NORTH WEBSTER — The premier of “As The Water Flows” was seen by approximately 100 individuals at the North Webster Community Center at the same time it aired for the first time on WNIT Channel 34 Thursday evening, Sept. 8. The premier viewing was hosted by The Watershed Foundation.

The documentary will also air at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. Additional broadcasts will occur in the future. It is available for online streaming at www.wnit.org, under documentary productions.

Lyn Crighton, The Watershed Foundation executive director, welcomes guests. (Photos by Deb Patterson)

“We are so excited to have you all here tonight for our grand premier of the documentary. We’ve been working with WNIT out of Elkhart/South Bend, on this project for two years,” said Lyn Crighton, executive director of TWF. “The very first message we received about working on the project was two years ago today.”

The documentary covered the four seasons during its two-year production. Views of activities on the lakes, wetlands and marshes were featured, along with educational activities hosted by the county soil and water conservation district and studies by college students.

Local residents and business owners featured and included Bart Culver, of Bart’s Water Sports; Dennis Wagoner, North Webster Ace Hardware; Matt and Jon Roberts, third generation farmers; Mary Price, and Joe, Nancy, John, Patrick and Mike Tynan, Tippecanoe Lake residents; Steward and Bonnie Shipman, Crooked Lake residents; Renee Erickson, Loon Lake resident and artist; Chae Dolsen, muskie guide on Webster Lake.

The documentary provided educational information: explaining what is a watershed, the formation of lakes, lake ecology, studies and the importance of keeping lakes and streams healthy.

Specialists in various fields were interviewed. Some of these included Crighton, Sam St. Clair, watershed conservationist; Dr. Jennifer Tank, Galla Professor Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame; Dr. Nate Bosch, director of the Center for Lakes and Streams; Warren Pryor, assistant professor of biology at the University of St. Francis, Darci Zolman, Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District; Judy Shoemaker, Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation; Steve Donabauer, Indiana Department of Natural Resources fisheries research biologist, Dr. Andrea Geyer, chair and assistant professor for chemistry at the University of St. Francis, Dr. Bob Gillespie, associate professor and director of the Crooked Lake Biological Station at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Greg Giczi, president and general manager, was unable to attend the event, but was represented by Mary Huran, WNIT board member and area resident. She noted Giczi was “very disappointed to miss this premier.”

Giczi stated in his letter, “I watched the documentary this afternoon. I hope you will find it tells an interesting story of the Upper Tippecanoe Watershed through the people who live, work and enjoy its benefits. There are important educational messages contained in the document we hope will endure beyond the beautiful images.”

The evening also included a silent auction and live auction of items donated by local businesses and individuals. The food for the evening was also donated by area businesses.

The documentary was sponsored through gifts from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, The Frank Levinson Family Foundation Fund, Tynan Family: Mary Virginia (Tynan) Linder; Mike and Nancy Tynan; Joe and Nancy Tynan; Kathy Tynan, John and Martha Sykes-Tynan and Patrick Tynan; Pletcher Insurance, Tippecanoe Boat Company and Bar’s Water Sports.