SCEDF Executive Assistant Honored by Northwest Indiana Influential Women’s Association

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Knox, Ind. – Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Assistant Mary Perren is in prestigious company as part of the 2022 Northwest Indiana Influential Women’s Association (NWIIWA) Class of 2022. She was recognized as the Up & Coming Woman of the Year in Economic Development and Government at the NWIIWA awards banquet on Thursday, Sept. 29.

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Indiana Destination Development Corporation Denies Application for Yellow River Kayak Launch Funding

Yellow River

The Starke County Park Board will still move ahead with plans for a series of kayak launches along the Yellow River, even though its application for thousands of dollars in grant funding was unsuccessful. The board’s application for almost $70,000 from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation failed to make it to the finalist round, according to Starke County Highway Department Office Manager Mary Perren, who helped oversee the application.

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Efforts to Promote Arts, Cultural Opportunities in Starke County Get $100,000 Boost

Efforts to bring murals, artisan markets, and a scale model of the solar system to Starke County have gotten a boost, thanks to the Lilly Endowment’s GIFT VII program. The Starke County Community Foundation says it’s gotten a $100,000 Community Leadership Grant. That money will be used to promote a number of arts and cultural opportunities the foundation is pursuing along with Constellation of Starke.

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Starke County Residents Share Ideas for Spending Stellar Consolation Money

A county-wide art installation, more amenities at the Starke County Forest, and a relocated shelter at Wythogan Park were a few of the ideas Starke County residents had, when it comes to figuring out how Constellation of Starke should spend its $333,000. That’s the money the region was awarded by the state for being a finalist in last year’s Stellar Communities Designation Program.

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WKVI’s Sports Bet Food Drive Continues

Nathan Food DriveThere’s still time to make the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry the big winner in this year’s Knox v. North Judson-San Pierre football rivalry. WKVI Sports Director Nathan Welter is a Knox graduate, and news director Mary Perren is a North Judson alum. Each year they make a friendly wager on the outcome of the county rivalry. Since North Judson won, Nathan had to dye his beard blue and host an hour-long food drive at Heartland Market, formerly Ray’s Super Foods, in downtown North Judson on Saturday. Thanks to the generosity of all who came out, he nearly filled a grocery cart and collected quite a bit of cash as well. Continue reading

WKVI Sports Bet Payoff Continues with Food Drive

WKVI Sports Director Nathan Welter, the N.J.-S.P. mascot and news director Mary Perren
WKVI Sports Director Nathan Welter, the N.J.-S.P. mascot and news director Mary Perren

WKVI Sports Director Nathan Welter isn’t done paying off his bet on the outcome of the Knox v. North Judson football game just yet. He’s a Knox graduate, and news director Mary Perren is a N.J.-S.P. alum, so they make a friendly wager on the game each year. North Judson beat Knox 21-14 at Community Field two weeks ago. Last week Nathan served lunch at the high school cafeteria and got glitter dumped on him by the four captains from the Knox game during the homecoming pep rally. He also presented a check for $25 to the Bluejay athletic department. Continue reading

Official Final Call for WKVIdol

wkvidolA deadline extension was allowed but it can’t last forever; the final call for WKVIdol submissions is here. Kids still have a chance to send their minute long singing sample and contact information into the station until the close of business hours today. Continue reading

WKVI Raises $200 for Hoosier Burn Camp

WKVI morning show host Tom Berg and sports director Nathan Welter answered their cold water challenge Thursday afternoon in the radio station parking lot. They were called out by news director Mary Perren to either donate $10 to the Hoosier Burn Camp and get wet or stay dry and write a $100 check. The guys decided to play along, so members of the Bass Lake Fire Department brought their dump tank to our parking lot and filled it with water. Several listeners also stopped by with extra ice and donations to really help the guys chill out. Another Step Forward Walking Challenge Coordinator Ryan Greer had also been called out previously, as had fire chief Les Jensen. They took the plunge as well. So did Knox High School Band Director Craige Phipps, who opted not to prolong his torture when Nathan called him out. WKVI raised $200 in donations for the Hoosier Burn Camp, thanks to the generosity of the listeners who donated and the staff for being such good sports.

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Volunteer Recognition Day This Weekend At Tippecanoe River State Park

Mary Perren, Tom Berg, and Jason Hickman

In honor of the many volunteers who have made the Tippecanoe River State Park what it is today, the Friends of the Tippecanoe River State Park will be holding a Volunteer Recognition Day at the park on Saturday.

The Friends are a new organization formed in June consisting of a group of community volunteers who work with Park Assistant Property Manager Jason Hickman and Park Manager Vernon Gillum. The group provides support to the two and volunteers for activities, even performing cleanups and other services to benefit the park.

Hickman said the recognition day is a small way to show how appreciative the organization is to those who have helped the park.

“We’re recognizing volunteers that have helped throughout the year. We’ve had close to 60 volunteers donate close to 1000 hours this summer and spring, and this is just the park’s chance to say, ‘Hey, thank you, we appreciate what you did.’ So we got a variety of events going on that should be enjoyable for a lot of people,” said Hickman. Mary Perren, the secretary of Friends of Tippecanoe River State Park, said helping this organization is just one way to polish the jewel that is the park.

“This is a way for us in the community to say, ‘This is one of our crown jewels. We want to make it nice. We want to make it enjoyable for everybody to come out here and what can we do to do that?’” said Perren. (10-12-12 – Perren – What Can We Do)

One of the first tasks the volunteer organization did this year was organize a cleanup at the nature center. The group gave the building a floor-to-ceiling detailed clean, and Perren said volunteers helped out where the park’s limited staff was unable to get to, and without these volunteers, the park wouldn’t be what it is today.

One of the first things they did this year was a cleanup at the nature center, pulled everything out, gave it a floor to ceiling cleaning. Volunteers helped where the limited staff was unable to get to, so its beneficial to the park to have them.

To become a member of the Friends of the Tippecanoe River State Park, call (574) 946-3213 for more information.