1st Source Bank presented a $5,000 grant from the Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust to the Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams. Pictured L-R: Tom Tearney, 1st Source Bank Trust Officer; Doug Hanes, 1st Source Bank Warsaw City President; Dr. Nate Bosch, Creighton Brothers endowed director of the Lilly Center, and Grace St. Clair, Lilly Center assistant director of education. Photo provided by Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams

News Release

WINONA LAKE — 1st Source Bank provided a grant to the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams to fund their library educational programs. The grant was $5,000 and will help with the Lake in the Library program along with events like Stories & S.T.E.M.

“The Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust was established to benefit the youth of Kosciusko County,” Tom Tearney, Trust Officer at 1st Source Bank, said. “Education was important to Esther Pfleiderer, since she was a math teacher in Warsaw for many years and we like to honor her legacy with efforts that contribute towards learning,” he added.

The Lilly Center’s education team reaches over 10,000 K-12 students every year through the different opportunities that they provide.

“Thanks to this gift, our Lake in the Library program is giving more students the chance to connect with local lakes in a fun, hands-on way,” said Grace St Clair, Lilly Center assistant director of education. “The aquariums in school libraries let students explore and learn about our lake ecosystems up close. By forming a bond with native fish, we hope they’ll feel inspired to help keep our lakes healthy for the future. We’re so grateful to have 1st Source alongside us inspiring the next generation.”

Additionally, Stories & S.T.E.M. events have been held at the Warsaw Community Public Library, and the Syracuse Public Library. At these events younger students listen to a story about freshwater creatures before doing an activity related to the material that they just learned.

“We appreciate the 1st Source Bank and the Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust,” said Dr. Nate Bosch, Creighton Brothers endowed director of the Lilly Center. “Education is one of our three main pillars at the Lilly Center along with research and collaboration. We’re grateful for this grant for our library programs as it will be greatly beneficial in helping us educate students in addition to field trips.”

1st Source Bank seeks to benefit the youth within Kosciusko County, aligning their passion with the Lilly Center. Hosting library events is a good way to teach students about our lakes and streams while it also brings traffic to the libraries in general.