DNR speech on April 7, 2025 at Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

We have completed an incredibly successful Maple Season. Because of your hard work, dedication, knowledge, and passion for this place, the MacKenzie Center is able to bring the sweetness of the season to our community every year. Without you, we could not accomplish this. Thank you.

We educate students about the biology and heritage of maple sugaring for 5 weeks every year. 57 volunteers contributed to Maple Education. Thank you Guides, Interpreters, Makers, and Coordinators for your talents, positive attitudes, and amazing commitment to this effort.

This year, we served 1,034 students in Maple Education sessions.

Thank you, Sap Collectors, Cookers, and Finishers! You make the season extra sweet. This year, 110 trees were tapped, 1,632 gallons of sap were collected, and 252 pints of syrup was made over 16 days of production. This equates to 31.5 gallons of syrup.

The best day of the year at the MacKenzie Center came on April 5^th, Maple Festival. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to make this very special day run smoothly. We had over 2,012 visitors come to experience and enjoy our Maple Festival.

Thank you to everyone who helped plan for and volunteer during the Pancake Breakfast, including the Lake Wisconsin Lion’s Club members. This was a huge undertaking. Thank you for bringing back the delicious meal for the first time since 2019! During Maple Festival, nearly 800 people were served breakfast.

Maple Festival and Maple Education would not be possible without you, the passionate and dedicated volunteers. 129 people volunteered during Maple Season. Your combined efforts totaled 2,319 ¼ hours of volunteering. I have been absolutely astounded by the sheer number of volunteers and level of commitment you all display. I am proud to work with such an amazing group of people. From directing traffic to tapping trees to flipping pancakes, everyone pitched in to make the 2025 Maple Season a grand success. Thank you, volunteers!!