The Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club presents a grant check to Jeri Purdy for boomerang backpacks with President Paul Finley, left, and Board Member Shari Benyousky.

By Shari Benyousky
Guest Columnist

Column Note: In the 81st column in the Diners and Dives series, some Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club members explore North Manchester.

NORTH MANCHESTER — Omega Family Restaurant has a North Manchester address but sits at the crossroads of SR 15 and SR 114 on Burch’s Corner. As you pull into the parking lot, semis puff through the stoplight. Inside, you’ll find a classic diner welcoming locals, visitors, and truckers alike. If you’re a classic yourself, you might remember Omega as Ruth Anne’s Corner Cupboard or Bud Burch’s Shell gas station and garage starting in 1937.

Friday Breakfast Club

Waitress Kimmerly gives us ordering advice.

“You guys want to hear a fun story?” Our first wildcard joined us. “I went to high school in North Manchester and when I was a senior, this was where we held Friday breakfast club!” She introduced herself. “Jeri Purdy. You guys are my favorite lunch club. And, yes, my full name is Jeri, and no, it’s not short for anything.” Purdy is the U.S. Director of New Hope Girls, an anti-trafficking nonprofit. She is also the president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Lakeview Middle School in Warsaw.

Wildcard Jenna Carter is the co-president of the Parents as Partners in Education at Edgewood Middle School. She also helps with the High School Band Boosters She sighed. “Really I’m a people mover.” Jenna is also a music mover with the Band Boosters. “I’ve loaded and unloaded so many trailers for the marching band.”

The Specials

Our waitress Kimmerly pushed together chairs and recommended the three-piece Walleye dinner for only $10.50 to 1st Source Banker Paul Finley. Other Friday specials included liver and onions, pork stir fry, chicken enchilada soup, and several pies. Purdy chose the bowl of soup and then lamented wearing white.

From the regular menu, Realtor Jeff Owens ordered a chicken wet burrito, Carter went with the turkey bacon wrap, and I chose a gyro.

Fast And Furious

It’s obvious that Jenna and Jeri have synergy. They have been friends for a long time including coaching high school cheerleading together.

Owens held up a hand. “Backing up to the breakfast club in high school. What’s the latest you could stay here for Friday Breakfast Club and still get to school on time?” Google says the Manchester Junior/Senior High School is 6.8 miles or ten minutes away.

“Oh boy,” Jeri thought back. “I think school started at 8:25, so probably 8:05?”

Pay The Price

Jenna Carter and Jeri Purdy show off their dramatic sides.

Finley calculated. “What was the fastest time you ever had getting there?” Jeri scrunched up her face which launched us into comparing speeding ticket totals from high school.

I won’t tell you who had the most tickets back in the day, but Owens might have won. Carter told us her first speeding ticket was in Columbia City after high school.

“So, you’re a reformed speeder then?” Owens spooned up burrito sauce.

“This just gives her more street cred with students.” Finley waved a spoonful of mashed potatoes and corn.

We often come up with nicknames for our guests, but Jeri and Jenna already have standout names. More importantly, they’ve earned serious street cred for the incredible time and care they dedicate to supporting local schools.

What’s A PTO Do?

“What is the definition of a PTO?” Finley stared at his plate heaped with slabs of fresh, fried Walleye. Waitress Kimmerly hovered bringing us extra napkins and refills.

Jeri answered for Lakeview. “Our PTO wants to come alongside our school principals. We want them to have all the tools they need to lead our kiddos. We help with the primary needs of students, equipment, and resources.”

Jenna added Edgeview’s perspective. “Our group raises money and shares with the whole school. For example, we raised money for headphones for all English students for a podcast. We view ourselves as the boots on the ground.”

Jeff Owens points out the kids menu options.

Jeri and Jenna obviously care deeply about the inside workings of our schools. Jeri’s big silver earrings swung as she pointed with a tortilla chip. “We want to help with the needs that these little people and teachers have. We can’t give teachers a higher salary, but we can help change the culture to support them better.”

Jenna nodded. “We can help lighten the load and make teachers feel appreciated.”
“What is the percentage of parent involvement in a school’s PTO?” Realtor Jeff Owens asked. Jeri and Jenna guessed about 2% of parents in any given school. “I’m just happy with anything tangible really,” Jenna said. “Even bringing in a box of plastic spoons for a party helps.”

You Reap What You Sow

Jeri scooped thick, cheesy Chicken Enchilada soup with tortilla chips. “The job has changed a lot. So, like we think that educating a child is top of the list, right? But before a kid can be educated, there’s a whole list of other things that really come first. Feeding children, counseling children, cleaning children, medicating children correctly, even regulating children’s behavior. All those things are necessary before a child can be educated.”

Jenna added. “We’ve even helped find a refrigerator for a child’s family so they could eat at home.”

There was a moment of contemplation as we crunched fries and wiped cheese from our fingers. “Look,” said Jenna. “The majority of our schools are struggling. Fifty percent of the kids are free or have reduced lunches at Title One schools. Every single one of our schools now needs a Care Closet to get kids coats, mittens, pants, and care products that they can’t afford.”

What Goes Around Comes Around

Paul Finley welcomes us.

Jeri helps to raise money for the local Boomerang Backpack program that sends backpacks full of food home for kids who don’t have enough to eat on the weekends. She told us, “I was even asked if we could add hungry seventh-eighth graders this year, but I had to say no.”

This gave Warsaw Breakfast Optimist president Paul Finley an opening. He handed over a check made out to the Boomerang Backpack program. The Optimists have a grant program to help fulfill their club motto “Friend of Youth” and the board had recently approved $1,000 for local schools. This amount is small compared to the need.

We also needed to get back to work and drive back to Warsaw.

Why, I Outta …!

As we shook hands and paid our bills, Jenna asked if we had nicknames, and Owens frowned.

“Sidekicks?” suggested Finley. “Entourages?”

“I’d say we have more of a Three Stooges energy,” Owens shrugged. But then, he’s a wisenheimer.

Soitenly, even the Three Stooges know a good deal when we see one. Most of our Omega-sized generous lunches cost around $12 with drinks and soups or salads included. If you’re headed south, give Omega a visit. Wherever you are, give a teacher a hug and bring them a box of plastic spoons or some mittens for their care closets.

TIP: Omega is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

Do you know of an interesting place, restaurant, nonprofit, or person that you’d like to see featured in Diners and Dives? Send Shari Benyousky an email at [email protected].