Staff Spotlight: Zoe Lindemann

At the Indiana Park and Recreation Association, we believe it's imperative that our members get to know the staff that works tirelessly to provide you with the best IPRA experience possible. Zoe Lindemann comes to IPRA from Noblesville, IN and works closely with the Development and Events Coordinator to plan events, contact vendors, and provide our members with unique experiences that help to support our association and foundation. Read more about Zoe below!

Position at IPRA: Event Management Intern

How has your experience at IPRA contributed to your professional or personal interests?
My experience with IPRA has helped jump start my interest and experience with event management. The beginning of my internship with IPRA consisted of seeing the main fundraising event of the summer unravel. The Golf Outing gave me great experience on the preparation process involved before an event and gave me insight on the things that need to be considered ahead of time. As I reach the end of my internship, the organization of our brand new fall event has been my focus. With this task in mind, it has been beneficial to see the other side of the event that occurs before the final details of the event itself. It has been fun welcoming new companies into the IPRA family as they sign up to participate as vendors for our first fall fundraising event.

What parks have you visited in Indiana?
I love getting out to experience nature and had visited more parks than I can count in the last few years. My boyfriend and I make it a point to plan park visits into our summers while we are home from Ball State and utilize the lovely grounds Hamilton County and surrounding areas have to offer. My internship here has also given me the chance to visit Eagle Creek Park with the Golf Outing as well as Garfield Park.

How have parks contributed to or enriched your life?
Personally, one of my favorite parks is Eagle Creek. I think this park mimics my life as I never have the same experience twice no matter how many times I revisit. I have been to the park probably four or five times and all of them I look back and reflect on where I was in my life at the time. The first time I had visited the park was with my best friends from high school to take our senior pictures for graduation. I remember strolling the paths and looking for every possible photo op. The other times have been with my boyfriend. Each a different year where I can remember the conversations we had and how we bonded over appreciating nature just as much no matter which year I choose to remember.

What is your favorite park memory or experience?
I enjoyed my visit to Garfield Park with IPRA. During the tour of the facilities, our guide told us stories about the history of the space and how under the offices the park used to hold bears to be on display for the people that visited the park. I loved hearing about the history and past of the space and feeling the nostalgia that it brought walking through. After our tour, we also wandered around the park for a while and stumbled across the beautiful notorious Sunken Gardens along with the greenhouse. I distinctly remember taking pictures and all of a sudden hearing thunder and seeing dark clouds coming over the tree line forcing us to retreat to our car but that we all talked about coming back on our own time to fully experience the park.

What park are you excited to visit next? Please describe why.
I really would like to revisit Holliday Park. Although I have been there before once last summer, I didn't get to see the park in its finest state due to the renovations that were happening at the time. I would love to see the changes and restorations they have made to the ruins and have a refresher of the beautiful trails and rock formations in the park.