News & Updates

Beloved staff member Lisa Zinn, who served Merry Lea in many roles from 2003 to July 2016, arrived safely in Vermont July 23.

Students in Merry Lea’s Sustainability Leadership Semester have a chunk of their Fridays devoted to learning hands-on, practical skills. On September 18, the group learned about beekeeping from Dr. Andy Ammons, a biology professor at Goshen College who teaches entomology.

Students in the Sustainability Leadership Semester currently underway at Merry Lea spent eight days canoeing from Noble County to Lake Michigan the second week of September.

Dr. Dale Hess’ cremains were interred in an orchard he planted and tended at Merry Lea’s Rieth Village, April 27, 2015. The ceremony included a communion service using grape juice from grapes Hess had grown.

The eight students currently in Merry Lea’s Master’s of Environmental Education program had front row seats during Goshen College’s 2015 commencement April 26. The students will continue at Merry Lea until May 29 when they will have completed their research projects and practicum teaching assignments.

Did you know you can see fish crows and Neotropic cormorants at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis? Merry Lea’s Midwest Birding Expedition, led by volunteer Paul McAfee and staff member Lisa Zinn made a stop there during the April 2015 trip and at least saw the fish crows.

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Dale Hess who directed the Summer Agroecology Intensive (ASI) here at Merry Lea. Dale died at home with his family, 4 a.m. Sunday, March 1 after a struggle with cancer.

Broomball continues its long run as the most-played sport at Merry Lea, and interest may be spreading. When broomball photos appeared on Merry Lea’s Facebook page recently, the South Bend Tribune called and featured one of the photos on their pages. The writer described broomball as “Poor man’s hockey.”

Merry Lea offered a faith-based weekend event for undergraduates from neighboring colleges focused on the economic piece of sustainability. Rachel Lamb of Young Evangelicals for Climate Action and Brian Sauder of the Chicago-based nonprofit Faith in Place served as keynote speakers.

About 25 women gathered for a break from life’s whirlwind and a Women’s Spirituality Workshop in late January. The two-day public program began with an evening plenary with Old Testament scholar, Jackie Wyse Rhodes.