by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
One of the most well-known and respected media personalities in Muskegon area history, Moyes was the long-time owner of the Bear Lake Tavern in North Muskegon but is even better known for the trademark “Hello sports fans” introduction he used throughout...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Pete Gawkowski has invested thousands of dollars and thousands of hours to better the sport of baseball in the Muskegon area, most notably refurbishing historic Marsh Field. A 1969 graduate of Muskegon Catholic Central High School, he played football, basketball, and...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Heeres never married and has no children, but he became a father figure of sorts to thousands of Whitehall High School students through 48 years of service as a teacher and coach. His sports background started in his prep days at Western Michigan Christian High...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Barney Sutherland, who taught social studies and coached at Reeths-Puffer High School for 38 years before retiring in 2001, continues to work at R-P as an event manager. Sutherland is truly a Rocket legend who earned the Distinguished Service Award, presented...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
For 45 years, kids’ smiles were Earl O’Brien’s only reward for the endless hours he spent coaching, refereeing and organizing youth sports leagues. For O’Brien, that was always more than enough. “I didn’t do the things I’ve done my whole life for an...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Jack Crowell fell in love with boxing while watching Pete Petroskey work Kenny Lane’s corner during a 1963 title fight on a hot August afternoon in Saginaw. In a dozen or so fights over the next decade, Crowell proved he could punch and developed “a decent left...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Mark Jastrzembski has given more than 20 years of his time to many area groups, particularly the West Michigan Speedskating club and the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex. Fitting the job description of the Distinguished Service Award to a ‘T’, Jastrzembski...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
For almost 40 years, Jerry Porter was “Mr. Bowling” in Muskegon County. Elected to the Greater Muskegon Bowling Association board of directors in 1969, Porter worked his way up to GMBA president in 1979. In 1982, he became the organization’s...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Most Little League baseball fields in the older parts of towns do not look as beautifully manicured as Sheldon Park in East Muskegon. Of course, most fields do not have an individual like Ralph Burr to work on like a second front lawn. Burr has often single-handedly...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band-aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Scholar Athlete
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Uncategorized
Times were when doctors with black bags full of stethoscopes, band-aids and ointments, stalked the sidelines at high school football games. Times were when they volunteered their services to help out the young athletes in their communities. They performed team...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Leo Campbell, who taught physical education in Muskegon Public Schools for 44 years, helped thousands of kids learn the rules and the value of sports long before they reached high school. Campbell never married. Instead, he devoted his energy and free time to his...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Bill Tilton moved to the Muskegon area from Terra Haute in 1964. An avid golfer, he won 38 golf tournaments during his days in Muskegon, but he is best remembered for his work within the sport. A retired engineer, Tilton spent much of his adult life passing golf...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Michael Knight was not a native of Muskegon. But few have championed her causes as Knight has. He fell in love with the area shortly after moving here in the 1970s and immediately got involved with many civic projects on a volunteer basis. He is credited with...
