Great Programs from the Outdoor Discovery Center!:
July 20, 2023: Birds of Prey
August 17, 2023: Up Close & Wild
Congratulations to West Michigan Beach Volleyball on their 2022 season! The Friends of Grand Haven State Park are delighted to support you.
With our last event of the season behind us, it’s time to reflect on how far we’ve come and how we got here. Our passion is spreading our love of the game and providing the chance for kids to experience beach volleyball. We want you to know how much we appreciate your annual support, which has given us the freedom to continue our mission of growing the game. What started as a one time backyard clinic for 20 kids has turned into 160 clinic participants, 1200 tournament participants, and over $2000 in scholarships each summer. Your support enables us to continue to provide clinics, scholarships, and competitive opportunities for the future of our sport.
More Grand Haven State Park visitors able to reach the water this summer – New Action Trackchair coming to the G.H. State Park
You want to experience the best the Grand Haven State Park has to offer on a hot, sticky summer’s day! … Problem: You are mobility challenged and cannot walk in the sand. While the ADA-compliant walkways at the park allow you to get close to the water, it is different from being where the waves are lapping at the shore. You are still a distance from your family and friends while they are swimming. Thanks to volunteer and foundation support, with the arrival of an additional Action Trackchair® this May, more individuals with mobility challenges will be able to enjoy the beach at Grand Haven State Park. The Action Trackchair®, a tank-tread, wheelchair-like device, will allow those who previously could not travel through the sand beyond the ADA walkways or reach the shoreline to do so.
In partnership with the Grand Haven State Park/Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Friends of Grand Haven State Park has championed this acquisition. In 2021, The Friends of Grand Haven State Park (FGHSP) facilitated, and the Jack and Althea Goodale Family Foundation very kindly funded the purchase of an Action Trackchair®. The chair was in such high demand last year, that Park Supervisor Andy Lundborg expressed interest to the FGHSP in acquiring a second Trackchair®. The FGHSP accepted the challenge and pursued funding options. The Jack and Althea Goodale Family Foundation, the Friends of Kandu Endowment Fund of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, and the Friends of Grand Haven State Park generously funded the second chair. Grand Haven State Park personnel will maintain and manage use of the Trackchair®.
The Friends of Grand Haven State Park is dedicated to improving access to, infrastructure for, and programming for all users of Grand Haven State Park. Within its mission, the Grand Haven State Park and the DNR strive to make park facilities accessible. Providing the new Action Trackchair® to Grand Haven is a mutual benefit for the FGHSP, the park, and, most importantly, the park visitors with differing mobility abilities. Mike Mazurek, President, Friends of Grand Haven State Park, shared, “The Friends group is honored that the Jack and Althea Goodale Family Foundation and the Friends of Kandu Endowment Fund/Grand Haven Area Community Foundation have chosen to support this gift. Doing so provides that feel-good effect for all.”
The Friends of Grand Haven State Park and the Michigan Natural Resources – Parks and Recreation Division Partnership Match Grant Program recently jointly funded a third Action Trackchair®. FGHSP has ordered the third chair. It will arrive at the park this summer, allowing even more visitors to enjoy the waterfront.
Reservations are strongly encouraged for use of the Trackchairs. Please contact the Grand Haven State Park for more information, 616-847-1309.
A State of Michigan Recreation Passport is required to park within the state park.
The Kite Festival Returns to Grand Haven State Park this May!
The Friends of Grand Haven State Park will be at the Kite Festival Saturday, May 21st and Sunday, May 22nd. Stop by and see what we’re up to!
RECAP OF FGHSP ACCOMPLISHMENTS PDF:
FGHSP Accomplishments PDF
West Michigan Beach Volleyball Clinics 
The Friends of Grand Haven State Park sponsored three free clinics conducted by West Michigan Beach Volleyball. We were delighted with the participation and the level of instruction. 180 kids ranging in age from 7 to 17 were able to take advantage of this fun day at the beach!
Live Birds of Prey: A Bird’s Eye View: Wednesday, August 14, 2019
7:00pm – 8:30pm at the Pavilion in Grand Haven State Park
Over 70 participants took in the Outdoor Centers’ Birds of Prey presentation this year. The crowd was treated to a close up look at hawks, falcons, owls and a golden eagle! Look for this program and others in 2020!
