June 19, 2002

Lot sale helps preserve land

Citizens group raffles subdivision lot to save Ransom Lake area

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
       There's a lot you can do to benefit the environment.
      In Almira Township, this saying could not be more literal.
      There, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, the Almira Citizens for Preservation and Almira Township are raffling off a lot of land in a Lake Ann subdivision to raise money for the Ransom Lake Natural Area project.
      Lot 71 in the Beechwood Acres subdivision is valued at $27,500 but is up for grabs for a few more weeks thanks to $100 raffle tickets. At the drawing, held July 6 at the Lake Ann Homecoming, one lucky holder will walk away with a piece of real estate while one lucky township will be that much closer to preserving a 220-acre parcel of land.
      "I just believe we need to preserve this type of land for future generations," said George Daisy, a Lake Ann resident and president of the Almira Citizens for Preservation. "Pearl Lake was finally preserved in 1999, 250 acres, due to citizen efforts. Ransom Lake is another example of that."
      The lot raffle is just one of the many projects used by this grass roots effort to save Ransom Lake and surrounding land from development. Spaghetti dinners, phone-a-thons, auctions, golf outings, pond raffles, pond walks and other creative ventures have so far raised approximately $160,000 of the $225,000 needed.
      As the deadline of December 2002 looms, citizen volunteers in one of the area's fastest-growing townships are more determined than ever to raise the money for Ransom Lake.
      "I was raised here and have lived in Almira Township for most of my life," said Jeannine Ransom of the Almira Citizens for Preservation. "It has changed so much in the last 40 years and I think it is important to preserve it for the future."
      Members of the Almira Citizens for Preservation first came together for the Pearl Lake effort. After that successful joint venture with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, they continued meeting and began a series of educational seminars on land-use and preservation issues.
      "We learned a lot about land preservation, what kind works best in what circumstances, how the water tables work, the aquifer, the watershed, animal and bird migration and where other preserved land was," Ransom continued. "When Ransom Lake came up we were quickly able to band together and put all our efforts into that."
      That project began in December of 2000 when the property's long time owners, the Goin family of Lake Ann, signed a two-year option to purchase in agreement with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. This exclusive agreement gave Almira Township two years to raise the money needed to purchase the land for a permanent natural area.
      The natural area will be available for low-impact recreation, including hiking, hunting, fishing and birdwatching plus kayaking on the 18-acre lake. The township has plans for trails, a parking lot and restrooms at the parcel's entrance. Otherwise the property, which is mostly hardwoods that have not been logged in 40 years, will remain in its pristine state.
      The Ransom Lake Natural Area Project received a huge boost in December of 2001 when they received a $866,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.
      With half of their one-year deadline to raise the remaining $225,000 elapsed, members of Almira Citizens for Prevention are pulling out all the stops to raise the funds. Grants from the Oleson Foundation, Frankfort Rotary, Lake Ann Lions and the Cherryland Electric Co-op have helped. But it has mostly been one check, one call or one fund-raiser at a time.
      "These people are relentless, they are very dedicated and don't leave any stone unturned," said Christine Arvidson, director of communications for the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. "Even if they have a spaghetti dinner, they pack the township hall. That's a tough way to raise money."
      "We're lucky to have a lot of these folks, this is their second time out of the box because they've worked on the Pearl Lake project," she noted.
      For more information about the raffle of Lot 71 or to purchase tickets, call Almira Township at 275-5862, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy at 929-7911 or Phil Feiger at 275-6933. The 3rd Annual Parade of Ponds will be held on Thursday, June 27 from 1-8 p.m. as a benefit for the Ransom Lake Natural Area project. For tickets and more information, call 275-3625 or 275-7489.