DeVos Children's Hospital has partnered with the Griffins to launch the second year of the team's innovative "Put A Lid On It" helmet safety program. Several of the team's other community programs are just winding down a successful 2004-05 season.


The Griffins are proud to welcome DeVos Children's Hospital as the presenting sponsor of their Put A Lid On It (PALOI) helmet safety program.

Introduced by the Griffins last summer to promote the importance of wearing helmets during bicycling and other outdoor activities, PALOI takes that message to the streets and kids of West Michigan, with an ultimate goal of helping prevent brain and neurological injuries.

With the support of DeVos Children's Hospital and sponsors such as Fuel Systems, Centennial Securities and Chicago Drive Cycling, PALOI takes a multi-layered approach to spreading the message of helmet safety through:

Displays of helmet safety awareness posters in schools, community centers, libraries, bike and skate shops, and sporting goods stores throughout West Michigan;
The purchase of hundreds of helmets that are distributed free to those in need by SAFE KIDS Greater Grand Rapids;
A "ticketing" program involving local police departments, in which kids who wear their helmets are rewarded with two free tickets to a Griffins game;
The involvement of Griffins personnel in school assemblies, bike rodeos and as celebrity school crossing guards.

New for 2005, one lucky (not to mention helmeted) kid will also win a bike, courtesy of Chicago Drive Cycling.

For more information on the Put A Lid On It program, please call (616) 774-4585 ext. 3046.

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Once again this season, local companies have teamed with Griffins players through the Charitable Goals program to help raise money for a variety of worthwhile charities. Every time the player scores a goal or records a point, the company donates $50 or $100 towards a mutually agreed upon charity.

The players' performances and the sponsors' generosity has raised $7,000 in donations to date:

Travis Richards and Fuel Systems - $200 to St. John’s Home
Jiri Hudler and Tracy’s Stained Glass Windows - $350 to the Salvation Army
Darryl Bootland and KBH Homes - $1,400 to Big Brothers Big Sisters
Bryan Helmer and Priority Mortgage - $2,000 to the Humane Society
Matt Ellis/Nathan Robinson and Lighthouse Group Insurance - $400 to the American Red Cross
Blake Sloan and Lake Michigan Credit Union - $650 to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Peter Vandermeer and Centennial Securities - $650 to the Equest Center
Eric Manlow and Dean Foods - $800 to the Make-a-Wish Foundation
Niklas Kronwall and Duthler Foods - $550 to the Autism Society of Kent County

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Through the Griffins' Become a Hero program, you can support a variety of local and national charities by making pledges towards individual Griffins' performances on the ice. Just choose your favorite player, make a pledge towards each goal, assist, point, win or save that he accumulates during the 2004-05 regular season, then choose to designate that pledge for either the player's chosen charity or the Griffins Youth Foundation. You'll be invoiced by the designated charity for your tax-deductible pledge at the conclusion of the season.

To date, Become a Hero commitments total nearly $1,800, led by the $583 pledged through Blake Sloan to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Grand Rapids Affiliate.

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The fourth annual Tip-A-Griffin fundraiser was held on Feb. 22 at five local Applebee's restaurants.

A great time was had by all, as nearly 30 Griffins players, coaches and staff members served as waiters and bartenders for fans and Applebee's patrons. Tips, donations and auction proceeds from the event raised $10,705 for Big Brothers Big Sisters, bringing the four-year total for various charities to approximately $44,000.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made Tip-A-Griffin such a huge success!

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And finally, congratulations are in order for the champions and runners-up of Griffins Amateur Hockey League's (GAHL) second season.

The premier travel league in West Michigan, the GAHL stretches from Traverse City to Fort Wayne, Ind., and promotes the development of hockey skills in an atmosphere of fun and good sportsmanship. The league is comprised of 17 amateur hockey associations, 40 teams and over 700 kids.

The finals for all seven age divisions were held at Van Andel Arena on March 12. During the first intermission of the Griffins game that night, GM Bob McNamara and Red Wings associate coach Barry Smith handed out the hardware to the best teams in the GAHL:

Squirt "A" - Champion Kalamazoo K-Wings, Runner-Up Traverse City Northway Knights
Squirt "AA" - Champion Grand Valley Stars, Runner-Up Battle Creek Bruins
Pee Wee "A" - Champion Rockford Rams, Runner-Up GRAHA Griffins
Pee Wee "AA" - Champion Grand Valley Stars, Runner-Up GRAHA Griffins
Bantam "A" - Champion GRAHA Griffins, Runner-Up Traverse City North Stars
Bantam "AA" - Champion Rockford Rams, Runner-Up Muskegon Chiefs
Girls U-19 - Champion Traverse City North Stars, Runner-Up Muskegon Chiefs