Pictured from left are David Dohner, a cadet in the Kosciusko Leadership Academy who is sponsored by Instrumental Machine and Development; Nate Bosch, director of the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College; Heather Harwood, executive director of the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation; and Mike Whitaker, a KLA cadet sponsored by Kosciusko REMC. Photo provided.

News Release

WINONA LAKE — On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the Kosciusko Leadership Academy cadets visited the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College.

Nate Bosch, director of the Lilly Center, and Heather Harwood, executive director for Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, presented information about the economic impact of the lakes and protecting these natural assets in Kosciusko County.

Bosch explained his organization’s strategy of protecting the future of the county’s water systems through research, education and collaboration. An economic impact study done by the Lilly Center showed $313 million is brought into the local economy annually because of the lakes. With more than 100 lakes and nearly 600 miles of streams in Kosciusko County, lakes and streams are considered the county’s greatest natural resource. Local lakes flow into Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico from the continental divide near North Webster. The Tippecanoe River is in the top 10 in the country for biodiversity.

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College conducts research, provides resources, engages and educates residents, and collaborates with local organizations to promote the cleanliness, health, safety and beauty of the lakes and streams of Kosciusko County. To date, the Lilly Center has conducted scientific research on more than 30 streams and 45 lakes. For more information, visit lakes.grace.edu.

The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, now in its 33rd year, encourages others to be good stewards of water resources. Its efforts have resulted in the acquisition and protection of more than 10 miles of shoreline and 51 wetland areas, totaling more than 900 acres. The conservancy foundation’s mission statement is to protect and enhance water quality and natural attributes in the Wawasee-area watershed through water-related land acquisition, educational programming and scientifically informed action to preserve the lakes for future generations.

The next Kosciusko Leadership Academy session Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the old courtroom at the Kosciusko County Courthouse, will cover law enforcement and the judicial system in Kosciusko County.

For more information about the Kosciusko Leadership Academy, visit kosciuskoleadership.org.