When Randi Koogler’s job was downsized, instead of focusing on the problem, she recognized a chance for a new start.

“It was the perfect opportunity to go back to school,” said Randi. “So often you think that it’s just not the right time, but this was it.”

Randi applied for and received an adult student scholarship from the Community Foundation, which helped her take the next step. Now she is completing her associate degree at Davenport University and plans to obtain a bachelor’s in finance. She has discovered a passion for training and development and is active in Business Professionals of America. In 2015, Randi was part of the first-place financial analyst team at their national conference.

“When you’re excited and passionate about
 what you’re doing at work it carries over to 
your home life,” said Randi, who has also seen her journey positively impact the way her family views education.

“No one else in my family has a degree,” she said. “This helps them see the value in education. I’ve seen the impact on my oldest daughter, and my second daughter is already talking about where she wants to go to college.”

“People are afraid to go for their dreams because it doesn’t seem practical,” Randi continued. “But if you have the passion, the rest will follow. Keep taking the next step.”

Sisters Sarah Coville and Emily Zoulek know firsthand the impact a scholarship can have. Both graduated from Newaygo High School and received scholarships from the Community Foundation.

“It’s great to have that help and support from the community,” said Emily. “It helped me a ton.”

Emily is now a doctor in Minnesota. Sarah is a psychologist who works with children and young adults in Grand Rapids and Newaygo County. As they built their careers, the sisters remembered the support they received as they started out.

“I called my sister and said, ‘what do you think about creating a scholarship?’” said Sarah. “It wasn’t even a big discussion. We just decided to do it. We could have spent the money elsewhere I guess, but we’re simple people, we’re not extravagant. We’re happy in our professions, we like what we do, and we’re in a position to give back, so why not help?”

“Scholarships helped me get where I am,” added Emily. “And now we can help others.”

Using the Community Foundation’s Build-A-Fund program, Sarah and Emily created the Coville Scholarship. With the fund minimum now met, the first scholarship will be awarded in 2017 to a Newaygo graduate pursuing a career in mental or physical health.

“We wanted it to go to someone from our high school going into a similar field,” explained Sarah.

“There are always going to be jobs in the medical field,” said Emily. “I hope the scholarship truly helps someone achieve what they want and gives them that extra push to keep going.”

“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.”

“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.”

Al and Marlene Karnemaat love what they do. To them Karnemaat Farms isn’t just their family business—it’s a family calling.

“We are a family of faith,” said Al. “It’s the most important part of our lives. And we believe we’ve been called to the greatest career there is: to produce good food in safe ways for a hungry world.”

Along with their sons, Kent and Tom, two grandsons have now joined the business. They focus primarily on growing vegetables that are sold locally and nationally.

“It’s a gift to be doing what you enjoy,” said Al. “You spend too many hours in your career not to love what you do.”

Al and Marlene’s enthusiasm for their work also shows through in the scholarship that they established at the Community Foundation. The Karnemaat Family Scholarship helps local young people train for their own rewarding careers in agriculture or other food-related fields, ministry, or conservation.

“Our hope is that it gets them off on the right foot so they can have a career they like and be successful,” said Marlene.

“We can all look back and find times when someone helped us,” said Al. “We have been blessed and are thankful there’s an opportunity to do things like this for local youth.”

Iris Davidson remembers her husband Charles as a man who was interested in everything. The couple co-owned a restaurant in Newaygo and enjoyed fishing together. Charles loved the outdoors, public speaking, and athletics. He ran sports conditioning camps and worked as a coach, teacher, and principal.

When Charles passed away in 2000, Iris wanted to find a meaningful, lasting way to honor his life and legacy.

“I wanted to do something more than just buy flowers that would be gone in a few days,” she said. “I would rather see that money help someone. I wanted it to do something for somebody.”

At the suggestion of one of Charles’ friends, Iris and family established the Charles William Davidson Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation with gifts from friends, family, and community members.

“I think it is a wonderful thing to do,” said Iris. “It’s grown so much. Now all these young people have benefitted from it.”

The scholarship, awarded annually to a graduating student athlete from Newaygo High School and White Cloud High School, is a permanent way to remember Charles as well as a way to invest in the future.

“Helping students continue their education is important, especially in this changing world,” said Iris. “They can be more knowledgeable and they can discover things they can do to help make a difference in the world.”

Alyssa Greene, a graduate of Hesperia High School, received the Possibility! Scholarship from the Community Foundation in 2013. This special full, four-year scholarship served as a springboard to the rest of her life.

Now a sophomore at Central Michigan University, Alyssa has weathered homesickness and the adjustment to college life and is enthusiastically becoming more involved on campus. She has joined the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and is an initiate of an honors fraternity.

“It’s going great,” said Alyssa. “I have learned a lot about myself and who I am. I feel like I found my path.”

Alyssa credits her scholarship with helping to make it all possible. “It signified hope to me,” she said. “It meant I could do all the things I wanted to do with my life.”

With a major in criminal justice and a minor in psychology, Alyssa hopes to one day facilitate a juvenile rehabilitation center. She looks forward to mentoring at-risk youth next semester and plans to begin her career as a juvenile probation officer.

She is also determined to find a way to demonstrate what she calls her “undying gratitude” for the opportunities she has been given. “I want to give back to my grandma who raised me and to the community,” said Alyssa. “I want them to know how grateful I am. They helped me achieve my goals and dreams.”

Joe Berger is an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings and in his tenth season in the NFL. But he’s also a Newaygo High School graduate who has not forgotten the important role his family and home community played in his success.

“I walked on in college, I didn’t have a football scholarship,” Joe said. “My whole family has a part in where I ended up. So does this community. I received three scholarships from the Community Foundation and I know how important they were to my future.”

In addition to his career in the NFL, Joe holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Tech.

Determined to give back and to demonstrate the importance of giving to their three young children, Joe and Abby (Murray) Berger created the Berger Family Scholarship at Fremont Area Community Foundation. It is awarded to two scholar-athletes each year—one from Newaygo High School and one from Grant High School, Abby’s alma mater.

“We set up this scholarship to give someone else a chance to get to school,” said Joe. “Since the Community Foundation helped me, I wanted to help someone else persevere and have a chance to succeed.”