The Wabash Lady Apaches basketball team enters the packed house at the Warsaw semistate on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Gary Andrews 

By Gary Andrews

WARSAW -- The Wabash Lady Apache basketball team traveled to Warsaw Saturday to play in itsfirst ever semistate. Wabash got to Warsaw by winning the Manchester sectional and Lapel regional.

Fort Wayne Canterbury would end the Lady Apache run, as Wabash had a cold shooting night, connecting on just 20 percent from the field in a 57-39 loss to the No.2 team in the state.

Brodie Hough (center) prepares to sign a letter of intent to play golf at Anderson University. He is joined by his parents Mike Hough (front, from left) and Michele Hough, along with (back row, from left) Wabsh Principal Josh Blossom, Wabash Athletic Director Greg Martz, Wabash golf coach Darren Porter, and Honewell Golf Course pro Mel Thomas. Photo by Gary Andrews 

By Gary Andrews

Wabash senior Brodie Hough made his decision Thursday to play golf at Anderson University next year.

The Ravens are led by first year coach Kent Williams. Williams comes to Anderson with over 40 years of golf experience. Since 2010, he has been a golf instructor at Gray Eagle Golf Course in Fishers. In the 37 years prior, Williams served as Head Golf Pro and greens superintendent at Brockway Golf Course in Lapel.

Sami White (center) signs a letter of intent to play volleyball at Davenport University. She is joined by her parents, Jody White (left) and Johnny White, as well as Davenport Coach Megan Lenhart (back row, from left), Southwood Athletic Director and volleyball coach Tom Finicle, and Southwood principal Tim Drake Photo by Gary Andrews

By Gary Andrews

Southwood senior Sami White signed her letter of intent Friday to continue her volleyball career at Davenport University in Grand Rapids Michigan next year.

White led the Lady Knights to the 2A state championship game this past season and was selected first team all conference the past two seasons along with being selected first team all state and a member of the north all star team this past fall.

Davenport is coached by former Southwood stand out player Megan (Garner) Lenhart. Lenhart graduated from Southwood in 2000 and is 12th all time in career attacks and 12th in career kills

by Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

More than 30 supporters including the mayor, the county veterans services officer, and a representative for Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, gathered at American Legion Post 15 in downtown Wabash on Tuesday, Nov. 26 for a ceremony to dedicate the county’s new Disabled American Veterans van. The DAV van serves disabled veterans by providing a free means of transportation to medical appointments at VA hospitals and VA approved locations.

Three years ago, Herb Mullen, Wabash County coordinator for the DAV, brought the van program to Wabash County after volunteering as a driver in Marion since 2009. In the spring of 2011, it became apparent that the loaner van they had been using would not last many more years. He set up a savings account and began raising funds for a new van.

“We decided early on that we were not going to ask the county, the state, or the feds for any money,” said Mullen during the dedication. “We figured that we’re pretty important, but we also figured that we had a responsibility to the county to not become a drag upon public funds.”

With the help of Bob Brown, Mullen organized two newsletter fundraising drives, soliciting funds through the mail. Recipients responded with donations ranging from $5 to $500.  They also held a forget-me-not drive outside Wal-Mart, raising $1,600 in a single day, 8 percent of the total needed for the van.

On Friday, Nov. 22, Mullen got his hands on the van for which he and the other contributors had waited the past two and a half years. It was a sparkling new 2013 Ford Flex clad in DAV logos and the names of the programs major contributors. The van hauled a patient back from Marion that same day.

“Wabash County veterans salute and thank you for our new ride.” Mullen said to the contributors present at the dedication. “Those of you who are veterans, if you need a ride someday, we’d be more than happy to give you one.”

That’s exactly what the van does. Its entire purpose is to be driven by one of Wabash County’s four volunteer drivers to the residence of disabled veterans, take them to their scheduled doctors appointments and bring them home safely. The program’s only restrictions are that veterans can only be taken to VA hospitals or VA approved locations, and the veterans have to be able to get in and out of the van on their own power or that of their family. The van will take even a single veteran as far as Indianapolis and back for an appointment.

Mayor Vanlandingham spoke at the dedication, likening the fundraising campaign to a mission, with which the veterans present were all to familiar.

“It’s great to see the community coming together for a mission, You’ve had a very successful mission, and the other thing you learn when you go through this and you get done, is that you take care of your buddies,” said Mayor Vanlandingham. “This is going to be a great service to the community and a great service to our veterans.”

“This new DAV van continues to represent the ongoing need and support that veterans require here in our county,” said Wabash County Veterans Service Officer Cameron Lochner. “This ceremony should serve as a reminder to all of Wabash County that our veterans rare a most valuable treasure that deserves recognition and safe keeping. Calvin Coolidge once said, ‘the nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.’ It is my hope that our county will continue to grow in its support for the welfare and wellbeing of its veterans and that the dedication of this new DAV van marks only a beginning.”

Mullen is always looking for disabled veterans in need of transportation. He is also looking for volunteer drivers. Drivers are considered “non-compensated employees” by the VA, which protects them in the case of an accident.

Anyone in need of transportation to a medical appointment or interested in being trained as a DAV driver can call Herb Mullen at 260-571-4744.