John and Barbara Hoffman

Like many, John and Barbara Hoffman got to know northern Michigan over the course of many vacation visits to the area. “When I was actively practicing law, I would take the opportunity to attend continuing legal education programs at various resort locations in Northern Michigan and bring the family along for a summer vacation trip,” shared John. “Barb and I quickly fell in love with this area. When retirement was in sight, we decided to build a permanent home on Lake Charlevoix and have been living up here full time since 2013.”

John was an intellectual property attorney in both Washington, D.C. and Fort Wayne for over forty years. Fortunately for our community, John and Barbara brought with them skills, knowledge, and a commitment to make a positive difference when they relocated. “One of the things we love about this area is the strong culture of volunteerism,” notes Barbara. John is active on the board of the Lake Charlevoix Association and is a volunteer mediator for Northern Community Mediation. Barbara is a dedicated volunteer at the Challenge Mountain Resale Store, working up to six days a week when needed!

When they aren’t volunteering their time, John and Barbara visit their two children or encourage them to visit Boyne City. They feel grateful for this special place and love to share it with family; “When we wake up each morning and see the beauty of Lake Charlevoix it reminds us of why we moved here - the natural beauty of Northern Michigan is hard to find anywhere else,” says Barbara.

The Hoffmans have made arrangements to support organizations and causes they care about most – both locally and in Fort Wayne - in their future plans. “We are desirous of providing continuing financial support for those organizations with which we have been active after our time on earth has passed,” says John. “We chose to give through the Community Foundation because they have their finger on the financial needs of the various agencies in Charlevoix County and we are confident that they are very well positioned to wisely disburse the funds that donors have entrusted to them.  Using the Community Foundation as the entity to pass on charitable gifts through an estate plan also gives us the flexibility to easily alter gifts over time without having to revise our estate planning documents.”

In the meantime, John and Barbara will be giving their time and enjoying the wide variety of year-round fun things to do close to home, like sailing, golf, and skiing.