Wiegand gung-ho to stop gun noise
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
Jenness and Rick Wiegand weren't naive when they began searching for a home in Livingston County in 1991.
They knew the county was growing, so it was important to pick a place where development wouldn't envelop them. They wanted a peaceful place to raise a family and enough acreage so Jenness could continue a hobby she loved: riding her horses. They found a home in Brighton Township on a dead-end road. It abutted Kensington Metropark.
They paid a premium price for the dilapidated home on 15 acres and threw themselves into fixing it up. They soon had a beautiful home and a fenced riding area surrounded by trees and tranquility. It was perfect.
Until the shooting range moved in.
The Island Lake State Recreation Area shooting range opened three years ago in Green Oak Township next to I-96, less than a mile from the Wiegands' home. They say gun noise from the range has become excessive and prevents them from enjoying the outdoors.
As the noise grew, so did Jenness' frustration and anger. She stopped riding her horses because it became dangerous since the animals were getting spooked by the gun noise. She decided she had to do something. Jenness, now a mother of five children, admitted she knew very little about local government and had never been involved with government issues. It didn't stop her from becoming a community activist.
"I didn't know what a township was," said Jenness, who grew up in metro Detroit.
Jenness called the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which oversees the state park. It took her two weeks before she found the right person. She talked with him for 45 minutes but didn't get anywhere.
"There's nothing I could do about it," Jenness said was the response. Although that message became a theme often repeated by government officials, Jenness didn't give up. She kept calling and calling, climbing the ladder of the DNR until she reached the top.
Meanwhile, the noise grew louder in 2003 and was heard more often.
"I just went out of my mind," she said. It only made her more determined.
"I called everyone, and every single person told me there was nothing I could do," she said.
Jenness found plenty to do. She and her family printed up fliers about the noise and distributed them to local homes. They soon started getting calls from other neighbors upset about the noise.
Starting last year, Jenness and her husband began attending and speaking at township board meetings, explaining the issue and asking for help. Their cause didn't involve only them. Jenness and Rick would bring all their children, ages 3-12, to the meetings. It's a tradition they continue now. They've also attended DNR meetings in Lansing.
Although some folks wouldn't feel comfortable bringing young children to public meetings, the Wiegands do. Their children behave well. They also believe their children are learning about government.
"They see us standing up for what we believe is true," Rick Wiegand said.
Jenness said her husband has been very supportive. She said Rick has stayed up late many nights getting information on the issue by going on-line. She also said other residents have been very active in the shooting range issue.
Although she at first was nervous standing and speaking in public, Jenness said she has grown more comfortable. Her husband isn't surprised by her persistence.
"Jenness is never been one to let people push her around," Rick said.
Jenness said she's learned a lot about challenging government officials to bring about change. The noise issue remains a problem. She said it's a long process, and it's not easy. Her only words of advice to others who decide to get involved is keep at it.
"You just keep going on and don't stop," Jenness said. "And I'm not going to stop."
About Jenness Wiegand
Age: 46
Residence: Brighton Township
How you know her: Brighton Township activist who is trying to get the noise reduced at the Island Lake State Recreation Area shooting range. She used to work as an interior architectural designer.
Hobbies: Jenness loves to ride horses, and it's been her passion for many years. She rides summer and winter. Jenness used to ride her horses every day, but doesn't anymore due to the noise from a nearby shooting range. She's thrown all her energy into reducing noise at the shooting range.
Family: Married to Rick for 13 years. They have five children: Tyler, 12; Ryan, 10; Jason, 9; Lauren, 7; and Kaitlyn, 3.
