Foundation’s Grant to Camp Hayo-Went-Ha has Double Benefit

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The Cook Family Foundation board and staff with Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservency’s Executive Director, Glen Chown, at “The Point” at Camp Hayo-Went-Ha on Torch Lake.

Protect. Preserve. Pass it on. That is the theme of a new partnership between the Hayo-Went-Ha Camps and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) to ensure the long-term success of the Camps and the permanent protection of their 500 acre site on Torch Lake. 

The Cook Family Foundation has made a pledge of $2 million dollars to the $14.5 million campaign just publicly announced by the Conservancy.  Hayo-Went-Ha Camps are part of the lives of three generations of the Cook Family; this grant will ensure that legacy continues and that the camp experience will be available well into the future.

Anna Owens at the Foundation’s visit to Camp in May 2026.

“Because of the role Camps have played in so many lives, and because of the necessity of nature, I am pleased to announce that the Cook Family Foundation is making our largest grant ever,” said co-Executive Director Tom Cook at a campaign kick-off event on July 17 in Elk Rapids, Michigan.  “The creative way that this campaign has been structured will ensure that the Camps have an endowment to draw on to preserve the facilities, the land, the woods, and the shoreline so necessary for the Camps to be Hayo-Went-Ha Camps.”

The State YMCA of Michigan, the operator of Camp Torch Hayo-Went-Ha for boys and Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha for girls, will receive $13 million from the sale of the easement to GTRLC which will be put into a protected endowment fund to be used for the maintenance and preservation of both camp sites. “This is a win-win project” said co-Executive Director Anna Owens. “Our grant dollars used to protect the environment of Torch Lake will also then be used to ensure the long-term viability of two outstanding camps.”

The $2 million dollar extra-ordinary grant will be made over five years and is not part of the Foundation’s annual budget. It was approved by the Cook Family Foundation board after a site visit to the Torch Lake site in May of this year.  The Cook Family Foundation prior to 2020 made a number of grants to the Hayo-Went-Ha Camps for facilities, buses, and scholarship funds.  Bruce Cook, a benefactor to the Foundation, attended Camp Hayo-Went-Ha as a youth during World War II and served on various camp committees and the board of the State YMCA of Michigan. 

Tom Cook speaking at the GTRLC and Hayo-Went-Ha Camps’ announcement event.

“We have made the conscious and future-focused choice to protect the transformational Hayo-Went-Ha Camps experience, ensuring that future generations will continue to discover confidence, connection, leadership, and belonging in this extraordinary place,” said JC Carlson, CEO of the Camps. To learn more about the Protect, Preserve, Pass it On campaign and how this new partnership will benefit the Camps visit Camp’s Conservation Easement Site.

The special site, which has been the location of Camp Hayo-Went-Ha since 1904, includes over 6,000 feet of shoreline on Torch Lake. The total project cost is more than $17.5 million. The Camps made a donation of $3 million by offering the sale of the easement below its appraised value. So far, GTRLC has raised more than $10 million, leaving $4.5 million to raise in order to forever protect the crown jewel of Torch Lake, one of the most iconic camp properties in the U.S. 

“This rare opportunity protects one of the most significant conservation priorities on Torch Lake,” said Glen Chown, CEO of the GTRLC. “It also gives the Camps the resources to secure its future and continue offering outdoor experiences to generations of young people.”  To learn more about, and make a donation to, the campaign visit GTRLC’s campaign site.

Aerial view of Torch Lake with a focus on Camp Hayo-Went-Ha.

The Foundation is Growing – Jamie Semans as New Program Coordinator

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The Cook Family Foundation is proud to announce the addition of Jamie Semans to its team as the new Program Coordinator. In this position, Semans’ primary role will be to engage with Shiawassee County’s nonprofit community – especially the Foundation’s grantee partners. 

Semans began her career supporting individuals with intellect

ual disabilities in developing the skills needed to live and work independently. She spent 16 years serving the community through the public mental health system at Shiawassee Health and Wellness, most recently serving as Operations and Communicatio

ns Director. She most recently worked at Young Chevrolet Cadillac as the Human Resources and Marketing Manager.

As a community advocate, Semans has also served as the Chair of the Health and Human Services Council and was voted as the 2025 Community Champion through the Shiawassee Chamber of Commerce. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Shiawassee Family YMCA and the Shiawassee District Library. Her personal mission is to empower others to live their best lives by connecting them with meaningful resources and support systems. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Jamie to our team,” said Rachel Osmer, Associate Director of the Cook Family Foundation. “Jamie’s experience in the nonprofit arena speaks for itself. She brings to the table a vast amount of connections to nonprofits, relationships with community leaders, and passion for uplifting Shiawassee County. I am confident that she will be an asset to our team and all of our partners.” Rachel goes on to say that, “Jamie’s commitment to nonprofits is a perfect fit for the Foundation. She is already involved with multiple nonprofit boards, and is visible at nonprofit community events.”       

The enthusiasm for the new hire goes both ways.

“I have looked up to the Cook Family Foundation and deeply admire the legacy that the Board, Tom and Anna continue to carry forward,” said Semans. “Countless lives have been positively impacted through the Foundation’s work, and I am truly honored to join a group of people who care so deeply about their community. I am grateful for the opportunity to help support and continue their important mission.”

Semans was born and raised in Shiawassee County, where she lives with her husband and their 3-year-old twin girls. In Jamie’s spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and staying active at Fitness Coliseum, where her husband is a trainer. Weekends are often spent exploring the Owosso Farmer’s Market, visiting local parks and playgrounds, checking out stacks of books from the Shiawassee District Library, navigating the Shiawassee River on kayaks, or traveling up north to spend time with family. Jamie’s twins are active in the Shiawassee Family YMCA and Ashleigh’s Dance Shack.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Baker College. Welcome, Jamie!

Foundation U-M Scholarship Recipients Celebrated at Annual Event

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The Cook Family Foundation held their annual University of Michigan Scholarship Recognition celebration on Tuesday, May 5th at the Lebowsky Center in Owosso. Approximately 130 family, friends, school representatives, past scholarship recipients, and other supporters attended the event to acknowledge the area’s best and brightest.

“Thirty-five students, from twelve high schools in the Shiawassee County area, are being recognized tonight for the scholarships they have earned to attend the University of Michigan,” said Cook Family Foundation Co-Executive Director, Tom Cook at the event. “Tonight, the scholarships awarded by the Foundation and the University of Michigan total over $431,500. With these awards, the Foundation will have helped more than 1,000 students attend the University of Michigan’s Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor Campuses.”

From left to right are:
Tom Cook – Co-Executive Director of the Cook Family Foundation
Olivia Kovick – Recipient of the Donald Cook Scholarship
Madison Dennis – Recipient of the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship
Tim McKay – Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, College of Literature, Science, & the Arts, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Continuing to highlight these outstanding students, Tom Cook also shared, “Of the students being celebrated tonight, seven are class valedictorians, one is a salutatorian, and most are among the top ten in their class. As a group, these students also represent class presidents, National Honor Society members, student council officers, team captains, and leaders of other student groups. Eleven students were recognized as Shiawassee Scholars in eighth grade. We are proud of their efforts and look forward to seeing what their futures hold.”

Madison Dennis of Durand was awarded the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship, one of the highest accolades in the greater Shiawassee County region. This scholarship, endowed after the passing of Bruce and Jacqueline Cook, provides four years of undergraduate tuition to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, with a value exceeding $75,000.

Madison is the daughter of John and Jennifer Dennis and was the valedictorian of her class at Durand Area High School. In addition to her many AP classes, she participated in dual enrollment through both LCC and Mott Community Colleges and was on the “all A” honor roll all four years. She has been the president of the student government for all four years of high school and as well as the National Honor Society secretary for two years. Madison has also served as both copy editor and editor in chief of the yearbook. Her sports achievements include three years of varsity volleyball, MHSAA legacy program youth volleyball referee, club volleyball captain, and volunteer youth volleyball coach, as well as four years of varsity bowling and varsity tennis. She plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at UM-Ann Arbor, followed by a PhD in the same field, with an ultimate goal of becoming a doctor and researcher in neurology.

In addition to Madison, the evening’s additional honorees received scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $20,000.

Olivia Kovick of Chesaning was recognized as the winner of the Donald Cook Scholarship, given in recognition of the Foundation’s original benefactor.This scholarship, endowed by the Cook Family Foundation, is awarded by the University of Michigan to a student attending the College of Literature, Science, & the Arts and is worth $20,000. Donald Cook was a 1924 graduate of the University of Michigan who established the Foundation with his wife Florence-etta in 1979.

Olivia was one of the top ten students in her class at Chesaning Union High School. She is the daughter of Jarod and Brandi Kovick. She earned highest honors all four years of high school while taking several AP classes and was a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club for two years each. Olivia was a cheerleader for three years and served as Varsity Cheer co-captain. Her career goal is to become a college professor, but is still exploring exactly which area of interest she’ll pursue.

Along with the two students mentioned above, other scholarship recipients included:

Attending UM-Ann Arbor – from Byron High School: Mason Davis; from Corunna High School: Gracie TerMeer; from Durand Area High School: Brayden Joslin, Chloe Munson, and Carver Purdy; from Laingsburg High School: Cody Cataline; from Morrice High School: Parker Mockeridge; from Ovid-Elsie High School: Arthur Carie (2022 Graduate) and Jackson Custer; from Owosso High School: Ellen DeLong, Danica Dwyer, Tyler Jurhs, Sarina Shannon, and Owen Skarich; and from Perry High School: Autumn Pavlica and Chandler Webb.

Attending UM-Flint – from Chesaning Union High School: Addison Ostrander; from Corunna High School: Addison Baker and Sophia Butcher (both UM-Flint Early College); from Durand Area High School: Gwendolyn Bell, Taylor Carlson, Bailey Martin, Benjamin Mrazik, Brock Randall (UM-Flint Early College), Kirra Shepard, Lorraine Smith, and Shelby Tanner (UM-Flint Early College); from Laingsburg High School: Liam Esch (UM-Flint Early College); from Linden High School: Brenden Johnson; from Morrice High School: James Baur; from New Lothrop High School: Stone Elkins; from Perry High School: Addyson Lampron; and from Springvale Christian School: Peter Kokkinakos.