Mackinac County commissioners will spend $10,000 to help promote the area for fall color tours and other fall travel activities in the state's Pure Michigan advertising campaign. The four-month promotion is supported by other communities

in the county and the Great Waters regional association. It will run from August through November.

The commission approved the funding during a Thursday, April 9, meeting at the request of the Clark Township board, with support from the Les Cheneaux Chamber of Commerce, Les Cheneaux Tourist Association, and the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce.

The Eastern Upper Peninsula will be listed as a featured destination on Travel Michigan's Web site, www.michigan.org, beginning August 1, under The Great Waters. Visitors to the site will be able to access a map, which will offer links to communities contributing to the advertising program.

Travel Michigan offers a 50% match with a minimum contribution of $30,000 by communities. So far, the area has raised $35,000. Other communities contributing to the fall campaign include Curtis with $4,000, Newberry with $4,500, Sault Ste. Marie with $8,000, Clark Township with $300, Les Cheneaux Island Area Tourist Association with $200, and a Northern Initiative grant of $8,000.

Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau, continues to make requests for funding support from area communities. This week she has meetings in Grand Marais and Whitefish Point.

Mackinac Island and Sault Ste. Marie are participating in the summer Pure Michigan advertising program.