Jasper Community Events Fill Calendars and Wellness Center Site Procured

At Tuesday morning’s Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting, the Jasper Jaycee Easter Egg Hunt was approved for Saturday, March 30, at 10 AM at Jaycee Park. On the evening of Saturday, May 4, local band Knights on Holiday will also host a free music event, open to the public, at the Dave Buehler Plaza Gazebo space. The Parklands 6-hour Endurance Relay will be held from 6:30 AM to 12:30 on Saturday, May 18, at the Parklands of Jasper. Later this summer, Connections Deaf Centers will host its 14 th Annual Deaf Awareness Picnic on Saturday, September 14, at 10 AM, at the four shelter houses at Dave Buehler Plaza. 

The Jasper Chamber of Commerce received approval for Old Jasper Day to be held on Sunday, May 19 in the Riverwalk area at the four shelter houses at Dave Buehler Plaza and the Train Depot. This large-scale, annual event will include the Lions Club serving food, the Strawberry Festival, Horse-drawn carriage rides, train rides, and all of the traditional, fun events from years past along with some new ones like a scavenger hunt. The board also approved the Dubois County Humane Society’s Strassenfest Pet Contest to be held Saturday, August 3 at 9:30 AM at Jaycee Park. The event is being scheduled earlier in the day than last year so that it won’t conflict with some of the other planned children’s events. 

In his departmental update, Police Chief Nathan Schmitt called for the board’s hiring recommendation for the open lieutenant position. After the board acknowledged the extremely high caliber of the candidates for the position, David Berger was selected. The board also noted that they were presented with extraordinary candidates, and that the department is filled with officers who have management potential down the line. In other business, the board approved the lowest bidder for the multi-use trail development, taking the next critical step in advancing the project. 

In closing, Mayor Vonderheide updated the board on the sale of the lands adjacent to the Parklands to the City of Jasper for the Regional Wellness Center. Vonderheide gave the exciting news of the school board’s unanimous vote to approve the sale, declaring, “We have a site.” He described his own reaction to the vote, saying, “I would have stood up and clicked my heels if I could.” 

 For more information on these and other updates, visit jasperindiana.gov or JasperGov-Indiana on Facebook. 

 - By Drew Hasselbring