Give back with every sip!

When you sign up for Water Street’s Loyalty Rewards, you earn three reward points for every dollar you spend at any of our café locations. These points can be redeemed for discounts, OR you can choose to donate a portion directly to our Featured Non-Profit. From October through December 2020, you helped raise $915 for Bangor’s Gone Boarding.

The Gone Boarding program was brought to Bangor High School in the fall of 2016. Originally developed at Forest Hills Public School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the purpose of the program is to engage, inspire, and ultimately empower students to actively pursue their passions in the 21st century.

Students in this program work in groups to design, construct, and learn how to ride all types of boards including: surfboards, snowboards, skateboards, longboards, stand up paddle boards, wakesurf boards, and wakeboards. They also take part in service projects involving younger students through mentoring relationships built around action sports, and partner with the community to make an impact, both locally and globally.

At the end of each school year, students get to showcase the boards they have created at the Gone Boarding x Vans Off The Wall Summer Bash. They are also given the opportunity to travel to California and tour many different action sports companies such as: Vans, Channel Islands, GoPro, Red Bull, Patagonia and Hamboards to get a real world look at the future of the action sports industry, and possible career opportunities in engineering, art, design and more.

The Gone Boarding program is an amazing experience for all involved, including the teachers. Mark Meyers, an almost 20 year Biology teacher and instructor for Bangor’s Gone Boarding says, “when I was given the opportunity to teach Gone Boarding I was a tired and burnt out teacher. Gone Boarding has changed my outlook and perspective on teaching and what it can be. I am refreshed, and I love teaching this class to my students.”

Every kid should have the opportunity to experience Gone Boarding, as it allows them to fully engage with their learning and take ownership of their future.

Water Street is proud to support Gone Boarding and hopes you can help us in this effort.

Supporting Non-Profits throughout Kalamazoo county

Water Street’s Loyalty Rewards program began in 2018 and features a new non-profit each quarter. With the help of our customers, we've been able to support the important work being done in our community by the following non-profit organizations:

• Bronson Children’s Hospital - $1,196
• Can-Do Kitchen - $945
• Girls on the Run of Greater Kalamazoo - $1,329
• Kalamazoo County Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council (KCAN) - $1,037
• West Michigan Cancer Center & Institute for Blood Disorders - $1,270
• Big Brothers Big Sisters - $875
• YWCA Kalamazoo - $452
• South Portage Little League - $840

Check out our Giving page to learn how your organization can apply to be considered as our next Loyalty Rewards Featured Non-Profit.