906AT

About 906AT

GETTING KIDS OUTSIDE, GETTING FAMILIES RIDING

906 Adventure team, as well as the events Marji Gesick, Crusher, and Polar Roll, all help feed and grow the cycling community in Marquette County, and help spread the message of building resilient youth doing hard yet fun things. The organization has created a positive influence on many people, both locally and all over the country. They did it all with the belief that traditional sports were taking away kids’ ability to be involved in teams where they could participate and grow and challenge themselves and not have to ride a bench because they were not as advanced as some other kids. And in this day and age, especially post-Covid, this message and mission the 906 Adventure team has been on are getting kids back outside, getting their families out riding, and volunteering to help build the program from a tiny location in Marquette, Michigan to almost a dozen locations in several states and growing.

Adventure Team Logo
Polar Roll Fat Tire Bike Event
The Crusher Enhanced Gravel Bike Race
Marji Gesick Mountain Bike Race
Awarded as 2023’s “ChangeMaker of the Year” by The League of Michigan Bicyclists (LMB), 906AT has been recognized for making an enormous impact on the bicycling community. Ten years into our operation, we’re making a difference. Awards aren’t a destination; they’re confirmation we’re on course and need to keep pushing.

"Begin with the end in mind." Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

As I sit here reflecting on the past ten years, it’s a little overwhelming to think about putting it into words. So instead, this page will highlight the thoughts and comments of people in the 906AT community—what better way to learn about us than from the people we’re impacting?

But first, I opened this page with a quote from Stephen Covey, and for those who know me, it probably sounds ironic coming from someone who walks around with “There is no finish line” on his shirts, but there are a couple of things worth sharing. I didn’t know the first thing about starting a non-profit, and it didn’t faze me. I’ll tell you why. We know who we are. We know what we want to be. We know how we want to do it. We’ve been fearless about being different because that’s what we want to help others be. We always have the end in mind; you should too.

Nothing holds you back when you have the end in mind – not problems, obstacles, setbacks, or what others think or do; because you’re on a path working toward your future, everything else is a stepping stone that helps get you there, challenges included. You are unique, in fact, one of a kind. There will never be another you. No one else will walk your path. You’ll be tempted to look at what others do, where they go, or how they get there. Don’t be afraid. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you get there – getting there (finishing what you start) is what counts. People can help you, but no one knows your path better. Embrace doing hard things and trust yourself.

Take this with you to Polar Roll, Crusher, Marji, mentoring youth, home with family, and life.

 

Todd Poquette
Director of Adventure, 906 Adventure Team

THE IDEA IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT DOING “HARD THINGS” IS… WELL… HARD

Todd and the rest of the 906 Team do outstanding work with youngsters to get them off their “devices” and out into the great outdoors on bikes. They teach and instill valuable life lessons that will be helpful as these kids grow and head out into the World to build a life for themselves. They also organize three of the biggest, baddest races in the State: Marji Gesick, The Crusher, and Polar Roll, all three incredibly challenging, and ask participants to do their absolute best and learn from the experience, no matter the outcome. The idea is to understand that doing “hard things” is…well…hard, but the important message is that “failure” is a part of life and that how we face defeat helps define what type of person we are or can become.

REDEFINING LOCAL, LEADING BY EXAMPLE

When I discovered bicycling- particularly mountain biking- as an adult, it changed my life. The mental and physical health benefits and community connections were transformative. In 2019, no official youth cycling organizations were in the Lansing area. A group of us sought to change that. We contacted several youth cycling organizations from other regions for advice. The 906 Adventure Team responded and sent us all the details, from how they run the Adventure Bike Club program to how they train leaders and run their non-profit. Every question received a prompt response, and they developed solutions to some of the most challenging parts of getting started – leader training and risk management.

Board Members
Board Member Todd Poquette

Todd Poquette

Director of Adventure
906AT Staff

Ryan Brang

Ryan Brang

Chief Rad-Ministrator
Owner, NorthCountry Health DPC

James Reinhart

James Reinhart

Pace Maker
Pediatric Cardiologist – Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan

Stacy Bolf

Stacy Bolf

Pacer of Progress
Checker Transport

Julie Cunningham

Captain of Creative Solutions
Director of the CMU Center, Excellence in STEM Education

Matt Johnson

Matt Johnson

Arbitrator of Snack Time
Lundin Mining

Christian Verardi

Christian Verardi

Chief Cycle-ologist
Edward Jones-Financial Advisor

Jon Olstadt

Jon Olstadt

R&D – Fields, Forests and Fun
Business Development Manager, PESI, Inc

Amy Maus

Amy Maus

Pedaler of Positivity
Marquette County

Matt Beardsley

Matt “Show me the Money” Beardsley

Treasurer

Staff
Staff Todd Poquette

Todd Poquette

Director of Adventure

Marc Salm

Partner in Adventure

Staff Leslie Philips

Leslie Phillips

Sustainability Partner

Staff Emeritus

We started 2024 excited to celebrate our ten-year anniversary, but life had other plans. On January 19, 2024, an automobile accident claimed the life of our Adventure Coordinator, Tara Gluski. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her family, friends, and everyone who knew her. When we lose someone we love, it’s normal to ask what we could have done. I did it for a couple days and decided I (we) must do something different. We must move forward and dedicate our energy not to what we could have done but to what we can do – honor Tara, and ensure her memory, and impact lives on.

Tara Gluski

Adventure Coordinator

Volunteer Staff

In addition to three staff members, our organization is powered by a nationwide army of advocates and volunteers. These folks, and many more, are helping us develop more resilient people and communities.

Julie Cunningham

Development Partner

Kelsy Kellermann

Volunteer Partner- Trilogy Events

Emily Mason

LakeShore Basecamp – Lead

Stacie Poquette

Registration & #Quitter Hotline
Trilogy Events

Bill Mason

LakeShore Basecamp – The “IT” Guy

Candice Blackstone-Larson

Special Events & Projects

Adventure Team Leads

Mary Feuerbach

DELTA COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Mickey Trottier

DELTA COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Jackie Halley

DICKINSON COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Sanj Peterson

DICKINSON COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Sharyn Moss

EAU CLAIRE COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Nathan McCorkle

EAU CLAIRE COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Vanea Gauthier

GOGEBIC COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Tom Bergman

GOGEBIC COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Gabe Berghuis

GRAND RAPIDS AREA ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Dan & Charlee Weatherwax

GRAND RAPIDS AREA ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Kelsy Kellermann

GREEN BAY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Matt Berg

GREEN BAY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Benjamin Garcia

IRON COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

James Koch

James Koch

IRON COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Randi Serres Pueschner

LA CROSSE COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM CO-LEAD

Isaac Pischke

LA CROSSE COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM CO-LEAD

Teresa DeLisle

LANSING AREA ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Laurie DeYoung

LANSING AREA ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Todd Poquette

Todd Poquette

MARQUETTE COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Marc Salm

MARQUETTE COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Candice Blackstone-Larson

MARQUETTE COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Darren Bartle

MIDLAND COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Julie Cunningham

MIDLAND COUNTY ADVENTURE TEAM LEAD

Customer Disservice Team

You don’t get stronger doing easy stuff – that’s where the Customer Disservice Team comes in. Hundreds of hours a year are dedicated to ensuring you get what you paid for – more miles, hills, mud, pain, and personal growth.

Todd Poquette

Director of Pain

Paul Hytinen

906AT Event Logistics & Recon

Dave Whaley

906AT Event Logistics & Recon

Dave Cate

906AT Event Logistics & Recon

GIVING TUESDAY

Empower Youth

We’re heading into our 10th year and we are ready to kick off the next decade of building youth resilience and empowerment. But we can’t grow without your partnership and financial support.