Home > Healthy Great Lakes, Healthy Michigan > Grand River Expedition: July 14-26, 2010

Grand River Expedition: July 14-26, 2010

Day Paddlers and Non-Paddlers - come join us! 

Even though pre-registration for the Grand River Expedition 2010 is closed for multi-day paddlers, Day Paddlers are welcome to join in on any morning of the Expedition!  You'll need to be at the launch site really early, with your packed lunch in hand!  Plus, for non-paddlers, most of the small towns we'll be stopping in for overnight camping will also host a water festival for local residents to meet and greet Expedition members. See our Community Events schedule and come on down to the Grand River!

See our GRE2010 Participant Info page for all the details!   Click here for the FAQs, the GRE2010 Brochure & Poster, List of What to Bring, GRE2010 River Rules, and everything else that a Grand River Expedition 2010 Participant or Day Paddler needs to know!

Three Way Cool Websites to Watch, if you're not paddling with us: 

• Read Rural Sociologist and kayaker Kathy Kremer's blog as she paddles down the full length of the Grand River. 

• Check out Erich Ditschman's blog as he kayaks all 225 miles of the Grand, plus squeezes in 8 hours per night of kidney dialysis, all while he raises $20,000 for the National Kidney Foundation!

• You can literally watch our progress on Mike Smith's website that provides a Google map, and updates his location on the river every 10 minutes!

The Grand River Expedition 2010 is brought to you courtesy of dozens of Donors, Sponsor Organizations, State and Federal agencies' staff, Businesses, and Individuals, Host Communities, and many many hard-working Volunteers!  Thank you to all our Partners who have helped to make this very Grand Idea into a reality! 

GRE-2010 Background

Following Expeditions 1990 and 2000, paddlers in canoes and kayaks will explore and document conditions in Michigan's Grand River and watershed.  We'll learn her history, build awareness and appreciation of how the Grand connects our communities across the state.  Festivals, camping, music, and fun activities will make this a Grand Mid-Michigan adventure!

Attention Media:  Read our Press Release here!  For additional information, please contact GRE 2010 Chair Doug Carter at 517-627-7690. 

Plus, you can help promote the Expedition by getting your community to sign a Resolution.  Here's an example.  Please contact Doug Carter for any questions.

Special planning is underway in each region

Paddlers and volunteers in the Upper Grand River may contact Paul Rentschler who is coordinating the first 70 miles of the Expedition. If you're in the Middle Grand River region, contact Pat Harrington by email or cell phone 1-517-202-0812 to help coordinate events for the middle stretch of the Grand.  If you live downstream in the Lower Grand River region, contact Andy Bowman at 616-776-7611 to help out there.

The Grand River is Michigan's longest river.  Its basin is 5,570 square miles, has 18 counties and 158 townships.  Grand River Expedition 2010 includes a multi-disciplined team of scientists, technicians, historians, educators, students, environmental professionals, boaters and anglers, civic and business leaders, local, state and federal government representatives, writers, visual media specialists and private individuals from the general public.

The water team will paddle canoes and kayaks to conduct studies and specific tasks while on the Grand River.  In addition, the expedition will offer presentations, displays and demonstrations to communities along the river in an attempt to interact with the Grand River and its people throughout the watershed.

Photo at right by Rita Chapman:  From the east bank of the Grand River looking north toward the North Dam and the Brenke Fish Ladder in Lansing's historic Old Town.

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