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Kokomo Area Creation Care co-founder Lenore Kane wants to get the word out: People of faith are responsible to take care of the earth.
"I've always been interested in doing something to take care of God's environment,” said Kane. “Our environment, you know, part of our duty as people of faith is to take care of the earth. And I was looking for some organization that would support those kinds of concerns that I and several of my friends have."
This search led Kane and several others who attend Christ Lutheran Church to find Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light (HIPL), the Indiana chapter of a national group known as Faith in Place.
"Our pastor at the time was interested in the environment,” said Kane. “He gathered a group of us he thought might be interested, and we went to a workshop in Indianapolis sponsored by HIPL."
After the workshop, HIPL contacted Christ Lutheran Church and asked them if they would be willing to start an affiliate in Kokomo. That was the birth of Kokomo Area Creation Care.
"That was in about 2012," said Kane.
The group put together a leadership conference of various Kokomo churches and faith communities. From this group of church leaders, an open meeting was organized. More than 50 people attended the first meeting.
"We had Dr. John Robson come to speak, as someone who was speaking about climate change, and it was quite unusual to have someone do that in a church," said Kane. "That's how we became more organized and started a steering committee."
One of the group's first speakers was from Northwestern High School and helped organize the construction of the wind turbine and tower the school uses for supplemental power. Since then, the group has had local politicians, engineers, and even someone who spoke about green burials.
"That was one of our most popular presentations," Kane added.
The COVID pandemic reduced the group to having meetings on Zoom, and attendance dried up. In 2022, the group started up live meetings again at the church, located at 3401 S. Dixon Road.
Last year’s lineup included: Richard Steiner of Waverly Electric in Indianapolis, who works with and helps modify electric vehicles for public transportation; Chris Rohaly from Green Cubes, a company that sells solar electric systems for home and farm; Garry Hill from the Wildcat Guardians; and Howard County Commissioner Brad Bray.
Kokomo Area Creation Care starts off their public meetings this year on Mon., March 11, at Christ Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3401 South Dixon Road with two individuals who work for the new StarPlus Energy plants that are being constructed on Kokomo's north side.
The speakers are Maria Milescu, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, and Al Kirchoff of StarPlus Energy U.S., the new Stellantis (Chrysler) EV battery supplier. They will talk about the promise and challenges of conversion from internal combustion to EV technology. There will be refreshments served at 6:45 p.m., and the meeting will start at 7 p.m. All are invited. For more information, visit to the Kokomo Area Creation Care Facebook page.