Welcome Elijah Stewart!

Hello, ACRES family!

I’m thrilled to join ACRES as its new Communications Manager! For the past ten years, I have been the Communication Director for a non-profit in my hometown of Columbia City. I look forward to bringing all those years of experience to ACRES and continuing its mission of protecting land forever.

So, what drew me to ACRES?

I grew up spending summers outdoors in the woods behind our house and evenings staring at the stars for hours. Admittedly, as a young boy, most of my time was probably spent disturbing nature rather than preserving it – but we all grow. And while I spent many years in those woods, it wasn’t until as recently as 2020 that I would truly be moved by nature.

A canceled trip to Ireland left me, my wife and some of our friends scrambling to salvage our vacation. Through luck, we found ourselves nestled in a lodge in the High Sierras. There, my soul was stirred, and my love for the outdoors took root.

This past spring, my family and I ventured down to beautiful Kokiwanee for the first time. We spent the day hiking to the waterfalls and marveling at the thousands of tadpoles swimming in the shallow pools on the banks of the Salamonie River. “This has been the best day ever!” one of my girls exclaimed.

So, why ACRES? Because it was at an ACRES property that my girls discovered their love of the outdoors. And I can’t wait to help others uncover that passion as well!