Winter has settled beautifully over Leelanau County. The snow-covered countryside and the lake itself are especially striking this time of year. Wherever you’re spending the season, we hope you enjoy a few photos of winter on Lake Leelanau—along with an update from the fund you helped establish to protect the lake in perpetuity.
Our First Grant of the Year
Friends has made its first grant of 2026 to the Lake Leelanau Lake Association (LLLA). After detailed discussions with LLLA President Nancy Popa, Treasurer Laurie Wilkins, Director of Administration and Programs Annalise Povolo, and Stewardship Manager Elizabeth Haber, our board voted to award grants totaling $329,620 to support LLLA’s 2026 lake stewardship programs.These funds will help:Continue placement of burlap blankets over remaining patches of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM);Expand monitoring to detect and treat new invasive species;Increase staffing hours at boat wash stations;Broaden water quality monitoring; andLaunch a pilot program to restore native vegetation.
Friends’ grant will fund approximately 84% of LLLA’s 2026 program budget and 56% of its projected total budget of $591,400. To learn more about what LLLA accomplished with Friends’ support in 2025, we invite you to read LLLA’s 2025 Field Report.
Treasurer Appointed
We are also pleased to report that Dawn Lund has been elected Treasurer of Friends of Lake Leelanau. Dawn’s family has been part of the Lake Leelanau community for five generations. She, her husband Chris, and their son Cobe live on the Leland River, and her family continues to own property on South Lake Leelanau, where she grew up. An expert in municipal finance and a graduate of Ferris State University (B.S., Accounting), Dawn brings deep financial expertise, longstanding community ties, and a heartfelt commitment to protecting the lake. She also serves on the Dam Authority Board. We are grateful for her leadership and service.
Send Us Your Photos
We would be delighted to feature your photos in our upcoming Annual Report. Each year, we illustrate the report with images of donors’ families enjoying the lake, and scenes that capture the beauty of Lake Leelanau. Please email your photos to Carol Rademacher at carol@friendsoflakeleelanau.org.