IHL 2 Kalamazoo Wings

Wings stadium to host Burn Camp Parade

Published on June 28, 2005 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Kalamazoo Wings News Release


Kalamazoo, MI- The Wings Stadium Complex, which is also home to "The Annex" and "The Cube", announces that the complex will be the starting point for The Great Lakes Burn Camp Parade on Sunday, July 3rd.

The parade, which normally starts at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, could not be held at its normal location due to construction. With The Great Lakes Burn Camp searching for a place to start the parade, the Wings Stadium Complex has gladly donated their facility for the event.

This year will the 11th year for the The Great Lakes Burn Camp Summer Camp. The camp will begin on Sunday July 3rd, with the parade and conclude on Friday July 8th.

The 2005 summer camp will be held at the Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center located at 6225 N. 39th Street.

Registration for the camp will begin at 11 a.m. on July 3rd, as southwest Michigan's favorite mascot Slappy welcomes approximately 100 campers.

The campers will depart Wings Stadium, 3600 Vanrick Drive, at 1 p.m. The kids will ride to camp in a parade of fire trucks proudly provided by fire departments and individuals.

The parade route from Wings Stadium to camp will be:

Sprinkle Road north to ML Avenue

ML Avenue to River Street

River Street to Kings Highway

Kings Highway to M-96

M-96 to 37th Street

37th Street camp entrance

Great Lakes Burn Camp provides a unique experience that promotes Healing, Self-Esteem, Confidence and General Well being for burn injured children.

The idea of the Great Lakes Burn Camp started in the summer of 1994, when Michigan native Chris Klavon volunteered his time as a counselor for a special camp in Minnesota. The camp was a place where children, who had suffered from burns, were free from the common stares they received on a daily basis.

But the children were not the only ones that received those awkward glances. Chris did too. There was a common bond between Chris and the children. Both were learning to cope with the aftermath of of being burned while simultaneously learning to live life to the fullest. And while this camp experience was a wonderful one for Chris, he also felt a sense of emptiness. He felt empty because there was no camp like that for children in Michigan.

By December of that year, Chris had assembled a group of individuals to explore the possibilities of starting a special burn camp in Michigan. Within months of that first meeting, a camp site had been identified. Burn centers, firefighters and private citizens from across the state had donated time and money.

After countless hours of hard work and planning, Great Lakes Burn Camp (GLBC) became a reality on August 13, 1995.

Forty-five children attended that first summer. It was a celebration of happiness, healing, hope and life. As Great Lakes Burn Camp plans for its eleventh summer, they are proud to have served over 800 burn injured children. The staff, consisting mainly of unpaid volunteers, hails from all over the United States. And in addition to its annual Summer Camps, GLBC has hosted eight winter retreats.

The Great Lakes Burn Camp strives to always give a place where kids will find solace and acceptance. A place where everyone is beautiful inside and out!

Stadium Management Company owns both Wings Stadium Complex and the Kalamazoo Wings hockey team. Wings Stadium Complex is comprised of three buildings; Wings Stadium seats more than 5,100 fans for K-Wings home games and more than 8,000 people for concerts and other stage events. The Annex seats 1,367 for ice events and 2,850 for non-ice events such as car, boat, and trade shows. The Cube is the newer of the three facilities, that plays host to both ice and non-ice events. All three buildings are available for rental and feature numerous catering and meeting opportunities.

For more information regarding the Wings Stadium Complex hosting the Great Lakes Burn Camp Parade, please contact Mike Modugno, Director of Public Relations and Broadcaster at (269) 349-9772, extension 220.

Check out the Kalamazoo Wings Statistics

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from June 28, 2005


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