On September 19th, 24 members of our Bush Lake Ikes community gathered outside of the lodge despite the drizzling rain and falling acorns, for our Annual Members Meeting. It was a fantastic opportunity to look back at our shared milestones, vote on leadership, and look ahead to an ambitious year.

If you missed it—or just want a quick refresher—here are the top highlights:

Four Big Takeaways from the Meeting

• National Recognition: The chapter's hard work was celebrated on a national scale this past year when Bush Lake received the prestigious 2025 IWLA National Defenders Chapter Achievement Award at the national convention .

• Leadership & Governance: Members voted to approve the board election and slate of officers, returning President Rick Wheeler, Internal VP Esau Underhill, External VP Doug Claycomb, Treasurer Jill Crafton, and Secretary Harmony Kane to their roles, while welcoming Michelle Morrison as a new board member and Newsletter Editor/Social Media Chair.

• Habitat Restoration & Land Stewardship: Through targeted prescribed burns—including the spring East Pond burn—alongside native reseeding and ongoing support from Natural Shore Technology for vegetation maintenance, the chapter continues to make major strides in combatting invasives and promoting pollinator diversity. The Nurture Nature Fundraiser will open up funds to bring in professional restorationists to help us continue to eradicate several other invasive species that we have been battling yearly (European Bellflower, Leafy Spurge, Crown Vetch, and more).

  
  
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• Inspiring Youth & Community Action: The chapter celebrated youthconservationist Fall Owens, whose petition successfully spurred plans for 10 acres of buckthorn removal, capping off an incredible year of habitat restoration, community science, and family outreach! 

• Canoe Race Plot twist: This year’s historic canoe race—which dates all the way back to its founding in 1938 —featured a dark horse victory by last minute entrants Steph McPhail and her husband, Dave! Their names will be proudly engraved on the historic Canoe Race Plaque.

Awards & Special Thanks

We want to give a massive shoutout to our board members, caretakers Tony and Denise Brough, and all the volunteers who made this year—and this event—possible . Special congratulations to our incredible award honorees:

1. Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award- for member with outstanding contributions to the chapter in 2026

   • Nomination by Tony- Denise Brough and Tara Owens

   • A huge part of Denise’s life prior to coming to Bush Lake was a home daycare, which she ran for 33 years. She hosted parties for every celebration in her home, often allowing the kids to stay late in the evening allowing the parents to have a night out. Throughout the years, this is what the kids remembered and looked forward to most, many coming back at older ages.

   • Then comes Tara, Founder of Tod Pod, a non-profit organization providing social play opportunities for families with infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children while helping parents and caregivers build community and connection.

   • Together, they created the highly successful “Seasonal Family Events” at the Chapter, which all started with Pumpkin Fest, continued with the Winter Stroll, Ring in Spring, Fun in the Sun, and again with Pumpkin Fest in the evening of October 29th this year.

   • Tara has been instrumental with flyers and a general encouragement of the need. Denise definitely made it spark, with her decorations, snacks, and fun old-school games all incorporating Chapter mission concepts in a playful and fun manner.

   • THANK YOU both and the numerous other volunteers that help to make these highly successful seasonal family events where the entire family of all agers are welcomed.

2. Gordy Bratsch Award - This award is named after our old neighbor, Chapter member and board member, Gordy Bratsch, who was the “unofficial caretaker”- he was committed to keeping Bush Lake clean and the Chapter running smoothly. This award is given to a member that contributes to the chapter and the environment, year after year.

   • Nomination by Rick- Mike Dyste has been a Bush Lake Ike member for over 40 years. He served as secretary and president in his early days. His involvement waned as he raised his family, but now Mike is again working hard on the chapter’s behalf. Mike worked with Caretaker, Tony Brough, to remodel our lodge’s kitchen, as well as taking part in other chapter activities. Mike’s special concern is preserving the history around Bush Lake and especially our chapter which was founded in 1937.

   • Congratulations Mike. Thank you for your rekindled involvement with the Bush Lake Chapter!

3. Public Good Award- Award given to non-profit, city or public staff or elected officials for their outstanding contributions to water quality, conservation, and the environment.

   • Nomination by Paul E.- The Public Good Award this year goes to the City of Bloomington Park Maintenance and Natural Resources Staff- Wade Yunker, Rick Van Anken, Jacob Koopendrayer, Savino Ranallo, Mark Morrison, Dave Hanson.

   • Liz and I moved to Bloomington 16 years ago, when we became thecaretakers here at the Chapter. The City was just starting to dip its toes into ecological restoration- converting parks, open spaces, and unused turf areas to native plants. Since then, especially in the last 5-10 years, the City has greatly accelerated these efforts, and it shows throughout Bloomington. Since we moved to “Extraordinary East Bloomington” a couple of years ago, we have time to get out a bit more, and it seems like everywhere we go, the City is busy restoring land and water and creating wildlife habitat! Central Park, Marsh Lake, Pond Dakota Mission, Tarnhill Park, and Parkers Picnic Area are just a few of the parks where City staff have been improving ecological integrity and getting things done. There’s also a huge power line corridor that runs north and south through East Bloomington- for a long time, this was just acres and acres of mowed turf. Now, for several years, the City has been converting hundreds of these acres there to prairie.

   • We encourage you to visit the City’s Natural Resources website for a full list of projects they have been working on, and some cool videos and other stuff. There you will find a list of over 27 parks and open spaces where this great team has been hard at work implementing ecological restoration. Even better, get out and visit some of these parks, they are amazing and a wonder to behold.

   • For the wildlife, for the water quality, for the people of Bloomington and beyond, the Bush Lake Chapter would like to express deep gratitude to Wade, Rick, Jacob, Savino, Mark, Dave, and the City of Bloomington for their tremendous efforts!

4. Bush Lake Commitment to Conservation Award- Given to an individual or organization inside or outside the Izaak Walton League that has contributed to restoration, habitat, and conservation in Minnesota.

   • Nomination by Paul E. This year, the Commitment to Conservation Award goes to Steph MacPhail. “I’m not sure where or when I first met Steph, maybe she just fell from the sky, like a bird, because she sure has been a huge help to me and the Chapter.” - Paul E.

   • Steph is our ‘professional birder,’ our avian advocate. Her knowledge of and passion for birds is a huge asset to the Chapter and to our community. She plans and leads our bird programs throughout the year, including our Christmas Bird Count, and Fall and Spring Migratory bird days, with the Fall one coming up in a few weeks. Attendees of these events learn from Steph lot of cool things about birds and how we can help them in our homes, yards and businesses. She helps keep our bird houses and wildlife structures in tip top shape. She volunteers many hours in Eden Prairie, Bloomington, and beyond working to help birds and other wildlife, and educating others about conservation. Steph does all of this with a smile on her face and makes it fun and engaging for others.

   • An honorable mention for Steph’s award goes to her family, Dave, Bryce, and Josh, who, of course, assist her and share her passion for birds and nature. This award has been a long time coming, and well deserved- thank you Steph for your dedication and your Commitment to Conservation!

5. Youth Conservation Award- Awarded to youth for their outstanding contributions to the Chapter, conservation, or the environment.

   • Nomination by Tony - Fall Owens has enjoyed spending time at our Chapter since becoming a member with her parents in 2024. In the spring of 2026, she explored the woods north of the Chapter. While she admired the large oak trees and wildlife, she began to notice the dominance of buckthorn and the lack of biodiversity it was causing. When asked if she might be interested in starting a petition to address the issue, she asked, “What is a petition?” That same evening, she researched the concept with her family and wrote an impactful letter, focused on presenting the issue to a local council or board.

   • At age 7, Fall presented her petition with 85 signatures to the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District Board and prepared a video presentation for the Three Rivers Park District Commissioners. Both presentations were received extremely positively, and her actions helped solidify plans for 10 acres of buckthorn removal around East Bay Pond—a project the Chapter has desired for years. Her efforts prove that actions, even at age 7, can make a significant difference!

   • Fall- Thank you for your passion, your environmental stewardship, and your friendship. Keep up the great work!