Abigail Frost: a True Grassroots Activist

In the year 2000, Abigail Frost began to notice the stacks of garbage and junk that was floating in the river in front of her home. She had lived in many other parts of the country before and had always been able to swim in the rivers, but was soon to find out that that would not be possible at her new residence.

The Maumee River in Fort Wayne, Indiana- along with the St. Joseph and St. Mary's Rivers are too polluted to swim in and because of their trash-filled countenance they are really too filthy to enjoy at all.

Abigail Frost began a mission back in 2000 to find out what she could do to change all that and has been at it since. She began her own grassroots organization- Save the Maumee Grassroots Organization - and has been an active voice for the Three Rivers of Fort Wayne.

The Waynedale Green Alliance, highlights those who are truly grassroots activists -those who without fanfare or fame give mightily of themselves for a great cause.

Abigail Frost is our pick for A Grassroots True Activist Award. Recently we asked Abigail (or Abby, as she likes to be called) to give us some important information about the St. Mary's River. Our interest in the St. Mary's is community driven because Waynedale is surrounded by the St. Mary's River. Citizens here are interested in knowing what makes this river flow. Here is what we found out from Abigail Frost, founder of the Save the Maumee Grassroots Organization.

"Historically, the St. Mary's River was teeming with so many fish that canoes could easily be filled with whitefish by fishermen using only dip nets. During World War II the US Navy vessel St. Mary's River was named after this northeast Indiana river-section! Today does not paint a teeming wildlife picture due to problems in our watershed, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.

The St. Mary's River is approximately 100 miles long and formed in southern Auglaize County in western Ohio. It flows briefly west to Grand Lake and then northwest into Waynedale, ending in Fort Wayne.

The Three Rivers in Fort Wayne are actually the St. Joe and St. Mary's joining to form one river...the Maumee! Our rivers here are very important because they flow into the largest fresh water source in the world. The Great Lakes Watershed and the Wabash Watershed flow away from each other because their tributaries flow in different directions beginning in Eagle Marsh area between Fort Wayne and Waynedale. Ultimately water flows into the Mississippi & Gulf of Mexico west of Waynedale and tributaries from the east flow into the Great Lakes!

Fishermen still enjoy their sport, while paddlers glide easily upstream in the weak current of the St. Mary's. It is shallow and warm enough for nature savvy enjoyment. Luck may lead you to find the sweet fruit of the Paw Paw on the riverbanks. Indiana (Hoosier) Bananas or Paw Paws grow under the canopy of old growth areas. It tastes like a mix between a mango, banana and pineapple from the seedy sweet middle.

Being a favorite native fruit to the area, it was once up for Ohio adoption as their state native fruit!

Unfortunately, St. Mary's is listed on the 303d List of Impaired Water by the Environmental Protection Agency. Sedimentation/erosion, fertilizer, pesticides, household chemicals, medication, E. Coli, low Dissolved Oxygen, siltation, nutrients, ammonia and turbidity are causing habitat alterations. Impaired uses for the St. Mary's River and restrictions on fish consumption are due to mercury and PCB's of yesterday and today' industry. Heck, we thought flooding in Waynedale was the worst problem for residents!

Problems in our entire watershed should be a major concern for citizens in Indiana. One

Person cannot undo problems that stem from being in the heart of the rust belt of the 1920s, and the loose enforcement of environmental laws, however each individual can do their part to be part of the solution. Tax payers want to improve the economic, aesthetic and recreational value to fully utilize rivers. The answers are basic yet expensive, consequentially, this is overlooked.

River restoration is a necessity not a luxury. We depend on the services that healthy water provides at an extremely fundamental level. This is our water and your decision. For the sake of millions of people, be part of the solution."

We, at the Waynedale Green Alliance would like to thank Abigail for her informative piece concerning the St. Mary's River here in Fort Wayne.

We also are proud to issue our proclamation that Abigail Frost is a Grassroots True Activist.