Winter 2017 Newsletter

Navigational Aids…

Just returning from a trip to southwest Arizona, I can attest to the value of a good navigation system and iPhone app traveling in areas of congested traffic and unfamiliar roads. Relying on that familiar voice in my car (not my wife) to get us to our destination provided the opportunity to enjoy the scenery along the way.

The Crossroads Board of Directors decided that we too could use a familiar voice to guide our efforts and programming as we face challenges and opportunities along the road into the future. That voice will come from a Visioning and Mission retreat we have scheduled in the upcoming year.

We have enlisted the guidance of Bret Bicoy of the Door County Community Foundation and our Friends of Crossroads organization to help with the process. Board members Gretchen Schmelzer and Colleen Elliott will be organizing the exercise and contacting our ever-vigilant stakeholders for inputs and vision of Crossroads at Big Creek’s trek into the years to come.

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Dick Weidman,
President, Board of Directors at Crossroads

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Thursday, Saturdays, and Sundays from 1:00-3:30 – whenever snow is adequate.

Thanks to volunteers from Friends of Crossroads and Door County Silent Sports, ski and snowshoeing equipment will be available, free of charge, to Door County residents and visitors. We are grateful to Door County Medical Center for grants to help defray the cost of trail maintenance. Snow conditions allowing, Ski and Multi-use Trails always are free and open to the public.

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Celebrate Water is a county-wide year-long series of activities to celebrate Door County’s Water, understand the threats to our water, and inspire people to act and protect our water. It is an initiative of Healthy Water Door County, a fund of the Door County Community Foundation. Celebrate Water was the inevitable choice for the Crossroads Educational Theme for 2018.

Water Education

Water always has been integral part of Crossroads programming. This year, we will continue to present water issues to learners of all ages. School field trips, Earth Day celebrations and many of our programs will celebrate water.

Service Projects and Activities

We will encourage youth groups to take part in water related service projects and activities. The Friends of Crossroads already are planning to present a Water-Fest event for families, probably in the fall.

Celebrate Water Clearinghouse

Crossroads will collect and disseminate information lesson plans, discussion guides, AV resources, and speaker lists. We will share our materials or direct you to others who can help you.

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An Amazing Autumn

Gifts made from August 1 through Thanksgiving, 2017

Since September 1st Crossroads at Big Creek has:

• Offered 21 School Field Trips.
• Hosted 56 Adult Education Programs for (in order of programs) Door County Historical Society, Wild Ones of the Door Peninsula, Climate Change Coalition of Door County, Door County Land Trust, Write On Door County, Learning in Retirement, Door County Mental Health and the Beekeepers of Door County.
• Presented the 2017 Sustainability Fair, a project of Sustain Door and Door County Thrive.
• Sponsored the Annual Middle School Archaeological Dig.
• Held a High School Cross-country Meet.
• Added a Snowy Owl to our Wisconsin Wildlife Display (and a live one has been seen at The Cove).
• Participated in the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society’s Astronomy Day at the Astronomy Campus.
• Installed a Water Fountain/Bottle Filler (thanks to Door County Medical Center).
• Added Lights to our “green” parking lot.
• AND… Received Gifts from the generous people and foundations listed on this page.

$10,000 and up

Don and Coggin Heeringa
Portland Trust II

$5,000 – $9,999

Joan and Brian Wake Fund**
Door Property Owners Charitable Fund**

$2,500 – $4,999

Door County Medical Center
Anonymous

$1,000 – $2,499

Dennis and Bonnie Connolly
Judy and David Ward

$500 – $999

Barbara and Christopher Bullock
Cellcom Green Gifts
Ed and Cindy Koutnik
Ellsworth and Carla Peterson
Charitable Foundation
Ann and David Harsh
Master Gardeners of Door County
Ivy Nelson
Patsy Stierna

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Holiday Appeal

Holiday Appeal, Annual Appeal, Year-end Appeal… whatever.

“Appeal” is defined as “a serious, urgent, or heartfelt request.”
So whatever we call it, we hope to raise $35,000 between Thanksgiving and
New Year’s Eve, in order to achieve our mission and ensure financial stability.

Understand that Crossroads receives no tax support of any kind, and though we receive generous grant support, those funds are usually designated for special projects. We truly depend on gifts from the community to underwrite our programs and to maintain our preserves.

Other Ways to Help:

Middle School Archaeological Dig

2017 was the fifth year that students from T.J. Walker Middle School participated in an Archaeological dig at Crossroads. Two years ago, Sevastopol joined the project, and Southern Door has indicated that they want to dig in 2018.

While students participate in the excavation, they work under careful supervision by professional archaeologists who already have conducted exacting preliminary research including literature searches, soil analysis and lake levels studies. Any investigation without such oversight could result in site desecration.

We are hoping to raise $7,000 [the costs of salaries, lodging, per diem, insurance, travel and materials for a team of four or five archaeologists] to engage Midwest Archaeological Consultants for eight days so that our middle school excavations are done according to scientific and professional standards during the fall of 2018.

AV Equipment

The Crossroads lecture hall is used by school and youth groups and for adult educational programs, community meetings and environmental presentations. The projector and DVD player were replaced five years ago, but much of the equipment is fifteen years old and often difficult to use. Designated gifts would enable the purchase of a much needed user-friendly and fully integrated audiovisual system.

Education and Events

Special programs and events cost money. Gifts to this fund enable us to pay for the materials and extra costs associated with Our Celebrate Water activities and other special events.

Volunteers

Rather than money, many people give the gift of time. Our volunteer arm, Friends of Crossroads, always is looking for new members. The Friends of Crossroads makes Crossroads the special place it has become. Friends sponsor the Crossroads Trail Run and Ski-for-Free, organize the library, host events, help staff the office, pull weeds and invasive species, maintain trails, help with mailing and a myriad other necessary tasks. If you would like to learn more about Friends of Crossroads, check the box on the opposite page and we will contact you.

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2018 Educational Theme – “Celebrate Water”

2018 Goals:

• Conduct a Board Visioning Retreat
• Create swale system
• Landscape parking lot
• Naturalize entrance
• Install ADA compliant toilets and grab bars
• Purchase display screen for Collins Learning Center entrance
• Upgrade AV system
• Improve trail signage/signs for The Cove and Ida Bay preserves
• Renovate exterior and bathroom lighting (2018 Energy Project)
• Begin planning for bridge upgrades
• Continue Archaeological Dig
• And of course, Celebrate Water

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Download a pdf of our Winter 2017 newsletter