Putting the Nativity on the downtown square

[hoosier]

12-17-2004 8:19 AM EST

Manger returns to courthouse

Back for the sixth year, Nativity will be on display through Dec. 25

By Sophia Voravong, Journal and Courier

It's been six years since Jack Ruckel first parked his Nativity scene outside the Tippecanoe (KY) County Courthouse during the holiday season, with its glowing lights clearly visible for blocks down Columbia Street.

And the Lafayette resident doesn't plan on stopping the display of life-sized Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus figures -- parked in the back of his Dodge Ram pickup truck -- anytime soon.

"It's gone on to be a tradition now," Ruckel said Thursday. "All year long, people come up to me -- 'Are you gonna do it this year?' I do it for those people. You get a lot of horns blowing down here."

Starting Wednesday, Ruckel parked his "mobile manger" outside the courthouse square. He'll be there from 6 to 9 p.m. each night through Dec. 25.

"Christmas day, too, I'll be here," Ruckel said, adding that he's never received a negative response from motorists. Instead, he said, supporters often drop by to offer coffee, snacks and money for gas.

Karen Noble of Lafayette says its hard to walk or drive by without noticing the Nativity scene.

"I admire his effort," Noble said as she left the Subway across the street.

The display is Ruckel's continued effort of petitioning a 1999 decision by county commissioners to ban all private displays from the courthouse lawn or other county property in the days leading up to Christmas.

This year, he propositioned the Lafayette City Council during its regular meeting this month to set up the display outside City Hall.

But city attorney Ed Chosnek said a council meeting was the wrong venue to discuss the proposition.

Ruckel, however, remains unfazed. He braves the brisk weather, standing along the sidewalk to hand out candy canes.

"I'd love for the city to allow it," he said. "If the Jewish community wanted to place a menorah, that'd be great, too."

Ruckel also has added a personalized license plate to his truck that reads "NATIVIT," or Nativity.

The figures are lit by extension cords attached to a 800-watt power inverter in Ruckel's vehicle. The power is supplied by the truck's battery.

It typically takes him 45 minutes to set up the stable. From there, he adds the figures and straw.

"I've never had an opposition, and I've been here six years," Ruckel said. "I've never had anything bad in Letters to the Editor. I've never had foul mouths come by. It's something I'm going to continue for a long time."