Jim Stouffer, the president and CEO of the Catawba Island Club, was featured speaker at the recent luncheon held by the Catawba Island Garden Club.

A recent luncheon of the Catawba Island Garden Club at the Catawba Island Club was a win for the group, as CIC President and CEO Jim Stouffer was the featured speaker for more than 60 garden club members, guests and members of the Huron and Put-In-Bay garden clubs.

Stouffer, who is also president of the Lake Erie Foundation, outlined the four main areas of focus for the foundation’s work: Protecting Lake Erie’s fish population; involvement in discussions regarding wind turbines on the lake; working with local agriculture groups in controlling algae on the lake; and monitoring high water level issues.

Stouffer was quite passionate, knowledgeable and involved in all four areas. He referred to Lake Erie as our “Grand Canyon,” a natural resource to be preserved and nurtured. He said the foundation works from a point of mutual respect, bringing people to the table to talk and work together.

Vice-president Jodi Hawk of the Catawba garden club, was hostess and presented Stouffer with the garden club’s Beautification Award. The award was given in recognition of the work that has been done to beautify the CIC grounds, as well as Stouffer’s generous contributions to the Catawba Island Garden Club fund raising. Funds raised with the raffle tickets donated by CIC help support many club projects around the Island.

Stouffer drew the lucky winners for this year’s raffle prizes. Catawba Islanders Richard Sanders and Bill Bauer won golf packages and Pat George won the CIC brunch and Gemini cruise.

President Terry Zeman of the Catawba Island Garden Club gave a brief history of the club, which was founded in 1933. Over the past 86 years club members have tended many gardens on the Island and supported numerous projects.  Current projects include West Harbor Landing, John Braun Park, Catawba Island Historical Society Museum and the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy. The club has also contributed nine park benches across the Island with three more to soon be added. Overall it was a day of wins and enjoyed by those in attendance.