SINGER, SONGWRITER LIVINGSTON TAYLOR PERFORMS TO BENEFIT A NEW VISION FOR CRITICAL LAKESHORE PARCEL Singer, songwriter Livingston Taylor will perform August 13 at the Ridge at Verterra Vineyard property as a fundraiser for New Community Vision. The event is open to the public and is sponsored by local homeowners Francie Downing and Melissa von Stade in memory of their sister, Carol von Stade, who for 60 years treasured her time outside in the tranquil beauty of Leelanau County.
From top 40 hits ‘Carolina Day’, ‘Get Out of Bed’, ‘I Can Dream of You’ and ‘Boatman’ (the last two recorded with brother James), Livingston’s creative output has spanned a 50-year career of performance, song writing, and teaching. He is thrilled to be performing on the Leelanau Peninsula.
New Community Vision (NCV) is a new non-profit established to acquire the former Timber Shores property in order to preserve the majority of the 200-plus acres -- including 1,800 feet of valued lakeshore -- as a public nature preserve for the community while utilizing upland sections to address some of the housing issues faced in the Township.
NCV is raising funds to transfer ownership and pursue a new vision. After finalizing the purchase of the property, a process of community engagement will also help to re-imagine the mix of uses.
The majority of the 200-plus acre property is prime for conservation and environmental stewardship. The 1,800 feet of shoreline hosts critical native fishery habitat along with acres of important wetlands, streams, and woodlands that are home to plants, birds, and wildlife. Some upland sections hold potential for critically-needed workforce housing or other appropriately-sized uses that align with community priorities.
John Sentell, volunteer president of NCV, says the organization grew from an idea to re-think how this property can best benefit both current and future generations. “Investing in new thinking to support the long-term stewardship of this legacy lakefront property will benefit our community in the very best ways,” says Sentell.
NCV is a registered 501(c)3 charity, and as such, donations to support NCV’s new approach are tax deductible and will be used to purchase the property and lay the groundwork for community involvement. NCV has an option to purchase the land from the current owner, NM Investment Co., LLC, and RVTS Investment, LLC.
“After sharing our vision for the property with the owner, we are thrilled to have secured an option to purchase this legacy parcel and are now in a position to raise money to acquire the property. Thus far we’re receiving enthusiastic interest,” says Sentell.
“A lot of hard work has been done behind the scenes to get to this point, and this announcement is one of the first steps in a journey to align a collective vision. We have a short and urgent window of opportunity to purchase the land,” adds Sentell. “This is a community effort that will benefit generations to come, and we’re excited.”
For more information contact: info@newcommunityvision.org
For tickets for the Livingston Taylor benefit concert and to donate, visit www.newcommunityvision.org
Note to editors: NCV Board of Directors: All NCV board members own property and live and work part- or full-time in Leelanau County: John Sentell, President (former president & CEO, Lake Forest Open Lands Association) Beth Verhey, Vice President and Director (former Chief of Social Policy, UNICEF) Dale Lersch, Treasurer (former CEO acturus, research consultancy acquired by MetrixLab) Kate Bulkley, Secretary (Media Consultant) Andy Thomas, Director (Founder, Thomas & Milliken M
llwork, Inc.) Ends
Comments