Tears of joy: Hamburg Township couple receives $5M in state funds to build veteran retreat
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HAMBURG TWP. — Freedom River, a planned campground and retreat for veterans and their families in Hamburg Township, is getting a $5 million boost from the state of Michigan.
The funding is included in the 2023-2024 state budget, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law Monday, July 31.
More: Proposed veterans retreat, campground in Hamburg Township is local couple's purpose
Jeff and Janna Yeakey founded nonprofit Freedom River in 2021 and raised nearly $1.9 million to purchase the tranquil, 90-plus-acre property on Winans Lake Road between the Huron River and Gut Lake. They've been fundraising and applying for grants to bring the project to fruition ever since.
"A huge weight was taken off my shoulders when we got that call," Janna told The Daily on Monday. "I just sobbed."
The retreat will be free to veterans and their families, offering camping and recreation while combatting isolation, promoting healing and bringing people together.
Janna said developing the retreat, which will happen in phases, is expected to cost around $15 million. The nonprofit continues to fundraise and apply for grants.
"(But) that $5 million will catapult us," she said.
Rep. Jennifer Conlin, (D-Ann Arbor Township), helped secure the funding. She's the chairwoman of the House Committee on Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security.
“This type of project plays an important role in providing wraparound services to our veterans and their families,” Conlin wrote in a Monday release. “We know veterans specifically benefit from being in nature and exercising. This is a healthy way of thanking them for all they sacrificed, while also helping them move forward.”
Freedom River has also secured a $500,000 grant from the Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation
"The infrastructure is the big thing ... all the outdoor recreation, the fields and one of our docks on the river," Janna said.
The couple's priority will be installing day-use features, so veterans and their family members can begin outdoor recreational activities from sun-up to sundown as soon as possible.
The next phase will install cabins and camping sites for overnight stays. A special cabin will be reserved for Gold Star families.
Sporting activities planned include basketball, pickleball, volleyball and softball, plus activities like soft horseshoeing and archery. Canoes and kayaks will be available on the Huron River, which connects to the Chain of Lakes, including Strawberry Lake and Zukey Lake.
A welcome lodge and wellness center will feature a fitness center, dining room, arts and crafts, and concierge services.
Farmhouse renovation
There's also an old farmhouse on the property that once belonged to the Boja family. Family members from multiple Boja generations served in the military and left behind some letters.
Freedom River will convert the farmhouse into a museum showcasing local military history, including conference, education and office spaces.
"(Thanks to the $5 million), now we know we can restore the farmhouse," Janna said.
Jeff is an army veteran who once worked for the Ann Arbor VA's physical therapy department. The couple volunteers at the hospital.
“After Janna and I spent 20 years volunteering ... we knew that veterans and their families needed a sanctuary to relax, recover and rejuvenate," Jeff wrote in the Monday release.
The couple plans to begin construction in spring 2024.
Freedom River still needs final site approval from township officials, who have been unanimously in support thus far.
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Indeed, according to Hamburg Township Supervisor Pat Hohl:
“From the perspective of the community and the veterans who will find respite and connection with their peers amid the peace and natural beauty of this site, it’s difficult to visualize a more compatible use for this 93 acres in Hamburg Township."
— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Tears of joy: Hamburg Township couple receives $5M in state funds to build veteran retreat
