Mindy-Lightners


 * Gene and Elizabeth Lightner**

Gene and Elizabeth Lightner are retired. That is to say, they no longer work in positions for which they get paid. Those close to the Ligonier couple would vouch for the number of hours every week that these Ligonier citizens put into their volunteer and community involvement.

Gene Lightner's involvement in natural resources and the environment is well known. Below is a list of the activities to which he devotes his time.

Gene Lightner's involvement in the Elkhart River : In 2006 the[| Elkhart River Restoration Assoc]. (ERRA), a non-profit 501-c-3, received an EPA 319 grant for about $500k to improve water quality of the Elkhart River. A steering committee called[| Elkhart River Alliance] (ERA) was formed to administer the grant. Gene Lightner was asked to serve on the ERA, one of four members representing Noble County in a total group of about sixteen people representing various parts of the watershed. The 319 grant ends Nov. 2010 and with it the ERA steering committee.

Gene’s role on the ERA and work in the watershed has evolved over the past four years. It now includes: 1. Supporting a program for students to work in and learn about the watershed. Specifically students have worked on the [|www.elkhartriveralliance.org]web site, completed chemical and biological water quality tests under the [|Indiana State Hoosier Riverwatch] program, worked on a turtle identification and measurement study, tested soil and water and completed a phase one environmental assessment at an old town dump site as a science fair project, participated in river cleanups, and learned about river biota by canoeing many reaches of the Elkhart.



2. Helping install a bio-retention area (rain garden) next to the [|Rome City] town hall parking area so runoff water is returned to the soil instead of directly to the river. The rain garden project included enlisting the support of Rome City, obtaining a grant from the ERA, working with [|Noble County Master Gardeners] to plan, plant, and follow up on the health of the garden.



3. Organizing and managing a river cleanup with volunteers from the city of Ligonier. For the past four summers a local volunteer group, Operation Foundation, has sponsored a week long town clean-up and fix-up. The river part has begun with an educational presentation about the river followed by 25-40 volunteers canoeing/boating/floating/cleaning the river through Ligonier. Educational presentations have changed from year to year. This year a fisheries biologist presented information about water quality and fish in the Elkhart with examples he had shocked up.

4. Being Interim Chair of the ERRA’s Flood Focus Committee. This is the story about how Gene originally became involved in river activities. Indiana drainage code encourages draining of wet spots so land can be farmed and developed. This increased movement of water downhill predictably results in flooding. The flooded folks in turn demand that additional steps be taken by county drainage boards to move that water further downhill causing even more flooding. In the Elkhart Watershed people living down stream want parks, walkways and riverside businesses. The drainage and resulting flooding from upstream projects negatively impact downstream value. The Flood Committee’s purpose is to address the tension between upstream and downstream wants specifically as it relates to attempts to reduce flooding in an area of the North Branch Elkhart known as West Lakes. Step #1 began in the summer of 2009 when the committee gained the support of a multi-agency group of volunteers called[| Silver Jackets]. This group includes representatives from about sixteen federal, state and regional agencies such as Indiana DNR, USGS, and the Maumee River Basin commission. The Silver Jackets produced a 170 page report loaded with the science of the watershed, conclusions based upon that science, recommendations for action, and resources to turn to for help. The Flood Committee is currently working on the primary Silver Jacket recommendations: remove flooded structures from flood prone areas, complete a hydrologic model of the watershed so the impact and value of any proposed river projects are known beforehand, and organize along the lines of the Maumee River Basin model so we have a professional staff to pursue money to address the issues of water quantity and quality. It will take years to accomplish these goals.

5. Learning the workings of the watershed. In 2010, Gene completed the Purdue Watershed Management course and also completed the Indiana requirements for Advanced Hoosier [|Master Naturalist].

Elizabeth has also spent her spare time with volunteer and environmental activities, albiet in a different way. Below is her story.

Liz worked for many years as a stay-at-home Mom who raised animals and gardened for her family’s food when her children were young. Some of her activities included grinding her wheat for flour to make all her family’s bread and milking a cow for milk and butter. She returned to working in nursing when her children were older; her work in the Emergency Department and position in Occupational Health were extremely demanding and time consuming. Her opportunities for volunteer work were limited primarily to Sunday School teaching and assisting with school activities. When she retired from nursing she made a list of 10 things she wanted to accomplish after retirement. Traveling, time with grandchildren and gardening were at the top of that list.

Liz had always wanted to take the [|Purdue Master Gardening Class] to obtain the science-based knowledge to compliment her 30 plus years of gardening experience. She completed that class in 2000 and promptly found many volunteer opportunities for community service by teaching others about gardening.

She has lectured to many diverse groups about Herbs, Backyard Habitat, Creating Containers, Planting Vegetables, Annuals and Perennials, Heirloom Plants, Landscape Design, Greenhouse Management, Raised Bed Gardening, Composting, Community Gardens and Children’s Gardens. She has spoken to church groups, library patrons, sororities, seminar attendants, service organizations, home show attendees and students in elementary schools.

She has taught first graders at [|West Noble Schools] about plant growth in the Windowsill Gardening Program for six years, She has created a garden program for third and fourth graders at Ligonier Elementary School which allows students to plant and harvest their own salad and salsa garden. The children celebrate their garden success in the spring by eating a salad from their garden and in the fall by having a fresh salsa and chips party from their harvest. The extra produce from their garden is donated to the West Noble Food Pantry.

Liz designed a rain garden in conjunction with the Elkhart River Restoration Group and organized the volunteers for planting the garden at the Rome City Town Hall. She has made herbal vinegars, sandcast concrete bird baths, hand painted garden markers and potted many of her own annuals and perennials to sell for scholarship money for local students.

Liz contributed many hours to the Noble County Master Gardener project which provided a master gardener instructional course to the Chain of Lakes Correctional Facility in Noble County. From this course 18 inmates created a 1000 square foot garden at the facility and donated its entire production to the Albion Food Pantry. These inmates have grown through this course to be volunteers themselves and have learned much more than gardening basics.

Through Master Gardening Liz has been a pond and garden walk hostess many times, worked for 5 years chairing the Master Gardening booth at the [|Apple Festival], and enjoyed countless teaching opportunities and interactions with hundreds of children at Kid City as well as many adults at health fairs.

Liz feels she has been greatly blessed in her own life. She has good health and a wonderful supportive family. She lives in her dream home - a backyard habitat- with her children and grandchildren nearby. She has plenty of room to grow anything she wishes in her gardens in summer and a homemade greenhouse for winter gardening that can give her that “wonderful garden smell” all year round. For Liz, volunteerism and philanthropy is a way to give back to her community and teach others many of the things that she has enjoyed learning and doing in her own life.

“Becoming a Master Gardener has had a profound effect on my life after retirement, and I am grateful for the many opportunities it affords.” - Liz Lightner