Photo By Katie Chandler | Kayak Ron holds up a rusted metal kerosene container discovered along the shoreline of...... read more read more
Volunteers play a crucial role in supporting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' mission, and one volunteer was recently recognized for his dedication to keep Patoka Lake pristine.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District’s Patoka Lake staff recognized Ron Sergesketter, also known as ‘Kayak Ron’, for winning this year’s National Volunteer Award at Patoka Lake in Dubois, Indiana April 7, 2025.
Patoka Lake Park Ranger Jim Merkley, who nominated Sergesketter for the honor, said the National Volunteer Award is presented by the Corps Foundation to recognize exceptional volunteer service. The award honors individuals, couples, or families who go above and beyond in donating their time, skills and talents. Their contributions must result in a meaningful impact to one or more of the USACE’s mission areas.
Besides being an avid kayaker, Sergesketter is driven to take care of Mother Nature by collecting and removing trash he comes across in his journeys. In winter when the lake is frozen, Sergesketter hikes along the water’s edge looking for trash or other issues that might need attention. The rest of the year, he can be found working from his kayak retrieving items such as dock buoys, tires, and in 2016, his most impressive find, a prosthetic leg—which he later returned to the owner.
The nickname “Kayak Ron” is more like a badge of honor for the countless hours of dedication to a place he knows like the back of his hand. A name used by not only USACE and the Indiana Department of Resources, but other local volunteers and frequent lake visitors, too.
Between mid-2021 and the fall of 2024, Kayak Ron volunteered 1,212 hours across 279 days.
“I just don’t like people coming here from out of town and thinking this place looks like trash,” said Sergesketter. “I treat it like my own. I call it my lake.”
This volunteer journey didn’t just start in 2021 though, its started in the late 1970’s with him, his brother and their canoe. They would paddle the waters together often returning with more trash than they did fish. Over the years, his instinct to pick up trash became habit, and the habit grew into a mission.
As time has passed, he has gotten more and more creative with his cleanup tactics. He’s turned discarded beach balls into trash bags, constructed a tow-behind trash float for his kayak and even repurposed items he finds along the way.
"Nature always provides," said Sergesketter. "Well, not nature. People."
His volunteer efforts are often solo, but he has joined forces occasionally with local scout troops and churches and plays a large role in the annual Patoka Lake Cleanup. The September 2024 Cleanup saw a rain event from Hurricane Helene and Sergesketter, along with 85 other volunteers, braved rainy and windy conditions to make the day a success.
For Kayak Ron, his volunteer efforts aren’t about recognition, it’s about setting an example and reminding others to pick up after themselves, as well as inspiring people to pitch in.
“You don’t have to join a group,” said Sergesketter. “Just do it.”
| Date Taken: | 04.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2025 12:34 |
| Story ID: | 496201 |
| Location: | DUBOIS, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Man on a mission: 'Kayak Ron' works to keep Patoka Lake pristine, by Katie Chandler, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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