Grand Rapids Foundation
The Grand Rapids Steelheaders' Foundation is a newly formed 501(c)(3) organization that was approved by the IRS in January 2004. The foundation was formed by the Grand Rapids Chapter of the Michigan Steelheaders to fund various projects and further interests of the chapter. The establishment of the Foundation allows members of the local community to show their support for the Chapter's goal of furthering the preservation of the sportfisheries and the love of the outdoors for our families as well as educating our youth in all the benefits we enjoy.
The projects we have been able to fund to date include:
Net Pen Operation The Grand Rapids Chapter has been involved with the net pen operation for West Michigan for over 15 years in conjunction with the Grand Haven Chapter and the Grand Haven Captian's Association. These groups facilitate the placement of the net pens in the Grand River in the spring and work with the local DNR toward a controlled spring fish release. Each spring over two hundred thousand (200,000) Chinook Salmon fry are placed in the river leading to Lake Michigan. By providing the net pens, the smolt are given a chance to acclimate to the waterway in which the will be released and given protection from predators while doing so. The weeks spent in the net pens allows the smolt to grow and strengthen, as well as camouflage themselves in the waterway before release. The Foundation helps by providing funding for the equipment necessary for this operation.
Salmon in Schools ProjectsThe Grand Rapids Chapter of the Steelheaders currently works with four (4) area schools in providing a salmon-rearing aquarium to local elementary schools. The DNR provides the eggs, and we provide the equipment as necessary to give the schools aquarium, chillers (salmon are cold water as opposed to warm), filters, lighting, and help with maintenance information. We currently fund the Salmon in School operation run at these area schools:
- C.A. Frost
- Stony Creek
- Sacred Heart
- Murray Lake
Kids at Camp. Since its inception in 2004, our foundation has sponsored four (4) children each year to attend an outdoor skills camp provided by the Michigan Out of Doors Camp for Kids. The camp is an excellent way to give area youth a full week with others that love the outdoors, learn skills such as archery, fishing, canoeing, swimming, survival skills, wildlife, forestry, and give them a taste of what our resources have to offer. We hope to expand this program and give more kids the opportunity to learn outside their usual boundries and give this wonderful opportunity to kids that might not be able to afford this expense.
Miscellaneous. Our Foundation has also helped to fund various outdoor activities to preserve our resources and further educate local individuals by way of helping to control invasive species (including Comorants), help fund a youth day for fishing, Fish for a Wish, and other worthwhile programs.
If you have a program that you believe would benefit from our involvement, or would like to contribute to our Foundation, please contact:
Norm VanSickle @ 616-532-5845
Vikki Guiles @ 616-677-3442