Shirley Heinze Land Trust will host its 11th Annual Spring Benefit on Saturday, May 31, 2014, at 5:30 pm, at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, IN. The public is invited to participate in this celebration which benefits the work of the organization.
The evening will feature a champagne reception, along with hors d'oeuvres and a seated dinner, as well as both Live and Silent Auctions followed by a "Funding the Cause" program to benefit a special project. This year's cause is an initiative which would increase the size of Meadowbrook Nature Preserve in Valparaiso and begin a major reforestation project within the Moraine Forest.
Benefit Tickets and Sponsorships may be purchased through the Spring Benefit link on the organization's website, www.heinzetrust.org , or by contacting Bonnie Hawksworth at 219-242-8558, or by email at bhawksworth@heinzetrust.org. Auction items may also be donated and viewed through the event website. Reservations are requested by May 9.
Shirley Heinze Land Trust manages approximately 1,400 acres of natural land in LaPorte, Lake, and Porter Counties. Five of its properties - Cressmoor Prairie, Seidner Dune & Swale, John Merle Coulter Preserve, Barker Woods, and Ambler Flatwoods - have been dedicated to the people of Indiana as State Nature Preserves. Included in the Heinze Trust's holdings are examples of the entire spectrum of natural communities in this area: tallgrass prairie, high dune, oak savanna, boreal flatwoods, dune and swale, woodlands, marshes, swamps, ponds, fens, and riparian habitat. Shirley Heinze Land Trust has also made contributions toward the purchase of natural areas owned by other entities, including the Indiana DNR, The Nature Conservancy, LaPorte County Parks, Lake County Parks, and the Portage Parks Department. Many of the preserves are open to the public for hiking and enjoying nature.
To learn more about Shirley Heinze Land Trust and how to become involved, visit the website at www.heinzetrust.org or call (219) 242-8558.