Fatherhood summit

GRAND RAPIDS (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A West Michigan dad once again prepares to lead the charge for fathers' rights.

We first caught up with Robert Pedersen back in August. He nearly won a national award for being a "hero dad" and he was getting ready for a major bike trip.

Pederson planned to ride from Lansing to Washington D.C., hoping lawmakers would change what he calls out-dated child custody laws.

Friday he heads to Kent County to join dads from Michigan and all over the country in a fatherhood summit.

Keeping families together can be a daily struggle. But the event Friday in Grand Rapids looks to strengthen families by focusing on fatherhood. Dads, lawmakers and support organizations are meeting inside the Abundant Life Ministries in Grand Rapids.

They're gathering for the National Fatherhood Summit. Organizers say they're expecting dads from as far away as Florida, Georgia and California.

They argue that the court system should think of creating successful parenting teams, instead of always taking one parent out of a child's life. They're pushing for shared parenting legislation that will repair families instead of separate them.

"So our courts, our judges, our social workers are geared to raising as much money as they can for the state through the support collection mechanism with a total disregard for the relationship they destroy between the parent and their children," said Minister Ronald Smith of Children of Equal Parents Inc.

The summit starts with a prayer breakfast at 8:30 Friday morning. It will also include speakers and other sessions throughout the day.