Our Stories

2026 NCTA Volunteer Awards: Blue Blazes Benefactor

Blue Blazes Benefactor Awards are presented to those who demonstrate vision and generosity through significant monetary or in-kind contribution(s) to the North Country Trail or the NCTA.

Peter Bennett and Julia Davey
Peter and Julia have demonstrated their commitment to the North Country Trail in time, talents, and treasure by investing their life’s energy into a legacy. Since joining the Association in 2012, they have advanced from dedicated members to the kind of foundational supporters every nonprofit dreams of. As Mile Makers Club members, their monthly giving provides lasting stability, while their volunteer work – maintaining the challenging Sterling Marsh boardwalk, mentoring trail adopters, and traveling across Michigan to help clear devastating storm damage – reflects their selflessness to the entire trail community.

Jon and Christine Saari
What began as Jon and Christine’s vision for their land and family camp evolved into a multi-partner conservation success story. Through a wonderful collaboration, their cherished property and its surrounding landscape in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are now preserved in perpetuity. But their gift was more than land – it was an invitation for others to experience the beauty, peace, and wonder they held dear for years. By donating their property to create the Mulligan Pines Preserve and ensuring public access for NCT hikers, they transformed a personal treasure into a lasting legacy. Their restored Finnish cabin, once a family sanctuary, will now welcome weary hikers, while protected forests and wetlands will inspire generations to come. Jon and Christine remind us that true stewardship means sharing what you love.

Learn more about this volunteer awards program at northcountrytrail.org/awards.