OCC Meet the Candidates Hike to Save Nature Preserve and Campus

Join us for a 2.5 mile hike with another 2 mile option, along with an opportunity to meet the candidates running for the Oakland Community College Board of Trustees. At risk is the future of the northern 90+ acres of the Highland Lakes Campus, which contains the Luellen R. Woughter Nature Preserve, from Development. During the hike, we’ll explore the Luellen R. Woughter Nature Preserve, talk about efforts to preserve this campus and its natural area and give participants and candidates a chance to connect outdoors before Election Day.

Registration in the Sierra Club system is required for all attendees. Please register in advance at this Sierra Club Registration Page to help streamline the check-in process for our volunteer outings leaders.

The future of the Highland Lakes property matters to everyone who values natural spaces, wildlife habitat, and access to nature in Oakland County. Walking these trails together offers a chance to experience the land firsthand and discuss its future with people seeking a role in the college’s decisions.

This will be an informal opportunity for conversation along the trail. Bring your questions about OCC, the future of the Highland Lakes property, and the candidates’ priorities.

Candidate participation
All candidates in this race are welcome to participate and received an invitation to join us. We’ll update this listing as attendance is confirmed.

Jose F. Aliaga — Attendance not yet confirmed.
Marian Blocker — Attendance not yet confirmed.
MiVida M. Burrus — Attendance not yet confirmed.
Jacqueline A. Kelly — Attendance confirmed.
Robin L. McGregor — Attendance confirmed.
Alexandra Morgan — Attendance not yet confirmed.
Deborah Snyder — Attendance not yet confirmed.

The Sierra Club has not endorsed any candidate in this race. Candidate participation does not constitute an endorsement.

Directions:
7350 Cooley Lake Rd · Waterford, MI 48327. We will meet in the parking lot shown in the map attached to this meetup

Communications:
Please watch your email for outing-related updates or changes. We normally send a reminder the day before each outing. Occasionally, we may need to send last-minute updates because of unusually heavy traffic, trailhead parking closures or other unexpected circumstances. Please check your email before leaving and contact [email protected] with any questions.

For all our hikes, please remember to bring comfortable hiking shoes, a water bottle, food, and seasonally appropriate clothing. To help prevent tick bites, wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot, and consider long sleeves and long pants when hiking in grassy or wooded areas. After returning home, check your body, clothing, and pets for ticks, shower soon after coming indoors, and wash and dry your clothes on high heat, which can help kill any ticks that may be present.

Participation in Sierra Club activities requires registration and acceptance of a waiver, complete on this page. Electronic copies of the required waiver are available online or by request and will be accepted automatically by signing-in to the event.

All hikes are free and open to everyone, but donations are gratefully accepted. Donations from our outing program support both our outings program and conservation projects at the places where we hike, such as a pollinator planting, we are supporting at Independence Oaks in Oakland County. Donations may be made online at: https://givebutter.com/FKXYFb Click here to join the Sierra Club for as low as $15/year.

As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, donations allow us to lobby and sometimes litigate for environmental protections. This tax status gives us a broader ability to enact change, but it also means that gifts to the Sierra Club are not tax deductible. Whether you’re able to give or not, everyone is welcome on our hikes, and your support in any form is appreciated.

Cancellation Policy:
The hike will proceed rain, snow, or shine. However, if an Extreme Weather Warning is issued by the National Weather Service, the hike will be canceled for safety reasons.