Spring break: (n) Period of time, usually one week, where families escape winter doldrums of northern and Midwest states and head for warmer, tropical locales. Also refers to the time period where adults and children can relax, recharge and reconnect without being held to the demands of normal work/school routine.

Spring break is one of the first things to look forward to after the holidays. Many people find themselves staring at the calendar on February 1st chanting “eight more weeks…” While countless families pack up and make extensive travel plans, there are also many families who opt to get away a little closer to home. When your vacation becomes a “staycation,” there are still many great things to do here in Fort Wayne that are inexpensive (or, better yet… FREE!) to relax, recharge and reconnect with your family.

Get Back to Your Roots
Whether your family is tightly-knit or scattered to the wind, spend an afternoon in the Genealogy Department of the Allen County Public Library and take a look at your family tree. This extensive collection of genealogical information and resources will provide an interesting glimpse into your ancestry. Use the ACPL genealogy database to start piecing together your family’s history. Who knows? You might even learn some interesting things about your family that you never knew before.

Cindy’s serves the world – 15 people at a time!

Sample a Classic Taste
Enjoying fun and fabulous food on vacation is a must – and if you’re on a “staycation,” it shouldn’t be any different! If you want to sample some of the most classic and long-standing tastes of Fort Wayne, look to the downtown area. There’s Coney Island on Main Street – tasty hot dogs with that one-of-a-kind Coney sauce, all nestled into a steamed bun. Cindy’s Diner, on the corner of Wayne and Harrison, offers great diner fare, but if you really want to indulge? Order “Garbage” on the breakfast menu. It may not be pretty, but it tastes incredible. Another delicious downtown destination is Powers Hamburgers on South Harrison St. On a good day, you’ll smell the burgers & onions before you even get there. And, when lunch is finished, don’t forget to top it off with a frosty treat from Fort Wayne’s own Zesto shops. Located just south of downtown on Broadway and Creighton, southwest on Falls Drive, north just off Washington Center Road or northeast at St. Joe Road and Maplecrest, Zesto’s ice creamy goodness will put a happy twist on any day.

Take a Dip
Many of us associate “spring break” with spending time on a warm, sandy beach with the prospect of playing in the cool water just a few feet away. While we don’t have the warm, sandy beach in Fort Wayne, we definitely have options to play in the water… or on the water. Check out Earth Adventures Unlimited just west of downtown, or Fort Wayne Outfitters just north of the city to rent a canoe or kayak and set out to explore the rivers in our midst.

Hometown Tourism
If these starter ideas aren’t going to do the trick, be a true tourist in your own town and head to www.visitfortwayne.com for more spring break staycation ideas. You’ll find everything you need to cover a week’s worth of days with family fun. You’ll find details on things to do, places to eat and special events. Don’t forget to click the DEALS tab, for specials and coupons to save a few dollars while you make many memories.

If you’re not heading for hot sun and beaches this spring break, make Fort Wayne your destination, and enjoy spring break right in your own hometown!

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Looking for ways to celebrate Black History Month? Check out one of the many options below:

The History Center, in collaboration with the African/African-American Historical Society and Museum, will host a Separate but Equal? Lecture on February 5 at 2pm at the History Center. On February 12 at 2pm, they will also host The Road to Brown, a video and panel discussion about Brown vs. Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas. Admission is free. Light refreshments and a question and answer session will immediately follow.

The African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne will host “African-American Genealogical Research” at the Main Allen County Public Library, Meeting Room A. At 6:30pm there will be refreshments and social time followed by speaker, Roberts Ridley, at 7pm.

The University of Saint Francis will host a panel discussion on February 13 at 7pm in the North Campus Auditorium. The session will be titled “Fort Wayne History: 1950s and Beyond.” Well-known citizens will emcee and distinguished guests will also attend and join the audience in interacting with the panel through questions and answers. Snacks will be provided. For more information, contact Lovey Marshall at 399-7700 ext. 6761

February 19 at 5pm, Fellowship Missionary Church will celebrate “A Night of Praise”. The world-renowned Voices of Unity Choir will perform. Traditional Soul Food and fellowship will be available after worship. Visit their website for more information.

On February 28 there will be a free showing of the movie Maafia 21: Black Genocide in 21^st Century America at the Allen County Public Library-Main location, meeting room A at 6pm. For more information, contact Sally Williams at 317-748-6269 or urbanlifematters@ymail.com.

Upcoming events at IPFW in the Walb Union Ballroom include:

February 7-CTE/STEM Steps to Success Workshop: “African-Americans in STEM Related Career Field”. Noon-1:15pm.

February 10-“Stories from the African-American Tradition” presented by storyteller Chief Condra Ridley, from 6pm-8pm.

February 17-Multicultural Campus Visit Day, from 8am-1pm. Contact Admissions at 260-481-6855 for more information.

February 20-Rhyme and Reason Reunion, an expo on the 47^th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X, 6pm-8pm.

February 25-Redefined 2012: African-American Male Summit from 9am-4pm. Contact ODMA at 260-481-6604 for more information.

February 26-8^th Annual Gospel Fest from 6-8pm.

February 28-“Voices from the Motherland: Personal Narratives of Refuge and Migration” from noon-1:15pm

These are just a few events that we know of. If you know of other events taking place, please feel free to leave it in the comments section.

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Need help in finding information about a long-lost relative for a family history project? How about trying to find photos for a high school reunion? Are you a military veteran wanting to track down buddies?

You’re in luck! The Genealogy Center at the main branch of Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne contains more than 332,000 printed volumes and 362,000 records of archival nature on microfilm and microfiche.

These stats make the Genealogy Center at ACPL the largest collection of genealogy and local history materials in a public library in the US. It is the second largest collection of its kind in North America.

The Genealogy Center is located inside the Allen County Public Library.

In 1961, Fred J. Reynolds, Head Librarian of the ACPL in 1961, started the genealogy department. Over the next several years, Reynolds gathered archival materials for the department and hired staff with an interest and knowledge in genealogy.

Today, the Genealogy Center, located on the library’s second level, equals 43,000 square feet or two football fields. More than 1,200 new items are added to the genealogy collection each month.

Beginners find the most help from the city directory section. A city directory, like a phone book, contains the name, address, and phone number of the head of household. It also contains the name of each occupant in the household, their occupations, ages, and relationships to each other (spouse, child, in-law, etc.).

The ACPL Genealogy Center contains 48,000 city directories representing thousands of cities around the nation. The directories from major cities like Boston date back to the 1700s. If you cannot find what you’re looking for, be sure to ask the trained genealogists on staff for help.

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How far back can you trace your ancestry?

Researching one’s family tree can be a daunting task, but it can be manageable (and fun!), thanks to a great public and free resource in Fort Wayne.

The Allen County Public Library’s Genealogy Center is the largest public genealogy collection in the country and boasts a collection of more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items of microfilm and microfiche. Visitors to the department also have access to major online databases that can be costly to individuals. Family records can literally be at your fingertips in a matter of minutes.

The genealogy center has an staff of experts ready to assist.

Family history is the Center’s expertise. Here you will find more than 50,000 volumes of compiled genealogies that represent work already done on American and European families, and range from brief typescripts to well documented multi-volume works. Nearly 5,000 genealogies on microfiche and numerous family newsletters complement this collection.

Got the genealogy bug? Here are a few things to note before your visit. First, take advantage of the library’s online catalog to prepare for your trip. This prior research can familiarize you with the the collection and help to reduce research time in the department. Also, be sure to check the library’s hours and closures before making arrangements. Normal hours are as follows:

Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
(Closed on Sundays, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day)

Last, don’t be afraid to ask for assistance from the librarians experienced in genealogical research. They are there to help! For groups, be sure to call ahead to (260) 421-1225 so that they can plan ahead to accommodate you.

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