Alpena’s Meag Schwartz earns Lead Dream Chaser award
Chevy gives her $100K, Trax for 3 months
Trending
ALPENA -- Meag Schwartz can't believe it herself.
She applied for and won Chevrolet's Lead Dream Chaser award for her work with Great Lakes Great Responsibility, which she founded to clean up Great Lakes watersheds. She began in Alpena with community cleanup efforts focused on Lake Huron and has traveled to other Great Lakes in an effort to continue raising awareness and cleaning debris from our precious waters.
The Lead Dream Chaser Award comes with a $100,000 prize and the use of a 2024 Chevy Trax for three months. During that time, Schwartz will be documenting her cleanup efforts on social media as she drives around to Great Lakes communities to continue her mission.
She said her reaction was "complete surprise."
"You just have no words," Schwartz said, adding that she was "flabbergasted."
When asked what she plans to do with the money, Schwartz said, "It's all for the Great Lakes … the money is going to allow us to expand our cleanup capacity. Essentially, we're going to plan the ultimate Great Lakes road trip, and hit all five of the Great Lakes this summer while we have the Chevy Trax."
She explained the application process, which consisted of her submitting a video promoting her vision for the project.
"When I put the application in, I said I dreamed of cleaner, fresher water in the Great Lakes," she said. "And that's been the foundational dream of Great Lakes Great Responsibility from the beginning."
"Meag's mission and passion project is focused on cleaning up the Great Lakes," a press release from Chevy explained. "During her time as Lead Dream Chaser, Meag plans to make her passion project, Great Lakes Great Responsibility, her full-time job through organizing beach cleanups and empowering other locals to take action. The role will begin in May, and she'll be sharing her journey on her social media channels for folks to follow along."
Schwartz credited Chevy for hosting the competition.
"I think they're looking to achieve their sustainability goals, and they're also a Midwest company with hometown roots in Michigan, so it's very exciting," Schwartz said.
Schwartz founded GLGR in 2020.
"Great Lakes Great Responsibility is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the Great Lakes for all people," their mission statement reads. "We strive to empower people by sharing tools and knowledge to take action on behalf of our most treasured resource: the freshwater of the Great Lakes."
As of Tuesday morning, 217,538 pieces of litter have been removed from the Great Lakes basin, according to the GLGR website's Great Lakes 1 Million Challenge tally. To participate, collect trash in your are and count the pieces, then log that information into the website at greatlakeslove.org.
"I'm hoping that we can, after we meet our one million piece goal through the Great Lakes 1 Million Challenge, that we just continue to sew seeds of stewardship throughout the state of Michigan and all of the Great Lakes states," Schwartz said.
Schwartz also recently won MLive's Environmental Leadership Award in their Women Who Shape the State campaign.
"I've had so many mentors along the way, and I really appreciate their support," she added.
Reach Darby Hinkley at dhinkley@thealpenanews.com, or call 989-358-5691.