Sharon has been a Kankakee Valley REMC member for two years and resides in Hanna. Her entire adult life has been focused on family, community, and building a strong future for the next generation. As a self-employed parent, she was fortunate to spend meaningful time with her children, involving them in their community through town meetings and local fundraisers. This gave her an appreciation for the importance of everyday people having a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. In 2016, Sharon joined the board of the Art Barn School of Art and became the office manager and program director, gaining experience in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and organizational operations. During COVID, she spent over two years living off-grid in rural Michigan with her youngest daughter. This brought firsthand insight into energy use, self-reliance, and the importance of balancing affordability, reliability, and environmental stewardship. After returning to Indiana in 2024, she established Prairie Flower Farm, focused on prairie restoration and supporting the local ecosystem. Sharon feels called to represent members like herself — working families, retirees, farmers, and residents across our communities who care deeply about rising costs, reliable service, and the future of energy in our region. She would be honored to earn the opportunity to serve the members of Kankakee Valley REMC.

https://www.earthcharterindiana.org/nwf

In this podcast episode, Kathy Sipple hosts Leslie Shad to discuss community wildlife habitat certification. The conversation explores how simple actions, like getting a plaque for a garden, can lead to larger community initiatives. Leslie shares her journey from being a lawyer to an environmental activist, promoting biodiversity through native plant gardening. Both hosts emphasize the importance of restoring private properties to create wildlife corridors, part of a broader National Wildlife Federation initiative. Highlighted is the contagious nature of individual efforts in Valparaiso and Michigan City, proving that small changes can lead to regional environmental progress.