Grand Rapids Dart League/National Darts Hall of Fame presents the $13,000 Great Lakes Dart Challenge to Benefit Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital

Grand Rapids, MI Aug 27, 2007 — The Grand Rapids Dart League, in concert with the National Darts Hall of Fame, announces Michigan’s biggest money prize purse steel-tip darts tournament of the year, the $13,000 Great Lakes Dart Challenge, October 12-14th, 2007 at Westwood At The Crossings, located in Belmont, MI, just north of Grand Rapids, MI. Some of the nation’s top professional and amateur dart competitors are expected to be among the dozens of players, including several ADO (American Darts Organization) ranked professionals.

Players in this year’s tournament will be competing for more than $13,000.00 in cash and prizes, and Tournament Director Marty Huver expects a full field of competitors again this year. “Last year, we had an incredible turnout for this event, and were able to raise over $1,700.00 for our named charity, the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.” “The way darts is growing in America is phenomenal,” said Bobby Jones, president of the Grand Rapids Dart League. “The Great Lakes Dart Challenge has more than tripled in size in just the past three years, and it’s a great way for darters to give back to the community by supporting such a worthy organization, namely the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.”

The tournament format includes three days of events, open to all players, including singles, doubles, and triples events, with men’s, women’s, mixed and Blind Draw brackets. The public is welcome and encouraged to come watch the action. There is no charge to watch the tournament events, and Westwood At The Crossing offers a full menu of food and beverages.

In addition to the darts competition, there will be several charity fund raising events taking place during the tournament. Sponsored by Westwood At The Crossings in partnership with Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Foundation, $100 cash give-aways and prize raffles will be ongoing during the tournament to help raise money for the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, which was established in 1993 and is the largest children's hospital in West Michigan dedicated to caring for children and their families with compassion, excellence and innovation. A local media event is also scheduled for October 11th, the Thursday before the actual tournament.

The National Darts Hall of Fame will conduct it’s 3rd annual North-Central Region Induction ceremony during this event, recognizing outstanding dart players and those who’s contributions to the ever-growing popularity of steel-tip darts in America significantly and positively impact the sport. Last year seven people were inducted into the NDHOF, and many as a high point of the weekend cited the ceremony.

According to the American Darts Organization, over 20 million people play darts in the United States each year. Add this to the growing legions of players around the world, and darts has a following worldwide that would rival most major professional sports, here or abroad.
The game of darts offers many of the same pleasures as other sports: the camaraderie of friends, the challenge and excitement of harnessing personal skill and speed to send an object toward a target, and the mental toughness to make the game winning shot. And perhaps best of all, the game of darts is inexpensive. The only equipment you need is a set of darts, which retail between $5 and $200, and most cities around the world have a dart board somewhere close, generally in a great little pub or tavern, and of course, the board is free for any patron to play on.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact Marty Huver, tournament director, at (616) 363-5104 westwood@grdl.org or visit www.grdl.org for more information and a printable tournament flyer.