Supporting Partners
What’s inside:
From Basecamp – Podcasts are LIVE – Become a Volunteer
Leadership Summit 2025 – Jumping into the Outdoors
The Polar Roll – Experience
I’m finally a part of the 906 Adventure Team!
To understand my excitement is to go back to the beginning. Now, I wrote a lengthy story for this newsletter – I am not a human of few words – but many. However, rather than fill up the entire first edition of this newsletter – I asked Todd if he wanted to record a podcast and talk about the experiences that brought me here and why my passion for this organization is so personal.
I’ve never been afraid of doing hard things, in fact, I seek them out. A quiet and shy child I was drawn to broadcast television not because I wanted to be famous or loved the spotlight, but rather because it scared me…. pushed me outside of my comfort zone. From my time in the news industry as an anchor, reporter and co-host of a lively lifestyle program to backpacking Isle Royale, Pictured Rocks, Glacier National Park and beyond… I have throughout my life sought out challenges and adventures that pushed me to my limits. It’s where I found myself. It’s where I connected to that “something that is bigger than all of us.” It’s where I found my strength and cemented my values. I shared that with my daughter from a young age. Taking her backpacking, canoeing, hiking… I watched her thrive, connect, push her limits, break and build herself back up through outdoor adventure.
Parenting my son was a completely different experience, one that pushed me to 906AT. This organization was the catalyst to incredible growth for my son. And it’s the story I wanted to share with all of you. It’s a story about commitment, doing hard things, having open conversations and never giving up. Click here to listen to my conversation with Todd and the first episode of the new #blametodd pod.
After you listen, I think you’ll understand why, I have for years been waiting for an opportunity with 906AT that fits my skills, my beliefs, and my life’s mission. And why I want to be a part of the team that cultivates a space that encourages and creates space for kids to push their boundaries, do hard things and find their inner strength, confidence and worth. I’m here for it all. I’m here to do it myself… to keep pushing through my discomfort. The world needs this. Our kids need this. And I will work my tail off to keep the 906AT mission moving forward.
By Elizabeth Peterson
Made U.P. Podcast – these episodes will be longer formatted, deep conversations about the inner workings of doing hard things. They’re honest, raw, gritty, tough conversations and topics about life, living, failing and picking up the pieces. They’ll be about 906AT events and they won’t be. We’re making it up as we go. You’re going to have to tune in to see where it takes us.
*intended for audiences 18 and older.
#blametodd pod – these episodes will be shorter – focused on topics around 906 Adventure Team, people, experiences and programs.
Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Click here to follow us on Spotify
“Am I good enough to volunteer?”
That’s the question we hear – the question that may be holding you back from volunteering and potentially giving a child an opportunity to participate.
Here’s our answer:
It all starts with showing up.
If you know how to ride a mountain bike and have experience on a variety of trails; paved trails, two-tracks, singletrack, etc, you’ll be just fine, and by the end of the summer your riding skills will be better, too.
Our common ground isn’t skill based. It isn’t performance driven. Our common ground is core values and providing opportunity for people to discover a better version of themselves. Getting better takes hard work, patience, and let’s be real, a community that supports you.
Last year 1,200 kids got on bikes through Adventure Team programs in 13 communities.
This year we’re growing that number to 1,300+ kids in 15 communities.
That means we’ll need 550+ volunteers. We can’t do this without you. We can’t get kids on bikes without you. We need you.
Leadership Summit 2025
The 2025 Leadership Summit will look a little different than past summits. This year 906AT implemented a new learning management system for volunteer coaches. This new system is branded and streamlined, which allowed 906AT to require the online training for all volunteer coaches. This change to the volunteer training is providing an opportunity for an expansion of the volunteer training (rather than an in-person version of the online training).
The two-day summit will focus on an indoor training day to include sharing the 906 story, practicing connections with kids, first aid in the field and Q&A for a panel of current lead coaches. The second day will focus on outdoor training and will include bike skills and bike mechanics.
Have you ever climbed a tree?
When I was a child, my siblings and I were allowed to climb as high as we wanted as long as we could get ourselves back down. I do not remember my parents ever “saving” us, nor did we sustain any injuries from falling out of the tree.
I just witnessed this same policy with a group of pre-school children who were on an adventure with a forest school class. I think it is a bit unusual to see an outdoor school class with this policy these days. At the adventure that I witnessed the kids were safe – not safe from all risk but safe in that the adult on site knew where the child was and that the child could explain how to get themselves back down. Imagine the feeling of accomplishment that child felt when they successfully managed the climb and descent on their own.
I was reminded of my recent experience with preschoolers and tree climbing after listening to the first episode of MadeUP where Todd and Ryan discuss each of their children climbing trees. I suspect that Todd and Ryan’s definition of reasonable risk might not be shared by all parents. And yet why shouldn’t it be….
Climbing the tree does not have to be the thing, it could be any outdoor activity in which children are given some autonomy to decide how they want to spend their time learning about the world around them. These opportunities can be presented with reasonable limitations (how high can you go and feel safe) and without immediate adult interference. Kids need to know that they can interact with their natural world in a way that they can understand the outcomes, so they can choose to repeat their experience (or not) in the future.
Adventure Team allows youth riders an opportunity to ride or run the trails, push their boundaries and have a new adventure each week while providing an opportunity for individual goal setting and community camaraderie. Here kids are encouraged to grow their skills in a nonjudgemental environment.
Youth learn to problem solve for themselves when provided with experience and autonomy. If an adult is always making their world safe (risk free), children don’t learn how to expand their limits and create solutions to problems they encounter.
By Julie Cunningham
When 13-year-old Sunshine Oelfke signed up for the Polar Roll MS15 she did it with one thing in mind, finishing.
“I just thought it was the coolest thing to see people on their bikes in the winter,” said Sunshine.
She said she’s had the Polar Roll on her list for at least four years.
Think about that for a moment- Sunshine at 9-years-old put an endurance race on her to-do list, one with a hefty DNF rate.
Sunshine has been a part of the 906 Adventure Team for three years. She rides with the West End Development Team and UP Cross. Her training consisted of getting out on her bike, doing what she loves, riding.
But that didn’t mean it was easy. She admits race day morning she approached the starting line with mixed emotions. She was excited, nervous, and she knew the fresh snow overnight would mean the trail wouldn’t be packed down. But, she showed up. For herself. She says her driving motivators that day were “a selfie with Todd, a cookie and a Polar Roll hat.”
Through all the emotions though she had one consistent thought, “I’m going to finish, no matter what.”
Sunshine raced alone. She did have support from her mom, Jackie Oelfke, who followed her along the entire day. Tracking. Motivating. And even at times begging her to text #quitter. She also had an outpouring of support in the form of encouraging messages from coaches and friends. Messages reminding her, “you got this, stay motivated, lean into your grit.”
Would she make it before the cutoff? She says eventually she wasn’t sure – but she wasn’t quitting.
As the hours passed by a blast of hope came in her best friend, Leah Robinson who happened to win the MS15 earlier that day. Leah found Sunshine on the trail and decided to ride to the end with her.
“I knew I would be able to finish with my best friend,” recalled Sunshine. “She’s with me, she’s just out making it fun, she took me to a happy place, took me out of race mode and it was just fun.”
After 9 hours and 11 minutes, Sunshine crossed the finish line. Her first words to her mom were, “I did it.” She says all she could feel was pride.
“I did something hard. I did it. And it shows that I don’t just do the easy stuff. I can do the hard.”
And in doing the hard, in showing up for herself… she also reminded all of us of the power in determination, grit, friendship and doing hard things.
Congratulations Sunshine! We’ll see you at the next one!
The Volunteer Experience
“I always come away being fulfilled by the connections, stories and relationships that were built.” – Julie Cunningham, Midland Adventure Team
Julie Cunningham carries many titles with 906 Adventure Team: event participant, board member, area lead, volunteer and for this year’s Polar Roll, volunteer coordinator.
“Volunteering fits my professional and personal belief system,” said Cunningham. “And I get validation through leadership opportunities.”
Julie has been in education her whole life. She says it makes sense that she would align with the mission of 906AT.
“I believe in opportunities for kids and providing things that allow kids to grow,” added Julie. “The idea that through Adventure Team we’re helping kids be the best version of themselves, on their bikes, in the outdoors. I love all of that.”
But it’s more than that – because she too walks away being the best version of herself. Giving back, stepping up as a leader, getting the opportunity to hone skills she may not always have the opportunity to develop professionally.
And so, she keeps coming back.
She started her Polar Roll 2025 day at 5:00am, in the dark, in the snow and cold. She coordinated hundreds of volunteers. She made sure racers’ needs were met. She made sure volunteers’ needs were met. She pulled together a team of like minded adventure enthusiasts with a purpose bigger than themselves: to create a safe space for Polar Roll participants to have an experience.
It’s safe to say, these events could not and would not happen without people like Julie.
“It’s the community that 906 Adventure Team has built, people willing to give back, people who believe in the events,” stressed Julie. “It’s such a strong community of people. And the majority of people do exactly what they say they’re going to do or do extra.”
Julie’s day ended the same way it started, in the dark, in the snow and cold – nearly 15 hours later. She said the events are exhausting but 100% worth it.
“It’s never about me. I am one of over 100 people that gave their time that weekend, in small ways and in big ways and just being a part of that community is rewarding.”
Thank you Julie for all the ways you give back to 906 Adventure Team – we are better because of you!
Have a story you’d like to see featured in an upcoming edition of ‘Doing The Hard Things’? Contact Elizabeth Peterson at elizabeth@906adventureteam.com