A Morning on Good Harbor
By Japhet Hoff
There’s something about being out on the shore of Lake Michigan that always feels special. Sharing that experience with volunteers who care deeply about the park and its shoreline made our first Friends beach cleanup of the season at Good Harbor Beach especially meaningful. It brought together a lot of what I’ve come to value in this internship: people, beautiful nature, and the idea of leaving things better than we found them.
Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes partnered with the National Park Service for this cleanup, and what stood out to me most was how strong that partnership really is in practice. The Park has been incredibly supportive of our volunteers and the work we’re able to do together, and days like this are a good reminder that none of this happens alone.
A few days before the cleanup, the forecast looked uncertain, and there was a real question about whether the weather would cooperate. By the morning of the event, things had cleared out and we ended up with a bright, sunny day along the shoreline. It turned out to be ideal conditions for being out on the beach, and as we were doing introductions, we were greeted by the beautiful song of a Common Loon.
Fifteen volunteers joined the effort, and together we were able to cover the entire beach from end to end. One of the things I noticed throughout the morning was how naturally things shifted from individual work into something more connected. Volunteers would pause while picking up trash, start conversations, and end up chatting in small groups across the sand. It made the whole experience feel less like a task and more like a group of people working alongside each other while spending a morning outside.
Over the course of the cleanup, we collected about seven pounds of trash, along with a couple of larger items like wooden pallets. Every cleanup is a little different, but work like this helps the Park better understand how the beach is being used and supports a more welcoming experience for everyone who visits.
While looking for trash, the Loon we had been hearing remained just a couple hundred feet offshore. It was a great reminder that these places are home to so much more than just people, and that shoreline care is also habitat care. The cleaner our shoreline is, the cleaner our water becomes, and in turn, the healthier the fish are that Loons depend on.
When we were wrapping up, a young family arrived with a soccer ball and immediately started playing together in the sand. It was a small moment, but it stuck with me. It felt good knowing that their time on the beach, and everyone else’s after them, was a little better because of the work that morning.
As an intern, I’ve really been impressed by the dedication of Friends volunteers and the energy they bring. This was my first beach cleanup with Friends, and it’s clear how much people show up with genuine care for this place. As I continue learning the ins and outs of stewardship work, I’ve started to realize it’s not just about the work itself, but about the people who choose to do it together. Whether it’s volunteers, Friends staff, or Park staff, there’s a shared commitment to taking care of these places and passing them on in better shape than we found them.
I’m really grateful to everyone who came out for the first cleanup of the season, and to the National Park Service for their partnership and support. I’m looking forward to more mornings like this one throughout the summer.