Multi-Purpose Building Planned for Marsh

The Plymouth Review, January 28, 2014.

The Sheboygan County Board Tuesday approved plans for fundraising for a new educational center at the Broughton Sheboygan County Marsh Park.

Friends of the Broughton Sheboygan Marsh President Lil Pipping explained plans for the new building to the board during the public address section of the meeting.

We are proposing to build a multi-purpose educational building at the marsh," Pipping said. She noted that the Friends group had come to the board in 2008 and, "asked if you would allow us to build the tallest wooden observation tower in the state at the Sheboygan County Marsh. You did and we did."

Pipping provided details on the new building the Friends will be raising money to build."

"One wing will be an educational center, with the focus mainly for Camp Y-Koda so they can do their educational work out there. It will have a nice atrium that will have different displays for different areas of the marsh, and the other part of the building will house up-to-date showers for the camping area," Pipping told board members.

The group started its fundraising effort before Christmas, sending out more than 1,000 brochures to donors to the Marsh Tower campaign, Pipping said.

According to their website, the group has set a goal of $660,000 for the fundraising effort.

In his report to the board, County Administrator Adam Payne noted that several members of the board - supervisors Keith Abler, Jim Baumgart and Michael Ogea - were instrumental in the Marsh Tower campaign and Abler and Ogea continue to serve on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Broughton Sheboygan Marsh.

The Friends told their annual meeting Jan. 7 and elected the following officers for 2014: Lil Pipping, president; Keith Abler, vice president; Marjean Pountain, secretary; and Ken Pipping, treasurer. Additional members of the board include Aaron Brault, Ann Buechel Haack, Sarah DeZwarte, Julia Loo-Sutcliffe, Scott McMurray, Michael Ogea and James Whipple.

Anyone interested in assisting promoting the Sheboygan Marsh Park and the proposed educational center is welcomed to become a member at large to the committee.

Thousands of children visit the park each year to experience and learn about the environment benefits and history contained in the Sheboygan Marsh. The Friends have recently embarked on a mission to develop an educational center and meeting facility to house Camp Y-Koda's environmental programs, many area school field trips, and other groups who appreciate conservation efforts and wildlife at the marsh. Visit www.friendsofthemarsh.com or call 920-876-4312 for more information.

The Broughton Sheboygan County Marsh Park is located north of the village of Glenbeulah on County J.