Ryan Youmans wins Soup Project for his ‘Day on Belleville Lake’

Ryan Youmans got the most votes for his plan to offer the public a day of canoeing on Belleville Lake on Oct. 3, with a side trip to the Belleville-Area Museum for a history lesson about the lake.
His plan was one of four presented by high school students on Thursday at the 2015 Soup Project, a joint project of Belleville High School New Tech, the Belleville Downtown Development Authority, and the City of Belleville.
Four projects were presented by students to guests who paid $15 each to eat soup, tiny sandwiches, and cookies and then the guests voted for their favorite project.
After Ryan was presented with his $500 check for being the winner, Belleville Mayor Kerreen Conley announced that the three other presentations were winners, too, because the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce said it would fund each of the three non-winners, so their projects also could be done this summer.
The ones who didn’t win the top prize also got gift certificates for pizza.
“Everyone goes away a winner,” said Mayor Conley, who added she was looking forward to participating in all of these projects this year.
Ryan, who will get his Eagle Scout badge at a Court of Honor on March 17, told of his many canoe trips, including 50-mile, 75-mile, and 100-mile trips on Michigan rivers – without ever dumping over.
He said his project would bring people downtown to enjoy the lake because, while some live on the lake, not everyone has access to the lake.
He said the motto is “Belleville Downtown on the Lake” but Belleville people aren’t on the lake.
Ryan’s planned day on the lake starts at Scott Jones’ property on North Liberty Street where canoes from Motor City Canoe Rental will be available. The route is under the Belleville Road bridge, then under the Denton Road bridge, along the edge of Hillside Cemetery and to the island, where there will be a stop and an event. Then, they will go back to the docks and end up at the museum to see the exhibit: “Lake Life: The Creation and Recreation on Belleville Lake.”
Cost will be $30 each to pay for use of the canoe, paddle, and personal flotation device. The money raised will be used to continue the event next year. He said members of his Boy Scout troop, who have experience with canoeing, will help and Officer Hayes from Van Buren Township Marine Unit, will monitor the event to make sure speeding motor craft don’t endanger the canoeists.
He said people can sign up for the canoes and they can handle 16 people at a time, for a total of 48 people in three blocks.
Ryan showed a picture of a custom T-shirt for all participants, created by Great Lakes Custom Embroidery in Canton.
Ryan, who will turn 18 on March 20, is a junior in BHS’ New Tech.
The other three presentations, which are also expected to be put on this year, were:
• “Sauce it Up! Downtown Belleville” – presented by Keith Sanders and Mackenzie Winter – which planned a BBQ cook-off on the Fourth Street Square on June 27. Restaurants and amateurs will compete in their categories. Egan’s will sponsor it (Mackenzie is their daughter). Proceeds will be used to keep the project going each year, with a donation to Forgotten Harvest;
• “Belleville Movie Night” – was presented by Marissa Bracey alone, since her partner Adam Good was sick. She told of an evening in the beginning of October when outdoor movies would be shown at Victory, Horizon, or Village park as a Booville Drive-in. She favored a drive-in movie, but logistics were unclear and maybe people would have to get out of their vehicles to sit down and see the films. It would cost $531 to rent the 20’x12’ inflatable movie screen and $250 for concessions. She planned to run fund raisers to get the rest of the funds needed. There would be a costume contest for those under age 14, basket raffles, and a vote for movies the community wants to see. To suggest a movie, she gave [email protected] . Proceeds would go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, she said; and
• “The Great Belleville Bake-Off” – presented by Alexyia Yost, Ivy Gitzen, and Ashley McInally (Haley Prentiss was on the list in the program, but was not part of the group). This was planned for late September in the Fourth Street Square with the goal of bringing the town together. Baked goods would be made at home and they said the Health Department told them it was OK for a charity event. Dessert items were called for or anything that satisfies the sweet tooth. Recipes, or ingredients, would be displayed for those who have allergies. They expected to get the tent donated and needed money for the prizes. Bakers would pay $10 to claim a spot and it would be $5 for admission. Proceeds would go to Friends of Michigan Animal Rescue and New Tech.
Carol Thompson, coordinator of the Belleville DDA, said about the same number of people attended this year’s Soup Project meal – about 100 — as attended last year’s, although they had hoped for more this year.
“The people who were supposed to be here were here,” she said.
The money diners paid for tickets covered the catered meal by Angel Food Catering and the extra money was to be sent to the DDA and then come back to the project and New Tech, Thompson said.
BHS New Tech Director Scott Wilsey said New Tech is a student-centered, project-based learning environment.
Thompson said all the work on the Soup Project was not a part of the New Tech school day and all the adults helping after hours were volunteers.
She said those at the Chamber table that night – Alicia McGovern, Randy Brown, and Michael Dotson – talked to each other about funding the non-winners and decided to do so at the last minute.
Wilsey introduced the 2014 Soup Winners, Marissa Higgins and Brittany Jones, whose project — the Belleville Zombie 5K — was a great success last October. One said she had her appendix removed then and didn’t get to leave the house for the race.
The Belleville Zombie 5K is expected to be run again this October.