“The olive tree plays a very important role as a symbol of our perseverance,” said Vivien Sansour of Canaan Fair Trade and a Run Across Palestine coordinator. “Planting an olive tree is a huge message of hope. When you plant an olive tree, you’re planting a vision for the future.”
Local independent filmmaker Andrea Maio has launched a creative project called “Back to Your Senses” which will document people who take risks to do what gives them pleasure — not pleasure in the guilty sense, but pleasure in the sense of what makes us happy and fulfilled.
This coming February, journalist Jacob Wheeler and filmmaker Aaron Dennis will follow a team of American and Palestinian athletes as they run the West Bank, from Hebron to Jenin (129 miles over five days) to raise awareness about the struggles facing olive farmers in Palestine. The “Run Across Palestine”, a project of On The Ground aims to reestablish sustainable olive growing practices in a place where the economy, culture and identity are rooted in the ancient tree.
Fresh off NASA’s final shuttle mission in May, veteran astronaut Greg Johnson will return to the Empire Township Hall on Friday, July 19, at 3:30 p.m. to discuss his career and what’s next for NASA and space exploration. This free event is sponsored by the Glen Lake Community Library and open to all.
Local Leelanau group 11 Oaks has been teaching subsistence farmers in developing countries how to use recycled water and simple drip irrigation to grow vegetables during drought. Since 2005, working in Africa and Central America, the non-profit charity has installed nearly 20 miles of pipe at orphanages, schools, hospitals, and in villages.
Great Lakes Friends of Safe Passage will sponsor the second annual Esperanza 5K run on Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. (registration at 9) at the Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City. “Esperanza” is the Spanish word for “hope”. Safe Passage is an internationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to bringing hope and opportunity to children of the Guatemala City garbage dump community.
Traverse City artist Joe De Luca will remember his recent travels through the Italian cities of Tuscany, Pompeii and Herculaneum in a series of mixed media panels on exhibit at the Center Gallery/Lake Street Studios on Lake Street in Glen Arbor. The show opens Aug. 5 with a 6 p.m. reception.
Following his ill-fated alleged attempt to acquire Sugar Loaf resort in Leelanau County a year ago, Eneliko Sean “Liko” Smith once again finds himself in legal hot water for his role with LV Air, ultra-luxury carrier that was supposed to fly between Las Vegas and New York, and received national media attention when it was announced in February.
“You can take the girl out of Northern Michigan,” I explain to my climbing partner, Geoff, at our campsite in Yosemite National Park. “But you cannot take Northern Michigan out of the girl.” He watches as I dance childishly around the picnic table with a spatula in my hand, the smell of butter, fried onions, and morels rising from the camp stove.
We are back from a great winter on Spanish Wells in the Bahamas. Fisher, Maggie and I spent many days spearfishing as the weather was the best we have seen it in a long time. There were many large sized Mutton fish, Hogfish, Margots and Grouper this season.