Grill Named Winona Citizen Of Year, Festival of Trees Begins Today
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake resident Mike Grill has been recognized for his service to Winona Lake.
Grill received the Bill Reneker Memorial Community Service Award Friday night at Rodeheaver Auditorium during the ninth annual Winona Lake Community Dinner.
Approximately 150 Winona Lake residents and Winona Lake Town council members attended the dinner that featured holiday music, comments from town councilmen and dinner amongst the Festival of Trees.
The award recognizes an individual who is respected by the community, involved in some form of service to the citizens of the town that results in significant impact on the community as a whole, and must have been a resident of the town at some point in the previous year.
The award remembers Reneker, a former Winona Lake councilman, who died in 1993.
The recipient is chosen by the Winona Lake Town Council with approval by Bill Reneker's widow, Judy Reneker-Burd.
Grill served on the Winona Lake Board of Zoning Appeals and the town's plan commission for more than 10 years.
He is a professor of psychology and the chair of the behavioral science department at Grace College.
The festival is scheduled today through Wednesday and features more than 50 designer trees decorated by Kosciusko County residents and business owners for auction and sale.
Items for purchase at the Festival of Trees include wreaths, centerpieces, mantle pieces and other holiday floral arrangements. A holiday market will feature gifts and Festival of Trees sweatshirts.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Health Care Foundation of Kosciusko County.
The Health Care Foundation was created in 1995 to offer health services to Kosciusko County.
The foundation offers a Beds and Britches Etc. program designed to encourage parents to take an active role in their young child's health and well-being.
The foundation also offers a Reality Spanish/Reality English program designed to provide practical language skills to those in the workforce.
Festival admission is $3 for adults; $1 for seniors older than 62 and children ages 6 to 12 are $1 and infants through children ages 5-years-old get in free.
Hours today are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday through Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m.
Family Day will be today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where Santa and his reindeer will visit Winona Lake.
Activities include story time with Mrs. Claus, a magic show, crafts, face painting and miniature train rides. The Lakeland Youth Chorale also will perform.
A Sunday Brunch Amongst the Trees will be Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Red Hat Society Luncheon will be Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Chamber of Commerce business after hours will be Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
For more information about the festival call the Health Care Foundation at 574-268-2273.
