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- 1.23.2025
1.23.2025
Hope you’re staying warm + dry, Michiana Memo Members!
Sure - the snow we’ve gotten the past couple of days/weeks (in addition to the frigid temps), can’t really be considered a blizzard, but we thought it’d be a good time to reflect on the Blizzard of 1978.
“[47] years ago the “Blizzard of 1978” descended on Notre Dame. The weather forecast for Thursday, January 26, had sounded the alert: “Blizzard warning today. Snow, heavy at times, with strong winds causing considerable blowing and drifting snow. High around 10. Cloudy, windy and very cold tonight and tomorrow with occasional periods of snow. Low tonight around zero. Highs tomorrow in the low teens.” In other words, typical winter weather in South Bend … but this storm proved to be spectacular. Forty-one inches of snow fell over the next three days, bringing January’s total to 85 inches. Drifts of up to 20 feet were reported.
The entire area was paralyzed. Most roads were impassable, nearly cutting the campus off from the city. Emergency vehicles got stranded even on major thoroughfares such as State Road 23. Students in Campus View Apartments tried to help a woman in labor whose ambulance was stuck, but the Red Cross arrived just in time. Classes on campus were cancelled for three days, which was unprecedented at Notre Dame, and the Observer’s headline on January 31 joyously reported “Surprise!! No make-up classes!” when the normal schedule resumed.
Students put their unexpected free time to various creative uses. A group of seven tied themselves together with “life lines” for a Thursday night expedition to Senior Bar. On Sunday and Monday 200 volunteers from Notre Dame and St. Mary’s shoveled snow for South Bend’s elderly or handicapped residents, some of whom could not open their outside doors due to drifts of six to eight feet. There was much general cavorting in the snow, both on and off campus. Students experimented with “porch diving” into snow drifts, and Notre Dame Security personnel transported 18 of them, most of whom had sprained ankles, to the hospital.” -The Blizzard of 1978 via Hesburgh Library, University of Notre Dame
So…welcome to the FOURTH edition of Michiana Memo AND a big thank you for continuing to read!
Appreciate you - and if you like this newsletter, please forward to a buddy and help grow Michiana Memo! I’m hoping to launch some local events this summer - so stay tuned for that!
Adopt a Senior Citizen! Emmy’s Bakery in Laporte is hosting a super cute Valentine’s Day event for senior citizens - $12 will pay for 1 V-Day Gift Box
Event Calendar
JANUARY 24 @ 4-7 PM | Fish Fry & Fried Shrimp Drive Thru in Mishawaka, IN at Chicory Cafe - We are having another one of our drive thru Fish and Shrimp Drive Thrus. You will not need to leave your car. Drive up to our lovely staff, they will collect your payment and bring out your dinner! All in the parking lot! $15 gets you an individual meal of: fried pollock, fries, coleslaw, tartar sauce OR 6 hand-battered shrimp, fries, coleslaw and homemade cocktail sauce.
JANUARY 24 @ 6 PM | DIY Conversation Heart Dish in Niles, MI - Transform your heart dish pottery piece into a one of a kind conversation heart! Use it to compliment your Valentines decor or share a message with your special Valentine. We will be providing stickers for lettering, so don’t worry you don’t have to have beautiful handwriting to make a fantastic piece. Ticket price includes your heart dish and all supplies.
JANUARY 25 @ 10 AM - 2 PM | Resin Pop-In Workshop in Granger, IN at Treasureology ($20/pp) - You can choose from tons of styles of our hand-painted pendants to create mini resin collages for just $20 each! You can go at your own pace and make as many pieces as you like. Use our extensive supply of materials and even bring your own treasures to add. Orphaned earrings, grandma’s button, a broken brooch or first apartment key...as long as it’s small we will try to make it a part of your finished piece.
JANUARY 25 @ 11 AM | Seed Swap in Mishawaka, IN at Ironworks Event Center (no registration required, FREE event) - Join us for our first ever Seed Swap! You can either bring packets of labeled seeds or just take part in the fun by getting seeds from our selection! We will be partnering with Unity Gardens and The Botany Shop for the first time! They will have some items for sale and discussing their relevance in the community in regards to all things plants!
JANUARY 25 @ 3-4:30 PM | Shoji Style Paper Lamp in South Bend, IN at MAKE SOUTH BEND (call to register) - Create a Japanese Shoji style lamp with paper and wood that will add warmth and style to any room. We'll show you how to design your panel motif and craft it into your lamp. Class includes a light for the inside too!
JANUARY 26 - All Day | Elkhart County Resident Free Admission Days at Wellfield Botanical Gardens - Thanks to support from the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, we are able to offer free general admission to Elkhart County residents (up to a $10 value per person) on Sundays from January to March from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
JANUARY 26 @ 12-2 PM | Valentine’s Coir Doormat Workshop in Osceola, IN ($20/pp - call to register) - Create your very own Valentine’s coir doormat with us! Choose from several fun templates to design a doormat that’s uniquely yours. Be sure to dress for the occasion—this workshop involves lots of painting!
JANUARY 27 @ 6-8 PM | Monday Night Trivia in Niles, MI (RECURRING) at Niles Brewing Company - We have General Knowledge Nights, Pro Wrestling Nights, specific TV shows or decades. Doors open at 5pm, trivia starts at 6pm sharp! Teams of 8 or less, rules are outlined at the beginning of each game. Check out our Facebook events page for the specific trivia nights coming up.
JANUARY 28 @ 6-8 PM | Boozy Book Club in Niles, MI (RECURRING) at Niles Brewing Company - We offer a monthly book club, where a new book is chosen for each month for discussion. We offer two nights for you to be able to join and talk with fellow book club members about the book. Two date options, but same book, due to limited space. The book for the upcoming month is voted on each meeting. See our Facebook events page for the books we are reading now.
JANUARY 29 @ 6-7:30 PM | Candle Making in South Bend, IN at MAKE SOUTH BEND ($40/pp, register online) - Learn the basics of making great candles. In this class you will learn to use the basic equipment and supplies used for making candles. We will cover the use of dyes, fragrances, wicks, and different types of wax. And you'll get a little of the science behind how candles work. You will create your own custom fragrance and make two 4 oz soy container candles to take home.
Foodie Recs
Take a breather this weekend ad and enjoy our top picks. You bring the drinks, we’ve got the links.
LaSalle Grill: This is definitely an upscale spot that you want to save for a special occasion or fancy date night. Their menu rotates just about weekly - so there’s always something new & fresh to try. We definitely suggest making a reservation - and trying the Swordfish.
Chicory Cafe: This place doubles as a coffee shop AND a cafe. The interior is not overall cute/aesthetically pleasing, but it IS a great place to work remote, visit with a friend, and grab a bite to eat. We’ve legit never seen beignets outsides of New Orleans - but Chicory’s beignets are authentic as they come!! Their savory options are just as delicious.
Oh Mamma’s On The Avenue: This cheese shop/deli is AMAZING. Carbs + cheese are our love language, and Oh Mamma’s is Chef’s Kiss. Specialty cheese, meats, great charcuterie building supplies, and a great fresh sandwich menu, this one is a great spot to try on the weekend or a quick lunch break treat.
Dream Of The Week: Cozy vibes & warm tones for $2 million in Granger, IN
Steal Of The Week: Up & Coming Area in SB for $170k - fully renovated, with great yard potential!
✨Do you have a unique suggestion or event that you would like to have featured on Michiana Memo? Submit your idea HERE. ✨
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