The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation's Education Center, 11586 SR 13, is bustling with activity.

Workers with Vision Builders of Michiana, Middlebury and Rick Neff Masonry, Syracuse, work to build a pavilion northwest of the education center. Other workers were installing a new flag pole and lights at the entrance to the center. The Ruddell Pavilion was made possible from Dick Ruddell and Nancy Ruddell Duck and the Ruddell Trust Fund. The money is to be used on the Watershed Education Center for building pavilion, trails and tree labeling and other expenses.

The 30 foot by 40 foot pavilion will feature a fire place and be a starting point for the trails which will also be created with the funds.

The first event to be held in the pavilion will be the WACF Annual meeting from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Aug. 21.
WACF's Education Center property is in dire need of attention and it goes to the heart of the WACF mission to restore the former lake-side wetland and develop the Education Center on Wawasee.

Heather Harwood, executive director of WACF, stated a pavilion has always been in discussion and there had been plans to dismantle a pavilion on another property and move it to the center. However, cost was a consideration.

Harwood stated the open pavilion will be the site for educational programs. The pavilion also overlooks the mitigated wetland created by Louis Dryfus. More mitigated wetlands are also in the plans.

The plans call for a trail to begin at the pavilion and go around the wetland and out to the lake. There will be a trail map explaining mitigated wetlands. They are required by companies who fill a wetland due to construction, to create a wetland somewhere else. There will also be plaques showing a before and after photo of the wetland area.

Harwood noted JF New created a master plan for the property and delineated where the fill was located on the property allowing planning for mitigated wetlands. "Our next step is flagging the trails," she stated. Of course there is also the removal of large chunks of concrete once used to fill the original wetland areas.

There will also be a 16-foot wide addition onto the education center, enlarging the boardroom.

Ruddell has been a WACF Board member since 2005 and is also on the Wawasee Property Owners Board. Dick's wife Priscilla has a family history at Wawasee dating back to 1930. Dick had spent summers at Lake Maxinkuckee for 16 years and joined Pris at Wawasee in 1959. Dick enjoys the lake and has been active in sailing, boating and water sports. He helped organize the Wawasee Boating Association and served in all the jobs and was Commodore. Dick and Pris enjoy the lake spring, summer and fall with their three sons and their families including nine grandchildren.

A plaque will be hung on the pavilion's fireplace in honor of The Ruddell Family.

The 2010 WPOA Artist Series is by Andrea Bojrab of Fort Wayne, entitled "Regatta." The painting depicts a Labor Day Wawasee sailboat race. The 22 inch by 30 inch oil scene includes The Spink and the north shore.
WPOA will again be offering signed and numbered prints for a cost of $150 unframed, $260 framed. Additionally, this year a 12 inch by 16 inch gallery wrapped canvas will also be available at a price of $250.

The Water Lily Art Gallery, 801 N. Huntington St., Syracuse will have the prints available for sale, along with several original studies Bojrab completed while creating the original.

"Regatta" will be on display at the Gallery; visit the gallery for an opportunity to participate in a silent auction to purchase the original. The original painting will be on display and prints will be available throughout the summer at various WPOA events. A limited number of 2009 "Conklin Bay in Summer Bloom" are also available.

The WPOA artist series was started in 2009. Its intent is to commission Indiana award winning artists to capture their interpretation of one of the Lake Wawasee area's many assets.

All proceeds from the sale of the prints and the original will be used to support the Wawasee/Syracuse Trail Way, making a portion of the purchase tax deductible. As a result of last season's artist sale of "Conklin Bay" and the Cottage Home Tour, $15,000 was presented to the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee.

HOW ABOUT this double rainbow over Syracuse's Dewart Lake last weekend? This was taken by none other than our own Shawna Van Lue, Syracuse office manager.

Northern Indiana Tourism Development Commission announced the official launch of the Northern Indiana Art & Earth Trail. This trail through seven northern Indiana counties features more than 150 artists, artisans, crafters, agriculture producers, unique accommodations and specialty restaurants.

Visitors to the trail will experience first-hand the talent and cultural diversity found in northern Indiana. The seven loops of the trail sweep from Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes to areas known for sparkling inland lakes, past the Golden Dome of Notre Dame and onto roads where horse-drawn Amish buggies seem to outnumber cars.

On June 3, trail organizers and participants and members of the media gathered at the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend to celebrate the official launch of the trail.

Kosciusko County, known as the Lakes Loop, has the second largest contingent of artists, artisans and agriculture producers on the Art & Earth Trail with 27 participants.

Several Lakes Loop Trail participants attended the launch event. They were: Diana Heckman, Weckm¤ller Fine Chocolates, Pierceton; Jean Reed and Tyler Shively, Wagon Wheel Theatre, Warsaw; Alma Miller, Teapot and More, Nappanee; Kathy and Larry Boyts, Creative Fish Art Gallery and ArtZie Workshop, Syracuse; Karilyn Metcalf and Bob Barnes, Dixie Sternwheel Paddleboat, North Webster; Melodie Koher and Linda Dilling, Lakeland Art Gallery, Pierceton; Lauri Isle, SACS & Co., Winona Lake; Liz and Lee Clark, Turkey Creek Alpacas, Milford and Brent Wilcoxson, representing the shops in the Village at Winona, Winona Lake. Attending from the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau were Mary Kittrell, executive director and Rashanda King, office manager.

The event was kicked off with a welcome speech by Lorelei Weimer, president of the NITDC board of directors and executive director of the Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission. Northern Indiana Tourism Development Commission Executive Director Dan Bearss shared the history of the trail project.

Eric Freeman of Indiana Artisan also spoke, congratulating NITDC on the development of this trail. Becky Anderson, founder of HandMade in America and expert in cultural economic development who assisted with the planning of the Art & Earth Trail, called in to the presentation to offer her congratulations on the launch.

After the welcome speeches, the trail was officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Bearss invited each of the executive directors of the seven convention and visitors bureaus and a lucky member of the audience, Tiffany Bley of the Chesterton-Duneland Chamber of Commerce and the Chesterton European Market, to cut the ceremonial ribbon.

Trail participants then mingled with each other and the crowd during the Taste of the Trail exhibit. Each trail loop set up a display where participants could showcase their products and be available for questions. The loops are Indiana Dunes Loop, Michigan City LaPorte Loop, Notre Dame Loop, Time to Unwind Loop, Heritage Trail Loop, Shipshewana Loop, and Lakes Loop.

The following businesses are on the Lakes Loop of the Art & Earth Trail, but were unable to attend the launch: 1000 Park Baking Co., Winona Lake; Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast, Syracuse; Blue Heron Artworks, Winona Lake; Blue Pearl Art & Antiques, Pierceton; Brook Pointe Inn, Syracuse; Canal Street Gallery, Winona Lake; Cerulean Restaurant, Winona Lake; Country Home Furniture, Nappanee; Eagle Creek Farms Market, Winona Lake; Future Heirlooms Art Gallery, North Webster; L&K Produce, Nappanee; Mount Memorial Art Gallery, Winona Lake; Pottery Bayou, Winona Lake; Purr-fectly Unique Design Studio & Boutique, Pierceton; MasterWorks Festival, Winona Lake; Warsaw Biblical Gardens, Warsaw; Warsaw Cut Glass Company, Warsaw; Whetstone Woodenware, Silver Lake and Winona Woods, Winona Lake.

Trail participants will be identified by a window decal. For more information and a complete trail guide, visit the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau, just north of US 30, or call toll free, (800) 800-6090.

Janet Hartley, executive secretary, left, and Kay Young, president, work on fastening the new 2010 pennant, which was fashioned after the yellow pennant distributed over 20 years ago.

The blue pennant will be given to all paid members of the Wawasee Property Owners Association to display on the traditional flag poles, on boats or on homes.

Hartley is also holding the new "Neighbors" directory, which will be distributed the end of May while Young has a WPOA canvas bag, which will be given to those delivering the directories.

For 61 years Wawasee Property Owners Association has supported many projects in keeping with its mission: Promote the well being of Lake Wawasee, the states largest natural lake and its residents as well as the surrounding community.

Among its activities are support of the Syracuse-Wawasee Trails, an annual cottage tour with proceeds to the trails projects; participation in the Syracuse Lake Control Structure; the sheriffs lake patrol, manned by volunteers to promote safety on both Wawasee and Syracuse lakes; an annual breakfast in conjunction with Syracuse Lake Association (June 19); an annual dinner for its membership each August (Aug. 14); scholarships for Wawasee High School seniors; and, of course, the annual fireworks display on Wawasee. This years WPOA Independence Day Fireworks will be July 3.

A public meeting for members as well as the community to hear more about what the WPOA is doing as well as voice concerns is held each June. This year the public meeting is June 12.

There are other behind the scenes projects: the pump-out facility at the pubic launch, support for street lights is designated areas, reprints of the Early Wawasee Days book by Eli Lilly, a DVD reprint of an earlier video depicting the history of Wawasee, the Neighbors directory distributed to each lake resident and the dry hydrant project bringing fire protection to more areas of the lake.

It was instrumental in the acquisition of severe weather warning systems overseen by the fire department and tested once a month. WPOA additionally supports the local fire department in its endeavors to protect property and lives of residents.

WPOA is concerned with the environment and lake water quality. The group monitors issues which affect individuals using the lakes. The issues monitored are those areas the members have voiced they want the WPOA to become involved in.

Kay Young, WPOA president, oversees the board of directors in which members are involved in legislative issues, orderly development, water quality, lake patrol, communications and more.

WPOA has been in existence since 1949 when W.E. Long founded the group. Long was its first president with A. Jack Tilson its first executive. Its membership was less than its present 1,300 families.

ANYONE else seen the white pelican on Mud Lake between Syracuse and Wawasee? Alyssa Schmucker from North Webster sent this to Cruzin' with this explanation, "The attached picture was taken in the channel between Syracuse and Wawasee in the marsh area by Travis Harris while he was out fishing. It appears to be a white pelican. Travis had spotted the bird one other time and explained to some folks he thought he had seen a white pelican but no one believed him so he snapped this picture of it. We are not sure that this bird is a white pelican but it sure does look like one."

Cruzin' did a little research and sent the photo off to the Department of Natural Resources for confirmation, but it does appear to be a white pelican. This guy is a little off his path, which was probably the Mississippi River Valley. However, they love wetlands so maybe they're moving further east. The pointy thing on its bill appears when mating. They have black on the edges of their wings but it is only visible when flying. American white pelicans are not as approachable as brown pelicans and they tend to shy away from people and developed areas, so please do not scare or annoy them. Too cool!

CRUZIN’ FINALLY has a picture of the Jones Hotel. It was not in the article on Lake Wawasee Hotels that ran in the Nov. 24 issue of The Mail-Journal because there wasn’t a photo available. With this addition, eight hotels and photos have been published. Loren Shaum, author of “Seasons in Lake Country,” a new cookbook and memoir that will be out in mid-March, had one which he willingly shared. Here it is above. The Jones Hotel was the first major hotel on what was then known as Turkey Lake. It was located just east of Willow Grove. The lot it sat on is directly at the south end of Warner Road on the lake. The Joneses had seen the potential in the area because he was a mechanical engineer with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Abram M. Jones, his wife Mary Duff Jones and two sons moved to Syracuse in 1875. They later had another son and a daughter Anna. The hotel was built in 1881 and opened in September. Jones continued working for the railroad operating the pumping station. Apparently, he was an energetic man because he also ran the Syracuse grain elevator. He was a Civil War veteran serving with the 2nd Ohio Calvary. Mansfield, Ohio, was his hometown.

According to Eli Lilly in his book, “Early Wawasee Days,” the hotel was a success from the beginning. Let’s let Lilly tell this story in his hilarious style: “The time and place called for none of the rose-water benefits, but the rooms were comfortable and the good food was consumed by the guests with the relish of cannibals dining off a plump enemy. It has been said that now and then some of them would turn pale with desire when inhaling the fragrance of the dishes as the covers were lifted. Calories had not then been invented.”

Jones also purchased a tug boat in Chicago and brought it by rail and launched it off the railway bridge between Syracuse and Wawasee lakes. He cut the boat in two and added a center section and named it the Anna Jones in honor of his daughter. There was a second and larger boat of the same name reputed to be the largest steamer ever on Wawasee. Many boats were built in the barn by the Jones Hotel. It could be considered the birthplace of sailboating on the lake. The area was known as Jones Landing. The hotel was sold in 1920 to M.E. Crow, Elkhart. The couple are buried in the Syracuse Cemetery as is their son Jim. Another son was Wilmot, a dairy farmer. The hotel was converted into a private home last owned by the late Mike Umbaugh. It was sold and torn down for a new house five or six years ago. Thanks for the information and Cruzin’ will let readers know when and where to find the first of Shaum’s three books, which should all be out by the end of the year.

Although the air temperature was in the 40s, standing on the ice on Syracuse Lake sent a chill through the crowd gathered for the Wawasee Kiwanis Winter Carnival Saturday. However, the ankle-deep water on top of about 8 inches of the frozen stuff didn't seem to give anyone pause as large crowds were there throughout the day for radar runs, kiddy-kat races and the always popular drag races.

This was the second year for the revived event. A change in climate patterns had stopped the Winter Carnival dead in its tracks in 1990 much to winter sports fans disgust, so the last two colder winters have given renewed life to the carnival.

There were 43 registered snowmobile racers. The results are as follows: stock classes, 440-Randall Byrer, Etna Green; 500-tie between Josh Kenny, Middlebury and Randall Byrer, Etna Green; 600-Bill Heyde, Bremen; 700-Doug Kast, Fort Wayne; 800-Taylor Slocum, Syracuse; 900-Paul Burkhardt, Edon, Ohio; 1000-Slocum and open-Slocum; improved classes, 700-Ken Huston, New Carlisle; 800-John Michael, Shipshewana and 1000-Slocum, Syracuse; modified classes, 500 John Michael, Shipshewana; 800-Michael; 1000-Michael and open-Marshall Messmon, Rome City.

Winners in the kitty kat-snow scoot classes were: Noah Whitridge, Syracuse; Amelia Dumford, Syracuse; and JT Finlinson, Syracuse.

A free dance sponsored by Lakeside Fitness and the Rinker Family Foundation concluded the Saturday activities with more than 100 attending. The band, Annabelle Road, performed at the Syracuse Community Center.

On Friday evening, Wawasee Kiwanis Club sponsored a soup supper at the Syracuse Community Center. A dozen restaurants, groups and individuals participated with a sizeable crowd enjoying unlimited soup. Winners chosen by the diners were: Just Jeans, Cromwell, portabello mushroom, restaurant; Edward Jones Financial Advisors, Syracuse, ham and bean made by Beth Kroes, group; and the individual winner was Anne Richey, Syracuse, sausage and corn chowder.

Wawasee Kiwanis will use the proceeds to assist in several local philanthropic projects and with funds for Riley Children's Hospital, Indianapolis.

ALFRESCO DINING - This group was all set for the Winter Carnival. They were particularly interested in the wind kiting. In the back is just some of the crowd watching the drag racing.