The Cole Family along with Northfield High School would like to invite all golfers to participate in the Jeremy Cole Memorial Golf Tournament. This tournament is a scramble tournament that will be held on Aug. 10 at the Honeywell Golf Course. The proceeds from the tournament assist the Northfield golf programs.

The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. It is a four-player scramble. Participants can sign up as a team or as an individual.

Northfield Jr/Sr High School would like to welcome Carly Mast as the new head coach of their volleyball team.

Coach Mast had a very successful career as a player at Northfield, where she earned various honors as a four-year starter. Coach Mast, a 2010 Northfield graduate, was slated to be the head JV coach heading into this season, and has developed a great relationship with the student-athletes, which Northfield felt was very important due to the timing of the position opening.

Coach Mast has also been a part of the girls’ varsity coaching staff at Northfield. Northfield is excited to have Coach Mast running the volleyball program, as she will be an excellent role model for the kids with her commitment and work ethic.

“Carly has great pride and passion for the program and school and we look forward to her building on the foundation that has been set by Coach Dale,” said Athletic Director Geoff Salmon,

by Gary Andrews

The Southwood baseball team used a 5 run third inning to grab a 5-2 lead over Elwood Saturday in their first game of the regional, only to give up 5 runs the last two innings in a 7-5 loss at Wabash.

Southwood starter Clay Hinrichsen was dominate the first two innings, striking out 5 of the 6 hitters he faced, with the Knights putting three runners on base with Jackson Blair being hit by a pitch, Robbie Cole reaching on a fielders choice and Brandin Frazier drawing a walk. The Knights couldn’t plate a run and the game was scoreless heading to the third.

Elwood would get to Hinrichsen in the third. With a runner on first and two outs the Panthers hit three straight singles to grab a 2-0 lead. The Knights would respond in the bottom of the inning with 5 runs, which would end up being the only inning they scored in. With one out Jackson Blair drew a walk. After a pop out Robbie Cole roped a triple down the right field line to score Blair and make it 2-1. Christian Deeter followed with a single to tie the game, but the Knights were not done. Jacob Lloyd then singled to put runners on first and second when Brandin Frazier hit a 2rbi double to grab a 4-2 lead. John Collins then scored on an Elwood error and the Knights led 5-2.

The Knights looked like they were going to add to their lead in the fourth when Zach Ball dropped a bunt for a single and advanced to second on the bad throw. Jackson Blair then singled to put runners on the corners when Nathan Hollars was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. The Knights would then hit a short fly out that couldn’t advance a runner, then had a strike out and a ground out to go score less in the inning.

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.