Celebrating 60 Years of summers in Leelanau:

A personal reflection on community and connection

Sixty-eight years ago, in 1956, my husband, Chuck McKenna, and I were offered an opportunity here in Leelanau that would change our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren for years to come.

Dr. Lawrence Sweeney, a coach at Central Michigan University at the time, offered Chuck and me jobs as supervisors of the summer recreational program in Lake Leelanau. We were also assigned positions in neighboring communities, along with other students from CMU.