Save the Dunes held its annual meeting on Oct. 23 with a recognition of the retirement of its first executive director, Charlotte Read, from the board of directors.

“Charlotte Read is a legend in the environmental community in Northwest Indiana,” said Nicole Barker, Save the Dunes Executive Director. “She and her husband Herb have accomplished more for our region than can be imagined. We are most grateful to them.”

The Reads intend to keep working with the Save the Dunes as active members.

Also at the annual meeting, the Save the Dunes took note of its accomplishments in the past year, which include advocating for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, spearheading efforts to preserve Moon Valley in Michigan City, educating more than 800 children about the dunes and the outdoors, securing grant funding for critical projects, showcasing land practices such as rain gardens that protect water, and restoring land in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties.

Save the Dunes also addressed more than 30 advocacy issues this past year, including evaluating coal ash impacts to Cowles Bog, reviewing wastewater discharge permits from companies along the lakeshore, and assessing land acquisition opportunities for the National Lakeshore.

Also at the annual meeting, five new board members were elected: Paul Labus, Northwest Indiana Director of the Nature Conservancy; Sandra Rodriguez, organizer of the Miller Farmers Market; Bart Mosier, a grants analyst for the United States Environmental Protection Agency; Kathryn Matthew, a financial aid processor at Purdue North Central and an active environmental steward for her church; and Ryan Strode, a senior analyst for Arabella Advisors.

Posted 10/27/2011