This past month has seen three folks become certified Sierra Club Outings Leaders. We are so excited to have them on our team — congratulations Lori Peters, Dave Wildemann, and Nicole Chandler!
All three of these new leaders went through the Sierra Club training, which culminates in a qualifying hike at a location of the leader’s choosing.
Lori chose Fort Harrison State Park (known locally as Fort Ben) in Marion County for her outing
Lori is a Sierra Club member who started joining our hikes last year, and recently became a volunteer with the Hoosier Chapter. I was excited to get to join her on the hike! Our group of eight had a wonderful time checking out the fall colors and beautiful tall trees on the trail.
“I chose Ft. Ben for my hike because it’s a beautiful state park close to home with several trails of varying difficulty levels. The Fall Creek Trail and Camp Creek Trails connect to make the perfect 3 mile loop through hills and winding paths where I’ve seen all kinds of wildlife during hikes with my husband.”
“There’s a massive, beautiful sycamore tree close to the start of the hike where we took a group photo. It’s a real show stopper and I think everyone enjoyed seeing it. Learning from others while on the hike was another highlight. Laurie, Dave, and Marilyn pointed out wildflowers, invasive plants, and unique trees helping me put a name to things I’ve seen so many times but didn’t know what they were.” - Lori
Dave led his hike at Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill in Brown County
Dave joined the Winding Waters Group Executive Committee earlier this year after discovering the Group through their annual native plant sale. Eleven folks ventured out on a beautiful fall day in Brown County for his qualifying hike.
“I chose a trail at one of my favorite nature preserves, Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill. I was very familiar with the location, trail, and terrain. I was able to highlight features along the trail. We had a wonderful sunny day and near peak fall colors. I could not have asked for a better day.” - Dave
Nicole chose Green's Bluff Nature Preserve in Owen County for her outing
Nicole is the Southwest Indiana Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer. She decided to follow in the footsteps of fellow Sierra Club staff member Robyn Skuya-Boss (our Chapter Director) who became an Outings Leader last year!
“I chose Green's Bluff Nature Preserve because it holds a special place in my heart. I hiked this trail many times while in graduate school at IU. Highlights from the hike were the beautiful fall colors from the trees and taking a water break by Racoon Creek.” - Nicole
Congratulations to all of our new Outings Leaders on completing their certification!
Hearing the experiences of my fellow Hoosiers’ journey to become Outings Leaders, I can really feel the urge to get outside and connect with nature and our communities.
That’s why I’ve decided to join the next Outings Leadership training cohort this winter. Would you like to join me?
Here is what our new leaders said about the training:
“I felt the process to become an Outings Leader was fairly straightforward and enjoyable. I would encourage anyone who is interested and capable to become an Outings Leader. We spend less and less time outside, so any opportunity to do so is a positive!” - Nicole
“It was easy and straightforward to complete the online training. It was convenient and self-paced which helped avoid conflicts that a fixed schedule training program could have. My biggest challenge was devoting the time to complete the training. If you enjoy hiking, becoming an Outings Leader is an opportunity to share that passion with others. The Outings Leader training provides you with information to plan and lead hikes in a structured manner.” - Dave
“As a new member I really enjoyed the training modules. I learned so much, not only about how to become an Outings Leader, but the history of the Sierra Club as well. Being an Outings Leader is definitely outside of my comfort zone, but the people in the Sierra Club are so supportive and kind in nature that it made it a real treat to host them on a hike on my local trails. If you’re apprehensive, just know that there’s really nothing more to it than taking some friends on a walk in the woods. You can cover important topics and issues - or not! Come as you are. Be respectful, and take a chance to put yourself out there!” - Lori
I’ll give the last word to our Chapter Director, Robyn: “Outings Leaders distinguish Sierra Club as a community that prioritizes the critical connections spending time outdoors together can build. Connections which sustain us as we advocate to protect our environment at this challenging moment in history for our environment. Becoming a certified outing leader expands the number of critical connections we can make that keep our community resilient and strong.”
Come to our Winter 2025 Hoosier Chapter Outings Leadership Training Cohort on Tue, Dec 16, 2025; 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Eastern) to find out more!
I look forward to seeing you on the trail!
Rebecca Dien-Johns
Chapter Coordinator