Operation My Indy: Eagle Creek
I am delighted to serve as the new president of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, an organization we both love. Since I am new to Indy, part of my journey to explore the city involves staying at Airbnbs in different neighborhoods. As I share my thoughts and experiences, I hope that you will provide your own suggestions!
My journey to become the CEO of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful began in college when I was a competitive rower on the Johns Hopkins crew team. Our practices took place in the Baltimore Inner Harbor, and at the time, it was treated figuratively and literally as a sewer. I distinctly remember thinking that the way we were treating the harbor was a travesty. My hours on the harbor drove me to a career of more than 25 years of in environmental and conservation issues.
This week, I stayed in Eagle Creek, where rowers in Indianapolis practice and compete. Rowers refer to the boats they use for racing as shells. Though I didn’t see anyone practicing on the water, I did walk along the shore and found a different kind of shell—that of a freshwater mollusk! I also stopped to watch a family of ducks paddling along, and repeatedly dropping their beaks underwater to snap up something delicious. I hope to work to make long stretches of the White River enjoyable to paddlers and waterfowl alike. At KIB, our mission is to help both people and nature thrive.
I continued on my rowing theme by stopping off for dinner at the Boathouse Grill—which was surprisingly busy for a Tuesday night! I enjoyed a great platter of fish and chips, with fresh fish cooked to perfection. It was a warm and happy meal on a cold day.
I also spent some time this week meeting with some of KIB’s significant donors. Like many nonprofit organizations, we depend on the generosity of the people we serve to do our work. Over a quarter of our resources come from the City itself, who is an important partner. We work hand-in-hand with the Office of Sustainability, the Department of Public Works, and the Mayor’s Office to pursue the goals of making Indianapolis a sustainable, resilient city. We also benefit from contributions from a number of corporations, like Citizens Energy Group, Eli Lilly & Company, Cummins, and Indiana Power and Light, among others.
I like to think that the people of Indianapolis are our most important constituents. We work to make your neighborhoods cleaner and more vibrant. And we do that largely with your hard work as volunteers at Great Indy Cleanups, helping us plant trees, and create pocket parks around the city. However, we also depend on you to support our work. It costs KIB about $1 to pick up 1 pound of litter—either by doing it with our own staff, or by coordinating with volunteers like you to help us do this important task.
This week, we received a generous matching grant of $50,000 from the Efroymson Foundation for our fall litter campaign. The grant will contribute $1 for every $1 that we raise from other individual donors. As we enter Thanksgiving, please consider how grateful you are for the work that makes our city a more pleasant place to live, work and play. If you can, please consider making a contribution to KIB to help us continue this work.
Because of the Efroymson grant, we are able to pick up 50 pounds of litter for every $25 you donate. Please consider making a charitable donation today. It will mean a lot to us, and it will help us make the city a better place for you, too. Thanks for considering it. #BeautifulNeedsYou
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jeremy’s Neighborhood Recommendations
WHAT TO EAT
Fish n' Chips at Boathouse Grill
WHAT TO DO
Take a walk through your neighborhood or a nearby park and find 3 things you're grateful for in our city!
Please join us in our work to make Indianapolis the best it can be, with vibrant public places and neighborhoods. Find out more at kibi.org!
