| Celebrating the Great Lakes in Port | « Back |
Author: Kristyn Halbig Ziehm
Source: Ozaukee Press
Feb. 6, 2018
Port Washington has a special relationship with Lake Michigan, and that bond will be celebrated during Love Your Great Lakes Day on Saturday, Feb. 10.
The celebration will include a panel discussion with noted experts on the lake, including Dan Egan, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes,” as well as music and arts.
“To have a day that celebrates the lake seems to be a natural thing,” said Bill Moren, who is organizing the event.
“Think about how important the lake is to Port Washington. It’s been a driver of our history. So many stories of this town are connected to the lake. It’s an integral part of our lives.”
The day will be one of “not only celebration but education, appreciation and understanding of the treasure we have out there,” Moren said.
People of all ages will find something to do during the day, he said, noting there is no admission fee and people may attend any or all of the events.
Jane Suddendorf, director of Studio and Gallery 224, said she is thrilled to participate, noting the arts provide a unique perspective.
“We believe art can communicate information in another way,” she said, adding that there will be hands-on activities for people of all ages instead of just an exhibit to view. “We really feel the studio can complement the day.”
The work of Studio 224’s artist in residence Nicole Shaver, titled “Lake Effect,” is inspired by Lake Michigan, Suddendorf noted, and includes a variety of media.
The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. at First Congregational Church with a performance by Limited Edition, Port Washington High School’s a cappella group.
Following a welcome from Mayor Tom Mlada, there will be presentations by Val Klump, the dean of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, and Egan, who is also affiliated with the school, will discuss the health of the Great Lakes.
Russ Green, regional director for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will discuss the proposed marine sanctuary that could stretch from Port Washington north as far as Algoma.
Moren said he is also hoping to have a representative of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, Mich., at the event to discuss the impact on the community.
Susan Bence, an environmental reporter for WUWM radio, will introduce Klump and serve as the moderator.
The presentations will continue until noon, when those attending will be invited to partake in specials at area restaurants.
From 1 to 4 p.m., the event will continue at the Port Exploreum and Studio 224.
At the Exploreum, where there will be no admission fee, participants will be able to explore the lake through hands-on activities in the museum’s Lake Michigan Learning Lab.
Port Deco Divers will show a video of shipwrecks near Port Washington and another video on quagga mussels will also be shown throughout the afternoon.
Riveredge Nature Center will bring a sturgeon and provide information on its lake sturgeon restoration program.
Adding to the ambience will be music by two violinists from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, which is currently performing a Water Currents series, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
At Studio 224, Shaver’s “Lake Effect” series includes prints, artifacts and a lake meditation video she’s made using photos taken from the same spot on the shore almost every day since September, Suddendorf said.
Shaver will have carved linoleum blocks people can use to make their own print and customize it with color, an interactive piece with stones collected from the beach and a place for people to make Love Your Great Lakes Day Valentine’s.
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