2007 Seasons of Mackinac Calendar Available
By Leslie Rott

MIRD President Urvana Morse with the Seasons of Mackinac 2007 calendar.

Among Mackinac Island's many annual traditions is the release of the new "Seasons of Mackinac" calendar, which for many marks the end of winter and the beginning of another summer.

The 2007 calendar will be the 24th that Mackinac Island Recreational Development (MIRD) has produced. The photographic calendar was started as a way to engage both residents and visitors in Island culture and, according to MIRD President Urvana Morse, it is one of the organizations major fundraising activities.

A popular gift, the calendar is a constant reminder of the Island's beauty and charm, both for residents and those who reside off the Island.

The photographs included in the four seasons are selected in a competition held each winter during the Winter Festival.

Each year, MIRD receives more than 200 photographs, which are grouped by season and voted on by people attending the Festival in February. The names of the photographers are kept secret until after the voting.

The cover of this year's calendar commemorates the Island's location in the Straits of Mackinac with photographs of freighters in both the summer and winter months.

This year, Mrs. Morse said that there were not as many photographs depicting spring on the Island, so she encourages entrants in future photography contests to remember to enter their spring pictures.

The "Seasons of Mackinac" 2007 calendar can be purchased at Island gift shops or ordered directly through MIRD by telephone at (906) 847-6293, mail to P.O. Box 421, Mackinac Island, MI 49757, or online at www.mackinac.com/mird.

Proceeds from the sale of the calendar are used to improve the Island's recreational programs and facilities for all ages and to develop and maintain Great Turtle Park.