WARSAW — The Warsaw Alpha Lambda Chapter of Tri Kappa hosted its annual bingo fundraiser on March 14 at the Sacred Heart School gymnasium, bringing the community together for a fun and purposeful morning.

Over 200 guests enjoyed a brunch and bingo and helped raise more than $15,000, which will support Tri Kappa’s mission of promoting charity, culture, and education throughout the community.

Founded in 1909, the Warsaw Alpha Lambda chapter has a long tradition of service and community. Last spring, Tri Kappa awarded $20,500 in scholarships to local students.

Throughout the year, Tri Kappa also supports many  Warsaw area organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Community Kitchen, Strengthening Families, Cardinal Services, Head Start, Beaman Home, Joe’s Kids, Grace Center for Literacy, Fellowship Missions, CASA, Baker Youth Club, Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts, the Winona Art Fair, Riley Radio Days, and Agaitas.

In addition to its charitable giving, the chapter hosts two annual community events each spring: the Warsaw Honors Reception and the Warsaw Elementary Art Show, both celebrating student achievement and creativity.

The event began with a welcome and blessing from Fr. Francis Mwanje, parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and ended with a 50/50 raffle award of over $1,000.

Tri Kappa members extend sincere thanks to everyone who attended, sponsored the event, and supported the organization’s mission.  With laughter, fellowship, and generous community support, the morning once again demonstrated the joy of community and service and the spirit behind Tri Kappa’s enduring commitment to Charity, Culture, and Education.

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COLUMBIA CITY — Nationally touring comedian Clay Foley is coming to Whitley County on Saturday, April 11, at the Carver Center in Columbia City for a first-ever night of comedy show to benefit the shelter pets of the Humane Society of Whitley County.

Foley is a former cruelty investigator, an animal Rescuer and transporter.

Clay's latest project, Comedy to the Rescue, is the culmination of his years working in
animal welfare and stand-up comedy.

The tour spans the country, raising money for all sizes and types of animal charities. There will be an opening act comedian performing before Clay comes on stage.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the shelter, 951 Line St., Columbia City or on their website.

Snacks, Drinks and a giving menu will be available for purchase

To learn more, check out the group's Facebook page.

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WARSAW — Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts ignited the community’s generosity last night, raising $33,058 in just one evening during its second annual year-end gala, Great Performances, Greater Purpose.

The event marked one of the most successful single-night fundraising efforts in the organization’s recent history.

Hosted by Outreach and Education Director Kira Lace Hawkins and Communications and Donor Relations Coordinator Sam Engle, the evening celebrated the impact and legacy of Wagon Wheel while rallying support for its future.

“It’s overwhelming to think that your own community would come together in a single evening to do something like that,” said Engle. “As a nonprofit organization with a 70-year legacy, nights like these remind us why this place matters. It’s a powerful moment of clarity for me and for the people who faithfully and fiercely advocate for Wagon Wheel’s mission and for this community’s need for the arts.”

During the evening, every Wagon Wheel program shared the same stage in one unified showcase, featuring performances by Wagon Wheel Professional Theatre, Wagon Wheel Community Theatre, Wagon Wheel Junior, Wagon Wheel Conservatory, and Symphony of the Lakes. The night also highlighted Wagon Wheel’s national impact through video messages from alumni currently performing on Broadway in shows including Wicked, Hamilton, The Book of Mormon, and Ragtime.

The organization will continue its push toward the $100,000 year-end fundraising goal through December 31. Funds raised directly support Wagon Wheel’s artistic programming, education initiatives, and its commitment to providing transformative arts experiences for the region.

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WARSAW — Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts will host its second annual year-end gala, Great Performances, Greater Purpose, on Thursday night.

The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a complimentary open-bar cocktail hour provided by the board of directors, according to a news release from Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet members of the professional cast of “Elf the Musical” and enjoy time in the lobby before the performance.

A silent auction will take place before the performance and during intermission. Attendees can bid on memorabilia from the Wagon Wheel archives, select costume pieces, VIP experiences including private dance classes, original chairs from the historic Wagon Wheel tent and autographed photos of Marie Osmond, Billy Rae Cyrus and The Temptations.

During the performance, audiences will experience the one night each year when every program of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts shares the stage: Wagon Wheel Professional Theatre, Wagon Wheel Community Theatre, Wagon Wheel Junior, Wagon Wheel Conservatory and Symphony of the Lakes. The evening will also showcase video testimonials from Wagon Wheel alumni who are now performing on Broadway in productions including “Wicked,” “Hamilton,” and “The Lion King.”

Kira Lace Hawkins and Sam Engle will serve as emcees for the event.

“This is the most important night of the year for Wagon Wheel,” said Engle.

“It shows, in one evening, just how essential our theater is to our community and how far our impact reaches. We celebrate our professional performers, our students and the generations of artists who started on this stage and are now on Broadway. And this year, you can even bring home a sacred part of our legacy through our silent auction. These pieces tell the story of who we are and why this place matters,” he said.

Tickets for the event are available at wagonwheelcenter.org or by calling the box office at 574-267-8041.

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WARSAW — Fellowship Missions announced on Monday a fundraiser featuring a collection of voices from the classic rock era.

Tickets for Voices of Rock Radio go on sale Friday, and Executive Director Eric Lane says it’s a lineup packed with some of the most recognizable bands of the 1970s and 80s.

According to a video released on social media, performers include former members of Boston, Kansas, Journey, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

For a taste of what to expect, check out the promotional video.

Money from the event will be used to cover operations at its shelter on Winona Avenue.

The event is set for Feb. 7 at the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center in Winona Lake.

Lanee said different pricing options will be available.

For tickets, go to itickets.com.

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WARSAW — Bikers Against Predators has come a long way in less than five years.

The group documents online discussions between decoys and adults who are wanting to hook up for sex, videotapes the attempted interactions, and then makes the evidence available to police who often then seek criminal charges.

The group began in Elkhart County, with its first catch in Milford nearly five years ago.

Today, they're closing in on 500 cases spread across 30 states.

Videos and documents following the cases are posted on its Facebook page, which has nearly half a million followers.

The group is led by a 39-year-old man who goes simply by the name Boots, who works with seven other people.

"I'm getting to see the country and do what I love doing, and putting these guys in prison," Boots said Saturday in Warsaw while participating in a fundraiser organized by Warsaw Girls Rugby Team.

Saturday's event generated $575 for BAP.

Boots said he thinks most police departments and the public have warmed up to what they do after some early skepticism about their practices. 

The work involves lots of driving, often three days a week, while at the same time holding down another job

He describes the pace:

"We did two cases in Texas, two in Arkansas, and one in Missouri," and used rotating drivers to keep the pace going.

"Got them all, got back home and went to work," Boots said.

He says he expects the group's efforts to continue to expand and that there is a movement among like-minded groups.

"We all talk. It's a movement and we're all in this together and we help each other on certain cases or team up on cases," he said.

The group had a presence on YouTube.com, but they now rely on Facebook for updates and much of their fundraising, Boots said.

The following photos were provided from Saturday's fundraiser.

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WARSAW — The group, Bikers Against Predators, is coming back to visit Warsaw this weekend for a fundraiser.

The event will be hosted by the Warsaw girls' rugby team, which is hosting as part of its annual “prom dress game” in which players wear prom dresses while playing rugby.

The event starts at 1 p.m. Saturday at Warsaw Community High School.

BAP is based in Goshen and has expanded to many parts of the country in its effort to expose child predators in the act of trying to meet up with juveniles.

Admission is $5 per person, and hot dogs, burgers, and drinks will be sold, with all proceeds going to support Bikers Against Predators.

The rugby grounds at the high school are located along State Road 15.

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WARSAW — The first annual "Dog Park Dog Walk" will be held Saturday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon, beginning at Paws and Claws & Company, 1801 E. Market St., Warsaw.

The walk will be on East Market Street and head east to Krebs Trailhead Park, 214 S. McKinley St., which is the future site of the Warsaw Rotary Dog Park.

The total walk covers 10 blocks.

Participants are encouraged to dress up in a costume along with their pooch.

There will be family-friendly events, prizes and treats. Pictures will also be taken with the pups.

Good Farm Dog Treats will be welcoming walkers at Krebs Trailhead Park, along with Rotarians at each location.

The Warsaw Rotary Club, in cooperation with the city of Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department, are raising funds to establish a dog park in the city limits of Warsaw and will have the plans on display to raise project awareness.

For more information, go to the Warsaw Rotary Club Facebook page.

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WARSAW — Gun winners from the 25th Annual Turkey Shoot were recently announced.

Over 1,000 shooters participated in the annual event and over $10,000 was raised for the philanthropic mission of the Shrine to support its Children’s Hospitals and crippled children.

The Kosciusko County Shrine Club extends a grateful thank you to all sponsors, sportsmen, Ladies of the Shrine and volunteers who made the event the most successful event held to date. As always, no one stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child.

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ETNA GREEN — Organizers of the Mizpah Shrine Club's Turkey Shoot recently got some major support.

The 25th annual Turkey Shoot will be held at Beeson’s Gun Range in Etna Green, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Two Bear Arms recently donated a Charles Daley .410 shotgun and McHatton Sadler Funeral Chapel donated a Henry Golden Boy .22 Magnum Rifle and a Diamond Back .22 Mag/.22LR.

This event supports The Mizpah’s Shrine Temple mission of supporting the philanthropic commitment to the Shrine Hospitals and their care of the crippled and
burned children.

Children under 12 may shoot a .410 to win a .410 for free.

Both .22s are raffle guns and tickets may be purchased for $5 each or 3 tickets for $10.

Participants may shoot for turkeys, Maple Leaf Farms Duck, meat packages, cash and other prizes with shells provided.

In addition, a large silent auction will be held. Food will be available. Please join all
of the thousands of local sportsmen who have realized “No one stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child.”

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