Support Birch Creek
When you contribute to Birch Creek, your gift touches and often helps change the lives of promising young musicians. You may be inspired to give because music has personally graced your life and you want to pass the gift along. You may give to celebrate, honor, or memorialize the life of someone you love. You may give an annual gift or through a matching program with your employer. You may want to include a bequest in your will or a deferred gift in your estate planning.
We welcome your help in keeping music alive at Birch Creek!
50th Season Sponsorships
Help us celebrate our major milestone!
Join us as we celebrate Birch Creek’s 50th season in 2025! For this remarkable, celebratory season, we are enlisting the help of our key donors to support season sponsorships. These sponsorships are separate from concert sponsorships and will afford Birch Creek to invite world class guest artists for each session, to commission pieces for premier performances, to upgrade the Melzer Gallery with a digital mural and to underwrite a celebratory video presented at each academy concert. In addition to these exciting endeavors for 2025, Birch Creek will host a gala in the Birch Creek Dutton Concert Barn on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
Please download the Commitment Form today!
Play it Forward Annual Fund
The support of our donors helps us continue to fulfill our mission: to engage and nurture promising young and adult musicians through immersive, performance-based instruction in a professional, mentoring environment. By empowering them to achieve their full potential, we foster excellence in musical education and performance, and enhance our reputation as a leader in the field.
The Play It Forward Annual Fund is the organization’s annual fund used for operational expenses and is the fund that bridges the gap between tuition paid by families and the true cost of program delivery. Did you know that every student automatically receives $2,700 in reduced tuition because of your support to this annual fund?
Actual Cost of a Student’s Education: $5,100
Play It Forward Annual Support: $2,700
Student/Family’s Cost: $2,400
We want to ensure that our tuition fees are affordable to most families by covering the gap between the cost of educating a Birch Creek student and the family’s out-of-pocket costs, while also raising additional tuition assistance dollars to help those for whom even our subsidized tuition is a challenge.
Donation Levels
Leadership Circle: $10,000 and above
Director’s Circle: $2,500 to $9,999
Faculty Circle: $1,000 to $2,499
Encore: $250 to $999
Mentor’s Circle: $100 to $249
Bravo: $1 to $99
Recurring Gifts: Become a Tempo Partner
Recurring gifts provide support for Birch Creek and offer the greatest flexibility for donors. Schedule a donation from your credit/debit card OR set up automatic withdrawal from your bank account to recur monthly, quarterly or annually. Please indicate your recurring donation when you complete the form online or call (920) 868-3763 for more information.
Endowment
The Birch Creek Endowment establishes a firm financial base that ensures the stability of Birch Creek, its educational programs for young musicians and concerts for the community long into the future.
The Endowment, managed by the Door County Community Foundation, consists of four funds:
Building for Tomorrow Fund – used for capital expenditures
Lifetime for Education Fund – supports essential educational components such as faculty salaries, musical instruments, library acquisitions and guest artist fees
Now and Forever Fund – supplements donations for day-to-day operations
Scholarships Forever Fund – partially underwrites student tuition through scholarships
A minimum gift of $5,000 is required to establish a sub-fund within one of these four Funds. The donor’s principal is not touched and new gifts may be added to increase its value at any time. Once a sub-fund reaches a principal value of $20,000, lasting naming rights become available and include the naming of faculty chairs, academic programs and buildings. Birch Creek will work with donors to reach a $5,000 minimum over time, and to help their sub-fund grow thereafter to attain naming rights benefits. A few options for giving could include the required minimum distribution from an IRA and gifts of stock.
For information on setting up a sub-fund in the Birch Creek Endowment, please call Bob Shogren at (920) 868-3763. Smaller gifts in any amount are welcome at any time and are permanently placed in one of four General Funds of the Endowment as designated by the donor.
Capital Gifts
Over the last several years several exciting projects were initiated and completed that updated and stabilized the infrastructure of our campus. This effort required multiple grantors and donors to help us reach our goals. Their support helped us overcome infrastructure inefficiencies while continuing to provide a safe environment for our students and the public.
Your support is essential and critical! Become a part of keeping the magic alive in the barn and all over campus. Just choose Play It Forward from the drop-down menu on our online donation form, or note infrastructure on your check. At any time, you may call at (920) 868-3763 for ways to help.
Then … wait for the changes to begin!
Projects include:
Rebuilding the barn’s North upper wall
New theater stage lighting in the concert barn
Upgrading electrical service and burying power lines
Bringing high speed internet to the property for business operations and instruction
Installing a campus master keying system
Purchase and installing a new generator
Renovate living quarters with a full bathroom in the upper granary
Measuring room acoustics and building acoustic bistro tables and window seats to enhance sound absorption in Juniper Hall
A new well to provide back up to a 50 year old well
Migration of all business operations to the Cloud
Redesign of the organization’s website
Provide the equipment and technology to Live Stream concert videos to parents
New theater house lighting in the concert barn.
New vinyl flooring in the Teaching Assistant residence hall
Strengthened wi-fi signal across campus
Cement slab adjacent to the dining room for outdoor seating
Outdoor pavillion covering the outdoor dining areas
The Legacy Circle
Guardians of the Future
2024 Legacy Circle Program and Membership Book
The Legacy Circle was created to help guarantee Birch Creek’s financial stability far into the future. A planned gift is a resource upon which Birch Creek can rely for years to come. Large and small, these gifts are vital to the success of Birch Creek’s future. Many donors have found that time spent considering what to give, as well as when and how to structure their contributions, can help them make more meaningful gifts while meeting personal planning goals as well.
“I have placed Birch Creek in my will.”
For more than fifteen years, Door County resident Charlotte Lukes has demonstrated her close involvement with –and commitment to – Birch Creek through estate planning that will continue her support of Birch Creek in the future.
Please call Bob Shogren at (920) 868-3763 for more information.
Many Birch Creek donors utilize one or more of the following planning options:
Will Bequests
Charitable Remainder Unitrusts
Retirement Packages
Life Insurance Policies
Charitable Lead Trusts
Gifts of Real Estate
Concert Sponsorship
Support student education by becoming a concert sponsor.
Sponsorships support concerts at Birch Creek that directly correlate with our academic programs, and sponsors have the benefits of program book recognition, media mention, complimentary tickets and reserved seating. Call our office if you are interested in sponsoring a concert: (920) 868-3763.
Advertise in Our Program Book
Business owners and organizations are invited to partner with Birch Creek by advertising in our program book.
The digital program, which you can open and browse through, is a flip book which includes ads (with links to each advertiser’s website), donor recognition, Birch Creek history, concert schedules and features on programs and outreach. Birch Creek advertisers also receive a print ad in the physical program book which is distributed to thousands of concertgoers throughout the summer and fall at Birch Creek. Contact our Marketing Manager at (920) 868-3763 or marketing@birchcreek.org for questions regarding ad space in next season’s program book.
We hope you enjoy the Birch Creek Digital Program Book. Try our links – advertisers, faculty, concerts and more!
Gifts In Support of Birch Creek Received Since May 1, 2024
Gifts through April 30, 2024, are listed in the Program Book.
Updated through December 15, 2024.
Leadership Circle – $10,000 and above
Suzie Gebhard
Tom and Carole Guyette
Henry and Dorothy Kuettner Endowment Fund
MMG Foundation
Nicholas Family Foundation
Sargent Family Foundation
Director’s Circle – $2,500 to $9,999
Anonymous
Paul Aspinwall
Anthony and Priscilla Beadell
The Cordon Family Foundation
Dwight and Linda Davis Foundation
Robert and Lynn Doneff
Jim Friel and Karen Mehigan
Joan Guasta
Gretchen Jordan
Jim Kinney
Walter and Mary Langbein
Charlotte Lukes
Charles McKee*
David G. Meissner
Steve and Patti Vickman
Sue Vineyard
Faculty Circle – $1,000 to $2,499
Mary Anderson
Nancy Andriacchi
Dr. James and Nancy Barton
Nancy M. Bauer
Charles Beasley
John and Alice Belmont
Jim and Pat Blair
Nancy T. and David A. Borghesi Fund
David Burke and Wendy Lukes
Dave and Vonnie Callsen
Laurey and Phil Clampitt
Peter Cristall
Jane Dalton
Door County Medical Center
Frances Dutton
Virginia Eades
Steven and Mary Gomoll
Joe Guthridge
Roger and Denette Hilbert
Hislop Family Foundation
Cindy Kase and Jim Clark
David and Mel Johnson
Bob Lindahl and Wilma Van Arragon*
Greg Macola and Mary McEnerney
Mary Moster
MJ O’Brien Family Foundation
Ben and Jan Stephen
Ellsworth and Carla Peterson Charitable Foundation
Tannenbaum Holiday Shope
Roger and Lynn Van Vreede Charitable Fund within the
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region
Gale Zahn
Encore – $250 to $999
100+ Women Who Care Door County Charitable Fund
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Steve and Sandy Bader
Larry and Joan Balistreri
David and Patty Becker
Greg and Becky Britton
Scott and Lynn Brunswick
Carla Byrnes and Sara Oswald
Sam and Vicky Carmen*
Don and Deb Chapman
Donald and Beverly Chappie
John and Sonia Connelly
Donna Danielson
Rob Davis
John and Pat DeLeonardis
Door County Medical Center
Cheryl Doudna
Dan and Jean Engelke
Gretchen and Dan Farwell
Susan Ferdon
Gail Fischer
Jack Follick
The Feldman Family Charitable Fund at the
Chicago Community Foundation
George and Bernice Freeman
Garrett and Patricia Gardi
Carl and Donna Hanson
Karl and Lyn Huber
Nancy E. Hughes*
John and Judy Hundley
Dennis and Donna Joannides
Ron and Carol Jochimsen
Albert Johnson
Jon and Sally Jonas
Lynn Kaczmarek and Mack Bonk
Stephen and Wendy Kase
Margaret Kirkbride
Lucy Klug
David Kowalski
Martin Krebs
Rod and Carol Krueger
John Landwehr
Charles and Estella Lauter
Gerald L. Lecy
Walter and Karen Lischick
Jacque Luke and Ken Rice
Douglas MacNeil
Greg Macola and Mary McEnerney
Mike and Liz Mahoney
Ron and Pam Maloney
John Mangan
Donna McMurray
Tom and Sharon Michaelsen
Scott and Christine Miller
Bill and Nancy Moore
Mary J. Moore
Fred and Christi Moritz
Audrey Morrison
Raymond and Claire Moulis
John and Nancy Munch Charitable Fund of the
Door County Community Foundation, Inc.
David and Gail Nelson
David and Carol Nestingen
On Deck Clothing Company
Denny and Sandy Pearson
Kate Rericha
Todd and Sheryll Rockway*
Ron Rozmarynoski
Jim and Peggy Ryan
Randy Sannes
Marcia K. Sarvela
Martha Sauter
Charles Schneider and Ellen Penfield-Schneider
Kenneth Serwinski
Bob Shogren*
Gary and Bev Schulze Charitable Fund
of the Door County Community Foundation
Ashley Sidon
Gabriel Tawil
Bill Tiedeman LCSW
Laurie Tremain
David and Bonnie Turner
Bob and Tom Wagner
Andrea Wagoner and Roger Ruggeri
David and Nancy Wahlert
John and Roberta Walgren
Tom and Lee Weikert
David Wolowitz and Tammie Grossman
George and Deb Whetmore
Jim White
David and Barbara Wilda
Gene and Carmen Witt
Sarah and Mark Woerfel*
Robert and Barbara Ziegler
*Tempo Partners
Mentor’s Circle – $100 to $249
Thomas L. Aerts
American Dental Association
Rick and Jan Anderson
Robert and Malanie Andres
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Bay Vinyl Record
Jane and Gerry Berg
Ken and Janet Berggren
Gerald and Grete Berndt
John and DeeDee Bird
Ralph and Kathy Blankenburg
John and Linda Blossom
Mike and Marge Bork
George and Twila Braden
Jim and Barbara Bunning
Tom and Elaine Burzinski
Roger and Doris Butz
Dave and Kathy Cecil
Don and Deb Chapman
Krista Clarke-Brownstein
Dr. and Mrs. Dennis and Bonnie Connolly
Steven H. Cooper
Karen Cowan
Trissa Crowley
Sandra Dagon
Deborah Day
Tom and Judy DeMint
Tom Dickson
Door County Home and Community Education - Harborettes Club
Gracia Drew
Bob and Mary Dunworth
Anne Egan
Robin R. and Robin J. Engl
Larry and Linda Fass
Fred and Barb Frey
Julie Gall
William Gardner and Paul Warnke
The Gover Family
Glen Guszkowski
Steve and Joanne Hahn
Barbara and James Hansen
Terrence Heidenreiter adn Jeanne Rabel
Douglas Hanson
Doug and Barbara Henderson
Barbara and Gary Henkelmann
Dale and Linda Hernandez
Ronald Hilton
Jim Holland
Horseshoe Bay Golf Club
Jim and Pat Hughes
Edward Kelly
Joel and Sherry Kitchens
Gordon Konietzki
Ben and Lee Kordus
Tom and Cynthia LaConte
Ruth Langehough
Paul and Dianne Larson
John and Jill Levi
Robert Loss
Camille Lydon
Judy Maas
Patricia Malkemus
Jim and Peg Meyer
Marian Miller
William and Raetta Mirgain
MIchael and Ann Morgan
Mike and Babs Mortl
Thomas Munns
Walter Musekamp
Janet Nedoba
Ann Nelson
William Orton
Frank and Kathy Pammer
Kathleen Patneau
Lynn E. Pohanka
Thomas Prebble and Claudia Trimarco
Lynn and John Pullan
Jim and Marianne Richards
Susan Rorison
Dorothy K. Russell
Steven A. Saindon
Terry J. Schneider
Carol Scott
Tim and Sue Stone
Art and Sharon Shoener
Gary and Bev Schulze Charitable Fund of the
Door County Community Foundation
Carol Schuster
Lucinda Shallock
Sister Bay Bowl
Laura Slater-Hatzenbeller and Mark Hatzenbeller
Mark Slivinski
Dean and Julie Swinton
James P. Szantor
Erik and Tara Torkelson
Paul and Nina Trigg
Kevin Van Ess
Myron J. Van de Ven
Gary and Linda Wallace
Barbara Walz
Deborah Webber and David Alley
Jan and Carl Welle
Welsing’s Foodland, Inc.
Jim and Susan Westhoff
Sharon Wild
Dave and Donna Wilkinson
Henk and Buttons Wolst
Glen and Susan Worf
John W. Zilavy
*Tempo Partners
Bravo – $1 to $99
Nick Aldridge
Dwight and Mary Jo Anderson
Mark and Margie Anderson
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Dave and Peggy Babb
Christy Bertschinger
Stacia Beyl
Susan Caldwell
Alice Chin
Patrick and Anita Conlon
Douglas C. Dowden
The Duncan Family
Dolly and Chuck Emmerson
Bruce and Chris Fenner*
Joseph Hetherington
Andrea Kinsey-Jauquet
Darcy Kriha
Marvin Krull
Mert Larsen
Deborah A. Lisberg
Molly C. Mason
James Mayer
Richard and Jean Mehring
Jim and Sally Mergener
Robert and Vivian Miller
David and Denise Newbery
Judi Nicolay
Craig and Cheri Schendel-Hennager
Art and Sharon Shoener
Lawrence Schulman
Alberto and Lisa Segre
Dr. Barbara Sloan
Dick Snyder
Bob and Chris Snyder
Richard and Annette Steinke
John and Jane Stephenson Charitable Fund of the
Door County Community Foundation
James and Susan Thorsen
Rita Zimmerman
*Tempo Partners
ENDOWMENT
Building for Tomorrow Fund
Kay M. Wagner Memorial Sub-Fund
Donna Hein
Lifetime for Education Fund
Howard and Miriam Erickson Jazz I Drum Faculty Chair
Honoring Bob Chmel Sub-fund
American Dental Association
Dwight and Mary Jo Anderson
Jane and Gerry Berg
Scott and Lynn Brunswick
Susan Caldwell
Dave and Vonnie Callsen
Sam and Vicky Carmen
Dave and Mona Christensen
Patrick and Anita Conlon
Peter Cristall
Tom Dickenson
Door County Home and Community Education -
Harborettes Club
Joan Guasta
Barbara and James Hansen
Doug and Barbara Henderson
Ronald Hilton
Charlotte Lukes
Patricia Malkemus
Robert and Vivian Miller
Kate Rericha
Terry J. Schneider
John and Jane Stevenson Charitable Fund of the
Door County Community Foundation
Steve and Patti Vickman
John and Sally Jonas
Joseph and Marian Phelps Memorial
David and Peggy Babb
Bill and Marti Thomason Jazz I Trombone Chair Honoring Audrey Morrison Sub-Fund
Martin Krebs
Deborah Day
Scholarships Forever Fund
Paul Aspinwall
James Dutton Merit Scholarship
Frances Dutton
Phyllis C. and James J. Ingwersen Sub Fund
Gretchen Jordan
Now and Forever Fund
Alan and Virginia Eades Sub-Fund
Sam and Vicky Carmen
Dave and Mona Christensen
Dolly and Chuck Emmerson
Gail Fisher
Steven and Mary Gomoll
Joan Guasta
Terrence Heidenreiter adn Jeanne Rabel
Margaret Kirbride
Charlotte Lukes
Tim and Sue Stone
Steve and Patti Vickman
TRIBUTES
Memorials
In Memory of Bonita R. Bruce
Paul Aspinwall
In Memory of Robert (Bob) Chmel
Joan Guasta
Ben and Lee Kordus
In Memory of Gary Doudna
Cheryl Doudna
In Memory of Alan Eades
Jane and Gerry Berg
Dave and Mona Christensen
Dolly and Chuck Emmerson
Gail Fisher
Steven and Mary Gomoll
Joan Guasta
Horseshoe Bay Golf Club
Margaret Kirbride
Charlotte Lukes
Kate Rericha
Tim and Sue Stone
Steve and Patti Vickman
In Memory of Miriam Erickson
Dwight and Mary Jo Anderson
Jane and Gerry Berg
Scott and Lynn Brunswick
Susan Caldwell
Dave and Vonnie Callsen
Dave and Mona Christensen
Patrick and Anita Conlon
Peter Cristall
Tom Dickenson
Door County Home and Community Education -
Harborettes Club
Joan Guasta
Barbara and James Hansen
Doug and Barbara Henderson
Ronald Hilton
Charlotte Lukes
Patricia Malkemus
Kate Rericha
Terry J. Schneider
John and Jane Stevenson Charitable Fund of the
Door County Community Foundation
Steve and Patti Vickman
In Memory of Brian Miller
Karl and Lyn Huber
Steve and Patti Vickman
In Memory of Barbara J. Saindon
Sephen Saindon
In Memory of Peter Schuster
Carol Schuster
In Memory of Sonja Stork, James Dutton, Melvin Sarvela,
Dorothea Hilliker, Myron Hilliker
Marcia K. Sarvela
Honors
In Honor of Mya Ploor
Carol Schuster
In Honor of Kate Rericha
Joan Guasta
Carla Byrnes and Sara Oswald
In Honor of Pamela and Lawrence Wolfe
Deborah Webber and David Alley
SCHOLARSHIPS
Mark and Margie Anderson
Mary Anderson
Nancy Andriacchi
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Dr. James and Nancy Barton
Nancy M. Bauer
Tom and Penny Beerntsen
Gerald and Grete Berndt
Stacia Beyl
John and DeeDee Bird
Tom and Eliane Burzinski
John and Sonia Connelly
John and Pat DeLeonardis
Robert and Lynn Doneff
Robin R.and Robin J Engl
Jim Friel and Karent Mehigan
William Gardner and Paul Warnke
Sheldon Gulinson and Carol Sobel
Tom and Carole Guyette
Dennis and Donna Joannides
Ruth Langehough
Deborah A. Lisberg
Mike and Liz Mahoney
Molly C. Mason
Marian Miller
Bill and Nancy Moore
Janet Nedoba
Ron Rozmarynoski
Craig and Cheri Schendel-Hennager
Carol Schuster
Bob and Chris Snyder
James P. Szantor
Jonathan Tobias Music Initiative
Andrea Wagoner and Roger Ruggeri
Paul and Nina Trigg
John and Roberta Walgren
Jan and Carl Welle
Sarah and Mark Woerfel
Glenn and Susan Wolf
IN-KIND
Anonymous
Bea’s Ho-Made Products
Door County Ice Cream Factory and Sandwich Shoppe
Karl and Lyn Huber
Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market
Main Street Market
Eric and Michelle Naese
Piggly Wiggly
Scaturo’s Baking Company & Café
Seaquist Orchards Farm Market
Sweetie Pies
Wood Orchard Market