Prayer for Ukraine vigil set for Monday in Portage
Churches throughout Portage are sponsoring a city-wide, church-wide Prayer for Ukraine vigil at 6 p.m., Monday at Founders Square. Founders Square is located just north of Central Avenue and west of Hamstrom Road. In case of inclement weather, the vigil will be held at City Point Church, 6474 Central Ave., Portage.
All are invited to attend the vigil which will pray for the leaders and people fighting in Ukraine as well as for the refugees fleeing the war-torn country. Victoria Granter, a Ukrainian refugee now living in the United States, will share her story, in addition to Pastor John Lowe of New Life Church in Warsaw, Indiana, who recently returned from Poland where he participated in relief efforts. Local officials, including Mayor Sue Lynch, will also be on hand to lend their support and prayers for the people of Ukraine.
Prescribed fires planned for the spring
The National Park Service is planning eight prescribed fires this spring at Indiana Dunes National Park. Approximately 944 acres are expected to be burned. Fire is used as a tool for the park’s long-term restoration and hazard fuel reduction efforts. Before burning, a designated set of conditions must exist including ideal wind speed and direction, and relative humidity. Weather conditions will be monitored throughout the duration of the burn to ensure the fire is completed safely. Near the center of the park, a 547-acre fire is planned just south and east of Dune Acres. In Porter, the west half of the Mnoke Prairie will be burned. This 56-acre parcel is at the extreme west end of Beam Street. Near Ogden Dunes and Portage, the National Park will be burning 150 acres in and around the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk area. And on the west and south side of Ogden Dunes, parallel to US-12, 95 acres are planned to burn. Inside of West Beach, two parcels will be burned. The first, along the south side of the entry road, and on the north side of Long Lake is approximately 31 acres. An additional 11-acre piece along the boundary line on the east of side of West Beach will help to further reduce the threat of wildfire to Ogden Dunes. An online map of the planned prescribed fire areas can be found at https://bit.ly/INDUSpring2022Fires. Residents of Lake and Porter Counties may sign up to receive prescribed fire notifications through the Smart911 system. Go to www.smart911.com to sign up for this free service that provides emergency notifications, a private 911 safety profile and a vulnerable needs registry. Additionally, the National Park announces prescribed fire activity on its Facebook page at www.facebok.com/IndianaDunesNPS.
Ceremony to honor Vietnam Vets
Valpo Parks Foundation in partnership with Dunes Leatherneck Marine Corps League Chapter 1056 will honor Vietnam Veterans with a ceremony at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Service Memorial at Foundation Meadows, 3210 N. Campbell St, Valparaiso. American Legion Post 94, VFW Post 988 and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 905 will also be in attendance at the ceremony. More information is with Christina Darr at 219-462-5144, Ext. 6335, or at cdarr@valpo.us.
Local teens raise awareness of tobacco’s dangers
Porter County teens involved in the local VOICE youth empowerment group are hosting a rally and educational fair to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco in honor of Take Down Tobacco Day from 5 to 8 p.m. April 1 at Founders Square, 6280 W. Main St., Portage. Attendees will participate in activities to learn about what it means to Take Down Tobacco, the dangers of smoking and vaping, and ways they can join the fight against tobacco and nicotine. More information on Take Down Tobacco is at https://www.takedowntobacco.org/. Information on VOICE Porter County is available at valpo.edu/tepc.
AWLI to host Calumet Revisited Forum
Wayne Schimpff and Jane Healy, members of the Calumet Nature Exchange, will share ways in which science teachers and youth group leaders can reconnect youth with nature at the next Calumet Revisited Forum meeting at 5 p.m. on April 5 at Calumet College in Room 265, 2400 New York Ave., Whiting. Co-sponsored by the Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative (AWLI) and Calumet College, the forums shed light on the region’s rich human history and environmental treasures. The final speaker invited for the 2021-22 season will be Madeleine Tudor of the Field Museum on May 3. She will discuss progress in establishing a national heritage area in the Calumet Region. More information is with Michael Boos at michael@wolflakeinitiative.org or at www.wolflakeinitiative.org.
