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Indiana town proves it’s wonderful life

A real time dramatization of Frank Capra’s iconic Christmas story, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is playing out in the small town of Cedar Lake, Ind., (Bedford Falls).

Dolores Pittman (George Bailey) a 67-year-old nearly blind lady was to be evicted from her lifelong home due to a tax dispute she was unaware of until she received an eviction notice due to no fault of her own.

Ms. Pittman’s family moved into the house in 1958 as renters. That was on land that was owned by a church they were members of. As the years played out, Ms. Pittman purchased the house and paid her property taxes on the house but was totally unaware that the land under her home was still deeded to the church, which since 2006 ignored the property tax bills for the land.

The land, with Ms. Pittman’s home was put up for tax sale to recoup the unpaid taxes. A Mr. Pullins (the money-grubbing banker Mr. Potter) paid $43 (that’s not a misprint) and started eviction proceedings of our real-life “George Bailey.”

Bedford Falls (Cedar Lake) has risen up as a community and now will purchase the house and land from Mr. Pullins and let Ms. Pittman reside in her house for the remainder of her years.

It truly is a wonderful life. Miracles still happen. And communities matter. People matter. Merry Christmas, Ms. Pittman and Bedford Falls, uh, uh, I mean Cedar Lakes, Ind.

Steve Sarich

Grayslake

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