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ABSR Community Foundation
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ABSR Events for 2025
Winterfest event Feb 22
Easter Egg Hunt Apr 19
Spring Mustard Pull Apr 26
Memorial Day Coffee May 26
Garden & Art Walk July 13
Necktie 5K & Walk June 14
Summerfest July 26
ABSR Annual Sept. 6
Meeting
Neighborhood Parties Mid Sept
Halloween Oct 25
Holiday Hop(e) Dec 13
ABSR Board Meetings:
First Saturday of the month
except July 2025 which is June 28
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ABSR Mailing Address:
PO Box 458
Beverly Shores, IN 46301-0458
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2025 Sand Tracks Editors:
Jan Donna Excell-Steffel
Feb Janene Jonas
Mar Marvin Makinen
Apr Donna Excell-Steffel
May Dean Conrad
June Diana Stezalski
July Janene Jonas
Aug Dean Conrad
Sept Donna Excell-Steffel
Oct Dean Conrad
Nov Diana Stezalski
Dec Marvin Makinen
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Please click on Member Login (top upper right) to access member information, including Sand Tracks when on a computer. Also, you can Click Here to go to Login
If you are a current ABSR member and you have never logged into the website, you will need to send a valid email address that you want linked to your membership information to: Nancy Nichols, Email: Nichols-Nancy@comcast.net
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ABSR Membership or Renewal!
Joining ABSR or renewing your membership is quick and easy. Join/renew online or download a membership form located on the sidebar of this webpage. If you have questions or need help, please call Nancy Nichols at nichols-nancy@comcast.com.
2025 Beverly Shores Garden and Art Walk
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Garden Play – Inside and Out
This year we invite you to step beyond gates and doorways to enjoy our gardens inside and out. Each stop on this year’s tour will feature unique perspectives and features created by nature and the homeowners. You will be able to view some gardens from inside the houses.
Plein air artists will be painting onsite and some paintings will be available for sale.
Tickets are available only in advance at www.absr.org for $20. You may use your ticket to enter the drawing for an original painting by a local artist. Check in between 10am – noon for wristbands (required for transportation and entry to the gardens), maps and brochures of the locations.
Register here: 2025 Garden and Art Walk - 7/13/2025
Parking is limited. We encourage guests to use bicycles and golf carts, or ride the shuttle bus. In addition, guests must be able to manage stairs at some houses.
All proceeds from this event benefit the gardens maintained by Association of Beverly Shores Residents and Environmental Restoration Group.
NECKTIE
Walk & Run
2025
Saturday, June 14
8 AM
Celebrate Father’s Day weekend with us!
www.NecktieRun.com 
The BSVFD constructed and installed 230 reflective signs! A big thanks to the team for all their hard work!
For those of you who missed out on the program and would like a sign, please download the DIY instructions using the link below.
Reflective Sign DIY Instructions
ABSR Treasurer's Report
Paul Kleinaitis, ABSR's Treasurer prepared the following financial reports, the 2019-2024 historical spreadsheet and a comparison of fiscal year 2024 verses fiscal year 2023.
Recap of the ABSR Annual Meeting September 7, 2024
Joe & Freddy's Bar & Grille was the location for the 2024 Annual Meeting.
President Bobbi Petru welcomed the attendees and thanked all the Board Members and volunteers for all their hard work during the past year.
Treasurer Paul Kleinaitis presented a review of our finances both Year to Date as well as a summary of transactions from 2019-2024. The organization is in good financial standing.
ABSR makes annual contributions to the Depot, ABSR Community Foundation and ERG. He also reminded the attendees that volunteers are the heart of ABSR events.
Meg Bero thanked ABSR for the contribution to replace the ten-year-old computer and scanner for the Depot Museum.
On behalf of the Nominating Committee, Leslie McLean presented the 2024-25 slate of directors. Nancy Nichols moved to approve the 2024-25 slate as presented; Marcia Metzcus seconded. The new Board was elected unanimously by voice vote.
2024-25 Board of Directors
Nancy Cassidy
Donna Excell-Steffel
Nancy Garrity
Lorraine Fitzgerald
Laura Hennessey
Carmen Hernandez
Janene Jonas
Ed Kleese
Paul Kleinaitis
Sandy Komasinski
Susan Loeb
Chris May
Leslie McLean
Brian McSweeney
Marcia Metzcus
Nancy Nichols
Candice Peterson-Smith
Bobbi Petru
Monique Rub
Annette Young
The Board has all returning members except Susan Thomas, who is leaving after eight years.
Leslie McLean thanked Bobbi Petru for the leadership she demonstrated through the last two years as president. With the October Board meeting, Nancy Nichols will be president.
Marcia Metzcus thanked to the Sand Tracks editors for putting together the monthly issues.
Nancy Nichols reporting for Monique Rub: September 28 is the first Neighborhood Backyard/Block Parties. This is a joint effort of the Program Committee and Membership Committee to welcome new residents, and connect neighbors.
David Phelps, President of Town Council, thanked Marcia Metzcus for her reporting on the Town Council meetings in each Sand Tracks.
The attendees enjoyed a tasty brunch at the conclusion of the meeting.
Fire Department Pre-planning Home VisitsAt a recent town council meeting Firefighter Jay Hennessey presented “2024 Town of Beverly Shores Fire Pre-Planning.” The purpose of the presentation was to explain how the Fire Department is trying to prepare to save lives and reduce injuries in case of fire.
The Shores Fire Department is offering free, in-home fire pre-planning for all residents. A Beverly Shores Volunteer Firefighter will come to your home to determine the best Fire Department access to your home in case of a fire and obtain other key information including the number of residents and pets, the location of the kitchen and bedrooms; and where the utilities enter the home.
To participate in fire pre-planning for your home, residents should call Hennessey at (505) 287-0059.
Click the image below to download the Fire Department presentation.
Beverly Shores is the world’s 7th
International Dark Sky Community
Click on image above to go to actual brochure
Click Here for the Beverly Shores Dark Sky Community Webpage
WGN TV Features Beverly Shores
NPR Radio Story on Dark Sky
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Nature Depends Upon Their Admonishing Smile
“But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime. Seen in the streets of cities, how great they are! If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson could not have imagined, back in 1836 when he wrote those words, that there actually would be a future when the stars could not come out. Now we know that all the creatures of Nature need the starry sky for their existence. The following article explains that much more is at stake than our esthetic riches when the stars become invisible.
Click Here to Read the Article ABSR Volunteer Corner
If you are interested in volunteering to help us with an event, please contact Maureen Shick, Volunteer Coordinator, Cell: 312-933-6675. Do you have kids in Beverly Shores?
Check out our new group for the younger members of our community - Kids of Beverly Shores (KOBS).
Completed 2024 ABSR Events
 Donations to benefit the Salvation Army Food Pantry and The Westchester Food Pantry
Last chance to win a “Mystery Dinner” for 10, prepared and served by ABSR board members in a beautiful lakefront home. Every $50 you donate to the Holiday HopE fund earns one chance to win- every $100 earns three chances. Food pantries report a higher than normal need this year so if you have not yet donated please consider doing so. Money will be shared between the Westchester and Salvation Army food pantries. You may write a check directly to either organization and mail it to ABSR PO Box 458 or donate on line at www.absr.org. December 15 is our fundraiser deadline. Winner will be drawn and announced on December 16.
 ABSR JOINS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN THANKING ED BRACKEN AND THE CITZEN VOLUNTEERS FOR PROTECTING OUR LAKEFRONT
The morning of Saturday, October 23rd was sunny, the air was crisp, and the waves were gentle. It was a perfect day to honor Ed Bracken along with resident volunteers for their dedicated work and financial contributions in fixing the damage to our lakefront and road in late 2019-2020.
A crowd gathered at Rebora Plaza to sip cider and coffee while offering their support and congratulations to Ed. Town Council President, Geof Benson talked about the Town’s efforts to mitigate the damage from unprecedented high waves and winds. He acknowledged that it was a scary time, but how with Ed’s expertise and generous spirit our Town has able to reconfigure the lakeshore with protective armor stone, sand, and rip rap.
Benson also acknowledged the donations of money by residents and offered his sincere thanks to all the resident volunteers who donated their endless hours, patience and fortitude in guiding cars, bikers, and pedestrians along the Lake Front Drive so the work Ed and his crew could do the work as safely and as expeditiously as possible. Benson ended his remarks on a more somber tone, noting that the work continues as damage from water run-off and fall storms continues.
Benson presented Ed with a wooden plaque saying Bracken Beach to commemorate Ed’s work, which the Park Board will install at the gazebo at Rebora Beach, and Monique Rub and Bob Young presented the volunteers with a coffee mug capturing Ed comfortably sitting on his backhoe. The program ended with residents taking the mic and offering their personal thanks to Ed with humor and gratitude. Visit the ABSR website to view a short video of a portion of a documentary created by Jonathan Jackson about the emergency work done in 2020. It memorializes our lakefront in 2020.
Click Here to Watch a Short Video of the Ceremony
In The Water
In honor of Earth Month, documentary film maker and Indiana Environmental Reporter journalist Beth Edwards has graciously agreed to share the link to "In the Water," her film chronicling the impact of coal ash on our neighbors in the Town of PInes. Click on the link to view at your convenience, and watch for a panel discussion on this appearing in April on Indiana Public Media's station WFYI's health news initiative "Side Effects."
Northwest Community Action Corporation (NWICA), a community-minded not-for-profit, is the largest combined Area Agency on Aging and Community Action Agency in Indiana. They help to eliminate barriers to independence through a variety of services and advanced regional knowledge.
2-1-1 is a free community service. Call them for information or to seek help in a crisis 24 hours a day, every day. Simply dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-826-7871 or
Click Here to go to their Website
Michigan City - Michigan City Farmer’s Market. You’ll find locally grown produce, local cheeses, proteins, baked items, and foods from local artisans. Vendors are required to produce all their own items to ensure they are providing fresh, local, and healthy food options. Wednesday Market: June 15 - September 28 (4pm-8pm) Saturday Market: April 30 - October 30 (8am-1pm) Location: 8th & Washington Street, Michigan City, IN
Chesterton - Chesterton’s European Market. The European Market provides a strong tradition of quality shopping, live entertainment and a festive community experience. The artists, chefs, merchants and farmers travel from across Indiana, Michigan and Illinois to offer visitors an extraordinary collection of products and services. The Market is every Saturday from the beginning of May through the end of October from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Location: Broadway and Third Street, next to Thomas Centennial Park in Chesterton, IN.
Porter County – The Valparaiso compost site, 2150 W. Lincolnway, and the Boone Grove compost site, 400 West 550 South, will open for the season March 28, to give Porter County residents a location to drop off and recycle yard waste from their spring yard cleanups. (3/7/16) Click Here to Go to News Article
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If you have photos that you would like to be considered for Photos of Interest, please submit them to John Blackburn at johnblackburn.chicago@gmail.com
ABSR Strategic Planning 2021
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NWI Times Article 03/03/2013 - "Volunteers help light up the sky in Beverly Shores"
NWI Times Article 12/30/2013 - "Beverly Shores a community in harmony with nature"
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WEBSITE DISCLAIMERS:
CONTENT DISCLAIMER:
The Association of Beverly Shores Residents (ABSR) provides the information on this site for your information. The individual authors are solely responsible for the content of the newsletter, various articles, electronic mails, and forum postings. ABSR does not make any representations about the veracity of this information. The documents on this website were current when posted, but may have changed since then and should not be relied on. When ABSR becomes aware that posted information is no longer up to date, we may remove the information from the site or post a notice indicating that the information is out of date, either option to be at the ABSR’s discretion.
ADVERTISEMENT DISCLAIMER:
The Association of Beverly Shores Residents (ABSR) does not endorse any advertisements placed on this website by any business, organization or other entity. The presence of any advertisement on our website does not indicate or imply in any way that we approve either the content of the ad, the quality of the product or service advertised, or the business, organization or entity that placed the ad.
LINKS DISCLAIMER:
The Association of Beverly Shores Residents (ABSR) does not endorse the links from this website. ABSR provides these links as a matter of convenience only. The presence of a link on our website does not mean that we approve or endorse the linked site, its content, or the organization that oversees it. We cannot be responsible for the operations of the linked site. These links may malfunction without notice. If you encounter a faulty link, please inform our Webmaster.
PHOTOGRAPH DISCLAIMER
This website is for the enjoyment of those past and present members of the Association of Beverly Shores Residents (ABSR) and other interested parties, and any information contained herein is not authorized for redistribution in any manner. These photographs have been published without the explicit consent of the people depicted. If you find yourself depicted in any photograph and wish to be removed, please contact the Webmaster and describe the web page and photo involved.
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