Lima resident attending World War II reunion

LIMA - Robert "Bob" Ashba and his wife, Jo, of Lima, will attend the final national reunion of the survivors of the 451st Bomb Group Reunion on Oct. 17 and 18 in Chicago.

Bob Ashba served as a navigator on a B-24 Liberator and flew 35 missions over enemy territories in European countries. Ashba can vividly recall missions, what they bombed and what is now in standing at the places his group bombed. He recalled the 1972 Olympics being in Munich, Germany.

"They built the Olympic site on the rubble that we had left behind," he said.

The 451st Bomb Group was one of the most decorated flying units of World War II, having been awarded three Presidential Unit Citations. Ashba was awarded the Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, six Battle Stars and a number of other medals and citations.

After serving in the Air Force, Ashba worked at lumber companies. He and his wife had two children, Jeff and Nan. He is involved in the Boys Scouts, the City of Lima and his church, Market Street Presbyterian.

Local musician defending national championship

LIMA - Randy Soules, of Lima, is traveling this weekend to Rochester, N.Y. as a member of the Star United Drum and Bugle Mini-Corps to defend Star's two-time national championship title in drum and bugle corps.

Star of Indiana was an up-and-coming drum corps competing on the International Summer Circuit during the 1980s. In 1994, the corps left the field and moved indoors. After being inside for 12 years, a handful of former members discovered that the Senior Corps Circuit, Drum Crops Associates had a mini-corps competition. That was the opportunity to get some of the members back together.

The group played at the National Championships in Rochester for the first time in 2006. They placed first. The following year, they once again placed first.

This year, the rules have changed so the member must move or march a bit, as well as play.

The Drum Corps Associates is an all-aged competitive marching circuit that competes mostly on weekends throughout the summer and early fall. The Drum Crops Associates homepage is www.dcacorps.org/. Star United's Web page is www.starunited.org.

Walk for Wishes

LIMA - The Third Annual Greater Lima Area Walk for Wishes will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 27 at the Allen County Fairgrounds. Check-in is at 9 a.m.

The Walk for Wishes is a noncompetitive, 3-mile walk. There will be entertainment and food. Participants may walk individually or form a team with friends, family and co-workers. All proceeds will go to grant the wishes of local children suffering from life-threatening medical conditions.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northwest Ohio was formed in 1984 and has fulfilled the wishes of more than 1,000 children. It serves 21 counties, including Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Mercer, Putnam and Van Wert. The average cost of a wish is $5,500, and this year the group will grant approximately 85 wishes.

For information, go to www.northwestohio.wish.org or call 1-800-666-8539.

Van Wert Schools versus Archbold in a tab war

VAN WERT - A tab war has been declared between Archbold and Van Wert.

The Van Wert community has been collecting tabs from aluminum cans to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. in honor of Tyler Priest. Tyler is the youth from Van Wert who was seriously injured in a farming accident this summer. Tyler's parents were able to stay at Parkview Hospital's Ronald McDonald House.

Archbold has challenged Van Wert to a tab war to be held during the football season. At the end of football season, a winner will be declared. All tabs will be sent to benefit the Ronald McDonald house.

"Stuff Dreams Are Made Of," New Don Bruns Novel

LIMA - "Stuff Dreams Are Made Of" is the new Don Bruns book that will be available nationwide Monday.

Bruns is a musician, songwriter, advertising executive and award-winning novelist. He has authored the books "Jamaica Blue," "Barbados Heat," "South Beach Shakedown" and "St. Barts Breakdown." He also has had several short stories published and is a frequent contributor to The Little Blog of Murder.

Bruns said this novel took him only six months to write. Bruns said he always has been fascinated with ministers who promote a religion of wealth and prosperity, and that is how he formed the idea for this novel.

A launch party is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Barnes & Noble University of Northwestern Ohio, 1721 Hartzler Road.