2022 TLC Supporters
Connie Bates, Clyde
Bioregion Reparation Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County
Ian Brown, Fort Gratiot
Pete and Angelene Catlos, Fort Gratiot
William and Cheryl Collins, Marlette
Dorothy Craig, Fort Gratiot
Kay Cumbow, Lynn
Tom and Laurie Dennis, Fort Gratiot
Richard Duthler, R.A. Duthler Land Surveyor, Imlay City
Dr. Scott Ferguson, Clyde
John Fodi, Marysville
Four County Community Foundation, Almont
Fred Fuller, Yale
Cindy Holzer, Burton
Huron County Community Foundation, Bad Axe
Algonquin Power and Utilities Corporation, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Carol Kasprzak, Rochester
Kate Kenney, Port Huron
Dave Ladensack, Summit Realty, Lakeport
Dave Lewis, Ann Arbor
Timothy Lozen, Lozen Davidson and Kovar, P.C., Port Huron
Jack McLiver, Lake Huron Lawns, Lakeport
Connie Neese, Fort Gratiot
Christine Powell and Bern Smith, Washington, D.C.
Dan and Wendy Rhein, Port Huron
Jeff Ronan, LochanDe IT Services, Port Huron
Cathy Rovano, Sterling Heights
Levi Shetler and Family, Attica
Blake Short, Port Huron
Peggy Thorp and Jerry Orlowski, Lakeport
Elizabeth “Bess” Touma, Washington, D.C.
Tracy Wacker, Metamora
Chris Walker, Fargo, North Dakota
Karen Willard, Algonac
TLC Project Contributors
Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park
and Bidwell Sanctuary
Fort Gratiot and Burtchville Townships, Saint Clair County
The Carls Foundation, Bloomfield Hills
North American Wetlands Conservation Council
Ducks Unlimited, Michigan Conservation Program
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Community Foundation of St. Clair County
Moore Family Foundation
Consumers Energy Foundation
Franklin H. and Nancy S. Moore Donor Advised Fund
of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County
Cargill Salt of Saint Clair
Cargill, Incorporated
Bioregion Reparation Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County
SEMCO Energy Gas Company
Dave Ladensack, Summit Realty, Lakeport
Timothy Lozen, Lozen Davidson and Kovar, P.C., Port Huron
Christine Powell and Bern Smith, Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth “Bess” Touma, Washington, D.C.
William and Cheryl Collins, Marlette
Tranquil Ridge Sanctuary
Dryden Township, Lapeer County
Four County Community Foundation, Almont
Timothy Lozen, Lozen Davidson and Kovar, P.C., Port Huron
Loznak Sanctuary
City of Marysville, Saint Clair County
Richard C. Loznak, Loznak Real Estate Enterprises, LLC, Saint Clair
Timothy Lozen, Lozen Davidson and Kovar, P.C., Port Huron
Dan and Wendy Rhein, Port Huron
Dead End Woods Sanctuary
Fort Gratiot Township, Saint Clair County
Pete and Angelene Catlos, Fort Gratiot
Dorothy Craig, Fort Gratiot
Dr. Scott Ferguson, Clyde
Timothy Lozen, Lozen Davidson and Kovar, P.C., Port Huron
Full Circle Sanctuary
Kimball Township, Saint Clair County
William and Cheryl Collins, Marlette
Charles Dodge Sanctuary
Kimball Township, Saint Clair County
William and Cheryl Collins, Marlette
North Street Station
Clyde Township, Saint Clair County
Clyde Historical Society
John Schomaker, North Street
Kay Cumbow, Lynn
Gerrits Sanctuary
Ira Township, Saint Clair County
Lois Gerrits, Saint Clair
Timothy Lozen, Lozen Davidson and Kovar, P.C., Port Huron
Susan Gerrits, Rochester
Randy and Kathleen Schein, Bloomfield Hills
Tom and Renae Gerrits, Saint Clair
Elizabeth Millwood, Raleigh, North Carolina
Peltier Sanctuary
Fort Gratiot Township, Saint Clair County
Ray Peltier, Burtchville
Tom and Laurie Dennis, Fort Gratiot
Bertha’s Haven Sanctuary
Fort Gratiot Township, Saint Clair County
Michigan Nature Association
Deerfield Wind Energy Preserve Stewardship
Huron Township, Huron County
Algonquin Power and Utilities Corporation, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Huron County Community Foundation, Bad Axe
Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park
and Bidwell Sanctuary
Fort Gratiot and Burtchville Townships, Saint Clair County
The following supporters have made significant contributions to our Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park project and we thank them for their continued support:
The Carls Foundation
The Carls Foundation of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan has been a primary project supporter, providing the TLC with a match-grant of $150,000 to acquire the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary. Without their support, the acquisition may not have happened. The Carls Foundation has funded a number of land preservation projects in our region where few other foundations have. Funded projects include the Sharon Rose Leonatti Memorial Nature Sanctuary in Kimball Township with a large population of Michigan Endangered Painted Trillium, and large parts of Anchor Bay Woods in New Baltimore adjacent to the TLC Gerrits Sanctuary in Ira Township. For more information, see CarlsFdn.org.
North American Wetlands Conservation Council, Ducks Unlimited, Michigan Conservation Program
The North American Wetlands Conservation Council awarded the TLC a grant of $100,000 to acquire additional wetland property within the Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park project area. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) was enacted in 1989 to provide federal cost-share funding to support the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, an international agreement that provides a strategy for the long-term protection of wetlands and associated uplands habitats needed by waterfowl and other migratory birds in North America. NAWCA funding is provided through a competitive grant-based program. For more information, see https://www.FWS.gov/partner/north-american-wetlands-conservation-council
The Regional Biologist for the Ducks Unlimited, Michigan Conservation Program, applied for the NAWCA funding and also administers the grant on behalf of the TLC. Ducks Unlimited began in 1937 as an organization focused exclusively on protecting ducks and other waterfowl game species. In recent years, the organization has expanded their work through an ecosystem approach that benefits a broad range of species and habitats. For more information, see http://Ducks.org/conservation/national/ducksand-a-lot-more?poe=conservation and also https://www.Ducks.org/conservation/public-policy/nawca-north-american-wetlands-conservation-act
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan made a grant of $50,000 through the Wilson Legacy Design and Access Fund for the acquisition of the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan creates permanent, positive change in southeast Michigan through thoughtful philanthropy. With generous support from thousands of donors, the Community Foundation is building permanent endowment for the region and helping individuals, families and businesses fulfill their charitable goals. For more information, see CFSEM.org.
Among other focus areas, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation supports physically active lifestyles through trails, parks, and green design. Ralph Wilson was a Detroit native and the founding owner of the Buffalo Bills football team. In 2015, the Wilson Foundation made a grant to create a permanent legacy endowment fund with the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Specifically, the Wilson Legacy Design and Access Fund supports projects in southeast Michigan that serve to increase the walkability and bikeability of local communities and/or increase outdoor recreational activities within the region. For more information, see RalphWilsonJrFoundation.org
Consumers Energy Foundation
The Consumers Energy Foundation made a grant of $30,000 for the acquisition of the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary. The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider. The Foundation enables communities to thrive and grow by investing in what’s most important to Michigan – its people, Michigan’s prosperity, and our planet. The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring Michigan has world-class natural resources, and that includes supporting environmental education and developing environmental stewards who will sustain Michigan’s natural resources for future generations to enjoy. That is why the Wildlife Habitat Council recognized the Foundation for promoting environmental education. In 2019, the Consumers Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy, its employees and retirees contributed more than $11.5 million to Michigan nonprofits. For more information, see ConsumersEngery.com/Foundation.
Cargill Salt of Saint Clair and Cargill, Inc.
Cargill Salt of Saint Clair and the national office of Cargill, Inc. made a combined grant of $40,000 for the acquisition of the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary. Cargill Salt of Saint Clair specializes in the production of food-grade salt and other salt products from the natural salt deposits underlying the area. One of their unique salts, produced only in the Saint Clair facility, is Alberger flake salts, used to make Lay’s potato chips and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Cargill Salt has long supported environmental efforts in the Blue water Area, including the annual Saint Clair County Earth Fair and Saint Clair County Sturgeon Festival. For more information, see Cargill.com/home.
Community Foundation of St. Clair County
The Community Foundation of St. Clair County made a grant of $20,000 for the acquisition of the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary. The Community Foundation of St. Clair County is the oldest and largest foundation in Michigan’s Thumb Coast. The Foundation strives to address the region’s opportunities and challenges through like-minded donors and partners with a goal of increasing regional vibrancy and prosperity. Formed in 1944, the Community Foundation manages approximately $80 million in assets, including the Blue Water River Walk, farmland, Studio 1219, the courtyard in Riverview Plaza along with 260 grantmaking funds. For more information, see StClairFoundation.org.
Franklin H. and Nancy S. Moore Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County
The Franklin H. and Nancy S. Moore Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County made a grant of $20,000 for the acquisition of the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary. The Moore family of Saint Clair has a long history of philanthropy in the area. For more information, see StClairFoundation.org.
Bioregion Reparation Fund
The Bioregion Reparation Fund, a donor-advised fund established by the Full Circle EcoHouse of Prayer of Port Huron and administered by the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, made a grant of $4,500 to the TLC for the construction of an informational kiosk at the entrance of the Bidwell Sanctuary. The kiosk will provide information about the ancient beach ridge (or dune) and swale ecosystem along Lake Huron, the Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park, project supporters, and the TLC. Sister Veronica Blake and Sister Concepción González, who are well-known members of the Blue Water area environmental community, initiated the Bioregion Reparation Fund in 2018 in order to carry on their legacy of ecological education, spirituality, and restoration in the bioregion defined by Lake Huron, the Saint Clair River and the Black River watersheds. The Bioregion Reparation Fund is a “donor-advised fund” administered by the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, with grants awarded based on recommendations from an advisory committee consisting of Sister Concepción, Sister Veronica, and five other members from the Blue Water area. For more information, see FullCircleRetreat.org/Bioregion-Reparation-Fund.
SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company
SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company made a grant of $2,000 for the acquisition of the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary. SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company, headquartered in Port Huron, Michigan, delivers natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, including in and around the cities of Albion, Battle Creek, Holland, Niles, Port Huron, and Three Rivers, and the central, eastern, and western parts of the Upper Peninsula. SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company is a division of SEMCO Energy, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AltaGas Ltd. based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. For more information, see SEMCOEnergyGas.com.
