Dear Friends,
And I do consider you friends—of mine and certainly of Peter’s and of The Wege Foundation’s! Some of you know I am retiring as CEO of The Foundation Peter started in 1967 and where my career and heart have been ever since. For those who don’t, I am writing to tell you myself so you don’t find out in the newspaper. Each of you reading this has done what Peter so believed in: collaborated with The Foundation and with me personally. I don’t think I can fully express what your involvement has meant to me as it did to Peter. Who hasn’t heard me say, “How did I get so lucky to have this job?”
What a privilege it was for me to work as Peter’s right hand for 21 years until he died last summer. In an interview for the book being written for the 50th anniversary of The Wege Foundation, I was asked to reflect on those years.
It is overwhelming when you see how very generous Peter Wege has been over the years. For a long time I have said that I was probably the only one who really had any idea because I saw both sides—Foundation and personal. I don’t even think he realizes the extent because he really doesn’t keep track—he just does the next right thing.
What I said then is just what I’d say again today—except, sadly, in the past tense. But now The Wege Foundation carries on for Peter ‘doing all the good it can.’
Finally, it is my honor to tell you that the Foundation Trustees have invited me to join them on the board! So I am not really going anywhere. Now my only question is, “How did I get so lucky to be named a Trustee?”
All the Best,
Ellen
In Photo: Ellen Satterlee on the right with Dr. Miranda, University of Michigan’s Dean of the School of Natural Resources & Environment, following Dr. Miranda’s delivery of the annual Peter M. Wege Lecture on the environment at U of M.