Shipshewana Town News
With the advent of spring, the
staff at the Town center and Museum
is anxiously looking forward to implementing their strategy for increasing
interest in and use of both facilities.
The Museum reopens on April 2.
Currently, the web pages for both
operations are being reconstructed
to provide a distinct change from the
past. Although there will be separation
of each, linkage to each other will be
evident. The messaging that both sites
will perk interest in visiting the Museum and using the Center for events.
There is approval to replace the signage
on State Road 5 with a LED marquis
featuring plenty of room to advertise
events and the Museum. A second
section will be marketed to local
merchants to become “Merchant of the
Week”. If any merchant is interested
in this competitively priced marketing
program please contact me at 7684743. Finally, we have approval from
the Town Council to change the name
of the facility to the “Shipshewana
Event Center and Auto Museum” in order to emphasize the new approach to
marketing this wonderful community
gem as an “event” center instead of just
a conference center.
With the resignation of Ryan Ferris we lost an excellent events manager. His position has been changed to an
“Events Coordinator “ and will be filled
by Adison Glick who is a LaGrange
resident and comes to the position
with energy, creativity and the kind of
enthusiasm needed. He will report to
Roey Marcon who will become the “Facilities Manager” and will have oversight for the building and the event
staff. Roey will report to the Town
Manager. We are planning to use the
facility as a stopover point for tourists
while working in conjunction with the
LaGrange County Convention and Visitors Bureau to ensure a huge welcome
is given to those visiting Shipshewana.
As usual, the staff at the Event Center
is looking forward to increasing traffic
at the facility and the Museum.
J.R. Hostetler will report directly
to the Town Manager and continue to
have the responsibility for maintaining the incredible collection of antique
Hudson automobiles. Additionally,
J.R. will be responsible for recruiting, scheduling and directing the
volunteers. We have an excellent core
group of volunteers, but are looking
to increase the staff. Please feel free
to contact J.R. at 768-3021 if you’re
interested. The hours are flexible and
we promise not to wear you out! One
of the many things the volunteers will
be asked to do is participate in the
Museum’s “Tour of Rural Shipshewana”
This idea is based on using a few of the
antique vehicles to provide tours in
areas immediately outside the community where visitors can have more of a
look at the wonderful Amish heritage
that the Shipshewana area offers.
Blue Gate Theatre and the Riegsecker organization have made a huge
commitment to the facility by scheduling events there through 2015 and
by Mike Sutter
investing in sound and lighting equipment.
The staff of the Event Center and
Auto Museum looks forward to making
2013 a banner year for the facility and
the community by generating the interest in the facility that it deservedly
should have and should expect.
Planning continues by the Park
Board on the plans for a new concession stand. Hopefully, the project
can be bid out by mid-summer with
completion by the fall. This will
provide the Board ample time to get
the building stocked and ready to roll
by the spring of ’14. “Reminisces of
Shipshewana” days are being planned
by Al Yoder and the Historical Society
for mid-June. The event will honor the
history of Shipshewana and its logging
and sawmill industry and could lead to
a very popular annual event being held
in town. This will help our retailers
and the community. There will be more
information on the event next month.
Town staff awaits the arrival of
spring, street repair, lawn maintenance and continued growth for our
water and sewer department. Dean
Gillette, Tim Sheteron and Boyd Jones
are doing an excellent job keeping up
with their department demands. They
do this all week and without additional
help. Please be patient if we do not address your issue “immediately.” We’ll
be there shortly.
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260.593.2313
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The Hometown Treasure · April ‘13 · pg 63