Welcome to the Grand Traverse Humanists. If you value science, reason, and compassion and believe that humans are responsible for their own destiny, you have come to the right place. We are a community for the non-religious in the Grand Traverse area, offering a forum for discussing and advancing a secular worldview based on our common humanity. Our programs include monthly speakers and discussions, film and book groups, and various volunteer and social events. All are free and open to the public. Check out Upcoming Events below, or click on the calendar. Nontheists, agnostics, atheists, freethinkers, rationalists, humanists, and more…we welcome you to join us!
Upcoming Events
- G.T. Humanists Meeting: Community Supported Agriculture
Monday, June 12, 6 p.m.
Traverse Area District Library
610 Woodmere Ave., Traverse City
Join the Grand Traverse Humanists for a presentation by Nic Welty, co-founder and treasurer of MI Farm Cooperative and co-owner of 9 Bean Rows in Suttons Bay.Nic is dedicated to the pursuit of sustainable agriculture, saving farmland and supporting local farmers. He’ll discuss the new model of food production including economics, regulatory barriers, food safety, resilience and how to access it locally.
- G.T. Humanists Summer Solstice Tie Dye Party
Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m.
Scott and Suzette’s house
4813 N. Indian Lake Rd., Traverse City
Our first solstice party since before COVID will be Saturday, June 17th (optionally extending into Sunday the 18th) at Scott and Suzette Blair’s place: 4813 N. Indian Lake Road.
There are activities to enjoy starting at 11:00 a.m., but we will provide burgers for grilling on a campfire and a steaming cauldron of vegetables around 6:00 p.m. Saturday. You may want to bring favorite drinks, an additional side, or campfire snacks, but these are not required. Oh, and a camp chair if you have one; we have some but not enough.
You are invited to camp here the night of Saturday the 17th. We have 12 acres of meadow and woods for tenting and plenty of places for RVs (campers should bring their own sustenance for meals other than Saturday evening). We have a couple of tents we can lend.
At 12:00 noon on Saturday, our Tie Dye Workshop will begin, led by tie dye artist Laura Shaw. For those participating in this part of the event, bring 1 to 3 items of mostly natural fiber to dye, five pounds of cubed ice per item, and $4 per item to cover costs for supplies. I will send more details on the “ice dying” technique to those who RSVP for the tie dye activity. The second part of the tie dye event will be 10:00 Sunday morning. This is the “reveal.” Whether you camp here or return Sunday, this is when you get your first glimpse of your result, but it becomes more vivid upon drying.
Come any time after 11:00 a.m. Saturday to recreate. Our place is on Indian Lake, a small lake with attached wetlands sometimes hosting blue herons, eagles, and loons. Kayaking, canoeing, and fishing are good here! Come enjoy. We have a rowboat and a small canoe but bring your own kayak if you like. Got a bike? Our property offers direct connection to forested single track mountain bike trails. We have a couple mountain bikes for the bikeless!
Please reply to this email or text Scott at 231-313-7214 and mention particularly whether you will join in the tie dyeing!
- G.T. Humanists Book Club: The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
Sunday, May 21, 4 p.m.
7670 East Shore Rd., Traverse City
Our next book club selection is The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan. We’ll meet at Mark and Heather’s house at 7670 East Shore Rd. Please RSVP to Mark at 231-392-1215. Feel free to bring an optional dish to pass.Book description from Amazon:
“The Great Lakes―Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior―hold 20 percent of the world’s supply of surface fresh water and provide sustenance, work and recreation for tens of millions of Americans. But they are under threat as never before, and their problems are spreading across the continent. The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is prize-winning reporter Dan Egan’s compulsively readable portrait of an ecological catastrophe happening right before our eyes, blending the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them for generations to come.
In an age when dire problems like the Flint water crisis or the California drought bring ever more attention to the indispensability of safe, clean, easily available water, The Death and the Life of the Great Lakes is a powerful paean to what is arguably our most precious resource, an urgent examination of what threatens it and a convincing call to arms about the relatively simple things we need to do to protect it.”
- Hungry Humanists: Barrio Tacos
Join us Monday, May 22,at 6 p.m. at Barrio, 305 W Front St. in Traverse City, for a meal and conversation. RSVP by noon on Monday to Mark Elliott by calling or texting 231-392-1215.
- G.T. Humanists Bike Ride
Sunday, May 7, 11 a.m.
Darrow Park (1025 Bay St.), Traverse City
Join the Grand Traverse Humanists for our first monthly bike ride of the year! We’ll be riding on the Leelanau Trail up to Suttons Bay, have lunch up there and then ride back. Meet at Darrow Park at 11 a.m.
- G.T. Humanists Meeting: Sturgeon for Tomorrow
Monday, May 8, 6 p.m.
Traverse Area District Library
610 Woodmere Ave., Traverse City
Join us for a presentation by Brenda Archambo, founder of Sturgeon for Tomorrow. She will speak on the organization’s efforts to conserve and protect sturgeon of the Great Lakes. Sturgeon for Tomorrow began as an organization to protect sturgeon breeding grounds along the Black River near Cheboygan and now includes a fish hatchery, sturgeon planting, scientific research, and school and community education programs.
