Our friends at the Glen Lake Association recently reached out to invite Friends volunteers to take part in their Self Guided Shoreline Cleanup taking place all day on Sunday, July 5.

A big part of this effort is to gather information and help educate our community about the impacts fireworks can have on our lakes and watershed. Firework debris often ends up in the water and along the shoreline after the holiday festivities wrap up, and every piece removed helps keep these places healthy and beautiful.

Participation is simple — get out for as much or as little time as you'd like and clean up a shoreline, beach, or stretch of waterfront that is meaningful to you.

The Glen Lake Association would especially love to have a few volunteers paddle out to areas where fireworks are often shot off, including Inspiration Point on Big Glen Lake and the Glen Lake Picnic Area shoreline on Little Glen Lake.

For those interested in Inspiration Point, the nearest public access points are Old Settlers Park and the DNR boat launch near the Narrows on Little Glen. If you're getting out on the water, please be mindful of boat traffic, wear a life jacket, and put safety first.

If you do get out, please remember to log your volunteer hours with Friends. The Glen Lake Association would also love to see photos/selfies from your cleanup efforts, which can be sent to contact@glenlakeassociation.org

You can learn more about the effort and the impacts of fireworks here:
https://www.glenlakeassociation.org/how-to-prevent-watershed-damage-from-fireworks/

Thanks for all that you do to help care for our lakes, rivers, and shorelines. Please email japhet@friendsofsleepingbear.org with any questions.