Supporting Partners
What’s inside:
Thank YOU
Sponsoring Adventure Teams: For kids, for the community
Sponsoring Adventure Teams: From the beginning to today
Sponsor Feature: Atha
MADE U.P.
Volunteer Onboarding coming soon
Train for Life: Even in the off season
906AT 12 Days of Christmas
Events with 906AT
To all of you,
I want to thank you for…
Helping us launch new youth Adventure Teams this year in Ludington and Kalamazoo, and also for helping our existing teams grow, as well. We reached a record number of kids and families in 2025.
Your patience as we transitioned volunteers to a brand new Learning Management System. It was a success! Special props to Julie and Marc for the countless hours they invested in setting it up, and rolling it out.
Supporting this newsletter and the MADE U.P. Podcast. We’re constantly looking for ways to connect with you, and to help you connect with each other. We will keep the new episodes and newsletters coming your way in 2026.
Being the reason all three events, Polar Roll, da Crusher, and Marji Gesick, each broke records for attendance – again! Your continued support of the organization and commitment to “Doing Hard Things” carried us through another great year, and has us poised for another.
Supporting our local trail orgs. A portion of the registration you pay for 906AT events is given to orgs who maintain the trails our events use. This year, we donated approximately $40,000 to local trails, because of you.
Donating, sponsoring, volunteering, running and/riding in the events, sharing the mission, and most importantly… Leading By Example. Everyone plays a part, and the part they play matters, a lot.
Happy Holidays.
I want to thank you for…
Helping us launch new youth Adventure Teams this year in Ludington and Kalamazoo, and also for helping our existing teams grow, as well. We reached a record number of kids and families in 2025.
Your patience as we transitioned volunteers to a brand new Learning Management System. It was a success! Special props to Julie and Marc for the countless hours they invested in setting it up, and rolling it out.
Supporting this newsletter and the MADE U.P. Podcast. We’re constantly looking for ways to connect with you, and to help you connect with each other. We will keep the new episodes and newsletters coming your way in 2026.
Being the reason all three events, Polar Roll, da Crusher, and Marji Gesick, each broke records for attendance – again! Your continued support of the organization and commitment to “Doing Hard Things” carried us through another great year, and has us poised for another.
Supporting our local trail orgs. A portion of the registration you pay for 906AT events is given to orgs who maintain the trails our events use. This year, we donated approximately $40,000 to local trails, because of you.
Donating, sponsoring, volunteering, running and/riding in the events, sharing the mission, and most importantly… Leading By Example. Everyone plays a part, and the part they play matters, a lot.
Happy Holidays.
“I want to encourage people to get involved in their local area.”
Every year, sponsor support enables the 906 Adventure Team program to keep costs low for participating families. To state it simply, we wouldn’t be able to offer the program the way we do without the generous partners who’ve joined in our mission for the past 11 years.
One of those partners is Dan Farkas with 1st Advantage Realty in Kentwood. This summer will be Dan’s third year supporting Adventure Team Grand Rapids… and his second year as a Trilogy sponsor. For Dan, his desire to give back is personal. Biking and running changed his life for the better, and he wants to carry that forward.
Dan says, “The biking part got me more active, it was a keystone that changed my life dramatically, and having intent behind my life – there’s a reflection of that when helping kids around here.”
It was the right time and the right place – when he stumbled into a meet-up at Switchback about the launch of Adventure Team in Grand Rapids. He now makes it a point to visit basecamp at least once during programming to see firsthand the impact he’s helping make.
“It’s super important to get kids excited and moving to get out there and ride mountain bikes or bikes in general – a lot of kids don’t have the opportunity, and this is the beginning for them.”
One of those partners is Dan Farkas with 1st Advantage Realty in Kentwood. This summer will be Dan’s third year supporting Adventure Team Grand Rapids… and his second year as a Trilogy sponsor. For Dan, his desire to give back is personal. Biking and running changed his life for the better, and he wants to carry that forward.
Dan says, “The biking part got me more active, it was a keystone that changed my life dramatically, and having intent behind my life – there’s a reflection of that when helping kids around here.”
It was the right time and the right place – when he stumbled into a meet-up at Switchback about the launch of Adventure Team in Grand Rapids. He now makes it a point to visit basecamp at least once during programming to see firsthand the impact he’s helping make.
“It’s super important to get kids excited and moving to get out there and ride mountain bikes or bikes in general – a lot of kids don’t have the opportunity, and this is the beginning for them.”
Dan says he aligns with the mission of 906 Adventure Team – he believes in what we’re doing and he believes in taking care of his community. He’s actively involved in not just 906AT but as a steward for the trails and the spaces we all recreate in – something he wants everyone to take part in.
“I want to encourage people to get involved in their local area. I’d really like to see people become trail adopters, trail coordinators, volunteer their time – it takes a village. It’s a lot of work spread amongst dozens – hundreds of people – to get involved and be a part of that – it’s something awesome.”
When he’s not helping people find their perfect home at 1st Advantage Realty, he’s volunteering, riding, and training for his next 906AT event. He’s finished the MG50 twice and admits he’s got a bit of unfinished business with the MG100, which might turn into a run in the duathlon. Regardless, he’s committed to bettering the community around him – and continuing to be part of the solution. He’s currently helping to raise funds for Johnson Park in the Grandville area to expand single-track opportunities there and provide a space for thousands of kids to ride.
Thanks for all you do, Dan, for your community in West Michigan and ours in the Upper Peninsula and all those in between.
“I want to encourage people to get involved in their local area. I’d really like to see people become trail adopters, trail coordinators, volunteer their time – it takes a village. It’s a lot of work spread amongst dozens – hundreds of people – to get involved and be a part of that – it’s something awesome.”
When he’s not helping people find their perfect home at 1st Advantage Realty, he’s volunteering, riding, and training for his next 906AT event. He’s finished the MG50 twice and admits he’s got a bit of unfinished business with the MG100, which might turn into a run in the duathlon. Regardless, he’s committed to bettering the community around him – and continuing to be part of the solution. He’s currently helping to raise funds for Johnson Park in the Grandville area to expand single-track opportunities there and provide a space for thousands of kids to ride.
Thanks for all you do, Dan, for your community in West Michigan and ours in the Upper Peninsula and all those in between.
By Elizabeth Peterson
“It’s pretty cool when I’m walking around the mine and I see someone in a Marji Gesick or Adventure Team shirt.”
When Eagle Mine first began sponsoring 906 Adventure Team programming over eight years ago – Matt Johnson, the External Affairs Manager for Eagle Mine says it felt like supporting a startup in the community. The foundation of 906AT was just being built. But the fundamentals and the mission of the organization was set and aligned with Eagle Mine.
“As a company we have certain values that we want to promote in our host communities – one of them is supporting youth development, which can be defined in many different ways and in many different activities,” explains Matt. “906AT offers us the opportunity to support the positive of getting kids outdoors in a way that’s not competitive, it’s not pitting one child against another – but rather, having an adventure.”
Matt says because of the growth, the success and the positive brand recognition of 906AT, Eagle Mine has continued to support the organization over the years. He recalls some of the kids that were in the program those first years have now graduated college. It’s been a full circle experience for him.
“Over the years and the developing success – 906AT has created its own social culture and part of the social culture encourages employees and children of employees to participate in Adventure Teams and events. Whether that was parents dropping kids off or volunteering, participating for events or volunteering for events,” says Matt. “It’s pretty cool when I’m walking around the mine and someone passes by with a Marji Gesick or Adventure Team shirt.”
“As a company we have certain values that we want to promote in our host communities – one of them is supporting youth development, which can be defined in many different ways and in many different activities,” explains Matt. “906AT offers us the opportunity to support the positive of getting kids outdoors in a way that’s not competitive, it’s not pitting one child against another – but rather, having an adventure.”
Matt says because of the growth, the success and the positive brand recognition of 906AT, Eagle Mine has continued to support the organization over the years. He recalls some of the kids that were in the program those first years have now graduated college. It’s been a full circle experience for him.
“Over the years and the developing success – 906AT has created its own social culture and part of the social culture encourages employees and children of employees to participate in Adventure Teams and events. Whether that was parents dropping kids off or volunteering, participating for events or volunteering for events,” says Matt. “It’s pretty cool when I’m walking around the mine and someone passes by with a Marji Gesick or Adventure Team shirt.”
It’s been a natural fit – both personally and professionally for Johnson – as a representative of Eagle Mine and also being an instrumental part of the 906AT organization as a coach and as a board member.
Supporters like Eagle Mine have allowed 906AT to grow from one team in those early days to teams in 17 communities this year. It’s allowed the organization to impact more kids, more families and more communities. But, as Matt points out – ‘There Is No Finish Line.’
“No matter what we do in life, we’re either moving forward or backward – we’re never stationary – every organization has to continue to move forward – to innovate – to think outside the box while maintaining its core values. In order to do that, they need support from the community – whether that’s as a volunteer at a race, as a coach, behind the scenes on the board – we also need the financial support from businesses and individuals to support the positive impact that we’ve had and will continue to have. Kids will always be coming into the system and will always be graduating and moving into the community, which is why we need consistent financial support.”
Matt says we should all be proud to have 906AT in the U.P. and throughout the Midwest – and we should all take a moment to appreciate when we see someone racing in the Marji or see a group of seven-year-olds riding bikes on the trails – because you know something positive is happening.
The investment by Eagle Mine has impacted not just 906 Adventure Team, but the community and hundreds of kids and families – Thank You for taking a chance on us all those years ago and continuing to support the development of self-reliant, strong kids and communities!
Supporters like Eagle Mine have allowed 906AT to grow from one team in those early days to teams in 17 communities this year. It’s allowed the organization to impact more kids, more families and more communities. But, as Matt points out – ‘There Is No Finish Line.’
“No matter what we do in life, we’re either moving forward or backward – we’re never stationary – every organization has to continue to move forward – to innovate – to think outside the box while maintaining its core values. In order to do that, they need support from the community – whether that’s as a volunteer at a race, as a coach, behind the scenes on the board – we also need the financial support from businesses and individuals to support the positive impact that we’ve had and will continue to have. Kids will always be coming into the system and will always be graduating and moving into the community, which is why we need consistent financial support.”
Matt says we should all be proud to have 906AT in the U.P. and throughout the Midwest – and we should all take a moment to appreciate when we see someone racing in the Marji or see a group of seven-year-olds riding bikes on the trails – because you know something positive is happening.
The investment by Eagle Mine has impacted not just 906 Adventure Team, but the community and hundreds of kids and families – Thank You for taking a chance on us all those years ago and continuing to support the development of self-reliant, strong kids and communities!
By Elizabeth Peterson
Atha: A Wellness Studio is proud to support 906 Adventure Team in their mission to build stronger, more resilient individuals through outdoor adventure.
Just as 906 Adventure Team empowers people to push limits and grow through challenge, Atha fosters strength, balance, and mindfulness on and off the mat. Together, we’re helping our community move with purpose—whether it’s on the trail or in the studio. Come check us out the next time you are in Neenah, Wisconsin!
Find Atha on Facebook: Atha: A Wellness Studio
Find Atha online: Atha: A Wellness Studio
Just as 906 Adventure Team empowers people to push limits and grow through challenge, Atha fosters strength, balance, and mindfulness on and off the mat. Together, we’re helping our community move with purpose—whether it’s on the trail or in the studio. Come check us out the next time you are in Neenah, Wisconsin!
Find Atha on Facebook: Atha: A Wellness Studio
Find Atha online: Atha: A Wellness Studio
It’s been 8 months of MADE U.P. Episodes! As we begin the countdown to 2026 – we can’t help but look back an incredible year of sharing stories, insight, motivation, hardship, lessons learned, opportunities and so much more! MADE U.P. has become a community in itself – a community of leaders, do-ers, dreamers and adventure seekers. At the time of this newsletter we’ve recorded 33 podcasts. There’s a little something there for everyone. Check ’em out. Subscribe! And get ready for another round of inspiring guests in 2026!
“We’ve done the work so you can feel prepared.”
This summer 600-700 volunteers will donate their time and talents to ensure Adventure Team programming runs successfully in 17 communities across the Midwest. Volunteer participation directly impacts the number of youth riders we’re able to make space for in each community. To understand this is to understand why we couldn’t run this program without you.
Here’s how it works:
Volunteer registration begins January 1, 2026. Volunteers then have until April 15 to successfully complete the required online training and pass a background check. We then set our number of youth spots based on the number of volunteers who have registered, passed the background check, and completed the training. Essentially, for every three+ volunteers in a community, we’re able to open up ten youth spots.
It’s vital we have committed and active volunteers. It’s what makes our programming impactful and successful.
What does volunteering require?
It means riding with kids two hours a week throughout the summer. It means passing a background check. And it means successfully completing 906AT volunteer training online.
906AT Partner in Adventure, Marc Salm and 906AT Board Member and Adventure Team Midland Lead, Julie Cunningham have spent countless hours ensuring the online training program sets volunteers up for a great summer of riding with kids.
Marc says, “Understanding the parameters in which we expect volunteers to work and react to a situation, to have the right tool in their pocket to make the right decision… it’s critical for truly making a difference with the kids and also with each other as volunteers.”
This year’s training program is being revamped… much of the content is the same, the message and the information hasn’t changed – but the way it’s being deployed is – making it easier for volunteers to digest.
The training as a whole familiarizes someone new to the organization with the standard that has been put in place as it relates to Adventure Teams – it focuses on the why behind the 906AT way. New video content is being added to further explain questions like: Why are we so adamant about kids wearing the same t-shirt every week? Why aren’t parents allowed to coach their kids? Why is the intentional exchange of custody so important? Why do we group kids by age opposed to skill?
“The end goal is for the volunteer to interact with the training and it be an uninterrupted experience from when they log in to when they get the notification that they’ve completed the training,” explains Marc. “Any inconvenience to them is a failure on my part.”
From now until volunteer registration opens on January 1st, Marc says the majority of his focus will be on finalizing this year’s training. He wants volunteers to feel comfortable going into the new season, so they can focus on being on a bike and riding with kids.
Julie says many of the updates this year have come from volunteer feedback, she says it’s a comprehensive training that will help in preparing for the season, especially for someone who might be a little unsure. “We’ve done the work so you can feel prepared.”
The training is a must. It’s required, along with the background check to volunteer for 906AT. But it is just one piece of a bigger picture. Committing and following through on that commitment are equally important. When a volunteer doesn’t show up – it impacts the program and the experience for the kids.
“Ultimately, we want to keep the groups as consistent as possible… having to rebuild a relationship every week with a different coach isn’t ideal for the kids,” adds Marc.
Volunteer registration opens on January 1, 2026 at 906adventureteam.com
After you sign up, watch your email for more information about the on-boarding process. In the meantime, if you’re on the fence about volunteering – attend a 906AT meet-up in your community, talk with past volunteers, and reach out to the leads in your community. We’re all here to support you!
You can find information about meetups by watching the 906 Adventure Team Facebook page or by contacting the leads in your community – lead information can be found here.
Adventure Team is life-changing. Kids need opportunities like this – and we need to work together to create spaces for growth, adventure, and community. If you’ve been a volunteer – Thank you! If you’re thinking of volunteering – we can’t wait to hear from you!
Here’s how it works:
Volunteer registration begins January 1, 2026. Volunteers then have until April 15 to successfully complete the required online training and pass a background check. We then set our number of youth spots based on the number of volunteers who have registered, passed the background check, and completed the training. Essentially, for every three+ volunteers in a community, we’re able to open up ten youth spots.
It’s vital we have committed and active volunteers. It’s what makes our programming impactful and successful.
What does volunteering require?
It means riding with kids two hours a week throughout the summer. It means passing a background check. And it means successfully completing 906AT volunteer training online.
906AT Partner in Adventure, Marc Salm and 906AT Board Member and Adventure Team Midland Lead, Julie Cunningham have spent countless hours ensuring the online training program sets volunteers up for a great summer of riding with kids.
Marc says, “Understanding the parameters in which we expect volunteers to work and react to a situation, to have the right tool in their pocket to make the right decision… it’s critical for truly making a difference with the kids and also with each other as volunteers.”
This year’s training program is being revamped… much of the content is the same, the message and the information hasn’t changed – but the way it’s being deployed is – making it easier for volunteers to digest.
The training as a whole familiarizes someone new to the organization with the standard that has been put in place as it relates to Adventure Teams – it focuses on the why behind the 906AT way. New video content is being added to further explain questions like: Why are we so adamant about kids wearing the same t-shirt every week? Why aren’t parents allowed to coach their kids? Why is the intentional exchange of custody so important? Why do we group kids by age opposed to skill?
“The end goal is for the volunteer to interact with the training and it be an uninterrupted experience from when they log in to when they get the notification that they’ve completed the training,” explains Marc. “Any inconvenience to them is a failure on my part.”
From now until volunteer registration opens on January 1st, Marc says the majority of his focus will be on finalizing this year’s training. He wants volunteers to feel comfortable going into the new season, so they can focus on being on a bike and riding with kids.
Julie says many of the updates this year have come from volunteer feedback, she says it’s a comprehensive training that will help in preparing for the season, especially for someone who might be a little unsure. “We’ve done the work so you can feel prepared.”
The training is a must. It’s required, along with the background check to volunteer for 906AT. But it is just one piece of a bigger picture. Committing and following through on that commitment are equally important. When a volunteer doesn’t show up – it impacts the program and the experience for the kids.
“Ultimately, we want to keep the groups as consistent as possible… having to rebuild a relationship every week with a different coach isn’t ideal for the kids,” adds Marc.
Volunteer registration opens on January 1, 2026 at 906adventureteam.com
After you sign up, watch your email for more information about the on-boarding process. In the meantime, if you’re on the fence about volunteering – attend a 906AT meet-up in your community, talk with past volunteers, and reach out to the leads in your community. We’re all here to support you!
You can find information about meetups by watching the 906 Adventure Team Facebook page or by contacting the leads in your community – lead information can be found here.
Adventure Team is life-changing. Kids need opportunities like this – and we need to work together to create spaces for growth, adventure, and community. If you’ve been a volunteer – Thank you! If you’re thinking of volunteering – we can’t wait to hear from you!
Train for Life:
I recently had a nice weekend with my sisters and my mom and as we talked about childhood stories (both ours and their own children), we recognized how often we emulate our parents. Even though there are 13 years between myself and my youngest sister, it is clear that we have a lot in common as adults and that much of this can be traced back to family expectations that were modeled and supported by the adults in our lives. Additionally, as we talked about the children and grandchildren my sisters are raising it was also clear that they are making some very conscious decisions about what they model for the kids based on what types of people they hope their children and grandchildren will become.
So, when we talk about training kids to adventure using bikes or to do hard things or to compete to be a better you – we should recognize that we each play a role supporting kids’ adventures, bike skills and character attributes associated with Adventure Team.
Following are some things that coaches train kids on during Adventure Team and that
the kids can continue to practice in the off-season as they train for life.
Consistency – Bike check, helmet, trail communication, show up on time, do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it. Getting out in nature. Each one of us needs this, kids included. Additionally, kids won’t learn to appreciate and take care of natural spaces if we don’t show them how important these spaces (which often include trails) are.
Growth Mindset – It is okay to “fail”, that is often how you learn to do something new. Instead of thinking about failures as mistakes, try looking at them as growth. If there is something you are working on – keep working and you will get there. Even if you cannot do it “yet”.
You can be competitive with yourself. Your journey can be about becoming a better you (on the bike or in life).
Adventure Mindset – Zipping around a trail allows you to take your mind off yourself and the things that make you anxious. The trail takes your focus off yourself and your worries. This can be true of adventure on or off a bike.
Having a successful adventure, especially the self-supported type is exhilarating and fulfilling.
By Julie Cunningham
It’s the 12 days of Christmas, 906AT style. In the spirit of the holiday season – we’re giving away 12 prizes in one day. Drawings will be held Friday, December 5th throughout the day and shared on a special Made U.P. podcast to be published on Friday, December 5.
To enter – email Elizabeth the correct answer to the following question by 9:06 P.M. ET tonight (December 1, 2025). Prizes cannot be redeemed for cash value nor can they be transferred.
Question: 906 Adventure Team headquarters is located at 955 N. Lakeshore Boulevard in Marquette. What month and year did 906AT purchase the property?
Good luck and thanks for reading! We’ll see you again in 2026!
Whether through a donation to youth resilience programming or a sponsorship of your local Adventure Team, your support is crucial to keep the momentum going. We’ve made incredible progress, but we’re already fully immersed in the planning and building for the next decade of growth. Through your financial partnership, you can be a key part of helping us build the foundation for the next 10 years of leadership, resilience and growth for thousands of youth.
Trilogy Partners
