Register for ROCK THE BOAT 2025!
St. Joseph’s riverfront is about to trade its calm summer breezes for a tiki party of duct-taped dreams! United Way of Southwest Michigan’s ROCK THE BOAT, Presented by Honor Credit Union, splashes back into the St. Joseph River Channel at the Inn at Harbor Shores on Thursday, July 17, and we need YOUR team to build a cardboard boat!
Snag your slot early—registration is first-come, first-splashed. Sign-ups are live now at RockTheBoatForUnitedWay.com through July 5th. A big thank you to Honor Credit Union for helping us lower the entry fee to $350 per boater this year so more people can be part of the fun!
“Rock the Boat is one of those special events that reminds us how fun and meaningful giving back can be. At Honor Credit Union, we’re all about supporting our communities, and we’re proud to partner with United Way of Southwest Michigan to help create real, lasting impact," said Scott McFarland, CEO of Honor Credit Union. “Being part of this event isn’t just about cheering on the cardboard boat races—it’s about coming together as a community, having fun, and fueling the important work United Way does for local families and individuals.”
Picture it: a thousand spectators on the shore, tropical beats thumping, inflatable palm trees swaying in the wind, and life-size cardboard contraptions barreling through race heats while you navigate around an obstacle or two hoping not to sink! Your boat design doesn’t have to match this year’s Tiki theme, but it definitely has to be made of cardboard and in a fun shape! Though if you really want to just race an ugly square shipping box, we welcome it, too!
Need supplies? A limited stash of heavyweight cardboard—free while it lasts—awaits registered crews at United Container Company in St. Joseph. Check out the website for more information and full rules, race route and other details you’ll need to know before you get your creation wet.
Fund-raising is half the fun. Every team gets a customizable page on our peer-to-peer platform where fans of your team can donate dollars toward your chance to win a trophy (even if your boat sinks)! The boat that hauls in the most fundraising cash sails off with the Captain’s Award, while the crew netting the widest wave of donors hoists the People’s Choice Trophy. Last summer’s event raised more than $30,000 with this year’s goal being 50 boaters and $50,000!
Bragging rights are sweet, but every splash also fuels United Way programs that lift families across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties—meaning even a spectacular sink earns hero status on shore.
Extra wind in the sails for ROCK THE BOAT comes from Honor Credit Union, plus series sponsors Whirlpool Corporation, Silver Beach Pizza, Gast Manufacturing, and Michigan Works! Berrien-Cass-Van Buren, plus supporting partners JV Studios, 99.9 Y Country, the Inn at Harbor Shores, the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber, and Curi RMB Capital. Enjoy food trucks on site from The Brick House, Ben’s Soft Pretzels, and Lost Coast Shave Ice, and the latest new drink from Watermark Brewing, Camino Ranch Water! Special thanks to Lake Michigan College, Brian’s Marina, Competitive Edge, United Container Corporation, Gravity Productions, and Pepsi.
So rally the office, recruit the neighbors, lasso that trivia group—anyone willing to wield a box cutter—and claim your spot in ROCK THE BOAT 2025 Presented by Honor Credit Union. Then meet us at the riverside on July 17 to see whether your cardboard creation glides to glory or dissolves in a spectacular soggy mess. Either way, you’ll earn a roaring cheer, a few high-fives, and the unbeatable glow of doing something delightfully ridiculous for the cause: United Way of Southwest Michigan!
