Students help restore historic lighthouse

Students, faculty and alumni from the hospitality and tourism management program helped clean up and restore Sturgeon Point Lighthouse in Harrisville, Michigan, May 18 and 19.

The 33 volunteers were among more than 200 tourism industry volunteers from across the state who participated in the Michigan Cares for Tourism project. Their work resulted in more than $30,000 in saved labor and $30,000 in materials and supplies at the historic site.

The group painted, took inventory of artifacts at the site, restored a small boat on the property, installed fencing, cleaned up grounds, spread woodchips on a trail and built picnic tables.

Patty Janes, assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management, coordinates the Michigan Cares for Tourism group, which is a partnership between Grand Valley, Travel Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources, Driven and Indian Trails, along with support from the national Tourism Cares organization, which the group is modeled after.

For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/michigancaresfortourism.