Geneva site has a new manager

For Nicky Ball, it was all a matter of bringing the puzzle pieces together.

On the job since Jan. 3 as the new site manager at the Limberlost State Historic Site in Geneva, Ball taught for 11 years.

But she always had a yearning for the outdoors.

Born in Algonac, Michigan, she received her degree in English and geography education from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. But the outdoors beckoned even then.

“Every summer I would go home and work at Algonac State Park,” she said. “I’ve always loved parks and the outdoors.”

As she began her teaching career in Quincy, Michigan, she continued to spend summers working in parks and giving guided tours.

“I just had a love of nature,” she said.

The seasonal work eventually led to a summer as an interpretative naturalist at Pokagon State Park in northeastern Indiana. The jump across the state line proved to be no problem as she worked with a team of other summer workers.

Because of her background in the classroom, she focused at Pokagon on a series of programs on geology and the history of the park.

“I loved working at Pokagon and said to myself, ‘Boy, if I could do this full-time.’”

After more than a decade in classrooms at the middle school and high school level, she was ready for a career change.

So when the Limberlost opening was posted because of the retirement of longtime site manager Randy Lehman, she jumped at the chance.

That’s when the puzzle pieces came together.

“This place combines literature, history and nature,” she said of the Limberlost cabin that was home to naturalist and author Gene Stratton-Porter.

At the moment, Ball, 33, is still settling in to her new surroundings and new routine.

She’s living in Geneva during the week and spending weekends with her husband Jeremy Ball at their home in Quincy.

He currently teaches seventh grade social studies and serves as softball coach for Olivet College.

With the programming already in place for 2017, Ball and naturalist Curt Burnette are already brainstorming for new activities in 2018.

“Everyone here has just been extremely helpful and welcoming,” she said, noting that Lehman continues to be devoted to the site as a volunteer.