West Michigan's Morning News
Griffins Youth Foundation Golf Classic
We welcome Bob Kaser, President of the Griffins Youth Foundation and radio/TV play-by-play broadcaster for the Grand Rapids Griffins to the show to discuss an upcoming golf outing benefitting the Griffins Youth Foundation.
More information can be found here: Griffins Youth Foundation Golf Outing
- Duration:
- 4m
- Broadcast on:
- 25 Jun 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
Well, yesterday, the Grand Rapids Youth Foundation announced that this year's Grand Rapids Youth Foundation Golf Classic presented by Meyer Is Back at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven. This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Brett Piketto, that's Lauren Smith, ladies and gentlemen, amongst other things, president of the Griffin's Youth Foundation, Bob Kaser on the live line. Bob, thanks for doing this today. And you know what, any time I get the chance to sit in with you guys, the greatest three in the history of radio, I'm all about it. Holy smokes. Well, Sue Thayer, as well, as voice and face of the Griffin, before we get to the specifics of the tournament this year, talk to us a little bit about the work of the foundation here in West Michigan. Well, there's a lot that goes into it, Steve, as you, I think you know, and a lot of people have come to learn over the over time foundation is, you know, much more visible. It seems here in West Michigan, and that's because of the great work of, you know, Dan and Pam Devos started the foundation before the Griffin's dropped the first puck. And we've talked about that on the year, you know, many times over the years, and it's such a great story that they had this vision to give kids a chance to play hockey and do other things that they couldn't afford to do otherwise, you know, before the Griffin duty started playing. And now we've grown to almost 500 kids that we serve and their families, and it's, you know, it's such a, it's such a great piece of their lives, and, and, you know, we have alumni who still reach back to us and, you know, miss it so much, and I think that's a statement just how much that, you know, they got out of it during their time playing and participating. So yeah, it's just, it just, it covers so many great things and it impacts so many terrific kids and families and, you know, and then the golf outing is, is our biggest fundraiser, you know, it's an important event for sure, and we get great support for that and so many other things that we do. Thanks to the philanthropic minds of this great, great community we live in. Bob, speaking to the alumni, what a night, last night of hockey, so you have Brett Peterson, Florida's assistant GM who played back in the day with the griffins, becomes now the 20th Grand Rapids player or coach to now etch their name on Lord Stanley's Cup, and then at the same time in the A-Chon wrapping up, and we'd love to have the griffins there, but we couldn't get the griffins there, the Hershey Bears win it again, and they're coached by Wade Nelson with the Grand Rapids griffins size, I mean, unbelievable, and I say that because as you know, I think sometimes we forget just how good the hockey is in the A-Chon, how good we have it here with, they're just one step away from the A-Chon. Yeah, well, you know, they were talking, I don't know if you saw the post-game last night, Brett, we'd be, we're talking about the Gustav Forestling for the, you know, the Florida Panthers, who was just a couple of years removed from the American League, and most of those guys play in this league for, you know, for a period of time, whether it's a year or a couple of years, three, four years in many cases. So, you know, the American League is an amazing league, it's, I think, somewhat underrated, depending on who you talk to, but most people recognize it, it is, you know, it's the stepping stone to the National Hockey League, and guys are going back and forth up and down, and, you know, it's, it's, we're so blessed with great hockey here, and great people too, you know, you mentioned Todd Nelson, Brian Helmer, as the general manager in Hershey, and Dylan Macarath, who was, you know, the difference maker for us when we won the cup, the cup in 2017, came to us at the trade deadline, and, you know, he was back there with these thunderous hits, and just a great first, former first-round draft pick, and great leader in the room, and he really did, you know, provide that, that, that extra boom, if you will, to get us, get us all the way to the second-caller cup in 2017, so he's got back-to-back cups, and the other two have back-to-back cups in Hershey, so great night of hockey last night, amazing though, Jim, what, June 24th, hockey is still, still being played, could have been the 26th that Hershey would have been taken to a seventh game, but, yeah, it's, it's fun to see, you know, some of the ex-gripens doing so well in the National Hockey League, and putting their name on the Stanley Cup doesn't get any better than that. We will put the link, by the way, to find out more information about getting involved with the, the Grand Rapids Youth Foundation, golf classic in the podcast section at woodradio.com, where we will put this conversation with Bob Kzer, radio and television, play-by-play broadcaster, vice president of some business thing, and president of the Youth Foundation. Thank you so much for your time today. They need to add to your title, Bob. Yeah, hope to see you guys out in American Dunes, by the way. Yes.