The Youth Committee was proud to support Grand Haven Area Public School's "The Only Arms You'll Ever Need" Campaign which received both state and national recognition.

New grants for Fiscal year 2008 (January 1, 2007-December 31, 2008) During the 2008 fiscal year the Youth Advisory Committee is continuing to support programs for youth in the Tri-Cities. Listed below are some of the new grants awarded from the Youth Fund:

• Tri-Cities Kid's League $5,000 to assist with the purchase of an irrigation system at East End Park.
  
  
• Love, INC $650 to support the Community Food Distribution.
  
  
• Wetland Watch $3,000 to support Earth Day event specifically for youth including a Battle of the Bands activity.
  
  
• Northwest Ottawa County Chamber Foundation Leadership Connect $500 to fund "Boomerang", a career fair to encourage area youth to return to the community following post secondary education, to pursue their careers.
  
  
• Outdoor Discovery Center $2,500 to help fund the construction of the "Imagination Forest" a nature play area which will encourage children to experience nature through unstructured play in a safe, fun outdoor setting.
  
  
• Northwest Ottawa Recreation Program $1,000 to provide startup funding to cover equipment expenses in developing a new Lacrosse program for middle school girls.
  
  

• Ottawa County Parks and Recreation $5,000 Hemlock Crossing to assist with funding for the construction of a Nature Education Center at Hemlock Park to serve students and people of all ages throughout Ottawa County.
  
  
• Ottawa County MSU Extension $1,000 for scholarships for Journey Youth to attend 4-H Exploration Days Leadership Program.
  
  
• Tri-Cities Kids Family YMCA $2,500 to provide "seed money" for a community-wide Jungle Gym program to encourage healthy, active and creative play.
  
  
• City of Ferrysburg $5,000 to support enhancements to the Mike Herman Memorial Field in Ferrysburg.
  
  
• Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired $1,000 to support "Summer in the City" an eight day urban day comp designed to teach independence, job and life skills to visually impaired youth from 14-18 years old from Kent and Ottawa Counties and the STEPS Program.
  
  
• "Don't Drink and Drive" Ad Campaign $400 to place safe prom and graduation ads in the Grand Haven High School Bucs Blade and Spring Lake High School Laker Anchor.