A visionary legacy makes a positive difference
Dave Dvorak's dedication to the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station helps this sanctuary for environmental research flourish and grow.
A visionary legacy makes a positive difference
Dave Dvorak's dedication to the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station helps this sanctuary for environmental research flourish and grow.
March 28, 2024Besides Kellogg himself, there is one person who has been the most significant supporter of the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. That person is David Grant Dvorak, M.D.
Dave is a retired ophthalmologist who has lived on the shore of Gull Lake since 1973. His love for the area began long before he could kayak the blue waters of this inland lake.
During the summer of 1964, the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary was Dave’s outdoor retreat from the work of his medical internship. “I would go to the bird sanctuary and walk around. I have always enjoyed nature and liked just being outdoors.”
The 3,873-acre biological station located between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek offers many opportunities for the community to explore the great outdoors. Named for the 20th-century cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg, who donated the land and properties to MSU, this sanctuary for environmental research is MSU’s largest off-campus education complex and one of North America’s premier inland field stations.
Once Dave built his home on Gull Lake, KBS was only a short walk away. “I used to walk straight to the biological station and see the orioles. Many times I looked for bluebirds, but I never was successful.”
The elusive bluebirds didn’t discourage him though. Dave became a member of KBS and after his retirement in 2002, he volunteered to work in the KBS gardens. Although he didn’t consider himself a master gardener, he loved volunteering his time to keep KBS beautiful.
In 2003 Dave was particularly drawn to the KBS Shoreline Management Demonstration Area project which he contributed to for multiple years. He already had a heart for philanthropy, inspired by his days in medical school when a grant from the Grand Rapids Foundation helped him complete his education. From that time on, Dave always tried to give back through his own philanthropy.
Dave has been a transformative philanthropic leader on behalf of KBS, particularly for the Bird Sanctuary.
Since KBS’s mission aligned with Dave’s interest in protecting lakes and wetlands, he was eager to understand the station’s needs and contribute to the cause. “Protecting the lake is one of the major priorities.”
Dave’s tireless efforts didn’t go unnoticed by previous KBS Director Kay Gross, who invited him to join the Director’s Advisory Board in 2006. His time on the board gave Dave a front-row seat to the needs of KBS, and he was determined to do his part to meet those needs so the station could continue to thrive. “I would hate to see anything ever happen to the Manor House or the grounds or the Bird Sanctuary,” says Dave. “My goal was to make certain that they stayed intact.”
During his time on the board, Dave served as chair for the Joe Johnson Scholarship Fund, which was later named the Joe Johnson Endowment for Wildlife Conservation Fund. Dave then endowed the Conservation Legacy Fund, was a major contributor to the Manor House accessibility project, helped acquire a million-dollar Kellogg Foundation grant for the Manor House and served as chairperson for the KBS Capital Campaign.
In 2011, Dave was the lead donor to establish the Bird Sanctuary bridge in memory of his brother, Thomas E. Dvorak, who graduated from MSU’s College of Natural Science in 1963.
The dedication of the bridge arching over Wintergreen Lake is something he will never forget. “We had a perfect day for the dedication. It was a sunny day. All the relatives came. My nephew Doug gave the dedication speech on the bridge.”
When Dave visits the bridge now, trumpeter swans fly overhead while ducks and geese preen their feathers on the lake that stretches beyond. A granite stone nearby proudly lists his brother’s name. The Dvorak family legacy is now part of KBS.
Dave, along with his partner Karol, solidified this legacy with the endowment of the David Grant Dvorak, M.D. and Karol J. Peterson KBS Bird Sanctuary Enrichment Fund, which will support the greatest needs of the Bird Sanctuary for generations to come.
The KBS Enrichment Fund will continue to be supported through Dave’s planned gifts of testamentary charitable remainder trusts. To Dave, the most rewarding aspect of this type of giving is to inspire philanthropy in others. “It was very rewarding to have someone say they started a fund because they got the idea from me.”
I am most proud of knowing that the funds I have set aside will help give scholarships and maintain the facilities. I hope that I am able to make a positive difference.
With Dave as a major benefactor, KBS continues to stand as a beacon for environmental conservation and research. “Dave has been a transformative philanthropic leader on behalf of KBS, particularly for the Bird Sanctuary,” says KBS Director Fredric Janzen, Ph.D. “His financial generosity and on-site engagement almost defy belief. We are humbled by Dave's ongoing faith in the KBS community and mission, and we wish him all the best while we witness the outcomes of his devotion to KBS continue to take shape in the coming years, benefitting KBS as well as the greater local community.”
Dave occasionally takes his kayak on Gull Lake to view the station from the water. “I love when you go by on a boat to see the difference of the Lakescape project,” he says. “I mean, it's not recognizable compared to what it looked like when we started. It has all grown so much.”
Dave retired from the KBS Director’s Advisory Board in 2023, but he continues looking for bluebirds at the KBS Bird Sanctuary. As he strolls across the grounds and greets the dedicated KBS and MSU colleagues who are now his friends, Dave is happy in the knowledge that this environmental sanctuary will continue to flourish. “I am most proud of knowing that the funds I have set aside will help give scholarships and maintain the facilities. One does not know what will happen in the future, but I hope that I am able to make a positive difference.”
