Fund Mission: The Jack Wikle Bonsai Legacy Fund was created to provide support for the maintenance and display of the Bonsai Collection at the Michigan State University’s Hidden Lake Gardens. The fund will also be used for the promotion of this living artform locally, nationally and internationally.
The Jack Wikle Bonsai Legacy Fund was launched in 2021 in cooperation with the Lenawee Community Foundation.
Fund Steering Committee
Members of the Steering Committee have all been engaged with bonsai for a number of years. The Committee is leading the efforts to secure funding.
Bob Bauer – A member of the Ann Arbor Bonsai Society and Four Seasons Bonsai Club for over 10 years. Hidden Lake Gardens Bonsai Collection volunteer for 3 years. Jack has been an inspiration, mentor and friend since day one.
Tim Cox – Bonsai hobbyist since 2001Tim has known and enjoyed working with Jack Wikle for 15 years. He is currently co-president of the West Michigan Bonsai Club and cares for his 45 bonsai trees while selling real estate in Grand Rapids, MI.
Vicki Norfleet – Vicki was exposed to bonsai at an early age but didn’t realize that it could be a fulfilling hobby, despite its ancient origins, until meeting Jack Wikle and becoming a member of the Ann Arbor Bonsai Society 15 years ago. Jack has been the single greatest influence in developing her appreciation of bonsai and it is a privilege to know him as an artist, teacher and friend.
Jay Sinclair – Jay has been involved in bonsai since the early 1990s, and has been privileged to know and learn from Jack Wikle during most of that time. He has been a regular volunteer at Hidden Lake Gardens for several years. Jay currently serves as Program Coordinator for the Ann Arbor Bonsai Society and has also served as Show Chair and President.
Jack Wikle – Jack’s earliest experiments in growing bonsai began in the mid-1960s. His involvement in bonsai art includes “growing” the Bonsai Collection at Michigan State University’s Hidden Lake Gardens, membership in the American Bonsai Society, and editorship of The ABS Quarterly Journal for 4 years beginning in the late 1980’s. He now has the distinction of being the Ann Arbor Bonsai Society’s longest active member since joining that group and quickly accepting officer responsibilities in 1974.
Lenawee Community Foundation
The Lenawee Community Foundation (LCF) empowers charitable giving and helps donors support causes that they care about. The Jack Wikle Bonsai Legacy Fund is a component fund of LCF.
LCF is a public charity that focuses on supporting Lenawee County, primarily by facilitating and pooling donations used to address community needs and support local nonprofits. The Lenawee Community Foundation is funded by donations from individuals, families, businesses & organizations, and foundations. For more information on LCF, visit: www.LenaweeCommunityFoundation.com
Fund Contact: Paula Trentman, Vice President & Director, Grants and Programs, paula@lenaweecf.com 517-263-4696