Brian and Diane Karsten

Brian and Diane Karsten may live in Grand Rapids now, but Fremont still holds a special place in their hearts.

The couple moved to the area in 1990 and became active members of the community. They were youth leaders at their church, where Diane was also instrumental in starting a youth mentoring program. Brian, a financial advisor, served on the school board and still works in Fremont for part of the week.

“Fremont has always been very good to us,” he said. “We’ve been blessed beyond our wildest dreams by being there.”

“And we believe you’re blessed to be a blessing,” said Diane.

In addition to their volunteerism, the Karstens decided to give back by starting a fund at the Community Foundation. They created the Karsten Family Fund scholarship through a stock gift, with a focus on supporting students who are deserving but may not be at the top of their class or receiving other awards.

“These are kids who worked just as hard or maybe even harder,” said Diane. “It shows them that somebody cares, even though they may not be in the top 10.”

“And the fund will live forever,” said Brian. “After we’re gone, our kids and grandkids can choose to give to it if they want. It will go on.”

“It was important to us that the money would stay in the community,” he continued. “Fremont supported us and our business. It’s a great community.”

Lois Brookhouse

Lois Brookhouse passed away on March 24, 2017, her 91st birthday. We were honored to spend time talking with her in late 2014 for this story.

Lois Brookhouse remembered the hospital guild meetings that her mother held at their farm between Fremont and Newaygo and the strong smell of disinfectant that would linger in the air long after. Guild members would gather to cut bandages of all shapes and sizes for use at the hospital. “Since they met at our house, all us kids had to help, too,” said Lois. By fifth grade, Lois was heading to the hospital to volunteer, a habit that she continued for more than 60 years.

Being involved in the community was as natural as breathing. “It was important to us,” said Lois. “This is where we live.”

That belief in the importance of community and generosity has become part of a family legacy. Lois’ grandson Jason Brookhouse grew up watching his parents and grandparents serve in their church, volunteer in the community, and help others. He and his wife, Kristin, started a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation as a way to give back.

They felt comfortable giving through the Community Foundation because of its reputation as a leader in the community but also because Lois had already paved the way.

In honor of her parents, Lois created the Nicholas and Pauline Boeskool Memorial Scholarship. Education has always been important to the family. Pauline was secretary and treasurer for the old Butler School board, and Nicholas taught woodworking for years. Six of Lois’ own children attended college, and the scholarship she started in her parents’ names will help other youth people have the same opportunity.

“We were brought up to help one another,” said Lois. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Charles and Marilee Whitman

Throughout their 56-year marriage, Charles and Marilee Whitman have always tried to leave things a little better than they found them.

“We never wanted to leave a town and have people say, ‘Whew, I’m glad those Whitmans are gone,’” said Charles. “I always tried to give back more than I took.”

Charles and Marilee came to West Michigan from Ohio in the early 1970s. When they moved, Charles asked Marilee if she wanted to live a bigger city like Grand Rapids. The answer was quick and clear.

“Marilee said, ‘get me to a small town!’” he remembered with a smile. The couple ultimately settled in Fremont.

“This is home,” said Marilee. “It’s a good place to be from.”

Along the way, Charles got involved in the Jaycees and Rotary. The couple is active in their church, and when their son joined Boy Scouts, Charles got involved there too.

“It’s a fun organization designed to teach leadership,” said Charles. “People have gone through the scouting program and now they use the qualities they learned in their day-to-day life.”

The Whitmans’ belief in the positive impact of scouting, along with their dedication to their local church, led them to create a fund at the Community Foundation to support both organizations. They also have a life insurance policy that will go to the Community Foundation.

“Life is good and God has blessed us,” said Charles. “We spent a lot of time sharing our time and efforts with the community and now we’re able to share some of our resources too.”

Harold Kalsbeek

Harold Kalsbeek was a man who liked to stay busy and enjoyed figuring out how things worked.

“He had a good work ethic,” said Harold’s daughter Jane Vogel. “He kept busy all the time. Even into his 90s he went out to his workshop every day and puttered.”

“He wouldn’t hesitate to tear things apart to see how they worked,” added Jane’s husband, George. “He would fix things I would never have thought to keep.”

Harold liked old cars, camping, travel, and reading National Geographic. He was part of a disaster relief team through his church and enjoyed building bird houses from leftover pieces of wood. He liked playing cards and looked forward to morning coffee club in town with friends.

He was 95 when he passed away in 2015, and aside from his travels, Harold spent his 95 years in Fremont.

“He liked the people and what the community had for families,” said Jane. “As he was reaching his later years, he started thinking about what he wanted to leave behind. I think he wanted to give back to the community because he enjoyed being here and he wanted to help out.”

In early 2015, Harold created the unrestricted Harold Kalsbeek Family Fund at the Community Foundation. It will be used to meet critical needs in Newaygo County, no matter how those needs change in the future.

“My hope is that it will help wherever it’s needed,” said Jane of her father’s fund. “He liked it here, and he wanted different programs to be able to continue. He just enjoyed helping.”

Fremont Service Committee

After a divorce, Ann found herself struggling to pick up the pieces. She got her diploma and found a job, but she didn’t have a car to get there.

“It was hard keeping the faith and believing that things would get better,” she said.

But recently Ann got a call from Sheri Byers of Classis Muskegon Ministries and its Fremont Service Committee’s car ministry. Ann’s application had been approved, she had gone through all the steps, and now there was a car waiting for her.

“I just cried,” said Ann. “I can’t tell you how much of a relief this is and the pressure it takes off my shoulders.”

For more than 20 years, the car ministry has provided quality used cars and repairs to people who need them to get to work.

“We do this because we feel like it’s a calling,” said Sheri. “People here are working hard and trying to get by. We feel it’s our responsibility to help.”

The service committee is made up of 12 dedicated volunteers from several local Christian Reformed churches. They meet monthly to carefully review applications. The ministry also partners with a variety of local agencies, mechanics, and auto body shops. Financial support comes from the Christian Reformed Church, local congregations, and the Community Foundation.

These partnerships all combine to offer more Newaygo County residents self-sufficiency and the opportunity to build a better life.

“I’m so glad there’s an organization like this with people who care,” said Ann, looking at the car that had just become hers. “I’m just so grateful.”

For more information about the car ministry or to complete an application, contact TrueNorth at 231.924.0641.

Nancy Deters

If anyone understands the importance of a healthy heart, it’s Nancy Deters. She had a pacemaker, a defibrillator, and then a heart transplant in 2000. Her husband, Lee, and daughter Kim both had heart problems as well.

It was in their memories that Nancy chose to use her donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation to place AEDs—automated external defibrillators—at Fremont Christian School and the former Providence Christian High School.

“An AED would have kept Lee alive,” said Nancy. “A defibrillator would have saved him. They’re wonderful things.”

The grant from the Lee and Nancy Deters Family Fund has helped to put more local people within life-saving distance of an AED. It’s a gift that honors Lee and Kim and gives back to the community where the Deters raised a family and built a business.

“It’s such a nice community,” said Nancy. “People look out for people.”

“She gives back,” said Nancy’s daughter Kathy of her mom. She smiled and added, “I’m always telling her, ‘You should go on a trip or something,’ but no.”

“It’s because God has given me so much,” explained Nancy, who identifies her faith and the prayers of friends and neighbors as her anchors through times of illness and grief.

“It seems like the more you give, the more you get back,” Nancy added. “When you count up your blessings, there are more blessings than problems.”

Bridgeton Township Boat Launch

The idea started with a need close to home. Susan Reagan loved to kayak, but mobility issues threatened to keep her on shore.

Realizing that she was one of many for whom climbing into a bobbing kayak wasn’t safe or possible, she began looking for a solution. She and her husband Michael, Bridgeton Township’s supervisor, gathered a diverse group of partners who rallied around a central cause.

“It all came back to not just getting people to the water, but getting them on the water,” said Susan.

Research led them to an accessible dock system featuring sliding transfer benches, launch rollers, and railings that allow anyone to safely go from the dock to their kayak or canoe and into the water. Thanks to persistence and community support, including a grant from the Amazing X Charitable Trust, the docks are now in place at the Maple Island and Bridgeton launches on the Muskegon River.

“What made it successful was the local support,” said Michael. “Not many places have barrier-free entry and exit points on the river.”

In addition to allowing more people with mobility challenges to enjoy the river, the project has had other positive effects. Property owner Bruce Nelson—who remembers Charlton Heston coming to fish on the Muskegon—has noticed people making more of an effort to clean up along the river. Susan said the docks are also popular with families who can now load children and supplies into a canoe without fear that it will tip or float away.

“The whole idea is that everyone gets to use it now,” Susan said. “Accessibility means addressing whatever is keeping you on shore.”

Woody and Sue Bowman

“I came here for a job,” said Woody Bowman, who became manager of Independent Bank’s White Cloud branch in 1990. “But I was willing to come here because of all the outdoor activities.”

“He was never a fisherman or hunter until he came here,” agreed Sue Bowman, Woody’s wife.

Now, 25 years later, Woody is still with the bank and loves spending time on local rivers and lakes. But he’s also come to realize that the warmth of the community and its people are one of the area’s biggest selling points.

“This is a close knit community where people truly do care about each other,” said Woody.

From Sue’s work as a teacher to Woody’s involvement in Rotary and his previous service on the Community Foundation’s board, the Bowmans are always on the lookout for ways they can get involved and make a difference in Newaygo County.

“We’re trying to meet community needs in our own small way,” said Sue.

“I think what motivates us is a sense of ownership and responsibility,” continued Woody. “This is our home. It’s a person’s responsibility to give back to the place that has supported them.”

One way the Bowmans give back is through their donor advised fund at the Community Foundation. Through their fund, they can recommend grants to support causes and organizations that are important to them and beneficial to the community.

“We’re not rich but we’ve been blessed,” said Woody. “That requires that you try to give back.”

Doran Ditlow

“I’ve been here all my life,” said Doran Ditlow. And while he doesn’t care much for the cold winters in Newaygo County, he does have a special affinity for the rural area where he was born.

“I was born about as far out as you could get,” said Doran of his childhood home near White Cloud. “Our house was past where the blacktop ended, then past where the gravel ended.”

He graduated from White Cloud High School and served abroad with the Army. After returning home, Doran reconnected with Margaret–a high school classmate–and started a family. They were married for 51 years. Doran also worked hard to put himself and, later, his daughter through college.

“My parents were big on education,” said Doran. “College is important because, for most people, it’s one of their best shots at a good job and to make more money. Education gives you a common language and makes you more competitive.”

Wanting to find a permanent way to give other local young people a chance to continue their educations, he created the Doran and Margaret Stuthard Ditlow Scholarship for White Cloud graduates.

“My dad, brother, wife, and I all graduated from White Cloud,” explained Doran. “I’m helping kids like we were. I hope it helps them get their degree and find a good job.”

“It goes back to my parents,” Doran continued. Because in addition to a belief in the value of education, they instilled in him another important principle: “I wanted to leave things better than I found them.”

Students in Need of Eyecare

When a Hesperia teacher asked her class to share what they were thankful for, one student wrote two little words that spoke of a big impact: “to see!”

Several weeks before, the student had been one of more than 40 from Hesperia and Fremont to participate in Students in Need of Eyecare (SINE). Through SINE, referred children received free comprehensive eye exams from optometry students in Ferris State University’s Michigan College of Optometry. Any child who needed glasses was also able to choose frames and have them specially fitted.

SINE was developed by Dr. Sarah Hinkley, professor and chief of vision rehabilitation services at the Michigan College of Optometry, to address the number of local children who weren’t receiving eye care services due to factors like cost, lack of access, and difficulty ensuring that parents followed up on school vision screenings.

“We started brainstorming ideas for how to meet those needs and how to connect my students with a service learning opportunity,” said Sarah. “It has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.”

The program soon caught the attention of the Fremont Lions Club. They contacted Sarah and enlisted the help of partners including Fremont and Hesperia schools and the City of Fremont to bring SINE to Newaygo County. The Community Foundation supported the project with an $18,957 grant.

“Many people contributed,” said Steve Adsmond, president of the Lions Club at the time. “It was a true community project. We wanted to help kids learn at their full potential.”

Photo courtesy of Ferris State University

Norm and Jane Reath

“You can’t go to college. Your parents don’t have the money.”

More than 70 years later, Jane Reath still remembers those words from her high school counselor. A year went by before the encouragement of another educator inspired her to go to college after all. Jane went on to become a high school counselor herself and has spent much of her life advocating for young people and education.

“Education has been important to me all my life,” said Jane. “If you don’t have the education, you can’t go anywhere.”

“Education helps you keep up with change,” added Norm Reath, Jane’s husband. According to Norm, Jane’s life has been characterized by her willingness to accept change, embrace innovation, and face challenges with positivity.

“She was always the optimist,” said Norm. “She accepts change. She says to me daily, ‘Norm, it’s all part of change.’”

Jane was an early advocate for the expansion of Fremont’s library and the first woman to serve on Fremont Public’s school board. She also wrote a grant for the high school’s first computer and helped other staff learn to use the new technology.

The funds the Reaths created at the Community Foundation—a scholarship in Jane’s name and a fund to support Fremont Area District Library—are a reflection of a lifelong dedication to learning and preparing young people for the future. And by giving through the Community Foundation, Jane and Norm are also confident that their gifts will continue to grow and support the community no matter what the future holds.

“As a counselor, Jane always told things like it was,” said Norm. “She respected honesty. And that’s the Community Foundation’s strength. We gave through the Community Foundation because the trust was there. Times change, but we’ve got trust.”

Wes and Melissa Miller

Just before the birth of their daughter Evie, Wes and Melissa Miller started a build-a-fund at the Community Foundation. The process allows them to build up to the endowment fund minimum over a five-year period. Once completed, the Millers can recommend grants from their advised fund to the projects and causes that matter most to their family.

“We established the fund out of gratitude,” said Melissa. “We wanted to give back.”

Both Wes and Melissa grew up active in their communities, a priority that has extended into their adult lives. Wes is a program officer at the Community Foundation and Melissa is the coordinator of WE CAN! Newaygo County and mentor for Early College Newaygo County. Now they look forward to teaching their daughter about the importance of giving back.

“The fund will allow us to support good work in the community while teaching Evie about philanthropy,” said Wes. “We can tell her that we have this fund at the Community Foundation and we can use it to support the things we care about. We can make it a family tradition.”

“We’ve been blessed,” he added. “The resources that we’ve been given aren’t ours, we’re just stewards. Newaygo County has given us a lot and this is a great way to say thanks.”

Stan and Joyce Beckman

Stan and Joyce Beckman remember Joyce’s parents, Reo and Bessie McMillen, as generous people who lived with integrity and faith. Reo was a quiet man who enjoyed building and woodworking. Bessie was a teacher who loved being surrounded by family. Both knew what it was like to overcome adversity.

“They came up through all the tough stuff,” said daughter Joyce. “They lived through the Depression and World Wars. They knew poverty and hunger.”

Because of the struggles her father faced as a young man, he was deeply concerned with leaving enough behind for his children. “But we told him, ‘Dad, you are our legacy,’” said Joyce.

Joyce and Stan have been hard at work sharing that legacy. They established the Reo and Bessie McMillen Memorial Fund, knowing Joyce’s parents would be delighted at the thought of helping the community.

They are also passing down the values Reo and Bessie held dear through the generations of their family. Grandson Reo Heinzman served as president of the Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee from 2014-2015. Reo not only shares his great-grandfather’s name but also his enthusiasm for helping others.

“He has a great name to live up to,” said Joyce, smiling at Reo. “And he already is.”

Chad Hickman

Throughout his life, Chad Hickman made a difference in the lives of others.

“Anybody he crossed paths with in the community, he inspired,” said Chad’s brother Nathan. “He had passion, commitment, and drive. I’ve felt so fortunate to have him in my life.”

Chad was only four when he was diagnosed with life threatening brain tumors. The treatment that helped save his life also led to disabilities. Despite the challenges he faced, Chad’s life was defined by determination and joy.

“Chad didn’t let things get him down,” said Nathan. “I think the beauty of his life is that, despite everything, he reached a point of contentment.”

Chad loved cooking, bowling, and exercising at Tamarac. Above all, he had a special passion for environmental causes.

He composted, took pride in his garden, and continually looked for ways to conserve resources. He was also actively involved in recycling efforts. At his family’s business, Chad was personally responsible for recycling two million pounds of cardboard.

After Chad passed away in 2014, his parents Terry and Jackie, along with Nathan created the Chad Hickman Legacy Fund at the Community Foundation. It is a way for the family to continue Chad’s support of environmental causes while also giving back to the community.

“The community embraced him, loved him, and treated him as an equal,” said Nathan. “We created this fund to honor him and to thank the community that gave him an incredible quality of life.”

Don and Marsha Van Singel

Community is important to Don and Marsha Van Singel. They both grew up in the Grant area and still live there today. Even in the years Don worked in Lansing as a state representative, Newaygo County was always home. But to the Van Singels, community is more than just a place. Above all, it’s about people.

“Life is about people and relationships,” said Marsha. “Otherwise it’s a pretty lonely existence.”

That’s why Marsha decorates their home inside and out each December so that even those just driving by can enjoy it. It’s also why the Van Singels have hosted neighborhood Christmas parties to ensure that at least once a year neighbors could reconnect.

And that belief in the importance of investing in people and relationships is why the Van Singels talk about giving back as a natural response to the gift of living in a community you love.

“I think it’s part of our area’s culture to give back,” said Marsha.

“Somebody along the way helped you, and now you can give back,” added Don. “It’s natural. If you’re able to help, you do.”

One of the ways Don and Marsha have chosen to help is by establishing a fund at the Community Foundation. It will allow them to continue caring for their community for generations to come.

“We’ve been blessed, and we wanted to give back to the community,” Don explained. “We just want to be helpful in some way.”

Grant Farmers Market

Not long ago the home of the Grant Farmers Market was just an empty lot with a few patches of grass, uneven gravel that trapped rain in deep ruts, and the remnants of an old shop’s foundation. But with plenty of vision and hard work, a dedicated community gave the vacant property a new purpose and a role to play in the city’s future.

The redevelopment project, supported in part by a grant from the Community Foundation, provides Grant with a venue for its own farmers market and expands local access to fresh, healthy food.

“Agriculture is one of the major industries in the state,” noted Ryan Rudzis, Grant city manager. “We can be an even bigger part of that and it will keep more money local.”

The project also addressed a need for increased public parking and green space in the downtown area. Connected to the neighboring Water Tower Park between M-37 and Front Street, the project added grassy areas, plants, and new picnic tables. The remainder of the space was outfitted with new gravel and a drainage system to provide plenty of safe, convenient parking.

“What makes this unique is that we were able to take a piece of property that hadn’t been used in years and turn it into this,” said Ryan. “Something like this encourages people to take pride in their community and we hope that catches on.”

Croton Township Library

What began with a book station in the Croton fire barn in 1966 has grown into a crucial resource for the community, providing a welcoming place for learning, fun, and easy access to information.

Croton Township Library offers a variety of creative programming for all ages in addition to books and DVDs to borrow. Other resources like computers are vital in an area where Internet access is not always easy to come by.

“This area desperately needs libraries,” said June Squires, president of Croton Township Library’s board. “Tutors come in to work with students and people use the computers for job searches. We’re providing a very important service.”

As a way to ensure the library can continue to provide these services for years to come, the organization established the Croton Township Library Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation last spring.

An agency endowment fund provides a permanent source of income and can open up new ways to give and see those gifts grow.

“We heard other local libraries talk about their endowment funds, how they used them, and the benefits,” said Diane Greiner, the library’s director. “We’re focused on growing it for now, but in the future we could use it for improvements or adding services.”

The endowment also gives the library another source of funding that can be counted on no matter what the future holds.

“It provides stability,” said Diane. “It can grow as the years go on and we know it will be there.”

Farmworker Appreciation Day

It has all the elements of a great celebration—games, music, food, and fun—but Farmworker Appreciation Day is more than just a party. Held each summer in Grant, the event is also an expression of gratitude to the migrant and seasonal workers in Newaygo County whose hard work is critical to local farmers and to the economy.

“These individuals work hard to put food on our tables,” said Mary Rangel, one of the event’s organizers and Community Foundation trustee. She understands firsthand many of the challenges the workers face. She has clear memories of carrying a change of clothes to school so that she could head right out to the fields when the final bell rang.

“You don’t truly appreciate what they do until you get out there in the field yourself,” said Mary. “They sacrifice so much and their work makes life easier for the rest of us.”

Sponsored in part by a grant from the Community Foundation, Farmworker Appreciation Day features a host of free resources, activities, and services like blood pressure checks. Families enjoy a cookout and children can get ready for the school year with haircuts, school supplies, and new shoes.

“I love seeing the families come in and feel good about the day,” said Mary. “They know we see how hard they work.”

Alpha Family Center

Signs of faithful volunteers are everywhere at Alpha Family Center. Colorful baby clothes have been carefully sorted behind the scenes and are now neatly displayed in the lobby. There’s the friendly face at the reception desk and a mentor meeting with a client around the corner.

“Volunteers drive our organization,” said Debbie Lamos, Executive Director. “We operate very locally and look to the community for resources. People think we use volunteers to save money, but that’s not the case. We use volunteers because it’s all about the community helping the community.”

The dedication and warmth of the staff and volunteers at Alpha Family Center can be a lifeline for clients seeking a beginning level of healing from sexual abuse or trauma or who are overwhelmed by an unplanned or crisis pregnancy.

Nicole Mollett’s volunteer mentor not only supported her throughout a difficult pregnancy but also continues to work with her on parenting classes.

Through a program supported in part by a grant from the Community Foundation, Nicole can earn “Alpha bucks” as she works with her mentor. She can spend them on items like the baby clothes sorted each Tuesday by volunteers.

“I thank God for Alpha every day,” Nicole said. “The people are genuine, and you know they’re here because they care.”

Experiences like Nicole’s are exactly why Rachel Bonga has been a mentor for 14 years.

“There is such a need in our community,” said Rachel. “I just want to show our clients that I care about them and that there is hope for their future.”

Roger and Becky Tuuk

Roger and Becky Tuuk both trace their motivation for giving back to their parents.

Roger’s parents sent four children to Christian school on a factory worker’s salary. While there may not always have been much left over, they still made generosity a priority. “They always said if you give your 10 percent tithe, it comes back to you,” said Roger.

Becky learned similar lessons from her own parents who routinely gave to the causes they cared about, especially education and helping underrepresented students go to college.

Throughout their life together, Roger and Becky put these lessons into practice: saving, living simply, and faithfully supporting the things most important to them like education, the arts, conservation, and human service organizations.

Roger was the Community Foundation’s first full-time accountant and Becky was a teacher. After retiring from the workforce, the Tuuks established a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation to enhance and continue their giving.

A donor-advised fund allows their initial gift to grow and ensures their support of the community will be permanent. “Now we can do more,” said Becky. “And it will continue after we’re gone.”

“We’ve been blessed,” said Roger of the couple’s commitment to the place they call home.

“And it’s true,” he remarked, remembering what he grew up hearing from his parents. “The more you give, the more comes back to you.”

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Story Category: Community