Rotary
14th Annual Jim 'Van' Work Bee
Please join us and sign up, friends and family are also welcome to join in (We only have a few sign ups so far)
DATE: Friday, October 9, 2020
Time: 1 pm – 5 pm (Your welcome to join the work bee anytime from 1-4 and for as long as you would like)
Location: Canterbury Woods property entrance off Garfield just south of Lardie Road
Dress: Work clothes, work gloves & work boots. (Extra gloves will be available)
Social Hour 4:00 PM -: We’ll wrap up with fellowship, a campfire, and treats!
Please RSVP by emailing tcrotary2822@gmail.com or calling Kathy (231)-313-0253, you're welcome to leave a message if I miss your call.
Please include your cell phone and email address – in the event, we have a rain delay
Activity Co-Sponsors
Rotary Club of Traverse City
Rotary Camps and Services
Grand Traverse Conservation District
In memory of long-time Rotarian and devoted steward of East Creek Reserve, Julius “Jim” VanEenenaam (1929-2008)
A Series of Initiatives to Improve, Protect and Maintain Freshwater
Let’s plan to meet at the property entrance off Garfield just south of Lardie Road. We’ll have it marked with the “Rotarians at Work” sign. At 4:00 pm we’ll head over to the East Creek Reserve (approximately 3-miles by road) for a quick campfire and toast to Jim Van and the Shuckra’s.
Here’s a little history on how the two properties are tied together:
East Creek Reserve. Rotarian Jim VanEenenaam (Jim Van) met Howard Edwards who owned a large amount of property in the Boardman River Valley near Mayfield and soon earned his trust. With Howard’s permission, Jim Van hunted the 720-acres now known as Rotary’s East Creek Reserve. Howard and his wife, Mary Dunn-Edwards obtained the property from her side of the family. Howard and Mary spent a great deal of time bird watching and just enjoying the natural beauty and peacefulness that the property offered. East Creek, a high-quality trout stream and major tributary to the Boardman River flow through the heart of the property. Mary passed away in 1964 from cancer. Mary and Howard never had children. After Mary’s death, Howard continued to enjoy the property until his health began to decline in the late 80’s. Howard & Jim Van spent hours talking, often about Rotary. Knowing Rotary owned the Scout Camp property and not trusting any of his relatives (nieces & nephews) to do the right thing, Howard, upon his death in the early 90’s, bequeathed over 800-acres of land to Rotary to manage as a “Wilderness Park”. A majority (720-acres) of this property makes up the East Creek Reserve, an absolutely beautiful, wild, and critical piece of land in the Boardman River Valley.
Canterbury Woods The State of Michigan owned a 120-acre parcel adjacent to the Canterbury Woods Subdivision off Garfield. The state parcel was a satellite parcel, not connected to any other state land, so the state decided to put it up for sale. The property features a high, prominent ridge that looks south over the Boardman River Valley. The undeveloped ridge is beautiful and greats travelers heading north on Garfield Road. This beautiful view could have been compromised if improperly developed so Rotary Executive Director Marsha Smith led the charge on working a deal with the state to trade 160 acres of the East Creek Reserve immediately adjacent to state land for the 120 acre state land parcel next to Canterbury Woods. To even the trade, 160 acres for 160 acres, the state included a 40-acre parcel next to Mayfield Pond Park that was later deeded over to Paradise Township to add to the park. Rotary continued to allow public use of the Canterbury Woods parcel as if it were still state land with the vision that they would eventually sell the property to support future Rotary initiatives. Before putting the property up for sale, Rotary put restrictions to protect the ridgeline and viewshed. A developer submitted an offer to build over 50 houses on the property but backed out when they realized the extent of an old dump on the property and other reasons. This is when Steve and Carol Shuckra and their son stepped in. The Shuckra’s own and live on a 40-acre parcel immediately west and adjacent to the Canterbury parcel. They had placed a conservation easement on their property many years ago. Not wanting to see this property developed, they negotiated a deal with Rotary (through Doug Meteyer and Becky Ewing) and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy to purchase the property with a conservation easement. Another condition of the sale was that the old dump was to be cleaned up to the extent possible to protect humans, pets, and wildlife.
Jim Van Memorial Outing 2020. It’s very fitting that this year’s Jim Van Memorial Outing be spent helping put the finishing touches on the clean-up of the old dumpsite. This includes picking up any remaining surface trash, spreading top-soil, seeding, and installing fencing…then a toast!
14th Annual Jim 'Van' Work Bee
Please join us and sign up, friends and family are also welcome to join in (We only have a few sign ups so far)
DATE: Friday, October 9, 2020
Time: 1 pm – 5 pm (Your welcome to join the work bee anytime from 1-4 and for as long as you would like)
Location: Canterbury Woods property entrance off Garfield just south of Lardie Road
Dress: Work clothes, work gloves & work boots. (Extra gloves will be available)
Social Hour 4:00 PM -: We’ll wrap up with fellowship, a campfire, and treats!
Please RSVP by emailing tcrotary2822@gmail.com or calling Kathy (231)-313-0253, you're welcome to leave a message if I miss your call.
Please include your cell phone and email address – in the event, we have a rain delay
Activity Co-Sponsors
Rotary Club of Traverse City
Rotary Camps and Services
Grand Traverse Conservation District
In memory of long-time Rotarian and devoted steward of East Creek Reserve, Julius “Jim” VanEenenaam (1929-2008)
A Series of Initiatives to Improve, Protect and Maintain Freshwater
Let’s plan to meet at the property entrance off Garfield just south of Lardie Road. We’ll have it marked with the “Rotarians at Work” sign. At 4:00 pm we’ll head over to the East Creek Reserve (approximately 3-miles by road) for a quick campfire and toast to Jim Van and the Shuckra’s.
Here’s a little history on how the two properties are tied together:
East Creek Reserve. Rotarian Jim VanEenenaam (Jim Van) met Howard Edwards who owned a large amount of property in the Boardman River Valley near Mayfield and soon earned his trust. With Howard’s permission, Jim Van hunted the 720-acres now known as Rotary’s East Creek Reserve. Howard and his wife, Mary Dunn-Edwards obtained the property from her side of the family. Howard and Mary spent a great deal of time bird watching and just enjoying the natural beauty and peacefulness that the property offered. East Creek, a high-quality trout stream and major tributary to the Boardman River flow through the heart of the property. Mary passed away in 1964 from cancer. Mary and Howard never had children. After Mary’s death, Howard continued to enjoy the property until his health began to decline in the late 80’s. Howard & Jim Van spent hours talking, often about Rotary. Knowing Rotary owned the Scout Camp property and not trusting any of his relatives (nieces & nephews) to do the right thing, Howard, upon his death in the early 90’s, bequeathed over 800-acres of land to Rotary to manage as a “Wilderness Park”. A majority (720-acres) of this property makes up the East Creek Reserve, an absolutely beautiful, wild, and critical piece of land in the Boardman River Valley.
Canterbury Woods The State of Michigan owned a 120-acre parcel adjacent to the Canterbury Woods Subdivision off Garfield. The state parcel was a satellite parcel, not connected to any other state land, so the state decided to put it up for sale. The property features a high, prominent ridge that looks south over the Boardman River Valley. The undeveloped ridge is beautiful and greats travelers heading north on Garfield Road. This beautiful view could have been compromised if improperly developed so Rotary Executive Director Marsha Smith led the charge on working a deal with the state to trade 160 acres of the East Creek Reserve immediately adjacent to state land for the 120 acre state land parcel next to Canterbury Woods. To even the trade, 160 acres for 160 acres, the state included a 40-acre parcel next to Mayfield Pond Park that was later deeded over to Paradise Township to add to the park. Rotary continued to allow public use of the Canterbury Woods parcel as if it were still state land with the vision that they would eventually sell the property to support future Rotary initiatives. Before putting the property up for sale, Rotary put restrictions to protect the ridgeline and viewshed. A developer submitted an offer to build over 50 houses on the property but backed out when they realized the extent of an old dump on the property and other reasons. This is when Steve and Carol Shuckra and their son stepped in. The Shuckra’s own and live on a 40-acre parcel immediately west and adjacent to the Canterbury parcel. They had placed a conservation easement on their property many years ago. Not wanting to see this property developed, they negotiated a deal with Rotary (through Doug Meteyer and Becky Ewing) and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy to purchase the property with a conservation easement. Another condition of the sale was that the old dump was to be cleaned up to the extent possible to protect humans, pets, and wildlife. Jim Van Memorial Outing 2020. It’s very fitting that this year’s Jim Van Memorial Outing be spent helping put the finishing touches on the clean-up of the old dumpsite. This includes picking up any remaining surface trash, spreading top-soil, seeding, and installing fencing…then a toast!
Past Work Bee Crew