In conjunction with the All Hands on Deck movement, a walking rally will be held at Put-in-Bay on Monday, July 3, at 10:00 AM. The walk begins at the Village beach and the walk will go around DeRivera Park. The rally will have people focus on the need to protect Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.

Lake Erie is essential to the environment, economy, and everyone’s way of life. The walk is a way to come together in a unique, unified expression of concern on behalf of this precious resource that needs continuing attention and support – funding, regulations, and research – to sustain long-term vitality.

Lake Erie and the Great Lakes are in trouble. The 2018 Federal budget proposes to eliminate funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The Initiative Restoration Program is solving problems: toxic algae, the Asian carp, invasive species, and a host of other issues related to health of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.

Lake Erie cannot afford to lose this funding and the efforts to make the lakes a better place. The walking rally hopes to call attention to the need to address the funding issues for Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.

It is hoped that people will contact US representatives and US senators to request – to plead with them — to keep funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

A Blue Marble will be handed out during the walk. The marble will remind people of the blue waters of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes and to keep the waters of the Great Lakes as blue as the Blue Marble.