St. Joseph River Watershed Celebration

Join the Friends of the St. Joe River Association for dinner and networking at our 18th Annual St. Joseph River Watershed Celebration at the Pokagon Band Community Center in Dowagiac, Michigan.

At the Center of It All

Stories of Transformation, Connection, and Endurance

This event will feature dinner, presentation of the Watershed Stewardship Award, and two stories connecting our region to the broader landscape.

The evening will open with a personal family story set in the Black Swamp of the neighboring Maumee River Watershed, reflecting on the transformation of massive marshy landscapes through drainage and settlement. Ted Beatty's story will be followed by dinner, and then Rob Hartman will share his story of paddling 80 miles solo straight across Lake Michigan — a journey of endurance and connection. Together, these stories ask us to think about where we live: a watershed that endures in ways its neighbors have not, defined by its geography, its wetlands, and its connection to Lake Michigan.

Dinner will be provided by Bneshi Mijem, featuring dishes with cultural significance to the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.

Evening Agenda

4:00 - 5:00 p.m. - Registration, Social Time & Outdoor Activities                          
5:00 - 5:15 p.m. - Welcome & Opening Remarks
5:15 - 5:30 p.m. - Watershed Stewardship Award Presentation
5:30 - 6:00 p.m. - From the Black Swamp: A Family Story of Transformation
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Dinner
7:00 - 7:55 p.m. - 090 for 80: A Solo Lake Michigan Crossing
7:55 - 8:00 p.m. - Questions & Reflections
                            

This year's event will follow the St. Joseph River Basin Symposium, which will be held at the same location earlier in the day (10:00 AM–4:00 PM), focusing on riparian law, water access, and governance across the basin.

For more information, contact fotsjr.outreach@gmail.com