2023 Kayak Raffle Information

Tickets on sale now!

 The Friends of the Shiawassee River were founded in 1996 by a group of individuals who wanted to continue the work of Owosso (MI) resident, Jim Miner. Beginning in the 1970’s, Miner organized some of the first volunteer river cleanup events in Owosso. These events inspired a generation of river stewards, the formation of the Friends, and the Annual River Cleanup event. 

The Friends of the Shiawassee River’s 28th Annual River Cleanup will again be held as a week-long event, from July 22-29. Last year, nearly 200 people participated in the River Cleanup event, and the Friends hope to increase participation and sections of the river cleaned to make the biggest possible impact. Volunteers clean in and along the river, on foot and in boats, and span over 60 miles of the Shiawassee River, in three counties. Last year, this cleanup effort removed 20 cubic yards of refuge from the river, as well as dozens of tires. Removing garbage pollution benefits not only the aquatic and terrestrial wildlife that rely on the river, but also improves the safety and aesthetic qualities of the river for recreationalists. Volunteers are able to select their group, date, time, and section of the river they would like to clean. You’re encouraged to register now through the Friends’ website, www.shiawasseeriver.org, under the Events tab.  

The Shiawassee County Health Department Tire Collecting will take place in conjunction with the River Cleanup, on July 29, from 8am - 12pm (or until the trailer is full), at the Shiawassee County Road Commission, 701 W. Corunna Ave. Corunna, MI. River Cleanup participants retrieving tires from the river will receive information on how they can recycle the tires free of charge. Others can recycle auto tires for $2 (without rim) or $3 (with rim) and semi-truck tires for $5 (without rim) or $10 (with rim). 

River Cleanup participants are urged to email photos of their cleanup activities to info@shiawasseeriver.org or send them to the Friends via Facebook Messenger, for the Friends’ Facebook page. 

The Friends are thankful to their 2023 River Cleanup Event Sponsors. This project has been funded in part through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Nonpoint Source Program with additional event sponsorship provided by High Life Farms. In-kind sponsorship is provided by Waste Management and the Shiawassee County Health Department. Helping Hands sponsorship is provided by Chesaning Area Conservation Club, J&S Tire and Service, Saginaw County Parks & Recreation Commission, Village of Chesaning, and VMD & Associates. Additional support is provided by Chesaning Township and St. Peter Parish of Chesaning.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors.  The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River.  The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.                                                                        

May 24, 2023 - OWOSSO, MI – The third annual Shiawassee Triathlon took place in Owosso and Corunna this past weekend, on Sunday, May 21, through the combined efforts of the Fitness Coliseum and Friends of the Shiawassee River. Thanks to the generous event sponsors, 275 individual participants, 29 relay teams, over 100 volunteers (many returning from last year), and all those who came down to cheer everyone on, the event was very successful! Participants ran from the Fitness Coliseum in downtown Owosso to McCurdy Park in Corunna, where they entered the water and paddled back toward Owosso. In the last leg of the event, triathletes exited the river on Jerome Avenue, near The Sideline Owosso (with the help of many enthusiastic volunteers) and continued to the biking portion in the streets south of Owosso - finishing the race where they started, at the Fitness Coliseum. 

All 350 registration spaces were filled, and participants ranged in age from 13 to 77. The finishing times for the race ranged from 1:21:53 to 3:19:54, so various levels of experience and competitiveness were welcomed and appreciated. Racers traveled from cities all over Michigan, including Grand Rapids, Brighton, Royal Oak, and Au Gres (to name a few) and out of state participants traveled from Woodford, VA, Western Springs, IL, and New York, NY. The majority of race participants were local - residents of Owosso & Corunna, and many traveled from up and downstream, from Linden, Byron, Durand, Chesaning, etc. “It is incredible to see the vast local support for this event, in the form of both race participants and volunteers! It is exciting to have several participants travel from impressive distances to be part of the Shi-Tri as well. For those of us who work to organize the race, it is very rewarding to see how the race has grown year after year, and at FOSR we have great appreciation for Bri Marrah (Owner of Fitness Coliseum) for her work and vision to make this race possible!” said Friends of the Shiawassee Events and Communications Coordinator, Rebecca Huska. 

Those sentiments were shared by event lead-organizer, Bri Marrah. 

“This event brings me so much excitement and pride each year! The community participation and amazing feedback we get is just awesome and we already can’t wait to make it even bigger and better next year! My goal is for the Shi-Tri to be an event that people return to each year because they enjoy it so much, and for it to be truly beneficial for our community.” 

The date for the Shi-Tri in 2024 will be Sunday, May 19, so mark your calendars!

The winners of the event were as follows (for a full list of participant times, visit https://www.racetecresults.com/Results.aspx?CId=16371&RId=6040 : 

Female Overall 

● 1st: Cadia Hofmann - 1:21:53 (see photo) 

Male Overall 

● 1st: Stephen Moelter - 1:25:18 (see photo) 

Youth Age 17 and Under 

● 1st: Charlie Agnew - 1:39:12 

● 2nd: Nick Douchette 1:40:20 

● 3rd: Kia Spiess - 1:46:38 

● 4th: David Peterson - 2:03:57 

Male Ages 18-29 

● 1st: Jack Gosselin - 1:26:13 

● 2nd: Mason Warner - 1:36:36 

● 3rd: Zach Graham - 1:38:10 

Female Ages 18-29 

● 1st: Andrea Crawford - 1:49:53 

● 2nd: Emily Vandewiele - 1:50:43 

● 3rd: Jenna Schaller - 1:55:25 

Male Ages 30-39 

● 1st: Korey Sumbera - 1:27:58 

● 2nd: Joseph Connaghan - 1:29:14 

● 3rd: Jay Paquette - 1:33:46 

Female Ages 30-39 

● 1st: Kali Bayes - 1:42:09 

● 2nd: Meghan Wilde - 1:45:17 

● 3rd: Kelly Turek - 1:45:38 

Male Ages 40-49 

● 1st: Steven Sobak - 1:36:49 

● 2nd: Josh Stark - 1:38:16 

● 3rd: Jeffrey Jolley - 1:38:55 

Female Ages 40-49 

● 1st: Stacey Jenkinson - 1:47:20 

● 2nd: Mary Thompson - 1:48:08 

● 3rd: Annette Patterson - 1:43:32 

Male Ages 50-59 

● 1st: Greg Jenkinson - 1:33:13 

● 2nd: Terry Zdania - 1:37:50 

● 3rd: Steven Adams - 1:39:07 

Female Ages 50-59 

● 1st: Jennifer Zielinski - 1:41:17 

● 2nd: Deb White - 1:48:49

● 3rd: Barb Richardson - 1:49:06 

Male Ages 60+ 

● 1st: James Lake - 1:43:40 

● 2nd: Lloyd Kendall - 1:48:18 

● 3rd: Lance Omer - 1:51:53 

Female Ages 60+ 

● 1st: Laura Myer - 1:48:40 

● 2nd: Kimberly Kucish - 2:02:34 

● 3rd: Jody Lindell - 2:05:00 

Relays 

● 1st: Team Norder - 1:33:04 

● 2nd: Team White Flash - 1:38:45 

● 3rd: Team Not Fast Just Furious - 1:41:32 

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Young Owosso; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: RWI Manufacturing; Underwriting Sponsor: Woodworth Commercial; Swag Sponsor: Home Field Michigan Real Estate Consultants; Experience Sponsor: Shiawassee Health & Wellness; Fit & Fun Sponsor: Parson/Dedic Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo; Fuel Sponsor: Byk-Rak LLC; the Shi-CHAMP Sponsors: Crest Marine LLC, Innovative Community Solutions, Merit Laboratories, Inc., REMAX of Owosso, Team One Credit Union; and the Shi-TRIBE Sponsors: Advanced Eyecare, American Recycling Center, Inc., Great Lakes Family of Companies, Memorial Healthcare, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership. 

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is pleased to announce Liz Roxberry as its new Executive Director, effective April 1^st, 2023.

“The Friends is very excited for Liz to start with us! Our board wants to continue to be viewed as a trusted resource in this community.  This includes expanding our already great programs, and that meant hiring an Executive Director with an extensive nonprofit background who understands our mission. Liz is the perfect fit, and we couldn’t be happier she chose to come work with the Friends of the Shiawassee River. We are so looking forward to her expertise moving this organization forward and continuing to do amazing things for the Shiawassee River. ” – Nick Terek, FOSR Board President/CEO 

Liz joins the Friends after having served the Fenner Conservancy/Fenner Nature Center in Lansing for the past ten years – nine of those as its executive director. Although she remains committed to supporting Fenner’s continued success in Lansing, her life has led her to the Owosso area. Liz owns a small farm in Henderson, complete with a mini pig named Ben and she is the mother of one strong, smart, and kind six-year-old, Rilyn.  Owosso has become her home and it is also a community that she wishes to be of service to.

Liz’s notable career highlights include: Congressional recognition for the facilitation of green infrastructure and non-typical application of onsite wastewater systems at the Fenner Nature Center. Membership in the Hunter Heritage Workgroup of the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources Commission that led to the passing of House Bill 4371 addressing the removal of barriers to hunting, trapping, and fishing for youth under 12. Spearheaded the creation of the Susan and Jack Davis Nature Pavilion - a $568,000 capital campaign resulting in increased organizational mission reach and diversification of sustainable revenue streams for the non-profit through rentals and event space.

Liz brings with her over twenty years of experience in nonprofit management, conservation, and environmental education. In addition to her work at the Fenner Conservancy, she has worked for the Michigan United Conservation Clubs as its Cedar Lake Outdoor Center Director and for Pheasants Forever as its Statewide Education Coordinator. The mission of the Friends of the Shiawassee River is to Care, by maintaining and improving the health of the river; Share, by enhancing the community's appreciation and knowledge of the river; and Enjoy, by increasing recreational access and responsible use of the river. Liz’s experience, passion for the environment and nonprofit management experience are certain to elevate not only the work of the Friends but will also broaden its outcomes and impact. 

       

2022 has been a year of challenges and of possibilities. Having committed to hiring its first, full-time executive director in 2021, the Friends were very excited about the fresh ideas and organizational improvements our new director would bring. Sadly, we discovered that the new hire wasn’t quite the right fit. After careful consideration, the board elected to engage an interim director, whose role is to prepare the organization for a successful hire. As this task involves both thoughtful retrospective of the Friends current culture, as well as clarity over a desired future state, the board and staff are actively engaged in a strategic planning process to guide the organization for the next 3-5 years. This process included over 20 interviews with key stakeholders and has provided us with some excellent data from which to design our plan going forward.

The following are highlights and lowlights of 2022:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

We accepted the resignation of Kirk Riley in March. Patrice Martin of Innovative Community Solutions and formerly of Nonprofit Network signed on as our Interim Director. Our expectation is that we will begin the recruiting process for our new, full-time director in December, and welcome them aboard in January. Patrice will likely work with the new hire for a week or so to share her observations, the strategic plan and a starter list of immediate tasks.

ANNUAL MEETING

Our annual meeting was held in March this year.  Although the meeting was initially planned for in-person, a dramatic rise in COVID numbers compelled the decision to host the meeting via Zoom. It is our intention to return to an in-person annual meeting for 2023.

RIVER CLEAN-UP

The Friends was founded to continue the river clean-up and stewardship activities of Jim Miner. Our annual River Clean-up is a legacy program that continues to draw community volunteers throughout the watershed, and interest in the work of the Friends. Our COVID-inspired process of signing up volunteer teams to clean specific, self-selected stretches of the river continues. We have discovered that volunteers appreciate the flexibility of a weeklong event, and our numbers reflect that appreciation. We typically had around 80 volunteers prior to changing the format of our river cleanup to a weeklong event. In 2020, our River Clean-up attracted 137 volunteers, with over 50 miles of the river cleaned. 2021 achieved 192 volunteers and 50 miles of the river cleaned. In 2022, our volunteers numbered 142, with over 60 miles of river cleaned.

Thanks in part to our GLISA grant, we held a celebratory luncheon for our volunteers, with featured speaker Naim Edwards. Naim Edwards is the director of the Michigan State University - Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning, and Innovation (DPFLI). His presentation explored ways to manage soil to enhance water quality and address climate change. Naim discussed how tillage and what we decide to grow in soil can be leveraged to restore ecosystems and communities. He highlighted the benefits of edible landscapes, food forests, and actions we can take to take better care of the Earth.

OWOSSO-CORUNNA LABOR DAY BRIDGE WALK

Our second year of coordinating the Owosso-Corunna Labor Day Bridge Walk brought out 144 participants. People of all ages and abilities walked the James Miner River Trail, and many enjoyed the pancake breakfast hosted by retiring Corunna mayor, Chuck Kerridge. 

WINE WITH FRIENDS

This year’s Wine with Friends event was held at the Owosso Country Club in their banquet room and on the outdoor patio. Pat Carmody provided live music and our generous donors and sponsors gave us the opportunity to host a fabulous event. Thanks to our wonderful  members and supporters we had 109 attendees in 2022 and raised just over $13,000. In 2021, we had 100 attendees and raised just over $8,000.

SHI-TRI

Our second Shi-Tri was another rousing success, hitting our target of 250 registrants, engaging over 100 volunteers, and raising just over $10,000 for the Friends. Participants have nothing but praise for the event, skilled competitors and recreational participants as well! Our out-of-town participation included teams from Chicago and Wisconsin – all of whom have promised to return. Our 2023 Shi-Tri will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Our goal is 350 participants, and we are confident we will reach it.

FREE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

In keeping with our goal of increasing responsible use of the river, the Friends hosted several free, public engagement events during 2022. These included a Picnic and Paddle in collaboration with DeVries and the Shiawassee River National Water Trail Coalition, Yoga by the River with Cheryl Stevenson and our annual Polar Paddle in partnership with the Shiawassee County YMCA’s Camp Shiawassee.

STREAM TEAM

During this fall’s Stream Team water sampling events, all 12 of our previous sites were monitored this year as well as an additional 13th site. We added a tributary site in Vernon as we seek to expand our data collection. In total, we had 161 stream team volunteers for the year; 153 of them were from the October monitoring alone. We were only able to monitor one site in the spring due to high river levels.

We provided streamside education to six school groups throughout the watershed in 2022, thanks in part to a generous financial contribution from our regional Michigan Science-Technology-Engineering-Math program.

Thanks to our EGLE SMART Watershed Grant, we upgraded our water quality monitoring Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) and received approval from EGLE. Prior QAPP’s were designed to meet the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCORP) standard.

SHIATOWN DAM REMOVAL AND COUNTY PARKS IMPROVEMENTS

The Friends assisted Shiawassee County with a reforestation effort at the Shiatown Parks. This included a $10,000 contribution for the purchase of trees and shrubs and significant volunteer hours for planting. Planting began in the fall of 2021 and was completed in the spring of 2022. On April 29^th, the Friends participated in a celebration of the successful completion of the Shiatown Dam Removal and River Restoration project. Other participants included representatives from our local county and city governments, Saginaw Bay WIN, EGLE and the State Land Bank.  To read the news release, click here: https://shiawasseeriver.org/News/13022494

CURWOOD CASTLE PARK CANOE/KAYAK LAUNCH PROJECT

Thanks in part to generous funding from The Conservation Fund and the 12 foundations and corporations that make up the Funders Network of the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), the Friends partnered with the City of Owosso to design and install a kayak/canoe launch adjacent to Curwood Castle Park. This launch is one of 28 sites along the 88-mile Shiawassee River National Water Trail and will serve to support water recreation and downtown Owosso businesses! The site will include a boat chute, stairs and a bench. Future enhancements will feature a boat locker system. A ribbon-cutting is planned for the spring of 2023.

EGLE SMART WATERSHED GRANT

The Friends are the recipient of a watershed council grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Grant activities include expanding our Stream Team monitoring, engaging in outreach and education on non-point source pollution and the various partners and organizations engaging in mitigation efforts throughout the county. We will also be engaging in some facility upgrades at our Corunna offices.

Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA)

In 2019, the Friends were the recipient of a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the federal agency that administers the National Weather Service, to engage the Friends and our partners in understanding climate change in our watershed. Our partners are the University of Michigan and Michigan State University working together on the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA) project. They have provided us data about weather history in our region to help us understand how the climate is changing.

The Friends reached out to members, partners, and other stakeholders in the watershed to understand their perspectives and concerns about climate change. What can both personal experiences and science tell us about climate and its impact on the Shiawassee? The result of these activities is a five-part video series that introduces viewers to the project and the data, features interviews with local stakeholders from the recreation, agricultural and municipal government sectors and ends with a call-to-action that includes information and resources on adaptation and mitigation. These videos and related resources will be featured on our new Climate Awareness page on our website.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

The Friends is in the process of updating its 3-5 year strategic plan. The board of the Friends passed a resolution during its September board meeting affirming its desire to transition the organization from a volunteer-led to a staff-driven organization. Since its inception in 1996, the Friends has relied on the vast expertise and skill-sets of its founders and board members to accomplish its mission to Care for, Share and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The organization finds itself at a point in its lifecycle where it would prefer a more structured approach to its work, now and into the future. The organization seeks to secure a full-time executive director who will dedicate themselves to moving the Friends forward. A 3-5 year strategic plan will help the board to clarify its vision for the future, clarify and define the broad and continuous goals it wishes to achieve, how it will measure success and how it might adapt its organizational structure in support of the plan.

                                           

The link below is great resource for those who love to fish in Michigan rivers. Check page 67 to see which Shiawassee River fish you can safely eat and how often.

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Folder2/Folder70/Folder1/Folder170/MDCH_EAT_SAFE_FISH_GUIDE_-_SOUTHEAST_MI_WEB.pdf?rev=1226fe9fe87c43d0b24ba48ee5423b88

May 25, 2022 - OWOSSO, MI – The second annual Shiawassee Triathlon took place in Owosso and Corunna last weekend, May 22, through the combined efforts of the Fitness Coliseum and Friends of the Shiawassee River. Thanks to the generous event sponsors, 212 individual participants, 17 relay teams, over 100 volunteers (more than half being repeat volunteers from last year), and all those who came down to cheer everyone on, the event was a great success! Participants ran from the Fitness Coliseum in downtown Owosso to McCurdy Park in Corunna, where they entered the water and paddled back toward Owosso. In the last leg of the event, triathletes exited the river on Jerome Avenue, near the NCG movie theater (with the help of many enthusiastic volunteers) and continued to the biking portion in the streets south of Owosso - finishing the race where they started, at the Fitness Coliseum. 

A total of 233 people participated in the race, ranging in age from 12 to 76. Racers traveled from cities all over Michigan, including Bay City, Royal Oak, Saugatuck and Grand Rapids (to name a few) and out of state participants traveled from Brecksville, OH, Chicago, IL, Chattanooga, TN, and Depew, NY. The finishing times for the race ranged from 1:23:54 to 3:06:16, so various levels of experience and competitiveness were welcomed and appreciated. 

The winners of the event were as follows (for a full list of participant times, visit https://www.athlinks.com/event/330784/results/Event/1000499/Course/2248656/Results): 

Male Overall 

● First Place - Stephen Moelter with a time of 1:23:54 (see photo) 

Female Overall

● Kali Bayes of Fort Gratiot, MI - 1:34:58 (see photo) 

Youth M/F Age Group (ages 17 and younger) 

● First Place - Josie Jenkinson of Corunna, MI - 1:36:00 

● Second Place - Brady Robishaw of St. Charles, MI - 1:39:03 

● Third Place - David Peterson of Owosso, MI - 1:53:02 

Male Age Group (ages 18-54) 

● First Place - David Madrigal II of Durand, MI - 1:26:08 

● Second Place - Ty Hart of Corunna, MI - 1:27:42 

● Third Place - Greg Jenkinson of Corunna, MI - 1:28:12 

Female Age Group (ages 18-54) 

● First Place - Jennifer Zielinski of Essexville, MI - 1:40:37 

● Second Place - Kelly Turek of Owosso, MI - 1:41:48 

● Third Place - Jamie Madrigal of Mt. Pleasant, MI - 1:42:42 

Masters M/F Age Group (ages 55 and older) 

● First Place - Derrick Fries of Clarkston, MI - 1:28:06 

● Second Place - Daniel Durany of Owosso, MI - 1:42:15 

● Third Place - Laura Meyer of Owosso, MI - 1:44:05 

Relay 

● First Place - Josh’s 50 Year Revival - 1:39:48 

● Second Place - Young Olds of Owosso - 1:44:41 

● Third Place - Ron & The Schlaakers - 1:48:24 

The date for the Shi-Tri in 2023 will be Sunday, May 21, so mark your calendars! 

“We are so happy with our second year of the event!” said Brianna Carroll, owner/operator of Fitness Coliseum. “We made some tweaks to the race from last year that allowed things to run more smoothly. We had over 100 more participants on the course this year, and those participants came from farther and wider than last year! I can’t wait to continue improving and growing the event. The future of the Shi-Tri is looking great!” 

Those sentiments were echoed by the co-host of the event, the Friends of the Shiawassee River. 

"The Friends are thrilled that we were able to work with Brianna and Fitness Coliseum again this year tofacilitate this fun and exciting community event," said Rebecca Huska, Friends of the Shiawassee River'sEvents & Communications Coordinator. “Many thanks to all those who planned, participated, andvolunteered to make the second annual Shi-Tri a success. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!" 

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Memorial Hospital; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: RWI Manufacturing; Ride Sponsor: Byk-Rak; Underwriting Sponsor: Woodworth Commercial; Experience Sponsor: Shiawassee Health & Wellness; Finish Line Sponsor: Crest Marine; Design Sponsor: Darker Mfg. Co.; the Shi~CHAMP Sponsors: Parson/Niles Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo, REMAX of Owosso, Team One Credit Union, Advanced Eye Care and Contact Lens Center; and the Shi~TRIBE Sponsors: American Recycling Center, Inc., Azee Printing Solutions, DayStarr Communications, Great Lakes Fusion, Hat Trick Tents & Events, Merit Laboratories, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership, Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition, Weather Vane Roofing.

The Fitness Coliseum is a one-stop shop for fitness and wellness – focusing on providing fun, effective, and safe fitness classes to people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. They pride themselves on creating a supportive environment that lifts people up and encourages them to be the best they can be. 

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed. 

May 4, 2022 - OWOSSO, MI – The second ever Shiawassee Triathlon will take place on May 22, 2022, through the combined efforts of the Fitness Coliseum and Friends of the Shiawassee River. This year, registration will be capped at 250 participants, as opposed to 150 participants last year. There are only two participant spots available currently, but there are plenty of volunteer opportunities still available. “This event will really be made by the volunteers! Together we will be able to make it run smoothly and be fun for all involved. The best part about volunteering is that even if you aren’t a triathlete you still get to play a role in this amazing community day!” said Brianna Carroll, owner of the Fitness Coliseum. 

An event like this relies on the efforts of over 100 volunteers – both the day of the event and the day before. So, even if you don’t fancy yourself as an athlete or even an out-of-doors enthusiast, there are plenty of ways to jump in and help. And all who help out will get a volunteer t-shirt as well. To register as a volunteer, visit 

https://runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/MI/Owosso/TheShiTri. 

The Shi~Tri is a Run/Paddle/Bike Triathlon beginning and ending in Downtown Owosso along the Shiawassee River. Participants begin with a 3.3-mile run/walk from the Fitness Coliseum

(210 S Water Street, Owosso, MI) to McCurdy Park in Corunna along the James Miner Trail. From there, the triathletes will launch their kayaks or canoes into the river, paddle back 3.5 miles toward Owosso, and exit the river just before the intersection of S. Water and Washington Streets, behind the Huntington drive-thru Bank. The third leg of the event will have participants biking a 9-mile loop through Owosso’s city streets and country roads back to the triathlon’s starting point (Fitness Coliseum). 

The race will start at 8am at the Fitness Coliseum parking lot. The awards ceremony will begin at approximately 12:30pm (also at the parking lot of the Fitness Coliseum) with awards for the following: Men’s Individual (18-54 y/o), Women’s Individual (18-54 y/o), Masters (55+, Male and Female Combined), Youth (<18, Male & Female Combined), Relay Team (All ages, All Relays Combined). There will also be one overall male award and overall female award. 

Members of the community are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun! Those who would like to watch the race may watch from Downtown Owosso, McCurdy Park, or any other point along the route. There is no limit to the number of spectators who would like to see this exciting event, so bring your cowbells and be ready to cheer on the racers! Throughout the day, there will be vendors (including the new Bangin’ Bowls restaurant, that will operate out of the Fitness Coliseum building) and information tables in the Fitness Coliseum parking lot. And, as a special treat, the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce will have a mimosa tent there as well! Public parking for the start/finish site will be in the municipal parking lot near NCG Cinema. 

Further details on the whole event may be found at the Shi-Tri website at www.shi-tri.com. 

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Memorial Hospital; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: RWI Manufacturing; Ride Sponsor: Byk-Rak; Underwriting Sponsor: Woodworth Commercial; Experience Sponsor: Shiawassee Health & Wellness; Finish Line Sponsor: Crest Marine; Design Sponsor: Darker Mfg. Co.; the Shi~CHAMP Sponsors: Parson/Niles Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo, REMAX of Owosso, Team One Credit Union, Advanced Eye Care and Contact Lens Center; and the Shi~TRIBE Sponsors: American Recycling Center, Inc., Azee Printing Solutions, DayStarr Communications, Great Lakes Fusion, Hat Trick Tents & Events, Merit Laboratories, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership, Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition, Weather Vane Roofing. 

###

The Fitness Coliseum is a one-stop shop for fitness and wellness – focusing on providing fun, effective, and safe fitness classes to people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. They pride themselves on creating a supportive environment that lifts people up and encourages them to be the best they can be. 

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

On April 29, 2022, Arbor Day, from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. a commemoration ceremony will be held at Shiatown Park to celebrate the completion of the Shiatown Dam Removal Project that began back in 2003. Speakers and those present will include representatives of the many parties involved throughout this process, including the Friends of the Shiawassee River, the State of Michigan, Saginaw Bay WIN, and Shiawassee County Representatives. The general public is invited to attend this ceremony. 

In 2003, the Friends of the Shiawassee River (FOSR) conducted a dam removal study with the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources. The reservoir behind the dam had filled in with silt over 100 years and was no longer a body of water fit for recreational use or generation of hydroelectric power. The scour pit below the downstream apron of the dam was 18 feet deep and with about a 60 foot diameter. The waters below the apron were characterized with unyielding roiling backwash that had trapped too many people, resulting in drownings. Public safety was an influential factor in the removal decision. 

The dam had reverted to the Michigan Land Bank (the dam owner) for back taxes and was considered an unsafe structure by the State Dam Safety Division. The Land Bank and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources enlisted the FOSR to engage the local community and search out grant funding for a potential project. 

In 2012 a $30,000 feasibility study, including partial reservoir drawdown and sediment analysis, was conducted with grant and technical assistance from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Fisheries. In 2013 MDNR awarded a $162,700 grant for dam

removal. This was supplemented by a $62,500 grant from Saginaw Bay WIN. FOSR then conducted stakeholder and community meetings in Bancroft, with the assistance of the Shiawassee Township Supervisor, to evaluate options and settle on a final design concept. This added upstream channel and floodplain restoration and aquatic habitat enhancements to the project scope. The WIN “match” funding allowed attainment of additional MDNR grant funding: including a $365,000 aquatic habitat grant in 2015 and a $108,000 supplemental dam management grant awarded in 2017. 

Plans and specifications were prepared by GEI Consultants with several iterations and extensive negotiations over 2 years to obtain the required Michigan Department of Environmental Quality permit within budget. 

In 2020 the dam removal and stream and floodplain restoration were completed by M.J. VanDamme, Inc. from Gwinn, Michigan. The total project cost was in excess of $730,000 with $635,700 in MDNR grants, $62,500 from Saginaw Bay WIN and over $35,000 in local volunteer support. This does not include the reforestation and Park enhancements, such as the small boat launch and expanded parking facility needed for the increased paddling on the now popular river stretch from Geeck Rd Park to Shiatown. 

The river now flows briskly and freely through Shiatown and visibly demonstrates why early settlers grasped the significance of water power for sawmills and grist mills. The contractor’s final act was to seed a two-acre area to grasses, a stable yet barren landscape that the Shiawassee County Parks and Recreation Commission decided to reforest. It was to be returned to the forest that hadn’t been at that 

location since 1840, when Shiatown was a busy settlement which included a hotel, stores, and a post office. That project is to be completed on April 23, 2022, the day after Earth Day, with tree planting assistance from many parties, headed by the County Buildings and Grounds Department. 

The 20-year history of the deconstruction of this dam is a testimonial to persistence, coordination, and dedication from key individuals, engineers, private contractors and agencies. With a free flowing river, the macroinvertebrates (the base of the food chain for fisheries) and fish movements are unimpeded, as are the movements of fishers and paddlers. When a dam and reservoir lose relevance and compromise the valued character of a natural area, the actions of involved people, and strong general public support, effect positive change. This is a commendable story for a credible Midwest river and is being replicated all around our water wonderland that is Michigan.

The Shiawassee County Parks and Recreation Commission has announced its forthcoming project to reforest the two-acre area of the Shiatown Dam removal deconstruction site in Shiatown County Park.  Two planting days have been organized, the first on October 16^th and the second in the spring when certain species of trees must await ground removal for transplanting.

In all 90 trees and 90 shrubs will be planted streamside and within 200 feet of the Shiawassee River.  Mr. Jeff Tuller, Registered Forester and Phil Hathaway, volunteer project coordinator, prepared the plan that will involve 18 different tree species that promotes diversity for the new forest and recognition of a variety of adaptable plant zones.  Volunteers, Parks Commissioners and County staff will comprise the 40-person work crew.  Equipment and operators are donated.  A five-year watering plan, tree staking and fence guards are included in the long term maintenance of the trees until they become established naturally. 

Project funding at $32,000 is from three sources at nearly equal amounts:  Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), the Friends of the Shiawassee River (FOSR), and the Shiawassee County Waste Management Fund.  The Friends contribution is a result of the revenues earned from Michigan’s Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Department in its role as overseer of the dam removal.  All funds are from sources other than local tax dollars and recognize the need to plant trees especially in these times. Shiatown County Park offers a venue for leading the cause of applying natural climate solutions.

“John Plowman, County Commission and Parks Commission member, states that, “The role of trees and selected shrubs greatly benefit habitat restoration, riverside erosion control, carbon neutrality, park-like shaded settings, wildlife benefits, and air quality.” Larry Johnson, also a Parks Commissioner adds, “There hasn’t been a forest here since the first dam was built in 1840.  With trees averaging two inch diameter trunk size at the outset, this woodlot will have a head start in restoring the barren construction zone riverside area to its natural state.” 

Some volunteer positions for the projected 3-hour work session are still available for individuals who are capable and inclined to do landscaping work. All of the heavy lifting will be accomplished with mechanical equipment.  Interested persons may contact Phil Hathaway at philhath@gmail.com.