National Museum of the Great Lakes

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I was thrilled to speak at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo. 

Wonderful displays fill the museum

Life-saving boat from Kelleys Island

Lens from a lighthouse

Items from Great Lakes cruise ships 

Steam engine model

Wooden frame from the Niagara -- a ship that fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, 1813

This freighter is part of the museum!

The museum is on the banks of the Maumee River in Toledo

They have a series of speakers come to talk about our Great Lakes. 

Great audience for my Great Lakes ISLANDS talk

Night on the Maumee River

Kerrytown BookFest 2016

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

I was honored to be a featured author at this year's Kerrytown BookFest in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 There were panel discussions, author events, book-related vendors, and a bookish good time for all.

The Quest for Identity panel discussion with writers Kelly Fordon (Garden of the Blind), Desiree Cooper (Know the Mother), and Andrew Mozina (Contrary Motion)

The crowd enjoys the exhibitors

I spoke at the Concert House about the ISLANDS of the Great Lakes with author Maureen Dunphy

Save the date for next year's BookFest:

September 10, 2017
And like their Facebook page HERE.

14th Annual Kerrytown Bookfest

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

Next Sunday (September 11), the 14th annual Kerrytown BookFest will take place in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This year's schedule is full of author presentations and discussions and many exhibitors will be there, too.

This festival's goal is: 

"The Kerrytown Bookfest is an annual free event celebrating those who create books and those who read them. The primary goal is to highlight our area’s rich heritage in the book and printing arts while showcasing our local and regional individuals, businesses, and organizations."

I will co-present with author Maureen Dunphy at the festival:

When:  Sunday, September 11, 2016

(*our presentation will be at 2:45 at the Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. 4th Ave.)

Where:  Kerrytown in Ann Arbor, MI

Who:  Great Lakes Authors, Maureen Dunphy & Loreen Niewenhuis

Find the full festival schedule HERE.

Great Lakes Speaker

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

This Friday I traveled to South Haven, Michigan, to visit one of my favorite indie bookstores

Black River Books.

On the rise overlooking the beach at South Haven

Black River Books in South Haven

  This bookstore carries mostly used books (a thoughtfully gathered selection), along with some new books.

Co-owner Pam Haferman helps customers purchase my books

Black River Books had plenty of copies of my three books (they still have a few signed copies in stock!)

  Then, I headed to the senior center to give my Lake Michigan presentation to the group there.

Michelle Davis introduces me to the group of seniors in Van Buren County

The group gets ready for my presentation

 I have traveled to nine states speaking to groups about our amazing Great Lakes. In September I will be a featured speaker at the Kerrytown Bookfest. 

Go HERE to see all my upcoming author events.

Efroymson Conservation Center

In September, I did a speaking tour for 

The Nature Conservancy.

One of my presentations was at their headquarters in Indianapolis, the Efroymson Conservation Center.

Exterior of the center

Though I've toured several gold LEED rated buildings, this is the first platinum LEED rated building I've ever come across.

Lobby

All the brick in this building and much of the wood was reclaimed and reused from the building previously on the site.

Rainwater is captured and used by the green roof or the gardens around the center which are planted with native species. Storm water that falls on the property is also gathered via permeable pavement to be reused on site to water plants or to flush the toilets in the center.

"Green" roof

LiveWall planted with species native to Indiana

 Geothermal heating and cooling and a lighting system that automatically senses when it is needed are also components making this an incredibly GREEN building.