Making a Difference – The Michigan TU Aquifer Club

by Robb Smith, Michigan TU Treasurer

The Michigan TU Aquifer Club recently observed its eleventh anniversary at its annual membership outing held this year at Hank and Terri Milius’s wonderful home on the Au Sable River in Grayling. Covid had put a “hitch in our giddy-up,” but the club was back on track and continues to grow in members and funding. This year the Aquifer Club has over 60 members and has secured more than $158,000 of unrestricted funds.

We would like to share a few backend stories about the Aquifer Club and why it is so important to the mission of Michigan TU. From 2007 to 2009, Michigan TU made a bold move to employ a new executive director, Dr. Bryan Burroughs, and a new aquatic ecologist, Kristin Thomas. Soon, it became clear that to sustain the results of their outstanding work, Michigan TU would need to develop a much larger stream of incoming funds.

To meet these needs, an ad-hoc Development Committee was formed. Its main goal was to create a monetarily self-sustaining organization whereby Michigan TU could develop large amounts of unrestricted funds to support the essential coldwater conservation issues of the day not associated with normal restoration work. Some sound advice was given to our committee by one of our venerable past chairmen, the late David Smethurst: “Whatever you do, don’t indiscriminately chase grants. Study them carefully, as they may not lead you in a direction that implements our mission.”

With Dave’s words well in mind, we ventured forward. Unrestricted funds – those donated without a specific purpose – are hard to obtain, and our program of relying on chapter donations, annual appeals, membership rebates from TU National, and a few restricted-use grants, along with a shrinking nest egg, were not going to keep us going forever. Michigan TU needed an option for individual members who were willing to make more significant unrestricted donations on an annual basis. From this need, the Aquifer Club was conceived.

In 2011, Michigan TU’s Chairman David Smith, Bryan Burroughs, and several others developed the idea of a group of donors, each pledging a donation of $1,000 or more per year to Michigan TU. These dollars were to support the unrestricted salary needs of our staff. Bryan suggested the name “Aquifer Club” to the group. The title made sense as aquifers provide deep and sustained replenishment of water – it was a perfect analogy for the new group’s name. With some word of mouth and selective advertising, the fledgling committee generated 14 members in the first year of the Aquifer Club in 2012. The charter members were Dick Augustine, Dick Barch, Peter Gustafson, Pat Kochanny, Jeff Lowe, John McCarthy, Rick Poston, Paul Rose, Jake Shinners, Ken Sink, Dave Smith, Hal Smith IV, Robb Smith, and James Wades.

The Aquifer Club membership grew to 19 members in 2013, and at that time, a goal of 30 or more members was set for the future. Good things happened, and almost ten years later, the club’s membership still includes nine charter members, has blossomed to over 60, and continues to grow.

By the numbers, the Aquifer Club has provided over $535,000 of unrestricted funding from 2012 to date. Along with individual giving appeals and donations from the membership of the Tributary Club, Michigan TU has raised a combined total of $832,000 in unrestricted funds since the modest start of the Aquifer Club. Our efforts have paid off and made our organization a leader in coldwater policy and advocacy regarding water withdrawal legislation, dam safety, recreational angling, commercial fishing, and invasive species. These are all critical topics that are almost impossible to fund through grants.

The Aquifer Club meets at an annual dinner outing usually held at an Aquifer Club member’s summer home on the third weekend in August. An informative program is presented by Bryan and Kristin, describing the year’s major work and accomplishments, as well as an outlook for the coming year and needs for the future. It is a very enjoyable evening with ample time for conversation with like-minded friends and acquaintances. Members are encouraged to bring their spouses and, of course, invite guests who may be interested in joining the Aquifer Club.

This grassroots development program works because of one major reason. Michigan TU, via the talented leadership of our staff, has been able to use unrestricted funds to advocate and give sound, unbiased advice concerning those topics most closely affecting coldwater resources. From water withdrawal to dam removal and stream restoration to invasive species control, our organization provides the best science-based answers possible. Thank you to all our donors who make this work possible.

As Kermit the Frog said, “It’s not easy being green!”