As the year draws to a close, we asked our volunteer leaders and staff in Indiana about some of their 2025 highlights. Join us on a trip down memory lane of the last 12 months!
Joab Schultheis, Chapter Chair and Energy Committee Chair: “Renewable Energy Day at the Statehouse in January was a highlight for me. It's a great opportunity to connect with advocates and organizations from across Indiana.”
Mary Carol Reardon, Outings Chair: “Weed wrangling with other Sierra Club volunteers and meeting new people is certainly a highlight. To see the difference we make as we pull invasive weeds from the Hoosier National Forest is heartening; knowing that we're part of the solution. The fellowship and laughter that grows among us as we wrangle is priceless. Looking forward to more wrangles in 2026.”
Nicole Snider, volunteer on the Legislative, Energy, and Conservation Committees: “While there are a few highlights for me to choose from, I am going to go with the first one. I had a bee in my bonnet about utility costs after our August bill, and I wrote a letter-to-the-editor about it. I thought the Energy Committee might like it so I shared it with Joab, but very quickly it was passed around and ended up as a blog on the Hoosier Chapter website. As someone who was about a month into volunteering with Sierra Club, receiving that kind of welcome, support, and feedback made me feel like I was valued. Not only does Sierra Club care about the environment and highlight areas that demand our attention, they (I guess I should say, 'we') do so by being very welcoming. What a great combination that I am proud to be a part of!”
Nicole Chandler, Indiana Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer: “My 2025 Sierra Club highlight this year was planning and hosting an Afternoon of Action in partnership with Solar United Neighbors and Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy in September. This afternoon was back-to-back events starting with an environmental justice discussion, followed by a rally in front of CenterPoint's building asking them to retire coal and deploy more renewable energy.”
Colleen Curtin, Hoosier Chapter Outreach Coordinator: “I have loved spending time with you in your communities this year, whether that was joining Susan Schechter in Lafayette for Mosey, proudly listening to Nicole Snider speak on behalf of Hoosier Chapter in Fort Wayne, catching up with Mark Nowotarski in Jasper for a documentary screening, hiking with Jesse Kirkham, Lori Peters, and Kasey Grau Jackson on a trail in Indianapolis, meeting up with Jennifer Ehara and Dave Wildemann at the Bartholomew County Library, or tabling with Marilyn Bauchat and Greg Grant with the Uplands Network in Bloomington. Thank you for welcoming me to the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter community this year!”
Rebecca Dien-Johns, Hoosier Chapter Digital Strategist: “A highlight for me was tabling at Earth Day Indiana in Garfield Park, Indianapolis, with my colleague Colleen and volunteer leader Jesse Kirkham. It was a beautiful summer day and we had many interesting conversations with people of all ages and backgrounds. I also loved mingling and chatting to other organizations and picking up native plants!”
And finally, Jennifer Ehara (Winding Waters Group Executive Committee and Hoosier Chapter Communications Team) and Julie Lowe (Winding Waters Group Chair), reflect on being prepared for the unexpected in nature:
Jennifer: “My highlight was our Winding Waters scout hike at Washington-Jackson State Forest in Brownstown in the early spring. I had never been there before, and it was such challenging and beautiful terrain so close to home. Unfortunately, one of our scouters got hurt on that hike, so that is not a positive, but I was very impressed with how prepared Julie was to wrap their ankle and work to get them safely off the top of the very tall and steep hill.”
Julie: “I like to include state forests in our hiking schedule to lift them up as wilderness areas to enjoy and protect. After the incident on the scouting trip, I decided not to offer this as a Sierra Club hike to the public. There are other safer trails where a group can safely enjoy the forest. Pinnacle Peak is beautiful and worth the hike up to the top for the view — but bring your skills, hiking sticks, good shoes and concentration. The payoff is big! Anytime of the year you will enjoy a spectacular view”
Inspired to get involved? Join us in 2026! You can sign up to be a member, to volunteer, or join us at one of our many events and outings. We’d love to see you on the trail!
Rebecca Dien-Johns
Digital Strategist, Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter