Dorais is your local Wabash Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet dealership and has been family owned and operated since 1949.  Dorais Chevrolet offers a wide selection of new and used vehicles as well as full body shop and service department. Current owner Dave Dorais, has worked at the dealership all of his life and officially took over the business in 1977.  Dave’s wife Kaye, is also a Wabash native. 

This summer, Dorais Chevrolet will be getting a new look.  A remodel is coming soon along with some sales promotions so stay tuned!  “At Dorais Chevrolet, we are a full service dealership,” says Dave.  “We want to meet the needs of Wabash.”

by Emily Armentrout

On April 26, with their prom approaching, Wabash High School teamed up with the local fire and police department, along with the Samaritan helicopter from Parkview Fort Wayne, to depict a crash scene for the juniors and seniors at Wabash High School. The accident was supposed to be caused by drinking and driving on prom night.

“It’s going to make a great impression on the kids. We’ve had parents come to watch and it has really impacted them,” said Carl Hall, an inspector for the Wabash Fire Department.

For almost 16 years, Mike and Ann Bechtol have been serving Wabash with the county’s only independently owned supermarket.  Bechtol Grocery is located at 120 Hale Drive and serves as a major southside retailer.  Bechtol Grocery is the provider of the Our Family private label, which is exclusive to the business.  

On Sunday, April 28, one of the first Barn Quilts to be part of the Wabash County Quilt Trail was installed at the farm of Phil & Robin Dale. The Dale farm is located at 2575 W 700 N. in Wabash County. The Barn Quilt can be seen very easily from 300 W., just north of Highway 16 and can also be seen while traveling east on Highway 16.

Phil’s Grandparents, Lewis and Mable Dale owned the farm from 1941 until 1963. Then in 1985 Phil was able to purchase the farm and bring it back into the Dale family. The barn the quilt was hung on is over 100 years old.

by Brent Swan

After spending much of her first week on the job in the office, new Wabash County 4-H Youth Educator Angela Christopher is already looking forward to the 2013 Wabash County 4-H Fair. Christopher, a Wabash County resident and Southwood High School graduate, took over the position vacated by Pandora Woodward.

“I have lived here all my life,” Christopher said. “My husband David and I have two children, Jade, who is five and Clay who is three.”

Christopher, a former 10-year 4-H member, went on to graduate from Manchester College before completing her master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. She then taught English for nine years at White’s and was in her second year of teaching sixth grade language at LaFontaine when she decided to apply for the job.

Spring clean-up in Wabash will begin the week of April 29, according to Scott Richardson, Wabash Street Department superintendent.

Pick up will be divided into four sections, following the same routes as weekly trash.

Items will be picked up from tree lawns and along City streets only. No pick-ups will take place in alleys.

Piles of items to be picked up show be no larger than four feet by eight feet. Also, items for pick-up should be separate from brush piles.

Brush will not be picked up the week of spring cleanup.

Local breast cancer survivor, Natalie Rager, founded the Hot Pink Mommas in 2009, and since then, the group has raised $78,967 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“Being a breast cancer survivor means I get to be here each day with my family and friends, and that your health is priceless. My motivation to fight comes from wanting to be as healthy as I can be and to help find a cure for breast cancer,” Rager said in an email.

In October of 2008, at the age of 38, Rager was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer after finding a lump herself.

“I did six months of chemotherapy and 40 rounds of radiation, followed by a bilateral mastectomy,” she said.

Rager finished radiation in May of 2009 and completed her first walk in June of 2009 in Chicago, Ill.

“The Chicago walk was life changing for me. Training for the walk helped me stay active and bonded me with amazing teammates. After going through this, I couldn’t have asked for better support,” she said.

The Wabash County Animal Shelter, Inc., will be holding their second free dog training on April 25, at the Paradise Spring Historical Park, Huntington Street Pavilion (lower level).