News & Events

Fremont Area Community Foundation recently held its annual meeting where members elected three new trustees. New board officers were also elected.

Todd DeKryger, Ken DeLaat, and Julie Tatko were each elected by the members to join the Community Foundation board. Members of the Community Foundation are chosen by virtue of their leadership positions in the community, and their primary responsibility is to meet annually to elect trustees.

DeKryger is the regional manager for sustainable agricultural development at Nestlé Nutrition North America. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Michigan State University, including a PhD in resource development.

“I’m excited for this opportunity to serve the community,” said DeKryger of joining the board. “I’ve always been impressed with the Community Foundation and what it has been able to support. I look forward to serving.”

DeLaat is a freelance writer and creator of Near North Now. He has also spent his career working in mental health in various capacities and leadership positions.

“I worked in nonprofit organizations for most of my life,” said DeLaat. “Coming from the nonprofit sector, I always admired the work of the Community Foundation. It’s a real honor to be asked to serve. I hope I can be part of the solutions for issues we face in our community.”

Tatko has a background in community health. She is currently president and CEO of Baldwin Family Health Care, which has facilities in White Cloud and Grant.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how we can look at healthcare as part of the Community Foundation’s poverty to prosperity work,” said Tatko. “I am excited to get to know other people and sectors here. I love the area and appreciate how people here work together to improve the community.”

The new trustees were elected to fill vacancies, including those left as Joseph Roberson and Carolyn Hummel retired from the board. Roberson was first elected in 2012 and most recently served as chair of the board. Hummel was elected in 2013. She was formerly chair of the Community Foundation’s Education Committee and continues to serve on the committee.

Following the members meeting, the Board of Trustees met and elected officers. Dr. Lori Tubbergen Clark was elected chair of the board, with Lola Harmon-Ramsey named vice chair and Mikhail Salacina named secretary. Bill Alsover will remain as treasurer and Dr. Susan Wente will serve as trustee-at-large.

Fremont Area Community Foundation held its annual members meeting on June 17 where members elected two new trustees. Three incumbent trustees were also elected to new terms.

Travis Bull and Susan Wente were each elected by members to join the Community Foundation board. Members of the Community Foundation are chosen by virtue of their leadership positions in the community, and their primary responsibility is to meet annually to elect trustees.

Bull is a financial advisor with Edward Jones. He has served on the boards of TrueNorth Community Services and Spectrum Health and is a past president of the Newaygo Rotary.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Fremont Area Community Foundation,” said Bull. “The foundation is an unbelievable asset that we have in Newaygo County, and I am truly excited to serve on this board. I am focused on strengthening and making a difference in our community.”

Wente lives in Newaygo and has served on the Amazing X Charitable Trust board and the Community Foundation’s Poverty to Prosperity Committee. She is a nurse midwife and has developed an outreach program for Amish healthcare.

“Philanthropy has been core to my life and how I was raised,” said Wente. “In philanthropy you always get back more than you give. I look forward to learning more about the community and the needs of the community.”

Bull and Wente were elected to fill vacancies left as Cathy Kissinger and Tom Williams retired from the board. Williams was first elected as a trustee in 2012 and served three terms. Kissinger was elected in 2011 to fill an unexpired term and has served as the board’s vice chair and treasurer.

During the members meeting, trustee incumbents Micheal Anderson, Mary Rangel, and Dr. Lori Tubbergen Clark were also each reelected to new three-year terms.

Following the members meeting, the Board of Trustees met and elected officers. Continuing in their positions are Joseph Roberson as chair, Tubbergen Clark as vice chair, and Lola Harmon-Ramsey as secretary. Bill Alsover was appointed treasurer.

We were all saddened this month by the loss of one of our own. Bill Leaver graced the Community Foundation with kindness, quiet wisdom, and three years of faithful service on our Board of Trustees. He also served on our committees for investment and community and economic development. Bill passed away at home on May 16, surrounded by his family, following a journey with cancer.

Bill represented the classic Newaygo County comeback story. He and his wife Jeanne both grew up here. They even dated in high school, reconnected years later at a reunion, and married in 1996. Their family now includes five children, nine grandchildren, and one great grandchild. While Bill’s education and career took him around the country, he and Jeanne always knew they wanted to return to this community. Bill attended Western Michigan University followed by graduate school at the University of Michigan. His 40-year career in hospital administration honed his executive leadership skills, which he contributed to our Community Foundation starting in 2017.

In addition to his role on our board, Bill was a thoughtful donor. He and Jeanne established a fund at the Community Foundation after giving for several years in response to needs that came to their attention. Supporting women in transition and addressing homelessness were especially close to their hearts. “We both grew up in an environment where our parents were very focused on teaching you that you were blessed with many gifts and you have a responsibility to help,” said Bill in a 2016 interview. “It’s not something I have to think about a lot. I’ve grown up with it as part of my value system. We need to be more concerned with what kind of society we have and the world our grandchildren will live in. It’s not just the responsibility of the government, schools, or churches. It’s all of us.”

Bill’s leadership in volunteering his time, donating funds, and his passion for helping those in need was truly inspiring. We will sorely miss his vision, enthusiasm, and determination to support his neighbors and make his community better.

The Leaver family has recommended that memorial gifts be directed to the William and Jeanne Leaver Fund at the Community Foundation. Friends may also share memories and condolences online at www.crandellfh.com.

Donna Trice of White Cloud was recently elected to serve on Fremont Area Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Trice and her family moved to the area from Detroit in the late 1980s. Her career included 29 years at Gerber Life. Trice then spent a year traveling to visit family and working on projects at home before realizing that retirement wasn’t for her. She now works for State Farm in White Cloud and is earning her license as an insurance agent. She is also very active in her community and her church, where she serves as secretary, board member, and a mentor to young women.

“I enjoy helping people,” said Trice. “Giving back is very important. It’s not just about helping yourself; it’s important to reach back and help somebody else too.”

As she begins her service with the Community Foundation board, Trice said that she looks forward to learning more about the organization’s work and how it impacts the community.

“I thought serving on the Community Foundation board would be very interesting and that I could learn from it,” said Trice. “I’m excited about learning more about what the Community Foundation does and how I can take it back to my community. I want to be a voice for my community.”