EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM) - Four time defending state champion East Grand Rapids opened their season up against Jenison.

The Pioneers erased an early 3-0 deficit. Ryan Elble scored on a one yard run to put EGR up 14 to 3 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Pioneers broke it open.  David Drummond slipped off a couple of guys for a 36 yard to the Jenison 12.

Elble then found Sam Nystrom who, at the two yard line, went head over heels to score six.

At the end, East Grand Rapids won it going away, 43 to 11.

From: http://www.eastgr.org/

Hearts of Gold - Playing for Health and Happiness - is an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Foundation. Everyone is invited to wear gold to the varsity football game on Friday, September 10th.

This is a community-wide event. Lakeside Elementary School students have raised money over the summer and will donate that money at the school potluck picnic during the first week of school. Wealthy Elementary School students have raised money as well and will donate it at the school picnic on Friday, September 10 at 11:30. The high school cross country team will run the game ball from Holland High School to East Grand Rapids High School in time for 7:00 p.m. game. In addition, we are working with gaslight area businesses to be "gold" for the week before school starts to raise awareness of the Hearts of Gold game.

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM) -- It's gone through five renovations in its 100-year history, but the latest refurbishing of Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital is nearly complete.

Spectrum Health executives took reporters on a walk-through of the revamped facility Thursday.

The new addition to Blodgett will allow every patient to have a private room.  Before, most of the hospital's rooms were shared.

The facility will also have one of the largest surgical recovery areas in the state.

"The new building and all of the resources we have in it will allow us to grow all of our surgical services line," says Jim Wilson, president of Spectrum Health Blodgett.

The hospital also has new state-of-the-art operating rooms that allow for the videotaping of surgeries.

Blodgett executives plan to continue operating as a teaching hospital.

The new East Grand Rapids campus opens in October.