They say money can’t buy happiness, but more than $9 million should go a long way toward preserving the health of the 14th largest inland lake in Michigan.
That’s how much the Friends of Lake Leelanau, a public foundation established by three riparian owners in mid-2021, has raised and earned on investments as it turns attention from fund raising to funding projects that protect the environment and enhance recreational opportunities for Lake Leelanau.
The foundation is one of the largest in Michigan established to benefit one lake.
“The success of the program, in my mind, is simply a reflection of how much the community loves our lake and that it will do whatever it takes to protect the lake,” said Friends treasurer Jim Grogan. “It wasn’t just wealthy people. We had people from all walks of life, people who enjoyed the lake for generations to visitors who had been here only one or two times. It was truly one plus one plus one equals $8 million.”
The Foundation was formed in response to the detection of patches of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) in the Lake Leelanau Narrows and south Lake Leelanau. A combative Lake Leelanau Lake Association (LLLA) led the charge to control the invasive plant, which has the potential to grow so thick as to clog boating channels and curtail swimming.
“We are especially grateful to the members of our dedicated campaign Committee, the families who opened their homes to hold fundraising receptions, and also to a family that made a recent gift which brought our campaign across the finish line,” said Jennie Keller, Friends president.
The Foundation and LLLA worked in tandem to raise funds. The receptions, which combined social interaction with updates from a LLLA biologist, were held up and down the lake. They brought together members of the lake community, who in turn opened up their checkbooks.
The invasive milfoil grows in depths up to 12 feet or so, which makes the shape of the lake conducive to EWM growth. Among inland lakes in Michigan with more acreage than Lake Leelanau, only three have more shoreline, according to a M-Live posting. They are Torch Lake, with 18,760 acres and 40.8 miles of shoreline; Lake Charlevoix, with 17,260 acres and 56 miles of shoreline; and Portage Lake with 9,640 acres and 56 miles of shoreline. Lake Leelanau has 8,320 acres and 40.2 miles of shoreline.
Glen Lake is the state’s 18th largest inland lake with 6,265 acres and 17 miles of shoreline. EWM has not been detected in Glen Lake.
South Lake Leelanau, the shallower of two basins that make up Lake Leelanau, is especially vulnerable to EWM.
The lake association’s main strategy has been to cover EWM outbreaks with wide strips of biodegradable burlap unrolled from a pontoon and weighted to the bottom. The burlap blocks sunlight to EWM plants, killing them.
Thankfully, outbreaks were discovered early and before they matured by former LLLA biologist Brian Price. No flowering EWM plants have been verifi ed, which encourages native plant seeds to generate after EWM has been eliminated.
The association also hired divers to hand-pull milfoil that was sucked through a tube to a boat for disposal on land.
Although expensive, the effort has proven effective. The LLLA website lists “invasive species remediation, monitoring and control” as No. 2 among its accomplishments in 2024 behind “shoreline consultations.”
“Our work to protect Lake Leelanau from the invasive… EWM continued in one of our most impactful years yet,” a post on the LLLA website states. “There are now 17 sites that are currently EWM-free and will be closely monitored over the coming years to ensure no EWM is left behind. By the end of the 2024 season, there were no known large infestations left to be covered in the lake.”
Said LLLA president Nancy Popa, “the vision and dedication of the co-founders of Friends, the campaign committee, and the generous donors are nothing short of extraordinary. A grant from the foundation will enable the Lake Leelanau Lake Association to focus entirely on protecting the lake rather than on the arduous task of fundraising.” “The lake association is truly appreciative.”
The fundraising effort was precedent setting for the county — and among the most impressive in the state.
“We believe Friends is one of the largest endowments establishments to protect an inland lake in the state of Michigan,” said Tom Hiatt, executive vice president of Friends. “Effective this month, Friends is transitioning from a fundraising organization to a grant-making organization. We expect to make an announcement about our first grant very soon.”
LLLA is expected to be the largest recipient of Foundation grants, which will be generated through endowment investments.
Keller, Grogan and Hiatt cofounded the Friends group and formed its Board of Directors, which recently added two new members. They are Carol Rademacher, who volunteered as campaign coordinated during fundraising; and Tom Reahard, who led the Friends investment committee. Reahard’s brother, Bo Reahard, also played a crucial role by creating and maintaining the organization’s website as well as riparian mailing lists.
The foundation bankroll already has earned more than $1 million in interest, pushing its assets to $9.1 million including future pledges. The original goal, before a wave of inflation, was to raise $5 million to $8 million.
Said Tom Reahard, “in my many years in the local community, I have seen few comparable fundraising initiatives. I, too, have been overwhelmed by the community’s embrace of the idea of Friends, and the willingness of so many supporters to pull together to make this great idea a reality.”
Some 550 households contributed, with donations ranging from $25 to $1 million, Rademacher added. Of those 37 households gave or raised more than $100,000, providing them the title of “Founders of Friends.”
All funds remain within the foundation’s coffers due to the further generosity of Jennie and Darren Keller, who funded previous LLLA invasive plant control efforts.
