County Participates In Historic Torch Relay
September 30, 2016 at 8:29 p.m.
County Participates In Historic Torch Relay
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Its first stop in the county was at the Tiger Athletic Complex at Warsaw Community High School, where several people spoke before the torch began its journey through the county.
WCHS Principal Troy Akers welcomed the Warsaw and Tippecanoe Valley students and the public to the torch relay ceremony before handing off the mic to Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert.
After the singing of the national anthem, Hoffert said, “This is a special day for our county. Indiana is turning 200 years old, and with that, we have celebrations that will be taking place over the next three days in Kosciusko County.”
He mentioned Thursday’s concert at the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center, today’s Back to the Days of Kosciuszko at Harrison Elementary School, tonight’s bash downtown Warsaw and Saturday’s events at the fairgrounds.
Tippecanoe Valley High School Athletic Director Duane Burkhart then took the microphone and said, “For all of us to be a part of this is an honor and a privilege.”
Burkhart discussed how it was bittersweet for Valley’s football team and coach Jeff Shriver to be carrying the torch in honor of the late Scott Bibler. Bibler’s wife, Stephanie, also was on hand to transport the torch.
Bibler was one of four area men who died in an airplane crash Oct. 2, 2015 in Oconee County, S.C.. The other three men were Warsaw City Councilman Charlie Smith, his son and local attorney Scott Smith and racecar driver Tony Elliott.
Roger Grossman, sports director for Lake City Media and WCHS sports information director, stated, “I think it’s fitting that today, the Torch Relay in Kosciusko County, begins in this spot on a sports complex near an athletic field. Sports have meant a lot to us here in Kosciusko County. We’ve done it well and we care about it, maybe as much as any county in the state of Indiana.”
He referenced the history of basketball and especially girls basketball and how Kosciusko County has many Miss and Mr. Basketballs.
“It’s because our communities care about sports. We also care about the way sports helps us educate people. It teaches us teamwork, and it teaches us life lessons that go way beyond playing days. You’ll learn things in sports that you will take with you until your very last day,” Grossman said.
He said the three people who began the Torch Relay in Kosciusko County had one thing in common – “and that is sports.”
Grossman told everyone to “enjoy the moment” before passing the mic on to Indiana Office of Tourism Development Executive Director Mark Newman.
In his remarks, Newman, “It’s a pleasure for us from the Torch Relay Team to be here in Kosciusko County. ... Whether you know it or not, you’re part of history today. You’re part of a 3,200-mile journey that began Sept. 9 in our state’s original state capitol down in Corydon.”
Kosciusko was the 55th of the 92 Indiana counties that the torch will pass through, he said. The journey is expected to conclude Oct. 15 in Indianapolis on the statehouse grounds with a grand celebration called “Hoosier Homecoming.”
Torch bearers were chosen from nominations by each county in the state. A total of 2,242 Hoosiers were selected for the honor.
“This torch and the cauldron that you see to my left – they’re iconic symbols of our state. Many of you know that the torch is a symbol that adorns our state flag,” he said.
The first explorers of Indiana also used torches to light their way, Newman added.
“As we move into the state’s third century, we use this torch to light the way. Your generation will be carrying the message, as well as forging our future. So I hope you will watch this event intently, and you will take lessons from it, and you will use it to guide your own path into the future,” he said.
Kosciusko County Commissioner Bob Conley was the last of the opening ceremony speakers.
He welcomed all the guests on behalf of the county and the commissioners.
“History is what we’re making here today. We’re part of that,” Conley said.
He compared what the world was like when Indiana became a state – Dec. 11, 1816 – to today.
“Let us go forth from here and dedicate ourselves, individually, to be the best that we can be. And in 200 years from now, someone may stand on this same spot and say, ‘Job well done,’” he said. “Maybe they can tell things in the future that we will have no idea will happen. Let’s go forward now and make America great. Continue to make America great.”
The Torch Relay then began with Barb Martz, a special needs teacher at WCHS and former Warsaw athlete who still runs marathons. She ceremoniously lit the torch with Newman.
Martz then ran a lap around the track before handing the torch off to Tippecanoe Valley High School football coach Jeff Shriver and the entire football team, who was carrying it in honor of the late Scott Bibler.
The Tippecanoe Valley group then carried it to the entrance of WCHS at Ind. 15 before passing it on to WRSW radio broadcaster Rita Price-Simpson. From there, the torch went through downtown Warsaw, to Central Park where The Bicentennial Experience trailer was parked and then off through the county, finishing up for Kosciusko at Lakeside Park in Syracuse.
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer spoke at the Central Park stop after an invocation by the Rev. Roy Blake and the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana” by Ed Rock.
Thallemer said, “On behalf of the City of Warsaw, and the entire Kosciusko County community, I’m honored to welcome the Indiana Bicentennial Celebration Torch Relay as it makes its way through our community.”
He recognized the Kosciusko County Bicentennial Committee for all the work its done, and said the torch relay was but one event of the entire celebration. Thallemer listed all of Kosciusko County’s 22 torch bearers after giving a brief history of the torch on the state flag and how it represents liberty. The stars and rays of light on the flag represent enlightenment, he stated.
Thallemer talked about how Indiana became the 19th state on Dec. 11, 1816, and how 15 years later settlers were discovering Kosciusko County. In 1834, settlers began organizing the permanent settlement of Warsaw.
“Here we stand, 200 years later, recalling our history and heritage that we must not forget; but looking into the future, perhaps another 200 years, as to what we might achieve. Our stars of enlightenment will continue to shine bright,” he said.
The downtown Warsaw bash is today from 5 to 9 p .m. The events at the fairgrounds begin at 7 a.m. Saturday and go until the concert in the grandstands Saturday night.
Due to the passing of Jason Michael Carroll’s father, county music star Ty Herndon has offered to fill in for the bicentennial concert at the fairgrounds at 7 p.m. Saturday. This is a free show.
Its first stop in the county was at the Tiger Athletic Complex at Warsaw Community High School, where several people spoke before the torch began its journey through the county.
WCHS Principal Troy Akers welcomed the Warsaw and Tippecanoe Valley students and the public to the torch relay ceremony before handing off the mic to Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert.
After the singing of the national anthem, Hoffert said, “This is a special day for our county. Indiana is turning 200 years old, and with that, we have celebrations that will be taking place over the next three days in Kosciusko County.”
He mentioned Thursday’s concert at the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center, today’s Back to the Days of Kosciuszko at Harrison Elementary School, tonight’s bash downtown Warsaw and Saturday’s events at the fairgrounds.
Tippecanoe Valley High School Athletic Director Duane Burkhart then took the microphone and said, “For all of us to be a part of this is an honor and a privilege.”
Burkhart discussed how it was bittersweet for Valley’s football team and coach Jeff Shriver to be carrying the torch in honor of the late Scott Bibler. Bibler’s wife, Stephanie, also was on hand to transport the torch.
Bibler was one of four area men who died in an airplane crash Oct. 2, 2015 in Oconee County, S.C.. The other three men were Warsaw City Councilman Charlie Smith, his son and local attorney Scott Smith and racecar driver Tony Elliott.
Roger Grossman, sports director for Lake City Media and WCHS sports information director, stated, “I think it’s fitting that today, the Torch Relay in Kosciusko County, begins in this spot on a sports complex near an athletic field. Sports have meant a lot to us here in Kosciusko County. We’ve done it well and we care about it, maybe as much as any county in the state of Indiana.”
He referenced the history of basketball and especially girls basketball and how Kosciusko County has many Miss and Mr. Basketballs.
“It’s because our communities care about sports. We also care about the way sports helps us educate people. It teaches us teamwork, and it teaches us life lessons that go way beyond playing days. You’ll learn things in sports that you will take with you until your very last day,” Grossman said.
He said the three people who began the Torch Relay in Kosciusko County had one thing in common – “and that is sports.”
Grossman told everyone to “enjoy the moment” before passing the mic on to Indiana Office of Tourism Development Executive Director Mark Newman.
In his remarks, Newman, “It’s a pleasure for us from the Torch Relay Team to be here in Kosciusko County. ... Whether you know it or not, you’re part of history today. You’re part of a 3,200-mile journey that began Sept. 9 in our state’s original state capitol down in Corydon.”
Kosciusko was the 55th of the 92 Indiana counties that the torch will pass through, he said. The journey is expected to conclude Oct. 15 in Indianapolis on the statehouse grounds with a grand celebration called “Hoosier Homecoming.”
Torch bearers were chosen from nominations by each county in the state. A total of 2,242 Hoosiers were selected for the honor.
“This torch and the cauldron that you see to my left – they’re iconic symbols of our state. Many of you know that the torch is a symbol that adorns our state flag,” he said.
The first explorers of Indiana also used torches to light their way, Newman added.
“As we move into the state’s third century, we use this torch to light the way. Your generation will be carrying the message, as well as forging our future. So I hope you will watch this event intently, and you will take lessons from it, and you will use it to guide your own path into the future,” he said.
Kosciusko County Commissioner Bob Conley was the last of the opening ceremony speakers.
He welcomed all the guests on behalf of the county and the commissioners.
“History is what we’re making here today. We’re part of that,” Conley said.
He compared what the world was like when Indiana became a state – Dec. 11, 1816 – to today.
“Let us go forth from here and dedicate ourselves, individually, to be the best that we can be. And in 200 years from now, someone may stand on this same spot and say, ‘Job well done,’” he said. “Maybe they can tell things in the future that we will have no idea will happen. Let’s go forward now and make America great. Continue to make America great.”
The Torch Relay then began with Barb Martz, a special needs teacher at WCHS and former Warsaw athlete who still runs marathons. She ceremoniously lit the torch with Newman.
Martz then ran a lap around the track before handing the torch off to Tippecanoe Valley High School football coach Jeff Shriver and the entire football team, who was carrying it in honor of the late Scott Bibler.
The Tippecanoe Valley group then carried it to the entrance of WCHS at Ind. 15 before passing it on to WRSW radio broadcaster Rita Price-Simpson. From there, the torch went through downtown Warsaw, to Central Park where The Bicentennial Experience trailer was parked and then off through the county, finishing up for Kosciusko at Lakeside Park in Syracuse.
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer spoke at the Central Park stop after an invocation by the Rev. Roy Blake and the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana” by Ed Rock.
Thallemer said, “On behalf of the City of Warsaw, and the entire Kosciusko County community, I’m honored to welcome the Indiana Bicentennial Celebration Torch Relay as it makes its way through our community.”
He recognized the Kosciusko County Bicentennial Committee for all the work its done, and said the torch relay was but one event of the entire celebration. Thallemer listed all of Kosciusko County’s 22 torch bearers after giving a brief history of the torch on the state flag and how it represents liberty. The stars and rays of light on the flag represent enlightenment, he stated.
Thallemer talked about how Indiana became the 19th state on Dec. 11, 1816, and how 15 years later settlers were discovering Kosciusko County. In 1834, settlers began organizing the permanent settlement of Warsaw.
“Here we stand, 200 years later, recalling our history and heritage that we must not forget; but looking into the future, perhaps another 200 years, as to what we might achieve. Our stars of enlightenment will continue to shine bright,” he said.
The downtown Warsaw bash is today from 5 to 9 p .m. The events at the fairgrounds begin at 7 a.m. Saturday and go until the concert in the grandstands Saturday night.
Due to the passing of Jason Michael Carroll’s father, county music star Ty Herndon has offered to fill in for the bicentennial concert at the fairgrounds at 7 p.m. Saturday. This is a free show.
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