“Wrinkle in Time” suggests time travel. What’s Clark Lake’s version of this? Look no further than the Clark Lake Community Center. In the late 1800s, this cottage was among the very first built on water’s edge. Poised on Kentucky Point, it became a Clark Lake icon, seen from numerous east and west end vantage points. Some early cottages were erected hurriedly to meet the demand of vacationers who wanted a weekly stay. How hurriedly? Look underneath, and you’ll may see some early cottages resting on tree stumps. Not so, the Graziani cottage. As the history notes, Judge Graziani’s approach was more deliberate. And the cottage, indeed, has stood the test of time—100 years on Kentucky Point, and another 24 in the County Park.
A valued exemplification of lake culture, the Graziani cottage was worth saving from the business end of a bulldozer. Clark Lakers floated it down the lake to its new forever home in the County Park. Once there, major work brought it back to life. But the intervening years again threatened its existence—not by a bulldozer, but through the ravages of natural decay. The recent campaign to save the Community Center stopped that unhappy trajectory.
Through the lens of the wrinkle in time, is there a kind of symmetry from then, to now, and into the future? The past reveals the memorable story of generations coming to Clark Lake and finding it left an indelible imprint on their lives. The present? Echoes of the love of the lake reverberate through the constant, widespread appreciation of all things Clark Lake. Part of that is the major restoration of this grand cottage, now the Community Center. Though control of the future is shaped by circumstances, Clark Lake can certainly exercise influence. By preserving this important part of Clark Lake culture, the power to redirect future uncertainty is happening now.
This campaign to save the Community Center did not happen on its own. Under the auspices of the Clark Lake Spirit Foundation, volunteers guided the effort through countless hours of planning and hard work. Over 100 donors enabled the project to go forward through heartfelt financial support.
Now that the restorative work is nearing completion, it’s time to acknowledge those donors. Their names will be the centerpiece of a Recognition Display that will cover an entire wall inside the historic structure. This Display will show for the ages what Standing Up for Clark Lake has meant today.
Presented in the spirit of Thanksgiving gratitude, here are the names of those who helped make possible this historic restoration. The order is alphabetical by last name within each giving tier. Now, these donors will become a permanent part of Clark Lake’s wrinkle in time.
The $50,000 donation from the Michael Ibold Wilger Foundation was the result of a matching grant program.
$50,000
Michael Ibold Wilger Foundation
$15,000+
The Richard L. Ambs Family
$10,000+
Richard Preece Belcher
Finkville
Laurie & Bob LaZebnik
Mike & Teresa McKay
The Harry Melling Family
M-R Builder
Searles Family Foundation
Kevin & Lucia Thomson Family
Joe & Kathleen Thorrez
Mick & Betsy Thorrez
Lynn Vermeulen
$5000+
Tucker & Tricia Boyers Family
Frank & Josephine Bullinger Hones Family
John & Jackie Calhoun
$3000+
Brian & Jane Adamczyk
Mike & Nancy Ligibel
Ted & Pat Ligibel
Walter & Joy Reed
$2500+
Kirk & Marty Mercer
Jaimie Mercer & Daniel Thomson
Bill & Susan Richardson Family
Phil & Joane Riley Family
Phil Willis
$1000+
Louie & Michele Ambs
Andrews-Schweitzer Family
Holly & Brian Bolenbaugh
Gerald & Karen Burns
Chelsea Lumber
Pat & Brenda Collins
Byron R. Crary
Eagle Point Marina
Joe & Diane (Kellogg) Eisele
Carl & Abby Evanson
Tom & Nancy Evanson
Jamie & Lori Grace
Steve & Margie Harris
The Hopkins Family
Jack & Dee Jackson
The Jones Family
Carla & Sean Kennedy
Tom Kohut & Cindy Sikorski
Lucero’s Mexican Bar & Grill
Adam Michael McKay
Nikki McKay – Alyssa Marie & Vincent Michael
Stephanie, Steve, Olivia & Finley Niezgoda
Armida & Travis Pearse
Jason & Theresa Sanders
Carl F. Spaeth III
Claude & Deb Spencer
Ann Leutz Swain
Chas & Pat Timberlake
Fritz & Karen Wilger Family
David & Sue Woodsum
Tim Zacharias
$500+
Peggy Collins
Phil Curtis
Emilie Wilger Dressler
Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill
Gregg & Roxann Kerr
Susan Kopplin Kienholz
The Joan & Ralph Mahalak Family
Sally Patterson McCarthy
David & Lori Munro
Jackie Reau
Flip & Linda Blair Reynolds
Jerry Shaughnessy & Anita Cummings
Joyce & Steve Shawaker
John & Elaine Stewart
Patrick & Suzanne Walz
$200+
Dotty, John & Johnny Karkheck
Lois Kline
Steve & Lauri (Auty) Lambert
The O’Neil Family
Scott & Peggy Thomas
$100+
Amy & Russ Bless
Grant & Annie Brown
The Jack & Bonnie Burns Family
Anne Damron
Leo Dexter & Andrea Steible
Deacon Ken Dickey
Pat Dickey
David K. & Sharon K. Elwell
The Hones Family
Ron & Beth June
Rich & Nicki Kennedy
Brad, Annie, Bria & Ryan Ligibel
Gerald (Stub) & Betty Mead
Marlene & Ed Pilzecker
Wayne Schimpff
Paul Speer & LeeAnn Strickland
David & Lynette Townsend
Becky & Dave Turk
Jim & Mary Pat Vetter
Turk & Bev Walton
Douglas & Sue Wiemer
Carolyn Zader
In Kind
American Office Solutions
Bendele Construction
Billy White Roofing
Brooklyn Plumbing & Heating
Columbia Cleaning
Nic Rowley
Richard Moran
Wilbee Concrete
Did you make a contribution of $100 or more and don’t see your name—or would you like to add your name? Please contact clarklakespirit@gmail.com. Until the names are permanently inscribed on the Recognition Display, additional donations are welcome.
The Graziani cottage on Kentucky Point in 1910.
Similar view of the Clark Lake Community Center, fall 2022.
Rick Belcher (President)
The Clark Lake Community Center Leadership Group
L to R: Jaimie Mercer Thomson (Events), Mike McKay (Restoration), Ann Swain (Treasurer), Mick Thorrez (Development), Meredythe Hill VanDusen (Rentals), Flip Reynolds (Operations). Not pictured – Rick Belcher (Manager) and Josie Hones (Secretary)
Thanks also to all the Clark Lakers who provide their time and energy in coordinating the many projects and events that make Clark Lake a special place .