Everglades of the North: Free teaching DVDs

Valparaiso, IN – The producers and sponsors of the nationally broadcast Everglades of the North: The Story of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, are offering a free DVD and compendium educational guide for local teachers and libraries. The DVD and guide are available to educators and librarians with proof of position at WYIN, Lakeshore Public Media, located at 8625 Indiana Place, Merrillville, IN 46410. The educational guide may also be downloaded from the website at: www.kankakeemarsh.com This award-winning documentary illustrates the rich history and explores the controversy of the draining of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, a nearly one million-acre wetland. Less than 5% of the Grand Kankakee Marsh has survived modern development. Everglades of the North is scheduled for re-broadcast on September 11th at 11 pm and September 12th at 8pm on WYIN – 56 Lakeshore Public Television. In addition, WTIU – Bloomington, IN Public Television will pledge the program from Aug. 24th to Aug. 29th. Check local listings for times and subsequent air dates. This has been an incredible experience, said producer Pat Wisniewski, founder of For Goodness Sakes Productions in Valparaiso, Everyone we met on this journey had so much passion for the Grand Marsh, and were eager to share their stories with us. It has always been my dream to bring the stories of the Grand Marsh together in one place, said writer producer Jeff Manes of Lowell, who grew up on the Kankakee River. We had to bring this great American story to life on screen. It’s a cautionary, yet hopeful tale of our natural resources, said Cedar Lake native and producer Brian Kallies. The story of the Grand Kankakee Marsh is really the story of America’s transformation into the industrialized society we are today. I grew up fishing with my dad on the Illinois side of the Kankakee River said producer Tom Desch, a native of Herscher, IL, who edited numerous shows for PBS, the Biography Channel and Animal Planet. So, making this documentary was a labor of love’, he added. The Grand Kankakee Marsh is something that man had destroyed before he realized its value, said Guy Carlson, of the Izaak Walton League – Diana Chapter. Now we need to give something back to nature. The IWLA Diana has helped to raise funds for the production of Everglades of the North: The Story of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, whose major donors are listed below. Major funding for this program has been provided by: Lake Heritage Parks Foundation Efroymson Family Fund, a CICF Fund South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority Legacy Foundation Dean and Barbara White Foundation Albert’s Jewelers Dorene and Jerry Hammes Newton County Community Foundation Jasper Foundation, Inc. Waterfowl U.S.A. Izaak Walton League of America South Shore Arts Indiana Arts Commission National Endowment for the Arts Jimmy F. New Foundation The Nature Conservancy Additional funding sources are listed on the documentary website: www.kankakeemarsh.com