Position:​ Communications and Social Media Intern

Reports To​: Communications Committee 

Employment Duration:​ June 1st – August 31st 2025

Seasonal Position: ​32-40 hours / wk 

Location:​ Empire, MI

Compensation: $15 /hr

Summary of Position: 

The communications and social media intern will work with the communications committee to document park happenings throughout the summer.  The candidate will be expected to assist with: photography, social media posting, content creation, and other such related projects. This is a unique opportunity to work with a National Park’s non profit partner organization to help document happenings around the park during the busiest time of year to capture and share the National Lakeshore with all. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Documentation of park and Friends events by taking photos, interviewing, and creating content      around the event
• Promotion of special happenings 
• Photo cataloging
• Content creation and social media scheduling
• Represent Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes and educate visitors

Necessary Skills: 

•  Excellent organizational skills. 
•  Excellent communication skills. 
•  Strong sense of initiative and willingness to take on and create your own projects
•  Ability to multitask and prioritize various projects. 
•  Strong attention to detail. 
•  Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills. 
•  Interested in learning about the National Lakeshore and Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes. 

Qualifications for the Job:​ To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability

you are required to possess. Reasonable accommodations may be made, should you have a disability, to allow you to perform the essential functions. 

Please submit cover letter and resume to Laura Ann Johnson lauraann@friendsofsleepingbear.org by Friday February 28th, 2025

Part-Time Contracted Bookkeeper

Job Title: Bookkeeper
Organization: Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes
Location: Remote with occasional in-person meetings (Grand Traverse, MI area preferred)
Position Type: Independent contractor, 10-20 hours per week
Compensation: $20-$30 per hour, based on experience

Overview:
Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes (FOSBD) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the Sleeping Bear Dunes area. We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Part-Time Contracted Bookkeeper to support our financial operations. This role is critical to ensuring the financial health and transparency of our organization, helping us advance our mission of stewardship and community engagement. As FOSBD continues to grow, this position offers the potential for increased responsibilities and long-term involvement with our expanding programs and initiatives.

Responsibilities:
The Bookkeeper will handle the following tasks:

Income Recording:

• Record and track online, check, and cash donations.
• Manage third-party clearing, pass-through donations, and grants.
• Track interest and investment income.

Expense Recording:

• Record operating expenses (checks and credit card transactions).

Audit and Compliance:

• Assist with reconciling bank and credit card statements.
• Assist in preparing financial reports for the Board of Directors (BOD).
• Ensure sales tax compliance and reporting.

Tax Filings:

• Coordinate with the accountant and Treasurer for 990 tax filing, 1099 tax filing, and W-2/employee filings.
• Support annual licensing filings.

Other Duties:

• Act as purchasing agent for office and operational needs.
• Support insurance reviews, cash flow management, and stock donation processing as needed.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Bookkeeper or in a similar financial role.
• Proficiency in QuickBooks and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word).
• Strong understanding of nonprofit accounting principles and practices.
• Attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.
• Demonstrated practice of handling confidential financial materials with a high degree of integrity.
• Strong communication skills to collaborate with staff, board members, and volunteers.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with nonprofit organizations.
• Familiarity with grants and donor management systems.

How to Apply:
Submit your resume and a brief cover letter detailing your experience and interest in the position to lauraann@friendsofsleepingbear.org, Laura Ann Johnson, Executive Director

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and volunteers.

My name is Amy “Ames” Selleck, and I’m so excited to be taking on the new role of Volunteer Coordinator. I grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, where my parents would take us to fly kites at the dune climb and swim in the Lake. After relocating from the Pacific Northwest, it was only natural to move back home to Leelanau County with my husband and two daughters, my journey with the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes started as an Adopt-a-Trail volunteer and I’ve also been contributing to the Communications Committee.

I’m passionate about photography and love capturing the beauty of the park. A personal goal of mine this year is to train for a 50k trail run in Manistee—I’m always looking for new challenges in the great outdoors!

Volunteering is a way for me to give back to the parks that have given me so much inspiration and joy. I believe even small acts, like picking up garbage and sharing knowledge, can make a big difference. I’m looking forward to learning from all of you and contributing to the amazing work we’re doing together.

If you’re interested in volunteering, sign up here! There are so many diverse ways to get involved—we’re looking for copywriters, fundraisers, grant writers, Preventative Search and Rescue volunteers, Blacksmith Shop helpers, and more.

No matter your skills or interests, there’s a place for everyone to give back and make a difference.

Hello Friends! My name is Mike Kohl.  I work seasonally at Sleeping Bear Dunes (SLBE) as the park’s Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR) ranger. The PSAR team of volunteers educates visitors on trail and water conditions, hiking safety and keeps an eye out for visitors in need of assistance at the Dune Climb and the Lake Michigan Overlook stop on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.

In November, thanks to the continued support of FOSBD, I had the opportunity to attend an all National Park Service (NPS)PSAR training hosted by Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The field of PSAR is seeing explosive growth. A similar training was held at the Grand Canyon in 2023, seemingly overnight, a new career field was born. In 2023 GRSM had two full-time employees on the PSAR team. Fast forward to 2024, and they have nine full-time employees, and seven seasonal employees. Again, explosive growth! Much of the training in November was centered around this growth.

PSAR Volunteer talking to visitors walking from Dune Climb to Lake Michigan

We heard from the PSAR program manager, the supervisor, and the field staff on what this growth felt like from their perspective levels in the program. We heard from Dr. Seth Hawkins about PSAR and its ties with emergency medicine (EMS). We heard from Nathan Finden on signage, specifically he covered the visual communication of extreme heat risk. The topic that I was most excited about was volunteer management. Meg Smith is the PSAR program manager for Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA). For those who do not know, GRCA is the birthplace of PSAR and Meg manages over 75 volunteers. Vetting, recruitment, retention, training, and safety were all topics she addressed. I am proud to report that SLBE is second only to GRCA when it comes to the number of PSAR volunteers in the program.

Thank you again to everyone at Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Thank you not only for your continued support of the PSAR program, but for also supporting my personal and professional development. I am excited to take what I learned in November and to applying it next May. I look forward to serving alongside you all in 2025.

Very Respectfully,

Mike Kohl

Laura Ann Johnson, Executive Director of the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes

Johnson to Lead the Friends’ Efforts in Support of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes has hired Laura Ann Johnson as its first executive director. Johnson, a long-time board member and volunteer with the Friends, will be responsible for leading the organization into a new era of growth while continuing its mission of protecting resources and heightening visitor experiences in partnership with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

“I am incredibly honored to step into the role of the first executive director of the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes and am excited to lead the organization into its next chapter alongside our volunteers and supporters,” said Johnson. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to craft a fresh strategic vision as we expand our impact and deepen our support of the Lakeshore”

As the executive director, Johnson will lead the Friends’ overall growth and enhance its support of the Lakeshore specifically through increased fundraising, volunteer retention and recruitment and development of programs and projects. Johnson will set the organization’s new strategic plan and work closely with the National Park Service team to aid  their efforts. She will also foster strong relationships with community members, volunteers and donors, and expand awareness of the organization throughout Leelanau County, the state of Michigan and beyond.

Johnson joins the Friends after an 11-year career with Cherry Republic where she held a number of progressive roles in marketing, management and human resources. Most recently, Johnson led the company’s employee experience team, guiding strategy and implementation of programs directed at employee retention, education and morale. Prior to her time at Cherry Republic, she was the Director of the Leelanau Outdoor Center.  Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. She resides in Maple City, Mich., with her husband and two children.

She will begin her role with the organization in late October.

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes has been chosen as an Alliance for the Great Lakes Wavemaker Honoree! Wavemakers are the people, companies, and organizations making a big difference for our Great Lakes by being super volunteers, educators, advocates, energizers, and protectors. Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes was nominated by the Alliance’s staff, board, and volunteers as one of the most critical stewards. We are being recognized for our efforts to protect and care for one of the most important natural assets of the Great Lakes through our dedication to the Adopt-a-Beach and other programs.  We are honored to be a Wavemaker Honoree and thank the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Annual Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Volunteer Training

Scheduled for May 18th

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Annual Spring Training is scheduled for 1 pm, May 18th, at the Empire Town Hall and on Zoom. Get the latest safety training, and park updates, and meet other awesome Sleeping Bear Dunes Friends volunteers and park staff.
1 PM general orientation and 2 PM break-out sessions.
More information will be provided in later newsletters.  

What: Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Volunteer Training
When: Saturday, May 18th
Where: Empire Town Hall, 10088 W Front St, Empire, MI 49630
Zoom: Join us on Zoom – Click Here
Who: All Current and Interested Volunteers 

Thank You to those who applied, we have found an intern for the summer 2024 season! 

Join our communications team for a unique opportunity to work with a National Park’s non-profit partner organization (Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes) to help document happenings around the park during the busiest time of year to capture and share the National Lakeshore with all. We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic, creative intern for FOSBD this summer to help take photos, conduct interviews, post on social media, help with promotions and other related projects. 

Summary of Position: 

The communications and social media intern will work with the communications committee and the Director of Communication to document park happenings throughout the summer.  The candidate will be expected to assist with: photography, social media posting, content creation, and other such related projects. This is a unique opportunity to work with a National Park’s non profit partner organization to help document happenings around the park during the busiest time of year to capture and share the National Lakeshore with all. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Documentation of park and Friends events by taking photos, interviewing, and creating content around the event
• Promotion of special happenings 
• Photo cataloging
• Content creation and social media scheduling
• Represent Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes and educate visitors

Necessary Skills: 

•  Excellent organizational skills. 
•  Excellent communication skills. 
•  Strong sense of initiative and willingness to take on and create your own projects
•  Ability to multitask and prioritize various projects. 
•  Strong attention to detail. 
•  Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills. 
•  Interested in learning about the National Lakeshore and Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes. 

Qualifications for the Job:​ To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability you are required to possess. Reasonable accommodations may be made, should you have a disability, to allow you to perform the essential functions. 

Position:​ Communications and Social Media Intern

Reports To​: Communications Committee 

Employment Duration:​ June 1st – August 31st 2024 (date can be flexible)

Seasonal Position: ​32-40 hours / wk 

Location:​ Empire, MI

Compensation: $15 /hr

Planned Road improvements are planned for this fall along M22 & M109 around Sleeping Bear Dunes between Empire and Glen Arbor. Specifically, the section of M109 to the Dune Climb and Pierce Stocking Drive and various spots around Glen Arbor. View the on their website for up-to-date details. 

Construction will start on September 5th with occasional lane closures. The goal of the construction is resurface the road in locations where it is uneven or needs adjustments to level the roadway to bridges that pass over waterways. An addition to the roadway is also planned to include a turn-lane into the Dune Climb entrance. 

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Unveils New Trails Guide

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, known for its beauty and numerous trails, now has trail maps worthy of its stunning scenery. The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is proud to unveil the Mainland Trails of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a 40 page guide featuring the first updated maps of the park’s mainland trail system since the non-profit volunteer group was formed 29 years ago.

This new guide covers 15 trails in Leelanau and Benzie Counties, and includes mile-by-mile trail descriptions, suggested routes, difficulty ratings and color photos. The Friends teamed up with MichiganTrailMaps.com to produce the guide’s full-color, highly detailed maps featuring contour lines, elevation figures, mileage flags and location icons covering everything from scenic views and ghost forests to swimming beaches, picnic areas and shipwrecks. These comprehensive maps replace the original hand-drawn maps found in the previous booklet.

The 72,000-acre National Lakeshore, home to the largest freshwater dunes in the country, attracts 1.7 million visitors a year. Visitors travel from across the country to experience the beloved Dune Climb, incredible beaches and stunning trails. The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes will have the new trail guide available this season at the Lakeshore’s Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, the Dune Climb, DH Day Campground and Glen Haven historical village. The Mainland Trails of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will also be available at area bookstores, shops and online at
www.michigantrailmaps.com/books-and-guides.