Not even a slight haze from the Canadian wildfires could keep the campers away. United Way of Southwest Michigan's Rock the Boat Cardboard Boat Races, presented by Honor Credit Union, returned to the Inn at Harbor Shores on Thursday, July 16, as twenty-three cardboard boats went to Summer Camp on the St. Joseph River channel and netted nearly $37,500 for programs serving Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.
Of that total, nearly $14,000 came from crowdfunding by the teams themselves, as spectators and supporters voted for their favorite boats with donations throughout the week and right up until the final heat.
The night's traveling trophy for Fastest Boat Afloat went to LOGAN Community Resources' "S'more Than a Feeling," which outpaced the field in the championship run. Dewey, Sinkum & Howe pulled off a rare double win, taking home both the Captain's Bounty award for most dollars raised and the People's Choice award for most individual donors, powered by more than $3,000 in donations from 37 donors. Lake Michigan College also doubled up, earning both the Most Creative and Best Theme Execution awards from judges representing the Krasl Art Center and the Blossomtime Court.
"What a night," said Zack East, Senior Director of Organizational Sustainability of United Way of Southwest Michigan. "We watched cardboard boats fly down the channel, we watched a few of them gloriously flip over and sink, and through it all our community showed up in a big way. Every one of these teams put in weeks or months of work, and every dollar raised stays right here to help our neighbors in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. That's what makes this event so special."
Thank you to all of this year's participating teams: Andrews University, Curi Capital, UWSM Board Chair Thaddeus Hackworth, Fifth Third Bank, Freedom Boat Club of Michiana, Gast Manufacturing, the Herald Palladium, Holtec Palisades, Honor Credit Union, Indiana Michigan Power's DC Cook Nuclear Plant, Lake Michigan College, Lakeshore Robotics, LOGAN Community Resources Inc., 99.9 Y Country, Racin' Mason Dixon's Front Porch Stomp, Robo Tech Zone, St. Joseph High School Average Joes Robotics, the St. Joseph-Lincoln Township Senior Center & St. Joseph Junior Foundation, Southwestern Michigan College, Walsworth, and Whirlpool Corporation.
The event was made possible by presenting sponsor Honor Credit Union and major sponsors Whirlpool Corporation, Corewell Health, Silver Beach Pizza, Gast Manufacturing, Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren, Blu Cat Consulting, and the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber. Key sponsors included Indiana Michigan Power's Cook Plant (Safety Fencing Sponsor), Visit Southwest Michigan (Shuttle Sponsor), Freedom Boat Club (Starting Line Sponsor), and Lake Michigan College (Drone Sponsor). Captain & Commodore sponsors were the Inn at Harbor Shores, Holtec Palisades, and Little Red Fern, with media partners 99.9 Y Country and the Herald Palladium.
Special thanks also go to United Container Company, Competitive Edge, Pepsi, Meijer, Gravity Productions, Feeding America, Big C Lumber, Brian's Marina, Godfrey Pontoon Boats, Lakeshore High School, and the Whirlpool Corporation Advanced Development & Innovation Team, as well as the Berrien County Sheriff's Department, St. Joseph Public Safety, and the US Coast Guard St. Joseph Station for keeping everyone safe on land and in the water.
Rock the Boat was founded 10 years ago by United Way's key campaign partner, Whirlpool Corporation, and has now collectively raised well over $150,000 for the community. Anyone who wants to help this fun tradition make waves again in 2027 can donate or become a sponsor at uwsm.org/donate.
