Tag: jekyll island club resort

Meet Our Donors: Douglas & Karen Rucker

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

Douglas and Karen (Mills) Rucker had already decided to spend their Golden Years in the Golden Isles before an almost too-good-to-be-true career choice on Jekyll Island presented itself to him.

“We were living in San Diego…it was the middle of Covid…and we were thinking that California might not be our ‘forever,’” said Douglas.

“We love to travel–and have visited and lived in some amazing places–but we wanted an anchor,” Karen said. “We wanted some place that felt like ‘home.’”

So, sites unseen, the Ruckers and two of their friends bought three adjacent parcels of land on St. Simons Island. “And then this opportunity on Jekyll comes up,” said Douglas, who works with Noble House Hotels & Resorts, the company responsible for operating the Jekyll Island Club Resort after it sold 2021. “I had visited the area some years ago, but this more recent connection through our St. Simons decision was a crazy coincidence. I interviewed for my current role as Area Managing Director and took the job based on the reputation of—and what I already knew and appreciated about—the Island.”

Part of his personal and professional appreciation for what Jekyll has to offer comes from hospitality management roots developed in his former home base of Michigan. “I twice worked for the family that owns The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, which opened its doors in 1887,” he said. “Jekyll Island Club, although not originally a hotel but a private clubhouse for America’s wealthy, opened its doors in the winter of 1888. A love of history and historic hotels, where we prefer to stay when we travel, were big motivators for choosing this area to make our permanent home.”

“We have also always been attracted to islands, to water, and to smaller communities,” said Karen, a Canadian citizen who was on vacation in the Florida Keys 17 years ago when she met Douglas, who was working at a resort in the area. “And of all the places we’ve been since then, Jekyll has the nicest, most welcoming people. We’ve made so many new friends.”

She vividly remembers her first visit to Jekyll. “The view as we drove across the causeway, the moss on the trees in the Historic District, the Club Resort rising like a castle against the sky. It was all so breathtaking.”

That awe remains as the couple settles into their new home at The Moorings at Jekyll Harbor. “Cycling is our favorite activity and mode of transportation,” said Karen. “Every time we ride our bikes from home to the Club [Resort]—crossing the wooden boardwalk bridge with the view of the marsh, the intracoastal waterway, and the Sidney Lanier Bridge in the distance—we pinch ourselves that we live here…in this state park…surrounded by all this beauty. There is something so soulful, so solid, so genuine about this existence.”

As Jekyll Island Foundation investors, stewardship of that beauty now and for future generations is a personal priority. As Champion corporate sponsors, the partnership between the Club Resort and Foundation spans more than two decades and continues today.

“It’s all about the people, from the grassroots to the state level; they are all committed to preservation and conservation,” said Douglas. “That’s a plus because some of the necessary protection efforts take time and need to be well thought out. The Jekyll Island Authority has done—is doing—a great job of this.”

They greatly appreciate the Foundation’s focus on projects that enhance knowledge opportunities not only for residents but for visitors. “The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is such an outstanding example of how donations can improve and extend the life of historic facilities as well as support educational experiences,” said Karen.

She also complimented the Foundation on its honor bench program. “No matter where they are along the bike paths, the benches always seem to be in the right place. They are such a great way to honor someone’s memory while offering a moment to rest and reflect in Jekyll’s peaceful surroundings.”

While travel will always be part of their lives, Douglas and Karen are enjoying how settled and solid they feel in their new home. “The last two years have been pretty special,” said Douglas. “We’re looking forward to doing all we can to be part of the community and to supporting the projects that protect and enhance Jekyll for everyone.”

Rich & Lynn

Meet Our Donors: Rich & Lynn Van Iderstyne

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

It’s fair to say their heads are often in the clouds, but Rich and Lynn Van Iderstyne are very aware and very connected to what’s happening on the ground at Jekyll Island.

Both long-time Delta Air Lines employees—he’s retired after serving 40 years as a pilot, she’s nearing just as many years of service as a flight attendant—they are caretakers of the Jekyll Island Airport, owners of Red Bug Motors, and proprietors of Red Bug Motors Pizza.

“I’ve known Jekyll since I was a child,” said Rich. “Most of my mom’s family is from southern Georgia and all the cousins would come here.” Years later, after moving to Atlanta, he owned a small airplane and was always looking for places to fly. He ended up cruising down to Jekyll almost every weekend because it was a “calm and relaxing” place in contrast to Atlanta’s hustle and bustle.

“It was also his favorite place to go on dates,” quipped Lynn. The two met on an airplane—by chance—while headed to Colorado’s Aspen Snowmass for a ski weekend. Married now for 27 years, they would split their time between Atlanta and Jekyll until son Daniel, now a pilot for Delta, graduated from high school and Jekyll then became their primary residence.

In 2005, when Delta filed for bankruptcy, they decided a back-up life plan might be wise. “We’d heard about the red bug cars that the millionaires brought to use for fun and easy transportation around the Island,” said Rich. So, they did their research on the original vehicles and reintroduced a modern, environmentally friendly, rentable version for residents and visitors.

“Then one year we were on Island for the Super Bowl and discovered that you couldn’t get a pizza delivered, so we opened up a pizza restaurant,” he said. For this venture, they carefully repurposed the former Great Dunes golf course  pro shop.

“It’s a beautiful little building that’s more than a business,” said Lynn. “It’s a family-friendly place for people to get together and make memories as well as share a good meal.”

While those businesses were taking flight, the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) recognized the couple’s commitment to the Island with the keys to welcome visitors to the the airport. “We completely redid the inside of the office and spruced up the outside,” said Rich. “We staffed it to greet pilots and their guests with a smile, helping them know where to visit while on Island and offering them two hours of free red bug rental.”

That enthusiasm for Jekyll led the JIA to tap the Van Iderstynes again when the state couldn’t help with critical repairs to some of the Historic District’s buildings. Rich was invited to become an advisory board member in the early days of the Jekyll Island Foundation and, along with several other very dedicated people, worked hard to raise funds through activities such as a golf tournament, family weekends, and festivals.

But Rich was also able to offer a unique opportunity. “I have a restored World War II plane and would offer rides to people, especially war veterans,” he said. “They would marvel at Jekyll from the air and when they tried to pay me, I would refuse by asking them to instead make a donation to the Foundation.”

The first project the Foundation helped to raise funding for was the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, which currently operates in the Historic District’s Club-era power plant. A more recent Foundation fundraising initiative—Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum—also benefited from the Van Iderstynes.

“There’s a little area about the red bugs,” said Lynn. “We were so happy to have that piece of history highlighted and to contribute to Jekyll’s story.”

A story, they both feel, that keeps getting better. “There have been so many positive changes over the years,” said Rich. “The Island looks nicer than ever, and that’s because the JIA has done a great job of maintaining the balance between nature and development.”

“Being able to walk along the bike paths and see all the wildlife is so amazing,” said Lynn. “And living here with so many friends, such great neighbors, and so many things for people of any age to do and enjoy is also amazing.”

Asked to narrow down their Island ‘to do’ recommendations to one ‘not to be missed’ attraction, neither hesitates. “The heart of Jekyll is the Historic District,” said Rich. “It’s what really sets this Island apart, and I hope people spend time there…learning about the history and marveling at the architecture.”

Lynn, who had just recently been in Italy for work, added,” I walk through many historic places with my job as a flight attendant—places like Rome—and walking through the Historic District or really anywhere on Jekyll is just as satisfying to me!”

Meet Our Board: Gary & Kelli Wadsten

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

“Jekyll is not just a special place, it’s a holy place,” said Kelli Wadsten.

She and husband Gary Wadsten, an executive committee member for Jekyll Island Foundation’s Board of Directors, have been energized by – and fueling – this feeling for nearly a decade via Carolina Holdings Group (CHG), which has helped revitalize certain areas of the Island through residential real estate projects.

“It’s one of the most meaningful places we’ve ever been not just because of our business ventures but because of the people we’ve met and that special feeling you get when you drive onto the causeway,” she said.

For Gary, meeting people on Jekyll started as a youth, which may also have been when the seed was planted for him to eventually become a valued partner in the island’s revitalization. “My great aunt and uncle, Ruth and Lamar Hilton, were among the original [residential] housebuilders. I visited them a few times as a kid,” he said. “Coincidentally, my mom, Joan VanCampen, was part of this great group of friends who…for 20 years…spent January through March on Jekyll, always staying in the same group of rooms at the Quality Inn (now Seafarer Inn & Suites). And another relative—my uncle Rudy Kazenberger, who was part of that ‘snowbird’ group with my mom—was a longtime restoration volunteer for Hollybourne Cottage.”

In 2014, a former colleague called Gary about a potential opportunity on Jekyll. “I hadn’t been there in a very long time,” he said. CHG worked with a Florida bank that had taken possession of the old Clarion Oceanfront Resort, a property that was in terrible shape and needed to be demolished. Today it is known as The Cottages at Jekyll Island, an oceanfront residential community.

“Because of that project, I met a great friend who is also now a business partner,” said Gary. “And for a long time, Kelli and I owned one of the homes in The Cottages, where we really enjoyed sharing our love of the island with family and friends.”

The success of The Cottages led to being trusted with a second project, Ocean Oaks at Jekyll Island, a joint venture with Delaware-based Leon Weiner & Associates, and now a third: The Moorings at Jekyll Harbor.

“Gary doesn’t shy away from projects that others might think are too challenging,” said Kelli, referring to the state legislation in place that govern how much as well as how development occurs on the island, which is a state park.

“The [Jekyll Island] Authority has done a great job of championing—and inviting others to share in the vision of—conservation,” said Gary. “I have tremendous respect for the delicate balance of the situation and want to do what’s right for Jekyll.”

This perspective is what also led them to give back and get more involved. “We didn’t know when we did The Cottages that there would be other opportunities,” said Kelli, “but we felt it was important to be part of Jekyll in every way we could.” They started by being one of the sponsors for the island’s annual Shrimp & Grits Festival, which is where they had their first significant encounter with the Foundation.

“[Foundation Executive Director] Dion walked right up and started talking to me,” said Gary. “Her energy and enthusiasm for all things Jekyll was just so compelling.”

That enthusiasm, coupled with the vision and commitment of the Foundation Board, influenced CHG to provide a corporate investment in Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum. Later, it also prompted a resounding ‘yes’ from Gary when he was asked to serve on the Board. “As a non-native Georgian, I was blown away by the invitation,” he said. “I love that I have another platform from which I can shout loud and proud about my love for Jekyll.”

Now five years into his Board service, Gary is looking forward to using that platform to raise awareness and support for the Foundation’s next big project: a capital campaign to raise funding for renovations and expansion of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. “It’s going to be one of the biggest undertakings in the organization’s history and it’s going to be one of the Island’s biggest opportunities for outreach,” he said.

And while Gary and Kelli have been an integral part of the Island’s revitalization over the past decade, they also respect there’s a limit. “We think it would be wonderful for Jekyll to continue to grow in popularity as long as that’s not at the expense of its integrity,” she said. “It’s hard to find a place where you can drown out the noise, but when we walk or run or bike those trails, it feels like no other place in the world. It feels like heaven.”

Meet Our Donors: Michael and Judy Hartley

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

Judy and Michael Hartley’s appreciation for Jekyll Island can trace its roots to…elementary school.

“We grew up together in Marietta (GA),” said Michael. “We met in sixth grade but didn’t start dating until our senior year.” They went to college together, got married, and moved to Chicago for graduate school.

Judy got her MBA at Emory University – “one of the few women to do so in the 1980s,” she said – and then carved out a name for herself on Wall Street from their homebase in Atlanta. Michael got his MBA at night and started a successful career in the telecom industry. Judy has since retired while Michael continues to consult.

“My family had a place on St. Simons, so we would visit the area often,” said Judy. Michael knew of the barrier islands as a child but didn’t come to know them well until later. “We would drive over to Jekyll for the traditional things: golf, the water park for kids, visiting the (Georgia Sea) Turtle Center,” he said.

The first time he and Judy experienced sunset to sunrise on Jekyll was when they were empty nesters. “We went to Whiskey, Wine and Wildlife in 2017,” said Judy. “We attended an event benefitting the (Jekyll Island) Foundation, met some great people, and went on a boat ride that enabled us to truly understand and appreciate how undeveloped the Island is.”

Today they split their time between Smyrna (GA) and Jekyll, where living in a planned community has been a pleasant surprise. “We love our Ocean Oaks neighbors,” said Judy. “They make us want to spend more time here, so it’s a balance to also be nearer to our grandchildren.”

Asked to name their favorite thing about Jekyll and neither hesitates: “The beauty.”

“As environmentalists, we like that it’s a priority to keep the Golden Isles beautiful,” said Judy. And they gifted the opportunity for others to soak in that beauty when they donated (through the Foundation) a bench by the river along the wharf in honor of her parents.

“We love that the human activities are part of the natural elements, like that you can see the water from the bike trails that wind through the trees,’ said Judy. “And the (Jekyll Island) Authority has really done a great job of ensuring things are in good repair, like the bike paths and the dunes,” said Michael.

Both laud the Authority and Foundation for the Mosaic (Jekyll Island Museum). “The interactivity offers such an opportunity for people to really understand the past, present, and future need to protect the Island,” said Michael.

Speaking of the future, the Hartleys are excited to see what’s next for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. “Just like the Mosaic, it needs to expand and be more interactive,” said Judy. “We hope it shows more of the medical miracles.”

They also look forward to more opportunities for different communities on the island to interact regularly. “North and south, new and established,” said Michael. “The uniqueness of—and appreciation for—Jekyll provides an easy common denominator.”

Meet Our Donors: Dave & Donna Curtis

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

These days, when Dave Curtis steps onto the grounds of the former Jekyll Island Club (JIC), he’s more likely to be dressed in white all the way down to his Crocs…and carrying a mallet.

“From when I was involved in the restoration of the Club in the 1980s (then known as the Jekyll Island Club Hotel) and we put the croquet lawn in, I always thought it would be fun to play,” he smiles, proudly proclaiming himself one of the newest members of the Jekyll Island Croquet Club.

It was the prospect of renovating the historic property into a hotel that drew Leon N. Weiner and Associates (LNWA), the company for which Dave has worked since 1981, to Jekyll Island for the first time.

“It was 1985 and I was helping to put together a group of investors (to fund the renovation),” he said. “It had to be one of the hottest summers ever. I remember being in shorts…meeting people in business suits…and I’m sure they were wondering if they could take ‘this guy’ seriously,” especially given the economic outlook for the Island at that time.

But Donna Curtis immediately knew her husband was on to something special when she first visited the Island to attend the Jekyll Island Club Hotel’s pre-grand re-opening event in 1987. “Jekyll is just such a unique place. People are friendly, you’re surrounded by nature, there’s a variety of activities. We’ve been bringing friends and family to the Island since then and everyone just loves it.”

And now, Donna says, “it’s wonderful to see Jekyll get its due acclaim—the awards, the ‘most popular place to visit’ listings—because with the beaches, the historic district, the Beach Village, the water park, the biking trails…each area and amenity is distinct and has its own personality, so there really is something for everyone.”

Dave admits that when the Jekyll Island Foundation started in 1999, the Hotel didn’t take much notice. “We were passively engaged” through donation dollars attached to room revenue. “But once the Foundation started doing things like the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, which does such great work, we got more intentional about our investments.”

That corporate support was underpinned by the success of the Hotel, which was sold in 2021 and currently operates as the Jekyll Island Club Resort. Today the support continues because of subsequent LNWA re/development projects on Island…and off. “We were basically multi-family developers. But now—really because of our work on Jekyll and the best practices learned here—we have a separate company focused on hotels and resorts doing projects here and elsewhere like Delaware, Massachusetts and Georgia.”

Recently, Dave and Donna decided to double down on their family investment in the Golden Isles, moving to St. Simons Island from their long-time homebase of Delaware. “We’ve spent so much time here…had such great times here…it was a natural choice” when thinking about where to retire, said Donna.

And while they lovingly disagree on where the best spot is to watch the sunset—he says the porch of the Club, she says from in front of Crane Cottage—they completely agree that Jekyll is only getting better with age.

In fact, Donna and Dave are energized by the vision of—and are personally invested through the Foundation to support—Jekyll Island’s future. “The [Georgia Sea] Turtle Center was a big accomplishment, a groundbreaking addition to the Island, and now we have Mosaic [Jekyll Island Museum],” he said. “Who knows what’s next?”

That question though, Dave offers, is a bit easier to field today than it was 35 years ago. He appreciates the thoughtful oversight of the Jekyll Island Authority and respects the limit on Island development. “Jekyll will be able to retain the nice balance it has because the Authority is doing a good job of protecting the Island’s economic viability, a reality now that didn’t seem all that possible then.”