Great Lakes Speaker

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. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I've had a busy year traveling and speaking about my adventures exploring our magnificent Great Lakes. Last week was my busiest with 6 events in 5 days.

I love sharing my journeys with audiences, and these events were packed.

The venues ranged from Senior Centers, to a community college, to an expo center, and a library. 

My newest talk:  Isle Royale, Wilderness Island
was delivered at two of these packed venues.

Georgetown Connections Senior Center in Jenison, MI 

The big screen at the Wyoming Senior Center

Nice crowd for my Lake Michigan talk

The room fills for my Isle Royale talk in Northville, MI

120 people attended my talk on the islands of our Great Lakes at Schoolcraft College

The room was packed at Schoolcraft College!

My final event was at the Buy Michigan Now festival in Jackson, MI. Hundreds of people came out to support Michigan products and Michigan authors.

I am currently booking engagements for 2020.

See my list of events past and future HERE.

And to inquire about my availability to speak at your event, go HERE.

Quiet Water Symposium

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile journeys exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

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

I had a wonderful time at the 

Quiet Water Symposium

There was a great turnout this year, and my presentation about the islands of our Great Lakes had a standing room only crowd.

Hundreds of people visited my booth to buy my books, get information about engaging me as a speaker, and to get information on high-tech 

Advanced Elements kayaks.

 This kayak was a big part of my exploration of the islands in the Great Lakes basin. 

This high-tech inflatable kayak folds down into a duffle. This particular model (the advanced frame) weighs just 36 pounds.

ADVANCEDFRAME® KAYAK: AE1012

Length: 10’5″ Width: 32″
Product Weight: 36 lbs.
Max Capacity: 300 lbs.
Lakes, Bays, Inland Waters
Slow Moving Rivers (Class I-II)
Coastal/Open Waters

I love having this kayak with me on my travels. It's so easy to stow in the back of my car. I can stop anywhere, inflate it, and be paddling within 10 minutes.

It was a pleasure being part of the 

Quiet Water Symposium.

I look forward to being there next year!

 Learn more about Quiet Water Symposium HERE.

Learn more about Advanced Elements Kayaks HERE.

Great Lakes Legislative Caucus

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/

This September, I was honored to speak at the annual meeting of the 

Great Lakes Legislative Caucus

in Erie, Pennsylvania.

This is the group of state and provincial legislators who came together to hammer out the 

Great Lakes Water Compact 

a decade ago. This protective agreement governs how and when the waters of the Great Lakes can be used.

My badge and name placard for my place at the table

This group of about 50 legislators meets annually to share information about legislation pending or passed in their respective states/provinces, to learn about new issues in the region, and to take action on threats to our Great Lakes.

The room where it happened

The items currently on the policy agenda for this group are:

Water Consumption -- especially with regard to safe drinking water throughout the GL basin

Aquatic Invasive Species -- including preventing Asian Carp from entering our GL and strengthening laws on ballast water

Toxic Substances -- including support for continued funding of the GLRI and monitoring emerging contaminants

Nutrient Pollution -- working to decrease nutrient runoff from agricultural land into the GLs and their tributaries

Coastal Communities -- supporting sustainable economic development within the GL basin, including restoration and preservation of habitat

Legislators at work

 It is notable and laudable that this is a non-partisan effort. Legislators from all eight Great Lakes States along with two Canadian Provinces come together for the good of our Great Lakes.

My books were featured for sale after my presentation

My presentation about the islands of the Great Lakes was enjoyed by all and this group had wonderful questions after the talk.

Bicentennial Tower in the harbor in Erie, PA

Traveling to Pennsylvania for this speaking gig means that I have travelled to ten states for speaking engagements! 

To inquire about engaging me as a speaker at your event, please email me at:

LakeTrek@gmail.com

To learn more about my dynamic Great Lakes presentations, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

"Loreen took our audience on an adventure that was engaging, educational, and entertaining. A few attendees were inspired to consider taking their own treks, or to join Loreen on her next adventure. We were fortunate to have found her. I'm sure future speaking engagements will result from Loreen's impressive performance at the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus meeting."

-Lisa Janairo, Program Director

The Council of State Governments

Perry Monument on Presque Isle

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 recently had a speaking engagement in Erie, Pennsylvania. The natural harbor there is formed by a long peninsula reaching out into Lake Erie.  

That peninsula is called Presque Isle which is French for "almost island." 
It is attached to the mainland by a thin strip of land.

Presque Isle is the green peninsula in map above

Looking back at the city of Erie from Presque Isle State Park

It was in this harbor that the Americans built 6 ships to battle with the British at the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.

This was the first time that the British navy was defeated and all of their vessels were captured.

The American commander that day was Oliver Hazard Perry, and a monument to him stands out on the peninsula.

Perry Monument

Inscription reads:  "Erected by the State of Pennsylvania to commemorate the victory of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie"

Oliver Hazard Perry gave us the famous line:

"We have met the enemy, and they are ours."

Great Lakes Speaker

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've had a busy year of speaking engagements so far. And I'm looking forward to the events and travels into the fall.

Cool sculpture at the library

Thanks to the Morton Township Library for engaging me to present my Isle Royale presentation earlier this month.

And thanks to the full house of people who came to learn more about this fascinating wilderness island.

I have many more engagements coming up including giving a talk at the Tedx Kalamazoo event. 

See more events HERE.

Needle Ice on Lake Michigan

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 love hiking along the Great Lakes in the winter, watching the ice form, break up, and reform. We had more ice on the Great Lakes this winter than in recent years. 

Ice along Lake Michigan comes in many shapes and forms. This year I came across a lot of "needle ice."


Check out video and photos below:

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

I had a busy week crisscrossing the state of Michigan, giving presentations about my 

Great Lakes Adventures.

The week began in St. Helen, Michigan, where I gave the presentation about my first 1,000-mile hike around Lake Michigan.  

Driving to St. Helen, MI

Richfield Township Library in St. Helen, MI

Then, I headed downstate to Birmingham to the lovely All Seasons community where I gave my

Islands of the Great Lakes presentation. 

All Seasons of Birmingham

All Seasons entry

 On Friday, I had two events. First, I spoke to seniors in Beverly, MI, giving my 

Our Majestic Great Lakes talk.

Then, as I was on my way to the final event of the week (in Marshall, MI), I realized that I would be giving my fourth presentation on 

Isle Royale, Wilderness Island.

Garden and statue outside the Marshall Public Library

That's when I realized that in one week, I was going to deliver all four of my presentations!

Audience at Marshall Public Library

Learn more about my presentations and how to engage me as a speaker HERE.

I am currently booking events for the fall/winter of this year and have started to book events for 2018.

Holland's Century Club

 I travel all over the Midwest (and beyond) giving talks about my Great Lakes Adventures.

This spring I was invited to give a talk to the Century Club of Holland.

This social club has been meeting to share the visual, literary, and performing arts for 120 years! 

They met at the Macatawa Yacht Club, a gorgeous facility on Lake Macatawa. 

Macatawa Yacht Club

Lake Macatawa

A painting of "Big Red," Holland's lighthouse

In the 1800s, the meetings were hosted in member's homes and the host would stage a play they had written, or share a concert with the club. Today, the club often brings in an author to talk to the group. Since they live so near Lake Michigan, they chose me for their spring meeting.

The president of the club

Night falls outside as I get ready to speak

If you are part of a group searching for a dynamic and engaging speaker, feel free to contact me at

LakeTrek@gmail.com

and learn more about me at

LakeTrek.com

Life should be an adventure,
-Loreen Niewenhuis 

Author, Adventurer & Speaker

"Loreen translates her passion for our Great Lakes into advocacy, education, science, humor, and beauty by taking her audience with her on these GREAT adventures. Her five-city speaking blitz awed and inspired Indiana conservationists. Her adventures are truly amazing!"

-Martha Bolyard, former Associate Director of Philanthropy

The Nature Conservancy of Indiana

"Loreen is a great speaker: funny, informative, approachable, and so interesting...she even makes geology fascinating! She's been featured in the Detroit Free Press, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Country Woman Magazine. I highly recommend her."

-Colleen Leddy, Head Librarian

Stair Public Library

Lake Trek 8th Anniversary

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/

Today is the 8th anniversary of my hike around Lake Michigan.

Lake Michigan rocks along Sleeping Bear Bay

This 1,019 mile hike encircling my favorite Great Lake expanded my understanding of this place...and of myself.

Wild weather near Saugatuck, MI

This hike took 64 days

and I averaged 16 miles per day.

Whew!

Limestone edge of Michigan's U.P.

Crossing the Mackinaw Bridge

This amazing adventure is chronicled in my first book, A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach.

The Heartland Indie Bestselling book about my Lake Michigan adventure

(available wherever books are sold)

And this first journey led to two more 1,000-mile adventures exploring our wondrous 

Great Lakes.

The three books in my Great Lakes Adventure series

Learn more about me, my adventures, and our Great Lakes HERE.