What’s going on in Van Wert?

I started to think about what to write about today, and it dawned on me that there are many happenings surrounding our local community. First of all, I want to congratulate the Evergreen Garden Club for its successful event last weekend at the Niswonger.  It was called Van Wert Blooms and brought people of gardening interests to Van Wert from all over the region.

Louise Hartwig, Janice Kirchenbauer, and a loyal host of committee members dreamed that an event like this could happen in Van Wert, and boy were they right! The Niswonger and Evergreen Garden Club combined our efforts to put on a whole day clinic that is being talked about throughout the region. Speakers from all over the country are contacting Louise about speaking at the next event.

It was a pleasure to work with these ladies who are dedicated to sharing their knowledge and love of gardening.  Their contacts throughout the country and their organization skills are very admirable and I salute them!  Education and inspiration are two pillars the Niswonger holds dear as part of our mission. Van Wert Blooms fit that bill quite well.

On another musical front, the Van Wert High School Band went to Columbus this past weekend to compete at the state level of music competition. Many of you remember dong this when you went through school. Well, the hometown band did us proud by receiving not only an overall “I” (superior) rating, but they received that same rating from each of the four judges.

Congratulations to Mr. Sloan, the high school band director, and to the students who obviously worked very hard in the classroom and were dedicated in their preparation for state competition. Their work paid off once again with a superior rating!

I should also mention that the VWHS Quiz Bowl goes to Nationals in Rosemont, Illinois, this weekend.  Good luck to them and their advisor, Miss Zuber! This weekend, the Lincolnview High School Choir, directed by Stacy Korte, goes to state competition and we wish them the very best too!

On the professional stage of the Niswonger this weekend, we finish our season with not one, but two concerts. Winner of “The Voice” in 2014, Craig Wayne Boyd will be in town Friday night for a rescheduled concert from this past January’s blizzard that hit Nashville. In addition to Boyd’s performance, we have added a young Country duo called SmithField.  So now you will get entertained by not only a proven winner like Craig Wayne Boyd, but also a soon to be winner in SmithField. You can probably get some tickets yet for this concert of country, pop and maybe even a little gospel music.

We finish the 2015-16 Niswonger Season with jazz at its finest. A popular Niswonger jazz artist, Brian Culbertson, returns to Van Wert with his entire band to entertain and liven up the house. This Saturday evening concert will be filled with many exciting components, including the drawing for that beautiful cream-white Thunderbird many of you have been seeing parked in front of the Niswonger entrance throughout the year. A total of 465 tickets have been sold for this drawing.

You can still get in on the drawing any time before Saturday’s concert. It was determined that a cap of 500 tickets would be sold. If you have purchased one, you can increase your chances and buy more. See the box office to get one last chance at this gorgeous Thunderbird convertible with red interior. The money raised goes to good causes at the Niswonger to enhance our shows.  You will see some of it in action at the Brian Culbertson concert this Saturday.

Also, don’t forget about memberships and series tickets for the newly announced Community Concert Series of 2016-17. Doc Severinsen, Guy & Ralna, and others highlight this extraordinary value of musical concerts, which are brought to you by Okuley/Unverferth Dentistry this year.

FINÉ.