Visit Salamonie Lake’s interpretive center on June 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. for an open house and to meet Indiana Conservation Officers, Indiana State Police, and other fire and rescue personnel.

Children will be offered a Touch-a-Truck experience to discover the tools these professionals use at Salamonie Lake and in area communities.

The event begins with a ribbon cutting for a newly completed accessible family restroom featuring an adult size motorized changing table designed to make the interpretive center more accessible for people with disabilities. For safe transfer, the changing surface adjusts from as low as 12 inches to as high as 41 inches from the floor and supports up to 500 pounds. The bathroom also supplies a shower facility.

This accessible feature, unique in Indiana State Parks, was donated by the Steve Berry family in honor of Steve’s late wife, Elaine Berry.

Mrs. Berry was a teacher in Marion. She thrived on building experiences to help every student grow. She loved bringing her classes to “West Lost Bridge” at Salamonie Lake, as she called the lake’s Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area (SRA) to experience the wonder of the natural world.

“Elaine’s true legacy was showing students wonder in nature and strength in themselves; now it continues by making the interpretive center accessible in this whole new unique way,” said Marv McNew, who served as interpretive director at Salamonie Lake during Berry’s teaching career.

Visitors to the event will also see a new motorized track chair that can provide access to multiple areas in Lost Bridge West SRA for those who need accessibility assistance and other accessible features of the facility.

The open house offers refreshments and is sponsored by Salamonie Lake’s Friends of Upper Wabash Interpretive Services and Thrivent.

This Upper Wabash Interpretive Services event is located at 3691 New Holland Road, Andrews, IN 46702 in Lost Bridge West SRA. Guests who are attending the event can enter free. Others will need to pay the $7 entry fee.

Email questions about the event to [email protected] or call 260-468-2127. Learn more about Salamonie Lake at on.IN.gov/salamonielake.