Little River Wetlands Project hosts a public forum each month, Breakfast on the Marsh. The forum is usually held at Indiana Wesleyan University Fort Wayne, on the shores of Eagle marsh.
 
On September 12, 2024, Dr. Ryan Schnurr spoke on The Theory and Practice of Rivers. Ryan is a professor of English at Trine University. He is also an author, editor, public speaker, and he revels in local history.
 
Dr. Schnurr was among friends when he talked about the history, impact and life of rivers.  He was particularly interested in the Maumee River. He had walked the length of the Maumee River, from Fort Wayne to Toledo Ohio. The journey became the cornerstone of his book, In the Watershed A Journey Down the Maumee River.  He knew its geological history, the history of civilizations that called the watershed home. He knew about the animals, fish, and plants that lived in and along the river.  He shared his love for the river and then he asked the audience to share.
 
Ryan is a different kind of Breakfast on the Marsh presenter. Yes, he gave us facts, data, history. However, did I mention he is an English Professor? He became the catalyst and provided the structure for all of us to write a poem about the river. It was our interview with the river. Having been along the shores of the Ganges, the Goddess, the Mother of Rivers, I was familiar with recognizing the nature and personality of a river.  So, this was an interesting project for me.
 
Many in the audience were initially anxious and hesitant to participate in the project. However, Dr. Schnurr is a good professor and soon had all of us enthusiastically participating. I look forward to hearing him speak at other venues. I bought his book and look forward to some winter reading.  Breakfast on the Marsh is always different. Make sure to follow the LRWP project menu. I am sure you will find a Breakfast on the Marsh topic that you will not want to mis. In the meantime, here is the poem:
 
River Secrets
 
Who are you? You must have secrets. What do you like best about being a river? How do you decide to meander or rush? Perhaps you just to with the flow.
 
What did you look like in 1700? What are some of your best memories? Why did you allow Purdue to build on your banks? Why did you pirate the St. Joe?
 
Are you afraid of heights? What do you think about the ocean? What tickles your tummy? What goes on after dark?
 
Who else is swimming with us? What about animals? Do you have bear? Fish? Is there a mastodon hidden in your depths? What about humans? Friend or foe?
 
Do you feel young? Do you feel old? How do the seasons transition you? How do you indicate pain? How long will it take you to recover from our abuse? Are you tired? What brings you peace? What ca we do to help you? What can we learn from you?

On September 24th, in Indianapolis, The Center for Interfaith Cooperation hosted the Festival of Faiths. The Center addresses the critical need for communities of faith to know one another and to work together addressing common needs.  
 
The festival started with a parade and ended with Sikh kirtan. In between there were booths representing Abrahamic faiths, faiths of the Indian subcontinent, and of East Asia. There were also pagans. It was a time of mutual celebration of community diversity. 
 
My field staff, Kerri Pulley, and I, interviewed several faith representatives about how their religion informs them in their interactions and advocacy for creation. Interviews included representatives from two denominations of Islam, two of Buddhism, Hindus, pagans, the Bahai faith, and various denominations of Christianity. Simply because of timing and coordination I was not able to interview anyone from the Sikh community or the Jewish community. I did include information of each faiths approach to addressing climate change. 
 
There are two episodes. They do not differ of theme. Rather, they are simply the booths I approach following the park pathway. Mark this event on your annual calendar. You might enjoy taking in the sounds, colors, and beliefs of the 2025 Festival of Faiths.