Volunteers? We love ‘em! And we couldn’t be nearly as successful with out their help. Every year at our Annual Picnic we celebrate their good work and choose one to recognize as our annual Volunteer of the Year..

In 2005, Bill and Shirley Orcutt were at the top of our list. The Orcutts have been with us practically since our inception. They wandered into our offices right after they retired and bought a home on South Lake Leelanau. The Orcutts said they wanted to get involved and since then, they have been incredibly reliable and helpful. When in town, they never miss helping out with a mailing or taking a shift in our booth.

Since our beginnings in 1988, the Leelanau Conservancy has been fortunate to have many good friends in the business community as well. In 2005 we chose The Bluebird Restaurant and the Telgard family as our Business Partner of the Year. They have been incredibly helpful and generous over the years, hosting our Blues at Bluebird winter fundraiser since the early 90s as well as donating to or underwriting other events. Skip Telgard participated in our Community Forum last year and understands the connection between the health of his business and the beauty of Leelanau County. Bluebird chefs even prepared a Picnic appetizer. We are grateful to both the Orcutts and the Telgard family for their unfailing support over the years.

Our 2006 Volunteer of the Year award went to Dick and Lou Ristine. “Dick is a dogged fundraiser for us, and uses all of his connections but in a sincere, passionate way,” said Brian Price at the event. “Both he and Lou have been real believers in our cause and their passion has inspired others to get involved or to donate.”

Dick served nine years on our board and is now Honorary Chairman. He also sits on our Fund Development Committee and is a major force behind the group Save Leelanau Farmland. “He does just about anything we ask him and has made it his personal mission to get as many of you as possible to include the Conservancy in your estate plans,” added Brian.

Lou has sat in our booth, served on our auction committee, worked in the office, hosted gatherings and, like Dick, engaged others to join us. “I don’t know how many times I’ve heard my staff or other people involved with the Conservancy speak with admiration for the Ristines and all they stand for,” concluded Brian. “They embody the term ‘community servants.’”

Grobbel Environmental was named as our 2006 Business Partner of the Year. "Chris Grobbel has been incredibly helpful and generous to us over the years and his work has been essential to the creation of the DeYoung Natural Area,” says Stewardship Director Jenee Rowe, who has worked closely with Chris on restoration aspects of the DeYoung Natural Area. “Chris has gotten us off to a great start and we know he’ll be a great partner in the future.”

Our 2007 Volunteer of the Year is Chuck Whetsel. Chuck has been invaluable to our stewardship director, Jenee Rowe, and she tells me that just since January has put in 336 hours helping us out. He’s been giving his time for the last 5 years, and this year in particular has been a huge help on the computer helping us to do mapping work. He also helps to monitor our conservation easements, and has been an active part of our stewardship volunteer network and used his woodworking skills building the bridge at Kehl Lake Natural Area, the benches at Chippewa Run, kiosks and signs and more. He’s lent his tools, trailer, and equipment, and if that wasn’t enough, he also donated a beautiful wood-turned vase for our auction.

The 2007 Business Partner of the Year is KAL Excavating of Omena/Northport. Over the last 2 years, Joan Kalchik generously donated labor services to repairing the Kehl Lake Parking area last year when we focused on upgrading this natural area and added the new trail. Joan and her son, Nate, have worked with our stewardship director, Jenee, on projects at our DeYoung Natural Area. They created the parking area there and really went above and beyond with their work removing the autumn olive and cherry orchard at DeYoung at a generous discount. Finally, they have been members of the Conservancy since 1993, and just finished another exceptional job at repairing the parking lot at our Chippewa Run Natural Area. We hope to continue our many-year relationship with KAL, who we see as a great example of a local Leelanau business giving back to this community through their generous work on our natural areas.