On February 17, the Door County Land Trust hosted its 13th Annual Midwinter’s Feast by the Fire at Bjorklunden Lodge in Baileys Harbor to raise funds for land preservation and restoration in Door County.
Door County Land Trust Feast by the Fire guests gather prior to dinner in the Great Hall at Bjoklunden Lodge. Photo credit: Julie Schartner
Over 175 Land Trust supporters braved a wintry evening to warm themselves by the fire in the Great Hall, enjoying fine wine, appetizers and a fantastic feast with fellow supporters. The event is made possible by contributions of local chefs and restaurants who donate their time to prepare a salad, entrée and dessert course. Over 40 volunteers plan and staff the event.
Kathy Wolff, events committee chair for the Land Trust, explains, “The Feast by the Fire is a much-anticipated social event, bringing together Land Trust friends in the dead of winter. It’s an intimate and elegant event, but it always involves some fun and guests get to see the cheeky side of the Land Trust.”
The Door County Land Trust celebrated a successful 2012 which included the establishment of a new nature preserve at Heins Creek. The new preserve is scheduled to open this coming spring. Photo credit: Dan Burke
Dan Burke, executive director, and Laurel Hauser, director of charitable giving, prepared an Oscar Awards-style skit to showcase significant achievements of the past year and to thank the Land Trust community. Highlights of 2012 include the preservation of over 800 acres and a total of 21 land protection deals–both record accomplishments for the organization. The Land Trust celebrated the preservation of nearly 500 acres at Shivering Sands in the town of Sevastopol, the protection of the Grand View property in Ellison Bay, a large portion of the Camp Cuesta Girl Scout property at Kangaroo Lake in Baileys Harbor, and the creation of a new nature preserve at Heins Creek. The Land Trust also celebrated a year of making its nature preserves more user-friendly with new signage, the release of a hiking map, and a 72-page “Guide to the Places We Protect.”
Patsy and Jodi Wuollett of Chop Steakhouse in Sister Bay provided their signature house salad accompanied by popovers and maple butter. Randy Daubner, owner of the English Inn in Fish Creek, offered guests a choice of tender prime rib or artichoke ravioli. For dessert, pastry chef and caterer Mary Niedzwiecki prepared a Lemon-Raspberry Charlotte. The chefs were introduced and thanked near the end of dinner and received overwhelming applause for their contributions.
The event is organized and planned entirely by volunteers. Event chair Windsor McCutcheon and co-chair Kathy Blankenburg arranged all aspects, working with chefs, and coordinating volunteers. Fine wines were selected, poured and donated for the event by Ken and Mary Bussard, Tony and Cathy Fiorato, Karl and Lucy Klug and Ron and Judy Lokken. Members of the board of directors worked alongside volunteers, serving wine and dinner to guests, and pitching in to clean up afterwards.
The Door County Land Trust is a local, non-profit organization working to preserve Door County’s open spaces, scenic beauty and ecological integrity. The Land Trust has protected over 6,500 acres and is supported by over 2,500 annual dues-paying members. Door County Land Trust nature preserves are open to the public at no charge for hiking, cross-country skiing, wildlife observation, some forms of hunting and other low-impact, non-motorized recreational activities. For a complimentary copy of the Land Trust’s “Hiking Trails of the Door County Land Trust” map, or the 72-page “Guide to the Places We Protect” and for more information, visit: DoorCountyLandTrust.org.
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