Pine River Area Chapter Remembers Lost Leaders

by Mark Johnson, Pine River Chapter Representative

The past two years have been a challenge for many organizations worldwide. The Pine River Area Chapter of Trout Unlimited is no exception. An annual spring banquet has been the chapter’s primary source of income for decades, and those banquets weren’t possible in 2020, 2021, and 2022 due to the pandemic. While the chapter continues to be in great shape financially, the ability to raise and spend funds during the pandemic has put projects on hold within the area the chapter serves.

“We have worked to do the things we could do, like planting projects and supporting larger efforts financially with partners, but the scope of work has certainly been reduced as a result of COVID restrictions,” says Chapter President Tim Birtles. “We are all looking forward to a more regular schedule of events in the coming months.”

On top of those challenges, the chapter lost two longtime board members during the same period. Ron Hamilton and Denny Douglas (shown in the photo above), both Cadillac residents, passed away after a combined 38 years of service to the Pine River Area Chapter. Those losses have hit the chapter hard.

Chapter Vice President Mark Johnson recognizes the loss to the group. “Leadership in any volunteer organization seems to be dwindling. I don’t think that is unique to TU. I see it in other groups I’m involved with as well. People are committed to other activities. Travel sports are so much bigger than when I was a kid, and nobody wants one more commitment on their calendars. That’s why as a board, we felt it was important to bring attention to the efforts of Denny and Ron and recognize their service to TU in a meaningful way.”

After considerable deliberation, the group decided to award a one-time scholarship in their honor to an area student studying natural resources. It seemed a natural fit, given the time and leadership Denny and Ron had given to area young people and coldwater conservation. An application was developed in their memory and distributed to local high school counselors. After a two-month application period, an applicant was selected and awarded a $2,000 scholarship in memory of Denny and Ron. The recipient, Gwen Phillips of Cadillac, is studying Fisheries and Wildlife at Lake Superior State University and hopes to pursue a career working in fisheries. She also plans a double minor in GIS and Freshwater and Marine Sciences. As part of the award, Gwen was also given a guided fishing trip on the Au Sable River in July with local guide Jamie Clous. Ron and Denny had a love for trout and a passion for trout fishing. Their efforts on behalf of coldwater conservation and service to the board certainly weren’t without impact. The scholarship, the fishing trip, and the chapter are testaments to those efforts and won’t soon be forgotten by those who continue that work. Nor will they be forgotten by Gwen. “This is huge for me. I’ve always known I wanted to work in this field, and this scholarship will help me achieve my goals in conservation and resource management,” says Gwen. “It’s rare to find folks that give that much time to volunteer efforts, and Denny and Ron are great examples of service.” It takes effort to make positive changes. Denny and Ron believed those efforts were worth it. Special thanks to them, Jamie Clous, and the current board members, who helped make this award possible. For more information on the Pine River Area Chapter, contact President Tim Birtles at tbirt@charter.net or visit www.pineriverareatu.org. Gwin shown holding a nice trout