Every body of water is a story keeper and storyteller; a reflection of collective stories throughout the ripples of time. My watermark is Lake Huron, its waters flowing through and connecting generations of my family line. This is the place that generations before me called home, a place where I learned to swim before I could walk, a place where I almost met my end, a place that taught us all many of life’s valuable lessons, a place that watched us grow throughout the years, a place that welcomed my family and its ancestors as we returned to its shore time and time again whenever we were apart, and a place where generations continue to build a future.

Little did I know at our first encounter, just how special this place was to me and how Lake Huron would go on to play a formative role in moulding me into who I am today: an avid swimmer, a beach explorer, a water enthusiast, an environmental champion, a community philanthropist.

Lake Huron has taken care of my family and many families throughout the generations however the health of our world’s water bodies – including Lake Huron – is currently under threat from the changes the world has seen due to human impact. But humans can have positive impacts too, not only negative ones. We must care for each other for both to thrive and live to tell the many stories to come – and I pledge to do just that.