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Vol. 26, No. 6
September ptember 2022
Northwest Edition R Reaching Seniors In Illiana: Cook, Lake & Porter Counties
Rotary Library Garden —
Service club partners with library for engaging attraction 7H[W DQG SKRWRV %\ 67(9( (89,12 )HDWXUH :ULWHU According to the Roman statesman-philosopher Cicero, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Downtown Valparaiso has both with the Rotary Library Garden. Sitting on former bank property on a quarter-block section of Jefferson Street, the garden is a joint effort of the Porter County Public Library System, Valparaiso Rotary Club,
state and local governmental agencies, community members and civic organizations. With a $500,000 grant from the Indiana Office of Community Affairs and $110,000 from local Rotarians, the project was on its way toward the $1.25 million project that was dedicated in May 2021. Jesse Butz, director of the library system, said Stu Summers, a board member, suggested a garden, having seen examples elsewhere. The project reflects northwest Indiana, Butz said, pointing to the steel gates reflecting local industries and dune grasses as a reminder of the Indiana
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Dunes. Local artists also contributed. “We wanted to create a unique system to serve the library and the community,” Butz explained. The project still needed partners to become a reality. Enter the Rotarians. As part of its centennial celebration, the Valpo Rotary came onboard. “We looked at several projects to partner with the community as part of our celebration,” said Doug Mogck, Rotary centennial project chair. “We received several different proposals.” Greg Gottschalk, current Valpo Rotary president, said his organization looks
at projects to partner with other nonprofits to better the community, “an impactful project we can be part of.” Mogck said the garden also reflects Rotary goals with its impact on community development and the environment. Once inside the garden, visitors see storyboards that will include works done locally. Butz said a local Girl Scout troop has put together a storybook, with students from Central School in Valparaiso also preparing such a book. A walkway directs the public through the garden, which features plant life, along with seating,
artwork and more items donated by individuals and organizations. An attorney donated a garden in honor of his grandmother, who attended a nearby church. These features, Butz explained, are designed to engage people. “We want people to be moving around in here,” Butz said. Other features include a fog walk, in which artificial fog is created, along with a pavilion in the center and a shaded corner section for resting and relaxing. In less than a year, the Continued on page 5
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