An update from the HWP President

Greetings!

I am writing to give you an update on the Holiday Woodlands Preserve. We’ve been very, very busy.

I am pleased to let you know that in December we successfully financed a loan through First Community Bank so that the Preserve’s governing board could purchase the 80-acre property. The down payment for the loan was secured with over $45,000 dollars raised in the neighborhood and an additional private loan of $40,000, some of which is currently being used for operational costs and loan payments while we get our next phase of fundraising efforts under way.

Our fund raising goal going forward is to raise the money to pay off the loan. A new addition to our neighborhood, Brian VanVoorst, has stepped up to lead the fund raising efforts. The Preserve’s fund raising scheme will come through a layered approach that includes grant writing, business contributions, and donations from generous families like yours. Less than 10% of the neighborhood has contributed, and quite honestly, we understand why—it looked like a long shot. But with the property now secured, we hope you will see your way to make a donation. You will see more information about fund raising soon.

Holiday Woodlands Preserve is unique in that it creates a publicly accessible forest in the heart of a residential area. With the expectation of future expansion of the city into surrounding areas, it is not hard to imagine that this part of town will experience considerable growth in the not-too-distant future. We believe the Preserve will become a welcome piece of wilderness. The Preserve board is prepared to serve as land stewards in perpetuity; however, we will welcome discussions with organizations that share our vision of preservation.

Attached is a fact sheet that will answer many other questions. We also encourage you to look at the following online resources to keep informed.

For information:

https://holidaypreserve.wordpress.com

For community discussion:

https://www.facebook.com/holidaypreserve/

To donate online:
https://www.gofundme.com/holiday-woodlands-preserve

To donate by mail:

Holiday Woodlands Preserve

PO Box 332

Acme, MI 49610

We wish you a great spring and look forward to seeing you in the woods!

Jim Lamond, on behalf of the Holiday Woodlands Preserve governing board

P.S. A question we are often asked is whether we have talked with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. The answer is yes; however, these discussions are in the early stages, and any potential GTRLC involvement isn’t likely before 2020. In the meantime, the mortgage has to be paid, which we have to do with a grassroots effort.