Trustees and volunteers not shown: Paul Carlos, Tom Zwartz, Mellissa DeSimone, Janice Pinkos, Alyssa Cranston, Spencer McGreal, Suzanne Reed, Patti Faustino, Jamie Paramski, Bart Richards
Our Lake and Our Association
Gravel Lake is located in Lawton, Michigan in the Southwestern part of the state. Our Lake is 296 acres, spring fed from the main body as well as the channel, has an outlet (spillway) on Idle Ease beach which feeds Big Fish Lake and an inlet from wetlands named Strawberry Lake just behind the northern end of Idle Ease beach. Our goal is to keep our community informed with news and events which affect our lake and to share in the rich history of Gravel Lake; past, present and future. Please let us know what you’d like to see on this site.
The Gravel Lake Association was incorporated in 1974.
Michigan Public Act 137 (1929) – Incorporation of Summer Resort Owners
Michigan Public Act 188 (1954) – Public Improvements
The Gravel Lake Association is using this body of law to create a Special Assessment District to finance the cost of our weed treatment and our sewer program.
Michigan Lakes & Streams Association
This is an important organization of lake associations and the like dedicated to the issues that waterfront owners encounter. The Gravel Lake Association is, of course, a member. MLSA is the publisher of “The Michigan Riparian.”
GLA Video Archive– View some of our neighbor’s memories of Gravel Lake
Board of Trustees
OFFICERS
Craig DeSimone (President)
cucad4@hotmail.com
I currently serve as president of the board of trustees representing Chamberlin Beach. I joined the board in 2000 as vice president and became president in 2002. Since then, I have served as editor of the Gravel Laker and committee lead for both our aquatic invasive species control and sewer special assessment districts. I also play an active role in creating newsletter content and supporting our water quality committee. My family – Missy, Norman, and I – have had our Chamberlin Beach home since 2008 and my family (Carole & Al Roeder, Audrey & Craig Benes, Heidi & Tom Kussurelis) has been on Willow Beach since 1982. When I’m not on association business, I love to waterski, wake skate, fish for panfish, snow ski, play volleyball, cook, and “attend social events” around the lake.
Jennifer Micheli (Vice President)
My story at Gravel Lake began in 2005, when I met my husband, Mike Micheli, here on the lake. In 2009, we bought our home on the channel on Sandy Beach, and it quickly became so much more than a summer home. We raised our two daughters, Serafina and Josephine, here, and we now live at the lake year-round. We can’t imagine living anywhere else and one of the best parts of being here full-time is never having that Sunday feeling of having to leave the lake behind.
I commute to Indiana every day, where I recently became the manager of the Radiation Oncology Department at Elkhart General Hospital. We also recently purchased John Darren’s old place on Huff Landing, where our daughters are enjoying sailing and taking in the beautiful views of Gravel Lake.
Over the years, we’ve built a wonderful network of friends here, and we truly love the sense of community that makes Gravel Lake so special. We also care deeply about conservation and about doing our part to help keep the lake clean, natural, and healthy so that future generations can enjoy it just as much as we do. We feel incredibly fortunate to call this place home and look forward to continuing to be involved in the lake community for many years to come!
Vicki Carlos (Treasurer)
Liz Zwartz (Secretary)
TRUSTEES
Gebhard Beach
Phil Rinaldi
Phil has been active at Gravel Lake since 1991 and became a full-time resident in November 2016. He has been an active member of the Gravel Lake Association since 2017, serving as the Gebhard Beach Trustee and leading the Safety Committee.
Phil and his family host the annual Halloween Trick-or-Treat event and the August Membership Meeting at their home. In 2025, they helped restart the popular GL Social, which they plan to make a yearly tradition.
Phil loves the Gravel Lake community and enjoys lending a hand wherever needed; whether it’s helping with boats in and out of the lake or participating in local events. He and his family also enjoy exploring other nearby lakes by pontoon at least once a year but Gravel Lake will always be their favorite.
Huff’s Landing
Jen Micheli
Jim McGreal
Idle Ease
Tom Zwartz
I currently serve as a Trustee since 2013. I am a member of the Safety Committee, Water Quality Committee, and assist in the Events Committee. You may see me pulling the buoys in and out in the spring and fall as the GLA appointed “SNAP” (Superintendent of Navigational Aide Placement) or as “Farmer Tom” driving the Hay Wagon at the Annual GL Halloween Festival. A retired corporate executive and CPA allows me the expertise to assist and counsel in many of the GLA legal and financial activities. Our family (my wife Kathy, and Kids Tim/Liz, Michael/Lindsey, Aubrey/Shane, and Jack/Becky) may be newbies on the lake with only 20 years of heritage, but our love of GL is that of a lifetime. We love being Gravel Lakers and have been fortunate enough to expand on our piece of lake paradise over the years to now become known as “ShangriLa”.
Lewis Beach
Ken Hochsprung
I have been the Lewis Beach GLA Trustee for almost 20 years and have coordinated the Gravel Lake invasive species treatment program with PLM (the treatment applicator) for much of that time. I have also been Chair of the GLA Water Quality Committee since its inception and more recently joined the GLA Government Relations Committee.
My history with Gravel Lake dates back to 1970 while dating my now wife Marysue whose family (the Taglieri/Krahn family) had a small cottage on Shaw Road in the Lewis Beach subdivision since 1952 but with family ties to Gravel Lake dating back to the 1930s. After we married we purchased a small fixer-upper of our own at Lewis Beach and over time acquired surrounding properties with the intent to someday build our retirement home here. Our dream came true and we built our current main house and relocated with our son Ray permanently from the Southwest suburbs of Chicago to Gravel Lake in 2003.
Gravel Lake is our entire family’s Happy Place with relatives and friends living nearby and frequent family visitors to enjoy the fun, adventure and beauty of our special place.
Sandy Beach
Suzanne Reed
I have been on the association since 2006, and currently serve as Vice President. Over the years, I have worked on many projects including the channel mouth dredging, the sewer installation, the Poker Run, the Social, and merchandise sales. I also made signs to announce meetings and activities, archived all of the association’s records, and initiated the distribution of welcome baskets for new home owners.
I am married to Ray, and we have one son, Dakota. We live in Kalamazoo and have had a cottage at the end of the channel on Sandy Beach since 2002. My husband’s mother bought a cottage on the other side of the channel in the 80’s and he grew up boating and swimming here. We love the Gravel Lake community and have made many wonderful friends over the years. When not at the lake, we enjoy snowmobiling, travelling, golfing, and riding our side-by-side.
Lauren Klauer
Streeter Beach
Linda Vitkauskas
My husband Ken, daughter Kristy, our 2 rescue cats, and I live on Streeter Drive, where I am the trustee. We purchased this home in 1999, and retired here in 2011. I am on the membership committee, coordinate the Garage Sale, worked on the Phone Book, and assisted in the poker run and picnic. I have been coming to Gravel Lake since the early 1950s with my parents, two sisters, brother and lots of cousins. While living and working in Tinley Park IL, Ken and I purchased our first handy man special summer cottage on Gravel Lake Drive in the early 70s. Most weekends were spent on cottage improvements but also took time on the water. After a couple of years my older sister purchased the cottage from us and we moved to another handy man special cottage on Lewis beach. After a few years we sold our Lewis Beach cottage to my younger sister and moved to Streeter Drive. Our dream was to retire on this lake and that dream became a reality in 2011 when we became full time residents. Being a trustee has given me the opportunity to meet so many nice people and to understand the importance of keeping our lake safe and healthy for future generations. We continue to be thankful for this beautiful area and we are really “living the dream!”
Willow Beach
Tom Kelliher
I currently represent Willow Beach as the trustee for the beach. I joined the board in that capacity in 2023. In addition, I coordinate the annual picnic, usually held in June, and the Fun Run around the lake over 4th of July weekend. I am retired, so it gives me a lot of time to spend on the lake swimming and boating. Further, I try to spend as much time with my 5 grandchildren as I can. Fortunately, they love the lake too! During the winter my wife Darla and I spend our time in Fort Myers Florida playing a lot of golf and pickleball.
Winkler Beach
Patti Faustino
pattifausti@yahoo.com
I have served as Trustee for Winkler Beach since 2024. I retired that year and thought it was a good time to step up. I participate in the Membership Committee and enjoy helping in any way I can with the different events that the Association sponsors.
I began coming to Gravel Lake when my husband John and I started dating in 1998. John’s family has a long history on Gravel Lake…dating back to the 1930’s. After buying the family house on South Street in 2004, we decided to go off on our own and built our beloved lake house in 2010. We have enjoyed raising our two girls on Gravel Lake.
In my spare time I enjoy a competitive but friendly game of Pickleball, reading, traveling and dabbling in gardening.
I love our lake community and continue to meet such wonderful people.
Kyle Krueger
COMMITTEES
Communications
Jim McGreal(Chair)
jim@jmcstudios.com
I’m a lifelong resident of Gravel Lake. A week-ender until 2020, now we’re full-time Gravel Lakers. I started volunteering with the GLA in 2004 working on the website and newsletter. Our Communications Committee strives to keep our neighbors informed as to issues important to the Lake and our community.
Jamie Paramski (Newsletter Editor)
I’m a lifelong Gravel Laker, as my grandparents purchased their home on Huff’s Landing in 1979. I enjoy the time I spend at the lake with my family during the summer months. My favorite activities are pontooning and walking around the lake with friends. I love the sense of community at Gravel Lake and I love seeing my friends and their kids growing up. Aside from spending time at the lake during the summer, I also enjoy traveling to and exploring new countries. During the winter months, I spend my time in Illinois. I’ve been the editor of The Gravel Laker newsletter for at least 20 years and tend to get involved in other lake-related activities as well.
Melissa DeSimone
Lois Gorbacz
Dan McDevitt
Spencer McGreal
I’m a life-long resident of the Lake and full time since 2020. I own SMC Studios, a design and development company, specializing in online content and web site hosting. I have been volunteering with the GLA for the last 10 years helping out with the website and the newsletter. I also assist with the meeting signs and the annual picnic.
I have a black belt in Taekwondo and teach as a part-time instructor at the Way Martial Arts School in Mattawan. MI.
Jennifer Micheli
Events
Jennifer Micheli(Chair)
Tom Zwartz
Tom Kelliher
Phil Rinaldi
Linda Vitkauskas
Suzanne Reed
Fundraisng
Alyssa Cranston(Chair)
Ray Reed
Dan McDevitt
Suzanne Reed
Government Relations
Bart Richards(Chair)
Bart started visiting Gravel Lake in 1995. Bart and Shelley (Druckten) live on Streeter beach. Professionally, Bart is a retired partner from Kaufman Hall, a healthcare consultancy. Bart has extensive volunteer experience including being part of the finance committee at Mercy Hospital in Chicago and as President of the First Illinois Chapter of HFMA.
The government relations committee will provide membership information on the issues being discussed by Porter Township, the Porter Township Planning Commission and Lake Area Sewer Authority. Our initial objective is to represent GLA through regular attendance at these government organization’s monthly meetings.
Meetings Schedule:
Porter Township
https://portertwpvbco.gov/
• Board of Trustees: Meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Township Hall.
• Planning Commission: Meets the 1st Wednesday of every month at 6:00 PM at the Township Hall.
Any “Special Meetings” related to Porter Township Board or Porter Township Planning Commission are posted on the Township website and on the Township sign in front of the building as they are needed and set.
LASA – Lakes Area Sewer Authority
https://portertwpvbco.gov/lasa-3/
1st Monday of month at 6:00 pm
LASA Treatment Plant 53550 Hemlock Lake Road, Marcellus, MI
Ken Hocksprung
Jennifer Micheli
Lauren Klauer
Frank Gordon
Kristin Arnett
History
Sheri Kurtyak(Chair)
I have been a full-time resident for 28 years but started being a summertime kid in 1949. I did lake measurements for several years too. The association works because everyone helps. I hope everyone shares their story about coming to Gravel Lake for our Gravel Lake History Book.
Suzanne Reed
Jim McGreal
Jamie Paramski
Steve Paramski
Steve Paramski is a lifelong Gravel Laker. His grandparents bought their one bedroom cottage on Huff’s Landing in 1979 and he has countless memories there with his family & friends. Steve & his wife Elizabeth live in Raleigh, NC (with their dog, Mr. Wiggles) but travels back to Gravel Lake several times every year, especially in the Summer months.
Steve’s parents, Robin & Tim Rusthoven, currently reside at Gravel Lake full time. His brother Dave and his sister Jamie are also active in the Gravel Lake community. Steve joined the Gravel Lake History Committee to ensure the preservation of Gravel Lake traditions for all future generations of lakers.
Rick Rogers
Paul Carlos
Membership
Janice Pinkos
Vicki Carlos
Patti Faustino
Suzanne Reed
Linda Vitkauskas
Safety
Phil Rinaldi (Chair)
As Chairman of Safety, my focus is on promoting a “Safety First” culture by enhancing boater safety, improving pedestrian safety along Shaw Road, developing a community First Responders group, and establishing AED stations to better protect our residents and visitors.
Tom Zwartz
Elizabeth Zwartz
Suzanne Reed
Water Quality
Ken Hochsprung (Chair)
Melissa DeSimone
Tom Zwartz
Elizabeth Zwartz
Jennifer Micheli
Gravel Laker Newsletter
Editor: Jamie Paramski, jparamski@gmail.com
Design: Jim McGreal, jim@jmcstudios.com
Design/Production: Spencer McGreal, spencer@jmcstudios.com
Contributor: Tricia Brucks
Ads: Lois Gorbacz, gorbfam996@gmail.com, Text: 951.970.0814
Printer: Printing by Joe, printingbyjoe@sbcglobal.net