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Isolatek manager sees Christmas differences between U.S., Poland

Polish native Jakub Tomaszewski says there are clear differences between how Christmas is celebrated here in the United States and in Poland.
Photo by Andre B. Laird.

As universal as the Christmas season may be, its celebration and accompanying customs and traditions sometimes greatly vary from culture to culture.

Polish native and now Fort Wayne resident Jakub Tomaszewski says the differences between his traditions and ones here in America are both spiritual and cultural.

Tomaszewski, who is the plant manager at Isolatek International, in Huntington, moved to the United States in the fall of 2005, after being transferred by his former employer.

Fuller enjoying Christmas gift of driving all of his grandchildren

Chuck Fuller, a bus driver for the Huntington County Community Schools, considers it a “Christmas gift” to be able to drive all four of his grandchildren to school.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

Chuck Fuller has been driving a school bus for 20 years.
For all except the first couple of years, he's had a grandkid riding on his bus. And this year, for the first - and last - time, he sees the faces of all four of his grandchildren when he turns around in the driver's seat.

"I'm enjoying this Christmas present," Fuller says. "It's a present that lasts all year."

Huntington man and his wood carvings are full of history

Ray Helton stands next to two of his own creations, a wooden sculpture of an owl with glass eyes and his favorite woodcarving, a three-dimensional relief carving of the Battle of Antietam.
Photo by Lauren M. Wilson.

Originally published Dec. 8, 2011.

Much like the wood he carves, Ray Helton is full of history.

For 30 years he has meticulously created wooden sculptures of animals, historical war scenes, soldiers, golfers and antique objects.

He loves history and art, and he perfectly and accurately represents both.

Helton has lived in Huntington his whole life, with the exception of a four-year stint in the Navy, where he was stationed on the USS Destroyer in Long Beach, CA, from 1953-1957.

509 Community starts new laundry ministry to help out

Allie Brown, teaching pastor at the 509 Community in Huntington, stands in the newly renovated laundry ministry room. Free use of the washers and dryers will begin on Dec. 6 and will continue on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Photo by Sarah Johnson.

Originally published Dec. 5, 2011.

Some good Samaritans feed the hungry.

Some build schools.

Some take mission trips to China.

Seth Lochmueller wants to wash underwear.

A new local laundry ministry for Huntington residents will be available at the 509 Community at 509 E. State St. beginning Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Local food pantries experiencing rise in numbers they are serving

Volunteer Sarah Brown stands in the food storage area for the Huntington Community Food Pantry at Love INC next to pallets of canned corn. Due to cutbacks, government donations have been down and lately consist mainly of corn.
Photo by Sarah Johnson.

Originally published Nov. 24, 2011.

As the season of giving rolls around, many local ministries are hoping that community generosity will extend their way.

Huntington County food pantries and ministries have experienced a rise in numbers of individuals they are serving. In many cases, this has been coupled with a decline in food donations.

Norma Tribolet, Huntington Community Food Pantry coordinator at Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC), estimates that the food pantry now serves 50 more families per month than it did a year ago.

New way to picking up trash coming to Huntington very soon


Photo by Cindy Klepper.

Huntington residents will soon be asked to adjust to a new way of disposing of their trash.

Starting next week, each municipal trash customer will receive a 96-gallon wheeled trash cart from the city.

Starting the following week - the week of Dec. 12 - they'll be asked to use only that cart for their trash.

The new system will entail a couple of major changes for many residents: The trash carts must be placed along the street in front of the residence, not in an alley, for pickup; and trash day will change for some customers.

Corll still working on her goal to be oldest marimba player

Rosella Corll stands behind her 70-year-old marimba at her home on Thursday, Nov. 10. Corll is 87 years old and has been playing the marimba since she was 9.
Photo by Lauren Wilson.

Originally published Nov. 21, 2011.

In 1933, she took her first marimba lesson.

In 1949, she performed at her first private recital.

In the 1960s, she appeared on national television four times, performing "Flight of the Bumblebee" on Ted Mack's "The Original Amateur Hour."

And 78 years after her first lesson, she is still playing concerts for audiences large and small.

Her name is Rosella Corll and she is, as of her birthday on Nov. 19, an 87-year-old marimba player from Huntington County.

Bellante turns his woodworking interest into way to give back while enjoying himself

John Bellante, a resident of Heritage Pointe in Warren, has been an avid woodworker his entire life. Currently he makes furniture, like this table, and donates them to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
Photo by Andre B. Laird.

Originally published Nov. 17, 2011.

Ask John Bellante about woodworking and he'll tell you it's in his blood.

Bellante, a resident of Heritage Pointe in Warren, has been making furniture for as long as he can remember. Now, he creates pieces to donate to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Huntington.

"It's always been a hobby of mine, ever since I was a child," Bellante says. "My dad was a contractor and I always had an interest in the craft."

Honor Flight unforgettable trip to veterans of World War II as their numbers dwindle

World War II veteran and lifelong Huntington resident Bernie Scher (left) visits the World War II war memorial in Washington D.C. as part of the Oct. 4 Honor Flight, sponsored by the Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana organization.
Photo provided.

Originally published Nov. 10, 2011.

An estimated 1,500 World War II veterans die every day.

Sixteen million Americans served in World War II; only two million of those veterans survive.

In fewer than four years, the number of surviving veterans will decrease by more than half, leaving only 800,000.

These sobering statistics are an accepted reality for the veterans of WWII.

This reality makes participating in an Honor Flight all the more unforgettable.

Riverview kids helping soldiers with little conveniences

Riverview Middle School students (from left) Nathan Park, Aliyah Tilley, Elizabeth Allred and Breanna Rittenhouse display some of the items they’ve been collecting to be sent to members of the United States military serving in Afghanistan at Christmas.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

When you're serving with a military unit in Afghanistan, there's rarely a convenience store around the corner.

Riverview Middle School teacher Russ Boucher knows that first hand, having spent a year in Iraq with the Army Reserve.

So when a friend, who happens to be on the staff of the USO in the Afghan city of Kandahar, put out a Facebook request for small gifts that could be handed out to members of the military at Christmas time, Boucher sprang into action.

Mayor-elect sees job as continuation of his life’s theme to serve people of community

Brooks Fetters, Huntington’s mayor-elect, says his new role will be a continuation of his service to the community.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

In just a couple of months, Brooks Fetters will add "mayor" to his name.

He has plans, sure - there will be some new department heads, a re-evaluation of the way the city does business, an all-out effort to attract jobs and train people to fill them.

But underlying everything is an attitude of service, of teamwork, of inclusiveness.

"The theme of my life has always been serving others," Fetters says. "Public service, funeral service, ministry. That's how I'm wired. That's what I enjoy doing.

Plot of land along U.S.-24 might help determine look along state highways

Jamie Herold, a graduate student at Purdue University, measures the germination and growth rate of native grasses and wildflowers at a test plot located at U.S.-24 and Jefferson Street on the north side of Huntington.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

Previously published Nov. 3, 2011

The growing season is pretty much over, and Jamie Herold has spent her last day out in the field.

Herold, a graduate student at Purdue University, isn't into corn and beans.

Instead, she's growing a mix of grasses and wildflowers that could lead to a more natural, less time-consuming look for land along state highways.

Like any farmer, she's at the mercy of the weather - and things haven't gone especially well this year in that department.

Bailey has first-hand knowledge of literacy coalition’s mission

Standing behind the counter at Bailey’s Coffee Ala Carte, located in Parkview Huntington Hospital, is proprietor Robert Bailey. Bailey is a new spokesman for the Huntington County Literacy Coalition despite his lack of a traditional high school diploma.
Photo by Lauren Wilson.

Originally published Oct. 31, 2011.

It may seem unorthodox for a literacy coalition to select a man who never graduated from high school to raise awareness for its cause, but that is exactly what Robert C. Bailey's life has been - unorthodox, outside the box and approached in his own way.

Bailey, owner of Bailey's Coffee Ala Carte and a chamber of commerce ambassador, was recently selected to serve on the board for the Huntington County Literacy Coalition.

Rahn juggles many hats with aid of coffee and enthusiasm

Youth for Christ USA Senior Vice President Dave Rahn, Ph.D., can usually be found at his “office” – a corner table in Life Church on East State Street in Huntington.
Photo by Sarah Johnson.

Originally published Oct. 27, 2011.

"We love to giggle and we're all over the map."

"Whatever happened to a cowboy being a cowboy?"

"I'd rather rein a thoroughbred than kick a donkey."

So says Dave Rahn, Ph.D.

Dave Rahn, Youth for Christ USA senior vice president and chief ministry officer.

Dave Rahn, master's degree program coordinator.

Dave Rahn, podcaster.

County has surprises for backroads rider

Rex Frederick poses in front of the Wagon Wheel Tavern in Warren, the last stop on his 15-month, 788-mile bicycle tour of county roads in Huntington County.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

Originally published Oct. 20, 2011.

For a guy who's lived in Huntington County all his life, the place seems to hold few surprises.

For Rex Frederick, it took a little more than a year and 788 miles atop two wheels to show him just how much he didn't know.

County roads that he'd heard about (but never seen) that end in water; lots of "mom and pop" cemeteries; monuments and old schoolhouses.