"WAUKEGAN IS A MAGICAL PLACE ON THE EDGE OF LAKE MICHIGAN"
Susan L. Kelsey, Founder of Little Fort Film Festival
As a Lake Michigan swimmer, I recognize Lake Michigan and all of the Great Lakes as natural resources to be protected. Often I find plastic, pollution and other items under the water. I can only imagine the things I cannot even see under the water.
As I snorkel along the coast I see fossils, ancient rocks, light prisms, dancing sand ridges and curious fish. For the most part the bottom of the lake is sandy and void of large fish. Over the past 30 years I have witnessed the water becoming clearer with more zebra mussels, not a necessarily a healthy trend.
After covid and a cancer diagnosis, the water became a place of solace. It was a place where I could turn off the noise and submerge myself in nature to heal. Over the past few years I have grown to admire this 4.5 billion year old friend and find myself inspired to protect it and cherish it.
From high upon the bluff, Waukegan is one the last frontiers on Lake Michigan that has one of the most exceptional views of Lake Michigan. Little Waukegan River is a magical tributary that empty’s flush with Lake Michigan, almost like a secret passage through the city. It is upon this historic site that we can continue the tradition of protecting this place.
My dream is for kids, families and everyone to connect with water, learn about how we can protect it and ensure it will be safe and healthy for our future generations.
