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MMP Newsletter:

Great Lakes, Great Times...Great Future
Michigan Millennium Project Newsletter

November 2000
Currently researching Final Event date Labor Day Weekend 2001

We have much news to share as we update you, our friends, and enthusiastic supporters.

On October 13th, 2000 we had a sucessful Campfire and Aerial Documentation rehearsal.  The "Light the Shore" Good Harbor Bay Rehearsal, a means to practice the components of the not-for-profit Michigan Millennium Project, volunteers formed by the Leelanau Millennium Committee at Leland, Michigan and many other volunteers worked together to rehearse the effective use and the documentation of the campfire component. The Community Campfire event around the shoreline Good Harbor Bay on October 13th, 2000 was coordinated by the collaborative leadership of the Emergency Services County Coordinators, Dick Catton (Leelanau), Laura Quackenbush (Leelanau Historical Society), John McCurtain (County Administrator), Andy McFarlane (Internet Specialist) and Joan Rutherford (Chamber of Commerce), and the Michigan Millennium Project Coordinators Lou and Linda Rizzolo. Special thanks to Dr Dave Lemberg for his research to determine county coordinates.

Other components to be integrated into the 2001 Event, according to the levels of readiness, include the Laser Lighthouse Component (Lou and Marc Rizzolo), the Search Light Component (Joan Bonnette), Aerial Documentation (Dr. Curt Swanson and Lee Koopsen), Air Message Drop (Kristin Casaletto), Satellite/Shuttle Documentation (Dr. Rolland Fraser and Lou Rizzolo), and the Sleeping bear Event (Marc Rizzolo).

We have received endorsement letters from governor Engler and past governors Blanchard and Milliken. We have endorsement letters from the DNR (Dept. of Natural resources), and the DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality, Air Control Division). The Parks and Recreation Department is extremely supportive and has given permission for this one time event to have campfires on the beach, usually campfires are only allowed at campsites.

Curt Swanson has agreed to coordinate the shoreline with small aircraft and experimental aircraft pilots for aerial photography the night of the event. Our educational component is moving ahead. If you know of any curriculum writers in history, social studies or science who would like to help on third and fourth grade ideas, please have them contact MMP via email. When our Millennia lesson plans are ready we will be testing them in third and fourth grade classrooms.