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Buckets of Rain performs “This Land is Your Land” for 72 hours straight

Again, this year, local musicians and performers are donating their time and talent to perform the Woody Guthrie classic, “This Land is Your Land” over and over (and over …) on a street corner in downtown Traverse City. They will be there, rain or shine, day and night for three straight days, singing their hearts out to help the hungry. And you can help. Buckets of Rain, the nonprofit that organized this musical marathon, provides sustainable gardens and fresh vegetables to impoverished areas of the world, including overseas and in inner-city Detroit.

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Bob Russell’s germinating seeds

One year ago, on warm August night along the south shore of Big Glen Lake, there passed a man that many in our community loved, however, few of the countless lives he touched will know his name. Bob Russell died last August 23 at the age of 62. He was many things to many people, from Eagle Scout, Internet guru, opponent, gather, activist, organizer and more. I recently had a chance to reflect on Bob’s life with his widow, Sally Van Vleck, on that very deck on Glen Lake where I last spent time with him.

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Volunteers at Inland Seas

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There are approximately 250 volunteers helping out at the Inland Seas Education Association. “We’d be unable to function without all the amazingly talented and amazingly dedicated volunteers,” says executive director Fred Sitkins. There are doctors, lawyers, teachers, fish biologists, interior decorators, housewives and retirees of all kinds, including retired school administrators, pipe fitters and electronic hospital equipment salesmen.

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Traverse City Wine & Art Festival adds second music stage

The 2014 Traverse City Wine & Art Festival presents a new and improved event for its sixth year. This year’s festival, to be held at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons on Saturday, June 21, celebrates regional wine, food and culture of northern Michigan. More than 5,000 people will join the festivities, which includes several new additions such as a VIP party and lounge, a wine education tent, a second music stage and a juried art show with best of show and peoples choice awards.

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Biking “The Bear” Tour brings cycling tourism to Leelanau

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Beginning Wednesday, June 11, 300 cyclists participating in the 2014 NorthWest Biking The Bear Tour will begin the annual five-day tour of the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City, Leelanau and Frankfort areas. Each day, cyclists will ride a looped route that starts from their base camp at Indigo Bluffs RV Park. They will visit the following areas to enjoy the scenery, restaurants, and tourist attractions of Northwest Michigan.

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Waste not, want not: Bay Area Recycling for Charities

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Andy Gale of Cedar is one such seeker who has made “waste not, want not” his personal and professional mission. The founder of Bay Area Recycling for Charities (BARC) discusses his visionary goals and the extraordinary growth of his six-year-old venture. BARC collects a wide variety of recyclable materials from both residential and commercial customers, offering both convenience and a cost-effective way to make their detritus “disappear.”

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Futsal (indoor soccer) scores big in winter

Futsal, while a relatively recent phenomenon in the United States (only three years ago, futsal balls were practically unheard of in Traverse City’s sporting goods stores, and had to be purchased online), has been a well-established sport for over eight decades in the rest of the world. According to the website of the English Football Association (the group was established in 1863), “futsal fever … owes a great deal of its success and all of its appeal to the streets and playgrounds of South America where the game was first conceived.”

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Sleeping Bear “wilderness” legislation a potential win-win for Park and public

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Before the end of this year, Congress may approve “wilderness” legislation for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that — despite the implication of the word — would forever guarantee public access to the Park’s pristine beaches along county roads, to historic manmade structures, and continue to allow hunting and fishing within the Lakeshore.

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“This Land is Your Land” for 72 hours straight

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Local nonprofits Buckets of Rain and Great Lakes Friends of Safe Passage are organizing a “music marathon” next week in Traverse City which, if successful, will feature Woody Guthrie’s patriotic ballad “This Land is Your Land” sung, over and over again, for 72 hours straight. The performance will begin at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and conclude at noon on Friday, Sept. 20.

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Palestinian cuisine meets the harvest of Northern Michigan

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Local chef Jennifer Blakeslee of The Cooks’ House will team with Nasser Abufarha, founder of Canaan Fair Trade to hold a special Taste of Palestine on Sunday, Aug. 11 at 5 p.m. at The Box in Traverse City (425 Boardman). Guests will venture into the rich food culture of Palestine with a six-course meal, crafted with fresh ingredients from local Northern Michigan farms and accompanied by fine Northern Michigan wines. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore Palestinian culture, farming and cuisine among friends in a state-of-the-art open kitchen.

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