The Blue Star Trail
Friends. Communities. Believers. Doers.
Who we are
The Friends of the Blue Star Trail is a diverse group of individuals with a common bond (click here for DEIA Statement). We care deeply about preserving and expanding our scenic Michigan Trail for the enjoyment of all. We believe the Blue Star Trail is a legacy project, something that will endure into future generations. Building this legacy takes time, patience and cooperation, but is definitely worth the effort.
What we do
A group of local residents we act as a catalyst for growing and improving the Trail for everyone. Working in partnership with local communities, we promote construction, help fund engineering services, encourage use, and sustain the Blue Star Trail – and we invite you to join us.
How we do it
Friends raises funds through direct donations. We also host two signature events each year that help fund the Trail: Toast to the Blue Star Trail and the Lakeshore Harvest Ride. Funds raised help cover engineering costs and provide local match funds required to obtain state/federal matching grants needed to construct the trail.
Board of Directors
Clark Carmichael
President
Ganges Township
Clark, President of the Board of Directors, brings a background in banking, business ownership, business asset sales, and real estate to the Board. He was active in helping individuals and small private companies find businesses or expand their market opportunities before retiring to West Michigan.
He joined the Board because of his prior experience as a volunteer on the Anderson Township Transportation Advisory Committee in Ohio. The group developed a trails plan which led to the construction of two major segments – the “spine” of the planned network. He believes “it was transformational for the community; for the first time, residents were connected to each other by something other than roads. The trails also connected them to the many public/private buildings near its path.” In time, the trail came to serve as a vital link within the community, something he believes will happen with the Blue Star Trail.
Although he has had to back down on active sports, he remains a big sports fan and music lover.
Richard Donovan
Secretary
Douglas
Richard, the Board's Secretary, joined the Board in the Spring of 2018. He brings over 40 years of legal experience to the Board. He was a partner in an international law firm in New York City and has counseled several non-profit organizations in the course of his career. Now licensed to practice law in Michigan, he hopes to use his legal expertise to help the Friends complete its mission to develop the Blue Star Trail.
He and his family have been visiting the Saugatuck area for many years and moved here full time in 2013. He became familiar with the BST through his wife Ellen’s volunteer efforts.
Richard likes to take advantage of the scenic beauty in this area by hiking with a group in the state park, kayaking, and biking, and has started to learn how to fly-fish. He and his wife enjoy traveling around the world and keeping up with their three sons.
Jack Eisinger
Treasurer
Saugatuck Township
Jack, the Board Treasurer, brings over 40 years experience as shareholder and Chief Financial person in a Chicago manufacturer representation firm and import business selling hard goods to major retailers across the US.
His financial experience helps guide the Friends organization to continue building the Trail. Securing new major donors is an-ongoing desire for Jack – dollars that provides the matching funds – necessary to secure government grants and cover the Trail’s engineering costs.
Jack enjoys maintaining his property, hiking in the Colorado mountains, kayaking in Lake Michigan, and cycling the trails around West Michigan. He says he “would love to be able to accomplish a century ride some year!”
Nancy Kimble
Saugatuck City
Nancy’s passion for cycling was a key consideration in her family’s recent decision to become Michiganders. Nancy and her husband, Mark, are Southern Illinois natives that chose Saugatuck as their retirement and forever home in 2019. West Michigan offers the opportunity to pursue their keen interests in outdoor activities including kayaking, hiking and, most importantly, cycling.
Nancy’s extensive experience in project and operations management enable her to lead focused and results-oriented initiatives. While much of her professional career was in financial services, she has a wide-ranging background, from her role as an Environmental Specialist with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to Operations Manager for a non-profit mental health counseling group in Chicago.
Nancy’s skills and energy assist the Board in attaining completion of the Blue Star Trail. In addition to the obvious benefit to cyclists, the economic and health advantages resulting from the trail will support all residents of the Saugatuck/Douglas/South Haven region.
Kevin Martin
Fennville
Now retired, Kevin was founder and past president of KLM Creative, Inc. He also serves as Co-Chair and (sometimes) Host for Toast to the Blue Star Trail, the organization's annual fundraiser which raised over $100,000 in in each of the last two years.
Kevin and husband Duane Brown have lived in the Saugatuck-Douglas area since 1989, when they designed and built their own summer cottage. In 2000, they renovated three barns and built their home on property now known as Quiet Creek Farm.
Kevin is active in the local community as a supporter of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, Wishbone Alliance, Kids Food Basket and West Shore AWARE.
Having had the opportunity to live and work in several cities across the US, Kevin witnessed the impact that walking, hiking and bicycle trails have on a community – all played major roles in transportation, tourism, mental and physical fitness. He joined the Board of Friends to help bring those same important benefits to, and help in connecting the communities he calls home.
Board Emeritus
Sunny Hill
Fennville
Sunny is a longstanding Friends Board Member Board member and with the help of her husband Maury, helped lead many of our community outreach efforts. She continues to be a volunteer recruiter and a major contributor to Board meetings. Her passion for uniting people and communities through the Blue Star Trail is both irresistible and unstoppable.
John Adams
Fennville
John served as the Board’s Treasurer and President for many years. He led the “connect us” campaign to attract and encourage supporters to tell the leaders of their individual communities why they support the Trail. He was also a calming and influential presence in the development of the Trail plan to connect the communities of Saugatuck Township, Saugatuck City and Douglas. He and his wife Denise, (our un-official photographer and registrar for the Lakeshore Harvest Ride), continue to be active volunteers.
Board Advisors
Dan Keller
Marketing/PR
Holland / Marco Island
Dan brought his extensive marketing expertise to the Friends Board, built during his career as a Marketing Executive with several Fortune 100 companies in both consumer-packaged goods and automotive. After a few years as a marketing consultant to large companies, he is now retired.
As a former Friends Board Member, Dan remains committed to helping the Board. He continues to lend his experience by advising on long range plans, effective marketing tools, and clear and consistent branding and communications.
In addition to walking and biking, Dan loves to kayak on the big lake, and play Pickleball.
Kim Redlin
Creative Strategy
Douglas
A cycling enthusiast, Kim has ridden her bike on four continents. And plans include a fifth in the near future! While Kim’s passion remains exploring new places, her true calling lies in creative problem solving – a talent often utilized during her time as a former Board Member and one which continues today.
Kim is an accomplished marketing and creative strategist with over thirty years of agency experience in both online and offline communications. With a foundation in marketing and design, she helps the organization understand how to best apply the basic principles of direct communications to drive response and get results. Kim continues to advise and apply these skill sets to help Friends connect the Blue Star Trail with cycling and outdoor enthusiasts throughout our communities.
Originally from Chicago, Kim now lives in Douglas with her husband Phillip Crump and their dog Beau.
Laura Jager
Planning/Fund Development
South Haven
Laura brought over twenty years experience to the Friends Board from Fund Development and Strategic Planning in the non-profit sector. Residing in South Haven, she has worked in development and leadership roles at non-profits that focus on leadership development, service, and maximizing educational opportunities with inner city youth. “At completion of the program each team of students participates in a life changing two week service-learning trip to West Africa!”
In her advisory role to the Blue Star Trail, she remains committed to the effort and time needed for such a grass roots vision to go from conception to completion. She’s grateful to be part of the project and enjoys working with other board members on major issues, and as a volunteer on two of Friends’ major fundraising events: “Toast to Blue Star Trail” and “The Lakeshore Harvest Ride” (LHR).
According to Laura, “We especially look forward to the day we bike from South Haven to Saugatuck on the Blue Star Trail!”