The annual meeting of the Sleeping Bear Gateways Council (SBGC) takes place as a on Zoom at 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19. The session will feature updates on the group’s projects as well as reelection of board members from Leelanau and Benzie counties.
All individuals with interest in the Sleeping Bear area are invited to participate. The Zoom link to the meeting is available by contacting SBGC President Bill Witler at [email protected].
The Sleeping Bear Gateways Council is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that works to foster collaboration among communities near the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with the vision “that the unique character of our gateway communities and regional natural resources remain undiminished for the benefit of the citizens, visitors, economy, and environment.”
The SBGC’s ultimate goal is to balance the benefits and challenges of living and doing business in the unique “gateway” region.
“We strongly support our local businesses, while recognizing that seasonal visitation poses challenges to our Gateway communities in everything from parking, to environmental preservation, to seasonal and yearround housing,” said SBGC President Bill Witler. “The annual meeting is a great opportunity to communicate with our members and the public.”
For more than 50 years, the SBGC has worked to preserve and protect the local gateway communities around the National Lakeshore, as well as bring stakeholders together to find solutions to community problems. The SBGC also recently updated its website, www. sleepingbeargateways.org, to share current projects and encourage new volunteers to get involved.
Western Benzie and Leelanau County communities near the National Lakeshore have relatively small year-round populations but experience a huge rush of summer tourism. While that seasonal increase supports the local economy, it also raises concerns about such issues as traffic, infrastructure, employee recruitment, housing costs and environmental protection.
The council has worked with other organizations to address the area’s shortage of seasonal employee housing; initiated a series of face-to-face meetings among local elected leaders and National Lakeshore administrators; and coordinated an effort to study the potential for a visitor center in Benzie County.
SBGC continues to research employee-housing strategies and other community projects in cooperation with local government officials, nonprofits such as the Honor Area Restoration Program (HARP), and local businesses including Crystal Mountain and Cherry Republic.
Additional information is on the SBGC website, www.sleepingbeargateways. org. To receive the Annual Meeting link, please contact Bill Witler at wrwitler@hotmail. com.
