Deena Butterfield – Page 3

Valparaiso University Professor Julie Peller addresses a group of approximately 60 people at the Aug. meeting of the Plastic Reducation Alliance of Northwest Indiana on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Alliance looks at ways to reduce plastic use in everyday life, particularly schools

August 31, 2024 at 8:54 a.m.

The overuse of plastic materials, common in many facets of society, poses serious problems for environmental and human health.

Annette Hansen, executive director of the Izaak Walton League of Porter County, serves tea to her fairy princesses at Gnomes Day Out on Saturday at Hawthorne Park in Porter. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Gnomes get their moment thanks to Izaak Walton League

June 11, 2024 at 10:41 a.m.

Visitors to Gnomes Day Out started their adventure by choosing a fairy name and shrinking down to fairy size before entering the village.

Cody Banks, project manager for Shirley Heinze Land Trust, takes a group through Meadowbrook Nature Preserve on Saturday for Cicadapalooza. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Program at Meadowbrook offers insight into the buzz about cicadas

June 10, 2024 at 1:23 p.m.

To some folks, the buzz may be loud and different, but to cicadas, it is a party that is 17 years in the making.

Dan Mason, botanist for the National Park Service, gives a presentation at Science Friday on May 17, 2024, about the restoration of the Great Marsh. The diagram shows thousand of acres of wetlands on a report from 1897, before the area was developed. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Marsh restoration takes ongoing work at national park

May 25, 2024 at 12:33 p.m.

Indiana Dunes National Park has been actively working to restore Cowles Bog and other nearby wetlands since 1998.

Naiya Turke, 2, of Valparaiso, tries out the musical keyboard at the top of the slide at the Sharon Kish Memorial Playground on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Sunset Hill Farm County Park. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

New playground dedicated at Sunset Hill in memory of late park foundation board member Sharon Kish

May 20, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.

Sunset Hill Farm County Park now has a new playground for families to enjoy named after the late president of the Porter County Parks Foundation, Sharon Kish.

From left, Annette Hansen, executive director of the Porter County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League; Tracy Blecha; Molly Lawson, a youth group member from the church; and Tim Sutherland gather to learn how to put up bluebird boxes at First Presbyterian Church in Valparaiso on Sunday, May 5, 2024. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Bluebird boxes land at First Presbyterian Church, will be monitored by youth group

May 9, 2024 at 2:24 p.m.

Bluebirds will soon be welcome at First Presbyterian Church in Valparaiso, as a line of houses were placed on the north end of the property by volunteers and youth group...

From left to right, Porter County 4-H Junior Leaders Carter Biggs, Heather Cox, Haley Casbon and Audrey May Ferguson stock their micro pantry located at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Valparaiso on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Micro pantry goes up outside Valparaiso church for 4-H project

April 21, 2024 at 11:27 a.m.

The Porter County 4-H Junior Leaders placed their first micro food pantry at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Valparaiso on Thursday evening.

Birder Dan Barriball, an interpretive naturalist for Indiana Dunes State Park, talks about how citizens can do their part to save the birds in his talk Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

‘The situation is kind of dire, but it is not hopeless’

April 20, 2024 at 11:09 a.m.

North America is losing bird populations and while humans have a lot to do with that loss, they can work to reverse it, too, particularly at the Indiana Dunes.

Recreation director Becky Kreiger demonstrates the painting for the Big & Little class on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at the Sunset Hill Farm County Park program center. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Art program at Sunset Hill offers fun for kids, parents

April 20, 2024 at 9:44 a.m.

Painting brightly colored cats offered an artful respite for kids and caregivers Wednesday during one of the many programs offered at Sunset Hill Farm County Park.

Members of the Valparaiso University Dance Marathon Morale Team teach dance moves to students participating in the six-hour fundraiser for Lurie Children's Hospital on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)

Annual VU dance marathon raises funds for Lurie Children’s Hospital

April 10, 2024 at 8:55 a.m.

Valparaiso University hosted its 12th dance marathon at the Athletics-Recreation Center on Saturday, a six-hour event fundraiser for Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

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