Hat’s Off (and On) to Belle Isle

Picture it: mid-May, women sporting fashionable hats and dining on a chicken-salad lunch, and scenery that brims with intriguing architecture, swathes of green space and a lovely river on which plies everything from kayaks and row boats to international freighters.

An evocative scene that conjures up images from an Impressionist painting, perhaps? Pretty, to be sure. But the real beauty of this luncheon is the cause and passion behind it.

This Wednesday, 550 chapeau- and bonnet-clad women — including a few brave men — will attend and support the Belle Isle Women’s Committee (BIWC) 7th annual Polish the Jewel Belle Isle Legacy Luncheon in Detroit.

“It’s the most tickets we’ve ever sold,” said Sarah Earley, a Bloomfield Hills resident and BIWC founder and president. “We sold out last week,” she said, two days before the event, whose tickets cost $125 for general admission and $250-$1,000 for benefactor tickets.  

Earley was inspired to start the nonprofit organization because of her love of nature, woods and metro Detroit.

“All good cities have good parks,” said Earley, who grew up in Massachusetts and as a child relished the nearby woods and natural settings. “I knew that we had something beautiful here but the city didn’t have funds to do the work that needed to be done, ” she said, referring to the 982-acre island park in the Detroit River (the largest island city park in the United States), which has been in disrepair over the past several years.  

Since launching her efforts in 2004, Earley and other supporters have raised about $2.5 million. “We’ve been able to invest about $900,000 in the park in our first several projects,” she said.

The group first took on Sunset Point, which underwent $900,000 worth of upgrades, including the construction of a new comfort station and new sidewalks, gardens, benches, grills and picnic tables.  

During the summer of 2009, the group partnered with the Friends of Belle Isle to begin eradication of an invasive, non-native grass that threatened the ecosystem of the island by choking native plants.

Each fall since 2008, the group has planted thousands of daffodils throughout the park. Their goal is to continue to plant bulbs every year until the island is covered with the yellow beauties each spring.

This year, their aim is to raise funds to restore the tile roof of the park’s historic horse stable. “That will take about $600,000,” Earley explained.

“This park was designed by a renowned park designer (Frederick Law Olmsted) and is on the National Register of Historic Places,” she said. “It’s an asset that’s crying for attention.”

Event co-chair Shery Cotton knows exactly what Earley means. “I’m just amazed by the diversity of the island. I find it so charming,” said Cotton, who lives in Grosse Pointe Park and is co-chairing the event with her two daughters-in-law, Lindsay Cotton and Nancy Cotton, both of Grosse Pointe Farms. Shery Cotton moved to metro Detroit from Houston, TX and says she, “fell in love with the area.”

Cotton has selected a spring-green and navy hat with ribbon, flowers and netting accents. Created by milliner Gena Conti of Wyandotte, the hat is sure to turn heads, as will the one that Earley has chosen for the event.

“I have long curly hair so I like headband-style hats,” Earley said. Her blue-flowered head topper is just the ticket to set off her blue-print dress.

The hat element, says Earley, adds a fun dimension to the event and it’s something that other successful fundraising luncheons also have incorporated into their design.

Supporters of this year’s luncheon are most excited about how the funds will be used. “We’re working to restore the horse stable’s clay-tile roof,” Earley explained. Built in 1898, the structure was designed by George Mason, a colleague of renowned architect Albert Kahn. “It housed the workhorses that pulled carriages around the park,” Earley said. “There weren’t cars then, so that was their transportation. Its roof is in definite need of repair.” Earley says there have been proposals to eventually turn the stable into an art center, café, gift shop and more.

The event, which will take place in the Belle Isle Casino building, gives guests  the opportunity to shop at a garden boutique and participate in a raffle as well as a live auction featuring oil paintings by renowned Grosse Pointe artist Jane McFeely. Raffle prizes include fine jewelry collections by Roberto Coin, Gregg Ruth, David Yurman, Rolex and gift cards all donated by Edmund T. Ahee Jewelers. 

This year’s emcee is MSNBC weekend morning anchor and correspondent Alex Witt (cousin of Shery Cotton’s husband, David). Witt also anchors weekday broadcasts, and hosted the series MSNBC Adventurer, as well as a series of prime time special broadcasts after the Asian tsunami.   

“To see the group turn Belle Isle around and bring it back is exciting,” says Cotton.

Royal Oak resident Donna Sutton agrees. “Many years ago, Belle Isle was a fabulous place to go and I was there often,” she recalls. “I would love to see this place come to life again.”

As for BIWC founder Earley, she believes every city should have a great park. “In a city where people don’t have the opportunity to be in nature, in green space, it’s even more important,” she says.

Committee members have no doubt that what Earley started seven years ago will continue, full speed ahead. As sure as the Detroit River flows, so will Earley's commitment and dedication make their way into the park’s future. “Sarah (Earley) is amazing,” said co-chair Cotton. “Her vision is starting to come to fruition. It will be as grand as Central Park some day.” 

Of note: This year’s event is sold out. However, to donate to the BIWC, volunteer  or learn about next year’s event, call (248) 336-8360 or visit  www.biwcinc.org.