By: Alyssa Ochss | St. Clair Shores Sentinel | Published August 20, 2025
ST. CLAIR SHORES — The Harper Charity Cruise is rolling into St. Clair Shores again this year to help with a great cause.
The cruise will last from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Aug. 27 along Harper Avenue from 8 1/2 Mile Road to 12 Mile Road.
Rosanne Minne, a Shorewood Kiwanis member and the head of the Harper Charity Cruise, said the money raised from the cruise goes toward the various projects the Shorewood Kiwanis hosts throughout the year. This year, they have 168 cruise sponsors to help out.
The list of projects the Kiwanis club hosts includes an event called Christmas in August that happened on Aug. 3.
“We had about 60 children from St. Clair Shores schools, elementary schools, that met us at Meijer, and we treated them to about $100 worth of school clothes (for) each child,” Minne said.
She went on to say that state Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, also donated backpacks filled with school supplies.
“It was really a great event and easy to do and it was really great,” Minne said.
The Shorewood Kiwanis also supports a dictionary project, Minne said. The club gives every single third grader in St. Clair Shores a paperback dictionary with pictures and other bits of information.
“The kids love it,” Minne said.
She said they host presentations at the schools, explaining some of the information in the books and more.
Over the years, they’ve collected thousands of dollars from the cruise to help with the Kiwanis projects, though the exact amount varies from year to year.
At one point during the cruise’s history, the Kiwanis helped the St. Clair Shores Fire Department with $16,000 to buy chest compression machines. St. Clair Shores Fire Chief James Piper said in an email he’s enjoyed the work and the mission of the Shorewood Kiwanis.
“This fantastic group of volunteers embodies the full spirit of the Kiwanis improving the world by improving their community,” Piper said in the email. “The Harper Cruise is a fun and fantastic way to foster that community spirit and raise funds for their charitable works while giving the community an enjoyable and safe event.”
He went on to say in the email he looks forward to the cruise and the smiles it brings.
Minne wants to thank residents and others for the continued support.