Regional Roundup: In the spirit of fun, Allen East students dress like teacher

HARROD - Last week was "Spirit Week" at Allen East High School. Each day, something different occurred to bring about school spirit. One day, it was "dress as your favorite teacher day" when 26 students dressed like Mr. "D." This was the most students dressed like one teacher.

Mr. Dennis Dellfield teaches instrumental music. He is also the director of the Mustang Brass band.

"He is very much liked by the boys and girls here," said Katherine Kidwell, who teaches high school English at Allen East.

Back-to-school project a success

OTTAWA - Trinity United Methodist Church in Ottawa held the fourth annual Back-To-School Project.

This event helps students and families get enough school supplies to make the start of the new school year a success. The evebt helped 255 children from 103 families with school supplies.

Workers from The United Way, St. Rita's Ambulatory Care, Help Me Grow, Community Action Center, Job & Family Services, Salvation Army, Putnam County Community Thrift Store and Trinity United Methodist Church walked the children through the line picking up school supplies.

Groups that helped fund the program included the Knights of Columbus, Ottawa, Ottawa Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kiwanis Club of Ottawa, Trinity United Methodist Church, Ottawa, Jaycees of Ottawa, Glandorf Optimist Club, Vaughnsville United Methodist Church, Wal-Mart and silent donors.

Additionally, Wal-Mart, Paul's Ace Hardware, Kohls Supermarkets, St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church Trinity United Methodist Church and Ottawa Presbyterian Church allowed drop boxes to be placed in their buildings to accept donations of school supplies.

Bluffton University honors Greg Wannemacher at homecoming celebration

BLUFFTON - Greg Wannemacher, a 1977 Bluffton College graduate and owner and president of Wannemacher Enterprises Inc., was honored with the 2008 Bluffton University Alumni Association Professional Achievement Award. The award recognizes Wannemacher for his service and contributions to society.

Wannemacher and his wife, Donna, rode in the Homecoming Parade on Main Street in Bluffton this weekend.

Wannemacher purchased his trucking company in 1991. He increased its facilities and brought in new business to expand into warehousing and packaging. The company provides more than 60 trucks and 165 trailers for shipping locally and throughout the eastern United States. His business employs 135 people in its transportation, warehousing/distribution and packaging divisions.

He is active in business and community development. He is the president of the Allen County Visionaries and is a board member of the Allen Economic Development Group, Lima Rotary Club and Allen County Health Partners.

He and his wife co-chaired the Allen County Health Partners' capital campaign in 2006. He is past president and current member of Bluffton University's President's Council of Corporate Advisors. He served on the Shawnee school board. He is a member of the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce and chaired its board of trustees in 2000. He is also a member of St. Rita's Medical Center Development Council and past chair of its Annual Support Committee. He is past member of the Allen County Airport Board and past president of Lima Area Jaycees.

In 2008, he was elected to the National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio' statewide leadership council.

Wannemacher lives in Lima. He and his wife have three children.

Former Lima resident, Becky Makar, wins poker tournament

LAS VEGAS - Becky Makar, 65, of Las Vegas formerly of Lima, recently beat out some of the best poker players in the country to win the Horseshoe Poker Classic. She collected $45,000 for this win.

To date, she has $155,000 in tournament winnings under her belt.

Makar was born Becky Spyker in Lima. She has two sisters, Carolyn Reuben and Bonita Phipps, who still live in the area.

"I love playing poker," Makar said. "Men don't like being beaten by a woman."

She credits her friend Woody Moore with helping her refine her poker skills, but said she has pretty much always known how to play poker.

Makar beat out a male-dominated field to capture the coveted title of Horseshoe Poker Classic Champion, making her the first female winner of a major tournament at Horseshoe Council Bluffs.