Your Stories & Photos

The Day The Great Lakes Drained Away

Charles F. Barker, who grew up on the Great Lakes, wrote and illustrated The Day the Great Lakes Drained Away – a fantastic children’s book that seems to combine the art work of Hans Rey’s Curious George illustrations and the pros of Dr. Seuss. Mr. Barker, a geology enthusiast, was enthralled with the topography of the lake floors and was inspired by their beauty to write a book that has a conservationist message for children and parents. “It is my sincere wish that you and your children and your children’s children continue to be filled with that same sense Read More » »

Memories of Great Lakes Lead to a Call for Action

I grew up an hour from Lake Michigan and it was a special occasion to be able to go to “the lake” for a day. There were many days, however, where you didn’t want to get anywhere near the lake because of the giant mounds of dead, rotting, alewives communities were attempting to manage. Many of the beach towns, like Saugatuck and South Haven had boarded up hotels and downtowns. But a commitment to clean water and the introduction of salmon into the Great Lakes changed all of that…..

Today we are faced with new threats to the Great Lakes. Invasive Read More » »

Coalition Announces Winners of Great Lakes Story & Photo Contest

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (October 4)—A father’s decision to fish with his sons before being deployed to Iraq. A woman’s relationship with Lake Michigan during milestones in her life.  A child’s chase down the beach. A teenager’s leap for joy on a sand dune.

These are some of the subjects of the winning entries for the month of August and the contest as a whole in the Great Lakes story and photo contest, which concluded in late August.

“People’s love for the Great Lakes is clear by looking at the winning entries—and all of the entries that we received during the contest,” said Read More » »

Contest Photos: Now Available on “Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives” and Flickr

The first Great Lakes Story and Photo Contest was a great success.  Please join us in congratulations to all of the winners!

June Winners
July Winners
August and Grand Prize Winners

All of the contest submission are available on the site.  Have a look.  Some of these are funny, some sad.All do answer the question of why the Great Lakes are important.

Check out the entries at the links below.  Did you enter a story or photo? Find your story and pass the URL on to your family and friends. 

Camping
Fishing
General
Photograph 

We are also posting the photos to our Read More » »

Endless Beauty

A story from Darshan S. from Fennville, MI…

The gentle breeze slowly ran its fingers through my hair, as I ran and danced in the soft, silky sand. I was so young, just a little girl, but I enjoyed every second I had near the water. My mother would take me to the beach, a place that we could enjoy every bit of nature that surrounded us. Sometimes I would stand at the shoreline listening to, and watching the rumbling, rushing waves. They were so loud and powerful, and yet they were gentle as they swept over my feet.

As I grew Read More » »

Sun Worship

This photo comes to us from Catherine in Ann Arbor, MI

She writes that the photo is of a sunset on Lake Michigan titled “Sun Worship”.

GREAT LAKES LIGHTHOUSES

This story comes to us from Victoria who is entering the story contest in the high school category.   Victoria lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

GREAT LAKES LIGHTHOUSES

What is seductive about a Great lakes lighthouse overlooking one of the Great Lakes?  Is it the feeling of anticipation one gets, opening the doors of a car filled with children and watching them run to the water’s edge?  Perhaps it is in the inside view of a lighthouse’s cabin – the pegs on the wall to hold Mackintoshes and hats; the usually tiny stove, wood or gas; and, of course, the winding staircase to Read More » »

Lake Michigan At Sunset

This photo comes to us from Cris of McHenry, IL. He says:

“This is a picture of a private beach on Lake Michigan at sunset. I go with my family every summer and we gather together during the evening to watch the sunset and take pictures of it.”

Thanks, Cris, for sharing this beautiful photo.

Get involved to protect our lakes, our public health, our drinking water, our economy, and our way of life. Click here – It is easy to get involved.

Bois Blanc Island

This particular photo comes to us from Joe Harnish of Kentwood, MI. Joe writes:

“This was a picture taken on Bois Blanc Island. I lived on this island 2 years when I was a boy and went to school on the island. At one time it was just me and my brother that attended the entire school. Growing up as a kid I always took for granted the beauty of the island and the tranquility it offered to all of us. Northern Michigan truly is a marvelous place to live. This summer I was lucky Read More » »

Beautiful Lake Huron

This photo comes to us from Teresa Czaja of Evanston, Illinois. She writes:

“I took this photo of Lake Huron while cycling Mackinac Island. Off in the distance, the sailboat really puts into perspective how massive the lake is. For the people who live on the island, the lake is so important as it is the main transportation to the mainland. While on vacation in Cheboygan, Mackinaw, and Mackinac Island Michigan, I saw and was able to photograph some of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Lake Huron has some of the Read More » »