Get ready to ROCK THE BOAT 2019!
Whirlpool Corporation “Rock the Boat” cardboard boat races return to the St. Joseph River on July 18.
A record 75 boats are set to compete in the fourth annual "Rock the Boat" cardboard boat races, hosted by Whirlpool Corporation on Thursday, July 18, 2019 at The Inn at Harbor Shores (800 Whitwam Drive), with proceeds benefiting United Way of Southwest Michigan. The race begins at 5 p.m.
The life-size boats are made of cardboard, duct tape, and polyurethane, and powered entirely by human paddling. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Kids activities will include build-your-own pool-noodle boats. The first 200 kids to come will get free Rock the Boat sunglasses.
“This event has continued to grow every year, and that means more money to the community,” said Dave Cichocki, Vice President of U.S. Sales for Whirlpool Corporation and Chair of Whirlpool’s United Way campaign. “We started with five boats in 2016, then 30 in 2017 and last year we had 64. This year, we capped it at 75 boats, and registration was full by early June.”
Rock the Boat is now one of the biggest cardboard boat competitions in the Midwest. The number of spectators has grown exponentially as well, with more than 3,000 people making their way down to the marina last summer to join in on the fun.
Learn more at uwsm.org/rocktheboat.
The People’s Choice Award
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE BOAT! At this summer’s event, the People’s Choice Award will be presented to the team that raises the most money for United Way leading up to the race. The winner takes home the Traveling Trophy AND will present $2,500 to a UWSM-funded partner of their choice! Go to uwsm.org/rocktheboat to vote with your donation to the team you want to win.
PAR-TE-TYME boat viewing party
Watch the race from the river on the Par-Te-Tyme boat! We are selling tickets to the viewing party aboard the Par-Te-Tyme, a 60-foot, double-deck cruise vessel that will be anchored in the St. Joe River. Tickets are $35 per person, and that includes pizza and Rock the Boat sunglasses. There will be a cash bar and a radio remote on the boat covering the race with Matt Malone on Y-Country! After the race is over, the boat will take a Lake Michigan cruise. Tickets can be purchased at uwsm.org/rocktheboat.
ROCK THE DOCK with Hey Girl Hey
The public is invited to stay after the race to ROCK THE DOCK. Hey Girl Hey will be performing at Plank’s Tavern (at The Inn at Harbor Shores) from 8-10 p.m. Hey Girl Hey is a Top 40s Michiana party band. With an array of cover songs spanning the last four decades, there’s no audience that won’t love Hey Girl Hey!
The teams are:
United Way of Southwest Michigan
Children’s Music Workshop
Whirlpool - Wipro Limited
Southwestern Michigan College #1
Southwestern Michigan College #2
Whirlpool - Law Department
Whirlpool - Global Materials Group
Whirlpool - Sales
Spectrum Health Lakeland
Kinexus
Lindberg/MPH
Well of Grace Club H2O
Pier 1000 Marina
Holt Bosse
St. Joe Today
The Inn at Harbor Shores
Union Home Mortgage
Palisades Nuclear NAYGN
RMB Capital
Wells Fargo
Abonmarche
AEP, D.C. Cook Plant
United Federal Credit Union
1st Source Bank
Honor Credit Union
Starks Family Funeral Homes
Gast Manufacturing Boat #1
Gast Manufacturing Boat #3
Gast Manufacturing Boat #4
Gast Manufacturing Boat #
Gast Manufacturing - Gast Leadership
Gast Manufacturing - Gast Interns
Gast Manufacturing - Just Add Water
Four Winds Casinos
YMCA of Southwest Michigan
Blossomtime Festival
Whirlpool - Noel’s Ark II
Alex’s Veggies - Maized and Cornfused
The Livery
Chemical Bank
Whirlpool (GPO Finance) - Unsinkable III
Edgewater Bank
Lake Michigan College
Overture
Whirlpool - TCS
Whirlpool - The Planning Pontoon
Whirlpool - SeaPG
Whirlpool - International Logistics Team
Anytime Fitness - Stevensville
Nahin/Dunstan Family - Sea Dog
Pepsico
Van’s Medical Equipment of Lakeland - Vantastic
PhycoTech, Inc.
Whirlpool (Dryer Subsystems) - Lodz you believe they left the Hangout
Whirlpool Women’s Network
Whirlpool Dryer Platform - Floaty BoaTRS
Whirlpool St. Joseph Tech Center - Whirlpool SJTC
Whirlpool Women’s Network
North Pier Brewing Company
Whirlpool - Edgewater Tech Center / Cooking Organization
Whirlpool Creative Services - Put a Cork in it
Whirlpool Corporation Sales Training - Margaritaville
Whirlpool Laundry Product Marketing - Record Breaking
Whirlpool GIS - Gone Phishing
Whirlpool CXC
Accenture
ZIM American Integrated Shipping Services Co. LLC
Whirlpool R & B Channel 1
Whirlpool R & B Channel 2
Martin’s Supermarket Store 23
Capgemini
Whirlpool / NAR Quality - Relentless
The Alex Mandarino Foundation
Whirlpool NAR Finance
Whirlpool BHTC - Boaty McBoard Face
Whirlpool BHTC - Soggy Bottom Persons
United Way and Whirlpool extend their heartfelt thanks to the event sponsors: DPM Events, The Inn at Harbor Shores, Overture, Accenture, Union Home Mortgage, Wells Fargo Advisors, Pepsico, and Capgemini.
For more information, visit uwsm.org/rocktheboat.
ABOUT UNITED WAY
United Way of Southwest Michigan fights for the Health, Education, and Financial Stability of every person in every community. We have the influence and relationships to make sustainable change a reality. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit and public partners, we provide immediate assistance to our most vulnerable populations while addressing the root causes of our community's longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. To join the fight—through giving, advocacy, and volunteering—visit uwsm.org.