Educators interested in taking K-12 students on field trips to an Indiana state park or state-managed lake in the 2023-2024 school year can receive financial help through the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF). Grants from the Discover the Outdoors fund are available for all school types, according to INRF executive director Jody Kress.

“The Foundation’s mission is to celebrate and preserve Indiana’s natural legacy,” Kress said. “This grant gives children an adventure that showcases some of Indiana’s natural and cultural treasures and teaches the importance of protecting and preserving them for everyone to enjoy.”

Since the grant program’s inception in 2013, 174 school grants have been awarded, providing the financial opportunity for more than 18,000 students to visit state parks.

Indiana has 24 state parks, eight state-managed lakes, two state recreation areas, and two off-road state recreation areas eligible for field trip funding to help engage students in learning about Indiana’s fish, forest, wildlife, natural habitats, conservation and outdoor recreation opportunities.

“These trips help children understand how previous generations viewed the significance of Indiana’s natural and cultural resources, and at the same time let them make great memories that they will carry into adulthood,” said Ginger Murphy, deputy director for stewardship for DNR State Parks.

The maximum grant award is $250 per application. Applications are accepted from May 1-June 30 prior to the school year for which the grant is requested. Applications must be postmarked no later than June 30.

Applicants will be notified by Sept. 1 regarding potential grant awards. The grant application is at on.IN.gov/state-park-group-programs. Read more about the impact the grant has had at indiananrf.org/the-inrf-difference/education.

A video explaining the program is at youtu.be/uC4QjhsBLO8

Make water safety a priority

With the rapidly warming days of summer, Indiana Conservation Officers remind Hoosiers to make water safety a priority now and throughout the summer.

“We urge all Hoosiers to recognize the danger water poses when on or around our waterways,” said Capt. Jet Quillen, of the Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement.

Follow these basic safety tips:

• Discuss the dangers of water with your family and loved ones before going out.

• Tell someone where you are going and when you will return.

• Go with a buddy.

• Do not venture around flooded or fast-moving waterways.

• Wear a life jacket.

• Keep an extra watchful eye on children.

• Avoid alcohol.

If you go boating, make sure you know the rules and boat safety. Reduce speed in unfamiliar areas and be aware of unusual water conditions respective to your size and type of boat. These are not only safety tips, but also important environmental considerations, such as preventing beach erosion. Regardless of your boat type, assess water levels before going out and monitor your speed while underway.

Designate a sober boat operator. Alcohol causes impaired balance, blurred vision, poor coordination, impaired judgment and slower reaction time. Wave action, sun exposure and wind can magnify the effects. It is illegal to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft in Indiana while intoxicated due to alcohol or drugs. Indiana law defines intoxication as having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or greater.

Each life jacket should be United States Coast Guard approved, in good working condition, and size appropriate for the wearer. New life jackets are designed to be lighter, less obtrusive and more comfortable than in the past. Inflatable life jackets allow mobility and flexibility for activities like boating, fishing, or paddling, and can be much cooler in warmer weather than older-style life jackets.

To learn more about boating education and safety, see on.IN.gov/boatered.

Bodies recovered from Tippecanoe River

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a body recovered from the Tippecanoe River on the evening of May 12. Shortly before 5 p.m., White County 911 dispatch received a call from a fisherman reporting the discovery of a body in the river near the area of East Ohio Street in Monticello.

First responders along with the White County Coroner recovered the body. The victim has been identified as Tyler Dilley, 37, of Monticello. The cause of death is pending autopsy results and is under investigation.

Anyone with information of Dilley’s last whereabouts is encouraged to contact Indiana Conservation Officers Central Dispatch at 812-837-9536.

Assisting agencies include White County Sheriff’s Office, White County 911 Dispatch, White County Coroner’s Office, Monticello Police Department and Monticello Fire/EMS.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating after another body was recovered from the Tippecanoe River on May 18 in Monticello. Shortly after 6 p.m., White County 911 dispatch received a call from a resident on Bluewater Drive reporting a body in the river.

First responders and the White County Coroner recovered the body of Justin T. Younkin, 42, of Monticello. Cause of death is pending autopsy results.

Anyone with information of Younkin’s last whereabouts is encouraged to call Indiana DNR Law Enforcement Central Dispatch at 812-837-9536.

Other assisting agencies included the White County Sheriff’s Office, Monticello Police Department, and Monticello Fire/Emergency Medical Service.

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail to jackspaulding@hughes.net.

Spaulding’s books, “The Best of Spaulding Outdoors,” and his latest, “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com in paperback or as a Kindle download.