Bed Races 2016 sprints to the finish

Excited shouts and gasps of disbelief echoed as crowds lined Grand River Ave. eagerly watching teams race down the street during the Chilly Fest Bed Races on Jan. 23.  

Treacherous turns and friendly rivalry were the order of the day as six teams competed to be named 2016 Bed Races champion. Ultimately, Orthopedic Associates blue team took home the trophy and OA's second consecutive win. 

But they weren't the only winners: first, second and third place all left with prizes as well as the best costumed team and audience members who participated in the dance contest.  

We'd like to thank PoHo Paddle Co., SC4 theater, Elite Feet, Casey's Pizza, Kate's Downtown, Lynch's Irish Tavern and Fuel for donating prizes!  

  Read more about Bed Races 2016 in the Times Herald

BWYP Ugly Sweater Party 2015

Tis the season to say golly (over all the ugly sweaters)!!!

Celebrate the season in ugly sweater style at the Blue Water Young Professionals holiday party Thursday, Dec. 10 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Vintage Tavern (2nd Floor) in downtown Port Huron.

You don't have to be a BWYP to join in the festivities. Friends, spouses or anyone interested in the group is welcome!

Please bring a pack or pair of new socks to donate to local people in need. All socks collected will benefit the women and children at Blue Water Safe Horizons, the area's domestic abuse shelter. 

Prize for the ugliest sweater!

Cost of $16 includes a variety of appetizers. Cash bar. RSVPs by Nov. 30 are strongly encouraged. 
 

Get your ticket here!

Melt the ice with Bed Races 2016

Build a “bed”, wear a costume, and race down the street in the middle of winter. 

Prepare to tear up the streets of downtown Port Huron. Chilly Fest is fast approaching and with it the coolest event in town: Bed Races.

This crowd favorite returns Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 at the intersection of McMorran Blvd. and Superior Mall. Racing starts at 3 p.m.

Compete for awesome prizes against creatively costumed teams in timed relays amid optional distracts like whistles and silly string.

Remember: inventive costumes and dirty tricks are half the fun! Last year we even had a presidential detail with police escort.

Teams consist of five people, including four racers and a sleeper. Entry fee is $25 per team.

Want to find more information, register your team, or learn how to build a bed? Visit this page or email Audrey Sochor at asochor06@gmail.com

BWYP Halloween pub crawl is back!

There's nothing more scary than a bunch of YPs out on the town in Halloween costumes! Plan your costume or dig out that festive Halloween t-shirt and mark your calendar - the Halloween pub crawl returns Oct. 30 in downtown Port Huron.  This will be a very “informal” gathering, below is a list of bars with approximate times.

Schedule:

5:30 p.m. - CASEY’S PIZZA & SUBS - Planning to have dinner and start the fun.

7:00 p.m. - FUEL WOODFIRE GRILL

7:45 p.m. - THUMBCOAST BREWERY

8:30 p.m. - THE HAC

9:15 p.m. - ROCHE or ALLEY ROOM

10:00 p.m. - LYNCH’S IRISH TAVERN

This get-together is always a fun time. We hope to see you and your friends there!

Please not we will NOT be providing a “Pub Crawl” T-shirt this year.

Pine River Poker Paddle returns

Combining two popular pastime activities equals great summer fun. The 2nd annual Pine River Poker Paddle returns Saturday, Aug. 29.

Registration starts at 9:30 a.m., and is free and open to the public. Paddle starts at 10 a.m.

During this event, participants paddle along the Pine River starting at the St. Clair Boat Harbor to the train bridge and back. Along the way they will stop at five checkpoints to pick up a poker card.  

At the end of the event, the player with the best hand wins a brand new kayak, generously sponsored by DeLude Construction.

Attendees will also have chances to win other great prizes such as a guided kayaking tour for up to 10 people from Missy's Kayak Connection or SUP/kayak accessories from PoHo Paddle Co.

Don't own your own kayak, canoe or paddle board? Don't worry, a limited number of kayaks are available to rent from the St. Clair Boat Harbor or Great Lakes Paddle Sports. A limited number of paddle boards will also be available for rent from PoHo Paddle Co.

Volleygrass a big hit

The last weekend in July is well-known by all area volleyball lovers. Volleygrass  brings in players from all over the Thumb region, and this year was no exception. 

This year about 200 teams played.

Teaming up with the Port Huron Northern Athletic Boosters for a second year, the BWYP helped put on Volleygrass 2015.

As the biggest volleyball competition in the area, this tournament is run by the booster club, and their varsity volleyball coach, as a fundraiser for the sports programs at Port Huron Northern High School.

The BWYP raised around $2,500 for our future projects. We are in charge of sponsorships, registration and bracketing the tournament.  

BWYP VP Jackie Hanton accepts position with Community Foundation

The Blue Water Young Professionals' Vice President Jackie Hanton has been named Vice President of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. Read more about her new position in today's Times Herald article.

Congratulations to Jackie on this new chapter in her career.

YPs are off to the races for first annual fundraiser

The YPs were off to the races May 2 for our first annual Kentucky Derby party.

Partygoers enjoyed delicious food alongside derby-themed cocktails like mint juleps as we prepared to watch the run for the roses. Online gambling allowed attendees to bet on their favorite horses.

American Pharoah wasn't the only winner that day. After the race, a raffle provided lucky winners a chance to take home a 55" LG flat screen smart TV or a basket of Kentucky bourbons. 

But what would a derby party be without the classic Churchill Downs fashion and its iconic hats?  

Nine ladies entered our hat contest. The crowd favorite took home a pecan pie.

Altogether, 40 people dressed in their derby best for this inaugural fundraising event. Their support will go toward the community focused objectives of the BWYP and the Black River Walk, one of our current projects.  

Thank you everyone who attended and had fun with us! Special thanks go out to Tom for opening the Alley Room to us and Kati from Blossoming Affairs for the beautiful flowers.

It's Gus Macker time again!

It's hard to believe that it's almost Macker time again. Please join us and volunteer some time this year at the Gus Macker 3v3 basketball tournament May 22, 23 and 24.  

Crystal Jahn is once again in charge of registration.  This volunteer opportunity is for Friday, May 22 between 3:30 – 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 23 between 6:30 a.m. and noon.  You can sign up for smaller blocks of time if that works for you. 

This is a great event and the BWYP is proud to be a part of it for the third year. Please use the link below to register.  Thank you so much.

 We're using VolunteerSpot to organize volunteers for Gus Macker 2015. Here's how it works in three easy steps:

Click here to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot or cut and paste this link into your browser: http://vols.pt/EEJ2Ja

Enter your email address. You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot.

Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Monthly socials a new feature for YPs

Attention BWYP members! We will now have monthly socials in addition to our general membership meetings. Previously, socials were only held every quarter.

These gatherings are a great way to interaction with and get to know fellow members in a more relaxed setting. Socials will be targeted for the second Thursday of each month unless combined with another event.

Two upcoming socials will fall on different days: 

This month, on April 16, we will be partnering with The Center for Michigan to host a community conversation on college value and affordability. We'd like to hear your thoughts on this topic! The Center will share your top priorities for improving college value and affordability with state leaders.

Don't forget to sip a brew or grab a bite to eat while there. Thumbcoast Brewery will be donating 10 percent of their profits from the social to the YPs! Event starts at 5:30 p.m.

Please RSVP via this link: https://www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/585/mtglistproc.asp?formid=Calender&caleventid=340

Our June social will be combined with our first ever Slow Roll on June 17. We will be riding bikes from the Marysville Golf Club to Harsen's Island Brewery (social location) and back. This event starts at 6 p.m.