IDEAL TOWNSHIP — On the Whitefish Chain and across the Brainerd area, lakes are more than just a resource; they are a part of the community identity.

For Tony and Bonnie Coffey, preserving and bringing awareness to that part of the mutual identity has become somewhat of a personal mission.

“People are generous, and once they understand the problems, they're willing to pull together and do the work to get it done,” Tony said.

Tony, originally from the Kansas City area, and Bonnie, from North Minneapolis, met at the University of St. Thomas campus in St. Paul after Bonnie attended Moorhead State University.

“I came up here to go to St. Thomas. And then we met because she was a sign language interpreter, and I was teaching religious education for the deaf in school. So that's how we met.

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