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Comebacking, new events to highlight 48th annual Heritage Days festival in Huntington

Bruce Van Gilder (left), Huntington County Historical Society board member, and Jean Gernand, HCHS board member and Heritage Days tour director, stand in front of one of Huntington’s historic homes on Thursday, June 9.
Photo by Matt Murphy.

Events throughout Huntington are scheduled in celebration of the 48th annual Heritage Days festival, which kicks off this week on Wednesday, June 15, and runs through Sunday, June 19.

Activities are scheduled on the evening of Wednesday, June 15, and throughout the day June 16-19.

"Heritage Days gives us an opportunity to celebrate our heritage and what makes our community such a great place to live," says Joe Burgess, festival chairman. "You should be able to find something to do every day of the festival."

Melanie Park is TOY for Huntington schools

Melanie Park (center), a reading teacher at Riverview Middle School, has been named Teacher of the Year for the Huntington County Community School Corporation. With her are Superintendent Tracey Shafer (left) and Trace Hinesley, special programs director.
Photo provided.

Melanie Park, a reading remediation teacher at Riverview Middle School, has been named 2011 Teacher of the Year for the Huntington County Community School Corporation.

Park has held her current position since 2009.

"Mrs. Park cares about the outcomes of her students," says Tracey Shafer, superintendent of the Huntington County Community Schools, who presented the award to Park May 31 at Riverview. "She utilizes a data driven approach combined with a kind heart to help her students develop higher reading skills."

Family-friendly events this summer at Forks

The Historic Forks of the Wabash announces family-friendly events for the summer season.

Festivities kick off during the weekend of Heritage Days, on Saturday, June 18.

From 1 to 4 p.m., there will be various re-enactors demonstrating the art of wool spinning, natural dyeing, bowl carving and candle making as well as a blacksmith and flint knappers.

Also scheduled to appear is the War of 1812 Militia, which will feature a working cannon and recruiter in the schoolhouse, who will have more information about the battle and group.

Tutor of the month


Photo by Andre B. Laird.

On Thursday, June 9, the Huntington City-Township Library named Nondus Christman (center) as the Tutor of the Month. Christman has been tutoring adults in reading for the last three years. Also present for the announcement were Cathy Rumler, vice-president of the Huntington County Literacy Coalition and Hallie Selig, literacy coordinator.

‘Youth Day at the Range’ at Roush will be held on Sunday, June 19

J. Edward Roush Fish and Wildlife Area will host "Youth Day at the Range" on Sunday, June 19, from 9 a.m. to noon.

The event includes basic gun safety, shotguns and clay targets, rifle shooting, an archery demonstration, instruction in the use of deer, turkey, duck and goose calls, door prizes and a free lunch.

Adults are welcome, but not required, to be present.
In addition to Roush FWA, sponsors include Lime City Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited, Flint Springs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Huntington County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.

HCCSC names Rudolf to be Andrews principal

Amy Rudolf will assume the position of Andrews Elementary School principal starting in the fall of 2011.

Rudolf will be filling a vacancy left at Andrews due to an internal transfer of personnel, Superintendent Tracey Shafer says.

Current Andrews principal Gary Mast will be assuming the role of full-time guidance counselor after Vicki Graft retires this year. Graft has been the guidance counselor at Andrews since 1992.

Shafer says that Mast has been "bounced around" the school corporation, going back and forth between positions.

HCCSC to use YMCA swim facilities for teams

The Huntington County Community School Corporation has made an agreement with the Parkview Huntington YMCA to use the Y's swimming facilities for high school and middle school swim practices and competitions for the next five years.

The annual compensation for use of the Y's facilities will be $35,000 per school year, Superintendent Tracey Shafer says.

The Parkview Huntington YMCA was built with 8-lane competitive facilities with the intention of one day serving the school swim teams. Traditional YMCA's are built with 6-lanes.

KK children helping counterparts in Joplin

Mallory Emley (right) presents toys to Lisa Mettler, administrator at Pathfinder Kids Kampus, for a collection of toys and other items to be given to children affected by storms in Joplin, MO.
Photo provided.

Children attending Pathfinder Kids Kampus Child Care Center in Huntington are collecting donations to help children affected by the tornadoes that struck Joplin, MO, in May.

Donations of new or gently used toys, clothing, games, books, shoes, bedding and bicycles, as well as diapers and cash donations, are being sought.

Gifts may be dropped off at Kids Kampus, 435 Campus St. in Huntington, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Roanoke council to have 3 of 5 seats open

The town of Roanoke is looking for a few good men.

Or women.

Elections for town council are coming up, and current council President John Stoeckley is asking his fellow residents to think about offering themselves as candidates for the council.

Three of the five seats on the council are up for election this year. Stoeckley, who has served on the council for two decades, says he doesn't plan to run again. The other two seats are currently held by Ann O'Brien, who is planning to move outside of Roanoke and will become ineligible to serve, and Nick Altman.

Trio achieve perfect attendance for entire year at Hgtn. Catholic

Three students at Huntington Catholic School achieved perfect attendance for the entire 2010-11 school year.
They are Taylor Reust, third grade; Gavin Rosen, fifth grade; and Ethan Owens, seventh grade.

Huntington Catholic students achieving perfect attendance for the fourth quarter of the 2010-11 school year are:

First grade - Kendra Sandlin, Jacob Stetzel, Chelsea Swada, Lucas Thomas and Sloane Williams.

Second grade - Alexander Elliot, Olivia Godfroy, Lillian Holzinger, Jessica Kinirsky, Joseph Melchi, Corah Rupley, Seth Scheiber and Chloe Shepperd.

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