County Commissioner Donates Full Salary to Local VFW Post

Rick Robbins, Leelanau County’s District 1 representative on the County Board of Commissioners, has donated his full commissioner’s salary for the second year in a row. Robbins donated $10,000 to the Little Finger Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post in Lake Leelanau.

“To honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans, I’m proud to present my contribution to our local VFW post,” Robbins told The Ticker in a written statement. “This donation is a small token of appreciation for your unwavering dedication to defending our freedoms and supporting local service members and their families. Thank you for your continued leadership and service to Leelanau County.”

The Little Finger VFW is currently in the midst of an ambitious renovation project that will improve the accessibility of the building. Specific project plans include upgrades to the bathrooms to make them Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant and the addition of a covered entry and a lift at the back of the building.

Robbins also donated his $10,000 commissioner’s salary at the end of 2025, to Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region. Robbins told The Ticker at the time that he planned to do something similar every year he serves on the board, to honor the legacy of his father, Jack Robbins. The elder Robbins was a longtime supporter of conservation efforts in Grand Traverse County.

Notably, last week, Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region announced that Robbins would be honored as its volunteer of the year at the upcoming state-wide Habitat Michigan conference. The honor, Habitat said, has much to do with Robbins’ ongoing work to support the New Waves housing development under construction off Bugai Road.

“Rick Robbins has been both a donor and core volunteer with Habitat Grand Traverse Region,” the nonprofit stated in an email. “In addition to his generous donations, quietly and reliably, Rick has maintained the entire New Waves property throughout its two-year construction by mowing and regularly plowing the snow to keep the roads clear for both homeowners and the construction team. Rick is not reluctant to take on major work, recently leading the project to stabilize Rice Street, the private road in front of the ReStore while we wait for reconstruction to commence. Rick has been known to enjoy jumping into conversations regarding construction challenges and assisting the team with solutions.”