The Great Waters Center for Lifelong Learning, a volunteer effort to bring adult educational opportunities to St. Ignace, now offers several learning programs and, simultaneously, is trying to stimulate and encourage business in the Straits area.

The Great Waters Cente at 2 North State Street is offering a gardening series from October through March with Carol Bell of Cedars of Mackinac Landscaping, which plants and maintains many gardens in the St. Ignace area.

"I'm really excited about Carol Bell's gardening class," said Jim Haring, vice president of the organization. "That will be a great way to get people interested in our programs."

The gardening series follows a gardener's process through the seasons and includes "Putting your garden to bed" in October, "Creating the garden of your dreams" in January, "Great flowers and cool shrubs" in February, and "Waking your garden up" in March.

The first session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, and will include instruction on pruning and protecting gardens in preparation for a cold U.P. winter.

Enrollment for each of the four classes is limited to 15 participants, but room is available for all dates. The cost for an individual course is $25, two courses are $35, and a four-session package is $100.

A "Make and Take" series of classes is also scheduled this month to enable residents to make something for themselves and take it home with them.

The first of these sessions, "From the Earth to the Hearth," featured gourd decorating, taught by Clarlyn Ledy August 10. The following two Mondays featured classes about using silver and stones to create bracelets, and stamping and other techniques used to make homemade gift cards.

A number of other ideas have been discussed by the members of the group since its inception last year, including offering community education courses in hospitality, culinary arts, and decorating. In the long-term, the organization also hopes to offer university-level classes for credit, and possibly even collaborate with colleges to bring satellite classes to St. Ignace.

Partnerships with the Bayside Farmers Market, Michigan Works!, and aspiring local entrepreneurs have also been discussed.

"You can see the possibilities are just endless," said Cheryl Schlehuber, president of the organizations board of directors and one of the volunteers who has been working on the program, which is housed at the corner of Truckey and State streets.

Another idea suggested by board members is a series based around local and international travel. Working with a travel agency, Mrs. Schlehuber said the Great Waters Center could organize a tour and hold orientation classes to teach the tour group about the culture and history of the country they will visit.

She also said the center could host an "adventure series" to stimulate local tourism by offering custom tours in the Eastern Upper Peninsula for visitors.

Providing an incubator for young entrepreneurs who want to start a business is yet another idea being discussed by the group, Mrs. Schlehuber said.

"There is so much out there we could do," she noted, "but we have to get the center open first."

Toward that end, the Great Waters Center for Lifelong Learning has filed its articles of incorporation with the state, has created a board of directors and advisory board, and is in the process of applying for taxexempt and nonprofit status, which will allow the group to apply for grants for operations and programming.

In the meantime, the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce has been handling the center's finances.

Right now, Mr. Haring said, the group is trying to get the word out to the community and find anyone interested in teaching, learning, or contributing to the program. To accomplish this goal, he said, the volunteers would like to have the building open to the public a few afternoons each week, but they have been unable to find anyone to take on that responsibility.

The center is looking for both volunteers and ideas, Mr. Haring said.

Also sitting on the Great Waters Center's board of directors is secretary Mary Sue Kunze, and treasurer Patricia Peek.

Advisory board members are Elizabeth Turf, Sue Steffel, Michelle Walk, Dawn Nelson, Dick Williams, Donna Bassett, and Chris Green.

Those interested in teaching a class, suggesting a possible educational area for the center to cover, or signing up for a class may contact the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce at 643- 8717, or e-mail the Great Waters Center for Lifelong Learning at learn@greatwaterscenter.org.