Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Vanort Cozzens
Hi Michele, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
At age 63, I have a lot of life to talk about. I am a baby boomer, the daughter of a WWII vet, and a war bride. I am the fifth of six children from an Irish-Catholic family, raised in a working-class neighborhood outside Chicago. I am also an Irish twin with a sister 11 months younger than me. Our parents were in their 40s when we came along, which means we got what was left over. My father was a hard-working, pious man. He was beautiful. He was athletic. He was intelligent and funny. Also, he was a drinker, who was emotionally and physically abusive. He was not generous with praise, affection, or financial support, and the one time I remember him commenting on my appearance, it felt more like an insult than a compliment. I was very close with my mother, however. She made up for her husband’s behavior by being completely selfless. She taught me by example to be generous, kind, and grateful.
My story is not exactly a rags-to-riches tale. As a child, I never felt poor or hungry. I’m more of a Hand-me-down Rose who learned how to upcycle. My gifts are good health, intelligence (I read. A lot), creativity, athleticism, and ambition. I was fortunate to have had years of music and dance lessons. There is always a song in my head.
Like many children of alcoholics, I became rigidly self-sufficient. I put myself through college with the help of academic scholarships, a student loan, a student job, and something that existed before the Reagan administration called a Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG). I earned a BS in Journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, which at the time was known as the biggest party school in Illinois. I chose Carbondale because it offered in-state tuition, and it was the furthest school away from my gray-sky existence in suburban Chicago. SIU-C is in the Shawnee National Forest, and my dorm was next to a lake. I wanted to live in the woods, as far away from my teenage home as possible.
After graduation, I moved to California. There, I found out who I was. I worked in the publishing industry as a writer, editor, and graphic designer, and I played in the mountains, the redwoods, and on the beach. I became a Deadhead and a disc golfer, attending Grateful Dead shows or disc golf tournaments nearly every weekend. In California, I fell in love with Mike Cozzens, whom I married in 1989. Mike recognized and brought out the best in me. He still does. Together, we produced two beautiful and talented daughters, Willow and Camille. They are my favorite people.
In 1993, we left California for the Northwoods of Wisconsin, where we created a unique business that combines our passions and showcases our strengths. Sandy Point Resort & Disc Golf Ranch is the world’s first disc golf resort. We offer seven beautifully decorated lakefront cabins and a 29-hole disc golf course to guests who come to experience the magic. Our course is currently ranked #1 in Wisconsin, #28 in the United States, and #43 in the world by the UDisc app, a player rating-based system featuring over 15,000 courses worldwide.
In 2002, after the publication of my first book, “I’m Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner,” I created a business called Dream Life Designs. Inspired by the beauty and colors of the Northwoods, I use a lot of birch bark and beads to create jewelry and gifts. My current passion is making birch branch sun catchers. They are displayed in our onsite shop. I hope guests and golfers will appreciate the sparkle and the beauty, and in addition to a custom-stamped Sandy Point golf disc designed by our daughter, Camille, they’ll want to bring home a little piece of the woods. And, of course, a little piece of me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Adult children of alcoholics—particularly those subjected to parochial schooling—experience similar struggles. Many of us have low self-esteem and rejection sensitivity, and we are frightened by angry people and anger itself. We recoil at personal criticism. As an awkward youth—tall, super skinny, frizzy red hair and freckles with big ole “horse teeth” and ultimately braces, I was an easy target for boys and bullies. Due to constant criticism from my father, which unfortunately affected how some of my siblings treated me, I felt like the family scapegoat. I never felt pretty. I never felt smart. I didn’t believe anyone who told me I was talented—except for when it came to sports. Making the volleyball team and the cheerleading squad (because that is all we had before Title IX) saved my self-esteem. I learned not to fear competition but to thrive on it. With it came confidence and survival instincts. Sports taught me how to be a team player, and I learned the power of fun. Plus, the experience of victory, no matter how small or insignificant, is a feeling you keep.
The biggest pothole in my journey was to believe I had to get married in the Catholic church at a very young age. My father told me I had to remain a virgin until I got married. I didn’t (bring on the shame), but unfortunately, the intensity of religious indoctrination led me down the Catholic aisle with an angry, intelligent boy who criticized me as much as my father. We were married for three weeks before his college roommate moved in with us, and I realized I had made a big mistake. I am grateful to a Freudian psychologist who helped me understand and appreciate my experience. Analysis gave me the ability to recognize the genuine love offered by Mike. I was petrified to marry him and to trust that institution again. But when I allowed love to conquer fear, I won.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the author of six published books. Seven, counting the one translated into Mandarin. My third book and first novel, “A Line Between Friends,” won a fiction writing contest by California-based McKenna Publishing Group. Publisher Ric Bollinger was super proud of selling it overseas. I wish I could read it, but I don’t have the patience or aptitude to learn Mandarin. Now deceased, Ric published two more novels and a non-fiction sequel to my “I’m Living Your Dream Life” memoir called “How to Achieve Your Dream Life.” I wrote this as a favor because he said my memoir was his biggest seller. Before he died, he bequeathed the copyrights of all my books to me. They are available on amazon.com as well as our sandypointproshop.com website.
Writing, decorating our rental cabins, and creating Dream Life Designs all provide the same satisfaction and joy. Mixing colors and materials and putting together a unique piece of art is not unlike using words, phrases, and experiences to express what’s in my head. I listen to music or books on tape while creating and don’t notice time passing. I often catch myself unconsciously smiling as I work. For this ability, I am far more grateful than I am proud.
I am most proud of my ability to work hard, appreciate the beauty around me, and use creative inspiration to support my family. As a kid, I collected rocks, agates, shells, autumn leaves, and driftwood. I loved p*ssy willows and silver dollars, and I always had a crayon or colored pencil in my hand. I can only remember once complaining to my mother that I was bored. Her response was quick: “Read a book!” she said. And from the time I learned to read, I have collected words in a severely marked-up dictionary. My journals date back to 1969 and are full of fat handwriting and immaturity that eventually turned into art. I’m not sure these things set me apart from any other artist. On the contrary, I feel we all have these traits and abilities in common.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My mother, Kay VanOrt, was my biggest cheerleader. Whenever I performed music, dance, or oral interpretation, Mom always told me, “Sing loud, Louise!” (Some of you will get that). Even though she passed away in 1999, she continues to inspire me. I wrote the novel “Irish Twins” in her voice, believing she channeled the story through my dreams.
Mrs. Meyers was my third-grade and first lay teacher at St. Louise de Marillac school in La Grange Park, Illinois. She recognized my writing skills when I submitted a summation of the movie “Some Like It Hot” with Marilyn Monroe. For reasons unknown, my mother let me watch it with her one night, and I thought it was everything a movie should be. Mrs. Meyers asked me to read my paper to the class, and everyone clapped. She made me believe I had a future as a writer.
Professor Jim Murphy at SIU-C School of Journalism was my favorite and most encouraging instructor. He gave me a position as assistant editor of a magazine that a small group of students produced from scratch, called “Accent on Southern Illinois.” In this class, I learned about every aspect of publishing a magazine. It made me highly employable.
Most importantly, Mike Cozzens, my husband and business partner, has been the key to my happiness and success. He is smart, funny, beautiful, and modest. And he is the hardest-working person I have ever known. Mike is a loving and dedicated father to our daughters, Willow and Camille. He taught me to play disc golf, and his goal in nearly every round is for me to beat him! Sometimes, I do! Mike provides the physical and emotional strength behind our business. Plus, his family provided the initial financial investment it took to build this dream life, and we paid back every one with interest. Our devotion to one another and what we have created here in the Northwoods is why our business is so successful.
Pricing:
- Birch branch sun catcher: $75
- Books: $15.95 – $19.95
- Cabins: $205 – $598/night
- Disc Golf green fee: $5/day
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.michelecozzens.com
- Instagram: @sandypointresort
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPRDGR
- Other: http://www.sandypt.com
Image Credits
Sandy Point collage by Camille Cozzens