A powerpoint presentation by Stephanie Grandulla entitled "Past, Present and Future of the Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary" was the program at last week's Alpena Lions Club meeting.
Grandulla is communications specialist at the Alpena NOAA Center. She was assisted in her presentation by Harriet Smith, AmeriCorps volunteer. Dave Havelock was program chair for the meeting.
A well-illustrated history of the Great Lakes was provided, beginning in the 17th century. With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, shipping became a major industry on the Great Lakes. Grandulla noted that 1825-1925 is the "shipwreck century." During that century 7,000 to 10,000 shipwrecks took place.
The Thunder Bay became the site of many shipwrecks, and the famous known shipwrecks were each reviewed in the presentation.
Also reviewed was the history of the national sanctuary program, established in 1972. The Thunder Bay sanctuary was established in 2000.
The current activities of the sanctuary were reviewed. Examples of these are the drafting lab, conservation lab, research programs, ship data collections (led by Pat Labadie), ROV program and boat building program.
Grandulla concluded with the new and upcoming programs. The sanctuary is now on Facebook and fans from from such far away places as Russia and India have logged on. The new supportive Friends of the Thunder Bay Sanctuary has been established.
This summer the "Lady Michigan," which is a glass bottom ship with a 150 passenger capacity, will begin shipwreck tours in Thunder Bay.
PDG Dave Zeller, co-chair of the annual Lions Truckload Fruit Sale, reported on the sale's projections. Lions will be sorting the fruit beginning this Friday at noon at R.A. Townsend Co. The Lions will be delivering fruit late Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.
Customers, who have planned to pick up their orders, can pick them up Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Townsend's. Orders are still being accepted by calling 356-6118 or by contacting any Lion.