Warsaw leaders invited to learn more about TWF’s role in water quality

A crowd of more than 50 gathered recently to learn more about the work The Watershed Foundation is doing in and around Warsaw to take action for clean, healthy water.

Held in the Taharaa Room at Noa Noa, the casual evening event was equal parts social and educational.

According to Lyn Crighton, executive director of The Watershed Foundation, the purpose of the event was to introduce people to the work of TWF who might not already be familiar with it and help connect them with ways to support the mission.

“An important aspect of this was sharing that urgent work needs to be done in the Warsaw and Winona Lake areas and we want people who live in that area to be part of leading that charge,” Crighton said.

Starting at a very basic level, Crighton and others spoke about the projects TWF has completed elsewhere in the watershed, the organization’s history and future goals – including those directly impacting the Warsaw and Winona Lake area.

“We wanted this event to be fun, comfortable and a first step toward getting involved with TWF,” she said.

Crighton also spoke about the importance of partnerships during the event, citing the recently launched partnership project between Zimmer Biomet, TWF, the City of Warsaw, IDNR, Stantec and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“This project to transform 15 acres into a living, breathing, thriving wetland and prairie will be a very visible example of what we can accomplish when we work together with partners to take action and solve problems that directly affect our water quality and the future of our community,” said Crighton. “This project is an example of what we can do and what we want to do more of going forward.”

Table captains for the event assisted their guests in completing a series of activities to learn more about TWF, how they work, and how they differ from other environmental-related organizations in the area. Additionally, attendees were invited to take next steps to support TWF’s work.

“I thought it was informative, and the presenters did a good job of outlining the watershed’s role in preserving the lakes in the area,” stated an attendee at the event.

A table captain for the event added, “Hopefully, the more people we can inform the more that will want to get involved to help make a difference.”

“We are absolutely thrilled with the outcomes from the event,” added Crighton. “It’s incredible when we can unite passionate people with worthwhile projects. Our community will thrive because of it.”

To learn more about The Watershed Foundation and how you can get involved, contact admin@watershedfoundation.org or call (574) 834-3242.