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Bee Brave 5K

Sat October 4, 2025 Caledonia, MI 49316 US Directions

Bee Brave 5K was birthed out of a mission to do more in the battle against breast cancer. Having watched a dear friend fight this terrible disease, Pat Ringnalda created a 5K to raise funds in an effort to do just that and found like-minded individuals to join forces in raising funds. 

As a 100% volunteer organization, they became impassioned to find a facility that would use 100% of the funds they raised directly for breast cancer research. During their search, they discovered that an incredible research facility was right in their hometown of Grand Rapids at Van Andel Institute!

In the fall of 2015, Bee Brave proudly joined forces with Van Andel Institute in a cohesive and symbiotic relationship to maximize fundraising dollars in a way most organizations cannot. You can feel good about supporting Bee Brave because 100% of the money raised not only stays local when it's sent directly to Van Andel Institute, but VAI then uses 100% of that money for breast cancer research. 

More about Van Andel Institute:

Van Andel Institute began with a vision: to improve human health.

Founded by the Van Andel family in 1996, VAI is now home to nearly 500 scientists, educators and staff — each one of us deeply connected to the work we do and driven by an urgent desire to improve health and enhance lives.

Every day, we collaborate at the forefront of fundamental and translational science in pursuit of breakthrough treatment strategies for cancer, Parkinson’s and other diseases. Through shared values and an entrepreneurial spirit, we spark innovation to multiply the impact of discovery and answer critical questions for our world.

We believe that hope for tomorrow lives in the students of today. Our Graduate School offers a rigorous, research-intensive Ph.D. program that develops leaders in molecular and cellular biology. Our inquiry-based approaches for K–12 education help create classrooms where curiosity, creativity and critical thinking thrive.

A hub for ideas and advancements, the Institute is fueled by a community of bright minds who share a relentless curiosity and a deep commitment to make the world a better place.

At Van Andel Institute, we do more than dream about improving human health. We strive to make it a reality every day.

$163,263

Raised of $200,000

$0
$200,000

Top Donors

$163,263 Raised By 186 Donors

$43,514 On Behalf Of Bee Brave Golf Outing Participants & Sponsors
$22,250 on behalf of Bee Brave Pickleball Tournament Participants & Sponsors
$16,780 On Behalf Of WERQ Your Rack Participants & Sponsors
$12,500 on behalf of Ramon Bueno Cancer Support Foundation
$6,000 on behalf of Thomas & Mary Stuit
$4,485 On Behalf Of Bee Brave Puzzle Participants
$3,000 On Behalf Of SpendMend, LLC.
$2,000 on behalf of Bredeweg & Zylstra, PLC CPAs & Advisors
$2,000 On Behalf Of CareLinc Medical Equipment & Supply
$2,000 on behalf of Keith Walker
$2,000 On Behalf Of RTI Insurance Group
$2,000 On Behalf Of West Michigan Hospice
$2,000 On Behalf Of Windemuller Electric, Inc.
$1,836 On Behalf Of Lisa's Rack Pack
$1,500 on behalf of Bell House Training Co.
$1,000 On Behalf Of Cascade Cement Contracting, Inc.
$1,000 On Behalf Of Dan Vos Construction Co., Inc.
$1,000 from Anonymous
$1,000 On Behalf Of Fox Motors
$1,000 On Behalf Of Frontier Heating & Cooling
$1,000 On Behalf Of ID Engineering & Automated Systems Inc.
$1,060 on behalf of Sue Van Kampen
$790 on behalf of Jim Kortman
$530 from Anonymous
$500 On Behalf Of Brick's @ Campau Corner
$500 On Behalf Of Cherry Valley Resources LLC
$500 On Behalf Of Doeren Mayhew
$500 On Behalf Of Eastern Floral & Gifts
$500 On Behalf Of Glen Valley Dentistry
$560 from Anonymous
$500 On Behalf Of LMCU-Broadmoor Branch
$500 on behalf of Marcie Apple
$500 On Behalf Of Northgate Appliance
$350 from Anonymous
$390 on behalf of Melissa Shufelt
$300 on behalf of Summit Lane Boutique
$250 on behalf of Barbara Drake
$250 on behalf of Gayle Veenstra
$250 on behalf of mary and stephen cohle
$310 on behalf of Michele Vanderberg
$250 On Behalf Of SouthKent Veterinary Hospital, PLLC
$370 on behalf of Tiffany Pavelka
$250 on behalf of Tracy Foltz
$240 On Behalf Of Kentwood Police Department
$200 from Anonymous
$200 from Anonymous
$230 on behalf of Mae Scholten
$180 on behalf of Denise Hames
$200 on behalf of Stefanie Jarmer
$100 on behalf of Alan Brander
$100 from Anonymous
$160 on behalf of Amy Wozniak
$160 on behalf of Barb Benner
$130 on behalf of Barb Edema
$100 on behalf of Bonnie Visser
$160 on behalf of Cheri Koning
$100 on behalf of Connie Michaelis
$100 on behalf of Dale & Phyllis
$160 on behalf of Dawn Shank
$100 on behalf of Derick & Sairi Elliott
$130 on behalf of Elizabeth Tovar
$130 on behalf of Erica Straayer
$160 on behalf of Gwynne DeLongpre
$130 from Anonymous
$130 on behalf of Hope Berk
$100 on behalf of Jan Jones
$190 from Anonymous
$130 on behalf of Jennifer Lindsey
$100 on behalf of Kathy Ragla
$100 on behalf of Kathy & Bernie Moll
$100 on behalf of Leigh and Roger Abbott
$160 on behalf of Linda DeMaagd
$100 on behalf of Lisa Alexander
$100 on behalf of Lisa Eldersveld
$100 on behalf of Lynda Garner
$130 on behalf of Michele Prill
$100 on behalf of Randy Kimbler
$130 on behalf of Sandy Bultema
$130 on behalf of Senica Family
$160 from Anonymous
$100 from Anonymous
$130 on behalf of Sylvia Dekuiper
$160 on behalf of The Honeysuckle Company
$130 on behalf of Valerie Gordon
$80 on behalf of Kelli Tipton
$75 on behalf of LeAnne HOEKSTRA
$105 on behalf of Shar Karsten
$75 on behalf of Susan Hopkins
$100 on behalf of Robin Mosher
$80 on behalf of Angela Westfield
$50 on behalf of Anita McAllister
$80 on behalf of Anneke Bosma
$50 on behalf of Brenda Rosencrans
$110 on behalf of Carini Family
$50 on behalf of Carol Dehlin
$50 on behalf of Carolynne Allaben
$170 on behalf of Carrie Graveel
$50 on behalf of Christie Beyer
$50 on behalf of In memory of my sister Julie Regnier McCoy 1966-2011
$50 on behalf of Jim deLongpre
$80 on behalf of Jo Cook
$110 on behalf of Jon Arringdale
$50 on behalf of Jon Weibel
$80 on behalf of Jonny Bosma
$80 on behalf of Joyce Flohe
$50 on behalf of Julie Hejtmanek
$50 on behalf of Kathy Eckler
$110 on behalf of Kelly Cleveland
$80 on behalf of Kelly Shock
$110 on behalf of Kimberly Montague
$110 on behalf of Laurie Cruz
$80 from Anonymous
$50 on behalf of Marcia Yonker
$110 on behalf of Maria Jordan
$80 on behalf of Mary Frederiksen
$50 from Anonymous
$50 from Anonymous
$110 on behalf of Morgan Wallen
$80 on behalf of Nancy Smith
$50 on behalf of Shrewsburys
$50 on behalf of Susan Krumlauf
$50 on behalf of Valerie Capel
$50 On Behalf Of White Mitten Movers LLC
$75 on behalf of Kevin Thayer
$100 from Anonymous
$100 from Anonymous
$100 from Anonymous
$100 on behalf of Lisa Proxmire
$100 on behalf of Ryan Rearick
$100 on behalf of Tyler Weidner
$36 on behalf of David Ely
$60 from Anonymous
$60 from Anonymous
$85 on behalf of Alia Saz-Kapteyn
$55 on behalf of Amy Jarmer
$55 on behalf of Becky Anderson
$25 on behalf of Bill Frankel
$55 from Anonymous
$55 on behalf of Britta Deardurff
$55 on behalf of Carol Huisingh
$115 from Anonymous
$55 on behalf of Cheryl Wirsing
$55 on behalf of Cindy Wicker
$55 on behalf of Corrine Eddy
$55 from Anonymous
$55 on behalf of Elaine Ohlendorf
$55 on behalf of Grace Lobbezoo
$55 from Anonymous
$85 on behalf of james McCarthy
$25 on behalf of Jason White
$55 on behalf of Jeffrey Brown
$55 from Anonymous
$25 on behalf of Jesse Dehlin
$55 on behalf of Joyce Meiklejohn
$55 from Anonymous
$55 from Anonymous
$55 on behalf of Kate Baker
$55 on behalf of Katharine Ophoff
$55 on behalf of Kim Wellman
$55 on behalf of Kristine Gezon
$55 on behalf of Leslie Booher
$25 on behalf of Lori Moore
$55 on behalf of Lori Polich
$55 from Anonymous
$25 on behalf of Nic Dehlin
$55 on behalf of Nicole Harris
$55 on behalf of Robin Rozelle-Moreno
$55 on behalf of Sandy Frampton
$55 on behalf of Sarah Gasperosky
$55 on behalf of Scott Wagner
$55 from Anonymous
$55 on behalf of Tammy Hellem
$55 on behalf of Tara VanDis
$55 on behalf of Thomas Beddows
$55 on behalf of Your wife
$50 on behalf of Emily Thurman
$50 on behalf of Laura Mullins
$50 on behalf of Leslie Boman
$75 from Anonymous
$42 from Anonymous
$40 from Anonymous
$40 from Anonymous
$40 on behalf of Bing Wang
$40 from Anonymous
$40 on behalf of Susan Horn
$35 on behalf of Zhen Fu

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