Meet Izzy Endsley! Izzy is 23 and has lived in NWI all her life. She grew up running the streets of Tamarack without shoes in the summer and “shredding” the hill at The Pines in the winter. Izzy graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts studying Visual Communications Design. She currently works as a Graphic Designer for Brian Hall Design Group in Chicago, commuting every day! Izzy is starting to get involved more with the community and is very excited to start helping Dig the Dunes! She comes from a family of entrepreneurs and has dreams of starting her own business in the future. She has two dogs (Jd & Mace) and one cat (Bean) and currently resides in Chesterton with her boyfriend Ryan. She enjoys going to the European Market in Chesterton on Saturdays and trying new beers at local restaurants.
What brought you to the dunes? I grew up here! As a kid my grandmother would bring me to the trails, beach, Mount Baldy and I would participate in junior ranger activities with my older brother.
How long did you live here? I still live here, was away at school for four years and have been back for almost a year and a half now.
What is your favorite thing to do in the area? Go out to eat! We have some great food in the area. But of course walking the trails and coffee creek is always a great place to go, I love walking my two dogs there.
Tell us a secret about the dunes. If you dig deep enough under the monkey bars at the jungle gym near the entrance of trail nine ( at least I think it was that one) you might find my favorite blue velvet scrunchy I lost 18 years ago…
Give us your top three “hidden treasures” (restaurant, shop, trail, beach, event…really anything!)
a) Villa Nova Pizza (half price dine-in pizzas on Sundays…so yummy!)
b) Shipshewana Antique Auctions…..but if you like refurbished antiques check out GO FISH in Sawyer, Michigan.
d) One more! Yoga Mecca in Chesterton.
What would you like to teach people about the dunes? I helped plant some Marram dune grass at the beach a long time ago, I should do it again sometime…we all should! I remember learning how the the roots of the grass keep the dunes from eroding, which is so important if we want our dunes to last!
Anything else? My first project for Dig the Dunes was to help design a t-shirt! Our goal is to raise money for Save the Dunes. Please be on the lookout for the design. Shirts will be for sale at the First Annual Dig the Dunes Art Exhibit at Troybuilt Fitness as well as online!