GRR - Grand Rapids, MI

Welcome to the Grand Rapids, MI Pilots For Kids homepage. Learn how to get involved and participate in Pilots For Kids activities in the Grand Rapids, MI area.

---

News

2024 P4Ks Final Date Announcement

Last updated 5 months ago

Hello everyone.
Time is flying and we are quickly approaching our events. The dates are finalized, and listed below. The gifts are showing up but we are still in need. If you are able, please consider purchasing a gift from our wishlist or a tax-deductible donation (Information Below). As your December schedules come out, please let me know if you are able to attend either of our events.
I look forward to seeing those of you who are able to attend and appreciate the local community that we have established. This group makes a difference for the children who are going through a hard time!

Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids
1806 Bridge ST. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Date: Wednesday December 11th 4:30-7:30
Our Gilda event will look very similar to our events of the past. Arrival will be around 4:30 to set up for the event. We will serve dinner to all of the family members and then the youth groups will join us for the Holiday Party. This will be out big event of the year so we will need as many volunteers as possible.

Helen DeVos
100 Michigan ST NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Date: Monday December 2nd 1:30-4:00
For the Helen DeVos event we will participate in Blue Glass Live from the television studios in the hospital. The program consists of Bingo and some other type of aviation themed game. We will play host and interact with the kids virtually while they stream the show live to the rooms. Arrival time will be at 1:30-1:45pm behind the main lobby desk. The planned game time is an hour and then we will hand out prizes to the winners. There will also be an opportunity to visit other kid’s rooms to distribute other gifts. I was hoping to return to a lobby party of the past but was informed that they are not having many lobby parties. They are seeing much less participation in the lobby due to kids being more ill than the past years. They had a Make A Wish event in the lobby recently and only 15 kids were able to attend. With that in mind I decided it would be better to put more into visiting the patient’s rooms after the Blue Glass Live. This event will be smaller and only require 4-5 members.

Gifts
I have set up an Amazon Wishlist where you can order gifts for the children at our events. The gifts would be sent to my house for wrapping and sorting.
Amazon Wishlist

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1YH8F474O1J9Q?ref_=wl_share

Funding
As you are aware Pilots for Kids is a self-funded charity with chapters all over the country. In order for the GRR chapter to continue to be successful we need your assistance. We currently have 93 members and the annual dues go to national and do not cover our annual events. Please consider a tax-deductible monetary donations to the GRR chapter of Pilots for Kids website. The address is below, please make sure that GRR is selected in the drop-down menu below Direct my Donation To. That way the money goes directly to our chapter. If you would rather purchase gifts that will be distributed directly to the kids at the events, we have set up an Amazon Wishlist (link below) that will be updated regularly.
Grr.pilotsforkids.org (Donations via Pilot 4 Kids website-Tax deductible)

Brian Theisen
GRR P4Ks Coordinator
http://grr.pilotsforkids.org/

2024 GRR P4K's Date Announcement

Last updated 6 months ago

Hello everyone.
It’s that time of the year again and I look forward to seeing everyone. I would like to start by thanking everyone who contributed last year with either their time, gifts, or donations. We were able to fund both events without asking for any extra help from national or DTW’s P4Ks chapter. This contribution directly impacts the type of events we provide and the level of gifts that we are able to provide the children.

I have been in contact with Gilda’s Club and finalized our date to be on December 11th. As of today, I am still waiting on Helen DeVos to get back to me about the finalized date. It will be either December 2nd or 20th. Even though we received monetary and gift contributions we really need pilots and crews at the events. Gilda’s is the big event this year and the kids love to see the pilots and crew in their uniforms.

October 8-9 in Amazon Prime day in case you would like to purchase a gift for one of the events. It gets delivered directly to my door and wrapped by the pilot elves. I have updated the P4Ks Wishlist and a link is below. Both events and gift information are below.

Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids
1806 Bridge ST. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Date: Wednesday December 11th 4:30-7:30
Our Gilda event will look very similar to our events of the past. Arrival will be around 4:30 to set up for the event. We will serve dinner to all of the family members and then the youth groups will join us for the Holiday Party.

Helen DeVos
100 Michigan ST NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Date: Monday December 2nd or 20th Time 1:30-4:00
For the Helen DeVos event we will participate in Blue Glass Live from the television studios in the hospital. The program consists of Bingo and some other type of aviation themed game. We will play host and interact with the kids virtually while they stream the show live to the rooms. Arrival time will be at 1:30-1:45pm behind the main lobby desk. The planned game time is an hour and then we will hand out prizes to the winners. There will also be an opportunity to visit other kid’s rooms to distribute other gifts. I was hoping to return to a lobby party of the past but was informed that they are not having many lobby parties. They are seeing much less participation in the lobby due to kids being more ill than the past years. They had a Make A Wish event in the lobby recently and only 15 kids were able to attend. With that in mind I decided it would be better to put more into visiting the patient’s rooms after the Blue Glass Live.

Gifts
I have set up an Amazon Wishlist where you can order gifts for the children at our events. The gifts would be sent to my house for wrapping and sorting.
Amazon Wishlist
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1YH8F474O1J9Q?ref_=wl_share

Funding
As you are aware Pilots for Kids is a self-funded charity with chapters all over the country. In order for the GRR chapter to continue to be successful we need your assistance. We currently have 93 members and the annual dues go to national and do not cover our annual events. Please consider a tax-deductible monetary donations to the GRR chapter of Pilots for Kids website. The address is below, please make sure that GRR is selected in the drop-down menu below Direct my Donation To. That way the money goes directly to our chapter. If you would rather purchase gifts that will be distributed directly to the kids at the events, we have set up an Amazon Wishlist (link below) that will be updated regularly. If you would prefer to just send the donation to me and I can purchase the gifts and supplies for the events I have my Venmo listed below. Every bit helps and I greatly appreciate any contributions you make.

Grr.pilotsforkids.org (Donations via Pilot 4 Kids website-Tax deductible)

Venmo: Please Contact me for Info

I know its early in the year to start thinking about December. So, I will send out further details as we get closer. I know I have said it in the past but I always open to suggestions. Please feel free to contact me if you have any suggestions or questions.

Brian Theisen
GRR P4Ks Coordinator
brianstheisen@gmail.com
(734)277-2995
http://grr.pilotsforkids.org/

---

Upcoming Events

No upcoming events available. Contact the coordinator to see if there is an event they haven't posted yet!

---

Past Events

Events from the past year are displayed here. Please check below this section to see if pictures from these events are posted!

---

Photo Gallery