PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

June 30, 2021

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE (V)

Do Fun Stuff

Melody Warnick’s fourth basic attachment behavior, “Do Fun Stuff,” is based on the simple idea that a person will have a greater attachment to a place if they find fun things to do there.  Thus, it is no surprise that the final item on her checklist for this chapter is “Create fun for yourself.”  As I was reading Melody’s suggestions and observations, I asked myself, “If I was new to the community, how would I go about finding things that I consider fun to do?”  To answer this question I included possibilities in the five counties – DeKalb, LaGrange, Marshall, Nobel, and Steuben – served by newspapers in which my weekly articles appear.  I came up with quite a list.  I am sure that you can think of possibilities that I left out.

The first place I looked was the visitors and tourism bureaus that serviced the five counties.  What do they consider fun things to do that visitors and possibly new residents might enjoy?  Here is what I found.

All of them included sports and recreational opportunities.  If fishing is your passion, you are in luck.  The area abounds with lakes, rivers, streams and creeks just filled with fish waiting to be caught.    Within the five counties you can find the Pigeon River State Fish and Wildlife Area, the Curtis Creek Trout Station, the Fawn River State Hatchery, the Scott Millpond State Fishing Area and the Wawasee State Fishing Area.  Lake Michigan is not that far away with all of its fishing possibilities.

The area offers other possibilities for people who enjoy the water.  There is boating, canoeing, paddle boating, and water skiing.  There are loads of golf courses.  In the winter there are opportunities for winter sports.  Marshall County has the Lake Max Triathlon.  Additional sports and recreational possibilities may be found at the many parks in the five counties.  These include the Chain O’ Lakes State Park, the Pokagon State Park and the Trine State Recreational Area.

Here is a partial list of other possibilities to have fun.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

DeKalb County: Garret Museum of Art, T. Furth Center for Performing Arts, DeKalb Outdoor Theater

LaGrange County: Blue Gate Theatre & Blue Gate Performing Arts Center, Essenhaus Heritage Hall Theatre, Michiana Event Center

Marshall County: Heartland Artists’ Gallery, Culver Visual Arts Center, Moontree Studios, Wild Rose Moon Performing Arts Center, Mayor’s Month of Music, Showland Cinema 7; Triway Drive-In Theatre; Maxinkuckee Players

Noble County: Sozo Art Studio, The Strand Theatre, Fairy Doors

Steuben County:  Brokaw Theater; Buck Lake Ranch Entertainment Center

FESTIVALS

DeKalb County:                DeKalb County Free Fall Fair; Auburn Cord Duesenberg Fest.; Famous St. Joe Pickle Fest.

LaGrange County:  LaGrange County 4-H Fair; Shipshewana Quilt Festival

Marshall County: Culver Winter Festival; Lake Max Film Festival, Culver Fall Fest; Bremen Fireman’s Festival;  The Blueberry Festival; Rentown Old Fashion Days

Noble County: Stone’s Trace Pioneer Fest. & Fall Rendezvous; Ligonier Marshall Fest.; Bluegrass Festival

Steuben County: Steuben County 4-H Fair; Crooked Lake Sandbar Music Fest; Summer Festival in Hamilton

MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES

DeKalb County: Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, National Automotive and Truck Museum; Early Ford V-8 Museum, DeKalb County Draft Animal Museum, International Monster Truck Museum & Hall of Fame

LaGrange County: Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum, Menno-Hof Center

Marshall County: Culver Academies Museum; Marshall County Historical Society Museum

Noble County: Mid-American Windmill Museum, Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site, Stone’s Trace Historic Site and Museum

Steuben County:  Cline Memorial House Museum

TOURS AND TAILS

LaGrange County: The Walldogs Murals, Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park, Buggy Lane Tours

Marshall County: Barn Quilt Tour, Marshall County Genealogical Society and the Marshall County Historical Society sponsor tours throughout the year

Noble County: Strawberry Valley Cultural Tour, Black Pine Animal Sanctuary, Ligonier Murals, Cook’s Bison Ranch, Decamp Gardens

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS

Over more than fifty years in the ministry I have found local newspapers a treasure trove for discovering what is happening in a local community.  Regularly, I read a hard copy of the Plymouth Pilot News and the e-editions of the Herald-Republican, the Star and the News-Sun.  Here are some possibilities that I found in the papers this week.  There were a number of festivals and events: the Bremen’s Firemen’s Fest, the North Judson Mint Festival, the Argos Summer Kick Off Festival, the Father’s Day Classic Car Cruise, a Garden Walk and the Bourbon’s Food Truck Friday.  It was a good week for Arts and Entertainment: Gordon Lightfoot concert announced, a Wanda Mountain Boys Concert, Summer Movies in the Park, Art in the Park, Farmland Jazz Band concert.  The papers announced the regular meetings of several organizations: the Little River Chapter of Sweet Adelines, the Angola Regional Artists’ Guild, the Gold Wing Road Riders, the Vintage Aircraft Association, Line Dancing, and Bible Talks

Quite a list!!!  Pick something and have fun doing it this summer!!!