Donate today to protect Aboite Creek and preserve the natural beauty and vitality of Northern Indiana for future generations.
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
I’m taking a moment to write to you as a Hoosier-at-heart who cherishes the beauty and lifestyle of Northern Indiana. It hit me when I moved back here with my young family: Northern Indiana is arguably the best place to raise a family. From its renowned hospitality to its pastoral settings, this place is special.
Though they often fade into the background, our rivers and creeks shape the lifestyle of Northern Indiana. The wonderful people at Joseph Decuis taught me this. God, the Great Lakes, and Glaciers blessed us with clean, abundant water. Waterways in Northeastern Indiana provide water from taps and wells. Clean water from these sources leads to healthier food, gardens, and air, contributes to better hunting and fishing, and blesses us with good health.
More and more young families are finding their home in this area, as technology is paving the way for small-town success. Clean waterways not only keep us and wildlife healthy, but lead to a more robust economy in Indiana, including better jobs, education, and culture.
Like many of you, I grew up hunting, swimming, and fishing in the Aboite, which winds through many of the great places to live in Northern Indiana. These include Roanoke, Huntington, Chestnut Hills, Sycamore Hills, West Hamilton, and Devil’s Hollow. This creek feeds some of the great waterways in America: Abe Lincoln’s Ohio River, the Mississippi, the Wabash River Valley, and the Gulf of Mexico. You can grab a canoe and find out for yourself (which some of us may do next year).
The Aboite Creek is flooded with history. It’s where Pioneers and Indians alike hunted and fished, where they cooked underneath the Indiana stars. It’s one of the reasons Daniel Boone called The Indiana Territory ‘the most beautiful parasite [he] had ever seen, teeming with life…’ The creek supports painted turtles, clams, and crawdads (or as my grandfather used to call them: ‘Freshwater Lobster’).
Like many of you, I’m sure, I have made wonderful memories in and along Aboite Creek and want my kids and grandkids to be able to do the same.
Unfortunately, waterways such as Aboite Creek are under threat. The creek is suffering from pollution, erosion, and runoff from new commercial & high-density residential construction upstream. Marine wildlife such as the bluegill and big mouth trout are put at risk by sediment, chemicals, and debris clouding the water. Development itself is not an issue, but it must be executed in a way that doesn’t disturb the waterways. This requires focus and becomes complicated and expensive.
If nothing is done, algae blooms will make the water unsafe for wildlife and our children. Air quality will decline, and pollution could eventually spread to ground water: contaminating wells, sprinkler systems, and gardens. Aboite is currently one of Northern Indiana’s most pristine residential areas, and our best chance at keeping people in and attracting others to the area, as well as protecting the beautiful forests and lawns in Aboite from urban sprawl.
The creek is a quiet foundation for many things. If we let it go unprotected, we risk losing not only a fountain of memories but the economic vitality that keeps Indiana thriving. Waterfield America Foundation is taking action to save The Aboite. We need your support.
Funding and awareness are crucial to defending this sacred resource. Although Indiana has laws in place to maintain clean waterways, the state is not sufficiently staffed to enforce them. Now is the time to call upon our neighbors and Hoosier pride to come together and protect our waterways. Waterfield America Foundation is committed, staffed, and building plans. Nothing can happen, however, without community support and funding.
Let’s ensure Aboite remains a place where our kids can make priceless memories and raise their own families someday. To raise awareness about this issue, we are planning to host an annual event in early Spring. We will reach out to you regarding this in the future.
In the meantime, please help us keep Aboite clean, healthy, and a source of Hoosier pride.
Warmest,
RRW
The Waterfield America Foundation