HSR-2010-06-17-PG05-B by Michelle Rogers

Page 5-B

Thursday, June 17, 2010 • HERITAGE NEWSPAPERS/WESTERN REGION

Chambers want to bring in eco-tourists Idea is to entice visitors heading to MIS, Waterloo By Daniel Lai Heritage Newspapers

Photo submitted by Doc Fletcher

Regional author Doc Fletcher’s program, “Canoeing and Kayaking through Michigan and Wisconsin,” will be offered in the Brecon Room of the Saline District Library 7 p.m. Wednesday. Fletcher will show photograph and share adventures from his many water-based adventures, as well as sell and sign copies of his books on the subject.

Author to talk about water adventures Saline library to host discussion 7 p.m. June 23 By Steven Howard Heritage Newspapers

Canoeing and kayaking enthusiasts will take great interest in regional author Doc Fletcher’s speaking engagement to be held Wednesday at the Saline District Library. Fletcher, who is known professionally and personally as “Doc,” is author of two books on the subject, “Weekend Canoeing in Michigan” and “Michigan Rivers Less Paddled.” He spends much of his time traversing rivers in Michigan and Wisconsin researching for future titles. Fletcher attended Eastern Michigan University from 1972 to 1976, and it was while he was there that friends introduced him to the joy of canoeing. After navigating a northern riverbed for the first time, Fletcher said he knew this type of boating would become a lifelong pursuit. “I organized a trip the very next month on the Pine River,” he said. It was not until retiring from a 30-year career at Duracell in September 2006 that Fletcher was able to concentrate on his hobby full time. “This is now my work,” he said. “I paddle about 30 rivers a year.” After writing his first book, Fletcher said libraries and nature centers began contacting him to talk about his experiences canoeing and kayaking, and the momentum has only continued to build from there. “This year, I have 45 dates booked already,” he said, indicating he is taking more bookings all of the time. “I’ll be in Wisconsin Sept. 2 as part of a

U.P. trip.” The southeast Michigan resident said he writes his books out of love for the natural beauty of his home state, and the chapters of each text follow a consistent and user-friendly format. For each river, a detailed synopsis of what to expect while traversing the body of water is included, information on finding the local Detroit Tigers affiliate radio channel, as well as directions to a good local pub near the river where tales of the day’s adventures can be shared over a beer. “These are the three main ingredients that make a river fun,” he said. “Not just in my own experience, but from my friends’ also.” The official title of Fletcher’s talk at the library is “Canoeing and Kayaking through Michigan and Wisconsin,” and will culminate in one lucky guest winning a free canoe or kayak trip. “We hold a free drawing for a day trip,” he said, citing canoe liveries in Michigan and Wisconsin as the donors of gift certificates. Fletcher also will have his books available for purchase. “I will sign and sell copies of my books,” he said. Fletcher said the events draw enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels, and guests often share as many of their own stories as he shares. “There’s always a lot of questions and comments,” he said. Fletcher’s next book to be released is based upon Wisconsin rivers, but the author said traveling far and wide for his work with Duracell has relieved him of the urge to go too much farther than Michigan‘s neighboring state. “That is one thing I was happy to get away from,” he said of traveling long distances.

“Wisconsin is blessed with beautiful rivers, much like Michigan.” Fletcher is also planning another book to be released a few years from now about one of the first rivers to inspire him. “I’m planning a book about the entire length of the Pere Marquette River,” he said. The event, “Canoeing and Kayaking through Michigan and Wisconsin” will take place in the Brecon Room of the Saline District Library at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Reservations are requested and can be obtained by calling 429-5450 or by stopping by the adult reference desk. More information on Fletcher can be found at his website, www.canoeingmichiganrivers.com. Steven Howard can be reached at 429-7380 or showard@heritage.com. Follow his blog at http://heritageweststaffblog.blogspot.com.

Strength in numbers was the idea poised to representatives from Jackson and western Washtenaw counties at the Michigan International Speedway Friday. While thousands of NASCAR fans were in attendance for the ARKA Racing for Wildlife 200 event, a small group of representatives from MIS and The Conservation Fund met with officials from the city of Chelsea and Manchester Village to update them on the Gateway Communities initiative. Bob Pierce, executive director of the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, said the idea is to utilize places such as Manchester, Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake and Jackson in a new way that markets both open land, as well as attract tourists to local communities. It would be an effort to take advantage of the thousands of recreational visitors that visit the Waterloo area, located outside of Chelsea, each year. “What we want is to get some regional support to develop the county and create a solid economic engine,” Pierce said. “Ecotourism is a fast-growing market and there are a lot of campers coming into towns on their way to Waterloo. None of us can identify Waterloo as ours, and this was always going to be a multi-community project.” Pierce said Chelsea has taken the lead and will launch its first marketing effort by offering campers at Sugarloaf Lake the chance to participate in a “quest,” that takes them to different sites around the city, ending at the chamber of commerce office. “It will give us an idea to see if we can make this work to our benefit,” he said. Ray Berg, president of the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce, said he was attracted to the proposal early on. “The idea is to try and get chambers to work as a cross promotional tool and not as separate entities,” he said. “If

art of their choice. “The Art Dash event has been an extremely successful fundraising effort,” Brooks said. “We are in the process of developing a new event for 2011 to extend the long line of creative endeavors that have supported The Foundation.” Arbor Hospice has named Terri Denhof of Northville and Kristie Martin of Ann Arbor as chairs for next year’s event. Since its inception in 2002, Art Dash has raised more than $466,000 for The Arbor Hospice Foundation, while raising awareness for the local art community. Proceeds support Arbor Hospice’s pediatric end-oflife care and grief support services for children, adolescents and adults throughout Western Wayne, Oakland and Washtenaw counties. For more information about the Arbor Hospice Foundation, visit www.arborhospice.org.

Chelsea can make it work for them, we felt we could make it work for us.” Though Berg remains skeptical that visitors to Waterloo will drive to Manchester, he said the initiative can be implemented to attract visitors from the Irish Hills and Hayes State Park. Berg has committed to send some members of the chamber to a training session in Chelsea later this year and has set a deadline of 2011 to have a plan in place to establish Manchester as a gateway community. Ginny Trocchio, project director for the Conservation Fund, said the Waterloo Recreation Area attracts as many as 650,000 visitors each year. It’s an asset that requires no further investments or development projects to be utilized by the surrounding communities. Michigan’s tourism industry is also the second-largest industry in the state. Tourism brings in billions of dollars for the state every year, especially recently after the incredibly successful Pure Michigan campaign began. “We need to use these assets

in a way we’ve never thought of them before,” Pierce said. “This whole western part of Washtenaw County has the potential to use these natural assets to our advantage, including our rivers like the Raisin and Huron rivers.” Berg said partnering with MIS also can be beneficial to local communities. “We need to find a way to tap into the fans that come out to MIS,” he said. “Maybe it’s the wife who wants to go shopping while her husband is at the race, or the family that needs some last-minute groceries. Manchester can offer something for those people who come into town for a race.” Pierce said research shows 57 percent of NASCAR fans spend multiple days in the region. Pierce said he is looking forward to Chelsea hosting a series of workshops titled “Balancing nature and commerce” in the coming months. “If we all have the same tools and can talk the same language, we can all benefit greatly,” he said. Daniel Lai is a reporter with Heritage Newspapers. He can be reached at 429-7380 or dlai@heritage.com.

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