Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The city of Warsaw Parks and Recreation Board heard updates on the Summer Lunch Program during a meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Director of Food Services for Warsaw Community Schools Stacie Light presented the numbers of all the lunches and snacks given to area kids during the Summer Lunch Program. Light also brought two women to the meeting who had been at “Bixler Park serving lunches every day.”
For June, they served lunches for a total of 20 days; gave 2,922 lunches and 2,920 snacks to children; and served around 146 kids each day, with the highest day serving 189. In July they served lunches for 15 days; gave 1,736 lunches and 1,718 snacks; and served around 116 kids each day, with the highest day serving 139.
“In total, we did 128 more lunches in 2026 than we did in 2025,” said Light.
Board Vice President Michelle Boxell asked if it’s a lot of the same people every year, and one of the two women that came with Light answered they do see a lot of the same families, “and we were just talking to each other about a family that comes in a big van” and how they “hadn’t seen them yet … but they came on the last day because they were on vacation.”
Board member Noemi Ponce asked how they calculate how many lunches they will need per day, which Light stated they look back on past production records and the weather.
“If it’s a really nice, warm day, we will pack more lunches and snacks … and if it’s raining, which we didn’t lose any days to rain, … other events and we serve for 45 minutes … so we know if we’re going to run out, we can get more or have them go to another location,” said Light.
Board President Larry Ladd stated he is “looking forward to the next 20 years” of serving summer lunches.
The board also heard updates about the community skate park from Superintendent of Parks Larry Plummer.
He stated the crew working on the community skate park are defining elevation and working on constructing the north bowl. Plummer stated, “It’s pretty impressive when you stand on the ledge and see the bowl.”
He also noted crews will be “slinging concrete in the first part of September.”
Board member Jill Beehler asked if there was anything special they would do to the concrete to make it smoother, and Plummer stated they will be using a technique called “shotcrete” and “will be watching them put it down because they said it was neat.”
Board member Ryan Burgher asked if they were going to put concrete down in the beginning of September, when they are expecting to be done, to which Plummer responded it will be the end of September.
Ladd asked if the park would open then, and Plummer stated that there is still signage and other work that still needs done before they open officially.
Other Business
• The team member of the month for July is maintenance laborer Dusty Wiggs. Plummer said, "He has shown great leadership and skill, worked tons of overtime, and has allowed our team to succeed.”
• Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner reported the carpenters completed the work at the shooting range, and the Warsaw Police Department is very thankful.
He reported that park staff have made repairs to the Beyer Farm Trail, repaired a sidewalk at Lucerne Park, cleaned up the bed at Pete Thorne Center, made some water line repairs at the campground, and cleaned up a tree that fell from the storms on Aug. 9 at Bixler Park. He noted that “the guys are trimming trees and keeping up with the grass.”
• Recreation Director Stephanie Schaefer reported that between July 23 and Aug. 14, they only had one paddleboard/canoe event not affected by the weather, held three concerts, Wipe-out, a paint class, the Family Carnival, and a slip-and-slide; all together bringing in 3,167 participants.
She noted that her summer staff is gone, but there are still events happening, such as: Friday, Aug. 21 is the reschedule date for the American Legion Band; Saturday, Aug. 22 is the Fuzzy Friends program, which is sold out; Thursday, Aug. 27 is the Succulents Made Simple Class, which has a couple spots available; Friday, Aug. 28 is the rescheduled date for the Lake Erie Community Band; and Tuesday, Sept. 15 is the next Imagination Station.
She thanked Gardner and his crew for helping with several events this summer.
• Plummer brought to the board that some pickleball players wanted to “pay for installation of lines on the tennis courts, to allow for more (pickleball) courts.”
Several board members remembered this being brought up before. Burgher noted they “should have something for everyone at the parks.” The board approved to keep the courts as is at Kelly Park.
Plummer stated he had presented the 2027 budget to the Warsaw Common Council.
The next board meeting will be at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15.
