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Honorary Citizen Do you know of a past honorary citizen of Harlan Days? Please contact Kevin Mullett and we will be happy to post the year they were honored, their picture, and the story that ran in the Harlan Days paper. We are working on restoring the past several years that we had posted previously.
2006 Honorary Citizens - Ross and Pat Ehle Each year the Harlan Days committee chooses someone from the community to serve as our Honorary Citizen. It is always someone who has volunteered much of their time and talent to make Harlan a better place to live. This year the committee is proud to honor Ross and Pat Ehle. Please join us in thanking them for the time and effort they have given to our community. Pat and Ross have been active members of the community for the entire 57 years they have been married. Pat and Ross have both been active in the Harlan Lions Club for 51 years chairing many, many community events including fundraisers such as the barbequed chicken which is a Saturday tradition at Harlan Days. You may also have seen Ross and Pat working in the Harlan Lions Club Hamburger and Curly Fry tent at Harlan Days. Ross has been the Harlan Lions Club president 3 times and Pat is currently in her second term as president. The Lions Club is an international organization and Pat and Ross have taken this to a new level by hosting over 150 foreign exchange students from over 15 different countries including Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, Germany, Japan, and Peru over the past 37 years. They keep in contact with many of these former students and some even return to visit them from time to time. This is part of a project the Lions Club calls “Operation Friendship”. Ross and Pat Ehle have also hosted several Lions Club members from around the globe for a month each time so that the different Lions Clubs can share what each other is doing to serve their communities. The Harlan Lions Club is thought to be the only Lions Club in the entire United States that is actively involved in the foreign exchange project “Operation Friendship”. Ross and Pat have also have been involved with the local youth with preschool hearing and vision screening through the Harlan Lions Club. Pat organized the Leo Clubs in the area which is the name given to the youth organization of the Lions Club. The members of the Leo clubs in both Harlan and Woodburn learn how they too can help to serve their communities. While doing all of this, Ross and Pat raised 8 children, and now have 19 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Ross retired from Brueggeman Do It Center after 31 years at the young age of 77. Pat has been a home health aid for over 20 years and is still working. Harlan is fortunate to
have such fine citizens. We are proud to honor them at this year’s Harlan
Days. Be sure to wave at Ross and Pat as they ride in the parade on Saturday
morning, August 5.
2005 Honorary Citizens -
Bob & Mary Ellen Garmater
Bob and Mary Ellen are lifelong residents of Harlan. They both graduated from Harlan High School, which is where they first met. They’ve been married for 55 years and are the proud parents of three children—Teresa Knoblaugh of Leo, Karen Smith of Colorado Springs and Steve Garmater of Woodburn. They also enjoy 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. They have been business owners in Harlan for over 40 years. In 1960, they were dealers for Allis-Chalmers farm equipment. In 1966, they re-located their business to its current location on Bull Rapids Road. Later in 1969, they began taking scrap metal. Their business was the first in Allen County to purchase a scrap auto crusher. In 1972, they incorporated under the name which we all know today— Garmater Auto Salvage Inc. These days, they both work part-time. Mary Ellen manages the bookkeeping while Bob spends his mornings at the shop answering the phone. They are active members at South Scipio United Brethren in Christ Church. Bob has been very involved with the youth group. He recalls driving to Harlan to pick up a load of kids in his van, purchased just for that purpose, then drive them to the youth group. Through the years, Bob became a caring friend to these children. As he became more involved with helping them, he realized that Harlan itself needed a youth group so he took his idea to his church board. That was about 6 years ago. Today, the Harlan Christian Youth Center exists because one man saw a need in our community and cared enough to share his idea. Others joined the dream and pitched in to make it all come together. However, Bob is quick to remind us that it was the Lord who really did it all. When asked about their involvement with Harlan Days of past years, Bob recalled the good ‘ole days. He was involved in the very first Harlan Days. It was held at the old Harlan High School. Bob has volunteered in such areas as advertising, the Commerce Tent, the farm tractor pull contest, the Skunk Mountain Boys and many other areas. He continued then chuckled as he recalled volunteering to help coordinate the free entertainment. A group of musicians from Scipio Township were rounded up to perform. The names of Jim Gustin, Jake Gustin and Dub Zuber rolled off his tongue as a few of the members of the hillbilly band. He also recalls the balloon ascension for entertainment. It was exciting but very dirty because of the black soot from the coal oil burning. After the balloon was inflated, the balloon driver would pull on a clean pair of white overalls to cover up his dirty clothes, put on a parachute and hop into the basket. No rides were given. It was just a sight to see the balloon go up and away. Bob also remembers the first Queen contest where each candidate sold votes for themselves at 10¢ each. The candidate who sold the most votes was the winner. Mary Ellen recalled how the ladies of the community baked pies for Harlan Days. However, those days of bringing homemade food to the event are gone as they’re not allowed to do this anymore. Bob thought the Board of Health must have been worried about the food preparation, though he didn’t think anybody died from the pies. Barbequed chicken and 5¢ pop was also part of the feast. Bob and Mary Ellen say that Harlan Days has been “darn good for the community.” They said the annual event was something the community was always loyal to and committed to. Volunteering for Harlan Days was definitely something that they both “really enjoyed and wanted to do." Harlan is fortunate to have such fine citizens. We are proud to honor them at this year’s Harlan Days. Be sure to wave at Bob and Mary Ellen as they ride in the parade on Saturday morning, August 6.
2004 Honorary Citizen -
Marlin “Butch” Bauer
Mr. Bauer gained the inspiration to become a teacher and work with children while in high school at Batesville High School in Batesville, Indiana. One of his teachers thought he would be good at it. He taught for three years before accepting a position as an assistant principal in the Liberty Perry Community School system. Two years later, at 26 years old, he become a very young principal. Mr. Bauer’s ability to establish good relationships with his students, staff, and the parents of this community can be testified to by many. He uses innovative motivation strategies with his students to achieve educational and community oriented goals. He spent a day on the roof of the school, was known as “The Pumpkin Principal” for his donation of hundreds of pumpkins, was made into an ice cream sundae, and most recently allowed his hair to be colored yellow and green. I have personal memories of him spending time in the dunk tank at Harlan Days. His dedication for education is also well know. He was the winner of the $25,000 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in 1995 for which he was nominated by Superintendent James Gland of EACS. This award is given by a California foundation and is designed to reward educators and motivate them to further success. Mr. Bauer was one of five educators in Indiana to receive an award that year, the first year Elementary Schools in Indiana were considered. Mr. Bauer’s plans for this retirement were to spend some time traveling. He is also a new member of the sales staff at Mendedhall-Roy Chevrolet. Mr. Bauer was quoted in the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel as saying, “As I look back at the 3,000 students I’ve been in contact with at Harlan alone, a lot of people have been very, very good to me.” The feeling is mutual,Mr. Bauer. The feeling is mutual.
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© 2006 harlan days ° p.o. box 74, harlan, in 46743 |
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The
Harlan Days Committee has voted Marlin “Butch” Bauer our Honorary Citizen of
the Year. Mr. Bauer retired last February after a 33-year career as an
administrator for East Allen County Schools (EACS), more specifically as the
Principal of Harlan Elementary School. He came to us from the
Walkerton Elementary School near South Bend. When he came to Harlan he had
no idea how long he would stay.