“Why We Are Here?” community writing project seeks entries.

Dozens of people line the Ludington north pier lighthouse on July 3, 2013 to watch the Badger leave port.

As residents of Mason County, we all have an interesting story to tell about why we are here. Many of us were born and raised here, never having left. Others were drawn in somewhere along the way by the county’s natural beauty and laid-back lifestyle. And still others are here because of a vision for the future and a belief in the community. Whoever you are, and whatever has brought you to this point, we at The Exchange want to hear your story.

The Exchange is a group of local residents interested in opening a community dialogue about who we are and where we are going as individuals and as a community. The group’s members are interested in exploring the community’s identity, understanding the joys and frustrations of living here, and what people’s hopes and aspirations for the future of Mason County are. In order to learn more, the group is asking for community writing submissions.

If you would like to share your story, vision, or perspective, the Exchange is looking for submissions of no more than 500 words to be sent to theexchange.masoncounty@gmail.com. Submissions should include your name, age, and contact information. The Exchange is working in collaboration with the Ludington Area Center for the Arts and the Ludington Writers to collect submissions, and may wish to publish select submissions online or in print. If you do not wish to have your story published, please note that in your submission. Additionally, if you would like writing assistance, the Ludington Writers meet the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts.