To The Editor:

Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT) held the “Dam Jam” in 2013 that raised money to protect Upper Hungarian Falls which is now a KLT nature area open to the public year round. This year the event was renamed the Land Jam to raise money for KLT’s Land Protection Fund to purchase additional lands for nature areas the public can enjoy. This Fund provides ‘seed’ money to challenge local fundraising for projects like Hungarian Falls or to provide match for grants to purchase land such as the Pilgrim Community Forest currently in development. Many people make dedicated and memorial donations to this Fund to create a lasting legacy by permanently protecting special places.

This year’s Land Jam on Saturday May 10th brought over 100 people together at the South Range Community Hall to support and celebrate land protection in the Copper Country. We thank everyone who attended and those that mailed in a donation to raise over $1,000 for the Land Protection Fund. We thank the talented local musicians in the bands that did the jamming: What the Folk?, Homestead, Adam Kentala & Tony Laux, and Keweenaw Brewgrass. We thank Courtney Schumaker, Victoria Stack, and Paul Bristol from Michigan Tech’s Audio Production Technology and Sound Design programs for providing and operating the sound system. Thanks to the Keweenaw CO-OP and Deli, 5th and Elm, Pat’s IGA Foods, and Family Dollar for donating refreshments. Events like this can only happen with the help of many generous and able volunteers thank you all for making the Land Jam a fun and positive event. We are very grateful to have the Daily Mining Gazette as a hometown newspaper covering our work through articles and recognizing our efforts on its editorial page.

The KLT will be here to serve the community for generations to come. We are planning another Land Jam for next spring to support our work and we hope to see another great turn out. Thanks to the many supporters of our projects and work over the years and we encourage everyone to enjoy our events and nature areas. Please visit www.KeweenawLandTrust.org to learn more about our mission and projects. Thank you for your support.

Evan McDonald

Executive Director

HANCOCK