Leelanau 2000
Leelanau 2000 Projects
updated 10/23/98
NEW PROJECTS
ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF DISTURBED LANDS IN SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE
Sponsor: Glen Lake Community Schools and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Contact: John Scholten 334-3061 / Duane Pearson 326-5134

Here is a project with real long-term impact on Leelanau County. Students working in conjunction with lakeshore personell assess sites in the park that have been harmed by human activity, make a plan and budget for restoration, work to restore the sites with native plants and perform a final evaluation. The project, which instills real world experience and provides a great community service, has attracted funding from Exxon and the National Park Foundation. They are looking for additional funding to build a greenhouse at the school. A web site for this project will be online soon.

CHERRIES JUBILEE
Sponsor: Rotary Club of Suttons Bay
Contact: Richard Brant 256-7683 / e-mail: baukind@attmail.com
web: www.leelanau.com/cherries/

Working with the Cherry Marketing Institute, Suttons Bay Rotary hopes to help to preserve the rural character of Leelanau County by assisting farmers in finding new markets for cherries, developing more efficient processing methods and establishing a brand name for cherries similiar to the Sunkist brand for citrus fruit. Research is also underway to document health benefits of the cherry.

AGRICULTURAL LAND CONSERVATION TOOLKIT (ACT)
Sponsor: Leelanau Agricultural Alliance
Contact: Rick Wilson 256-9665 / Jim Bardenhagen 256-9888

ACT is a project of the Leelanau Agricultural Alliance (LAA) to conserve agricultural lands for the economic health and rural character of Leelanau County. The Toolkit, funded by Rotary Charities of Traverse City, is a constantly evolving, hands-on resource book that helps agricultural landowners keep farmland in production, shows developers ways of reducing impact on farmland and aids township officials in developing farmland protection programs.

THE MICHIGAN MILLENIUM PROJECT
Sponsor: Leelanau County Township Fire Departments, County Emergency
Managment Office and The Inflatable Light Workshop Collaborative
Contact: Dick Catton 256-2261

What a vision! To light the entire coast of Michigan on one night in the year 2000 using lasers, lighthouses, bonfires, search lights and light sculptures. The one-night spectacle will be documented with aerial photography and satellites images. Leelanau County's Township Fire Departments, headed Leelanau County's Emergency Coordinator, Dick Catton, will mobilize volunteers to man the shoreline bonfires and has a video on the project available for those interested in learning more.
PROJECT UPDATES
THE HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL CENTENNIAL PROJECT
Sponsor: Holy Rosary Centennial Committee
Contact: Judy LaCross 228-5366

In celebration of their 100 years in Catholic education, Holy Rosary School and Parish hosted a day long celebration in September 1998. Hundreds of alumni turned out in Isadore for festivities that included a special Mass with polka music and a program of remniscenes, music and dancing, traditional ethnic foods, tours of the historic school building and a joyous reunion of the alumni. The Centennial Committee is publishing "100 Years at Holy Rosary School", a centennial yearbook which will be available in November.

LEELANAU GEOGRAPHY PROJECT
Sponsor: Leelanau Conservancy
Contact: Christopher Grobbel 256-9665 / e-mail: conservancy@leelanau.com
web: www.theconservancy.com/

The project is a 3-4 week natural and social science unit crafted for Leelanau County middle and high schools. The cirriculum package is composed of three parts: Developing a Sense of Place, Connecting Our Place to the World and Keeping Our Place Unique and Special. The Conservancy is providing training for and will assist Leelanau County teachers in implimenting this program in future school years.

GARDEN BETWEEN THE SHORES
Sponsor: Leelanau Historical Museum
Contact: Laura Quackenbush 256-7475 / e-mail:laura@leelanauhistory.org
web: www.leelanauhistory.org/

Leelanau County's agricultural heritage has shaped this land and its people. This project is designed to increase awareness of the impact and value of agriculture on all its residents and visitors past, present and future. The project encompasses exhibits on barn construction, tours of local barns, farmstead surveys,documentation of representative county farms, Centennial Farm display and, in 1998, a special invitational fine arts exhibit reflecting rural Leelanau County.

REFLECTIONS OF LEELANAU
Sponsor: Suttons Bay Middle School
Contact: Terry Bussey 271-2028

Suttons Bay Middle School 7th grade art students created a vivid collage of orignal paintings showing what Leelanau County means to them: snowy farmland, vineyards, cherry trees, wildllife, water scenes and groves of trees make this a dynamic visual tribute to their home. The 6 foot square painting is available for display.

POSTCARDS FROM THE LEELANAU
Sponsor: Leelanau Historical Museum
Contact: Laura Quackenbush 256-7475 / e-mail: laura@leelanauhistory.org / web: www.leelanauhistory.org/

Circulating around the Leelanau and Grand Traverse areas are 1,200 oversize "Postcards from the Leelanau". The Postcards were created by students and adults to show and tell of their favorite places in Leelanau County. The Postcards have visited schools, libraries, county government offices and businesses, evoking joy, reflection and appreciation. The tour ends with a three month stint at the Traverse City Visitor Center (November 3, 1998 - February 3, 1999) and a selection of the Postcards will be kept in the museum's archives.

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