Today is the big day! The Moon Pie Mania Car, Truck, and Bike show is in town from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., and kids will enjoy the Parks Department’s annual Touch a Truck in the Common’s Parking lot across from the post office from 8 a.m.-noon. Kids will be able to look inside vehicles such as a school bus, fire truck, EMS, police car, National Guard, Street Department, Wastewater Dept, Sprint Car, camper, and equipment from Premier Truck, Nesco, John Deere, and more! The Wells County Public library will have activities for the kids, and Bi-county will be handing out water.
The moon pie mania will have live music, door prizes, concessions, and contests such as a moon pie stacking contest, moon pie eating contest, cornhole, Miss Moon Pie, and more. New this year is the RC car race at the Dutch mill plaza 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Last week two of our maintenance crew and I attended a very informative Invasive plant class to learn about controlling invasive trees and plants to help native plants thrive. We learned that many invasive plants are quick spreading and have a very shallow root system which should be replaced with plants that can help hold the banks in place. We have reached out to a Regional Specialist from SICIM with the Indiana Invasives Initiative to schedule a trip to Bluffton to assess the plants on the river bank. Once we have a plan in place, we will seek volunteers to help us do a weed wrangle and treat the areas of concern. If you love working in nature and would be willing to help, please email us at parks@blufftonindiana.gov so we can keep a list of potential volunteers.
We have the final numbers for the 2022 Wells Community Pool season. We are happy to report that we had an increased attendance of 997 visitors compared to last year. Pool rentals had 41 bookings, and private swim lessons did well again this year. While the pool always operates at a loss due to the cost of chemicals, salaries, utilities, etc., we went from spending $56,267.55 in 2021 down to $34,441.38 in 2022 for a savings of $21,826.17. We hope to see you all again next season; your support keeps this valuable asset available for swim lessons, swim teams, and summer fun!
Splash Pad season is winding down, so be sure to visit next week and over Labor Day weekend to enjoy playing in the water. Hours are 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The 48th Parlor City Trot is set for 7:30 a.m. Saturday, September 3rd, 2022. Along with the 13.1-mile Half-Marathon, the Trot event will include a 10-kilometer run and a 5-kilometer run.
Packet Pickup is on race-morning beginning at 6:15 a.m. at the Bluffton City Gym. The starting line for the races will be on Main Street at the intersection with Walnut Street near the Wells County Courthouse. The finish line is on River Road at Pickett’s Run Park. There will be overall, masters, and age group awards for all race distances. The race is also part of the Fort Wayne Running Club’s (FWRC) point series, and FWRC Members are eligible for a $5 discount. The cost for the 13.1 mile half marathon is $40, the 10K is $20, and the 5K is $25. Register online at https://raceroster.com/events/2022/58081/parlor-city-trot. Questions about the event can be sent to sports@blufftonindiana.gov.
Have a great week!
