating their sixth year of building and selling swing sets to the

Middlebury community and beyond. Each stained wood set with its colorful swings is handcrafted with pride and built to last.

They are constructed to provide hours of entertainment and fun for children and even adults.

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“I bought the business in April of 2016 from my brother, who had purchased it from someone else the year before,” Stanley Shock says. “I get the lumber from Pennsylvania in large bundles of 120 or 240 pieces. The wood comes as two-by-fours,

two-by-sixes and two-by-eights. I have a jigsaw and use my own designs.”

“People want certain things on or off, like a curly slide. I’m still learning as I go.”

Shock uses treated pine lumber. He offers swing sets in basic designs but each can be tweaked and changed. The resulting swing sets have variations based on input from the customer.

Each of Shock’s three set designs are variations of each other. The first model consists of a 5’x5’ tower with a sandbox underneath, a roof on top and a slide coming off of it. The 14’ body of the swing set has room for four swing types.

“I can make them small or big, but I do work with three standard designs,” Shock says.

The second version is the same as the first

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42 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

model, but instead of a sandbox, customers can choose either a 5’ picnic table or a 24” picnic table. For all the designs, customers can pick any combination of swings, a plastic glider or a trapeze bar. One option is an adult-sized swing.

binoculars for children to look through.

The third model has an A-frame instead of a tower and steps. It is open and without a roof. It has space for four or five swing options depending on what the customer wants. Prices for any of the swing sets generally range from $1,400 to $3,700.

Customers can choose different tower options. Rock climbing grips, a ships wheel and tic-tac-toe decorations are available.

The materials used in constructing the Another feature is an open space shaped like sets are heavy duty and built to last. The

swings and tower roof come in four colors including burgundy red, green, yellow and blue. Each is made from plastic polyurethane and the colors are bright.

Customers can go with just one color or choose several for different swings on their set. The chains on the swings have a soft grip halfway up, are the same color as the swings, and are between 24” and 30”.

The wood on each set is stained a classic

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reddish brown. Shock dips each wood piece busiest time is April through October. in stain as he is building it. The stain coat will last about three years and customers can “We deliver all over the area,” he says. “We buy a gallon of stain for future maintenance. will bring the finished swing set right to where the customer wants it. We have gone Most of Shock’s customers hear about north into Michigan and as far as Chicago.

Family Fun Swing Sets by word of mouth.

In the future I hope to build a bigger barn People can stop by his shop most afternoons to allow more space for the shop. Eldora, to view sets in the process of being built. His the kids and I like to work on the swing

sets together as a family. Our 6-year-old and 4-year-old love to help and bring us the parts and pieces.”

Family Fun Swing Sets is located at 13628 County Road 8 in Middlebury. For more info, call 574-825-7999.

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FLOWER POWER GOSHEN FLORAL & GIFT SHOP ENJOYS CONTINUED SUCCESS

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Writer / Angela Cornell Photography Provided

G

oshen Floral & Gift Shop first opened its doors in 1945, and Dan and Kate Stutsman purchased it in 1968. Since then, the Stutsmans have made a name for themselves through creating quality products. It’s a legacy that their daughter, Sally Stutsman, has continued through 54 years of family ownership.

Although Stutsman grew up in the business, she had no desire to pursue it when she was a teenager.

“It’s a lot of hard work,” she says. “I always said I would not end up in this business because I saw how hard my parents work.

When I was growing up it was my mom, my sister, cousin, grandma, aunt - all the employees were almost always family.”

After her parents retired in 1995, her other siblings took turns owning the business

before Stutsman herself took over and fell in love with it all over again. “It’s a pleasure to come to work,” she says. “It’s been good to us, it’s been good to our family. I love the people and the customers we get to work with every day, and God’s beautiful nature.”

Throughout the years Stutsman has been able to maintain the shop’s family feel, even infusing it with her appreciation for those she serves. “It’s been a very faith-based and family-based business over the years,” she says. “Our industry is a very emotionally charged business. We deal with people in their very happiest times and their very saddest times. It’s a time to witness, comfort, and to share joy and happiness on the happy occasions and everything in between.”

Goshen Floral specializes in customized arrangements. “Each order we get is specifically designed for that order,” Stutsman says. “It’s not like we have a production line and every flower

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arrangement is going to look the same.

They’re all handmade by professional designers one order at a time. The website is for ideas and we can mix and match from there.”

Although it might surprise some, no two days are the same in the flower shop. “You might come in and have two or three orders on the clip, and by the end of the day you’ve delivered 25 - you just never know,”

Stutsman describes with a chuckle.

The business also includes a gift shop with a variety of items including inspirational, bereavement (for both people and pets) and

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their more popular gift lines includes locally made confections from local chocolatier Steve’s Gourmet Confections. “I like that it’s a local business and we can support someone local,” Stutsman says.

They also carry women’s clothing and accessories, and men’s sports items - a trend in the floral industry that has been on the rise since 2008. “When the economy was struggling, we all looked for something that would perk up the walk-ins,” Stutsman explains.

McDonald’s and get a hamburger or are you going to go to your favorite pub?” Stutsman says. “You buy what you pay for. It’s teaching people to enjoy the beauty of flowers and that they want flowers in their home, and that’s a good thing.”

Goshen Floral is located at 1918 ½ Elkhart Road in Goshen. Visit them at goshenfloralinc.com, reach out to them by calling 574-533-0531, or email goshenfloral@hotmail.com.

Although they’re based in Goshen, they can reach across the nation through delivery.

They can also personally deliver flowers in Kosciusko, LaGrange and Elkhart counties. memorial gifts. They are perfect as standalone items or as accompaniments to floral arrangements. They have several seasonal items as well like soap botanicals, silk home decor, seasonal wreaths and more. One of

High quality is the name of the game at Goshen Floral. Stutsman purchases her inventory from select wholesalers to ensure that their arrangements are top notch. “I always liken it to, if you want a good hamburger, are you going to go to

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Mon-Sat 11a-8p • Closed Sun THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 49

For the Moms

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL THE MOMS THIS MOTHER’S DAY

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You put on a pretty face - makeup or not - and make sure everyone is taken care of ahead of yourself. You get up early and stay up late to make sure everything is prepped and ready for the next day. You grab a coffee to have an extra feeling of awareness to tackle all the projects that lie ahead for you and the family. You might not have sat down since 5 a.m. this morning.

We see you.

YOU ARE THE HOUSE MANAGER. YOU ARE THE CHAUFFEUR. YOU ARE THE COOK. YOU ARE THE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT. YOU ARE THE KNOWER OF ALL THINGS ABOUT EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE. YOU ARE THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES. AND YOU TACKLE ALL THESE THINGS WITH GRACE AND KINDNESS.

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G

running strong. You make everything better even when that’s a hard feat. As stated above, you are magic. Even when you feel down and drained like you can’t go on anymore, you can and you do. You have the strength of a lion and honestly, we know you can do just about anything.

You are the most magical creature on this earth. You make everything twinkle. You make even the smallest gestures seem larger than life. You have a way of making gray skies shine with rainbows. You create magical moments whenever you are around with things like blanket forts, staring at the ceiling or the stars, sitting by the bonfire, sharing old stories of your past, your tiny winks, and so much more. Even just sitting around is better with you there.

You are a shoulder to cry on. You listen and cry with them. You always do so much for others and keep your family and household

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But remember, they need you. They need a healthy you.

So make sure to take time for yourself. It’s important.

Take any quiet time you can, even if that’s sitting in a quiet closet for five minutes to refresh. Make a little time for you. Everything you are taking care of day in and day out is exhausting and draining, so make sure to take time to refresh your soul at times too. Do it. Set time on the calendar where you are kidfree and partner-free. They’ll understand.

Right now love might be shown to you with slobbery kisses, monster hugs, giant squeezes or even sneezing in your face, but it’ll change and grow over time. The love for you is larger than anyone can quantify. Those in your life know only half the things you do on a daily basis and they can’t even imagine the things running through your head every day. They’d be lost without you and if they don’t know that now, they will someday. It might not be tomorrow, but don’t worry, it’ll come.

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52 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

SO KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. YOU ARE DOING AMAZING. STAY PRESENT - REMEMBER, PRESENT OVER PERFECT. THEY LOVE YOU FOR YOU, AND PROBABLY DON’T MIND A MESSY HOUSE, OR EATING OUT NOW AND THEN. THEY JUST WANT TO BE AROUND YOU. YOU ARE ENOUGH. YOU ARE JUST WHAT THEY NEED. YOU ARE THE GREATEST MOMMA THEY KNOW!

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Pier and Seawall Steps

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Up to 12’8 C

PASSION FOR GIFTING MIA BELLA SPECIALIZES IN PERSONALIZED GIFT BOXES Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided

Daria Luczkowski, co-owner and cofounder of Mia Bella Company, says her business has just the right gifts for people to choose from.

Mia Bella, which she co-owns with her mother Ewa, is an up-and-coming company selling elevated gift boxes for any occasion.

“Our curated gift boxes are gifts that are carefully and thoughtfully crafted, specifically with the gifted recipient in mind,” Luczkowski says. “We offer two gift options ready to shop that we pre-curated, or customers can also build their own box using an app feature on our website.”

Luczkowski loves working with her mom in a family business.

“We’ve always enjoyed working together,”

she says. “Ewa had started and owned two businesses in the United States, one of which was catering and event planning. I would help her on the weekend with the events.”

Luczkowski adds that they both enjoyed the creative side of catering, and seeing how hosts and guests enjoyed the outcome of their hard work.

“We’ve always paid particular attention to thoughtful gifting,” she says. “I’ve raised my 7-year old daughter Mia, after whom the

business is named, to give more of herself than she takes. Every year in December after her birthday, which falls before Christmas, she donates all of the gifts and toys she receives so other kids can enjoy the holidays.”

The idea for Mia Bella was born in the same spirit of giving.

“We want to help customers create lasting impressions and memories by making it easy, and yet still having thoughtful gifting solutions,” Luczkowski says.

The Mia Bella team carefully sources premium products and gourmet foods.

“All of our products are sourced and made in the U.S.A., including our eco-friendly packaging,” Luczkowski says. “Most of our products are either handmade, all natural, and/or made by women- and minorityowned businesses.

Community support is also part of their commitment and purpose.

“We have premium gourmet chocolates and sweets, and also beauty products including bath bombs, soaps, lotions and

54 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

facial masks,” Luczkowski says. “We have tumblers by Corkcicle, and we also have a variety of cookies, teas and snacks.”

until Mia made her a ‘babcia,’ or grandma.”

philanthropic causes within the community.

Ewa’s schedule became even busier.

Twenty years later, they were ready for a new challenge.

Luczkowski has a particular process she uses “Thanks to mom’s dedication and full-time for putting the gift boxes together. help, I was able to continue advancing my career in the insurance industry, elevating “Whether you are picking from our readymy customer service, leadership, marketing to-ship collection or having fun building and strategic skills,” Luczkowski says. that perfect gift box from scratch, rest She also continually contributed to assured our carefully selected products are of highest quality,” she says. “We hand-curate each gift box, carefully paying attention to the smallest details. That’s why every box comes with color-coordinated tissue paper and ribbon, branded sticker, and even a handwritten note, making the recipient’s unboxing experience one of a kind - not to mention the speedy shipping.”

Mia Bella has something for any occasion, and even “just because” gifts.

“We have gifts for birthdays, engagements, Easter, Women’s Day, Christmas, Employee Appreciation Day, Boss’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and a ‘Will You Be My Bridesmaid?’ proposal box,” Luczkowski says. “We also specialize in corporate gifting, and will work with firms and enterprises to meet their specific employee and client needs.”

Luczkowski and her mother immigrated to America from Poland 20 years ago.

“Little did we know about the challenges, the struggles and the hard work that lay ahead,” Luczkowski says. “Yet despite all the bumps in the road, our perseverance, work ethic and always having each other’s backs helped us prevail and always move forward together.”

Luczkowski says she started her career in the insurance industry as early as high school.

“I continued to work full time while attending college at nights and earning my MBA at UConn,” she says. “During my days off and on summer vacation, if I was taking extra classes I would help mom with work.

My mother started and ran two successful companies, a catering business and a cleaning service, that kept her very busy up THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 55

“We were thousands of personal and professional experiences stronger, so it was time to try something else,” Luczkowski says. “With family and friends always at the heart and center of everything we do, we

decided it was time to leverage our many diverse experiences, and turn our passion for crafts and obsession with gifting into Mia Bella.”

The team’s mission is to help others make lasting impressions and create unforgettable experiences, while removing the hassle from gifting.

“We strive to support the community and procure most of our premium products from U.S.-based, women-owned handcrafting firms such as ours,” Luczkowski says. “We have carefully composed many custom gift-box options, ideal for all occasions that are ready to ship at the click of a few buttons. We also recognize you know the person you are buying for the best, and offer the flexibility of building your own box if you choose.”

For larger and corporate needs, Mia Bella offers concierge services from start to finish, and they are happy to partner with

customers for special event and promotional will gladly add any finishing touches such as a ‘Fragile’ sticker on the shipping box. So needs. don’t look any further. Order your gifting from Mia Bella and let us take the stress “We will meticulously compose your gift box, hand-sign a greeting card, and take care away from you.” of shipping right to your recipient - or you For more information, go to if you like,” Luczkowski says. “But let’s not miabellabox.com. forget about Mia, whose entrepreneurial spirit sparked the idea of Mia Bella. She

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CULTIVATING CHARACTER MANITOU DEMOLAY HELPS YOUNG MEN BECOME LEADERS Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided

Charlene Baillieul, a chapter advisor for Manitou DeMolay, says the nonprofit has been very positive and inspiring for young men.

DeMolay is a youth-led, adult-advised organization through which young men learn to plan, organize and facilitate their own programs.

“The young men hold meetings at the Masonic Lodge in Rochester where they elect their positions and state their ideas for future plans,” Baillieul says. “The meetings follow Robert’s Rules of Order, and each member has a specific role within the meeting. The roles are chaplain, master councilor, treasurer, secretary, etcetera.”

The young men decide within these meetings what activities they would like to do to fulfill the mission of the chapter, and what community service projects they will pursue.

“A young man noticed that there were a number of teenage boys who had lost their fathers in World War I, and he thought it was tragic for a young man to grow up without a father in his life,” Koleszar says.

“He got to know a few of them and they started a club. He was a member of the Scottish Rite in Kansas City, so they met at their building and he told them the story of Jacques DeMolay.”

DeMolay was the last grand master of the Knights Templar according to Koleszar. DeMolay was captured by the king of France, imprisoned, tortured, and Jeff Koleszar, executive director of Manitou eventually burned at the stake because he DeMolay, says the organization started more wouldn’t turn over the Templar’s knights than 100 years ago. and wealth to the king.

“This is the incident that took place on Friday, October 13 in the early 1300s that gave ‘Friday the 13th’ the curse of being bad luck,” Koleszar says.

Since its inception, the organization has been member-led. The officers and members plan their own activities, with the adult volunteers providing advice.

“This helps the members learn to work together, how to plan an event and how to delegate,” Koleszar says. “DeMolay is structured like a fraternity or sorority with chapters around the state. Each chapter elects its own officers who generally serve six-month terms. This helps the members develop leadership skills, how to communicate and set goals.”

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At the state level, the organization leaders try to mirror what a local chapter does.

“The members from the chapters across the state vote on their state leaders, have input on what activities we hold on the state level, etcetera,” Koleszar says. “Each term is different because the members get to decide what they do. From paintball to bowling, basketball tournaments, speech

competitions and video games, it’s up to the members to develop a plan, set their goals, work on committees, etcetera, in order to be successful.”

Chapter members are also involved in their communities and strive to be good citizens by helping others.

“We have chapters that are very active with

Relay For Life, do canned-food drives and toy drives, adopt families for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and more,” Koleszar says.

Baillieul notes that each member joins for individual reasons.

“By the time they graduate from high school, they are all more confident, speaking more eloquently, and are more aware of how their community service efforts have helped our community,” Baillieul says. “With DeMolay’s focus on community service and brotherhood, each member truly feels as if they belong to something greater than themselves. It is a wonderful and safe place for young men to gain some needed life skills and endless networking opportunities.

These young men will one day be our community leaders, and DeMolay will have prepared them with the necessary skills and a network of support for these leadership positions.”

Baillieul became involved when her son, Leiton Haack, stated that they needed another advisor for the group.

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“DeMolay encourages parents to be active alongside their children, and it afforded me a chance to spend more time with Leiton,” Baillieul says. “As a parent, I watched my son become a part of an organization that focuses on the betterment of our community and instills the responsibilities of being a good son - reverence, courtesy, comradeship, fidelity, cleanness and patriotism.”

As an advisor, Baillieul has watched somewhat unsteady public speakers grow into confident and self-assured young men who conduct meetings as leaders.

“DeMolay is a great group for all young men, especially those that wish to better their public speaking skills, community service involvement and confidence, in a fun and relaxed environment,” Baillieul says.

Baillieul notes that Haack joined DeMolay when he was in middle school, and has achieved many goals.

“He became the youngest master councilor

60 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

at the Manitou chapter, and has competed at various speaking competitions within the organization,” Baillieul says. “I credit DeMolay for his current successes.”

Haack says he has enjoyed being a part of the group for five years.

“DeMolay, as an organization, has been extremely helpful to me throughout the years, be it in utility, mental health or socialization,” he says. “It’s provided a method of networking, and a way to make friends and memories. I still get excited thinking about when my chapter and I play Uno, video games, Onitama and a whole other slew of activities.”

He adds that the group has helped him in many different ways.

“DeMolay is absolutely a wonderful vessel for developing into a well-rounded young man, and I would argue that my sudden and unexpected rise into positions of power

within my chapter when I was only about 12 or 13 has taught me how to get better at public speaking, projecting my voice, entertaining a crowd, making connections with those around the state, and the responsibilities that come with such highranking positions,” he says.

Haack believes DeMolay is unique in that practically every event, program, charity and competition is run exclusively by young men.

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“Adult supervision, while present, is mainly for advising the young men of the organization, and not for running the chapter - something which is exclusively left up to the members of the chapter,” he says.

Haack says the number of events planned by his chapter is too plentiful to count.

“We’ve gone laser tagging many times, browsed around malls and IKEAs alike, and organized overnight gaming events which sometimes left us up throughout the night,”

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he says.

Haack notes that the value of the organization for a young, growing mind cannot be overstated.

“Although my chapter nowadays is much smaller than it used to be, the fun we have and memories we still make is an experience I wouldn’t sell for the world,” he says. “For that, I am and always will be forever grateful to DeMolay and those who have helped me grow over the years into who I am today.”

Haack is currently a student at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities at Ball State University.

“I believe the confidence and responsibility needed to be admitted there are a direct effect of his involvement with DeMolay,” Baillieul says. “This organization has helped him with his confidence, public speaking, networking and overall character.”

Kory Pruiett, a chapter advisor, says that although the Manitou chapter of DeMolay is focused on helping the local community, they also support Indiana DeMolay as a whole, as well as DeMolay International, which spans many countries.

“Our main interests lie in helping our local community,” Pruiett says. “We have supported local churches, aided in cleaning and decorating cemeteries, raised food and money for our local food shelter, and many other projects to support our community as a whole.”

having experienced being a part of Manitou DeMolay.”

Koleszar says Manitou DeMolay is always looking for new people.

“We are always looking for new members and new volunteers to help at each local chapter,” he says.

For more info including details on becoming a member, visit demolay.org.

Pruiett adds that the organization teaches young men responsibility, leadership and the strength to become good men in society.

“We have seven virtues that our boys live by - filial love, reverence for sacred things, courtesy, comradeship, fidelity, cleanness and patriotism,” he says. “Being involved in this organization has literally changed my life. I wouldn’t be who I am today without

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PREGIS

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Pregis is a name that few people know.

Nonetheless, their products have been in almost every home in Michiana. Anyone who has ordered something online, purchased food ingredients or meal kits, or even bubble wrap or foam packaging from certain big-box stores in our area has used Pregis protective packaging. There’s also a high possibility that it was made in the Plymouth facility.

“Anything that you think of like protective packaging — the scale is from anything from wadded up brown paper to bubble — really anything you can think of, we made that,” explains Ellie Meyers-Lloyd, the human resources generalist at Pregis.

Pregis products are made from plastic resin pellets that are melted down and reformed into protective packaging that is then used on everything from food shipments to car bumpers.

“Literally any application you can think of. We make any size bag from two inches all the way up to 64 inches,” says Plant Manager, Danny Dean. “You name it, we’re in about every industry.”

There are 14 plants in Pregis’s network.

However, three things set the Plymouth location apart. One is its size — it is the largest plant in the network and has the capability to make any of the products available through Pregis.

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The Plymouth Pregis also houses the customer service department and the sample department.

“The sample department has every product that we make in what we call the protective packaging division,” Dean says. “That doesn’t exist anywhere else in the network.”

Some of Pregis’s most popular products

include air cushioning packaging, like bubble wrap, air pillows, etc. as well as P.E. sheet foam, like foam rolls and pouches.

These come in a variety of densities and colors, per their customer’s needs. Most of those customers are distributors.

“We manufacture the product, we send it to the distributor or a fabricator,” Dean says.

Just because Pregis works with plastics doesn’t mean that they don’t have sustainable business practices.

“Sixty-five percent of all the products that we use, that we manufacture in Plymouth, are of recycled material,” Dean says.

About 200,000 pounds of plastic waste from the plant gets re-pelletized and recycled into

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“A majority of the material that we reclaim comes right from the process that we put right back into it,” Dean adds. “Our options are either to scrap it out and send it to the

dump or reclaim it and put it right back into the process, which is what we do.”

Approximately 240 people work at Pregis, and this business is always accepting applications. Their core values are integrity,

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“We have more people that work in our facility who have more than five years than have less,” Dean says. “People come here and they stay here.”

Loyalty is a trait that spans all levels in the administration and the CEO himself keeps his managers accountable.

“He never walks through the front door.

He always walks in the back door. And he always asks the same question: ‘What has management done for you lately?’ He’s a super guy. He’s the reason I came here and the reason why I like to recruit my leadership team. It’s a great place to work,” Dean says.

For both Dean and Lloyd, the people on all

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“We try really hard to put the focus on being different and treating our employees different by doing not the normal — fancy little things,” Lloyd says. That includes lavish annual Christmas parties, sending bereavement gifts to employees when they lose a close family member, and more.

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“Those are not really the typical, normal everyday things that employers do, right?

But we try really hard. It’s just an extra way to show that we appreciate them,” Lloyd says.

To learn more about Pregis or to apply, check them out online at pregis.com or visit them at 1411 Pidco Dr. in Plymouth.

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North Judson used to be a hub of railroad activity from 1825 until the railroad was decommissioned in 2004.

During its peak years, the town saw around 125 trains per day, with much of North Judson’s population working for the railroad. When that was evidently fading, several area railroad history lovers volunteered countless hours to make sure that a piece of that history was preserved for future generations.

Now, more than 30 years later, it is an exciting attraction. “A lot of our visitors have no idea,” Barcus says. “They know nothing about the trains at all. Once they leave, they’re like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know this was here. I didn’t know that this happened here or that this was going on.’ ” There are two parts to this attraction. The first is a museum explaining northwest Indiana’s history with the rails. “A lot of the photos and such that are on the display are actually from my personal collection,” Barcus says. “There are some really cool things to look at.”

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Another interesting attraction is their collection of operational wayside signals, and a new area of the museum that is currently under construction to receive the Grasselli Tower, a reassembled railway tower from East Chicago. “It’s going to be a real attraction when we get it done,” Barcus says. There are several other fun displays at the museum that will enthrall train enthusiasts of all ages.

Another attraction is a functional railroad, complete with steam trains, that runs every Saturday and for special occasions like Father’s Day. The track takes visitors through the Grand Kankakee Marsh, which was once known as the “Everglades of the North” before it was drained in the 1920s. “There’s a lot of rich history that is associated with that, whether it’s Native American history or the railroad history of that,” Barcus says.

The Hoosier Valley Railroad crosses the Kankakee River and what was once English Lake, but was lost to drainage efforts. “It’s an interesting train ride with a little of that history,” Barcus says. “You’re actually going through some pretty beautiful areas. It’s a transition area between the eastern forests and the central prairie, and you can see that.”

The museum has

drawn people from all over the world and museum. “In many cases they may have a connects them to local history. “Really, what little tidbit of history that maybe we don’t we’re trying to do is tell a story,” Barcus says. know about,” Barcus says. “Or maybe we have a gap in our knowledge. Some of our Barcus and the other volunteers also hear older guys may be like, ‘I don’t know what stories from visitors who walk through the happened in these years. I was away in the

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$

*Additional Days $20/Day For A 4 Ton Limit And $55 Charge Per Ton Over 4 Tons

Army.’ Then somebody else will be like, ‘You know what? I used to live in North Judson.’

Then they will continue to tell that story, and it’s fascinating.”

(574) 936-2323 www.plychamber.org 120 N Michigan St • Plymouth

Connect • Community • Business • Growth Join the Chamber Today!

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum team is always looking for more volunteers to help tell that story. It is open to the public on Saturdays from May through October, and during special occasions through the year. It is located at 507 Mulberry Street

• • • • •

in North Judson. Reach out by calling 574-896-3950 or emailing questions@ hoosiervalley.org. Learn more about them by visiting their website at hoosiervalley.org.

TOMMY BAHAMA HART, SCHAFFNER & MARX 34 HERITAGE ST. CROIX JOHNSTON MURPHY

BRIDAL | BRIDESMAIDS | MOTHERS | FORMAL WEAR TREATSSQUIRESHOP.COM | 308 NORTH MICHIGAN STREET, PLYMOUTH | 574-936-3669 74 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

Living Room • Dining Room Mattresses • Accents • Office • & More!

Open Mon- Fri 10am to 6pm Saturday 9am to 5pm 231 Apache Dr. • Rochester

(574)223-7632

www.townehomefurnishings.com

302 N. Heaton Street, Knox, IN 46534 • 574-772-3802 JUST SOUTH OF THE YELLOW RIVER BRIDGE ON THE US 35 CORRIDOR

Not only do we have antiques... we have old stuff, new stuff, furniture, costume jewelry, local crafted soaps, collectibles, candles, jams, jellies and don’t forget some downright ugly stuff!

REG. HOURS: THURS-FRI-SAT 10AM4PM OWNERS: JERRY & VICKI COOLEY

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 75

Peachy Keen Coffee on Saturdays

LIKE US!

eed Us

ION

1! t 75 r.com

8 5

ment ment

Lilly Pad

Here When You Need Us

BOUTIQUE Apparel • Lake Gear • Shoes Decor • Gifts & More

HOURS &You LOCATION Here When Need Us New Location Effective 9-7-2021!

HOURS LOCATION Here When&You Need Us 115 E. 7th Street New Location

Rochester, IN 46975 HOURS & 9-7-2021!

LOCATION Effective

New Location evansagencyrochester.com 115 E. 7th Street Effective 9-7-2021!

Rochester, IN 46975 Tel: 115574-224-6988 E. 7th Street evansagencyrochester.com Fax: 574-224-6925 Rochester, IN 46975 evansagencyrochester.com Tel: 574-224-6988 Hours Fax: 574-224-6925 Monday-Friday Tel: 574-224-6988 8 a.m.-4:30 Hours p.m.

Fax: 574-224-6925 Saturday

By Appointment Monday-Friday Hours Evenings By Appointment 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday Saturday

By Appointment 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Evenings

By Appointment Saturday By Appointment Evenings By Appointment

Mon-Sat 10am to 5pm Wednesdays 10am to 6pm

Find Us On Facebook

2317 E. State Road 14 Rochester, IN 46975

(574)223-5459

GREAT GIFTS FOR

Burr Oak

Whistle Stop

MOTHERS DAY, ANNIVERSARY, WEDDINGS , BIRTHDAYS

KNOX WOOD SHOP

Lakes-Related Merchandise, Antiques, South Bend Chocolates, Furniture, and More.

Tues - Fri 11 AM - 6 PM | Sat 10 AM - 6 PM Sun 1 PM - 5 PM

(574) 952-0852 burroakwhistlestop@gmail.com 15295 State Rd. 17 Culver, IN 46511

(574) 772-3358 | www.knoxwoodshop.com | 1290 W. 150 S • Knox

76 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

I N M AY AT T H E L A K E S

KOONTZ LAKE/WALKERTON

EVERY MONDAY

Central Time

BREMEN/LAKE OF THE WOODS

BINGO

Doors open at 5p, Early Bird starts at 6p, and regular games start at 6:30p at the Koontz Lake Association Community building.

7

7

Eastern Time

THE LAKE OF THE WOODS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION MEETING

4pm at the Grovertown Community Building.

9am – This meeting will be held at the Bremen Conservation Club building on North Shore Drive.

KLA BOARD MEETING AT THE KLA CLUBHOUSE

KAYAK RACES AND FOOD TRUCKS

FISH FRY

10

6:30pm - Meetings are open to the public and community support is needed!

Come to a board meeting to see if you might be interested in helping!

29

14 21

BREMEN CONSERVATION CLUB MEETING

9am – at the Bremen Conservation Club building on North Shore Drive.

LIONS AYCE PANCAKE BREAKFAST 8am-Noon at the Koontz Lake Fire Department

Registration is now open for Vacation Bible School at the Koontz Lake Missionary Church from June 13- June 17th, 8:30/9:30am – 10:30/11:30am. You can register prior to the opening date at http://klmc.us/vbs-registration

LAKE MAXINKUCKEE/CULVER

EVERY SATURDAY CULVER FARMER’S MARKET

Starting May 7th at the West Pavilion at the Culver Park from 9am – 1pm.

From May 31st, they begin Every Tuesday from 5pm – 7 pm.

7

KNOX/BASS LAKE

7

Central Time

Eastern BASS LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS MEETING 9am at the Property Owners Building Time

21

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE AND GOLF CART INSPECTIONS 9am-Noon - Performed by the Sheriff’s Dept at the Property Owners Building

28

CAR SHOW

GREATER MARSHALL COUNTY RESALE

8am -Noon at Wythogan Park

28

IF YOU’D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR EVENTS FEATURED IN THE WHAT’S HAPPENING SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL MANDI@TOWNEPOST.COM

8am – 1pm – at the Argos United Methodist Church located at 570 N. Michigan Street, Argos, IN. Don’t forget a bag for all your great finds!

CULVER BEACH OPENS From Noon to 6pm

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 77

Your Place for Gourmet

Coffee & Sandwiches

NOW OPEN

Arlington Public House 703 Main St. Rochester

701 Main St. Rochester, IN 46975

(574) 223-7107 www.jarretysplace.com

Contractor Supply Shop

WHOLE INTERIOR HOUSE PACKAGES HUGE VARIETY OF HARDWOOD FLOORING MOLDING • TRIM • INTERIOR DOORS

All Manufacturing and Finishing done In-House *Better Quote Contractors

574-773-9442 • 106 3B RD | NAPPANEE 78 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com

UPCOMING EVENTS APR 28 – MAY 1

IBRA 4TH ANNUAL BIG MONEY

MAY 13 – MAY 14

MORGAN AND MORGAN CROSS SALE

MAY 13 – MAY 15

AAU GRAND PRIX VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

WWW.MICHIANAEVENTS.COM

MAY 31 – JUN 5

260-768-3310

TEAM CAMARILLO BARREL RACING

455 E FARVER STREET

JUN 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 FOOD TRUCK RALLY (EVERY WED)

SHIPSHEWANA, IN 46565

JUN 24 – JUN 25

MIDWEST DRAFT HORSE CLASSIC SHOW & PULL

JUN 30 – JUL 2

TRI-STATE ALL MORGAN HORSE SHOW

Knox - Winamac Community Health Center

Caring for your healthcare needs since 2007

Knox-Winamac Community Health Center is a private non-profit agency providing affordable high-quality, primary care to residents of Starke and Pulaski Counties.

Walter Fritz, MD

David Cook , MD

We accept Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurances. We have a Sliding Fee Scale available to qualified individuals which can significantly reduce the cost of your office visit.

Services Available

Roger Farris, NP

Renae Atkins, NP

Primary and Preventive care • Physical Examinations Employment • Sports • School Physicals Well Child Checks • Immunizations • Chronic Disease Mangagement Laboratory Service • Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings Management Women’s Health Screenings and Annual Exams • Behavioral Healthcare Open Monday thru Friday and every Saturday until noon

1002 S. Edgewood Drive Knox, IN 46534 | 574-772-6030 THE LAKES MAGAZINE / MAY 2022 / TownePost.com / 79

Providing Expert Maintenance, Repair & Installation Justin Time Plumbing & Heating is your area’s one-stop shop for all comfort system services!

Call our team when you need plumbing, heating, air conditioning, water heater, air quality or light commercial services.

We are your local comfort system maintenance, repair, installation and replacement experts.

24 HOUR SERVICE Mitsubishi Diamond Contractor 12 year warranty Armstrong 10 year labor and 12 year parts warranty

www.justintimeplumbingandheating.com Justin Time Plumbing and Heating, LLC

(574) 780-2245