Field Notes

“Let’s go fishing, grandpa!”

Many of the adventures Eddie Gill IV shared with his grandpa Gary began with these words. But, one highlight is crabbing in Australia when Eddie was about ten. With a laugh, Eddie remembers how a mud crab pinched him while they hunted for dinner.

Grandpa Gary shared his love of fishing with everyone, but Eddie shared his obsession at the early age of three. To this day, Eddie will show up at his grandpa’s house, fishing pole in hand, and the pair will head out to one of their favorite spots.

Eddie, an Indianapolis native, quickly developed an interest in marine biology. A gift for playing basketball led him to Grace College where he had a unique first visit. The basketball coach and the Lilly Center coordinated another student, Aaron Voirol, to take Eddie on a fishing trip on Winona Lake. Eddie recalls spending more time fishing than with the basketball team! He was entranced by the lakes and received an undergraduate degree in environmental science and a master’s in non-profit management.

At Grace College, he worked on several teams at the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams, including the research, aquarium, and education teams. It was during this time that director Dr. Nate Bosch and his staff equipped Eddie with skills he uses to this day. It was a career before his career, according to Eddie.

Since graduating in 2022, Eddie has held several roles at Friends of the White River (FOWR) in Indianapolis, including development manager and outdoor education director. This spring, he was named as executive director.

At FOWR, Eddie leads a passionate team dedicated to connecting central Indiana communities with the White River, working to protect, preserve, and promote this important waterway. The White River provides drinking water to much of Indianapolis and is an important economic and recreational driver in the area.

Eddie is not content simply working at a desk all day. He is deeply involved in their outdoor educational programs. From developing curriculum to leading safety briefings to rafting down the river with local students, Eddie uses the skills he learned at the Lilly Center to teach water literacy to his students, many of who are from the inner city.

“I’m very motivated to impact kids who have never had the opportunity to experience the river,” Eddie said. “I love stewarding the next generation of environmental leaders, educating them about the environment, and growing (or beginning) a passion for the outdoors.”

The summer of 2025 promises to be the best yet for FOWR. Thanks to a partnership with Indy Parks and Fishers Parks departments, FOWR is preparing six weeks of summer camp. During the school year, a collaboration with a local school creates opportunities for the entire 6^th grade cohort to raft on the river.

He loves hearing comments from rafters like, “I’ve never done anything like this before!” and, “I want to do this every day!”

Just as Grandpa Gary did, Eddie is passing on an environmental legacy to the next generation — including his two-year-old daughter, Alani.

“I want to leave this place better than how I inherited it,” Eddie said. “And I do that because I want my daughter and the rest of her generation to be able to enjoy the same natural spaces that I have enjoyed my whole life.”

Eddie uses the skills he developed at the Lilly Center every day to fulfill his mission on the White River. By investing in college students doing research and education, the Lilly Center empowers lake residents to multiply their impact far beyond the borders of Kosciusko County.