FRANKLIN FOREST TO BECOME HEALING GARDEN
The 36 acres of pristine woods and a lake surrounded by suburban development in Franklin are home to a herd of deer, flocks of turkeys, geese and ducks and any number of other wildlife species.
And thanks to a group of concerned business executives and community leaders, the forest is going to stay that way, but with a bonus humanitarian mission: It will become Wisconsin’s largest public healing garden.
The group, the Conservancy for Healing and Heritage, bought the land in 2005. Many of the members of the conservancy’s board of directors were aware of the beauty of the woods, as they were members of the nearby Polish Center of Wisconsin.
The board members also were aware that if they did not step up to buy the land, it most assuredly would be clearcut and developed as condominiums around a natural centerpiece, Kopmeier Lake, the only spring-fed kettle and glacier lake in Milwaukee County.
“We wanted it so it wouldn’t be developed,” said Michael Murry, chairman of the conservancy board. “Now it’s restricted forever and can no longer be developed as anything but a conservancy.”
Most residents on the south side of the county aren’t even aware the forest exists, as it is tucked behind and around commercial development near the busy intersection of W. Rawson Ave. and S. 76th St., Murry said.
“This healing garden, and the surrounding conservation land, is such a gift to the community. Nature heals, restores and harmonizes,” said Murry, retired chairman and chief executive officer of the former Merchants & Manufacturers Bancorporation. “We can’t wait for this beautiful vision to come to life for people of all ages who are seeking support, comfort, inspiration or rejuvenation in times of physical, emotional or mental distress brought on by diseases such as cancer, depression or PTSD.”
The organization has raised about $2.5 million for the project and seeks an additional $2.4 million to complete the vision of creating among the most attractive and innovative nature preserves in Wisconsin and one of the largest independent healing gardens in the United States, Murry said.
The first phase of the project has been completed, and in December the garden space and upper trail were cleared, while the healing garden sidewalk was prepared for concrete.
Once complete, the healing garden will extend north from the Reiman Healing Chapel in the Woods, which will serve as a community asset to 7,000 cancer patients a year. The chapel, donated by the Reiman Family Foundation and completed in 2016, will be open year round and available to anyone seeking peace and healing.
Connecting the healing garden to trails around Kopmeier Lake will enable patients and community members to enjoy the peace and calm that only nature can provide. The network of trails and boardwalks throughout the 36 acres will be open to joggers, hikers, birders, school groups and anyone else seeking to spend time in the forest.
The conservancy board recruited veteran nonprofit leader Susan Rabe to serve as the executive director and CEO of the organization.
Rabe said she was attracted to the position because of the caliber of the people on the board and the mission of the project.
“This group saw the need in the community for a place like this,” Rabe said. “Many had had some close experience with cancer themselves. And this is ice age land. That was also a thread that tied this group together.”
Rabe also feels a personal connection to the mission of a healing garden. For years, she suffered from a heavy metal toxicity in her bloodstream that wreaked havoc with her neurological system.
“I know the healing power of nature,” Rabe said.
Edward Cichurski, retired managing partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, also felt a sense of calling to the conservancy’s mission.
“I want always to give back to the community. If you’re fortunate (and successful in business), you know you’re not alone,” Cichurski said. “You didn’t do it yourself.”
Other members of the all-star cast on the conservancy board include: Milwaukee historian John Gurda, Reiman Publications founder Roy Reiman, retired Johnson Controls CEO Stephen Roell, retired Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare CEO John Oliverio, retired Milwaukee County Chief Judge Michael Skwierawski, retired BMO Harris loan officer Joseph Griese, Logarakis Group Inc. CEO Nicholas Logarakis, Krukowski & Costello founder Thomas Krukowski and Scott Krajcir, formerly of Home Federal Bank.
Stepping back from the trees to see the forest, these are some smart people with some deep pockets and some good intentions who are making a big difference on the southwest side of Milwaukee County.
Steve Jagler is the business editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. C-Level stands for high-ranking executives, typically those with “chief” in their titles. Send C-Level column ideas to him at steve.jagler@journalsentinel.com.