Message from the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

I hope that you and your family have enjoyed a safe and relaxing summer with a few lazy days spent near the shore. Residents of Grey Bruce are uniquely engaged with Lake Huron/Georgian Bay in terms of recreation and leisure, arts and culture, ceremony and ritual, and all lake-enthusiasts would agree that our shoreline communities are inextricably linked to the health and vitality of the bountiful fresh waters contained in Lake Huron.

Since 2019, Community Foundation Grey Bruce has been engaged with the Lake Huron Forever initiative developed by shoreline community foundations and conservation partners from the United States and Canada to advance water quality protection and healthy, sustainable communities on both sides of the lake. The Lake Huron Forever initiative aims to support community conversation and collaboration in the design and implementation of on-the-ground work to strengthen the health and well-being of residents, as well as natural resources. Protecting water quality, ensuring the diversity of plant and animal life, and supporting communities across the region means committing to the long-term protection of Lake Huron.

On October 3, 2025, the Lake Huron Forever collective of community foundations will be hosting a One Water Gathering 2025 in Goderich, Ontario, which is the first Canadian city to take the Lake Huron Pledge. This international One Water Gathering brings professionals and partners from both sides of Lake Huron together to explore the Canadian lakeshore and celebrate a sustainable future for Lake Huron. Through programming, networking, and outdoor field trips, this full-day event focuses on how we can advance water quality protection and healthy, sustainable communities on both sides of the lake. A morning walking tour will take delegates along the Goderich shore to see the Sediment Bypass Project in the harbour and shoreline erosion control and naturalization efforts along the bluffs, as well as the healthy forest program of Goderich. After lunch, delegates will gather at the Huron County Museum for an afternoon of insightful presentations on water management and progressive conservation in Ontario. We will also be celebrating Goderich’s pledge alongside its sister city of Bay City, Michigan. One lake unites two countries, and its stewardship prompts shared commitments between friends and builds bridges between community philanthropy and good water stewardship.

Registration for the 2025 One Water Gathering in Goderich, Ontario is now – please visit lakehuronforever.com. Come celebrate Lake Huron alongside community partners and conservation groups. This gathering of peers is supported by the Great Lakes Environmental Fund managed by CFGB, The Conservation Fund/Saginaw Bay, and Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan.

Water is life and a healthy lake is essential to our healthy communities.

Sincerely,

Stuart Reid