Manchester Alive: Main Street Chamber Alliance

06/16/2026

Join our friends from Kiwanis on Thursday for a drive through fish fry at Warvel Park.

06/13/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us this morning for Manchester Alive's version of Leg Day! 💪😄

With the help of some of our amazing board members, we spent the morning making countless trips up and down the stairs to empty out The Coop basement and prepare it for the next chapter. Thanks to your hard work, the space is now cleared out and ready for the Phase 2 basement buildout to begin. 🎉

A special thank you goes to Doug Haynes, who put in a tremendous amount of time and effort this week organizing, sorting, and preparing everything so today's work could go smoothly. We also want to thank Republic Services for generously donating the dumpster that made the cleanout possible.

It's amazing what can be accomplished when people come together. Many hands truly do make light work, and today was another great example of that. Thank you for helping us move one step closer to expanding opportunities at The Coop!

Christine R. Flohr
Maggie Smith Wimberly
The Manchester on Bond
Cheryl Working
Angie Dale
Justin Cruz
Deno Migliorini

06/11/2026

🎨🏡 Calling All Young Artists! 🏡🎨

In celebration of Habitat for Humanity's 50th Anniversary, Wabash County Habitat for Humanity is hosting a coloring contest centered around this year's theme:

"Opening the Door to Hope, Stability, and Community in Wabash County."

Prizes will be awarded in the following age groups:
🖍️ Ages 0–3
🖍️ Ages 4–6
🖍️ Ages 7–11
🖍️ Ages 12 & Up
🏆 Plus an Overall Winner

Each age group winner will receive a prize, and the overall winning artwork will be turned into a card for Habitat for Humanity and featured in fundraiser promotions!

📅 Contest entries are due by August 1, 2026.

Coloring sheets are available at The Coop Small Business Incubator, 126 E. Main Street, so stop in and pick one up!

Completed entries can be dropped off or mailed to:
Habitat for Humanity Coloring Contest
375 Manchester Avenue
Wabash, IN 46992

OR

Return to The Coop

Let's celebrate 50 years of building homes, hope, and community—one colorful masterpiece at a time! 🎨❤️🏠

06/10/2026

Warvel Park is more than just a park — it’s a gathering place for our entire community. 💛

Located near two retirement communities, Timbercrest Senior Living Community and Peabody Retirement Community, Manchester Early Learning Center, the upcomingManchester Mile, pickleball courts, and the future home of Daniel's Place respite facility, this area serves residents and visitors of all ages and abilities every single day.

From children playing and families attending festivals, to seniors enjoying community events and visitors exploring North Manchester, these spaces should be welcoming, accessible, and functional for everyone.

Through our Patronicity campaign, Manchester Alive, and North Manchester Parks and Recreation Department are working to improve accessibility and event infrastructure at Warvel Park, including ADA-accessible restroom facilities and enhancements that support inclusive community experiences.

Because creating community memories should never depend on age, mobility, or ability.

And thanks to Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, every donation is matched dollar-for-dollar — doubling your impact.

Help us create More Manchester…More Memories.
https://patronicity.com/moremanchester

Town of North Manchester
ALIVE by the River

Help enhance Warvel Park through critical infrastructure improvements, including updated restroom facilities, while also investing in shared event equipment.

06/05/2026

Warvel Park has long been a place where memories are made — from playground adventures and concerts to festivals, family gatherings and even pickleball tournaments. Now, we have the opportunity to make it even better for generations to come.

Through our Patronicity campaign with a matching grant from Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, we are working to add accessible restrooms and improve the overall experience for the thousands who use this space each year.

Every donation helps unlock matching funds and brings us one step closer to creating a more welcoming, inclusive, and functional community gathering space.

✔ Community events
✔ Recreation & wellness
✔ Family-friendly amenities
✔ Accessibility improvements
✔ Future inclusive play opportunities

Help us create more Manchester memories. Every dollar counts for two if we meet our goal by July 19!

Please share, and if you decide to give, you can do so here: www.patronicity/moremanchester

Town of North Manchester
North Manchester Parks and Recreation Department
ALIVE by the River

06/02/2026

Every dollar really can become two — but only if we reach our goal by July 19!

Thanks to this incredible community, we’ve already raised $22,300 toward our $50,000 goal for accessible improvements and event infrastructure at Warvel Park and beyond. From families and festivalgoers to pickleball players and seniors, this project will help create a more welcoming community space for everyone.

Your donation helps fund:
• ADA-accessible restrooms
• Event equipment & infrastructure
• Improvements that support community gatherings for years to come

And remember — qualifying donations are MATCHED through CreatINg Places!

Help us keep the momentum going. 💚

You can give here: https://patronicity.com/moremanchester
or in person at Manchester Alive, 126 E Main Street.

Thank you for helping to reach this goal!




Patronicity
Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority
North Manchester Parks and Recreation Department
Town of North Manchester

06/01/2026

As Historic Preservation Month comes to a close, we want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this year’s celebration such a success.

Thank you to our Historic Preservation & Design Committee for their passion and dedication to preserving and celebrating the stories that make North Manchester special. Thank you to Visit Wabash County for partnering with us and helping make the evening possible, and to the beloved Trolley No.85 for providing such a memorable ride through our community’s history.

We are especially grateful to all who attended the trolley tour and to each of our award winners for the hard work, care, and investment they have poured into preserving these beautiful homes and buildings for future generations to enjoy.

It was a perfect evening for a fun and meaningful tour through our historic community.

And finally, a very special shoutout to Allen, our wonderful trolley driver, who recently retired after 40 years of driving school bus. Thank you for safely carrying generations of passengers — and for helping make our evening extra special. Enjoy your well-earned retirement, Allen!

05/30/2026

Now that all of the proxy prizes have officially been claimed, it’s time to say THANK YOU to the generous businesses and organizations that helped make it possible! 🎉

A huge thank you to:

🥃 Liquid Assets for the bourbon prize
⛽ Thorne Insurance for the gas cards
🥤 Nieman Electric and Manchester Realty for the YETI prizes
🛠️ Eel River Outdoor Power for donating THREE landscaping tools
🎁 Grow Wabash County for the wonderful goodie box

Town of North Manchester sponsored the goodie bags and all the fun treats 🙌 And played a mean game of golf ⛳️

And a very special thank you to our local grocer, Neighborhood Fresh for donating hot dogs, buns, soda, and water to help make sure no one went hungry and everyone stayed hydrated throughout the day.

We are incredibly fortunate to have businesses and community partners that continually step up to support local events and community programming. Please help us thank them and support them whenever you can! 👏

05/27/2026

Historic Preservation Month may be winding down, but there is still time to celebrate the homes and stories that help make North Manchester special. And don’t forget — the Historic Trolley Tour is TOMORROW, Thursday, May 28! While the 6 PM tour is full, there is still room available on the 7 PM tour. Tickets may be purchased online or at the Manchester Alive office at 126 E Main Street during open hours.

🏡 104 E. 2nd Street
Honored in 2017 after Coleen and Mike Trueblood lovingly restored the property. Many may not realize this home once operated as a tea room and cafeteria — another reminder of how our historic homes often hold layers of community history within their walls.

🏡 106 S. Elm Street – The Venable House
One of the more unique architectural details in town, the wood siding on this home was carefully milled to resemble stone, creating a striking appearance that still stands out today.

🏡 205 E. 4th Street
In 2019, Gary and Jackie Beck received a Craftsmanship Excellence Award for the restoration of their 1872 frame house. Gary painstakingly rebuilt the porch using architectural elements salvaged from other historic homes in North Manchester, preserving pieces of local history in the process.

🏡 102 E. 3rd Street – The Noftzger House
Built in 1880, the Noftzger House remains one of North Manchester’s iconic historic landmarks. Current owners Dale and Vicki Carpenter were honored in 2022 for their continued preservation efforts. The home was extensively renovated by Parks and Paula Adams in the 1970s, and the Carpenters have thoughtfully carried that work forward for future generations.

Thank you to everyone who has helped preserve the character, craftsmanship, and stories of North Manchester. We hope you’ll join us for the trolley tour tomorrow evening! Tickets are available for $3 in advance, and $5 during the event, while seats remain.

Buy tickets here: https://manchesteralive.org/event-6674809?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=5/27/2026

Trolley No.85