Sara Bolan: 2025 Petoskey Prize winner

AFFEW volunteer shares the fruits (and veggies) of her labor with Mason County

Mason County residents may not know Sara Bolan personally, but there is a good chance they have benefitted all she has made possible—fresh, local produce; beautiful wildlife and gardens; even, perhaps, a solar-powered power tool.

Bolan is a steadfast volunteer and board member of AFFEW, a nonprofit in Mason County which has actively promoted a healthy and thriving environment since 1990. For her tireless commitment to her community, Bolan will receive the Petoskey Prize for Environmental Leadership, Michigan’s eco-volunteer-of-the-year award.

“When I retired and moved back to Ludington in 2016 I was eager to get involved in the community,” said Bolan. “Once I learned more about AFFEW, it seemed like a perfect fit! I’ve been especially interested in native plants and combatting invasive species which align with AFFEW’s mission. As a new board member, I found there were many opportunities to participate in current programming and explore new ideas. I’m grateful for the partnerships and community members I’ve been able to connect with.”

The Michigan Environmental Council—a nonprofit working to protect the air we breathe, our water, and the places we love—has presented the Petoskey Prize since 2001. Bolan will receive an honorary dinner and a large, polished Petoskey stone. The Environmental Council member group that nominated her, AFFEW, will receive a $5,000 check. 

Those interested in celebrating with Bolan can attend an award dinner at the Environmental Council’s second-annual ECOsystems Conference from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville. Tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-ecosystems-conference-tickets-1478181373279. 

Bolan’s crowning achievement is serving as director of the U Dig It Community Garden in Ludington. Since 2022, Bolan has grown the number of garden beds from 41 to 69. Simultaneously, she helped  create youth and adult programming for U Dig It in coordination with Michigan State University Extension. 

While some garden beds are managed and harvested by individuals and families, 19 beds have their yields go to local pantry Lakeshore Food Club. Over 450 pounds of produce and 150 bags of leafy greens were donated last year alone.

Bolan also plays an active role in boosting wildlife habitat. She leads AFFEW’s invasive species removal program across Mason County and organizes its native plant sale, which has introduced 8,000 plants into communities and nature that will help native pollinators and habitats thrive.

Then there is the necessary backend work needed to keep an all-volunteer nonprofit like AFFEW afloat. Bolan maintains the nonprofit’s website and its members, and she helps organize its Earth Day Celebration.

It is Bolan’s surefootedness to take on all sorts of projects for the betterment of Mason County—and her passion and dedication to see them through—that makes Bolan an exemplary recipient of the Petoskey Prize.

“Sara is the 25th recipient of the Petoskey Prize, joining a cadre of the state’s best environmental volunteers,” said Environmental Council President & CEO Conan Smith. “These humble servants rebuild habitats for the creatures who swim or fly, protect Michigan’s precious and iconic landscapes, and keep the waters of the Great Lake State clean and healthy. Sara’s work carries on the spirit of the Petoskey Prize winners, and she epitomizes the selfless stewardship that has kept Michigan such a precious place for all of us.”