The Lakes of Kosciusko Magazine April 2021

FREE MONTHLY PRINT MAGAZINE WITH CORRESPONDING MOBILE APP AND SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURING THE PEOPLE, BUSINESSES, AND EVENTS IN AND AROUND KOSCIUSKO, ELKHART, NOBLE & LAGRANGE COUNTY

APRIL 2021

MAGAZINE

PRO WAKE WATERSPORTS THRIVES ON CUSTOMER CARE AND A LOVE FOR LAKE LIFE

PRINT POWER

Nighthawk 3D Offers Three-Dimensional Printing Services

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Timothy Schlabach

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NIGHTHAWK 3D OFFERS THREEDIMENSIONAL PRINTING SERVICES Writer / Julie Yates Photography Provided

The idea of machines printing out solid objects might be hard to imagine, but this is precisely the concept behind Nighthawk 3D. The Shipshewana company uses 3D printers to design and manufacture small custom parts. It all began when Owner Derek Miller was unable to find obsolete parts for RV refrigerators.

“I work for my father, Larry Miller, at Pines Refrigeration.” Miller says. “Certain parts were unavailable to repair some refrigerators. We got a 3D printer to see if I could figure out how to make the parts. Eventually, I moved the printer home and I just kept playing around

with it. Everything expanded from there.

Anything that anyone can dream up can be made, such as drink holders, gears, caps, brackets for bikes, pipe elbows or small ratio slides for milkers. Small businesses have been having a hard time sourcing parts due to COVID. That affects their customer service, so we can help them get the parts they need.”

The process starts when a business brings Miller an

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actual part, a rough prototype, or even a drawing that includes desired specifications. He then designs it by using computer-aided design (CAD) software, and eventually exports it to other software, and a resulting line of commands is then loaded on an SD card.

The material used to make the part is contained on a roll that is fed through an extruder, and comes out of a small nozzle at temperatures that range between 200 and 270 degrees Celsius. Just like a 2D computer deposits ink on paper, the 3D printer ejects a hot substance while moving back and forth hundreds of times to deposit multiple layers. The finished part is then lifted off the build plate of the machine.

“The result is plastic, but it can have some additives such as wood fibers, carbonfiber fill, or glow-in-the-dark substances,” Miller says. “The build plate is also very hot and that causes the part to adhere to it as the nozzle goes back and forth.

How many times it goes back and forth depends on the part. Some can take 20 minutes and others 36 hours. Many take two to three hours. The demand has been so good that I keep getting more printers.

I’m not really making money yet since I’m in the process of buying more machines

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and getting them up and running. I do enjoy it. It’s fascinating to watch them make a part.”

Currently, Miller is working on a project to develop small fans to put in refrigerators. The fans will blow air onto interior fins to prevent ice buildup and increase the interior air flow.

Pines Refrigeration is starting to build units for the Amish community. Powered by propane, the refrigerators have small parts that can be designed and produced

by Miller’s 3D printers. Examples include a drain that takes water from defrosted fins out of the back of the appliance, and thermostats that can be clipped onto the fins.

Between work and other interests, Miller strives to find a balance to maintain family time with his wife Joanna and son Kylan. In the past he has participated in competitive bird watching, for which the goal is to see how many of a certain species can be spotted in one day. His company name, Nighthawk 3D, is a nod to that hobby.

Miller also custom paints fishing lures. He sells them for $12 to $15, but if people bring their own, he charges $6. It’s a great option for people who want to refresh the paint on a lucky lure or want to totally change the color.

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Meanwhile, Miller is continuing to explore the capabilities of 3D printing.

His success with producing outdated refrigerator parts has led to providing a few handles for older cooling units for a dealer in Alabama. He is also

experimenting with using nylon material and was able to produce a gear that drives a chain pushing 300 pounds.

“The potential here is huge,” he says.

“A lot of people don’t realize what can be done. A variety of materials, soft to strong, can be used. Whatever is used must be heated very hot to become a liquid that can be forced out. I really enjoy it, especially the designing part.

The projects are interesting. The resulting parts can extend the life of the machines they are put into, and make them work more efficiently.”

Nighthawk 3D is located at 1735 North 500 West in Shipshewana. Derek Miller can be reached by phone at 260-2140168, or by email at dmiller2564@ gmail.com. Visit the company online at Nighthawk3d.business.site.

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TheLakesMagazine.com / APRIL 2021 / THE LAKES / 11

SOUND SERVICE CRIST PLUMBING, HEATING & ELECTRICAL PROVIDES A FULL SUITE OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Writer / Angela Cornell Photographer / Timothy Hare

For many millennia, plumbing and heating experts have been a necessary part of society. The first municipal water pipes date back to 4000-3000 BCE in the Harappan Civilization, in modern-day Pakistan and India. Indoor heating has an even longer history, dating back to hearths used by the Neanderthals, according to the latest archeological finds. Other conventions, such as underfloor heating, date back to 1000 BCE in Korea.

Since then, plumbing and heating systems have been used by some of the most affluent civilizations across history. The primary job of plumbing and heating experts has stayed the same throughout time - optimize the comfort, safety, and convenience of customers.

Jake Crist and his father started Crist Plumbing, Heating & Electrical, Inc. in April of 2000.

“I basically came right out of high school with a desire to work

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Tree Removal & Trimming Storm Damage Clean-up Stump Grinding Crist, Inc., in Nappanee, IN, is the area’s leading heating and cooling specialist serving Nappanee and surrounding areas specializing in heating, air conditioning, sump pumps, water softener repairs, water heaters and more. For all your heating and cooling needs, contact Crist, Inc. in Nappanee today!

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12 / THE LAKES / APRIL 2021 / TheLakesMagazine.com

with dad, and also had a desire to do what he did,” Crist explains.

That desire naturally segued into starting their own business.

“I’ve always had a drive to own my own company,” Crist says.

“It seemed like an opportunity to do just that.”

Although Crist bought out the company, his father still comes in every day.

“He runs a good share of the service lineup scheduling,” Crist says. “He works in the shop too.”

From the beginning, they have prided themselves on customer service.

“We’re people-friendly and we really do care about our customers, from the office down to the service team,” Crist says.

It’s a full-service plumbing, heating and electrical company for residential and commercial structures. Not only is the staff skilled in all things plumbing, heating and electrical, but they also install, maintain, repair and change out water softeners, furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, sump pumps,

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generators and more.

They also have a 24-hour emergency service for customers, which extends through their entire service area. This includes all of Elkhart and LaGrange counties, some of Saint Joe, and as far south as Kosciusko County.

They also have a full-time estimator who works out the quotes for the business, especially for larger jobs.

“He’s going to go out there, especially for a furnace or air conditioner, size it, make sure that the equipment is the right size for the house, and make sure that the equipment is right,” Crist says.

“He also looks at any other options the customer may want. We’re all about customer contact.”

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From the moment a customer reaches out to the company, the office staff carefully goes over the details of the issue with the customer, in order to thoroughly and effectively solve the problem.

“We try to get to the root of the problem rather than just changing parts,” Crist says.

“We stand behind our work 100%. We expect customer satisfaction. We keep a neat, clean environment. Our guys leave everything cleaned up.”

260-563-3546 4170 W. 200 N. Wabash, IN 46992 14 / THE LAKES / APRIL 2021 / TheLakesMagazine.com

For customers in the Maintenance Agreement Program, service comes particularly fast.

“We try to have them taken care of

within 24 hours, and oftentimes it’s less than that,” Crist says.

manufacturers like York, A.O. Smith, Navien and others.

The company offers warranties for parts that it supplies, as well as warranty for labor for one year, for all customers. There are also discounts on certain products.

“I have a little showroom,” Crist says. “Most of my products are large-item stuff, but I do keep some on hand.”

Apart from their services, the company also sells and installs equipment from

They also offer financing options on certain York products, for those who need it.

“We do a credit check right there, which gives an almost instantaneous yes or no,” Crist says. “Then they’ll sign for it and we’ll do the job.”

Crist Plumbing, Heating and Electrical, Inc. is located at 68489 County Road 13 in Nappanee. For more info, call 574-831-4630.

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We specialize in producing custom built log home with a strong belief in quality and integrity.

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Committed to Quality & Customer Service • New Sales • Custom Builds • Restorations • Product & Parts Sales Nate & Sara Miller

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If your home is warm in the summer and cold and/or if you have icicles hanging on your roof in the winter, we can help you!

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We offer professional sales, installation, and service for new and existing homes as well as commercial buildings.

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Owners Patty & Mark Richards

MEMORIES START HERE

PRO WAKE WATERSPORTS THRIVES ON CUSTOMER CARE AND A LOVE FOR LAKE LIFE Writer / Angela Cornell Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

TheLakesMagazine.com / APRIL 2021 / THE LAKES / 19

F

or Mark Richards, the owner of Pro Wake Watersports, the phrase “Memories Start Here” has been a lifelong motto when it comes to enjoying lake life. Many of his first memories are of spending weekends on Syracuse Lake at his grandparents’ lake house. While there, the day often started with a bath off the end of the pier, and continued with boat rides, water skiing, swimming, fishing, and every kind of lake activity a boy could imagine.

“I just loved every time my parents were like, ‘Hey, we’re going to grandma and grandpa’s for the weekend,’ ” Richards says. “I couldn’t get Since he has so many wonderful memories there quick enough.” on the water with his family, it’s only natural that he would try to help other families Now, more than four decades later, Richards find the perfect water sports equipment. provides the same kinds of opportunities for So, it’s no wonder why the hashtag on his grandkids. social media for Pro Wake Watersports is #MemoriesStartHere.

“My grandkids are aged 6 months to 6 years, and they all know that at Pop’s, you go to the “In the boating industry, you’re making lakes and get on boats and have fun.”

memories for people,” Richards says.

“You’re growing memories for kids and grandkids. You don’t see many people on the water who are frowning and not having a good time. Memories are made on the water. It’s our passion to get to know people, to get them into the right boat, to deliver a good product to them, to back it up, and to support them.”

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Hours: M-F 8-5 Sat. 8-12

“WE ARE ALL ABOUT THE FAMILY, THE PASSION, THE WATER, THE BOATING INDUSTRY, AND GROWING FAMILIES AND MAKING MEMORIES. WE CARE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT YOU’VE GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EARN YOUR BUSINESS AND WE AREN’T GOING TO LET YOU DOWN.” - MARK RICHARDS Richards rebranded the business in 2012 and purchased the company in 2018.

“Pro Wake Watersports seemed like a perfect name for the next phase and direction that we were going,” he says.

In the last eight years, the business has grown from one location with four employees to three locations and 20 employees. Each one is near a travel destination lake, which draws people from all over the state and even around the Midwest.

All three locations have a wide variety of boat brands available, including Supra, Moomba, Sylvan and Harris. They also have other water sports equipment, such as waterskiing and wake surfing gear and accessories.

boats are only allowed to go 10 miles per hour or less, and as such, need smaller engines.

However, on larger lakes, like Wawasee, boats need more power in order to safely share the water with the rest of the traffic on the lake.

When a new customer walks through the door looking for a boat, the first question Richards and his team ask is, “What lake do you boat on?” To the Pro Wake Watersports staff and their customers, that detail makes an incredible difference, since the size of the lake and the boat need to harmonize. In smaller lakes, like Ridinger in Kosciusko County,

“By asking that question, it gives us a direction of where our thought process needs to be in order to guide you to the right boat,” Richards says.

TheLakesMagazine.com / APRIL 2021 / THE LAKES / 21

Once they know how powerful the boat needs to be, Richards’ staff will ask about what kind of accommodations the boat needs to have

in order to best suit the customer’s needs and desires.

“Is it just the four of you and you want to be left alone when you come to the lake, or do you entertain a lot and have 25 people on the lake with you?” Richards says. “We spend the time, we learn each other, and we get them into the right boat with the right price.”

After payment options have been determined, whether the boat is paid for in full or the customer has made a down payment through Pro Wake Watersports’ financing option, it is lake-tested and detailed. When the staff is satisfied that everything is in working order, it is delivered on the date set by the customer.

“I have a delivery captain come out to your lake, bring you the boat, and go out on the lake with your boat for an hour or two to go over everything with you, to get you comfortable with it before we leave you,” Richards says.

Pro Wake Watersports professionals are

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willing to come back and help customers as much as needed.

“We’ll come back out, especially on the towboat side, and spend more time with them to dial in their boat, helping them to correct what they may be doing wrong on the wakeboard or wake surf side,” Richards says.

Pro Wake Watersports’ customer service doesn’t end there. They also offer a full range of maintenance, storage and services for boat owners.

“We do storage, winterization, summarization - it’s a full-service, fullstorage facility,” Richards says.

Their main location in North Webster alone features more than 50,000 square feet of under-roof storage.

“We store hundreds and hundreds of boats, and service thousands,” he says.

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Richards and his team offer more than just motorboats. One of their most popular services is their Surf Wednesday program, which is available between Memorial Day and the second week of August. Richards’ team offers lessons to those who sign up to learn how to wake surf.

“We teach them how to surf,” Richards says. “If they know how to surf, we take them to another level. We get them excited about surfing behind a boat.”

All of Pro Wake Watersports’ products, programs and services come down to a single goal - inspire customers to enjoy water sports and lake life with the same fervor that Richards and his team feel.

“We are all about the family, the passion, the water, the boating industry, and growing families and making memories,” Richards says. “We care. The bottom line is that you’ve given us an opportunity to earn your business and we aren’t going to let you down.”

For more info on locations, financing, product and service details, and more, visit prowakewatersports.com.

CALL TO SCHEDULE A FREE ESTIMATE!

Lee & Carolyn Eash 4922 W 1100 N | Ligonier, IN 46767 Ph: 260.593.0883 | Fax: 260.593.0884 TheLakesMagazine.com / APRIL 2021 / THE LAKES / 23

Crushed But Not Broken was founded to help women and children in crisis domestic violence relationships, and to provide shelter and hope to women and children in domestic violence situations.

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

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PO Box 366 Topeka, IN 46571 Crisis Line: (260) 350-3877

Hand Cut Steaks, Lobster, BBQ Ribs, Pork Chops, Crab Legs, Craft Made Burgers, Shrimp, Homemade Soups, Salads, Appetizers & Atmosphere.

Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are recommended.

Open 6 days a week (closed Monday) 4pm to 9pm Sun- Thurs ∙ 4pm to 10pm Fri & Sat Contact us for pricing and availability info@harbourhouse.com

• Large Dining room & Bar room • Private Party /Banquet room • 2000 + sq ft outdoor Deckoverlooking beautiful Bass Lake • Order online or call.

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Mon - Fri 8:00am - 4:30pm Sat 8:00am - 12:00pm

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24 / THE LAKES / APRIL 2021 / TheLakesMagazine.com

Gary & Lorene Hostetler 290-593-0448 x1 4675 W 600 S, Topeka, IN 46571

Franchise Owner Ron Lee

Local Franchise Puts Debris In Its Place Writer / Lois Tomaszewski Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

THETHE LAKES MAGAZINE 2021 LAKES MAGAZINE/ APRIL / APRIL 2021/ thelakesmagazine.com / thelakesmagazine.com/ 17

C

onstruction sites, remodeling projects and disaster mitigation all generate a lot of debris. If it must go somewhere, why not a bin that is designed to comply with homeowner association rules and provides cleaner, safer and more user-friendly access?

That’s what Ron Lee thought when he came across the opportunity to be a franchise owner in Bin There Dump That, a national company whose bright green bins are gaining interest across the nation.

impressed Lee the most. He describes it as “robust.”

“They want to make sure of success for someone in owning one of their franchises,” he says.

Trash was not a foreign topic to Lee. The food industry generates large quantities of trash, both in manufacturing products and serving customers.

“I spent time reviewing franchises and liked this one the best,” Lee says. “The first thing is the name, then the green bins, and once talking to the franchise they offered the best start-up and support that fit my needs.”

Lee, who had a successful management career in the food products industry, searched for a business he could start that would give himself and his children long-term opportunities. He did not have any specifics in mind, but as he researched possibilities, he came across Bin There Dump That and it impressed him.

The name was the hook, but it was the process that

www.michiana.bintheredumpthatusa.com 850 N. Taylor Dr., Shipshewana, IN 46565 260-768-7755 ∙ www.shipshecanvas.com

Good Quality Work at an Affordable Price Boat Covers, Truck Tarps, Grill covers, Pool Covers, New and Repairs, and Cargo Control Items

Family Owned Convenient bin sizes Precautions taken to protect driveway surface Easy loading Include dumpsters sizes 20,15,10, 6, & 4 Cubic yard sizes

574-892-5554 THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

“There is always that need to dispose of debris,” Lee explains.

The business started in 2017, with the first bins put in place late that year.

“We provide residential-friendly dumpsters,” Lee says. “Our dumpsters are a little different and our business approach is different. The bins have double doors. Open one or both, and walk your debris into the bin.”

“We want it to be like we were never there,” Lee says, adding that his goal is to make sure each customer’s first-time use is so successful that they will be a return customer.

While Lee is the sole proprietor, he is making room in the company for his daughter, Brittany, and son, Derrick.

He says customers can access the bins in the same way a person would load a U-Haul trailer. Engineered to be taller than traditional dumpsters, the bins are accessed through doors on the end. This means the bin is loaded from the back to the front, not from the open top.

“The bins are designed to take up less space in your driveway or construction site,” Lee says. “We place boards down on the driveway. We take pride in how we set it up. Our bins don’t come in contact with the driveway.”

After the bin is full, the company’s customer service continues.

Lee’s crews will sweep and clean up any debris that may have fallen out of or under the bin.

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Brittany oversees office operations and is referred to as the dumpster consultant, which means she helps customers select a bin size that best suits their needs. The company offers five dumpster sizes, including 4, 6, 10, 15 and 20 yards.

Customers have a variety of reasons to order a dumpster, including debris from a new construction or remodel, or from simply cleaning out a house or garage. That’s how Lee’s team can help - by finding out the customer’s needs and determining the best size for the job, potentially saving the customer money.

Derrick works on marketing and sales ideas for the business. He is also a driver, and helps deliver and pick up bins as needed, with the goal of getting the process done within 24 hours. Lee says sometimes an order for a dumpster can be taken care of within a few hours, but the company promises to place it on-site in 24 hours.

“Owning a small family business, we all learn to count on each other for help in the business,” Lee says. “I try to communicate to my kids all the happenings of the business, from financials to events to hiring.”

The Bin There Dump That team serves customers throughout Michiana. Pricing is based on bin size, which also determines the

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.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FREE ADMISSION • Farm equipment • Local school memorabilia • WWII artifacts • Early household and farming tools • Several unusual exhibits Museum Hours:

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November-April Sunday’s 1:00-6:00pm

Contact Brenda Gilsinger for Inquiries or Appointments (574)595-7851 5641 S. Main St. Winamac, Indiana THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

“I tell people that we are a family business,” Lee explains. “The people who work for us who are not family are considered our friends.”

weight of the debris, for a seven-day period. Customers who need a bin for longer are charged $20 extra per day.

Because the company’s dumpsters are designed in a unique way, the bins can comply with many homeowner association regulations. The company’s bins have been used in several gated communities in the area. Local disaster remediation companies have also used their services, Lee says.

For more information on Bin There Dump That, visit michiana. bintheredumpthatusa.com, or call 574-892-5554.

“There is an image to maintain in many of these communities,” he says. “We have a niche that other dumpster companies can’t cover.”

The bins Lee offers are easy to use and pressure washed before delivery. In Lee’s career, cleanliness has always been an important function of his management duties. Now, even though he is dealing with dumpsters, he wants to make sure that the bins arrive clean and ready for use.

“We can also mobilize faster than larger firms,” he says. “If the phone rings after hours, we answer it.”

The company also supports the local community through youth sports sponsorships and other activities, and this has proven to be an effective way of informing people about the business.

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for a short time. A little over a year ago, I formed a partnership with Amy Cleveland and Barry Sponseller, owners of Country Home Shoppe in Coppes Commons, and we opened in our current spot on Main Street in Nappanee. We opened in February 2020 for a few weeks, closed due to COVID-19, and then opened again in mid-May.” Campbell’s reason for keeping the bookstore going is simple - reading.

“It’s just a love of books,” Campbell says.

“I like to talk with people about what they like to read, make recommendations, and then find out if they liked my recommendation. In turn, I try new authors that my customers have enjoyed.

I really like to see the kids come in and find a book. They come through the door, and immediately head to the kids section, where they can find books, puzzles, games, craft kits, sticker sets, activity pads and seek-and-find books. I have made quite a few friends through the bookstore as people come in and spend time.”

Campbell has books in almost all genres - general fiction, history, westerns, young adult, Christian fiction, memoirs, classics and more.

“I have a children’s section with board books, beginning readers, chapter books and beloved classics,” Campbell says.

Campbell has her own personal favorite books.

“I used to think I read quite a bit, seven to 10 books a month, until I opened the bookstore and met other readers,” she says.

NA P PAN E E SH OP F E ATUR E S A WI DE ARRAY OF “Currently, my favorite authors include B O O KS, P U ZZ LE S, C RAF T S AN D MO RE Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided

A longtime love of reading and discussing books led Wanda Campbell to open Bella’s Books & Curiosities in Nappanee. It’s a job she has thoroughly enjoyed.

Joseph Heywood, C. J. Box, Lee Child, Ari Marmell, Darynda Jones, John L. “I have been selling books for over 10 Campbell, Cherie Priest and Christopher years,” Campbell says. “I started out in Moore. As far as favorite books, I have so Middlebury, Indiana, and quickly outgrew many it is hard to say which is my favorite. the space I had available there. I moved I love any book that is well written, and to Nappanee, and then to The Cow Shed, has a twist that I didn’t see coming, next to Amish Acres, also in Nappanee. although I do enjoy a lighthearted, feelWhen that closed, I had a spot in Elkhart good story.”

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

Campbell carries other items besides books at the shop.

“I have a large selection of puzzles,” Campbell says. “I carry mainly SunsOut, White Mountain, MasterPieces, and Hart puzzles, a new company that makes puzzles here in Indiana.”

Bella’s Books also offers Naked Bee lotion, a product made in Tennessee.

“It’s all the good stuff, and none of the bad stuff,” Campbell says. “I have two sizes of the lotion, as well as a gift set.”

Campbell notes that Bella’s Books has Melissa and Doug products for kids, including activity pads, sticker sets, puzzles and crafts. There are also wood kits for kids to assemble and paint.

“We have Bunnies By The Bay, a baby product line offering onesies, rattles, blankets, plush animals, booties and

Bella’s Books & Curriosities A used bookstore with puzzles, Naked Bee products, kids games and more.

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THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

more,” Campbell says. “We also have seasonal home decor, Wrendale cards, bookmarks, notepads, gift bags and candles. We also have local crafted birdhouses made from Golden Books.”

Campbell has been pleased with the number of loyal customers she has.

“I have a local following, as well as people from out of the area,” Campbell says. “I am extremely grateful they have found me again. I did not want to leave the Nappanee area, so I am delighted to be back. It is great to see longtime customers come through the door.”

Campbell stresses that she gets new merchandise regularly.

“We have more than just books,” Campbell says. “The store has unique items throughout, so you never know just quite what you will find. I do, however, bring in book inventory every week,

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so what I have to offer changes often.

Customers can bring in books they no longer want, and I buy books outright that are in good condition. Of course, donations are greatly appreciated.”

Campbell values her staff.

“I do have two wonderful employees Kathy Schnitz, who has been with me since we opened, and Syreeta Moore, who just joined us a couple of months ago,” Campbell says. “Both of them are very knowledgeable of what we have, and can make recommendations. I am in the store most Saturdays, and sometimes throughout the week.”

Bella’s Books & Curiosities is located at 151 South Main Street in Nappanee. For more info, call 574-333-8127, or email bellasbooksandcuriosities@gmail.com.

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GR EAT SEEDS, GR EAT HA RVEST G E T C R E AT I V E WITH YOUR SEEDING A P P R O AC H I N THE GARDEN THIS SPRING

Story Provided by New Kitchen Store

Each year during the cold, dreary days of winter, professional and novice gardeners begin to make plans for the new growing season. Organized gardeners likely keep records of what they planted the previous year. Some even record how well the plants did, and where in the garden the plants were situated. They typically pull out those

records and start to make decisions about what they are going to plant in the spring.

They might think about what was successful the year before, and what did not do so well.

They might also think about crop rotation, and where they will be putting various vegetables this year. They will also pull out a seed catalog and start combing the pages, making lists of everything they want to try this year - or if not this year, then maybe in the years to come.

At New Kitchen Store we carry a limited variety of seeds.

If you come in to the store or call us, we take orders for heirloom seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and Johnny’s Selected Seeds. If you

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

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

“Your Celebration will be So Delightful Decorating with Dinnerware!”

order your seeds through us we even offer a discount.

But why choose heirloom seeds?

There are many reasons to choose heirloom seeds over other kinds of seeds.

Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated, which means you can save your own seed to replant from year to year. This is not

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

possible with regular seeds that are often genetically modified - these seeds will not yield positive results, and will lead to disappointment.

Vegetables grown from heirloom seeds have exceptional flavor and offer more nutrition than those grown from genetically modified seeds. Many vegetables available at grocery stores, such as tomatoes, are genetically modified. They are specifically bred to be picked and shipped to stores while still green, and then gas-ripened. These types of tomatoes have little flavor. Heirloom, vineripened, home-grown tomatoes just taste better.

Heirloom varieties also offer higher nutrition.

The genetically modified varieties found at local stores are designed for higher yield.

Heirloom varieties may not yield as much, but what you lose in quantity you gain in quality.

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These are just a few examples of the benefits of growing heirloom vegetables from heirloom seeds.

In addition to vegetables, you can also plant flowers from heirloom seeds. Many flowers are edible and offer not only a different taste to your cooking, but also a different appearance. We at New Kitchen Store not only carry several cookbooks on the use of edible plants and flowers, but we also offer an edible flowers eating class.

Whether you choose to simply plant heirloom vegetables, or broaden your horizon into edible flowers as well, we at New Kitchen Store are happy to help with the selection and ordering of heirloom seeds.

New Kitchen Store is the largest kitchen supply store in Michiana. Come visit us at 330 Liberty Street in Walkerton. For more information, call 574-586-2745 or check out our website at NewKitchenStore.com.

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T U R N B OW PROSTHETICS Columbia City Business is Focused o n E xc e l l e n t C u s t o m e r Experiences Writer / Angela Cornell Photographer / Timothy Hare

Car trouble is something that everyone deals with at some point or another. What’s less common is car trouble that changes a person’s life. But that’s exactly what happened to Kent Turnbow at age 14.

“I was hooking up jumper cables along the road between two cars, and a car hit the car behind me,” he says. “It crushed my right leg between the two bumpers. I was fortunate that it didn’t get both legs. It turned my world upside-down.”

The immediate result of the accident was that his leg was amputated below the knee, and he received a prosthetic replacement. However, this caused a chain

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of events that would have a much deeper impact on his life, and on the lives of others in his sphere of influence.

During his two-month hospital stay, Turnbow spent a lot of time thinking about another amputee and a camp director, Tom Williams, who Turnbow had met a month before the accident while on a family fishing trip.

“For this camp, you had to boat in 30 miles or fly in,” he says. “He had a boathouse and I was exploring. I looked behind one of the doors, and there in the corner was standing one of his old legs. When I was in the hospital, laying in the bed, I thought, ‘He was jumping in and out of

boats and living in the wilderness and being active. I want to do that too.’ To bring it full circle, three years ago we were able to sit and chat for a few hours and catch up. I had a chance to share with him what an inspiration he was for me.”

Committing to healing completely wasn’t the only thing Turnbow took seriously after leaving the hospital. He also focused more on his studies, and after graduating from high school, he went to college as a pre-med student.

However, he decided to switch his career goals from surgery to a focus on prosthetics.

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“My interest was more in that,” Turnbow says. “I thought, ‘I think this is a better fit,’ and it has been.”

After completing his residency, he returned to the Fort Wayne area in 1989 as a prosthetist.

“I worked for three different companies, then in 2011 I decided to start my own business,” Turnbow says.

Since then, the team at Turnbow Prosthetics has been making a difference in the lives of northern Indiana amputees.

As an amputee himself, Turnbow has a perspective from which to empathetically and effectively reach out to people in pain and in

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difficult situations. He understands an amputee’s needs better than most.

One of an amputee’s primary needs is to find a prosthesis that fits well. It’s similar to finding the perfect pair of shoes - an uncomfortable pair can make it hard to walk, whereas the right pair, customized to your feet, relieves pressure.

Another crucial factor for an amputee is mobility.

“Each person will have different goals,” Turnbow says. “I’ve worked with higher-end athletes from runners, weightlifters, snow skiers and ice skaters to people who just want to be able to walk around their house. We want to see our patients succeed.”

Success is something that Turnbow Prosthetics is known for.

“I was working with someone recently who had worn a lot of legs and a lot of different braces,” Turnbow says. “They said, ‘This is the first time

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it didn’t hurt when I put all my weight on it.’ Another person couldn’t step off a curb without being in pain, and now they can jump off the back of their pickup truck and land without having any pain.”

Whatever a patient’s aims are, achieving them is always an exciting moment for Turnbow and his team.

“When a new amputee gets out of their wheelchair or takes that first couple of steps, realizes that they’re going to be able to walk again, and they say, ‘You give me hope and I can get up and go again,’ that’s what keeps me going,” Turnbow says. “Our tagline is ‘Reclaiming Your Life,’ and that is what we really want people to do.”

Turnbow Prosthetics is located at 561 West Connexion Way in Columbia City. Reach out to them by calling 260-244-0099, or send them an email on their website at turnbowprosthetics.com.

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T HE F RIEN DLY SK I E S TH E L AKE S A R E A HAS A RIC H AVIAT IO N H I STORY

offering brief flights from farmers’ fields to the delight of crowds of spectators and passengers.

Writer / Jeff Kenney Photography Provided

World War I brought aviation into the forefront as a combat option, and when Culver Military Academy (CMA) superintendent, Colonel Leigh Gignilliat, returned from service in that war in 1919, he was contemplating tales of thrilling air battles and daring pilots. One of these pilots, in fact, was a 1913 graduate who had participated in the renowned rescue efforts of some 1,500 victims of the great flood of that year in nearby Logansport. Elliot White Springs would go on to found the famous Springmaid mattress and sheet company, but earned commendations as a fighter pilot in World War I. His recollections of air battles became a best-selling book, “War

Lakes-area communities nowadays can each boast a small airport of their own, but it wasn’t always so, and one particular community has a unique and remarkable aviation legacy interwoven with its history.

While the Wright brothers’ storied first airplane flight took place in 1903, it took some years before aviation became a more commonplace endeavor. During some of those early years, communities around Marshall, Fulton, Starke and Pulaski counties thrilled to sporadic visits from single-engine planes to their areas,

AVIATI ON PI ONEERS

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

Birds: Diary of an Unknown Aviator.”

In the meantime, 1906 Culver graduate Reuben Fleet had flown the first airmail flight in the world in 1918. Five years later, Fleet (whose name adorns the school’s gymnasium today) would launch Consolidated Aircraft, from which he designed and produced two of America’s best-known aircraft, the B-24 bomber and the PBY Catalina flying boat.

Another area connection relating to war was that of the Marmon family, still persisting in the same Lake Maxinkuckee cottage since the 1890s. Best known for building high-speed cars, including the Marmon Wasp, which won the first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911, the Marmon company also manufactured airplanes used during World War I. In fact, Ray Harroun, driver

of that first Indy 500-winning car, landed a seaplane outside the Marmon cottage on Maxinkuckee a matter of weeks after the race was completed, just stopping in for a visit.

T HE C ULV E R SC HO O L OF AV I AT I O N

In 1920, Colonel Gignilliat launched the Culver School of Aviation, initially with a small fleet of N9 naval floatplanes, stored in a hangar at the east end of the campus.

While the school’s initial foray into flight shut down in 1925, two of its graduates, Cass Hough, class of 1920, and Harry Sidle, class of 1922, went on become well-known in the aviation world. Hough played a leading role in the 8th Air Force technical section during World War II, and Sidle started his own airline.

Eugene C. Eppley, Culver class of 1901, was an avid pilot and helped underwrite Omaha Municipal Airport (now known as

Eppley Airfield). The Culver Academies auditorium today is named after him, after he funded its creation in 1959.

Among other Culver graduates notable in the world of aviation, 1936 alum Jay Zeamer was one of five CMA graduates to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, in his case for heroic action while piloting a B-17 on an unescorted photo mission during World War II. Pilot Ernest K. Gann, Culver class of 1930, wrote more than 20 novels, many of them dealing with flying. Some of his works, including “Fate is the Hunter,” “The High and the Mighty,” and “Island in the Sky,” were made into movies with major stars like John Wayne in starring roles. 1933 Culver Academy alum William J. Vanderkloot, Jr. flew Winston Churchill over enemy territory on diplomatic missions during World War II, and legendary World War II pilot Jimmy Doolittle’s son John P. Doolittle was a 1940 CMA grad and a Woodcraft

summer camper in 1935.

CMA even had a line of small airplanes named after it. Knight K. Culver, descendant of Academies founder Henry Harrison Culver, launched his own aircraft company and, in 1939, released a highly regarded - and today highly collectible small airplane called the Culver Cadet.

GENESI S OF AREA AI RPORTS

The 1930s also saw the birth of most local airports, with area communities utilizing funds made available from the Civil Works Administration (CWA), one of the federal programs aimed at alleviating Great Depression-era poverty while improving communities and rural areas. In 1933, the town of Culver partnered with Culver Military Academy to apply for funding for an airport.

By the following year, it was announced that both Plymouth and Rochester had

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applied for funds for CWA airport projects, with Rochester purchasing land for their airfield in 1936.

In Culver’s case, the airport project shifted focus when the town fathers learned they could apply the funds to the town’s faltering sewer system, so the Academy took on the airfield as a private project near its golf course, east of campus. It became operational in 1940.

The first airport in Starke County developed somewhat earlier, in 1928, at the northeast corner of U.S. Highway 35 and State Road

8, north of Knox. It closed in the early 1930s as the Depression got underway, but the long-standing Starke County airport in Knox developed somewhat later, in 1944. A large portion of the 160-acre county farm was utilized, near the site of today’s Knox Community High School and shopping areas, though it was broken up and sold in 1971, and followed by the opening of the present-day Starke County Airport in 1977.

CULVER’S PRESENT-DAY AVI ATI ON SCHOOL

In 1971 the more recent iteration of the Culver School of

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Aviation opened, centered at the new Fleet Field (also named for Reuben Fleet), located on Queen Road east of the Academy campus.

The following summer, Culver Academies added an aviation program to its summer-school offerings. While the high school and boarding school aviation program is no more, the Summer School of Aviation thrives as a crucial part of the school’s programming.

Flight instruction has taken place at various airports in the Lakes Magazine readership area since the shutdown of Fleet Field in 2005.

AIRB OR N E C E L E B R I T I ES A N D M OR E

In the meantime, the 1990s saw a unique aviation development in the form of Argos-based Buckeye Industries, which provided a powered parachute machine and lessons, courtesy of CEO Ralph Howard, for John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife. Around the same time, in 1999, nearby Rochester’s airport made waves when “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” star Harrison Ford flew his Bell helicopter in for a visit.

Winamac has been home for decades to an annual June gathering of aero modelers from all over the world at its “Jets Over the Heartland” event, a fun and fascinating showcase of model-sized aircraft crisscrossing the skies.

Two fine aircraft-related museums await Lakes-area readers just a short drive away, in the form of the Bell Aircraft Museum in Mentone, Indiana, and Grissom Air Museum in Peru, Indiana. There are a THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

plethora of other area aviation stories, but it’s safe to say that the friendly skies of the Lakes area have been home to an array of notable LOOKING FOR A GREAT WAY TO LOOKING A GREAT aviation programs andFOR people for moreWAY than TO a century.

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WELLNESS FROM THE GARDEN

Writer / Carrie Petty Photography Provided

There is one place where I am certain we can go and be perfectly safe. There is no mask needed, no threat of standing too close to one another, and no one coughing on you. There is great peace, and even great wellness, to be found in a garden.

My entire yard is fondly called “the garden.” There is plenty of work and exercise to be found here year-round. It is where I find joy, and what I love teaching people about the most - how to grow a THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

more beautiful life.

I love how precise spring is. She knows right when to get here, and it is always when we need her the most.

Begin your work with taking stock of your property. With a cup of coffee in hand, walk your property and dream a little.

What do you want to change? Would you like to grow more cut-flowers, and bring them indoors for family dinners?

How about some more privacy - do you need to plant a screen of trees? I usually begin by looking for the damage the

Dig your horseradish in the full moon for the best flavor.

winter harshness has created. With pruners along for the walk, I will discard any broken or unsightly limbs from woody plants. (Note: I always sharpen and clean all my tools prior to starting). This is a good place to begin.

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Most importantly, begin to remove winter debris. Remove any remnants of last season’s garden. I always use a general granular, organic fertilizer and sprinkle around the base of the newly exposed green shoots. If the soil is thawed enough, I will edge the beds and get a crisp, sharp outline around each area. I try not to rake too much, as this will expose the weed seeds lying just under the soil. I want to leave those dormant as long as possible.

Weeding comes soon enough!

A spring snow in the garden often causes some panic. Many worry that daffodils will start to sprout too early. Folks often ask me, “Will they be OK?” The answer is most often yes.

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Here’s the deal. Mother Nature has the whole timing thing down. She is all about timing. When you see those little crocus sprouts, or the tips of your tulips begin to emerge, don’t worry too much. They know what they are doing. If you want to cover them with a little newspaper or a sheet because a blanket of ice is coming, do it - especially cover if the flower buds are well emerged.

I adore the perfect timing of it all. English gardeners have

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

long believed in timing when it comes to the moon’s incredible power, particularly the gravitational pull. The Farmer’s Almanac reads, “Folklore is rich among farmers, given their close ties to earth and her natural rhythms.” The moon’s new and firstquarter phases, known as the Light of the Moon, are considered good for planting above-ground crops, putting down sod, grafting trees, and transplanting in the late spring. Also, you have to love this tip: “Dig your horseradish in the full moon for the best flavor.” This is good to know for that savory Bloody Mary. Now that’s wellness!

While I love the perfect timing of it all, it is OK to “force” a few things along the way. Now is a great time to plant small vessels with wheatgrass seed to use indoors for your Easter table centerpieces. Wheatgrass is like regular grass seed, but the blade

is thicker for a more pronounced tuft of green.

Also, get out and clip a few branches off your blooming trees, and place them in a vase of clean, warm water. Put them in some sunlight, and in about two weeks their buds will “break” and begin to swell. Soon you will have fresh crabapple, cherry, dogwood or redbud blooms indoors - all good varieties for forcing. This is a great task for children to do and can inspire their curiosity in the garden.

Wellness truly can come from the garden. Enjoy her beauty, the exercise and fresh air, and even the quiet time to think and ponder - all without a mask! Enjoy growing a more beautiful life my friends.

THE LAKES MAGAZINE / APRIL 2021 / thelakesmagazine.com

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COUNTRY LANE ENTERPRISES L AG R A N G E B U S I N E SS SPECIALIZES IN HORSE H A R N E SS E S A N D SU P P L I E S Writer / Angela Cornell Photography Provided

There are several unique characteristics that set Amish country apart.

The delicious food, whether found in a restaurant or at a farmers market stand, is certainly a highlight. The timeless groceries and other specialty shops are also a delight for any visitor. However, the one defining feature that any non-Amish guest will recognize from the moment they enter Amish country is the horse and buggy.

As minimalist and pleasant as the sight of a horse and buggy is, some

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of the parts are far more complicated than most realize. One of those parts is the harness. Marion Miller, the owner of Country Lane Enterprises, is a harness maker living outside of LaGrange.

Miller purchased the business last year and came into possession in early January of 2021. “[My neighbor] asked me if I’d be willing to buy his harness shop,” Miller says. “At first I thought he was kidding.”

For him, the transaction was the realization of a lifelong dream of owning his own home-based business.

After deciding to purchase the business in November of 2020, he spent two months learning how to make harnesses.

“I went over to my neighbor who had the shop a couple evenings a week, and he trained me,” Miller says.

As far as Miller is concerned, Country Lane Enterprises is a perfect fit for him, since he especially enjoys meeting his growing customer base. He also enjoys the work itself.

Harnesses are necessary for anyone involved in the equine world, and Miller makes a wide variety, from driving and show harnesses

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to training harnesses, and anything in between.

The harnesses he makes in-house are all customizable. His most popular harnesses are made with synthetic leather from brands like Granite, Brahma Webb and BioThane. He also has genuine leather harnesses available.

When a new customer orders a harness, the first thing Miller does is determine what kind of specifications are necessary for the client’s needs.

“When a customer calls and asks for a show harness, that comes in a couple different sizes,” Miller says. “A lot of them want different-colored trim.”

In addition, he offers options that help with hitching a horse to a buggy, like breast collars and hames.

Driving harnesses are his most popular product among customers. However, he hopes to do more show harnesses in the near future to appeal to the area’s growing show-horse community.

“It’s really coming in, as far as getting into the training harness and stuff like that,” Miller says.

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Country Lane Enterprises offers far more than locally made harnesses. It is also a one-stop horse shop, offering a wide variety of inventory that appeals to Amish and non-Amish horse lovers alike.

In his store he offers horse blankets, soaps, and even several lines of husbandry products, including wound salve and sprays, horse supplements and mineral oils. He also offers horse clippers, quarter boots and all manner of training gear. There are even items available for horse riding such as saddles, bits and bridles.

“I sell all kinds of equine stuff,” Miller says. “When you walk in the door, I ask what you’re interested in. I’ll show them what I have and what I can get.”

In the near future, Miller plans to expand the business.

“My goal right now is to stock all harnesses, so they can just come in and take their pick,” Miller says. “They don’t have to wait two to three weeks to get their harness. I’m going to be offering more products, and hopefully it’s going to grow.”

Country Lane Enterprises is located at 2465 West 350 South in LaGrange. For more info, call 260-463-2002.

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G LO R Y GARDENS

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Ah, spring. The world seems to come to life during this time of year, and often people seem to be a bit happier as well - especially gardeners and landscapers. After all, it’s the time of year for many people to set up their yard so that it can reach its full potential in the summer.

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spring marks the time of year when their greenhouse space comes to life. However, for them, spring starts long before the rest of northern Indiana.

“We get a lot of customers who are pumped to see spring coming and to see flowers, but we get to experience spring a couple months before anybody else,” Glen Yoder says. “In this 8- or 10-degree weather, before the sun is even partially up, we’re out in the greenhouses where it’s 80 to 90 degrees and smells like plants and soil. It’s a great feeling and a fun thing to do.”

In fact, watching the plants grow is arguably one of Yoder’s favorite parts of the business.

“I enjoy planting the little plant and watching it grow,” he says.

For the Yoders, the desire to own a greenhouse stems from their childhoods.

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“We both grew up milking cows, living on a farm,” he says. “There are a lot of gardeners in my wife’s family, but I never thought about it, growing up or even in our early married years.”

When Nora saw a small greenhouse for sale more than a decade ago, the idea of owning a greenhouse was planted, even though they did not purchase the business at that time. In 2009, they started Glory Gardens from scratch.

“We kind of stumbled into it not knowing anything,” Yoder says with a chuckle.

“Looking back now, if we’d realized how little we knew, we’d have probably been scared.”

However, between learning by trial and error, and finding good mentors in the business, they established themselves. The community of growers and greenhouse owners has made a huge impact on the Yoders as they have

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developed their business.

“It’s one thing that I like about this business - we don’t have competition, and we’re all in it together,” Yoder says. “We can talk to anybody in the business and share hints and tips. It taught me a lot.”

Now, 12 years after the business began, Glory Gardens has approximately 15,000 square feet of greenhouse space, apart from the outdoor perennial area and the store, and offers typical varieties like spring flowers, a variety of annual vegetable and flowering seeds and plants, and even dozens of varieties of Floridian tropical plants.

The tropical plants are a big hit among Glory Gardens customers, especially since they are available to rent for special occasions.

“They come in in early spring, they’re nice, big and green, and some of them

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have flowers on them,” Yoder explains.

“We started renting them out for events, expos and horse shows.”

Outside of the greenhouses there is an area for shrubs, as well as a pergola for perennials and hanging baskets.

In their storefront, they sell gardening supplies like tools, containers of all sizes, mulch, potting soil and several brands of fertilizers. One of Yoder’s most popular fertilizers is one he can recommend from firsthand experience.

“We have the Jack’s Classic, which is the flower fertilizer that we use in the greenhouse,” he says.

All of the plants available from Glory Gardens are of high quality.

“We’ve learned to start with good plants,” Yoder says. “That’s key to ending up with a good plant. Our goal is to have the best looking, healthiest plants available.”

Glory Gardens is a way for Yoder and his family to interact with and benefit their community.

“We’re intertwined with the community,” he says. “We love it that way, and feel blessed. Our business has brought us great customers beyond our community - customers who we’ve become friends with.”

Glory Gardens is located at 2190 South 900 West in Topeka. Hours of operation are Mon. through Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reach out to them by calling 260-768-7800, extension 4.

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LAKE LUXURY PATONA BAY MARINA & RESORT CELEBRATES NEARLY 100 YEARS OF MEMORIES Writer / Lois Tomaszewski Photographer / Timothy Hare

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For most of the 20th century and now into the 21st, the Paton family has been living the lake lifestyle successfully on Tippecanoe. Starting with family patriarch George H. Paton’s first sight of the lake in 1904, to today’s leadership of George M. Paton and his brother Robert, that early visit led to the establishment of Patona Bay Marina & Resort in 1928. It is already poised to be passed on to the next family generation.

According to George Paton, family is what the establishment has always been about. Family is also the focus of the multifunction business that helps families recreate on the lake.

“Family is a big part of what we talk about,” Paton says. “We make that a target area and work on what it takes to get families on the lake.”

The benefit is the building of memories. Those memories can include being pulled in a tube behind a boat, watching Fourth of July fireworks, or enjoying a sunset from the shore or a boat.

Paton has many memories of the times his family spent working at the business and taking part in lakeside living.

He has watched trends come and go, from waterskiing in the pre-World War II years to interest in wakeboards, surfing, paddleboards, kayaks, inflatable tubes and other fun accessories.

72 / THE LAKES / APRIL 2021 / TheLakesMagazine.com

“All of that builds memories,” Paton says.

“Not everyone likes exactly the same thing.”

Because taste in water recreation varies by the individual, Patona Bay is positioned to meet these varying needs. From a boat showroom, repair operation and boat rentals, to a resort for recreational vehicles or cabin rentals, to a snack bar and store, families have made memories on the shore of Indiana’s deepest glacierformed, spring-fed lake. If someone has a need for speed, there’s a boat for that. If someone wants a quiet, reflective physical activity, it’s likely Patona Bay has an appropriate kayak, canoe or paddleboard.

Thirty-five acres of the Paton-owned property are devoted to marina and resort operations. There’s no other business that offers the same services and amenities on Tippecanoe Lake, Paton says. Those amenities include access to the lake, fuel for boats, a sandy beach, and the

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Paton says Patona Bay encourages this.

“Once they get acclimated to lake life - the fun, the non-stress of what they are used to - these people become customers,” he says.

His customers don’t fit into a mold or category. Instead, Patona Bay sees multigenerational families whose parents or grandparents have been coming to Patona Bay starting in the 1950s or earlier. He also sees people who found their way there because friends recommended it.

The goal has always been to get people on the water to enjoy what this natural treasure is all about. A visit to Patona Bay could become a tradition, and could lead to a deeper desire for a lake lifestyle.

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“We offer access to the lake without spending a lot of money to buy a cottage,” Paton says. “They may turn around and buy one later, but it all starts with doing something affordable at Patona Bay.” While Patona Bay has been a Starcraft dealer since the beginning, their boat sales department includes an extensive inventory of new and used boats. Their service department can take care of routine maintenance, unexpected

breakdowns and part replacements.

At the Ships Store, a wide variety of “toys” to enjoy on the water are available, as well as necessities such as flotation devices, spark plugs, oars and paddles.

When hunger hits, the on-site snack bar offers hot dogs, hamburgers and ice cream. There is also a beach area, electronic gaming and a pool table.

Spring is a busy time at Patona Bay. Warm March days lead to customers’ desires to shake off winter and get back on the water. Because of the depth of Tippecanoe, the lake freezes up later than other lakes, and also thaws later. When temperatures warm up, the lake beckons.

For more information on Patona Bay Marina & Resort, call 574-453-3970 or visit patonabay.com. For reservations at the resort, call 574-453-3671.

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