The Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW), a non-profit, professional organization of outdoor communicators – writers, editors, broadcasters, authors, lecturers, photographers, artists, outdoor industry representatives, tourism professionals and others – was established in 1956.  Today, it’s one of the largest and most active organizations of its kind. Our purpose is:

• To perpetuate, conserve, improve and promote the great outdoors, our natural resources, outdoor traditions and the outdoor recreational experience by informing and educating the public through the judicious and responsible use of written, oral and graphic arts communications;
• To promote the highest quality of craftsmanship in the art of communicating the outdoors;
• To promote responsible ethics among both communicators and the outdoor sportsperson;
• To foster fellowship among members of the outdoor media and the greater outdoor industry;
• To provide an interchange of information and techniques within this organization and with allied organizations;
• AGLOW invites qualified outdoor communicators and companies to join its ranks!

HORIZONS

Many outdoor communicators become members of AGLOW just because of its Annual Conference. Each September or October, members travel to a different site for a gathering where they can come together to network.

The objective? Seeing old friends and making new ones, learning new industry techniques, getting some hands-on experience with new equipment, meeting editors face-to-face, connecting with AGLOW’s tourism members, and entering published articles and photographs in AGLOW’s annual awards-in-craft contest.

AGLOW’s conferences have been held in historic and scenic locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North and South Dakota, Ontario, and Wisconsin.

Conferences offer members a chance to network, explore new areas and gather material for their craft or to arrange trips for exclusive story material. Each conference provides a wealth of photographic opportunities, too!

Here, too, members meet old friends and make new ones. They can attend “Learn-It” sessions before going afield to “Do It” themselves, getting hands-on experience with new products. Members also get a chance to talk to industry
and governmental representatives as well as editors face-to-face.

Special conference features include Tourism Day, Shooting Day, and Super Breakout Day, each of which allow Media Members to obtain first-rate story materials while affording Corporate Members an opportunity to show off their newest products and Tourism Members to highlight their outdoor destinations.

Another popular conference occasion is the auction of outdoor gear to raise funds for the Wendy O’Donnell Schmidt Memorial Scholarship Fund. Scholarships are awarded to qualified undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in the outdoors or outdoor communications.

Pre and post-conference FAM tours are also made available to AGLOW Media Members — by both the conference host location, as well as other participating tourism organizations in the surrounding areas.  These FAM tours serve to maximize story opportunities for Media Members attending

Above all, AGLOW’s annual conference provides all of the organization’s members unprecidented time and opportunity to network.  It’s all about the story!