Chikaming Open Lands Annual Report 2019
Dear Friends of Chikaming Open Lands,
We are pleased to share the 2019 Annual Report highlighting the preservation work completed last year. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2020, we applaud the multiplicity of ways your support has allowed COL to emerge as a major player in protecting in perpetuity 2,000 acres of natural habitat for the enjoyment of the local communities. Thank you.
Concurrently, we must acknowledge the global pandemic that is bringing unprecedented challenges to the world. In our own local community, however, we are pleased to report that COL can be a beacon of hope. We have five preserves that are open with well groomed and clearly marked trails. A walk in the woods is a good antidote for “cabin fever” and health experts extoll the physical/mental benefits of such activity. We welcome the public to visit (please observe social distancing guidelines) and assure you we are working to keep the trails accessible and safe. In this time of severely restricted social activity, the community is benefiting from the many years spent investing together to preserve the natural habitat of our service area.
With the strong foundation laid over the last 20 years, and with your continued support, COL will persist through these difficult days. Let me assure you that our commitment could not be stronger for preserving the areas open spaces and natural character for the enjoyment of this and future generations.
Sincerely,
David Eblen
Board President
Burns Prairie
20 Years of Making Our Community Better
It all started in December of 1999. That’s when Chikaming Open Lands was officially founded by two couples—Peter and Jeanie Van Nice, and Steve and Jean Smith—whose concern about burgeoning development in this corner of Southwest Michigan spurred them into action. Twenty years later, we have been able to preserve many of the cherished natural places we all share… woodlands boasting soaring canopies, prairies dotted with colorful wildflowers, wetlands teeming with wildlife, dunes plunging to the lakefront, and fertile agricultural lands providing food for our tables.
During this time, we’ve accumulated lots of stories around these shared open spaces, and of the people who have built strong connections with these lands. We’ll be telling some of these stories throughout this year. For our Annual Report, here’s one from 2019.
Once Upon a Time, There Was a Little Prairie…
When it was donated to us by Lloyd and Patricia Burns in 2012, Burns Prairie Preserve was a 12-acre tract of fallow farm field on Mount Zion Road in Galien Township. After a successful restoration undertaken in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a prairie emerged, featuring native grasses and an abundance of wildflowers in bloom in the summer months. It was a true Cinderella story!
Fast forward a few years… the property next door became available. To say we were interested is an understatement. Why? When we are looking at protecting a new piece of land, of course we consider ecological value, important plant and/or animal habitat, or the potential for outdoor recreation. Those are all very important elements. But here’s one more: is it adjacent to an existing protected property? This is because adding adjacent land to properties already under protection allows larger contiguous areas for wildlife to call home, provides additional space for native flora to flourish, and can increase public access.
Even better, it was land the current owner had already restored to tall-grass prairie. So in 2019, using funds donated through the William Knack Memorial Fund, we acquired a portion of that land—12 acres to be exact—allowing us to double the size of Burns Prairie Preserve.
But the story doesn’t end there! We continued to work with the landowner to acquire another 14 acres of the property just to the north of the new addition, expanding Burns Prairie even further. With funding from lead donors Jim and Judy Neuman, the William Knack Memorial Fund, and other individual donors, we were able to create a 38-acre protected natural area that we are excited to share with the community. Our future plans for the expanded Burns Prairie Preserve include hiking trails and off-road parking, and other recreational improvements, so that everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful place. And for us, that’s about as “happily ever after” as it gets!
2019 Financials
Chikaming Open Lands 2019 Income
Chikaming Open Lands 2019 Expenses
Figures are under audit at time of publication. Audited 2019 financial statements will be available upon request once complete.
Chikaming Open Lands 2019 Income
Chikaming Open Lands 2019 Expenses
Figures are under audit at time of publication. Audited 2019 financial statements will be available upon request once complete.
Highlights
Donor List
Chikaming Open Lands wishes to acknowledge the following individuals and organizations for their generous support and assistance. Gifts listed were received January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. Note that in the event of multiple gifts, they have been totaled within the related sections. Please accept our sincere apologies for any unintentional errors or omissions and let us know by calling 1-269-405-1006 or emailing us at COL@chikamingopenlands.org so that we may correct future listings.
Gifts Restricted to Land Protection Projects
Special thanks to the following donors, whose contributions made the named projects possible.
Burns Prairie Extension
Jim & Judy Neuman
Louis & Barbara Price
Ryan Postema
Younger Family Preserve
Joan Younger Stevian
Jerry Becker
Barry & Rebecca Friedland
Glenn Griffin
Susan & Paul Gunty
John Hendrickson
Anita Jacobson
Geraldine Kilcoyne
Aditya Merchant
Ford & Judith Powell
Bruce Wexelberg
Nokmes Creek Preserve
Betsy & Jim Benoit
Memorials
Judith Brown Stewardship Fund
Jeanne & Bob Ganchiff
In Memory of Rosemary Flinn
Chikaming Country Club Women's Golf Association
Rosamonde Drabkin
David & Susan Eblen
Tim & Gina Ford
Sidney Funston
Anne Girton
Graham Services
Victoria Herget & Robert Parsons
Gina & Dan Howe
Richard Hughes & Jean Ann Hughes
Daniel & Michele Kaiser
Vickie Kaiser
Caro Parsons
Passaro, Kahne & Taylor
Linda Puvogel & Michael O'Halloran
William & Nancy Racine
Frank & Joanne Sims
Stephen & Jean Smith
Frank & Janis Tomecek
Stephen & Elizabeth Upton
Paul & Marjorie Valliere
David White
In Memory of Gregory Kaiser
Carolyn Andress
Cheryl & Douglas Anthony
John Banks
Rigel Barber
Randy Barnard
June Bowman & Larry R. Bowman
Michelle Branch
Fred & Janet Brecht
Scott & Kris Bretl
Brooks Architectural, Inc.
Bryan Davis Plumbing
Ellen Carnahan
Susan Chapman
Candice Conley
Chikaming Country Club
Chikaming Country Club Women's Golf Association
Christy Corkery
Patricia Curtner & Tim McGree
Mary DelMariani
Sheila & Richard Dragomer
Stanley & Joni Dubbert
Scott & Kris Ebeling
David & Susan Eblen
Kim Emig
Bill Erickson
Joseph & Patti Jo Farago
Barbara Franzon
Jill Garling
Gregory Gerber
Stanford & Ann Dudley Goldblatt
Janice Gonzales
Douglas & Lori Grover
Debra Gunderson
Scott & Rosemary Gunnison
Michael & Donna Heckathorn
Victoria Herget & Robert Parsons
Steven Hillegas
John & Kerrie Hoodlebrink
Huggett Betten Corporation
Lorraine Jaffe
Michael & Cynthia Jakeway
Candice & Eugene Johnston
Margaret Jones
Glenn & Susan Kaminski
Larry & Karen Kaser
Diane & Mark Kite
Jerry & Anna Koebel
Jamie Lange
Amy Leadstrom
Le Valley Cheverolet-Buick-GMC, Inc.
Scott & Kathleen Loess
Mark McKie
Edward & Mary Mohr
Velma Neeley
Tony & Cindy Olson
Kathleen Osburn
Karen Pacheco
Kelly Pait
Steve Parker
Caro Parsons
James Parsons
Passaro, Kahne & Taylor
Edward Peters
Jami Przybylinski
Kari Pullins
Linda Puvogel & Michael O'Halloran
Kathryn Quinn
William & Nancy Racine
Clay & Barb Robinson
Robert Rosholt
James & Mary Rouse
John & Roxanne Rudolph
David & Cathy Schaffer
Gary & Rebecca Schaffer
Patricia & Gary Schultz
Tracy Schwyn
Frank & Joanne Sims
Charles Sittig
Horace & Susan Smith
Stephen & Jean Smith
Elise Reitan Storevik
Dennis & Mary Jean Unruh
Vail Rubber Works, Inc.
Peter & Jeanie Van Nice
Tana Vaughan
Kendall Verbeek
Charles von Weise
Paul & Michele Wagner
Linda West
Scott & Kellie Williams
Shelby Workman
Grants Received From
Earl & Brenda Shapiro Foundation
Frank G. & Gertrude Dunlap Fund
Lakeshore Rotary Club
The Land Trust Alliance
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Rotary Club of Harbor Country
St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Foundation
STS Foundation
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Annual Gifts* Received January 1 through December 31, 2019
The Conservation Circle
Conservation Circle members make annual gifts of $1,000 or more to Chikaming Open Lands.
$10,000+
Shirley Anderson
Alan & Cynthia Berkshire
Earl & Brenda Shapiro Foundation
Victoria J. Herget & Robert Parsons
Steve & Peggy McCormick
Jim & Judy Neuman
Larry Shulman and Rhonda Rochambeau
Richard & Nancy Spain
Peter & Jeanie Van Nice
$5,000-9,999
Michael & Rosalind Keiser
Meryle M. Merritt
Randy Mitchell & Lisa Gregg
William & Nancy Racine
Stephen & Jean Smith
$2,000-4,999
Eugene & Meredith Clapp
John & Carmen Cordogan
David & Susan Eblen
Frank G. & Gertrude Dunlap Fund
Ellen Frankle
John & Martha Gibson
Stanford & Ann Dudley Goldblatt
Deborah Hall-Kayler & Allan Kayler
Douglas Hoerr & Tracy Taylor
George Lucas
Louisa Rice Malkin
Scott & Laura Malkin
Constance McKeague
Toni & Ned Morris
Rose Parisi & Don Meckley
Sue Phelan
Kathy Pick
Linda Puvogel & Michael O’Halloran
Frank Quinn & Craig Andree
Clay & Barb Robinson
Bob Scales & Mary Keefe
Keith & Marnie Schwartz
Susan & Lee Stahl, III
Jim & Martha Stevens-Gingrich
Thomas & Carole Shortlidge
Frank & Joanne Sims
Donna Wetzler & William Webb
Gregg & Susan Wilson
$1,000-1,999
Roger Allen
Nancy & Skip Aque
Michael & Elayne Bednar
Lee & Lisa Bloom
Jackie & Stephen Bossu
Terri & Bill Breach
Ellen Carnahan
Patricia Curtner & Tim McGree
Joseph & Patti Jo Farago
Marshall B. Front & Laura DeFerrari
Elijah Vaughn Gordy & Patricia Mulcahy
Rob Gow & Chris Pfauser
Melvin & Sue Gray
Scott & Rosemary Gunnison
Chris & Jessica Hehmeyer
Anne Hillman
Steven & Mary Hollander
James Kartheiser & Katherine Kennedy-Kartheiser
Steven Koch
Eileen & Richard Kochanny
Gerald & Beverly Kohn
Leo & Susan Krusack
Lynn & Eva Maddox
Robert McDermott & Sarah Jaicks
Stephen & Cindy Mitchell
Caro Parsons
Donald & Muffy Parsons
James Parsons
Jack Pizzo
Ryan J. Postema
Louis & Barbara Price
The Prairie Club
William and Mary Purdy
John & Jeaneane Quinn
Kathryn Quinn
John Michael Rafkin & Anita Levin
Frank & Theresa Richter
Robert Rosholt
Dr. Paul S. Russell
Jo Anne Rydholm
Marge & Ron Spears
Mary Strahota
Margaret Thompson & Glen Cox
John Trinta
Errett & Julia Van Nice
Terry & Jan Walsh
Barbara Warren
Don White
$500-999
Lloyd & Jo Ellen Anderson
Tremaine Atkinson
Michele & John Donley
Rosemary Flinn
Sharon & Ted Flint
Meredith George
Ryan Granholm
Elizabeth Malkin Haviland & Jordan Haviland
Enrico & Amy Heirman
Frederic & Katherine Hickman
Richard & Jean Ann Hughes
Joseph Jeziorski
Nancy Johnson
Laura & Fred Jolly
John Karas
Jurate & Carl Landwehr
Stephen & Katherine McCurdy
Margaret McCurry & Stanley Tigerman
Mary McPherson & John Gunner Gooch
Catherine Nowacki
Irwin & Andra Press
Jack Raba & Suzanne Muellman
Steven Shevell & Jeanne Marsh
Anne & Paul Sidrys
Reid & Franki Smith
Doug Stephen
Jennifer Thompson
Tana Vaughan & Don Meyer
Karen Ytterberg
Jeanne & Errol Zimmerman
$250-499
Joel & Lynn Altschul
Christine Orders & John Asplin
David & Jessica Axelrod
Marie Becker
Berrien Birding Club
Mary & Paul Binder
Shirley Bumba
Dave Camp
Herb & Beth Carlson
Richard & Brenda Carlson
Gail Chapman
Deborah & John Chipman
Andy & Peg Cooper
Alison & Fred Daley
Steven Diller
Rosamonde Drabkin
Daniel DuBay & Dominic Raso
Bill Erickson
Tom Everill & Joan Christ
Burton & Anne Fishman
Tim & Gina Ford
David Foster & Melissa Wynne
Michelle Geoga
James & Georgiana Gormley
Bruce & Carolyn Graham
Dan & Sharon Hunter-Smith
Greta & Bill Hurst
Laurie & Steve Kaufman
Vicki Kayser Rugo
Florence Larsen
Scott & Kathleen Loess
Richard & Georgia Lyman
Mike & Connie Magnuson
William & Shari Massey
Robin & Mariele McBride
Tom & Susan McDonough
John McKee
Richard & Donna Meckley
Michal Miller
George & Gladys Novy
Karen Pacheco
Werner & Sue Petterson
George & Andrea Platz
Patrick & Rose Pollard
Ron Rohde
Paul & Mary Rook
Thomas Rossman
Susan & Charles Schwartz
Kathy & Collin Sprau
Bob & Donna Stevenson
Timothy Sullivan, DVM & Mike Humphrey
Bob Tatina & Nancy Baird
John & Susan Tingle
Frank & Janis Tomecek
Paul & Susan Van Nice
Marie Wester
Thomas White & Lynn Taylor
Shelby Workman
$125-249
Arthur Anderson
Linda Anderson & Paul Cromheecke
Carolyn Andress
Randy Barnard
Elizabeth Brooks
David & Dale Clarke
James & Patricia Dayton
Monique & Thomas Demery
Rita Dickey
Richard & Vicki DuFour
Tom & Linda Dunne
Thomas & Sheryl Farnham
Sidney Funston
Jeanne & Bob Ganchiff
Dr. Dennis Gates
Betty & Harold Gibson
Carol Grant
Kevin & Melinda Haight
Cynthia Homan & Mary Kay Czerwiec
Huggett Betten Corporation
Patricia Lauth
Le Valley Cheverolet-Buick-GMC, Inc.
Kip Miller
Elise Paschen & Stuart Brainerd
Karen & George Petraitis
Joanne Postema
Laura Roberts & Mark Montgomery
Lou & Marilyn Rose
Harold & Margo Russell
Jake & Stephanie Russell
Tim & Kelly Russell
Kenneth & Jean Schiffer
Marcy & Daniel Schlessinger
Frank & Irene Scholer
Stan & Jay Showalter
Horace & Susan Smith
Lewis & Ellen Smith
Ursula Storb & Terry Martin
Karen & Tom Tarpley
Two Rivers Coalition
Stephen & Elizabeth Upton
Richard & Jamee Wiet
Norris & Sharon Young
Up to $124
Carlos & Frances Alcantara
Cheryl Rae & Douglas Anthony
Patricia Collins & Ed Bancroft
John Banks
JoAnne Beertema
Glynis Benbow-Niemier & Tom Niemier
Ingrid & Philip Berman
Beth Beson
William & Keek Bielby
Michael & Carol Bilder
Marc Bilka
Glen & Dolores Bjorkman
Carol Brunkowski & Robert Blitstein
Scott Bloom
Nick & Sally Bogert
June E. & Larry R. Bowman
Michelle Branch
Fred & Janet Brecht
Scott & Kris Bretl
Ralph & Carol Brotherton
Rev. W. Noel Brown
Bryan Davis Plumbing
Chuck Bueter
Edmond & Molly Burke
Thomas Cavenagh
Susan Chapman
Morton Chethik
Chikaming Country Club
Chikaming Country Club Women’s Golf Association
Phyllis Christ
Kathryn Clarke & William Kaplan
Eleanor & Fred Coe
Candice Conley
Joan E. Coogan
Judith Cook
Kim Cook
Christy Corkery
James & Rita Crimmins
Hilary Critchfield
Bernie & Beth Dahl
Dan Dale & Nancy Jones
Margo & Raoul Davion
Mary DelMariani
Louis & Cathy Desenberg
Charles & Jill Deuser, II
George & Ann Dobie
Teresa Douglass
Douglass Family Harbert Partnership
Doug Dow & Pam Fiebig
Sheila & Richard Dragomer
Stanley & Joni Dubbert
Scott & Kris Ebeling
Mac Eblen
Frank Edwards & Ann Williams
Steve & Cindy Ellis
Carter & Susan Emerson
Kim Herrod Emig
Luz & David Engman
Nancy Felton-Elkins
Cookie Ferguson
Beverly Fields
Ann & Bob Flesvig
Thomas Flint
Robert & Nancy Fournier
Mary Alexis Fox
Mary Fox
Barbara Franzon
Madalene Frazier
Becky Frederick
Jill Garling
Gregory Gerber
Diane Gibbons
Jayne Gibson
Jill Gilbert
Timothy Gilfoyle & Mary Rose Alexander
Anne Girton
Charles & Olive Glaser
Janice Gonzales
Navin & Marilynn Gorawara
Bruce & Sue Gottschall
Ralph & June Grandle
Dennis Grether & Catherine Kelly
Glenn & Eunie Griffin
Doug & Laurie Grover
Gail Hadley
Janet Hayes
Michael & Donna Heckathorn
Darlene Heemstra
Tara Heiser
Nancy Hertel
Steven Hillegas
Michigan Audubon Society
Debra Gunderson
John & Kerrie Hoodlebrink
Gina & Dan Howe
Lorraine Jaffe
Michael & Cynthia Jakeway
Paul Johansson
David & Anne Johnson
Candice & Eugene Johnston
Cynthia & Jean Joho
Kathleen Jones
Margaret Lorraine Jones
Laurie Kagann
Daniel & Michele Kaiser
Vickie Kaiser
Robert & Janet Kallberg
Glenn & Susan Kaminski
Larry & Karen Kaser
Susan Kavanaugh
Roy Kavlock
Frances Kent
Kregg Kiel
Geraldine & Patrick Kilcoyne
Philip Kinsella
David & Frankie Kirby
Diane & Mark Kite
Nancy Klos
Michael Koch-Weser & Kristin Vondruska
Jerry & Anna Koebel
Margaret Kohring
Jason & Michelle Kropp
Ken & Karen Kuchar
Mary Lambert
Jamie Lange
Amy Leadstrom
Eric & Audrey Lester
Michael & Susan Levine
Elizabeth Lindau & Jeff Dunlap
Kent & Lauri Lindquist
Carol Line
Gail Lowrie
Bill Lucas
Jim Ludwig & Patrick Maloney
John MacManus & Josephine Bellalta
Marlene Magnuson
Joe & Mary Margol
Cyndi Maxey
Ken & Barb Maziarek
Regina McCord
Kelly McGrail & Jeff Goulette
Peggy McGrath
Mark McKie
Jeanine McShea
William Meadow
Pamela Mearshimer
Diana Meckley
Lindsay Merchant
Gabriella Meredith
Paul Meredith
Mary Mikva
Clayton C. Miller
Robert Miller
Edward & Mary Mohr
Daniel & Kaye Moriarty
Doug Morris
Deborah Mowery
Robert Mueller
Carol & Steve Mullins
Kim Murphy
Thomas Myers & Jeffrey Ramsey
Joanne Nadelhoffer
Scott & Lindsay Namestnik
Nancy Needles
Velma Neeley
Tom & Brooke Nelson
Patricia Nemeth
Thomas & Debbie Novak
Tony & Cindy Olson, Eric Olson & Family
Mimi & David Olson
Paul Oostenbrug
Julie Osborne & Timothy O’Hagan
Kathleen Osburn
Peter & Susan Osnos
Kelly Pait
Alan Palmer & Bill Lindblom
George & Louise Pappageorge
Benjamin & Barbara Parker
Steve Parker
Passaro, Kahne & Taylor
Cathy Pegg-Owens & Peter Carey
Nelson & Phyllis Pelletier
Edward Peters
Kristi Petitpren
Bette Pierman
Gunner Piotter & Alana Johnston
Bonnie & Ken Pletcher
Ken & Cyndy Priest
Jami Przybylinski
Kari Pullins
Patricia Putnam
Susan & Ed Ravine
Elise Reitan Storevik
Robert & Deborah Render
Ravi Ricker & Cheryl Noel
Karen Ristau
L. Vern & Sally Robinson
Jeffrey Ross
James & Mary Rouse
John & Roxanne Rudolph
Kristen Ruhl
John Satalic & Diane Aigotti
David & Cathy Schaffer
Gary & Rebecca Schaffer
Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Schaffer
Nancy & Walter Schamu
Rick Schiffer
Patricia & Gary Schultz
Tracy Schwyn
Maureen & Jerry Shekelton
Albin & Barbara Sikora
Nancy Sheila Simonian
Charles Sittig
Elizabeth Sklarsky
Ronald Steeves
David Stevenson
Houston & Diana Stokes
Karen & Lee Strohl
Kingman Strohl
Paul & Anne Strumpf
Gene & Carole Svebakken
Jacques & Kendra Theriot
Sean Tomlins
Nancy Trainor
Anne & Steve Truppe
Pat & Diane Underwood
Dennis & Mary Jean Unruh
Vail Rubber Works, Inc.
Paul & Marjorie Valliere
Kendall Verbeek
Everett & Tamara Vokes
Charles von Weise
Leonard & Antionette Votava
Paul & Michele Wagner
Bob & Vickie Wagner
Nancy & Richard Waichler
Tim & Anne Walsh
Gay & Raymond Weber
Mary Jane Welter
Linda L. West
Betsy & Mark Westhoff
David White
Joyce White
Mary & Jim White
Lawrence & Felicia Wilhelm
Joanna Williams
Scott & Kellie Williams
Peter & Stephanie Wind
Janet Wolski & Steve Hokanson
Jon Wuepper
Shelly Young
LaVerne Zeiger
Helen Zuckerman
Donors whose names appear in italics made a gift in memory or in honor of someone. Please go to our website to see the complete Honoraria and Memorial gifts list: chikamingopenlands.org/honoraria-and-memorials
*Please note that Barn Benefit ticket purchases are not included in the honor roll listing.
Business Members
Blue Heron Ministries
C&A Arborists
Cardno
Falatic’s Meat Market
George Lucas, RE/MAX Harbor Country
Ghost Isle Brewery
Graham Services
Great Lakes Scientific
Greenbush Brewing Company
Haymarket Brewery & Taproom
Hearthwoods Ltd., Inc.
Kruggel Lawton & Company, LLC
MAK Salon & Spa
Millie’s Antiques
New Buffalo Bill’s
Orbis Environmental Consulting
The Peasant’s Pantry
The Pizzo Group
Prism Science and Technology
Ramer Products
Red Arrow Roadhouse
Rob Gow & Chris Pfauser, Berkshire
Hathaway|KoenigRubloff Realty Group
Schwartz Law Office, PLC
Scoops Ice Cream
Toast Hotel Group
The Vickers Theatre
The Victorian Inn
Wanderlust Outfitters
The Wine Sellers
Whistle Stop Grocery
Barn Benefit Partners
Thanks to our very generous hosts:
Ken & Jean Schiffer
Sponsors
Prism Science and Technology
Blue Heron Ministries
Cardno
George Lucas, RE/MAX Harbor Country
Rob Gow & Chris Pfauser, Berkshire
Hathaway|KoenigRubloff Realty Group
Orbis Environmental Consulting
The Pizzo Group
Ramer Products
Red Arrow Roadhouse
Whistle Stop Grocery
Kruggel, Lawton & Company, LLC
Auction Donors
C&A Arborists
Dick Carlson
John & Carmen Cordogan
The Drawing Room
Equilibrium Fitness
Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve
Ghost Isle Brewery
Granor Farm
Greenbush Brewing Company
Haymarket Brewery & Taproom
Victoria J. Herget & Robert Parsons
Chef Jean Joho
Journeyman Distillery
Adam Marton
Mesa Luna
Newberry Library
Elizabeth Nuti
The Peasant’s Pantry
Jack Pizzo
Mary Strahota
The Terrace Room