NEWS LETTER APRIL 1973 GRAND MERE ASSOCIATION _ Box 140 Stevensville. Michigan 49127 Welcome to all our new members since the last newsletter. We are getting into a busy time of the year for the Association, and we hope you will participate in the many activities. Ak KKK KKK SOME IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:::+ First of all ... the pig Clean-Up Campaign. Every year, for the past few years, the Grande Mere Association has sponsored a clean-up of the Grande Mere Area just prior to the big hike. On Saturday, April 28, starting at 9:00 A.M., groups are urged to congregate at North Lake Park where they will be instructed by the various leaders as to the areas in which they should work. The volunteers will fan out in many dit = ections with the emphasis on Thornton Drive, Willow Drive and into Wishart Road. The area in and around the Nature Study Preserve will also receive special attention. Dr. John Sharon is General Chairman of this year's clean-up and has enlisted the help of many volunteers. Trucks and trailers are needed and already a number have been volunteered. Bill Hollman will provide a large truck that will be stationed at North Lake into which the large plastic bags of trash can be dumped. Lester White will provide a trailer, as will several others. Mrs. Fred Donnell will have posters made for the event, while Jeff Brown will be enlisting students and obtain the plastic bags. Pete Roe will be a leader, as well as Karl Goy, John Florian and Robert Hammond. The League of Women Voters has indicated they will be participating. How nice? Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are urged to help. Last year, literally tons of rubbish were removed from beautiful Grande Mere. Perhaps someday people will stop their despoilment of our natural resource ... the land. THE ANNUAL HIKE The big Annual Field Trip will be in charge of Professor Clete Brummel again this year and Clete is asking Dr. Thoresen, Dr. Hare, Dr. Snow from Andrews University, along with James Williams and other Professors of Botany at Kalamazoo. Members of the Michigan Botanical Club helped us last year, and we are sure they will again this time. The Hike is scheduled for Sunday, May 6, with a rain date of May 20. (If it's only a mild drizzle, however, the Hike will still be held on May 6. Let's hope we have our usual fine weather.) Hikers will have the choice ‘of one or more treks ... one through the 22-acre Nature Study Preserve, while others may go over the big Shapiro Dunes. The executor of that estate has granted permission again this year to "trespass" on this area. Large signs will be placed near the 1-94 exit leading to the departure spots for both treks. (We plan to serve Sassafras Tea at the end of the Hike along with cold drinks, but we need a few volunteers to make the "Tea." May we hear from you?) It is hoped that the new Grande Mere Book will be off the press by then and we can start selling them. We have asked the printer to have at least a few copies ready for that date. The Committee says that the first 500 copies can be sold for $2.00 each and after that the price will go to $3.00. Those of you who have already sent your money into the Secretary will be receiving your copies first. We hope you have not been too inconvenienced by the delay. It takes time to get a book out. This one took a year to write, be edited and proofed, and we are pleased to announce the Kalamazoo Nature Center is the Publisher. Kk RK RK KK Legislation: We have learned that Manley Brothers Sand Mining Corporation is "un- willing to sell the 20 acres in Grande Mere at this time" according to the Parks and Recreation Commission who received a very short letter from them after the PRC inquired about the 20 acres immediately south of the Preserve. KKK KKK KK New Alternate: Lester White, Product Manager at Whirlpool Corporation, Lincoln Township Police Administrator and Chairman of the Board of Review, has been elected to serve as an Alternate on the Board of Directors of the Grande Mere Association and Mr. White attended his first Board meeting last month. kK Rk KKK EK Guides needed. This Spring brings the usual requests for guides through the Preserve, both on weekdays and weekends. One need not be a Botany Major to fulfill this re- quirement, only have a passing knowledge of the plants that are in bloom or can be identified to the school children or interested adults. We need help on Saturday, April 14 when Fernwood Nature Photography Club comes ... on April 21 when the South Bend Audubon Society comes at 9:30 ... on May 10 when 70 students from the Bridgman School come at 9:00 A.M. There are any number of smaller groups coming during these months, but the larger ones need guides. Won't you volunteer? Thanks? kK eR RK KX X The Grande Mere Association will again pay the tuition to send a local educator to the Higgins Lake School of Conservation this Summer. This is a week-long activity which is devoted to conservation schooling. We feel it is very worthwhile to par- ticipate in this activity. Many other conservation-minded groups throughout the State send representatives each year. * kk kK ke KK Our Recording Secretary, Mrs. Dean Asselin, who is also Chairman of the Lake Shore Property Owners’ Association, attended a meeting in Washington, D. C. on the lake shore erosion problem. Frank Lahr, another GMA Board Member, accompanied Mrs. Asselin. we K RK KK XK Did you know that this Spring is so far advanced that the Bloodroot and Dutchmen's Breeches will be gone before you get this newsletter? Did you know that the Grande Mere Association belongs to Michigan United Conservation Clubs, to the Lake Michigan Federation, Indiana Dunes Council? Did you know that many of our members, especially the Board, belong to many conservation groups and support many efforts to preserve our natural resources? SEE YOU ON APRIL 28 AND MAY 6!