Many people in Leelanau County are engaged in volunteer activities, but Kara Gregory of Suttons Bay started a nonprofi t organization that stretches beyond Leelanau County and now reaches most of northern Michigan.
Gregory created PoWeR! — which stands for Play, Write, and Read! — in March 2016. The organization has offices in Suttons Bay but has partners and volunteers across the Lower Peninsula as far away as Wayne and Washtenaw counties in southeast Michigan.
PoWeR!’s purpose is to not simply provide books to young readers but develop their cognitive and communication skills. Although she’s modest about her role in the organization — describing herself as “just a volunteer” — PoWeR’s unique approach is heavily informed by Gregory’s background in education.
