Anne & Allan Dake Receive Foundation Award

<June 28, 2017> For 18 years, the Community Foundation for Muskegon County has honored the work of its founding president and CEO by presenting the annual Patricia B. Johnson Community Leadership Award to recognize a dynamic individual, couple, or organization with visionary leadership and a strong spirit of innovation.

This year, at the Foundation’s 2017 Annual Gathering, Anne and Allan Dake of Whitehall received the prestigious award.

Over the past seven years, Anne and Allan Dake have literally energized and revitalized an important downtown asset. Their work with the Muskegon Heritage Museum has revived a focus on our community’s rich manufacturing/industrial heritage. The museum has become a significant downtown attraction, a field trip destination for hundreds of children, and a favorite stop for the Great Lakes cruise ship excursions.  Not only did the Dakes’ passionate commitment to the museum create over 80 exhibits, but they built the museum’s collection, recruited volunteers, and engaged community members to support the museum through gifts to a fund that has grown to over a quarter of a million dollars.

“Anne and Allan are active, long-time residents of the most northern part of our county, but they are among downtown Muskegon’s most passionate activists,” said Charles  Johnson II as he presented the award. “And, though both spent their working lives as educators in the public schools, it is their love for Muskegon’s industrial and manufacturing history that drives them now.”

“Allan and I are overwhelmed to receive this recognition that is named after someone who was so inspirational in our community,” said Anne Dake, “but this award also belongs to over 80 volunteers who are the heart and soul of the Muskegon Heritage Museum. We couldn’t do it without every one of them.”

As part of the award, the Dakes will receive a $5,000 grant which they may give to the organization of their choice in the community.

Past recipients of the Patricia B. Johnson Award include Janene Morrisey and Frank Bednarek, Larry Hines, Dr. Robert Garrison, Ted Operhall, Roger Andersen, Joseph Schulze, Nancy Crandall, Gary Ostrom, Amy Heisser and the Alcoa Foundation, Tanglewood Park, Mike and Kay Olthoff, Roger Spoelman, Linda Juarez, Judy Hayner, Kathy Evans, John McGarry and Dr. Alan Steinman.