Joe and Marilyn Reed

For more than 30 years, Beaver Island has been a special haven for the Reeds. Looking for a place to relax and enjoy family time, Chicago area residents Joe and Marilyn first bought a small cottage, then built a new home on the north shore, where they're now happily retired. Three generations of the Reed clan gather regularly on the Emerald Isle for holidays, birthdays, and summer vacations -- and the Reeds can't think of a better way to spend family time.
 

A past trustee of the Community Foundation, Joe believes wholeheartedly in the concept of giving back to the place he loves. When some stock that he and Marilyn had purchased a few years back reached an all-time high, Joe seized the opportunity to make a charitable move. Transferring the appreciated stock to the Community Foundation, the Reeds helped establish the Beaver Island Enrichment Fund.

Since then other Beaver Island residents and vacationers have followed their lead, and the fund has grown considerably. The Fund is used to benefit civic projects for the Island community, promote innovative programs, and respond to changing needs on the beautiful Lake Michigan archipelago.  "Rather than leave money for a specific project, Marilyn and I have chosen this Enrichment Fund as a way to support the things that Beaver Island people believe are important over time," Joe explains.  Their kids agree. "They fully support our leaving a legacy to the Island," says Marilyn. "They know that, in providing for Beaver Island's future, we're protecting a part of their future, and their children's future, too."