By Pat Stinson

Once a year, we take a look back at the nonprofit organizations we highlighted or mentioned in our stories. If one of these stories touched you in some way, please consider a donation to the organization mentioned in it. (Be sure to consult your accountant for IRS rules regarding tax deductions.)  The following website offers information about the effectiveness of many nonprofit organizations, a resource some consult before making a donation to an unfamiliar charitable organization: Charity Navigator. Not all charitable organizations are listed.

AFFEW, A Few Friends for the Environment of the World, affew.org
Stories: ‘Electric vehicles’ is Earth Day keynote and Planet vs Plastics: Which will win?

Alliance of Therapy Dogs, https://therapydogs.com
“Freckles the therapy dog”

Advertisement for Honor Onekama Building Supply. Family owned since 1963. Knowledge. Service, Integrity. Here to help you with your hardware and building projects. Call 231-889-3456. Located at 4847 Main Street, Onekama. Click on this ad to be taken to the website.Advertisement for Louisa Loveridge Gallas's book called The WIzards Dream: A Universal Winter's Tale. Original wood cut illustrations by Sydney Replogle. A red ribbon across the top of the ad has the words: Finalist: Eric Hoffer Foundation Literary Award. There is a testimonial by nationally known singer-songwriter and recording artist Claudia Schmidt that says: Louisa introduces us to the wizard who lives in each of us...whose journey through his own dark time is a reminder of distress, change and renewal during the holidays, often a time of confusion and wonder. There is a cover of the book on one side of the ad with a gold seal that says Finalist, Eric Hoffer Literary Award and on the other side of the ad is a black and white photo of the author wearing an artsy looking handmade hat, beneath it her smiling eyes behind a pair of glasses. Wisps of her bangs appear beneath the hat. A yellow ribbon at the bottom of the ad says: Available at The Book Store, Frankfort; the Oliver Art Center Gift Shop; Patina; and other local shops and holiday festivals.Advertisement for Oliver Art Center is in various shades of blue. At the top left is a black square that says Oliver Art Center. The center of the ad at the top says Winter Fun at the Oliver! Beneath it is a drawing of a couple of pine cones with sprigs of greenery and superimposed on top are the words Winter Market. Local artisan-made gifts for all. November 9 thru December 30. There is an image of a lighted Christmas tree and a person wearing a clock standing beside it admiring it. The next announcement in the ad is about The Haunting of Ebeneezer, an acoustic concert retelling of Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale. Tickets are on sale now. There is a Q.R. code in the ad that someone can point their smart device at using the device's camera to be taken to the website to purchase tickets. Or click on this ad to go to the oliver art center's website. At the bottom of the ad is a third announcement, this one of a Festive Family piano concert. An evening of music with Kit Holmes. There is another Q.R. code to point a smart device at in order to get details and tickets. The Oliver Art Center is located at 132 Coast Guard Road in Frankfort.

Arcadia Area Historical Society, https://www.facebook.com/ArcadiaMIHistory/
Story:Early railways is Arcadia Daze topic, “Music featured at Arcadia Museum”

Arcadia Lions, e-clubhouse.org/sites/arcadiami
Story: “Arcadia community to celebrate Arbor Day” and “Early railways is Arcadia Daze topic”

Arts and Culture Alliance of Manistee County, https://www.allartsmanistee.com/
“James Earl Jones: the roles our writers like best”

Bay Area Recycling for Charities (BARC), https://mybarc.org
Story:  Every day’s like Christmas at Kaleva’s recycling-resale center

Citizens Climate Lobby, facebook.com/CCLMichigan
Story: Library to show Groundbreaking Film

C.O.V.E., https://www.callcove.com/
Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters
Story: Serial killer survivor to speak during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Elizabeth Lane Oliver Art Center, oliverartcenterfrankfort.org
Stories: ‘Battle of the Brushes’ to capture Frankfort   Page 3

Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, gtrlc.org
Stories: “For the Love of Birds and Birding”; “Squirrels and spring peepers and other tales of surviving Michigan’s winters”; “Support Biodiversity”

Great Lakes Environmental Festival, glef.us
Story: Festival dinner to kick off weekend, Planet vs Plastics: Which will win?

Lake County Historical Society, facebook.com/lakecountyhistoricalsociety/
Stories: Quilt trunk show promises ‘coziest gathering’; Historical society to celebrate museum additionMuseum preserves newspapers, thanks to grant; “5th Folk Fest season…” (Story in Facebook post)

Lakeside Club of Manistee County, lakesideclubmanistee.org
Story: Lakeside Club awards member for ‘Excellence’

Land Conservancy of West Michigan, https://naturenearby.org/
Story: “Road trip to another gem: McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve”

Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA), ludingtonartscenter.org
Stories: Ludington to host ‘North Country Opera’ screening

Manistee County Community Foundation, https://manisteefoundation.org
Onekama park to get new stage

Manistee Community Music, https://manisteecommunitymusic.org/
Chorus to offer ‘enchanting’ medley

Marilla Historical Society, https://marillahistory.org/
Museum to present pioneer dinner

Meals on Wheels, https://www.manisteecountycoa.com/our-programs
“Get rolling with Meals on Wheels”

Michigan Legacy Art Park, michlegacyartpark.org
Story: Art park to celebrate ‘Gateway to Black Eden’ sculpture

Music Moves Me, musicmovesme.org
Story: “Arcadia music festival ramps up” (Minnehaha Brewhaha & support for music scholarships)

Oil & Water Don’t Mix, https://www.oilandwaterdontmix.org/
Story: “Meet local freshwater advocate Madison Dix”

Oliver Art Center, https://oliverart.org  (same as Elizabeth Lane Oliver Art Center)
“‘Battle of the Brushes’ to capture Frankfort”

Onekama Guild Thrift Shop,  (no web presence). Donations to: Onekama Guild, PO Box 342, Onekama, MI 49675
Story:  What’s up at the Onekama Guild Thrift Shop?

Pines of Arcadia, pinesofarcadia.org
Story:  “Art Snake tour sparks idea”

Pleasant Valley Community Center, www.pleasantvalleycc.org
Story: “Community center a hub of activity”

Portage Lake Association, www.onekama.info
Stories: Onekama park to get new stage, Busy season ahead for Onekama , “Onekama plans busy summer”

Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, ramsdelltheatre.org
Stories: “More love for James Earl Jones”, Ramsdell calls for community art

Small Farm Conference, https://www.smallfarmconference.com/
We supported them with an in-kind donation of advertising this year. The Northwest Michigan Small Farm Conference, held at Grow Benzie this year, is a program of the Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology.

Spirit of the Woods Conservation Club, https://www.spiritofthewoodsconservation.com/
“Seven wanders of Manistee County”

Spirit of the Woods Chapter, North Country Scenic Trail, northcountrytrail.org  SOW page
Story: “Seven wanders of Manistee County”

Spirit of the Woods Music Association, spiritofthewoods.org
Story: Folk festival returns Saturday

WNMC 90.7 FM Radio, www.wnmc.org
Supports Freshwater Reporter through on-air interviews with writer Stewart McFerran after each issue is published.

Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, https://www.bumblebeewatch.org/
Story: The buzz about bumblebees

Help Freshwater Reporter:  If you find you have a little extra after donating to the above causes, please consider a donation to help us keep the press rolling in 2025: http://tinyurl.com/2wfrwud6. The paper is not a nonprofit organization, and your donation is not tax deductible. However, your contribution will be accepted with our deepest appreciation.

Pat Stinson is co-editor of the Freshwater Reporter.

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