Donor Tom Stults From Massachusetts (by way of Michigan)

Tom Stults is a member of our Cornerstone Society, a special group of individuals who have invested long-term in our conservation efforts by making gifts of $500 or more for five years or longer.

Read his story:

My most enduring memories all come from time spent outdoors. My favorite outdoor place is the Sleeping Bear Dunes lakeshore in Michigan, which is actually a place that The Conservation Fund helped to protect. My family has been spending summers there for nearly 75 years, and to me it remains among the most beautiful places I've been. The area's pristine lakes, rolling dunes, peaceful forests and postcard shorelines taught me an early lesson about the value of our natural assets—not only for their own sake, but also for the well-being of the surrounding communities and beyond.

It is by no means the most "wild" of places I've enjoyed, but that lakeshore holds the most sentimental value. To me, Northern Michigan means time with family, a total refresh and an escape from television and routine. We fill our days with activities rooted in the area's surroundings. We hike the dunes, canoe the Crystal River, birdwatch on the bluffs, cool off in the Caribbean turquoise waters of Glen Lake, and of course fuel ourselves on delicious Michigan cherries and ice cream.

I believe it is our responsibility to leave our environment in as good or better condition as how we inherited it. We rely on our surroundings to sustain and improve our quality of life, yet much about the way we live is unsustainable. Land conservation and sustainability projects help to balance this dynamic and ensure a healthy world for future generations.

Why I Choose To Support The Fund

The Fund is the most efficient organization out there when it comes to land conservation and environmental sustainability. Not only is its overhead impressively low, it has the ability to quickly shift focus to wherever the need for resources is greatest. The Fund works with an amazing array of people and organizations to secure the best outcome for the areas it seeks to protect or improve. By donating to the Fund, I’m making a permanent impact with each dollar spent—work that has a future value well beyond the money used to make the project happen.