Get Involved
Photo credit: Lysa Gudz
Dive In, Do Your Part
Join us in our mission to safeguard the beautiful waters of Grand Traverse Bay and our inland lakes and streams for all to enjoy. With a community-wide commitment to clean water, we will all enjoy our waters for generations to come.
Volunteer
Help The Watershed Center make a difference by giving your time or talents. For more information or to discuss how you can be involved, contact Grand Traverse Bay WATERKEEPER® Heather Smith at hsmith@gtbay.org.
- Adopt-A-Stream: Assemble a team of volunteers — families, schools, neighborhood, office teams — to monitor water quality within the watershed twice a year. Stream sponsorships are also available.
- Beach Cleanups: Help remove trash and debris along our beaches, shorelines, and streambanks.
- Watershed Warrior: Become a citizen advocate by speaking up to oppose threats to water quality in your community and to support local decisions and efforts that protect water quality.
- General office tasks: Put your computer/office skills to use while helping our team with tasks such as data entry, mailing preparations, or simple organizing.
Events
Connect with our waters and our mission through our events.
- Beach Cleanups
- April 27, 2024, 1-3pm at Volleyball Beach in Traverse City
Join us this Earth Day for another Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup event and see our autonomous beach cleaning robot in action. - July 18, 2024, 5pm at Bryant Park in Traverse City
- April 27, 2024, 1-3pm at Volleyball Beach in Traverse City
- On Tap with TWC
Join us for a happy hour gathering where supporters and friends of TWC come together to talk with staff and meet others with similar interests.- Monday, February 12, 2024, from 4-6pm at Traverse City Whiskey Co.
- Wednesday, May 8, 2024, from 4-6pm at Northern Latitudes Distillery, Suttons Bay Satellite
- Adopt-A-Stream – Sunday, June 9, 2024, 12-5pm at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s Mitchell Creek Meadows Preserve
During this one-day event, volunteers will receive a brief orientation and be divided into teams to sample aquatic macroinvertebrates in Mitchell Creek. After sampling, everyone will come together for an afternoon of picking, sorting, and identifying macroinvertebrates with the aid of experts. This event is open to everyone – please fill out this form to register. - Swim for Grand Traverse Bay – Saturday, August 10, 2024
Celebrate clean, healthy water in Grand Traverse Bay with a unique, open water swim event to benefit The Watershed Center. - Freshwater Summit – Wednesday, October 30, 2024, 9am-3pm at the Hagerty Center
Join environmental professionals, citizens, and businesses to discuss the latest research, projects, and initiatives that impacts the Great Lakes and Grand Traverse Bay regions. - TWC’s 30th Anniversary Celebration – Saturday, November 2, 2024, 4-7pm at Mt. Holiday
Join us as we celebrate 30 years of protecting the health of our local waterways and share our vision for continued protection of what you love.
Connect with us as we collaborate with other organizations and events in our community.
- Fly Fishing Film Tour – Saturday, April 6, 2024, at the Traverse City Opera House, doors open at 6:30 and films begin at 7:30pm
Join TWC and fellow fishing enthusiasts for an unforgettable night as The Northern Angler brings the Fly Fishing Film Tour back to Traverse City. Admission is $25 or $20 for students 18 or younger and can be purchased from the Opera House. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to The Watershed Center. - Nature Fest – Saturday, June 8, 2024, 11am-2pm at Veterans Memorial Park in Elk Rapids
Connect with TWC and dozens of regional organizations as Green ER hosts a day of workshops, crafts, food, live music, storytelling, and exploration of outdoor education and recreation. - Silver Spruce on Silver Lake Grand Opening – Saturday, October 19, 2024, at Silver Spruce Brewing on Silver Lake Road
We’re honored to help our friends at Silver Spruce Brewing celebrate the grand opening of their second location on Silver Lake Road. Stop by their new tap room on October 19th and a dollar from every drink you buy will be donated to TWC.
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