(La Porte County, IN) - More than 100 people with protective eyewear turned out to watch the solar eclipse on Monday afternoon at the Luhr Park Nature Center between LaPorte and Kingsbury.
The weather couldn’t have been more favorable, perhaps, with barely a cloud in the sky and 70-degree temperatures.
Donnie Fuller, who lives close to the park, said he didn’t know what to expect from 96 percent of the sun being covered by the moon, but felt the twilight conditions that existed were going to be darker. He was also surprised by how noticeably cooler the weather became at the peak of the eclipse.
“I think that’s pretty neat,” he said.
A lot of people like Maury Blair and his wife, Jill, from La Porte, came out in groups to experience the rare happening of the moon passing between the sun and earth.
“It’s like a half-eaten piece of cheese,” said his nine-year-old son, Ben, while looking at the sky with protective eyewear on about 30 minutes after the celestial event began.
Blair said he viewed the moment as a way to spend quality time with his family and to learn something along the way.
“It’s just a great opportunity to experience something educational. It only happens so many times. It’s very cool to experience this with him and the family,” he said.
Dustin Luse of Kingsbury took a striking close-up picture of the moon partially blocking the sun by zooming in with his cellphone camera through a protective lens on his glasses.
Luse said he was surprised at the results, affirming that he "sure was."
“It’s interesting,” said Kim Zurek, who brought her 12-year-old daughter, Carly. The LaPorte woman described the sun about halfway through the eclipse as “pierogi-shaped”
Kelcey Laine, also of La Porte, came with her sons Troy, 9, Jayce, 5, and Maverik, 4.
“I think it’s actually really cool. It’s something that’s a first-time experience for me and my kids,” she said.
Donna Grass came from Wanatah with her nine-year-old granddaughter, Mackenzie, who gave a thumbs up after looking at the moon passing over the sun for the first time with her protective eyeglasses on.
Some people showed up with their own protective eyewear, while others were given a free pair by employees of the La Porte County Public Library system. Library employees helped with the event in turn, which featured activities for children like a planet-themed story walk, the opportunity to make glasses for safely looking at the sun, and an eclipse art project.
La Porte County Park Department Superintendent Jeremy Sobecki said the same event at the Creek Ridge County Park near Michigan City drew a similar turnout.
“All of the parking lots are full,” he said.
Sobecki said attendance likely received a boost from the La Porte School Corporation keeping students at home for e-learning as a safety precaution.
“I think probably a lot of people thought 'Let’s go to the park,' and this is a great place to come out and check it out,” he said.
