Message from the President
Hopefully many of you had the opportunity to attend one of Paul Tukey’s presentations on Natural Lawn Care at Collins Learning Center on April 26th. Whether you agree with all or just some of the aspects of natural lawn care, presentations like Paul Tukey’s are offered to start the thought process and get you to think about some of your yearly lawn and garden rituals.
Crossroads, by working with our Building and Grounds committee, has adopted a comprehensive pesticide application and lawn care maintenance program. This program takes into consideration public safety and common sense lawn care.
Paul Tukey with members of Safe Lawns of Door County.
Photo by Peter L Wyatt at Wyatt’s Gallery
With a theme of Biodiversity this year we will be considering programs and projects at Crossroads that take into account the impact of our actions on the present and future landscape at Crossroads. We also hope to involve as many people as possible, both young and old, in the process. Our Friends Group, diligent volunteers and school groups will all be invited to participate in the planning and initiation of the many activities going on at Crossroads this spring and summer.
As each and every one of you set about your spring and summer outdoor activities, spend a few minutes to consider what impacts those activities will have on our environment. You may be surprised what good things for all of us can come from just stopping to ‘Think about it’.
Dick Weidman,
President, Crossroads Board of Directors
The Monarch and Biodiversity
Dr. Lincoln Brower Returns to Crossroads
On June 9, at 7:00 Dr. Lincoln Brower returns to Crossroads to present the keynote address for the Crossroads at Big Creek’s Monarch Weekend. His presentation is titled “Monarchs and Biodiversity.”
Even if butterflies had faces, the monarch might seem an odd choice to “put a face on biodiversity.” Even the youngest visitors to Crossroads take their task of spreading milkweed seeds very seriously. Children know that without milkweeds, there would be no monarchs.
Milkweed indeed is the host plant for monarch caterpillars, but these plants bloom for only two or three weeks each summer. Adult monarchs feed on nectar-producing flowers. Consequently, adult butterflies require blooming flowers from May through September and along their migration routes.
Dr. Brower writes that “the numbers of overwintering monarchs in Mexico hit an all time low this winter.” In his lecture, he will explain why monarchs are in trouble. But they are not unique. Bees…amphibians…songbirds…all seem to be in decline.
Habitat loss and loss of biodiversity are among the significant problems facing wildlife. During our Monarch Weekend, programs will focus on biodiversity. Several family programs are scheduled.
For those interested improving biodiversity on their own property, on Saturday, June 8 at 10:00, Chriss Daubner, a Master Gardener and member of Wild Ones, will share her experience in creating a prairie to provide three season food and shelter for monarchs and other pollinators.
Partnering in a Triangle of Healthy Living
While planning outdoor activities with Crossroads and the YMCA, Kevin Grohskopf of Ministry Door County noticed that these three institutions are not only in close proximity, but that they form a Triangle of Healthy Living. Each is – a Triangle promoting outdoor exercise for physical and mental health benefits. In collaboration, we hope to improve the health and quality of life in Door County. Green Exercise, a movement which began at University of Essex in Great Britain, is defined at any activity that takes place in a natural environment and is designed to increase the amount of physical activity taken by individuals.
Ministry Door County Medical Center is committed to promoting health and wellness options for our community by:
- Sponsoring Running Green for Crossroads
- Funding a new walking trail at Crossroads
- Underwriting trail maintenance at Crossroads
- Providing land for the Community’s Garden
- Offering physician-led hikes in natural areas this summer
The Door County YMCA offers programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. They are advancing green exercise by:
- Proposing and receiving a grant to sponsor a Workshop to bring America Walks to Sturgeon Bay
- Providing facilities for outdoor exercise
- Using Crossroads’ trails and equipment for youth cross-country skiing outings
- Exploring nature with Y Summer Youth Camps at Crossroads
Crossroads at Big Creek welcomes learners of all ages to participate in environmentally gentle recreation and exercise to increase environmental awareness by:
- Maintaining (with help from Ministry) trails and outdoor classrooms where learners can explore nature
- Expanding the walking trail system, (again with help from Ministry)
- Offering free family programs Monday-Thursday at 1:30 throughout the summer
- Conducting school field trips and outings
- Maintains chemical-free lawns
- Sponsoring Running Green For Crossroads
- Hosting beach testing efforts
- With Master Gardeners and the Sturgeon Bay Home and Garden Club, maintaining the Heritage Garden and hosting family gardening classes
- Providing outdoor recreation equipment to schools, youth groups and the public during the winter
Green Exercise
In addition to improving physical health, growing body of research suggests the outdoor exercise
- increase happiness
- decreases fatigue and anger
- reduces stress
- improves sleep
- enhances self-esteem
- creates a lasting energy boost.
- enhances cognitive functioning
- Improves sensory and motor skills in both children and adults
- reduces symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children
Helping Sustain Crossroads at Big Creek
$45,000 to 50,000
- Helen Collins
$15,000 to 24,999
- Don and Coggin Heeringa
- Peter G. Horton
- Charitable Remainder Trust
$5,000 to 9,999
- Jean Setterholm
- William Wood Skinner Foundation
$2,500 to 4,999
- Marion Hislop
- Door County Community Foundation
- Ministry Door County Medical Center
- Patrick & Beatrice Haggerty Foundation
- Robert Hansen Foundation
$1,000 to 2,499
- Baylake Bank
- Rev. Anthony Birdsall
- CELLCOM
- Tom and Peggy Hauser
- Barb and Mike Madden
- Dick and Pat Machas
- Greg and Marsha Meissner
- MMG Foundation
- John and Nancy Munch
- Ivy Nelson
- David and Lori Nicholas
- Old Bolts Car Club
- Kirsten Setterholm
- Ray Stonecipher
- Catherine Tilden
- The Wake Family Foundation
$500 to 999
- Altrusa Club of Door County
- Susan Austad
- James Campbell
- Janet and David Daniel
- Fran and Arliss Everson
- David and Ann Harsh
- HATCO Corp.
- John and Laurel Hauser
- Del Herrbold Insurance
- Door County Master Gardeners
- Friends of Crossroads
- Diane Jome
- Randy and Mary Kenny
- Ed and Cindy Koutnik
- David and Kelly Kudlik
- John and Karen Kierstyn
- Robert and Carol Moellenberndt
- Noon Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay
- George and Kristi Roenning
- RBC Foundation
- Rod and Marion Schlise
- Stellar Fitness Sturgeon Bay
- Terry Ullman/Door County Candy
- Zion United Methodist Church
- Animal Clinic of Sturgeon Bay
- Anonymous
- Lee and Inge Bacon
- Lee and Susan Basten
- John and Ann Bladholm
- Bill and Yvonne Boettcher
- Paul and Fran Burton
- Joseph and Lori Cedzo
- Bob and Irene Gray
- Josephine and William Guenzel
- Richard and Carrie Hauser
- Robert and Donna Hays
- Tom and Jill Herlache
- DeAnne Hoffmann
- Herb H. Kohl Charities
- Delane Jome
- Karl and Lucy Klug
- Jordan and Jennifer Koblica
- Leroy and Marilyn Liebe
- Clare (Katie) Malvetz
- Camilla Nielsen
- Ellsworth and Carla Peterson
- Ruth and Bela Sandor
- John and Jane Stevenson
- Tim and Sue Stone
- Dave and Jackie Udell
- Dean Volenberg
- Cathy and Rob Vuksanovic
- Norm and Mabel Watkins
- Whitetails Unlimited
- Beth and John Yount
- Dwight and Pam Zeller
- Zion United Methodist Church
$100 to 249
- Sandy and Roger Anderson
- Robert W. Baird and Co. Incoporated
- Daniel and Bonnie Balch
- Robert and Jeanne Barnard
- Walter and Karen Bentley
- Gerald and Denice Bernstein
- William and Marie Bertschinger
- W. Gerald and Jane Berg
- Ivan and Jo Ann Bissen
- Pat Blizel
- Robert and Beverly Bjork
- Breakfast Rotary of Sturgeon Bay
- Laurel Braatz and Timothy Feist
- Marjorie Brooks
- Randy and Jane Bumgardener
- James and Barbara Bunning
- John and Kathy Campbell
- Dave and LaVonne Callsen
- Jim and Joan Carlson
- Ralph and Maetta Chase
- George and Margaret Collier
- Chortek & Gottschalk, LLP
- Anonymous
- Door County Weavers Guild
- Philip Dorchester
- Joan A. Draeb
- Eagle Mechanical
- June Ehrbar
- Mike and Sue Eliason
- Mardele and Ione Engelking
- George and Margaret Evenson
- The Jason Feldman Family
- Frances and Carol Felhofer
- Michael and Tonya Felhofer
- Patrick and Judith Fitzgerald
- Forbes Funeral Home LLC
- Forest Construction
- Edith Fulkerson
- Bill and Cleida Galligan
- Susan Gilson
- Mike and Connie Glowacki
- Going Garbage
- Anonymous
- Paul and Jane Graf
- Kathy Green
- John and Chris Guenther
- Jane Guthrie
- Nicole Herbst
- John and Nell Herlache
- Howard H. Hintze
- Robert and Rebecca Hoover
- Hope Fellowship
- Heyrman Construction Co, Inc.
- James and Phyllis Ingwersen
- Jeanquart Associates, Inc.
- Dave Jordal
- Thomas and Lucy Kile
- Christina Koehn
- Joseph and Karen Kopec
- James and Elsbeth Knutson
- Nan and Jerry Krause
- Paul Lambeck
- Arlene Lenius
- Robert and Jillane H. Leonard
- Roland and Judy Lokken
- Ellen Looker
- James and Valerie Maki
- Paul and Susan Mathias
- Nancy Mattke
- Shaun Melarvie
- Joyce Miller
- Tom and Claire Minahan
- Evelyn and Curt Mingle
- Gretchen Montee
- Donald and Jean Olsen
- Michelle Olsen
- William Olsen
- Charles Olson Family
- Jan Olson
- Madelyn Ostrand
- Elizabeth and Bill Parsons
- J. Eric and Deanna Paulsen
- Bill and Barb Perloff
- Thomas Polonus
- Judy and Harry Porter
- Matt Propsom
- Margaret and Ken Rock
- William and Karen Roberts
- Ryan Kromholz & Mason
- Stanley Russell
- Leona Rylander
- David and Krista Samson
- Gordon and Diane Saron
- William and Mary Jo Schaars
- Gretchen Schmelzer
- Carl and Ruth Scholz
- Pete and Carol Schuster
- Andrea and Jim Solper
- Bob and Terri Starr
- Dennis and Pam Starr
- James and Tina Stawick
- Scott Steebs
- Sturgeon Bay Metal Products
- Sturgeon Bay Utilities
- Tim Graul Marine Service
- Dan and Deb Swanson
- Tom and Barbara Tierney
- Terry Ullman/Door County Candy
- Van Akkeren Family Trust
- Mark Voreis and Lucia Allen-Voreis
- Linnea Wagner
- Randy Watermolen
- Mari and Dick Weidman
- Wild Ones of Door County
- Stephen and Joan Wilkie
- Sturgeon Bay Utilities
- WireTech
- Thomas and Mary Wulf
- Carmen Youra
$50 to 99
- Robert and Margaret Agnew
- Eileen Andera
- Dean and Sue Anschutz
- Dan and Jean Austad
- Heidi Bader
- John and Carol Bartoszek
- Lou Behrens
- Ron and Judy Berg
- Carol Bockhop
- Scott and Lynn Brunswick
- Warren and Nancy Burlend
- Janet and Robert Canadeo
- Sam and Betty Castagna
- Barbara Chisholm
- Pete and Carol Clikeman
- David and Ann Conger
- Mitch and Sandra Custer
- Custom Components International
- Richard and Sandra Dirks
- George and Joan Draeb
- James and Karen Ebbeson
- Cathy Ecker
- James and Jeanne Erlenborn
- Mark and Gina Felhofer
- Michael Gilson
- Tim and Barbara Graul
- Connor Green
- Earl and Ruth Hellmann
- Barb and Doug Henderson
- Gary and Barbara Henkelmann
- Anonymous
- Mark and Michaela Holey
- Joann Johnston
- Paul and Kanani King
- Robert and Janice King
- Deborah and John Kiedrowski
- Herb Klein and Cal Bonnivier
- Ann Jerdee
- Tammy Kroll
- William Laatsch
- Roy and Charlotte Lukes
- Melvin and Margaret Madel
- Patricia Malkemus
- Paul and Marilyn Mahberg
- Phillip and Janel Maples
- Milwaukee Brush Company
- Denise S. McAlpin
- James and Susan McAnninch
- James Nelson
- Susan Nelson
- Yvonne and John Oberg
- Christine Parent
- Ron and Cynthia Peterson
- Joyce Propsom
- Dick Purinton
- Anna Quale
- Belinda Richard
- Richmond Marketing
- Joyce Risser
- Gregory and Kathleen Rohde
- John Rosenthal
- Edward and Susan Sadowski
- Rita Schmidt
- Jeanne Schopf
- Sally Schopf
- Ed Schriner-Schmitt
- Mary Schwantes
- Kay Stack
- Gertrude Stillman
- Jim Tellstrom
- Temperature Systems, Inc.
- Kerry and Kathy Vavra
- Eugene and Wilma Waterstreet
- James and Regina Webb
- Deb Whitelaw-Gorski
- James and Elizabeth Williamson
- Clifford Wind
- Peter Wyatt and Victoria Cerinich
$0 to 49
- John and Janis Anderson
- Linda and Lazer Beaty
- Ronald and Judy Berg
- Wallace and Gloria Bittorf
- Clarence and Merrilyn Bonin
- Dolores Bullis
- Cheryl Choronzy
- Thomas and Lori Cofrin
- Rose Coisman
- Barry and Leslie DeBaker
- Joyce and Carl Berthlein
- Gloria and Wallace Bittorf
- Julie Doucette
- Matt and Judy Engebretson
- Einar and Delores Evenson
- Myrtle Felhofer
- Jeannette Fitzgerald
- Jeanne Gabert
- Robert and Ann Grimmer
- Travis Grooters
- Richard and Sharon Haines
- Jane Herlitz
- Carol Hobson
- Dori and David Holzinger
- Diane Isings
- Deborah Jeanquart
- Mark and Ann Jinkins
- Arline Jorns
- Marianne J. Kellman
- Norman and Sharon Kiehnau
- Barb Kletzien
- Susan Kotecki
- James and Patricia Kowall
- Jeffry and Liesl Larson
- Judy LaVine
- James and Maxine Lemense
- Cindy Livingston
- Robert and Janice King
- John and Elsie Lindgren
- Eunice McCormick
- John and Barbara McCormick
- John McClean and
- Kris Wagner-Maclean
- Lincoln and Florence McGurk
- Janet Michelson
- Betty Ostram
- Ralph and Mary Paul
- Jane Pick
- Roger and Sara Pinkert
- William and Sonja Polster
- Bill and Doris Price
- Putterman and Watchmaker Ltd.
- Robert and Helen Reed
- Roy and Jeanenne Richardson
- Deborah Rosenthal
- Reta Schmidt
- Clyde Smith
- Marguerite and Dennis Skahen
- Michelle Sternard
- Ann and Al Tanck
- Geraldine Thornton
- Linda Walczek
- Mary Wanke
- John and Cathy Wiese
- Elizabeth Williams
- Jolene Wilson
- Philip and Sue Young
- Raymond and Jean Young
- Vada Ulrech
Luke’s Outdoor Classroom
Educators Barb and Mike Madden enjoyed sharing the wonders of nature with their students. They wished to commemorate those students and their son, Luke, by supporting the creation of the Council Ring and Outdoor Classroom by matching the gifts of others.
Luke was a boy with very special needs, but he found comfort in the outdoors.
With their contributions and the support of many others, the outdoor classroom will assist children and adults enjoy the sounds and smells of the outdoors that offered their son peace.
Running Green for Crossroads
SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 2013
Start Time: 8:00 am
A Commitment to “Running Green”
- The Atayne performance t-shirts race participants receive are made in the USA from 100% recycled fabrics
- Post event refreshments are locally grown or produced within 30 miles
- Paper goods are biodegradable
- Food waste is composted
- Water bottle usage in place of paper waste
- Awards are made locally by artists and businesses
- Courses are marked with reusable flags that are removed after the event
- Event promotes a silent sport for all ages with minimal footprint
- Increases awareness of ‘green’ living in our community
- Proceeds from the event support the general fund at Crossroads at Big Creek Environmental Learning Center
Visit www.CrossroadRun.com for more information
