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Stewardship Network - Great Lakes Islands Summit

The Great Lakes Islands Alliance (GLIA) held its sixth Great Lakes Islands Summit last year on Beaver Island, with support from a C3F Community Priorities grant. The gathering drew 75 community leaders from 11 different Great Lakes island communities from the States of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and the Province of Ontario, plus additional islanders from outside the region. The meeting agenda included full group plenary talks, smaller breakout sessions, dedicated networking time, shared meals, and field trips. Breakout topics touched on education, housing, arts and culture, environment, and economies, all from the perspective of islands. Overall, the Summit was an astounding success. Participants lauded the continued growth of GLIA and evolution of its Summits, which have become more solution-focused rather than problem-focused. According to a post-event survey, 100% of respondents rated the event “extremely valuable” or “valuable,” and 97% responded that they learned something new that could be transferred to their community!