Name: Wild Food Foraging with I.Y.E Wellness
Start: 2026-09-30
End: 2026-09-30

We are an economic generator through sports tourism for Greater Grand Rapids and Kent County in the West Michigan area.

We own and operate an award winning baseball/softball complex; the Meijer Sports Complex [www.MeijerSportsComplex.com](https://www.MeijerSportsComplex.com) featuring eight fields, including a championship field that seats 1,000.

Our signature event, the Meijer State Games of Michigan (Olympic-style sporting event), draws 10,000 athletes through 60+ sports in its Winter and Summer Games.  We work with many of our local sports clubs and organizations to host various regional and national tournaments.

Why Grand Rapids? We have:
•	12,000 + hotel rooms (2,500 downtown)
•	234,000 square foot downtown convention center (fits 40 volleyball courts)
•	12,000 seat Van Andel Arena
•	5 facilities that feature 4+ courts and multiple grass or turf fields
•	Grant program for new events
•	and more!

West Michigan Sports Commission

Join foraging instructors Katie & Luke Venechuk from In Your Element Wellness for an adventure into the world of wild foods! During this class, you’ll learn how to identify edible plants, trees and mushrooms in the forest, along with how cook and prepare them, how to ethically, legally, and safely forage for these foods, and more. Katie will also share an introduction to the practice of “wild tending,” which acknowledges our human relationship to the natural world and is an approach to foraging that is founded on respect and reciprocity to the land, the people who have tended to it, and the animals that live there. On every walk in nature we are surrounded by wild foods awaiting discovery. We hope you’ll join us to expand your views of the world around you and bring some new flavors to your plate! No experience in the outdoors or with foraging is necessary to attend.  
  
Note: This class will be hands on, but all harvesting of wild foods be done by the instructors and will be purely for instructional purposes. We will be leaving most plants and mushrooms in place for local wildlife, so please leave your foraging baskets at home. Foraging by the general public is not allowed on Blandford Nature Center grounds.  
  
Instructors: Katie Venechuk, founder of In Your Element Wellness and an experienced foraging instructor and Michigan Master Naturalist; Luke Venechuk, experienced foraging instructor and Certified Wild Mushroom Identification Expert with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.  
  
Cost:  
Non-Member (ages 13 and up): $32  
Non-member (ages 13 and up, 20% discount): $25.60  
Children (ages 3-12): $7  
Children (0-2): Free  
  
Note: This program is for all ages, including children. All children must be registered and accompanied by a registered adult. Pre-registration is required due to limited capacity. Online registration closes at noon on the day before the program. If the program sells out, you may complete your online registration to be added to the waitlist. We will contact you if spots become available. This program will take place outdoors. In the event of severe weather, this program will be cancelled, and participants will be notified of their refund options and/or a possible makeup date.  
  
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation requests received at least 7 days before the scheduled program are eligible for a 50% refund of the total registration cost, not including the credit card processing fee. Due to administration costs, full refunds are not available. Cancellation requests received within 7 days of a program are not eligible for a refund. In the event that Blandford must cancel the program, you will be given the option to reschedule or receive a refund. All community programs will have a registrant minimum. If the minimum is not met, you will be contacted by Blandford Nature Center and notified of your refund options.

Wild Food Foraging with I.Y.E Wellness

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