03/24/2026
Message from the President, Kevin Kolk
I know this is a longer post, but I sincerely appreciate you taking a few moments to read it. Our sponsors, supporters, and volunteers mean a great deal to us, and they truly deserve to be recognized.
This message is a bit overdue. I wanted to take the time to fully reflect on the impact of Friday night’s event before putting it into words because what our community accomplished deserves more than a quick post.
The level of support shown to the Fremont Area NWTF Chapter was truly incredible. It wasn’t just a good night, it was a record setting one, and that only happens when a lot of people step up in a big way.
Because of all of you, we achieved record fundraising results with an outstanding net to gross return. That means more dollars are going directly back into conservation, habitat, and youth outdoor programs, which is the heart of our mission. This is something our entire community should be proud of.
I want to take a moment to recognize the individuals and groups who helped make this event such a success.
A huge thank you to Rick Tank for the incredible donations he helped secure and for the promotion and support leading up to the event. It made a major difference.
To one of our newest board members, Cody Moon, thank you for your hard work with setup and for the great idea and ex*****on of the people mover. With the parking lot overflowing, having a shuttle to the venue made a huge impact.
Thank you to our NWTF partners from the South Western Longbeards Chapter and the Grand Valley Chapter Steve “Blue” Morren, Tate TenHarmsel, and Nick Warners, your willingness to step in and help speaks volumes about what this organization is all about.
To board member Rod, thank you for your help getting everything set up and ready to go.
To board members Jen Maycroft and Emily Frens, the Women of the NWTF table was outstanding. The donations you secured and the time you invested truly elevated that part of the event.
I also want to recognize additional board members for their contributions leading up to and during the event. Russ helped secure donations and supported raffle efforts. Bud supported fundraising efforts, including calendar sales. Don supported fundraising efforts, provided continued support and contributions. Every effort, whether securing donations, helping with fundraising, or supporting the event itself, played a role in the success we saw Friday night.
Now I want to take a very important moment to recognize a group of people who went above and beyond.
Several volunteers, many of whom are not on the board, stepped up in a big way and made a huge impact on this event. Together, they helped secure thousands of additional dollars that directly contributed to our success. Quite simply, this night does not happen the way it did without them.
A sincere thank you to Becky and Terry Strong, Mike Dragon, Jordan DeGroot, Bre VanVleet, Jake DeLong, Kari Dale DeJonge, Nick Warners and Tate TenHarmsel from the Grand Valley Chapter, and Steven Morren from the South Western Longbeards Chapter.
To my family and the M-82 Armory - Fremont, MI team, Jon and Kyler Kolk, Madison Kolk, and Emily Frens, your support, time, and effort behind the scenes and during the event did not go unnoticed. It truly made a difference.
A special thank you to Brandon Nutt, our Regional Director. Your leadership, guidance, and continued support help elevate everything we are able to accomplish as a chapter.
Thank you to Spanky’s Pizza, Brew Works, Walmart, and Meijer for helping offset raffle costs. Keeping overhead low allows us to maximize the dollars going back into conservation.
Hoser's Firehouse BBQ. The food was outstanding, and the quality, service, and overall experience were second to none.
We also want to recognize the many local businesses and community members who donated prizes, gift cards, services, and items for our raffles and auctions. These donations were a huge part of the night’s success and directly contributed to our fundraising results.
And finally, thank you to our community.
Not everyone was able to sponsor, but you still showed up, supported the raffles, played the games, and made meaningful contributions.
That support matters just as much, and we are incredibly grateful for it.
This event was powered by people who care about conservation, the outdoors, and keeping these traditions alive for the next generation.
We also want to recognize the sponsors who made this event possible. While we list business owners and names, each sponsor is backed by teams, employees, families, and partners, and that support deserves recognition as well.
Event sponsors included:
Evolve Telecom
Cronk's Custom Coatings
MPH Transportation (MPH Logistics).
Table sponsors included:
Stafford Automotive – Denis Rich
Fremont Rent All – Chuck Ashbaugh
Tank’s Skull Shop – Rick Tank
Nieboer Electric – Doug & Matt Nieboer
Edward Jones - Glenn McLain
Geers Family Chiropractic – Eric Geers
Ames Disposal Inc. - Eric Ames & Bryan Cunningham
Paulsen Heating & Cooling, Inc. - Zach Scott & Team
DK Contractors – Douglas Huismann
Fremont Mini Storage / Mellema Nursery – Paul, Matt & John Mellema
Foster Electric – James Nagel
Hoser’s Firehouse BBQ – Jose Escalante
Moons Plowing Service - Cody Moon
Precision Install - Karlee Nelson
Semper Flow Plumbing - Jason Vincent
Super sponsors included Applied Ballistics, Black Diamond Massage - Emily Corley, M-82 Armory, Midwest Fish Sales LLC - Rick Boeve, Real Estate Connection - Doug Van Ostenberg, RTS Construction, and Tribal Edge - Blades By Chuck.
Individual super sponsors included Don Cisler, Jeff and Jodi Church, and Roy Cosan.
To every single person who played a role, thank you.
This wasn’t just an event. It was a community coming together to invest in conservation and the future of our outdoor heritage. We are incredibly grateful and proud to have your support behind the Fremont Chapter NWTF.
🦃👏
