Paul Rothaug of Northport was elected chair of the Leelanau Township Community Foundation during its recent annual meeting.

Rothaug, a trustee of the foundation since 2005, replaced Basil Antenucci, who will continue to serve as a trustee for the foundation.

In accepting the position, Rothaug pointed to the work the foundation has completed in the past two years involving projects that have had a significant impact on the community. He identified three projects, which when combined with smaller grants total nearly $600,000 over four years. Included are assisting families in Leelanau Township with sewer hook-up fees ($170,000), the Leelanau Children’s Center ($340,000), and supporting Northport through the Small Town Design Initiative ($26,000 to date).

“We will continue to look for projects where we can have a major impact and we will ask the community to help us do so,” he said.

Other board officers include Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock, vice-chair; Dave Johnson, grants review committee chair; Thea Kellogg, grants review committee vice-chair; and Ann Marie Mitchell, development committee chair.

Richard Lang, Bob Walker and Eugenia Scott von Holt will continue as trustees for the foundation. Rose Petoskey and Octavia Buss will represent the Youth Advisory Council and are also trustees on the board.

In addition, Merry Hawley has been named executive director of the foundation. She has been on staff as the executive assistant and then the assistant director since March 2006.

Also approved by the trustees at the annual meeting was a $10,000 grant to the Northport Community Arts Center to support its performing artists fund, and a $2,000 grant to the Saving Birds thru Habitat for a four-color brochure.

More information about grant opportunities is available by calling Hawley at 386-9000 or via email at ltcf@localnet.com.