What's Up in Wells County

Library staff to sell holiday recipe book
Five Hour Winter Stew…Cornbread Dressing…Sugar Cream Pie…Christmas Punch… The staff of the Wells County Public Library have shared their favorite dishes in the new 2008 Holiday Recipes cookbook. Perfect to keep or to give as stocking stuffers, the cookbook has 68 tried-and-true recipes that the staff members prepare for their own families for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve.
2008 Holiday Recipes are $3 each, or two for $5. Proceeds support the Wells County Public Library programming. Stop by the main library or Ossian Branch to pick up your copies while supplies last. For more information, call the library at 260-824-1612.

Warren to sell memorial bows for community Christmas tree
The Warren Chamber of Commerce and begun the annual sale for memorial bows to decorate the Warren Community Memorial Christmas tree.
Cost is $2 each and can be purchased at Town Hall. Proceeds will go toward the Chamber's Christmas lighting projects.
Each white bows purchased will be in memory of a deceased person. Each red bow purchased will be to honor a living person. The bows will be the only decoration on the tree except lights. The name of the person being honored will be written on the bow. A list of those honored will be printed in the Warren Weekly the week prior to Christmas.
Lighting of the Christmas tree and downtown lights will be held the Friday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 28, 2008).
Santa will arrive at 6 p.m. at the town hall at the corner of Second and Wayne Streets on a fire truck. After Santa greets the children, the downtown lights will be turned on and the group will proceed up Second Street to the Knight Bergman Center Auditorium for the annual “Santa at the Center” event.
Warm drinks and cookies will be available inside as Santa talks to each child. Santa will also be at the center Saturday, Nov. 29 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Summit City Singers Fall Choral Concert Series
Summit City Singers will perform their third concert in their fall choral concert series Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. at the Grand Wayne Center at 20 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. The concert is free and open to the public.
The group is Fort Wayne community based, nonprofit, SATB choral group. They formed in 2006 with 30 singers under the direction of Judy King. Today the group is 65 singers strong. The group is open to anyone high school age and older who has a desire to sing, can attend rehearslas, concerts and match pitch. An audition is not required.
The group will also perform Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. at TowneHouse Retirement Community at 2209 St. Joe Center Road, Fort Wayne and Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Theatre of the Allen County Public Library at 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne.
For more information log onto the website: summit-city-singers.tripod.com.

Grant Workshops for Artists in Marion Dec. 1
Arts Place will offer a workshop in Marion for artists interested in applying for the Indiana Arts Commission's (IAC) Individual Artist Program grants. It will be held Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. at Ivy Tech Community College, 260 Commerce Drive, Marion (I-69 exit #64)
Susan Britsch and April Blevins from the Indiana Arts Commission will facilitate the workshop. Hoosier artists have until Feb. 2, 2009 to submit applications for the IAC's Individual Artist Program (IAP) grant. A detailed explanation of the IAP program, and grant guidelines are available on the IAC website.
For more information contact Karen Niverson, Marion-Grant County CVB Executive Director at 765-668-5435.

Bye Bye Birdie Opens in St. Marys Dec. 5
Grand Lake Theatrix Community Theatre Association will present the musical Bye Bye Birdie on Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12 and 13 at St. Marys Theatre Grand Ballroom, 119 W. Spring St. in St. Marys, Ohio. Tickets are $18 for dinner and show, $16 for seniors and children, or $10 for the show alone. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. followed by the show at 8 p.m.
The local production tells the classic story of Conrad Birdie's last days before entering the Army. The events of Sweet Apple, Ohio are reinacted on the stage of the Grand Ballroom of the Historic St. Marys Theatre. For more information contact Vickie Shurelds at 419-953-7612.

Festival of Trees begins Dec. 6
Festival of Trees will begin Dec. 6, 2008 at 1 p.m. at the Creative Arts Center in Bluffton. Cost is $3 per person.
It's time to deck the halls and trim the tree. Decorated trees are displayed en masse for the public to see from Saturday until Monday. Come and get in the holiday spirit with us! For more information call 824-5222.

Handel's Messiah Dec. 6 & 7
Handel’s Messiah will be performed by the 85 voice choir of the Mennonite Choral Society on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 at the First Mennonite Church in Berne.
The church is located at the intersection of highways 27 and 218. The Saturday 7 p.m. performance and the Sunday 3 p.m. performance will feature professional soloists and piano and organ accompaniment.
The Sunday family friendly performance will include only the Christmas portion and two additional choruses, the Hallelujah chorus and Worthy is the Lamb.
Nursery service is provided and a free will offering will be taken.

Marion Philharmonic Orchestra to present The Nutcracker Dec. 13
The Butler Ballet will join the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra in a presentation of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet Saturday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the F. Ritchie Walton Performing Arts Center, Marion High School, 720 West 26th Street in Marion, Indiana.
Tickets are $18 for adults and $5 for students. For more information contact Mary Kirby at 765-662-8395.