What do bike trails, an art center, and (several!) clean water projects have in common? A group of locals who rolled up their sleeves four decades ago.

episode summary

episode summary

tales
from the
iowa great
lakes

Hey there, change-makers! This episode was so fun to dig into—because, honestly, it’s kind of a hidden history, right? We’re talking about a timeline that only goes back about 40 years, but the impact? Huge.

That’s why we wanted to highlight some of our favorite projects and causes that The Okoboji Foundation has supported over the decades.

The first few images below come straight from stories we covered in the episode—those early grant announcements, news coverage of brand-new projects, and moments that helped set big things in motion. But the ripple effect goes far beyond that.

Over the past 40 years, The Okoboji Foundation has helped bring major projects at dozens of local nonprofits to life. We’re talking about places you’ve heard on the podcast—like Camp Foster, Mini-Wakan State Park, Iowa Lakeside Lab, Arnolds Park, and the Pearson Lakes Art Center.

And of course, there are the ones many of us grew up with and still love—The Dickinson County Trails, Okoboji Summer Theatre, the Bedell Family YMCA, the Okoboji Protective Association, and so many more.

So now we want to hear from you:
What’s your favorite way to get involved in the Iowa Great Lakes?We’d love to hear it—send us a message at hello@okobojiproject.com!

episode info

Hey there, change-makers! This episode was so fun to dig into—because, honestly, it’s kind of a hidden history, right? We’re talking about a timeline that only goes back about 40 years, but the impact? Huge.

That’s why we wanted to highlight some of our favorite projects and causes that The Okoboji Foundation has supported over the decades.

The first few images below come straight from stories we covered in the episode—those early grant announcements, news coverage of brand-new projects, and moments that helped set big things in motion. But the ripple effect goes far beyond that.

Over the past 40 years, The Okoboji Foundation has helped bring major projects at dozens of local nonprofits to life. We’re talking about places you’ve heard on the podcast—like Camp Foster, Mini-Wakan State Park, The Lakeside Lab, Arnolds Park, and the Pearson Lakes Art Center.

And of course, there are the ones many of us grew up with and still love—The Dickinson County Trails, Okoboji Summer Theatre, the Bedell Family YMCA, the Okoboji Protective Association, and so many more.

So now we want to hear from you:
What’s your favorite way to get involved in the Iowa Great Lakes? We’d love to hear it—send us a message at hello@okobojiproject.com!

episode info

episode info

episode source material

episode source material

  • Interviews with Tom Bedell, Sue Richter, Mindy Gress, Ali Schmitz. Mark and Polly Peterson, Holly Skopec
  • The Dickinson County News
  • Annual Reports, Okoboji Foundation archives

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