Jeff and Jennifer Gooss received the **Flint Firestarter Award for a Tourism Development Project** for their work with Wheelchairs and Walleyes. Their efforts led to the creation of the most inclusive wheelchair ramp and lift in North Dakota at Beulah Bay Campground, launching with a charity fishing tournament and Children’s Mobility Awareness Day in 2024. Their work has sparked interest in similar accessibility projects statewide, with expansions planned for Devils Lake and Hazen Bay.
This award honors a new offering that has the potential to attract visitors and enhance the Main Street experience by improving amenities and sparking future development in the heart of a community.
The mission to make outdoor lake recreation accessible for everyone-regardless of physical ability-began in Beulah, North Dakota. Jeff and Jennifer Gooss led the charge, resulting in the construction of the most inclusive wheelchair ramp and lift in the state at Beulah Bay Campground on Lake Sakakawea.
To celebrate this milestone, the first-ever Wheelchairs & Walleyes charity tournament and a Children’s Mobility Awareness Day Festival were held on July 25, 2024. The impact was immediate and inspiring, with requests for similar accessibility projects coming in from across the region.
Driven by the belief that everyone deserves to experience the joy of lake life, Jeff and Jennifer are now working with community leaders in Devils Lake to bring an ADA-accessible ramp and chair lift to Lakewood Park, with future expansion plans already in motion for Hazen Bay on Lake Sakakawea.