Residents in Starke and Pulaski Counties will have the opportunity tomorrow to help those in need while doing their Thanksgiving shopping. WKVI will be collecting food at Five Star in the Knox Mall and Sanders in Winamac from 10 a.m. until noon Central. Continue reading
Stop and see WKVI staff members Saturday in Knox and Winamac as you shop for your Thanksgiving dinner. The station is once again hosting a bi-county food drive to benefit the Community Services of Starke County and Pulaski County Human Services food pantries. Continue reading
There’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 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
An AARP driver safety program is being held next month by Community Services of Starke County. Continue reading
Community Services of Starke County Executive Director Joan Haugh is wrapping up her four-decade tenure with the local nonprofit organization. She started working at the then-Starke County Council on Aging 41 years ago and is preparing to retire at the end of the month. Haugh says the agency has evolved to meet needs that have arisen in the community. Continue reading
Longtime Community Services of Starke County Executive Director Joan Haugh will be the guest of honor at a gathering there this afternoon. She’s retiring at the end of this month after 41 years with the nonprofit organization. Continue reading
Several Starke County charities are benefiting from grant money from the Starke United Fund. These type of grants are made possible through a partnership with Starke United and the Starke County Community Foundation. There was $20,000 available that was split up among the various local organizations. Continue reading
Community Services of Starke County will soon have a new executive director. Joan Haugh is retiring July 31st after 40 years with the nonprofit organization. The board of directors recently hired Becky Anspach of Star City to replace her. Continue reading
Community Services of Starke County received a generous donation thanks to a group compassionate horseback riders called the Freedom Riders. Over Memorial Day weekend, the group traveled from one end of the county to the other, passing through each cemetery on route. Continue reading
Starke County postal patrons did their part to “stamp out hunger” during a recent U.S. Postal Service food drive. Donations placed next to mail boxes on Saturday, May 9 were picked up by mail carriers and given to the Community Services of Starke County food pantry. Executive Director Joan Haugh says they got 1,739 pounds of food. The Knox Post Office collected 1,230 pounds of food; North Judson picked up 475 pounds, and the Hamlet Post Office delivered 34 pounds of food.
Mail carriers in Starke County are taking part in a national initiative to collect food for local families in need. The 23rd annual National Association of of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive takes place tomorrow. Postal patrons are asked to place a box of non-perishable items near their mail boxes before their scheduled delivery time. Carriers will pick items up when they deliver mail. All donations will go to the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry.
Screenings and highly interactive health events will be the focus of the 4th annual Starke County Community Health Fair on Wednesday, May 13 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox.
The health information presented by physicians will range from preventative care for men and women to the importance of a good night’s sleep.
Free screenings and tests will be offered including body fat percentage, blood sugar for diabetes, strength and balance assessments, blood pressure, and a heel bone density test for osteoporosis. Those attending the event can sign up for a Heart Cart screening for $25.
The Leadership Starke County class of 2014-2015 has graduated. The 15 participants spent the past nine months honing community leadership skills, building self-confidence and interacting with community leaders. The class included a student from each of the county’s three high schools. Members met one day per month at sites throughout the county and learned about local history, geography and culture, the local economy, government, education and social services. Strategic planning and service on boards were also covered. Continue reading
The Knox City Council discussed a request for funding from Community Services of Starke County.
The city council anticipates this request each year and $500 was already included in the budget for this year. The organization helps residents with transportation and nutrition needs for the elderly. Residents who need assistance with food use the food pantry to feed their families.
The Community Services of Starke County Board of Directors recently named the Senior Volunteer of the Year for 2015.
Habo Runkle of Knox was honored for her lifetime of service to help improve the quality of life in her community and her country.
Runkle recently retired from working as a nurse at the Golden Living Center in Knox. She helped residents at the facility for 18 years. Prior to that, Runkle served as a babysitter for many community families and drove a school bus for the Knox Community School Corporation for 16 years. Continue reading
A local nonprofit agency has smoke detectors available for families in need of the potentially life-saving devices. Community Services of Starke County Executive Director Joan Haugh says a couple of recent fire fatalities got her to thinking.
“I just felt we could save a life or two if we made sure every home had a smoke alarm – a working smoke alarm or sometimes two. So we applied to State Farm because they had a safety grant, and they awarded me some funds to purchase smoke detectors,” Haugh said. Continue reading
Nominations are now open for the 2015 Community Services of Starke County Volunteer of the Year. Nominees must be Starke County residents over the age of 60. They will be judged upon life achievements, volunteer work and civic contributions. The Community Services of Starke County board will review the nominations and decide the winner. The volunteer of the year will be named at the semi-annual volunteer luncheon on April 16. Continue reading
The Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry will be able to assist even more families in need, thanks to a timely contribution. Ed and Deb Troike were selected as the Starke County winners in the Monsanto Foundation’s America’s Farmers Grow Communities program. As the winners, they chose the organization to receive a $2,500 donation from America’s Farmers Grow Communities and the Monsanto Fund. Continue reading
A successful Starke County business owner gives back to the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry. Economy Auto in Knox collected food and donations from customers during the month of January. Owner George Mammarella recently presented Community Services of Starke County Executive Director Joan Haugh a check for $1,000 from the business along with $68 from a donation can at the business and several totes of food given by customers. Haugh says cash and nonperishable food donations to the Starke County Food Pantry are always welcome.
