Free
Living Life After 50
March 2024
Kelly Britton Changing Lives See Page 8
Elko Edition REaching ElkhaRt, kosciusko, noblE and lagRangE countiEs
Vol. 37, No. 1
www.seniorlifenewspapers.com
Wakarusa Baseball/Softball League —
A NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK — Most weeknights in May and June, baseball and softball action is taking place at the ballpark in Wakarusa. Kids from kindergarten through eighth grade play in four different leagues on four diamonds. Photo provided by Wakarusa Baseball/Softball League.
Summer program a labor of love for Lengacher family By KEITH KNEPP Editor Nearly 50 years ago, a young Wakarusa couple saw a need in their beloved community. Jack and Nadine Lengacher were the parents of five children, including four boys, and were looking for activities to keep them busy during the summer months. While there was a semblance of a baseball program for kids in the town, it wasn’t exactly reliable nor necessarily beneficial to the Lengacher children and their schoolmates.
“There really weren’t a lot of activities to do here,” said Nadine. “We started talking about it and said, ‘we should just start a league.’” The first year of the program was 1977 and included 110 kids. Games were played on a single diamond. “We had zero money, but decided we weren’t going to charge because we wanted everyone to be able to play,” she said. “After that first year, it kept growing and growing. We’ve had over 500 kids for at least the last 20 years, and we
still do it without charging any fees.” The program now offers both baseball and softball, as well as a co-ed peewee division for the youngest participants. Kids come from all over the area, including Nappanee, Goshen, Bremen, South Bend, Elkhart and other surrounding communities. “There are a lot of kids who can’t necessarily afford to play unless its free,” added Jack. “We’ve always said, we don’t care who the person is,
FRIENDSHIPS STRENGTHENED — While many of the Wakarusa Baseball/Softball League’s participants come from the WaNee community, including these two future Panthers, Macy Lengacher and Carly Mast, others come from neighboring towns and cities to be a part of the program. Photo provided by Wakarusa Baseball/Softball League.
Continued on page 2
Over 70% of All Americans Over Age 65 Will Need Long-Term Care or End Up in A Nursing Home... At A Cost of Up To $10,000 Per Month. That Means Many Families Could Lose Much of Their Life Savings or Even Their Own Homes.
Here For You For Over 50 Years
Make The Move To Protect Your Assets WE CAN HELP, Join Us! Free Workshops For Persons 65 or Older | Seating is Limited
Monday, March 25
th
or
Monday, April 1
st
6:00 pm 6:00 pm Ruth’s Chris Steak House 902 E University Dr | Granger, IN Reservations Required Call Today to Reserve Your Seat!
Advertising Material
574.703.3322
1237 East University Dr I Granger, IN 46530 www.riceandrice.com