Kentland Community Supporter: Chris Wilson

I grew up on a small farm in a town called Parr, just north of Rensselaer, where I took care of cattle, attended a school in the area, and, when I was a little bit older, worked on a friend’s farm. In my senior year of high school, as a part of a work program, I was introduced to a seed company in Morocco, Indiana called Dawson Farm Center. I started working for them in 2004, and five years later, I pursued another career by joining the Newton County Sheriff’s Department. After going through the academy, I purchased the home I currently live in, on the edge of Kentland. I’ve been here ever since.

I’m married to my wife, Heather, and we have three boys. My oldest is in the first grade at South Newton; my middle child goes to pre-school, and the littlest one is growing quickly, too. Kentland is the kind of place that’s very quiet and peaceful. It’s a fantastic place to raise a family. It’s also fixed among two main arteries that run through the town, US 24 and 41. This is quite uncommon in a lot of rural communities. A lot of people pass through here and they just briefly get to see what we have to offer. However, they don’t always have the opportunity to see the full view of what people who live here get to experience every day. It’s a place where nearly everyone knows each other and gets along. They help each other, no matter what, like for instance a few years ago when the flood hit.

Kentland is an agricultural hub that’s a great place to be in the summertime. Almost all week, you can find me and my family up at the baseball parks. Our kids love to play ball there and we like to visit often and watch the games going on. On other days, we like to take the family down to Cast Park to go fishing at the pond or let the kids play on the playground. Or if Heather and I are wanting to get out and enjoy ourselves, we always love to visit the Old Colonial Inn for a nice peaceful dinner.

There always seems to be something good going on in town. Our family has probably been to just about everything the town’s offered in terms of community-wide activities, whether it was a winter festival, fireworks, or a movie in the park. Most recently, they hosted Christmas in the Air, where they had hot air balloons, ziplining, and costume characters. And when it comes to these events, It’s always good to see that the majority of the people who attend are out of towners because there aren’t a lot of big events like the ones that Kentland tends to offer.

I’ve coached baseball for four seasons. 2 years in t-ball and 2 at the peewee level. This is probably one of my favorite things to do. I not only have the opportunity to coach my own children but am also able to work with a lot of children in the community that we’ll see grow up and accomplish great things. My biggest hope is that I play a part in their life that makes a lasting impact on them. After all, everyone has something to offer the community. Whether it’s a certain interest or a hobby– be it a mechanical skill or the ability to carry on a great conversation– we have to contribute to the good of Kentland. Put yourself out there. Start your own business. Offer a service. Take a risk and commit to something great. It’s all a way to help our community grow.

At the end of the day, I want Kentland to be a place where people can reflect back on their time here, and enjoy the fact that they were able to raise a family in a great environment. I hope that once our kids and the children of this community move on to college, they can tell all of their friends about how great of a place it was to grow up here.