In the rain, hail and sunshine, alumni from all over the country returned to Allendale for a twister of a good time, sharing memories and creating new ones during Homecoming 2013 Theres No Place Like the Valley festivities. The weekend came to a close at Lubbers Stadium with a Laker football victory over Northern Michigan University, 48-17.

5K Run/Walk: The annual homecoming 5K Run/Walk kicked off the festivities on October 19. Nearly 60 alumni competed in the race, which saw 212 runners overall. Many race participants sported Laker for a Lifetime shirts and Grand Valley headbands.

Pancake Breakfast: Hungry Laker alumni and friends followed the yellow brick road to breakfast on the chilly, rainy morning, fueling up with pancakes and warm beverages.

Alumni Expo & Tailgate Party: More than 800 Lakers bundled up under the tents near
the Kelly Family Sports Center for a wicked Grand Valley reunion, with music from Ricky Markiewicz, 05, (DJ Mark Witz). Attendees enjoyed Wizard of Oz-themed food and photo booth, prizes and family friendly activities. Several campus departments hosted tables with information, games and giveaways. The Alumni Association thanks the alumni volunteers who helped
to make all of the events run smoothly!

Library tours: Throughout the day hundreds of Lakers toured the new Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons.

Bus from southeast Michigan: It was the biggest carpool of the day. Taking a charter bus to Allendale from southeast Michigan, with a stop in Lansing, dozens of alumni, family and friends were able to join the Grand Valley tradition.

Save the date: Homecoming 2014: Weekend of October 11

Last year, the Laker for a Lifetime team raised more than $8,000 for the Grand Valley Fund.

• Race at your own pace: Participate in the 5K walk/run, 10K, 25K run, wheelchair or hand-cycle races with fellow Lakers.

• Expo: Stop by the Laker for a Lifetime table at the Sports & Fitness expo to register for a chance to win a prize package and meet the team.

• Volunteer: Bring your noisemakers and creative signs and cheer on the team at the official Grand Valley spirit station on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

• Post-Race Party: Don’t miss the celebration with the team, volunteers and friends in the DeVos Center parking lot.

• Donate: Designate your next financial gift to the “Laker for a Lifetime Team” at www.gvsu.edu/give.

To find out how to get involved, visit www.gvsu.edu/rbr14. Questions? Contact team director Abigayle Sloan, ’07, [email protected].

Get moooving during Community Outreach Week. Volunteer in your own community with alumni, students, family or friends during the week of March 24-30, 2014. Browse through a list of existing service projects at www.gvsu.edu/cow or create your own adventure by coordinating with your favorite nonprofit and registering a new volunteer opportunity online.

Already a regular volunteer? Log your hours on the website so they count toward the alumni impact. Prefer to volunteer on your own? Register online as an individual project. Whatever adventure you choose, be sure it falls within Community Outreach Week and remember to capture a photo of yourself volunteering in your favorite Laker gear.

For more information about how to get involved, send an email to [email protected]. Register your project before March 7 to be entered in a contest to win a prize package filled with GVSU swag.