About Us
History of the Gillette Nature Association
The Gillette Nature Association was started in 1977 by Park Naturalist, Sandy McBeath with the intention of building a long lasting sustainable fund to support interpretive efforts and education at the Visitor Center and P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. He literally recruited his own friends to provide the initial start to the organization. Some of the original board members included Rob Torreson, Robert Walsh, George Wickstrom, and Carol Bedford. Margaret Drake Elliot served as Member Emeritus. They promoted the Center and its programs through their affiliations with other groups and throughout the community. They also provided fundraising support. Their annual Trillium Festival and native plant sale created by McBeath and naturalist Earl Wolf brought in valuable funds and support from the community. McBeath started selling field guides and tshirts in the Center’s lobby to raise funds for audio visual program production and equipment.
Recognized for Community & School Nature Programs
The Center’s reputation for quality nature slide shows, wildflower walks and school programs in the dunes grew far and wide. The GNA and Center staff won many awards in the late 1980s and 1990s cementing their place in organizations like the Association of Interpretive Naturalists, the Michigan Museum Association and the National Association of Interpretation. GNA grew in members from the exposure. Its t-shirt and book sales outgrew the lower lobby and a gift shop was built in the 1990s. Proceeds from gift shop sales provided critical funding for programs and equipment during lean budget years for the State of Michigan. The Association gave the gift shop to the State of Michigan in 2005. It was operated by the State Historical Museum until 2012.
The Gillette Nature Association continued its tradition of financial and volunteer support for the Center/park. It has only ever had a handful of long serving leaders dedicated to making the park and visitor center a meaningful experience for visitors. Craig Elston, a naturalist from Hudsonville, was instrumental in helping the park transform its annual Trillium Festival into the Spring Blooms in the Dunes event to draw attention away from the dwindling numbers of trillium in the park due to deer browsing. With the focus on a broader selection of spring native plants, Elston and the GNA expanded the annual sale to include only responsibly propagated native plants. Elston held the group together during the transitional years eventually handing the reigns to Mary Holmes Sorensen in 2002.
Mission
The Gillette Nature Association is an organization of community volunteers whose purpose it is to promote and expedite education, conservation and recreation programs originating at the Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center and P.J. Hoffmaster State Park.
Expanded Membership, Volunteers, and Community Partnerships
Holmes-Sorensen is a long time Muskegon community leader and supporter of the Center and Park. She followed McBeath’s wisdom in assembling a group of her friends to make some lasting contributions to GNA. This was an exciting period of growth and change for the organization. During her leadership GNA expanded membership and volunteers, grew the annual native plant sale, created new education and recreation programs for the community, developed a web page for GNA, started using social media to promote special events, started new events like the Turkey Trail Run under the direction and hard work of Donielle Routt, provided transportation grants to local schools, sponsored No Child Left Inside Day in honor of Earth Day, and created a fund at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.
Holmes Sorensen left the Board in 2014. Donielle Routt has served as president on and off since while remaining race director. She has greatly expanded the group’s community partnerships and donations. Her inventive can-do approach to events has resulted in some exciting new ventures such the outdoor Women’s Beer Dinner with New Holland Brewing Company in 2019. Her energy and commitment have taken the Turkey Trail Run from 150 runners in 2012 to over 350 runners in 2019.
Help Us Build the Future of the Gillette Nature Association
If you have enjoyed the Visitor Center, it's programs or the natural beauty of P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, please consider how you can help to secure these legacies for future generations. Help us build our future. Give to our endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Muskegon County, www.muskegonfoundation.org/givenow. For additional information on supporting the Association please contact us. We are always open to exploring new ideas for the benefit of our visitors and growth of the Gillette Nature Association.
