This winter, the Benzie Community Water Council will continue it’s formal introduction to the surrounding areas with the celebration of the Benzie County Water Festival. After a series of successful satellite events in the local area, the Water Council aims to spread it’s message through education, engagement and celebration for all ages.
On March 19, 2011, the 1st Annual Benzie County Water Festival will take place in the Frankfort area. Featuring world-class musicians, speeches, interactive presentations, artisan foods, children’s activities and much more, the Water Festival will highlight the spectacular natural resource that surrounds northwest Michigan.
“The Festival will be our main introduction to the community,” said Jordan Bates, Co-Chair of the Benzie Community Water Council. “By bringing in well-known water luminaries and musicians, and by providing the opportunity for exhibits, children’s activities, art shows and so on, we think we will be very successful in celebrating water, raising awareness and protecting our water for the common good.”
The mission of the Benzie Community Water Council is to insure that the waters of the county and the northwest corner of Michigan remain subject to the public trust doctrine, and are thus preserved and protected for the common good of the peoples and ecosystems they serve. The Council aims to work with any citizen groups and government entities committed to the common purpose of maintaining safe, clean and plentiful water for the equitable use of people, animals and plants.
These sentiments, often echoed throughout the community, will be given unification by the Water Festival. “Benzie County is rich in natural resources. It is a lifeblood of our economy, our social lives and our spiritual lives,” said Bates. “Managing this wealth is logical and insures we have a beautiful, rich future.”
The Water Council focuses on this sense of community and shared ownership when it comes to this precious resource. “It isn’t something that sits in a bank,” said Bates, “it is something that enriches our lives everyday.”
Several events for the Benzie County Water Festival are free of charge, including events scheduled at the Frankfort Elementary School and the Garden Theatre. The Benzie Bus will also be available to shuttle residents and visitors from several locations around the county. For more information on events, schedules or to make a donation to the Benzie County Water Festival, please visit www.water-festival.org, or follow the Water Festival on Facebook for breaking news.
Eco-Building Products is proud to support the Water Festival by donating a portion of our in-store sales from the month of March. Stop in today to help us make a difference.