Donor Spotlight: Marcie Meditch and the Power of Place
“The park is truly amazing – and the park wouldn’t be the amazing place it is without the Friends.”
For Marcie Meditch, love of place isn’t something that developed overnight—it’s been woven into her life for decades. Long before she became involved with Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, that spirit took root through her early experiences in northern Michigan.
Marcie grew up in Indianapolis, but each year, she headed north to summer camp at Torch Lake, where unforgettable days outdoors shaped her earliest connection to northern Michigan. That connection only grew stronger when she met her husband, John Murphey. His family cottage on Sleeping Bear Bay became central to their shared life. It’s a place filled with meaning—so much so that Marcie and John chose to be married on the deck, with the lake stretching out before them.
For more than 40 years, the two architects have traveled from their home in Washington, D.C. to the Sleeping Bear Dunes every summer, drawn by tradition and a deep love for the lakeshore.
Those summers became the backdrop for their two children and their cousins, who spent long, adventurous days exploring. The adults would see them at mealtimes—but otherwise, the kids were off roaming dunes, woods, and shoreline. One of their most cherished annual traditions was “the long march,” a three- to four-hour hike over the dunes, past the Coast Guard station, and back home again—complete with packed lunches and a sense of independence that defined their summers.
Today, that same spirit continues to bring the family together. The cottage now hosts a large extended family, and Marcie and John have built a home in Empire that allows them to extend their time and creativity in the place they love. Marcie’s studio, with its piano and views of her thoughtfully designed garden, reflects her creative spirit, while John paints in his own workspace. Though their children now live as far away as Vermont and Whistler, Empire remains the constant—the place where everyone returns, reconnects, and shares in something enduring.
It was this deep, lived connection to place that naturally led Marcie to Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes. She quickly realized that preserving the spirit of the park takes more than admiration—it takes action.
Marcie began volunteering, lending both her time and expertise. She played a role in the early development of the track chair program, helping implement it to expand accessibility within the park. She’s joined beach yoga events, supported fundraising efforts, and contributed her professional skills to help strengthen programs that sustain the organization’s work.
Her philanthropy is deeply personal, but also rooted in how she was raised. “I grew up in a family that did a lot of philanthropy—that’s just how I’m wired,” she explains. “Once you feel connected to a place like this, you want to take care of it.” For Marcie, giving back isn’t separate from her experience of the park—it’s an extension of it. Supporting Friends means protecting the very spirit that has shaped her life and her family’s story.
Looking ahead, Marcie’s hopes are clear and grounded in that same sense of place. She wants to see Sleeping Bear Dunes remain as it is—wild, beautiful, and protected from the pressures that threaten to change it. “There are so many forces out there,” she says. “It takes constant effort to preserve something like this.” For her, that effort is essential to ensuring that future generations can experience the same sense of wonder, freedom, and connection.
And for those who feel that same pull, her message is simple: “If this place means something to you—if you feel its spirit—then supporting it just makes sense.”
To get involved and make a gift, visit https://www.friendsofsleepingbear.org/donate