Our Local Focus
During its centennial year, Rotary International challenged clubs to identify a special project. In Traverse City, the clubs chose Fresh Water and formed a joint Rotary Water Committee that works in partnership with the Great Lakes Water Studies institute. The Rotary Water Committee helps support the annual Kids Free Fishing Day. Additionally, this committee serves as part of the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute Freshwater Roundtable, a consortium of several regional natural resource organizations that collaborate on projects and activities, including the Fresh Water Summit. Our club has had representation on this committee from the start.
As part of our 2009/2010 strategic planning process, we established a vision statement to which includes a specific commitment to "improving families and communities internationally through life-sustaining fresh water." Although we live in an area that is blessed with bountiful access to pristine water, we recognize that education is a vital need so that others will help protect and preserve. To this end, we formed a Fresh Water Committee that is locally focused.
As part of our 2009/2010 strategic planning process, we established a vision statement to which includes a specific commitment to "improving families and communities internationally through life-sustaining fresh water." Although we live in an area that is blessed with bountiful access to pristine water, we recognize that education is a vital need so that others will help protect and preserve. To this end, we formed a Fresh Water Committee that is locally focused.
In 2011 we constructed an educational display at the Great Lakes Children Museum that includes a working biosand filter. This was featured at the Discovery Center Campus open house last summer. As part of the Adopt-a-Stream program, this committee conducts regular sampling of Parker Creek, an inlet to the Boardman River. Samples are taken to the Conservation District where they are checked for invasive species and other elements that might put the river and our Bay at risk. Ongoing, the committee supports the Discovery Center campus with seasonal 'work bee' projects to help tidy up the campus, and it supports river/stream cleanup and restoration projects.