Upcoming Events with the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes and Park
5/5: Antique Apple and Pear Tree Pruning Workshop
Arrive at the Kelderhouse farm by 10am. Participants will assist in planting the orchard alongside Sleeping Bears Dunes National Lakeshore partners, Leelanau Conservation District, and the County Extension Master Gardener Program. During this morning activity, a grafting demonstration will also occur in the orchard, along with planting new trees from the park’s apple nursery. We will be demonstrating how to add new stock back into your old orchard.
From 1-4pm, the workshop will address how to identify and properly remove dead materials from abandoned trees, proper pruning of the canopy for optimum maintenance and fruit production, maintain tree health, maintain ground cover under the tree, watering and care of the tree, and equipment safety. Participants can help transplant whips out of the nursery into the orchard, pruning trees and watch a grafting demo.
5/6: Track Chair Training
We will be training on Saturday, May 6th, for the upcoming Track Chair season; this training is open to new and current volunteers. We will be doing the Bayview at 10am (meet at the lower trailhead off of Port Oneida Rd. near the Kelderhouse) and the Platte Campground at 2:30pm, both lasting 2.5 hours. You can attend one or both sessions depending on which trail you want to help with. This is a great way to learn about our program and how the Track Chairs operate. If you have any questions, please email us at Trackchair@friendsofsleepingbear.org
5/9: Glen Haven Volunteer Training (VIRTUAL)
Are you interested in volunteering at Glen Haven? This training is for you. Over two trainings, the park will focus on Interpretation, and the other on volunteer safety, specifically in Glen Haven. Training is two nights, the first on May 9th. Both events will be virtual.
For more information, contact Casey for more info at casey_kilian@nps.gov
5/13: Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Spring Training
The Annual Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes training is scheduled for May 13th at the Empire Town Hall. The training begins with a general orientation at 1pm, which applies to all experienced and new volunteers. This training is a once-a-year chance for volunteers to hear the latest park news from park staff. It will include updates from the park superintendent, park rangers, and the Park volunteer coordinator. The 1 pm general training will be followed by 2pm breakout sessions to provide more information about individual volunteer opportunities, including Adopt-A-Beach and Adopt-A-Trail.
5/31: Bark Ranger Informational Kick-off
The kick-off event is for new volunteers of the Bark Ranger Program. Help the National Park and The Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team protect piping plovers. We are recruiting dog owners to join our BARK Rangers program. Volunteering focuses on encouraging pet owners to recreate responsibly in the park with a lead-by-example approach.
This event will take place at Empire Township Hall at 6:30pm.
For more information, contact Tess Kohler at tess_kohler@nps.gov
6/3: National Trails Day
Please join us for National Trails Day and celebrate our beautiful rustic trails within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. If you are new to the Friends or a current volunteer, we would like to get every trail in the Park reported on and need your help. Come to the Dune Climb parking lot between 9am-3pm to visit our tent and register. We are offering a free copy of our brand new, full-color, 40-page Hiking Trail Map Booklet to registered participants, along with some fun swag to give away from the American Hiking Society as an official registered event. This is a fantastic opportunity to include family members and friends and get out to enjoy the wildflower season too. We hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, please contact Tracy Barrilleaux at tebarrilleaux@gmail.com
6/4: Trivia at Joe’s Friendly Tavern
Join us in Glen Arbor at 11015 W Front Street, Empire on June 4th. The event will start at 4pm meet and greet with the Friends and Trivia at 5 pm hosted by “Hoot,” the local trivia master.
All questions are based on information found in Picture-Perfect Sleeping Bear. Join for a chance to win some cool Friends swag.
6/10: Bark Ranger Training
Bark Ranger Volunteers meet at the Glen Lake Picnic Area June 10th at 10:30am. This Bark Ranger training event for new volunteers. Help the National Park and The Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team protect piping plovers. The BARK Rangers program, focused on encouraging pet owners to recreate responsibly in the park with a lead-by-example approach.
Training on June 10 will now be held at the Empire Township Hall.
For more information, contact Tess Kohler at tess_kohler@nps.gov
6/12-16: Barn Workshop
These Barn Workshops will be held at the Miller Barn from 9am-3pm daily. This even is open to anyone, no skills required. (More information to come.)
6/28: Coffee with the Superintendent
This year’s Coffee with the Superintendent event will be held at Olsen Farm in Port Oneida at 1pm, followed by a farm tour. (More information to come.)
Oryana, the TC-based food co-op will be supporting the Friends through their program, Groceries for Good. Oryana is designating Thursday, September 14th as a Groceries for Good day to benefit the Friends. Oryana will donate 2% of their profits that day, from both their East and West locations to Friends plus offer customers the opportunity to “round up” their purchase to the next dollar, with the change going to Friends. 
The Park will hold a kick-off event for new volunteers of the Bark Ranger Program. Help the National Park and The Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team protect piping plovers. We are recruiting dog owners to join our BARK Rangers program. Volunteering focuses on encouraging pet owners to recreate responsibly in the park with a lead-by-example approach. Training for new volunteers will be held in June.
Just as spring rain clouds began to drift overhead, current and prospective Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Volunteers wandered into Empire Town Hall, pushing pause in their busy lives to learn about current happenings within the National Park and opportunities to help. Kerry Kelly quickly added chairs to the back of the room for the great number of interested people. 
Matt Mohrman, the NPS Volunteer Coordinator, tested the group on National Park Trivia and reminded everyone that Friends members are Park Service Volunteers. When you sign up to help with the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, you are an ambassador for the Park, an extension of the Park Service, an integral part of the body of individuals that care for this beautiful natural resource that is Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Trails Coordinator Tracy Barrilleaux describes this fun event as a perfect opportunity for families and friends to get outside and enjoy our amazing trails. The Friends received many excited participants during this event, and hope that it will motivate more learning and opportunities to support the National Parks in the future. The FOSBD tent offered a free copy of the 28
We’ve scheduled dates for our first cleanups of the year!
