As I'm sure many of you have already heard, our outstanding caretaker for the past 10 years, Casey Collier passed away on Memorial day. Quite fitting for the tough Vietnam veteran who received the Purple Heart along with other honors for his service to our Country. Casey always managed to take care of whatever needed to be done and he will be dearly missed around the park and in our lives. You can read Casey's obituary here.

His loss has created a void that needs to be filled. We are actively seeking his replacement. We want to first rely on our membership for suggestions. Please contact anyone below if you have questions or suggestions. The position is unique. It requires equipment and maintenance skills along with communication skills. It’s technically a volunteer position with “payment” being use of the caretaker’s house with utilities.

President, Mike Hay - 271-0973
Vice President, John Manuszak - 850-4550
Secretary, JC Sporleder - 277-4292
Fish & Outdoor Recreation, Tim Kanczuzewski - 340-0842

We welcome “perennial” Izaak Walton member and current Vice President, John Manuszak, to the IKES on Wednesday, May 15th. Mr. Manuszak taught biology at Mishawaka High School for 35 years and has always been an avid gardener. He will explain in detail the dos and don’ts of gardening along with tips, tricks and shortcuts. John will discuss methods to protect against rodents and rabbits. He will cover wide row gardening, companion crop gardening, and raised bed gardening. Other topics include how to purchase reputable seed, composting, and preparing for fallow.

Dinner starts at 6:30 P.M. program starts at 7:30 P.M.

Menu: roast pork loin with the trimmings

Cost: $9 adults $6 12 and under FREE hot dogs for the kids!

Call in your reservations by Mon. May 13th at 272-3660

Remember that this our last dinner/program of the spring. Our next event is the annual Hog Roast featuring the Whistle Pigs on August 17th.

We welcome all members old and new along with their guests to the IKES on Wednesday, April 17th. It is our most popular program of the year, the annual tree seedling giveaway in honor of Arbor Day and Earth Day. The IKES have been giving away tree seedlings for seven decades!

Species this year are: Eastern Redbud, Eastern White Pine, Persimmon, Ninebark, and White Flowering Dogwood.We are delighted to offer 5 different species. There will be a presentation by Vice President John Manuszak describing this year’s species along with valuable planting tips. This is yet another activity that benefits our community and members alike.

Dinner starts at 6:30 P.M. Tree handout starts at 7:30 P.M.

Menu: Polish chicken dinner with the trimmings

Cost: $9 adults $6 12 and under

Call in your reservations by Mon. April 15th at 272-3660

Fishing Day Event Planned

Saturday, June 1st marks our fishing day event at the ponds. Come out for fishing fun! Equipment and refreshments provided. No Indiana License is required that day. It’s a free fishing day at the IKES!

Honeysuckle Eradication

Thanks again to Boy Scout troop 421 and the Klaybor family for the 5 weekends spent on Honeysuckle eradication at the 3rd pond. More such projects are planned and volunteers are always needed. Contact anyone below for more details & check our website.

A Note from the President

We have two great events this month at our IKES. First off, our popular tree seedling give away is Wednesday, April 17th. The seedlings are quite costly, so it is strongly encouraged to pre dig your holes and be ready to plant your trees right after bringing them home to give them a better chance for survival. Secondly, we are having an “open park” day on Saturday, April 20th from 1-3 P.M. We will be handing out the remaining seedlings to members and the public along with offering tours of the grounds!

Deadline for the annual Stan Klaybor scholarship award is April 30th. The $500 award is given to an area High School senior pursuing a degree related to the environment, and honors our perennial contributor, Stan Klaybor. The recipient will be awarded at our May dinner/program.

Most members have received their membership badges by now. Please display your badge when on the grounds. The easiest way is to punch a hole in it and wear it around your neck with a lanyard.

We welcome back Mr. Garry Harrington to the IKES on Wednesday, March 20th. Mr. Harrington, director of the Rum Village Nature Center, will present a program rich in detail describing the species of reptiles and amphibians we may encounter as Spring finally approaches.

Garry will be bringing along some live examples including a fox snake, tiger salamander, eastern box turtle, toads and more. Garry is a well versed naturalist and will field any questions you might have. This will be a great family event so be sure to bring the kids (free hot dogs) and a guest.

Dinner starts at 6:30 P.M. Program starts at 7:30 P.M.

Menu: corned beef and cabbage with the trimmings

Cost: $9 adults free hot dogs for the kids!

Please call in your reservations by Mon. March 18th at 272-3660. We need an accurate count for the caterer.

When: Saturday, 4/13, 9 am - 12 pm

Check-in stations: Veterans Memorial Park & Keller Park

Other information: Dress appropriately - Long pants, long sleeves, rugged work shoes, and work gloves. Trash bags and drinking water provided. Additional trash-moving tools are welcome.

For Questions call Mike Hay at (269) 240-8756 or email Amy Roush at aroush(@southbendin.gov

Register at: http://bit.ly/sbrivercleanup

Every volunteer will receive a community service certificate!