Rip Current Education, Beach & Water Safety Ed.

My name is Heather Welsh-Johnson and I have lived in South Haven the majority of my life. Sadly we as a community are acclimated to the drownings off our shoreline and along the coast of Lake Michigan. We have been taught since grade school the dangers of the lake and the rip currents. Unfortunately not all people are afforded this education. I found my company, a non-profit organization, just after a 7 year old boy and his Uncle trying to save him passed away from drowning off of South Haven’s North Beach. 

Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project and South Haven L.I.F.E. have guided me along in creating SHAPE  to help stop these senseless tragedies from happening to anyone else who enters our stretch of water. My goal is to restore safety to the beaches with programs focusing on education and awareness to the public who are unaware of the dangers, training kids and adults how to escape a rip current, what to do in case of an emergency on the beach or in the water, and bring the community together on water safety initiatives. I have a “boots on the ground” type of approach to get these agendas going.

In running a non-profit I am in need of a lot investment from my fellow humans so we can also expand this across the state and to other states in need of this type of program. The donations can be in the form of money, popsicles, time as a volunteer, vendor volunteering for park party days etc. Reach out to me if you can donate any of these things as we can use all the help we can get!

Here are the needs of the program:

Monetary Investments via donations/sponsorships/partnerships

Donations for a rip current simulator to be installed at one of our local pools/a local pool willing to have it installed and used for training and education purposes

Donations for educational print materials-brochures-flyers-business cards-etc.

Donations for popsicles as part of our popsicle patrols rewarding beach goers for good beach behaviors

Donations for Red Flag Day Park Party at the local parks-food truck vendors-kids make and take projects-gift bags for registered Capture the Flag tournament players-sunscreen-water bottles-tshirts-gift cards-prizes for all winning teams-business coupons

Volunteers to contribute to beach clean up days

Donations for shirts, lanyards for water watcher badges and brochures for popsicle patrol

I thank you all for anything you can give and appreciate the attention on the cause.