HUDSONVILLE, Michigan — The Anthros Foundation, a Wisconsin-based company, hosts an annual At The Lake event in Wisconsin. This year, they brought it to West Michigan for the first time. The event, in Hudsonville, gave those with unique abilities a chance to enjoy the water and warm weather. After a successful turnout, the organization said they plan to bring the event back next year.
The athletes who came out to the Action Water Sports Wake Park were able to have fun on the lake, make new friends, and try new activities in the water. Organizers of the event said more than 100 people attended the event.
"I almost started crying when I saw this girl going skiing for the first time and she was so happy,” At The Lake co-founder Janna DuFresne said. "It's happy tears with all the volunteers and the athletes, we want to make them happy and all of us watching them have fun made us all so happy.”
The event was co-hosted by Grand Rapids-based Artists Creating Together (ACT).
"We partnered to bring the organization to bring the event to West Michigan,” ACT executive director Angela Steele said. "We have lots of different participants here with disabilities from area disability agencies, special education classrooms, and a huge crew of volunteers from area corporations and individuals from the community."
The adaptive watersports event featured cable park adaptive skiing, paddleboarding and inflatable obstacle courses for kids to enjoy.
"I'm here with my daughter and we came for the adaptive water sports,” Carrie Veltkamp said. "She just got done doing the water ski and loved it."
The free event is held Thursday July 11 and Friday July 12 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., but requires registration, which you can find here.
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