Two bears walk into a Glen Arbor Township garden. No joke. How does that work? It works when a patron of the arts makes a gift of a limestone sculpture to the community. The patron wishes to remain anonymous. The artist is Gert Olsen of Jupiter, Fla. And the sculpture, titled “Father and Son,” is a modernist take on a locally iconic subject: an adult bear and cub.
The Leelanau Conservancy will hold its annual Friends Picnic and Auction on Thursday, August 7 at the gorgeous “Top of the World” property owned by the Gregory Family. The picnic begins at 5 p.m. and features a silent auction, as well as pre-picnic field trips, a Kids Tent and a special program. A local foods-focused meal will be served, along with local wines. Tickets are $30 for adults until August 4, when the price goes up to $35. Tickets for Kids Tent children under 12 are just $5.
The best overall male and female runners at Glen Arbor’s eighth annual Running Bear Run on July 22 was a married couple. Zach Ripley established a new course record, breaking his previous record, with a time of 15:31. His wife, Andi, won the overall women’s category with a time of 18:47. The Grand Rapids couple celebrates their fifth anniversary by camping in the area. “This is the second time we’re run in this race, and we love it,” said Andi. “This area is a little gem in Michigan, and Cherry Republic is one of our favorite places.” This is the second race where the Ripleys won the overall male/female categories.
Now in its sixth year, the Glen Arbor Art Association’s popular Plein Air Art Weekend is scheduled for August 1-2. Artists from across Michigan and throughout the Midwest are registered to participate in this special two-day event, which has become one of Michigan’s largest, and most popular, Plein Air Paint Outs.
How do lovers of Glen Arbor who don’t have immediate access to our beautiful dunes and lakeshore stay in touch with their favorite destination? Chances are they follow the Glen Arbor Facebook page, which is facilitated by Paul May and his son Keenan (with help from Glen Arbor Sun co-editor Mike Buhler, and occasionally Simon Winograd, too). Paul May and wife Kristin Hurlin produce and sell their furniture, photography, ink and watercolor illustrations under the brand Glen Arbor Artisans.
Jeff Smoke, 35 of Buchanan, Mich., is not a newcomer to the M-22 Challenge, the podium or paddle triathlons. Smoke kayaked on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team and took first place at the 2011 and 2013 M-22 Challenge. In past years Smoke has dominated the paddle portion of the race and this is where he would win the event. However, in 2014 he picked up his cycling pace, which proved to make the ultimate difference for him, as Denny Paull was only one second off Smoke’s paddle time. Paull, the 2010 and 2012 winner, came into the transition area from the run well ahead of Smoke, but lost valuable time to Smoke on the bike portion of the race. Paull finished second overall.
The Glen Arbor Women’s Club (GAWC) has awarded scholarships to five Glen Lake High School graduates. The scholarships were awarded on the basis of academics, overall achievement and community volunteer activities.
Endurance Evolution’s third annual Glen Arbor Solstice Half Marathon & 5k takes place on Saturday, June 21 at 7 a.m. The event is a scenic half marathon and a 5k run/walk race in Glen Arbor. The half marathon will take runners around Big Glen Lake in a clockwise loop, starting and finishing in downtown Glen Arbor.
Glen Arbor Sun editor Jacob Wheeler took a spin Thursday evening on the newly completed Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail section between the Dune Climb and Empire. It’s a beautiful, hilly ride! Along the way, he interviewed Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Deputy Superintendent Tom Ulrich and Duneswood Resort owner Debbie Rettke, about how this leg of the trail differs from the Dune Climb-to-Glen Arbor leg, what the expanded trail means for the National Park, and for local biking in general, and how folks have reacted to it so far. Check out this video.
All are invited to join Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in dedicating their newly designated Wilderness on Friday, May 30, at noon at the breathtaking #3 Dune Overlook on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. A special program is planned which focuses all participants on the mission of preserving and protecting this special place now and into the future. The National Park Service is pleased to announce that Senator Carl Levin, Senator Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Dan Benishek will be among some of the special speakers at this event.