Michigan White Dove Release (formally known as Serenity Dove Release) is a Veteran owned and operated by me, Hans Kliphuis. I am a proud member of the National White Dove Release Society (NWDRS) and Grand Rapids Pigeon Club. We serve the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Indiana. We have a loft in Trufant, Michigan and Holland, Michigan. My family has been raising and racing birds for 5 generations. Our main focus is the humane and ethical treatment of our birds.
My father taught my brother and I how to raise and race common pigeons in the late 1950's. We started by helping my father band birds, go out with him on training flights, and clean the bird lofts. Through my teenage years, raising and racing birds was a bonding activity for my father, my brothers, and me. Once I turned 18, I was off to Vietnam, then college, then had four children. After coming back from Vietnam, it was a struggle to get my "ducks-in-a-row", and my life felt chaotic and incomplete. In the summer of 1987, my mother asked me to take half of my father's birds. I was happy to take them to teach my kids about birds and pick up the hobby again. Later that year, my father's Alzheimer's taking his more of his memory and speech, but he never lost his knowledge and love for his birds. When my father would come to visit my home, as we pulled in the driveway, he would point to my barn where the birds were kept. Just watching his old birds would entertain him for hours. My youngest son, Danny, would come with us to the loft and to spend time with his grandpa. There we were, three generations, focused on our common love, "our birds". From here, the love for our birds only grew. We moved them out of the barn and made them their own shed for their new loft. I even got some birds from my brother who lived in Holland, Michigan who had also carried on the hobby into his adult years. |
In 1988, I flew my first young bird season with 12 birds. In my first three races, I placed in the top three of all West Michigan flyers and won three club diplomas. I continued to race birds with my son, Danny, in 1989. My father would help Danny and I with our birds, even though his speech was completely gone, his eyes would still light up at the sight of his old birds. After 1989, I quickly grew out of the loft Danny and I had built. With the help of a friend from the Grand Rapids Pigeon Club, we built a new loft nearly twice the size as my old one. There were three kids watching the progress: one was 7, one was 40, and one was 70 years old. At this point I realized that our birds helped me get my "ducks-in-a row" after Vietnam. I felt peace in my life knowing that I built a beautiful relationship with my son, my brother, and my father all through our birds.
In 1990, my father went along on a couple of training flights, but his health was declining. At the end of June, he was able to sit up and could walk a little. I wanted to take my father along for a young birds training toss, and when I told him, he was "as excited as a boy with a new bike". Minutes before I arrived to pick him up, my father had a bad seizure. He passed away three weeks later.
In 1990, my father went along on a couple of training flights, but his health was declining. At the end of June, he was able to sit up and could walk a little. I wanted to take my father along for a young birds training toss, and when I told him, he was "as excited as a boy with a new bike". Minutes before I arrived to pick him up, my father had a bad seizure. He passed away three weeks later.
I thank the Lord for the time my father and I shared the last few years and the legacy that he left to my son, Danny, and myself. He found peace with the Lord Jesus Christ and also gave me peace I so badly needed through our mutual love for his famous birds. Every day I visit my loft, I know part of him is there as I watch my birds.
Fritz Kliphuis passed away July 10, 1990. He was a member of the Holland and Zeeland Michigan Pigeon Clubs and won numerous State, Western Michigan, and Club races in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. |