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Formed in 1997, the Friends of the Polly Ann Trail of Lapeer County is a grass-roots organization of citizens that promotes and supports the development and operation of the Polly Ann Trail in Lapeer County.
More About the Friends & Trail More Info on the Michigan-Owned Polly Ann Trail Development Project
All meetings begin at 7:15pm
February 18 - Dryden Township Hall, 4849 Dryden Road, Dryden, MI 48428
April 15 - Lamb Steele Building, 395 E. Third Street, Imlay City, MI 48444
June 17 - Dryden Township Hall, 4849 Dryden Road, Dryden, MI 48428
August 19 - Lamb Steele Building, 395 E. Third Street, Imlay City, MI 48444
October 21 - Dryden Township Hall, 4849 Dryden Road, Dryden, MI 48428
December 16 - Lamb Steele Building, 395 E. Third Street, Imlay City, MI 48444
Fundraising Thanks
Lapeer County, with the support of the Friends of the Polly Ann Trail, submitted a grant application for $300,000 to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund to develop the trail between Dryden and Imlay City. We needed to raise $100,000 for the local grant match. We asked you and the greater Lapeer County community for your help, and you delivered! From all sources, we raised over $110,000. We received support from the Friends of the Polly Ann Trail ($25,000), Lapeer County Community Foundation ($25,000), Four County Community Foundation ($15,000), DTE Energy Foundation ($5,000), Dryden Township ($5,000), Imlay City Athletic Boosters ($4,500), Lapeer Land Conservancy ($3,000), Attica Township ($2,000), Imlay Township ($2,000), Sierra Club Nepessing Group ($1,000), and the Imlay City Rotary Club ($1,000). From our Patronicity crowdfunding campaign, we raised nearly $22,000. So congratulations are in order to our community for supporting this transformational project. This is truly a community success. We appreciate all your support. We could not have done it without you.
Fundraising Update--December 2017
We have some less than happy news to report. After all the hard work we put in to raise the local match for our Polly Ann Trail development grant, we learned that we did not get the Trust Fund grant for which we had applied. We were very successful in raising funds and raising awareness and support for the trail, but we did not score high enough on our application to get the grant this year.
Going forward, the plan is to apply for the grant again in the spring. We learned a lot in the process of this year's application, and we think we can improve our application for 2018 to make the grade next time. We will be getting assistance from an experienced grant writer familiar with Trust Fund grants. We had $79,000 in pledges, and we will ask those organizations to renew their pledges for our 2018 grant match. For the donations we actually received, we plan to ask those donors to allow us to keep those funds in a restricted account for the 2018 grant match. For anyone who requests that their donation be refunded, we will do that.
We are certainly disappointed by this turn of events, but this is just a minor setback. We intend to do better in 2018, and bring a trail development project to Lapeer County. Thanks to all of you for your help with our fundraising campaign and your personal donations. We will get this done.
Update--December 2018
We applied again in 2018 for a $300,000 development grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. Once again, we were not successful. The local funding needed to match the grant (over $100,000) has been assembled, so we do not need to do an additional fundraising campaign, though we do continue to raise funds above the minimum required. We ask for your continued patience and support as we move closer to developing the Polly Ann Trail.
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Formed in 1997, the Friends of the Polly Ann Trail of Lapeer County is a grass-roots organization of citizens that promotes and supports the development and operation of the Polly Ann Trail in Lapeer County. Owned by the Michigan Department Natural Resources, the abandoned corridor was once used by the Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad, nicknamed the "Polly Ann" (P, O & N). The Friends group creates awareness of the recreational corridor with events, political action, volunteerisim and other efforts. Local groups host horseback riding, cycling events, nature walks, runs, and charity fundraisers.
The trail is mostly undeveloped, but currently provides an ideal setting for horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking and opportunity for nature lovers - options not available to other southeast Michigan developed trail systems. The Polly Ann Trail in Lapeer County is a 20-mile former rail corridor from Bordman Road to Kings Mill, passing through Dryden, Imlay City, and Lum. This trail connects directly to the Polly Ann Trail in Oakland County, also owned by the Michigan Department Natural Resources and managed by the Polly Ann Trail Management Council (PATMC).
The Lapeer and Oakland County Polly Ann Trails are considered major trail systems of southeastern Michigan. Future plans include connections of the Oakland County Polly Ann Trail to the long-established Paint Creek Trail and its connection to the Clinton River Trail, Macomb-Orchard Trail, and other systems connecting an east/west recreational corridor across the State of Michigan. For more information about the trail systems of Michigan, please see our 'Links' page.
Your donation will be used for future trail development and supporting developments (access trails, trailheads, trailhead improvements.)