April 2021 Newsletter

We are so grateful this April 2021 newsletter is going to be all about our National Lakeshore and not the pandemic unlike a year ago. As we reflect on this last year, we welcomed a record number of visitors to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, were able to safely have our volunteers help keep the Heritage Trail free of debri and groom our favorite ski trails when the snow came and are looking forward to another great summer full of volunteers and visitors.

Read more updates from Park Superintendent Scott Tucker in The Leelanau Ticker Article.

The Friends are excited to announce plans for a Spring/Summer 50th Anniversary Merchandise with the Park’s new commemorative logo! There are so many great items to have the logo on, we need your help deciding! Head to our quiz to answer three easy questions about what you would like to see!

Stay tuned to our social media or our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on the launch of the next sale.

The reservation period is now open for free, virtual educational programming from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore). Those wishing to sign up for a virtual program or request classroom lessons can email the Education Team at slbe_education@nps.gov. Teachers can also visit the NPS website for more information.

All programs have a ranger-facilitated hands-on activity that can be done at home or in the classroom. Programs are roughly 45 minutes in length with time included for student questions. Audio descriptions are incorporated into the programming and live captioning is available to support students with different learning needs.

Bears are out, birds are returning, and it’s time for our annual Spring Training. Please save the date for the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Annual Spring training on June 5th. Whether you are a new Friends volunteer or a returning veteran, there will be plenty of news including up-to-date COVID restrictions, Park news from Superintendent Scott Tucker, and information from other key Park staff including Rangers, Interpretation, and Natural Resources. This is also your chance to get questions answered by the Park experts. This year’s training will be conducted through Zoom again this year.
Zoom link will be provided closer to the event date here: www.friendsofsleepingbear.org/2021-volunteer-training

We are looking for a person with information technology skills. This person would be responsible for the identification and implementation of appropriate software and/or hardware solutions for various organizational needs. Responsible for software/ hardware installation and development of maintenance plans. They would ensure access to documents to appropriate staff and conduct training as needed. This is a volunteer position as are all positions within the Friends.

IT Systems Manager: Experience in or proficiency with the following would be helpful, but is not required: Word Press, MS Office, Google Drive and G-Suite, DonorSnap and QuickBooks

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes will provide training and assistance as needed. Interested in helping out? For more information, please email wstott3193@gmail.com

The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization.

We are happy to announce that we plan on restarting the Track Chair Program in July. We are currently working on updating our reservation system, and plan on opening up online reservations in June.

We are also looking for any volunteers that would be interested in becoming part of this exciting and very rewarding program. We need volunteers to accompany visitors using the track chair and others that might be interested in helping with the reservations and coordination of the program. Apply to be a volunteer today!

Please check our website trackchair.org for updates as they become available.

Photographer Susan Tusa, who has been featured in the Sleeping Bear Gallery, was featured in a The Washington Post Travel article showcasing her beautiful photos of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Well worth a look and read through. A beautiful reminder of how fortunate we are to have these wild places preserved for all to see and enjoy. Ever heard the saying “there are two seasons, winter and road construction.” Two roads are slated to have much-needed work and improvements. County Road 610 (Esch Road) and County Road 669 (South Bohemian Road) will be redone this summer. Both roads are desperately in need of full reconstruction so beachgoers can safely access their favorite beaches. For more information click on this article from the Leelanau Ticker. We will keep our website and facebook pages updated with official start and end dates as both of these projects get underway.