Tabitha Corlett, Outdoor Lead - Recreation & Wellness

Tabitha has been with Ottawa County Parks for 7 months in a newly created position. 

What drew you to working for Parks?

Lake Michigan is my favorite place, and my family has always loved visiting Ottawa County parks. I always wanted to work for parks and when I saw this position open, it felt like a perfect fit! I am a holistic nurse in background and think nature is medicine. I enjoy and feel very passionate about serving the community in health and wellness especially in the parks.

What do you do in this role? What are your day-to-day tasks?

My role includes hosting public events, working at the nature center, and handling administrative tasks. One day, I might lead kayaking, and the next, I could be helping with event planning.

What is the best part of your job? Any memorable experiences?

The best part is the variety of tasks and my passionate co-workers. A memorable experience was volunteering for the controlled burn at Hiawatha Forest last fall.

What is your favorite Ottawa County Park and season to visit?

That varies by season. Pigeon Creek Park is our favorite in winter, Ottawa Sands is great for birding, and Kirk Park is perfect for dog beach fun.

What is a hidden gem in Ottawa County Parks?

Crockery Creek is a hidden gem with beautiful old forest growth and peaceful hiking.

I’m grateful to work for a parks system that promotes community wellness and recreation. It’s exciting to see our parks expand with new activities and beautiful spaces.

George Jaeger, Outdoor Education Program Lead

George has been with Ottawa County Parks since December of 2014.

What drew you to working for parks? 

My father was a high school biology teacher, so I spent a lot of time outdoors as a kid learning to identify birds, trees, and fish (I did a lot of fishing in my youth). I was a Scout and enjoyed camping in different State Parks and valued the expertise of their staff. In high school, I wanted to be a Park Ranger and wrote a research paper about it. After college, I worked as a seasonal for two summers at Holland State Park. I continued to be active in the outdoors with my family. As my kids grew up, we hiked, mountain biked, skied, camped, and more. And they were guaranteed a lesson in wildlife, geology, or botany from me along the way. I love parks in our state and elsewhere and have openly shared stories and information wherever or whenever I’m out on the trail. So, I guess, being a part of Ottawa County Parks and Recreation presented an opportunity for me to do the things I enjoy doing in the spaces that I revere.

Can you explain what you do in that role? What are your day-to-day tasks?

My main tasks include creating or building educational programming, training staff in that programming, and executing those programs with staff and volunteers. I also create and present a fair amount of public programming, especially in my favorite areas of interest. So, day-to-day, I may be doing different things, typing up outlines, trying out a new educational activity, putting together resources for a program, surveying a park for a future program, etc.

What is the best part of your job? 

Presenting programming is by far the most enjoyable part of my position. I enjoy engaging folks of all ages while exploring our fantastic system of natural spaces.

What is your favorite Ottawa County Park?

I am a fan of North Ottawa Dunes. I like to disappear in the middle of that park and just soak it in. I could hike there in any season. It’s just a cool place to explore.

What is a hidden gem in Ottawa County Parks? 

Grose Park. Hands down. If you want to see what a climax forest in our state looked like before European settlement, it’s about as close as you can get. In the spring, the forest floor is literally carpeted in the most diverse group of flowering plants we have in the county.

It is my pleasure to serve Ottawa County in the Parks and Recreation department. I’ve learned so much from the folks I work with, the people I meet on the trail, and those that join us for a program. It’s just so cool!

Featured Park: Spring Grove

With 16 acres of towering trees, this park is a great place for a family picnic. The fully enclosed Picnic Building is a popular place for meetings, reunions, graduations and weddings. A flowing spring and small natural area with beautiful spring wildflowers adds to the charm of this park. 

Learn more

by Bobbi Jones Sabine

Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is a bright, early blooming sign of spring you’ll find in part shade, in wet woods, shallow streams, and marshes. It’s found throughout both Michigan’s peninsulas. It also grows throughout most of the northeastern United States and Canada. 

These perennial plants are 1 to 2 feet high, with heart-shaped scalloped leaves and a generous mass of shiny yellow flowers up to an inch wide. Also called king cup, May blobs, Marybuds, or marsh buttercup, it is a member of the Buttercup family. It blooms from March to June and is a welcome early source of pollen and nectar for many insects.

The flowers are said to be edible when cooked, but the leaves contain toxic glycosides and can be an irritant unless they are boiled and rinsed repeatedly into a bland mush like spinach. Native Americans used it for its anti-inflammatory properties, and to treat arthritis, gout, and rheumatism. The Ojibwa tribe brewed it into a tea for a cough syrup, adding maple sugar to make it palatable. It is said that the juice can be used to treat warts. The root was used to make a blue dye for cloth and jewelry.

Shakespeare referred to this flower in his play “Cymbeline,” where musicians offered “winking Marybuds” to awaken Imogen:

Hark, hark! The lark at heaven’s gate sings, And Phoebus ‘gins arise,
His steeds to water at those springs on chaliced flowers that lies;
And winking Marybuds begin to ope their golden eyes:
With every thing that pretty is, my lady, sweet, arise: Arise, arise.

Get Involved

How would you like to get involved?

• Volunteer on a Foundation committee.

• Join Parks Sustainers Club. 

• Join Parks for Life.

• Make an IRA or Stock contribution.

• Purchase a commemorative bench.

• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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