Door County Living 2023 – Philanthropy Issue

Published February 22nd, 2023

editor
Myles Dannhausen Jr.

assistant editor
Grace Johnson

copy editor
Paula Apfelbach

creative director
Andrew Kleidon

design associate
Renee Puccini

sales managers
Jess Farley, Stephen Grutzmacher, Deanna Nelson

courier
The Paper Boy, LLC

distribution experts
Jeff Andersen, Chris Eckland, Guy Fortin, Todd Jahnke, Jacob Wickman

office manager
Ben Pothast

assistant office manager
Kait Shanks

chief technology officer
Nate Bell

contributors
Bret Bicoy, Terrie Cooper, Debra Fitzgerald, Ben Jones, Brett Kosmider, Rachel Lukas, John Mielke, Craig Sterrett, Sam Watson

publisher
David Eliot

owners
David Eliot and Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Door County Living, Inc.
8142 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
920.839.2120
[email protected]
doorcountypulse.com

Philanthropy Issue 2023
35,000 copies (18,243 mailed)

Door County Living, celebrating the culture and lifestyle of the Door peninsula, is published five times annually by Peninsula Publishing & Distribution, Inc., 8142 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202.

To order a subscription, please mail a check for $25 to Door County Living, 8142 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202. If you would like to advertise, please visit doorcountymarketing.com.

Our Tourist Industry Isn’t for the Tourists

“The truth is that the tourist industry in Door County isn’t actually for the tourists. The primary beneficiaries of tourism are the residents of Door County.” It’s early February as I write this, and there is little snow on the ground, the temperatures are regularly above freezing, and I find myself checking the Sister Bay […]
Walking the Walk: Jeff Lutsey is living his principles

There’s hardly a minute in any day when Jeff Lutsey isn’t battling climate change – with such commitment, in fact, that when the Climate Change Coalition (CCC) of Door County offered him the position of executive director, he needed to make sure he would have enough time to dedicate to CCC’s mission while pursuing his […]
A Lifetime of Volunteering: Sally Pfeifer

For many people, retirement means more relaxation, new hobbies and fewer responsibilities. Not so for Sister Bay resident Sally Pfeifer. Since high school, she’s been hard at work volunteering for a litany of nonprofits, and though she’s now “officially retired,” she has no plan to stop anytime soon. “It’s one of my passions,” Pfeifer said. […]
Treating the Hidden Hurt: Milly Gonzales

“Why don’t you just leave?” That question is at the heart of the issues that Milly Gonzales grapples with every day as the executive director at HELP of Door County. The organization provides free, confidential services for victims of domestic violence of all kinds, and when Gonzales hears people ask that question – or hears […]
Running for a Cause: Deb Davis

When Deb Davis ran the Door County Half Marathon as part of a Run for a Cause team supporting the family of Chrystal Chartier-Wittenmyer, she didn’t run it alone. On the back of her shirt were 13 ribbons: one for each of the 13.1 miles, and each representing a different person’s fight against a different […]
Leaving a Legacy of Protected Lands

by Terrie Cooper, Door County Land Trust senior land-protection manager It’s hard to imagine a more idyllic childhood than mine, growing up in Ellison Bay in the 1970s. I knew I was living in a precious and sacred place. Hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and riding horses along the rustic trails that traversed the county created […]
Golden Heart Awards Highlight Essential Workers

The Golden Heart Award Celebration honors volunteers who have made a positive impact in Door County. The Golden Heart Awards added a new, temporary category in 2021 to highlight the efforts of community members in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2022, those who stepped up and helped the community preserve during the pandemic […]
Redefining a Community’s Center: Donald and Carol Kress named Philanthropists of the Year

Just five years after the doors of the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion opened in Egg Harbor, it’s hard to imagine Door County without it. Weddings and town halls. Environmental presentations and cabarets. Concerts and meditative yoga. Housing forums and writing conferences. The list of events that have taken place in the great hall is […]
Lighting Up the Island: Robert Cornell

“Whether it takes two or five years, we will have a network-interface device at every home and business.” – Robert Cornell Let’s be clear, Robert Cornell insisted. “I will take credit for being the front man,” he said, or for putting into action what he said “a very supportive board” has empowered and enabled him […]
A Bigger Vision: The Community Investment Fund

Tourism brings dollars to Door County. A lot of dollars. But it also brings with it some problems. Development pressure, demand for services, wear and tear on vital infrastructure, and crowding at our favorite places are just a few of the ways that the growth in tourism has brought anxiety to those who work here […]
2023 Philanthropy: Causes to Celebrate

Door County Candle Company launched what became a yearlong effort to raise funds for Razom for Ukraine, an organization that helps provide medical supplies, humanitarian war relief and recovery to the people of Ukraine. Through the sale of a special blue-and-yellow candle, the company was able to donate $851,239.82 by the end of 2022. Photo […]
Where There’s a Need, There’s a Lion

Walk down the street of a city, town or village in Door County, and you’ll likely run into a Lion. Not the roaring felines – these Lions are your friends and neighbors, and their common bond is Lions Club International, a service organization with more than 1.4 million members worldwide. From Washington Island to Forestville, […]