Edwardsburg had many successes, good stories and changes in 2011. The following is a brief summary of the year’s notable events:

• Edwardsburg was well-represented at the White House in 2011, with former residents Wesley Thompson, a 2002 graduate, serving as an intern and Debbie Knox, an Indianapolis anchorwoman and former Miss Blossomtime, interviewing President Barack Obama Dec. 8.

• Funeral director Paul Mayhew was selected in May to receive the Dr. Sweetland Award named for a village founder from the Edwardsburg Museum, which John Sindelar held an open house to benefit. Sindelar also donated his woodworking skills to the Old Rugged Cross Church restoration in Sumnerville.
Mayhew has been a member of the community since 1958. In the 43 years since he opened Paul E. Mayhew Funeral Home, he has served as president of Edwardsburg Chamber of Commerce as well as on the village council, Cass County Deptartment of  Public Works, Cass County Draft Board, the Cass County and Berrien County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Board, Miss Edwardsburg Committee and Blossomtime Board of Directors. He and his wife Betty were the first administrators of Edwardsburg Ambulance Service.

• Longtime Fire Chief Willie Eltzroth retired and was succeeded by Bruce Stack. The fire department held an open house to show off its newly-decorated station.

• Since 1985, Lunker’s has grown to employ 85 people.
The Edwardsburg retail anchor just east of the intersection of U.S. 12 and M-62 combines its status as one of the largest fishing, hunting and outdoor stores in the country with Angler’s Inn, a 235-seat restaurant arrayed around an aquarium that serves buffalo burgers, ostrich and alligator. General Manager Kevin Claire shared the success story started by owners Dan and Fran Striz Nov. 4 with the Cass County Board of Commissioners.

• Paul Focht of Edwardsburg, a Desert Storm veteran, painted a boulder on his lawn with the American flag for Memorial Day.

• Bob and Laurie Newton of Edwardsburg have been active in Special Olympics for more than 20 years, culminating with their Nov. 5 selection as the 2011 Outstanding Family in Michigan — the first to receive this award from Area 17 encompassing Cass, Berrien and Van Buren counties.

• Barn Swallow Theatre found a new home.
When Barn Swallow Theatre’s building in Cassopolis burned down in 2004, the community theater group, which had been using the barn as a venue for more than 20 years, suddenly found itself without a home. The group bounced around for performances. Southwestern Michigan College, Edwardsburg and Cassopolis school buildings and Cass County Council on Aging all served as venues for plays until Hope United Methodist Church offered to sell its old building in Adamsville.

• Eagle Lake Elementary beat odds.
When it comes to beating the odds, two area schools are doing it better than most, according to the Michigan Department of Education.
Buchanan High School and Eagle Lake Elementary in Edwardsburg were two of 123 schools named to the list of “Beating the Odds” schools for 2010-11.
A beating the odds school is defined as one outperforming schools with similar risk factors and demographics. “The staff here is working extremely hard and focusing on the needs of all students,” said James Hendress, Eagle Lake principal.

• Eagle Lake second-graders saw their street sign suggestion enacted.
Orange-and-blue signs were installed on village streets.

• Edwardsburg Public Schools opened its doors to the community March 23 to address the issue of bullying and violence among youth with keynote speaker Victor Fitz, Cass County prosecutor.

• Edwardsburg seventh-grader Kori Mecklenburg, 12, won the 28th annual Cass County Spelling Bee.

• Edwardsburg Public Schools inducted Richard Dean Franz and Keith Duane Kirkdorfer to the Hall of Fame in April. EHS hosted the state Science Olympiad.

• Birdella Holdread and John Feil were re-elected to the school board.

• Two hundred and eight people took part in Ford Motor Co.’s test-drive program, which generated $4,000 for the school foundation.

• Edwardsburg graduated 181 students in the Class of 2011. The Class of 1961 celebrated with a 50-year reunion.

• The EHS marching band won the Harmony Award at the Four Flags Area Apple Festival parade.

• Eighth-grader Noah McGivern won first place in a state essay contest.

• Sixth-grader Collin Esarey shared his summer experience at Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala., with Dowagiac Rotary Club.

• May graduate Emilee Allan opened for George Jones.

• July’s Relay for Life set a $60,000 goal.

• Edwardsburg Lions Club marked 65 years with a dinner at the American Legion. Its Leo youth club grew quickly.

• The Boyer family was featured at the McDazzle fundraiser.

• U.S. Senate Republican frontrunner Pete Hoekstra, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2010 and served in Congress from 1993 to 2011, campaigned in Ontwa Township.

• Lt. Gov. Brian Calley addressed the Cass County Republican Lincoln Day dinner March 26 at the American Legion.

• A new Miss Stateline and Miss Stateline Outstanding Teen Scholarship Program takes place at Edwardsburg Performing Arts Center Feb. 11.