I have a dream this afternoon that one day right here in Detroit, Negroes will be able to buy a house or rent a house anywhere that their money will carry them and they will be able to get a job.

~Martin Luther King, June 23, 1963 Detroit, Michigan

Martin Luther King Jr, Walk to Freedom Detroit Michigan, 1963

The quotation above comes not from Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous "I Have a Dream" speech, but rather from the massive Great March on Detroit (also known as the Walk to Freedom and the Freedom March) that happened 2 months earlier.

On June 23, 1963, an estimated 125,000 people marched down Detroit’s Woodward Avenue carrying placards and singing “We Shall Overcome.” National and state leaders who marched along with Reverend King included United Auto Workers president Walter Reuther, former Michigan governor John B. Swainson, and Detroit mayor Jerome Cavanagh. The march ended at Cobo Hall where the Reverend King was cheered by thousands of marchers when he emphasized that segregation needed to end.

King called the Great March “one of the most wonderful things that has happened in America.”

You can click to read the full text of King's speech and also hear some of the speech here and listen to some of King's last Detroit sermon. There’s a few pictures of the march at the Detroit News including this shot of the crowd on Woodward Ave from above (sorry – no direct link scroll down and look for it). You can also get a shot of King speaking at Cobo from Wayne State University.

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Ernst & Young fill that kettle by kmaz

In a recent conversation about how we see need in Michigan, Rob Collier President of the Council of Michigan Foundations told us about several reasons to give charitably this year.  He said, "This is an important year to give and give big because the needs are so great.  Just as importantly, the Michigan state charitable tax credits are expiring at the end of December.  These credits are available to any Michigan resident.  On your donation you get a 50% tax credit, so if an individual gives $300 then they get a $150 tax credit back.  This encourages Michiganders to support the causes they care about in their communities while while getting something back on their State of Michigan tax returns."

You can donate in each of these three buckets:

• Endowment funds held by Community Foundations
• Support for Food Banks or Homeless Shelters
• Libraries, Public TV & Radio, Colleges and Universities

While  the holiday season is a great time to share our love, good thoughts, and Michigan-made gifts with friends & family, choosing to make donations to charities in lieu of buying gifts could be a really great way to allocate some extra funds to non-profits that desperately need it. This time of year, much of people's hard earned money is spent on frivolous bric-a-brac that they would never buy otherwise, so why not  instead make it a charitable gift?  The American Red Cross notes that nearly four in five people would rather have a charitable donation made in their honor than receive a gift they wouldn't use, so shifting ourselves (and our communities)  towards more meaningful giving can really bring the joy & holiday spirit back!

To maximize the benefits;  give to a tax-deductible charity for Christmas AND make it local.  We've compiled a list of Michigan based charities to choose from. Local money circling around our communities only strengthens our economy, as well as providing the necessary funds needed by these organizations to grow and continue to serve our communities.  A local charity gift for Christmas!   It is perfect, really. Read on for some great Michigan charities, be sure to check out our Michigan nonprofit section and add ones we've missed in the comments!

One highly rated charity to check out is The Greening of Detroit.  Their urban gardening and agriculture programs play a key role in Detroit’s blossoming green movement. Every year, the garden resource program contributes farming resources and educational opportunities to over 15,000 urban gardeners, supporting over a thousand gardens in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park.  They have been around since 1989 with a mission to guide and inspire the reforestation of Detroit.

Yet another consideration this year: Gilda's Club Grand Rapids.  Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is a free cancer support community for children, adults, families and friends. The Grand Rapids Clubhouse averages more than 600 visits per week, and over 20,000 visits per year. The club is named for the late 'Saturday Night Live' comedian, Gilda Radner.

Bay Area Recycling for Charity provides recycling services to residential customers and area businesses in the Traverse City region, and also partners with non-profit organizations in their recycling programs to provide maximum benefit for local charities. Their partnerships with these local non-profits creates a means for fund-raising for them and inspires recycling at the grassroots level. Businesses and residential customers may designate a charity of their choice to be the recipient of the revenues resulting from their recycling partnership with BARC.

Be a savvy donor and do your research too. Check out Charity Navigator's Top 10 Best Practices of Savvy Donors list.  We did our best to research this list, but you may find charities locally that we just didn't know about.
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association - Dedicated to bringing a national focus to autoimmunity 22100 Gratiot Avenue East Detroit, MI 48021

Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute - Dedicated to the prevention, early detection and eventual eradication of cancer 4100 John R Detroit, MI 48201

Bay Area Recycling for Charities - Provides recycling services to residential customers and area businesses and also partners with non-profit organizations in their recycling programs to provide maximum benefit for local charities. 8025 S. Good Harbor Trail Cedar, Michigan 49621

Capital Area Humane Society - More than an animal shelter 7095 West Grand River Avenue Lansing, MI 48906

Coalition on Temporary Shelter - Helping homeless people help themselves 26 Peterboro Street Detroit, MI 48201

Community Foundation for Muskegon County - For good. For ever. 425 West Western Avenue Suite 200 Muskegon, MI 49440

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan - Enhancing the quality of life in southeast Michigan 333 West Fort Street Suite 2010 Detroit, MI 48226

Cranbrook Educational Community - One of the world's leading centers of education, science and art 39221 Woodward Avenue P.O. Box 801 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303

Detroit Science Center - Promoting science education and knowledge 5020 John R Street Detroit, MI 48202

Detroit Zoological Society - Celebrating & saving wildlife 8450 W. 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067

Father Fred Foundation - Providing food, clothing, household goods and cash assistance to families in need. 826 Hastings Traverse City, MI 49686

Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank - Ending hunger in West Michigan 864 West River Center Drive Comstock Park, MI 49321

Focus: HOPE - Celebrating diversity since 1968 1355 Oakman Boulevard Detroit, Michigan 48238

Food Bank of Eastern Michigan - The food source for people in need 2312 Lapeer Road Flint, MI 48503

Food Gatherers - Alleviating hunger and eliminating its root causes in our community P.O. Box 131037 Ann Arbor, MI 48113

Forgotten Harvest - Driving hunger from our community since 1990 21800 Greenfield Road Oak Park, MI 48237

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids - Cancer support for the whole family, the whole time 1806 Bridge Street, NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan - Nourishing communities by feeding hungry people 2131 Beaufait Street Detroit, MI 48207

Grand Rapids Community Foundation - Grand Rapids Community Foundation believes that if there is anything worth doing, anything that needs to be done, any breathtaking opportunity to be realized—It Can Happen Here 185 Oakes Street, SW Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Habitat for Humanity Kent County - Strengthening families and communities 539 New Street, SW Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Humane Society of Huron Valley - Serving animals in all of Washtenaw County 3100 Cherry Hill Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Humane Society of Kent County - Dedicated to the protection and care of all animals 3077 Wilson Drive, NW Grand Rapids, MI 49534

Interlochen Center for the Arts - Dedicated to the promotion of world friendship through the universal language of the arts 4000 Highway M-137 Interlochen, MI 49643

International Child Care - Making a difference in Haiti and the Dominican Republic 240 W. Michigan Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007

ISLAND (Institute for Sustainable Living and Natural Design) - ISLAND is a non-profit arts and ecology center dedicated to connecting people with nature, art and community. 5870 Cottage Drive Bellaire, MI 49615

John Ball Zoological Society - Celebrating the wonders of our natural world 1300 West Fulton P.O. Box 2506 Grand Rapids, MI 49501

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts - Cultivating the creation and appreciation of the visual arts 314 South Park Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007

Leader Dogs for the Blind - Enhancing the lives of blind and visually impaired individuals 1039 South Rochester Road Rochester, MI 48307

Life for Relief and Development - Concerned Arab and Muslim American professionals in response to the humanitarian crises that developed in Iraq as a result of the 1991 Gulf War. 17300 West Ten Mile Road Southfield, MI 48075

Mercy-USA for Aid and Development - Helping children around the world 44450 Pinetree Drive Suite 201 Plymouth, MI 48170

Michigan Environmental Council - A collective voice for our environment 119 Pere Marquette Drive Suite 2A Lansing, MI 48912

Michigan Land Use Institute - Working with citizens, officials, and other organizations to build a prosperous new economy in Michigan, one that expands opportunity by improving our health and environment 148 E. Front St., Suite 301 Traverse City, MI

National Kidney Foundation of Michigan - Preventing kidney disease and improving the quality of life for those living with it 1169 Oak Valley Drive Ann Arbor, MI 4810

On the Ground - On The Ground's purpose is to support sustainable community development in farming regions across the world. 806 Red Drive, Suite 150 Traverse City, Michigan 49684

Senior Neighbors - Enhancing senior lives 820 Monroe Avenue, NW Suite 460 Grand Rapids, MI 49503

The Greening of Detroit - Guiding and inspiring the reforestation of Detroit's neighborhoods, boulevards, and parks 1418 Michigan Avenue Detroit, MI 48216

University Musical Society - Connecting audiences and performing artists in uncommon and engaging experiences 881 North University Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home for Children - Caring for the children and families of our nation's veterans 3573 South Waverly Road Eaton Rapids, MI 48827

YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids - Building strong kids, strong families, strong communities in Grand Rapids 475 Lake Michigan Drive, NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504

YouthVille Detroit - Enhancing the lives of youth 7375 Woodward Avenue Suite 2800 Detroit, MI 48202

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inveiglement by TerryJohnston

In Q&A: Keith Zendler on Detroit's Tipping Point, TIME magazine interviews serial entrepreneur Zendler about his newly launched Peoplemovers.com. It's a free social media venture designed to serve as a kind of Facebook for governments, non-profits, foundations, service clubs, block clubs, school districts, churches, mosques, temples, etc.

Q: What is Peoplemovers.com and why is it needed?

A: This is the next generation of social media. It's great that Facebook and Twitter connects you to everyone you ever knew in the world and family members. But there is still a need for a place where leaders, organizations and the people they serve can connect to each other while working for a greater purpose. If you take all of the issues and challenges we've got out there, in one way or another I think it all boils down to having a “healthy” or strong community. That's what's been fractured here in Detroit and around the world, mainly because we've become so isolated from each other over the years. The idea behind Peoplemovers.com is to create a network where leaders and their organizations can connect, engage and work together to impact their communities. That's something you can believe in no matter what your faith or your politics. The key is to give people and organizations a tool that makes connecting and cooperating easy to do.

Q: What does this provide groups like the City of Detroit?

A: For leaders, it allows them to engage, mobilize and tighten up the smaller communities they already have. And they can do it in cooperation with other organizations and other communities. This way, they are all strengthened. When it comes to cities, it means that every neighborhood association, block club, business, non-profit, school, house of worship and every person can be directly connected to city hall AND EACH OTHER.

Read more at TIME.

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If only those pesky Kentuckians hadn't put up a 60-foot crucifix in Bardstown, the 55-foot cross at Indian River's Cross in the Woods Shrine could still say it was the world's biggest. Either way, its size is still awe-inspiring. The redwood cross was erected in 1954 and the cast metal Christ figure was added four years later after being shipped from Oslo, Norway. It is traditional for pilgrims to climb the 28 steps to the cross (one for each step Jesus is supposed to have climbed to stand before Pontius Pilate) on their knees.

And it's all there in black and white - the 500+ collection of dolls and mannequins dressed to represent the garb of over 217 religious orders of priests, sisters, brothers and diocesan clergy is housed in the basement of the shrine's gift shop. It includes dioramas of nuns in the classroom and the all-nun orchestra.

There are also stations of the cross, a modern chapel, and a bronze statue of "The Lily of the Mohawks," a Native American convert to Christianity in the 1600s who was known for leaving hand-made wooden crosses in forests.

Visit the official web site for The Cross in the Woods.

Photos © 2010 Linda S. Godfrey

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Petoskey Crucifix by Latitude 45

Each year for one day in late February, a hole is chopped in the ice on Little Traverse Bay off Petoskey to allow viewing of this underwater shrine to all who have lost their lives beneath the waves. Martin, who took this photo last year, writes:

This beautiful crucifix rests four fathoms under water in Little Traverse Bay, near the breakwater beacon. Jeff, who went with me, and I debated at length

1) how many feet are in a fathom (we finally agreed on four feet since both fathom and  four begin with an "F" (its actually 6 feet), and

2) how unfathomable it is that the crucifix is four fathoms deep, since it appears to be no more than 12-16 feet deep.

This was my first time to see the crucifix, since the previous three years it was canceled due to ice conditions. later today a group of divers are going to swim down for a closer view. brrrrrrrr

You can read all about the history of the Petoskey marble crucifix on Michigan in Pictures and watch the video below to see divers in the Skin Diver Church cleaning the crucifix!

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fotek is working on a great set of Photomatix HDR photos of St. Anne's Church in Detroit (slideshow). He says that it's such a beautiful church that pictures will never do it justice, but I think he may be wrong.

Some of his other sets include Detroit and Mt. Clemens and you should check out his Flickrriver too!

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Pillars of the Community by Autumm

Crains Detroit notes that our passion for our community can influence economic growth. They link to a new study by Gallup and the Knight Foundation (that included Detroit) that explores the link between economic growth and residents' loyalty to and passion towards where they live.

According to the "Soul of the Community" study, the qualities that make people love where they live include social offerings (such as entertainment venues and places to meet), openness (how welcoming a place is) and community aesthetics (such as physical beauty and green spaces).

...The study measured residents' emotional connection to where they live and compared that to the communities' GDP growth over the past five years. The findings show a significant correlation. Over three years, the researchers will analyze the trends to prove whether emotional connection drives economic growth, or the other way around.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that while demand for charitable assistance is on the rise, giving is down. They cite Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) statistics that show 71% of 300 participating organizations said demand for core services has increased over the past 12 months, while just 65% met the demands. Organizations also reported decline in financial supports.

"The state of the economy has affected nonprofits in at least two ways: It has been a reason behind increased demand, and it has played a role in decreased financial and in-kind support," said Lisa Sommer, spokeswoman for the nonprofit association.

The MNA has a blog and on it they have a great guide that discusses how to give wisely to nonprofits this holiday season.

Simpler Times by Brian Merwin

Later today, we're going to roll our our Michigan Holiday Gift Guide. While we do think it's a great thing to give meaningful gifts to the ones we love, we also think that this is a great time to pause and think about the whole holiday process. A nice place to start is this thoughtful article by Kristin Bull in the Freep:

When Julie Whitmore of Royal Oak peeks inside her children's closets, overflowing with games and toys and stuff, she takes a deep breath.

She gently closes the doors.

The Whitmore children -- Brandon, 10, Jacob, 8, and 4-year-old Alyssa -- have plenty. No doubt, they will ask for more.

But this year, their parents realize the importance of shifting the heart of the holiday season from asking and getting to giving.

What do you think? Are you changing your holiday gift giving this season? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Heart Windows Art (Katie) says she's a retired art teacher who still has classes in her home and her new art center. She lives in Indian River and grew up in the Upper Peninsula.

Be sure and check the above photo out bigger. Some of her sets include Indian River, Michigan (to which this photo belongs), Easter, Mackinac Island, Mackinac Island Butterfly House and Michigan Outdoors (slideshow) or you can just dive into her Flickriver.

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Currant harvest - get ready for jam!
photo courtesy Earthworks Urban Farm

Back in August, Detroit Make It Here - a site produced by Crain's Detroit Business that is targeted at young professionals - had an interesting article titled The urban prairie: Detroit farms connect people, food that explores the rise of urban farming in Detroit.

They quote Bill Knudson, Michigan State University agriculture economist, saying that Detroit is among the cities showing leadership with urban farming and that 100 years ago, the land beneath the city was fertile farmland. He adds that "Traditional supermarkets have moved out of the inner cities and created a food desert. These farm communities increase access to healthier food and fresh produce to inner-city people … land around Detroit has an opportunity to be productive."

27% of this land is vacant, says Ashley Atkinson of the Greening of Detroit, a collaborative that includes 320 family and 170 community gardens for a total of 80 acres.

The collaborative, formed in 2003, grows 41 different fruits and vegetables, and has extended its season into the fall so there are multiple harvests. The yield, which last year totaled 120 tons, is sold at farmers' markets and to restaurants and food banks, but the majority ends up on family tables, she said. Many of the volunteers live near the farms they work on.

"We have the first opportunity for our city to be food-sufficient. We're getting there, and it's exciting to be part of that. The rest of the country is coming awake to the fact that food of the future needs to be local and grown in urban areas, where most of the people are," Atkinson said.

One of the organizations they highlight is the Garden Resource Program, an effort to provide hundreds of home, school and community gardens access to resources and information to grow, harvest, prepare, and preserve food for their families in their backyards and neighborhoods. They have a copious links page that highlights some other organizations at the forefront of this new urban farming wave.

One organization that is leading the way is the Earthwork Urban Farm, a program of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. The Capuchin's are inspired by the spirit of St. Francis and through Earthworks, they work to restore the connection to the environment and community. Check out their site for many more photos and lots more information.

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Shane Gorski says that you should view this photo taken at St. Paul's Armenian Church in Southfield bigger, and while you're at it, have a look at this one too! He writes:

In every place there is a secret beauty waiting to be uncovered. As an emerging photographer, I seek to reveal distinctive angles, unique colors, and ways to take you, the observer, into a new reality.

He has some amazing realities for you to explore in his photostream including The Henry Ford, the Detroit Auto Show and Michigan Central Station.

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Today is Paczki Day

The Polish News explains that in Polish American communities, Pazcki Day is celebrated on "Fat Tuesday" - the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (today). Polish paczki (filled doughnuts or Bismarks, pronounced "poonch-key") are traditionally eaten. The city of Hamtramck has an annual Paczki-Day Parade, and lines can be seen up to 24 hours before the deep-fried delights go on sale at the numerous local bakeries.

Federal Budget not kind to Michigan

In Budget bleak for Michigan the Detroit News reports that President Bush's proposed budget doesn't have a whole lot of good news for Michigan. Michigan will take cuts in energy assistance to the poor and Medicare and also cuts programs that some Michigan startups are relying on for funding including hydrogen fuel cell vehicle research and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Street Art - Manistique Lighthouse

Who better to answer an uncertain future and the call of eating a whole lot of sugary pastries than Big Boy? Of this photo, whitewaves writes: ...here Big Boy...stands upon the sign holding a Burger staring out at Lake Michigan... off in the distance you see historic Manistique light house.. sometimes i wonder at what point as a civilization did we decided to pave America with strip malls...

Big Boost for Michigan Film Incentives?

mLive has a feature by AP writer David Eggert that says that Michigan lawmakers are weighing the best tax incentives for filmmakers in the nation. Michigan currently offers rebates up to 20%, and while those were among the best in the nation for a week or so when they were passed in 2006, they are closer to the middle of the pack according to the Michigan Film Office. In addition to boosting rebates to 40%, Lawmakers are considering additional incentives for companies that hire and/or train Michigan-based workers instead of flying in crew from outside the state.

Hamtramck, Michigan

The City of Hamtramck says that the area was originally settled by the French who came largely from Quebec, named after a French Revolutionary War hero, Colonel Jean Francois Hamtramck and - with Detroit, Mackinaw and Sergeant - was one of four Wayne County townships. In the 1920s and 30s Poles and Eastern Europeans flocked to the city, drawn by auto industry jobs and their influence remains in the names and culture of the city. The city's population was 22,976 in 2000 (Wikipedia). In addition to a suprising number of cool and offbeat articles, Absolute Michigan keyword Hamtramck features the Hamtramck Star, a web site with great photos and writing about the city.

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home for the holidays by Where's Walden

November 20 - January 6
Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World - Grand Rapids
Activities, performances and demonstrations consist of a variety of cultures and countries, highlighting gift-giving customs, holiday traditions, superstitions, decorations and cuisine. Frederik Meijer Gardens are transformed with 300,000 lights, over 40 international trees and displays, strolling carolers and horse-drawn carriage rides. Nationally-known railway garden designer, Paul Busse, returns to create a seven-foot high train trestle and landscapes.

November 29 - December 2
Michigan Christmas Show - Novi
The Michigan Christmas Show includes holiday entertainment and music, arts and crafts booths, numerous shops, magnificent wreaths, and beautifully decorated trees. The Christmas show also has a Santa's workshop and play land, in which people of all ages can get their picture taken with Santa.

November 30 - December 3
The 25th Christmas Creche Exhibit - Ann Arbor
The Christmas Creche Exhibit hosts more than 1000 creches from 111 countries. Each creche artistically portrays the birth of Jesus Christ. Admission is free. Exhibits include a large Christmas French Santon Village - which includes 115 santons (little saints), a Neapolitan Presepio - a type of nativity from the 1700s, with nine antique figures, a Native American creche, an Inuit creche, and even a whimsical creche made of teazel weed.

November 30, December 1-2
Holiday Balloon Fest - Battle Creek
The Holiday Balloon Fest has fantastic sights to see. Two evening glittering balloon glows, and four frosty balloon flights. The Fest has over 70 hot air balloonists. With an attendance of over 25,000 people the Holiday Balloon Fest a fun filled festival.

December 1st
Annual Noel Night in Midtown Detroit
The Annual Noel Night hosts over twenty institution for the public to enjoy free of charge. Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Science Center, and many more. Other activities include family craft activities, carriage rides, shopping and performances by over 50 area music and dance groups. The festivities end with a sing along down Woodward Avenue led by the Salvation Army Band.

December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, &23
The Santa Train - Coopersville
The Santa Train departs from historic Coopersville. Each vintage passengar car has a special seat reserved for Santa. Santa's Eves will escort each child to Santa when it is their turn.

December 1 - 23
Annual Dickens Festival - Holly
The Annual Dickens Festival Takes place every Saturday and Sunday from December 1 until December 23.
Every Saturday and Sunday starting December 1 until December 23. "Join in the fun as Charles Dickens' Merry Old England comes alive ..." The festival includes a children's parade, festival singers, giant bubble making, the Haul-a-Maid game show, chimney sweeps, and Christmas Carol Sing-Alongs.

December 6 - 9
Victorian Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend - Manistee
Visit the Victorian Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend for an authentic Victorian parade with period costumes and horse-drawn unites, a Ramsdell Theatre production, tours of historic buildings, concerts, special museum and art exhibits, the festival of trees, and roasting chestnuts.

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Native American guide Don Chosa
points out wild rice beds to his son

Delayed six weeks due to extremely low water levels, teenagers, an American Indian guide and volunteers on Saturday held the fourth annual planting of wild rice in a project aimed at restoring the once abundant grain to northern Michigan.

The groundbreaking Manoomin Project has teamed hundreds of at-risk teens with American Indian guides who have planted over a ton of wild rice since the summer of 2004 .

Manoomin means wild rice in Ojibwa.

Wild rice disappeared from Michigan over a century ago and is a vital part of Native American ceremonies and traditions.

"You are the first ones to bring wild rice back to the area," the teens were told by American Indian guide Dave Anthony of Marquette. "I am pleased that you are here and what you are doing today is very important."

"This is very, very significant, this is a gift from the creator, it's food grown on the water," said Anthony, who attends Northern Michigan University (NMU) and belongs to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa (Ottawa) Indian based in Harbor Springs, MI. "Wild rice is the original North American grain and is very nutritious."

The importance of the project was not lost on the teens who picked up a few Ojibwa words.

Danny 'broadcasts' or spreads
wild rice seeds into the Dead River

"Megwiich," said Danny Carello, 13, of Ishpeming saying "thank you" to nature in Ojibwa while carefully tossing wild rice seeds into a small pond along the Dead River.

Shawn Molda, 15, of Gwinn said he learned that wild rice develops in stages including the "floating stage."

Anthony taught a special blessing to the teenagers and adults volunteers like Marquette County Juvenile Court child care counselor Jim Rule.

After a prayer, Anthony passed out a small amount of crumbled leaf tobacco to each participant who sprinkled the flakes into the river as a symbol of thanks for the planting.

This year's planting was delayed from mid-September because wild rice seeds were not available from Wisconsin tribes due to extremely low water levels that have had a major negative effect on this year's crop.

On a Saturday in November, the teens planted four pails of wild rice by carefully tossing the seed into slow spots in the Dead River near Marquette

The wild rice seeds are from Minnesota and were planted less than 48 hours before an approaching major winter storm.

Manoomin Project volunteer Tom Reed of Marquette, Michigan said the at-risk youth volunteer to plant and study wild rice "in lieu of community service."

"This is about educating the kids and not about punishment," said Reed.

Greg Peterson is a UP news reporter and volunteer media advisor for the Manoomin Project, the Earth Keeper Inititiative and the Turtle Island Project - all interfaith environment projects involving youth, Native Americans and 9 faith communities with 140 churches/temples.

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Aslan by Michael Morris

The annual C. S. Lewis Festival is a month-long exploration of the life and works of C.S. Lewis held in Petoskey, MI. While Lewis is best known as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, he was also a leading theological scholar whose works included Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters.

In an article from the Northern Express, Festival co-founder and Board of Directors President, David Crouse remembers the inception of the festival in 2002: "At the first planning meeting for the Festival, there were all these people who attended, far more than I ever imagined, and they represented this fascinating convergence of the arts, faith, and educational community of Northern Michigan. Nearly all of them had a close, intimate knowledge of Lewis's work. All of this interest in a small community of 6,000."

The festival is held over the next four weekends. It kicks off this weekend (Oct 26-28) with Dr. Jerry Root, Wheaton professor and Dr. Christopher Mitchell, of The Wade Center presenting The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life, for which there is also a PBS special.Other highlights include Narnia: The Musical, a gallery reception of Michael Morris' Narnia inspired artwork, English Dinner & Theatre An Evening with Lewis featuring acclaimed English actor David Payne, a C.S. Lewis Juried Fine Art Exhibition & Reception, CS Lewis Writing Workshops and a host of panel presentations, lectures and other events - click for the full schedule!

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Parade 2 by joojanta

Here's a few Michigan festivals & events for the month of November. As usual, there's no way to get them all, so please add links and information about the one's we've missed (or reviews of ones we have here) in the comments below.

October 26 - November 18
C.S.Lewis Festival - Petoskey
A four weekend festival celebrating the life and work of C. S. Lewis through collaborations by the arts, education, and faith communities.

November 3
Michigan vs. Michigan State Football Game
The annual game between Michigan's 2 largest universities doesn't gather the press (or enmity) of Michigan-Ohio State, but it's still a big game!

November 8-10
Michigan Festival of Sacred Music - Kalamazoo
The Michigan Festival of Sacred Music offers events which represent diverse religious traditions, promoting mutual respect and understanding through sharing the music treasured by these traditions.

November 10 & 11 and November 17 & 18
Toast the Season Wine Tour - Leelanau Peninsula
Annual wine trail tour features a special wine pour and holiday themed gourmet food at each winery along with a holiday gift basket & ornament.

November 9-10
Kalamazoo Russian Festival
Celebrate the partnership between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Pushkin, Russia at this years Kalamazoo Russian Festival; a unique Russian cultural event in the Midwest.

November 10
Keweenaw Art Affair - Houghton
A juried fine art & craft sale featuring over 40 of the Cooper Country's finest artists at the Houghton High School Gym.

November 15-30 2007:
Deer Hunting (Regular Firearm Season)
If you think this isn't a major event, then you probably live south of Clare.

November 16
Silver Bells in the City - Lansing
The entire evening is filled with fun, a parade, free family entertainment, including admission to downtown cultural institutions, horse-drawn wagon rides on Washington Square, ice sculptures and performances by nearly 50 local arts organizations.

November 17
Dutch WinterFest - Holland
The city comes alive with dozens of events reminiscent of the joyful holidays of yesteryear. Events include a HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, PARADE OF LIGHTS, SINTERKLAAS EVE, ICE SCULPTING…

November 19 - December 31
Battle Creek International Festival of Lights
The six-week holiday lighting extravaganza in greater Battle Creek, Michigan, features over one million sparkling lights, special events, lighting displays, and entertainment.

November 22
Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Celebrate the 81st anniversary of the America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, one of the largest and most spectacular parades in the nation!

November 23-25
Village of Holly Dickens Festival - Holly
Charles Dickens' Merry Old England comes alive in the atmosphere of turn of the century buildings, welcoming shopkeepers, and skilled craftspeople.

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Michigan.org's Color Tour of Houghton, Eagle River, Copper Harbor starts you in the city of Houghton at the Quincy Mine (photo: Quincy Mine & Hoist by Coder). The mine is open from May through late October and is part of the Keweenaw National Historical Park and offers guided tours of the old copper mine, the largest steam hoist ever built and a whole lot more mining history. There's a museum on site and they also have a passenger cog rail tram that takes you to the top of Quincy Hill (where I assume you can get some great photos).

The tour heads north on M-41 to Phoenix where you can apparently tour the Church of the Assumption. The copper mining ghost towns of the Upper Peninsula page from Exploring the North has a brief bit on Phoenix:

Phoenix is located on highway 41 at the junction of M-26 to Eagle River. Once (about 1872) a thriving mining town of around 500 to 1000 people, but today there are only a few old buildings and the Phoenix Church remaining at the site of the old mine. St. Mary's Church was built in 1858 to serve the Catholic residents of the mining community of Cliff, the scene of the area's first major copper discovery in 1844. In 1899 the church was dismantled and reassembled in Phoenix, where it was renamed the Church of the Assumption. The Keweenaw County Historical Society has purchased and restored the property so the Phoenix Church appears much as it did over 100 years ago.

From there, it's west to Eagle River, once an important port town for the copper industry and now a resort community. Attractions include the Eagle River Falls (photo: Eagle River Falls by Jim Sorbie) and the Eagle River Inn (they have some cool old photos on their site). Keep heading north and you'll come to Jacob's Falls and the Jampot, where the good monks of the Holy Transfiguration Skete make jams, jellies and pastries from all kinds of fruits including their famous thimbleberry jam. Stop car. Go in. Buy jam.

Eagle Harbor is next, and I can never mention Eagle Harbor without mentioning the first blog I ever saw, George's Eagle Harbor Web. It's also home to the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse and Museums (detailed info from Seeing the Light). Not far past here is Brockway Mountain Drive, the highest above sea-level drive between the Rockies and the Alleghenies. From the lookouts you can see glorious views of the town of Copper Harbor where you can see their photo gallery & webcam, Lake Fanny Hoe & Fort Wilkins State Park and the northern Keweenaw (photo: Samuel of the Mountain by Kyle Rokos). It's probably time for a bite to eat too and them you can take a boat tour to the Copper Harbor Lighthouse if you're feeling a little adventurous ... or the ferry to Isle Royale if you're feeling a lot adventurous!

It looks like the folks at Travel Michigan got a little tired at this point, tailing off with:

Continuing south of Copper Harbor is the authentic Delaware Mine, which yielded eight million pounds of the metal between 1847-1887. The scenic route continues through wonderful forests and through the city of Calumet, which was the cultural and commercial center of the Keweenaw Copper Range. Take time to visit the restored Calumet Theater and the red sandstone buildings of the downtown business district. This is the heart of the Keweenaw National Historic Park, which recognizes the importance of the mining history of this rugged and scenic region.

I've been in the Delaware Mine and I have to agree with UPTravel.com who say "If you have time to visit only one attraction in the Keweenaw, make it Delaware Mine, the area's premier tourist attraction, where copper was mined from 1847 - 1887." It's very, very cool.

If you're curious as to what the color looks like right now, I'd say "pretty darn good!" A final reminder, be careful when driving those back roads!

Michigan Fall Color Tours

• Michigan Fall Color Tour: The Western Upper Peninsula - Ironwood - Silver City - Wakefield, the first Michigan fall color driving tour from Michigan.org that we try and flesh out as complement to what Travel Michigan has done.
• Michigan Fall Color Tour: The Keweenaw Peninsula - Checking out mining history and the amazing scenic beauty of Houton, Copper Harbor, Calumet and other towns on the Keweenaw Peninsula and the shores of Lake Superior.

Just so it's clear, these fall color tour entries are produced by Absolute Michigan & Michigan in Pictures using the great information compiled in Travel Michigan's Fall Color Tours as a starting point. We're trying to add to what they've put together - not rip them off! As always, if you have links to information or photos that we missed, comments or reports, post them in the comments below!

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This photo was the 20,000th photo added to the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. For the last 2 weeks I've been watching the number climb and wondering if it would be a photo of a Michigan icon like the Mackinac Bridge (#19,999), a breaking news event like the GM strike (19,980) or even a photo from where I live (#19,996).

In the end, it was this photo of the former First Presbyterian Church in Detroit (now the Ecumenical Theological Seminary) that rolled the photometer over. I don't know much about pinehurst19475 other than he seems to have a passion for the architecture of Detroit. This is one of about 350 photos in his Churches of Detroit set and he has many more Detroit area photos. One thing he does do is provide a lot of metadata, allowing you to find the property in the National Register of Historic Places (or this Archiplanet listing with map).

To him, and everyone else who has made the Absolute Michigan group bigger, richer and more absolutely Michigan, thank you.

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Ferris Wheel at Night by Karen McG

But is there anything to do in Michigan?

If you've ever heard this, you may have wondered how anyone could ask that given the incredible variety of festivals, fairs, concerts, celebration and all the other fun stuff that there is to do in every part of Michigan. We have a ton of links to some of these events on Absolute Michigan, but we can't list every one of them.

That's where you come in: say a few words, add a link and tell everyone about your favorite event or thing to do in the Great Lakes State.

The Cat in the Hat says It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how. It probably helps to know when and where too!

The photo was taken at the Ionia Free Fair in July of 2006.

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The current version of Introduce Your Michigan Business or Organization is right there.

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fountain in the woods by catzinahat

Las Vegas boasts that it is America's "wedding capital." Yet, in the early years of the twentieth century, Michigan, especially the Lake Michigan town of St. Joseph, was the "wedding capital of the Midwest." Michigan marriage laws did not require residency, allowed people to marry at the age of 18 and did not require any witnesses other than the county clerk, his wife or an assistant and the presiding officials.

The result was that hundreds of amorous couples, especially from Chicago, boarded a steamer for the four-hour trip to St. Joseph. Most couples chose Sunday to get married. Traveling to St. Joseph for a quickie marriage became so popular that the Chicago Tribune reported more steamboats had to be added to this "rapid matrimonial transit." At times, crowding at the Chicago docks became so bad that "it required a squad of policemen . . . to restrain the bridal couples from pushing each other into the Chicago River in a frenzied effort to get into the boat."

Once in St. Joseph, the couples sought the county clerk, justices of the peace and the clergy--all of whom performed marriages any day of the week--"day or night." Newspaper accounts reported wedding ceremonies being performed at 2:00 A.M. The ceremonies usually took little time; the record time for performing a marriage was thirty seconds.

Eventually, quickie marriages caused the Michigan secretary of state to lament about the "development of the famous 'St. Joseph marriage industry.'" Opposition forces finally changed the state law. Couples would have to wait five days after taking out a license before they could be married. On August 27, 1925, Michigan's reign as the Midwest's marriage capital came to an end.

For the full story on Michigan's "weekend weddings" see the January/February 2007 issue of Michigan History magazine. For more information, a free trial issue, or to learn about Michigan History for Kids magazine call (800) 366-3703 or visit www.michiganhistorymagazine.com.

Update: Michigan Radio's Jack Lessenberry did a Valentine's Day interview with St. Joseph librarian, Alicia Allen about the history and then reflects on love and marriage in Michigan in his essay.

More St. Joseph links and articles at Absolute Michigan keyword "St. Joseph"!

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In just a few weeks, the voters of Michigan will be facing an important choice that will define whether our state continues to build on the strengths of its diversity or closes the door on continued gender and racial progress. Such progress is a key to economic and social prosperity in the twenty-first century.

Proposal 2 on the November 7 ballot is a divisive and reckless proposal placed on Michigan's ballot by outsiders led by Ward Connerly, a California millionaire and businessman. It is a dangerous attempt to turn back the clock to a time when there were few opportunities for women and minorities in the state. It must be defeated.

If passed, Proposal 2 will eliminate or challenge many of the initiatives that make us proud of our state and the commitment to diversity that it has demonstrated.

Read the rest of Gov. Milliken's editorial in the TC Record-Eagle.

One United Michigan (the opposition group) lists hundreds of organizations in opposition. Here's a link to the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative web site. I have to point out that I searched and searched and could not find ONE organization on their site endorsing the measure.

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In the spring of 1963, Detroiters looked for a way to commemorate the anniversary of racial violence that tore through their city twenty years earlier that left 34 people dead and hundreds injured. The Detroit Council for Human Rights called for a "Walk to Freedom," because many of "the same basic, underlying causes" of the 1943 disturbance were "still present."

On June 23, 1963, an estimated 125,000 people marched down Detroit's Woodward Avenue carrying placards and singing "We Shall Overcome." National and state leaders who marched along with Reverend King included United Auto Workers president Walter Reuther, former Michigan governor John B. Swainson, and Detroit mayor Jerome Cavanagh.

The march ended at Cobo Hall where the Reverend King was cheered by thousands of marchers when he emphasized that segregation needed to end. A veteran of the struggle to end racial segregation, King believed that it was the duty of African Americans to take part in demonstrations like the Walk to Freedom, which he called, "one of the most wonderful things that has happened in America."

An advocate of nonviolent tactics who had endured police brutality in marches calling for desegregation, King spoke of having a "dream" where whites and blacks were "walking together, hand in hand," in harmony and equality. Two months later, he shared these same thoughts with thousands of AmericansÔøΩboth blacks and whitesÔøΩat a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in the nation's capital.

Later that year, King was named the TIME magazine man of the year. The following year, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. On April 4, 1968, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

PHOTO: The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in Detroit in June 1963.
CREDIT: Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University

For more great stories on Michigan's past, look to Michigan History magazine. For more information or a free trial issue, call (800) 366-3703 or visit http://www.michiganhistorymagazine.com/.

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In Michigan, the anniversary received little notice. But in 1944, the invasion of German-occupied Western Europe was a time for apprehension and prayer.

Michigan's night owls were the first to hear of the invasion. The news, though fragmentary, went over the airwaves around 1:00 A.M. (Detroit time) and was heard mostly by patrons of all-night theaters, where it was announced over the speaker system. Most Michiganians awoke to learn of the much-anticipated invasion. Newspapers across the state blared the news with banner headlines, like The (Lansing) State Journal's "INVASION" and the Marquette Daily Mining Journal's "EUROPE INVADED!"

Governor Frank Kelly designated June 6 as "D-Day in Michigan" and set aside a minute of statewide meditation and prayer to mark the moment that "has arrived to test our hearts." In schools, factories and homes, Michiganians paused at whatever they were doing, bowed their heads and paid tribute to the men fighting on the bloody beaches in distant France.

Throughout the day, many churches kept their doors open all day for those who wanted to pray. Some churches also held a special invasion prayer service later that evening, reporting "a marked increase in attendance" for a weekday service. Factories and schools provided prayer services for their employees or students.

The invasion of Europe gave Americans a renewed realization of the importance of the work they were doing�the making of war materiel, the harvesting of essential food supplies or the collection of scrap and other war-essential materials�to help win the war. Michiganians responded appropriately. In one part of the state, striking industrial workers returned to work after they heard of the invasion.

According to the director of the Office of Civilian Defense, the statewide observance was "very, very successful." He concluded, "it [was] the first time in [Michigan's] history when so great a body of people [had] been brought together for a single moment of prayer."

PHOTO CAPTION: In one of the most famous photos of World War II, Allied commander General Dwight Eisenhower (left) pauses to talk with Lt. Wallace C. Strobel of the 101st Airborne Division on the day before the D-Day invasion. After the war, Strobel wrote, "Once he learned I was from Michigan [he talked] to me about fishing in Michigan."
PHOTO CREDIT: Library of Congress

For more great stories on Michigan�s past, look to Michigan History magazine. For more information or a free trial issue, call (800) 366-3703 or visit http://www.michiganhistorymagazine.com/.

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