Ossian Conservation Club events for August

Ossian Conservation Club Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, located at 9950 N. 100 E., has announced the following August 2011 events. For more information call 622-4712 or 622-6810 or go to www.ossianconservationclub.com.

August 6th: the Ossian Conservation Club will host the Indiana Bowhunter Association’s Ray Minton Memorial Youth Camp for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana. This will be the 9th year the O.C.C has hosted this event. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call John Peck at 622-4365.

August 12th-14th: the Ossian Conservation Club will be at the Wheels of Yesteryear Antique Power Show & Festival at the 4–H Park Grounds in Bluffton selling old-style sugar corn. The club will sell raffle tickets for a chance to win a chainsaw-carved bear by Sid King. Tickets are $1 each or 6 tickets for $5. There is an optional cash prize of $250. The drawing will be at the OCC meeting Oct. 7th 2011. You need not be present to win. Proceeds will go to the new-siding fund. For tickets or more information call, Dave Saalfrank at 622-7107 or Rose Barrick at 622-4733.

August 13th: The Ossian Conservation Club will be at New Hope Lutheran Church in Ossian to sell sugar corn and raffle tickets at the church's car show.

August 21st: The Ossian Conservation Club Shotgun Shooter’s informal shotgun shoot, regular clays, middies, minnies and rabbit targets. Noon until 4:30 p.m. Bring the whole family. Public is welcome.

August 26th-28th: The Ossian Conservation Club will be at the Markle Wildcat Festival selling old-style sugar corn. The club will also sell raffle tickets for a chance to win a chainsaw-carved Bear by Sid King. Proceeds will go to the new-siding fund. For tickets or more information call, Dave Saalfrank at 622-7107 or Rose Barrick at 622-4733.

August 28th: the Ouabache Archers will have a bow shoot at Ossian Conservation Club, featuring several new Rinehart 3-D Targets. 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sign up for Salamonie's Senior Fall Fest, Sept. 12-15

From the Indiana Department of Natural Resources:

Salamonie Lake's ninth-annual Senior Fall Fest, Sept. 12-15, will offer Hoosiers over age 50 hands-on learning opportunities on a variety of old-fashioned subject matters, from basket weaving to making apple cider.

The event is located at Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area at Salamonie Lake on State Route 105 in Huntington County.

This year's Senior Fall Fest will focus on history. Event programming includes old-fashioned games, making sauerkraut, basket weaving, native plant remedies, a show-and-tell session for items from the past, cider making, Dutch oven recipes, food and music.

A pass for the week's events and programs costs $2. The basket weaving class costs an additional $5 to cover supplies.

Senior Fall Fest kicks off at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, at the interpretive center with a carry-in meal and guest speaker. Diners should bring their own tableware and a $1 donation for the main dish.

Early registration is encouraged to help organizers plan the event. For more information about the event, or to register, call (260) 468-2127.

There is a $5-per-vehicle entrance fee ($7 for out-of-state vehicles) to enter the Lost Bridge West Recreation Area.

Outdoors clinic available at J. Edward Roush Lake

Youth accompanied by an adult are invited to the J. Edward Roush Lake for an end-of-summer hunting and fishing clinic Aug. 26 and 72. The clinic will offer lessons in shooting, tracking, archery, fishing, camping and outdoor cooking.

To sign up, call the Upper Wabash Interpretive Services at 260-468-2127.

Six Players on NFL Rosters

From the Ball State University Athletics Office:

Ball State's football program has six former players currently on National Football League rosters as the 2011 training camps opened last week.

Two members of the 2010 senior class, Robert Eddins and Michael Switzer, have both signed free agent contracts with the Buffalo Bills.

Nate Davis, Dan Gerberry and Andre Ramsey all completed their Ball State careers after the 2008 season. Davis has signed with the Indianapolis Colts, Gerberry is in his third season with the Detroit Lions and Ramsey is with the Baltimore Ravens.

Reggie Hodges, who was selected in the 2005 NFL Draft, is returning to the Cleveland Browns as the team's top punter.

Eddins was a 2009 and 2010 All-Mid-American Conference Second Team selection for the Cardinals. He started all 12 games in 2010 and 34 games in his career. Eddins completed his career ranked in a tie for sixth on Ball State's all-time chart with 17 sacks.

He tallied a career high 4.5 sacks at Central Michigan in 2010, which was the second most sacks in a single game in Ball State history.

Switzer was a 2010 All-MAC Third Team choice and a team captain for the Cardinals. He started all 51 games in his four year career. In 2008, he was part of an offensive line that ranked first in the MAC and fourth in the country for fewest sacks allowed. He becomes the fourth member of the starting 2008 offensive line to get an opportunity in the NFL, joining Gerberry, Ramsey and Robert Brewster.

Davis was the 2008 MAC Offensive Player of the Year and one of 10 finalists for the Manning Award after completing a school record 270 passes for a school standard 3,667 yards. Davis threw a Ball State single-season record 30 touchdown passes, shattering the previous mark of 18 set by Joey Lynch in 2005 and tied by Davis in 2006. Davis managed a 22-12 record as a starting quarterback at Ball State and threw at least one touchdown pass in 29 of his final 31 games.

Gerberry and Ramsey, along with Switzer, were part of an offensive line that blocked for Davis' season plus blocked for MiQuale Lewis, who rushed for a school record 1,736 yards. The trio helped the Cardinals to 5,972 yards in total offense.

Hodges was one of three Ball State players selected in the 2005 NFL Draft when he was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round. He set the Ball State career record with 254 punts and finished second all-time with 10,210 punt yards. Hodges averaged 40.2 yards per punt, which ranked third all-time in Ball State annals.

4-H Extension Calendar for August

• August 2 - 6: State Fair Youth Leadership Conference, State Fair, Indianapolis
• August 4: State Fair 4-H Foods & Horticulture Exhibits due at County Extension Office, 7 - 8 AM
• August 5 - 21: INDIANA STATE FAIR
• August 12 - 14: Wheels of Yesteryear Antique Power Show, 4-H Park, Bluffton
• August 18: Northeast Purdue Ag Center Field Day, Columbia City, 8:30 - Noon, Lunch
• provided free of charge. PARP credits.
• August 18: 4-H Fair Review, 4-H Council, Leaders, Association, and Committees,
• Community Center, 4-H Park, Bluffton
• August 22: Wells County 4-H Association, Wells County Community Center, 4-H Park, Bluffton, 7 PM
• August 23: Wells County 4-H Foundation, Community Center, 4-H Park, Bluffton, 6:30 PM

Enjoy another fair

The Indiana State Fair starts Friday. To learn more, go to the Fair's website at http://www.in.gov/statefair/fair/index.html.

N-B Video: County football start returns to his roots — literally

Norwell graduate Chandler Harnish, now a record-breaking quarterback for Northern Illinois, returns to Wells County to help his family sell sweet corn — an annual traditional among the Harnish children. (Video by Paul Beitler)