SPY’s Community Newsletter
(1/18/25)
The 2024 Year in Review
We have the honor of sharing our year in review with you. The following is a compilation of what the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (The SPY’s) organization have accomplished in 2024.
We are proud to continue to be; along with our corporate and platinum sponsors and supporters; a viable part of the endeavor to make the Sunfield area a better place to live.
In February:
● We had our annual meeting and election of officers.
● We held the annual Wild Game Dinner / Sportsman’s Night and it was another very successful and profitable event! There were over 250 guests and 39 helpers there! We thank our Event Chairman Pete Weller, and volunteers for all the hard work! This event remains our Number One fundraiser!
In March:
● We held the annual Euchre Tournament, aka The Showdown on Main, chaired by Shana & Craig Cappon, which was met with great participation-----48 players! Repeat Grand Overall Winner was Tammy Wakely.
● We held a 9-Pin No Tap Bowling Tournament chaired by Jeff Gibbs, which had over 50 bowlers. Thank you Jeff for spearheading this event!
● We donated $250 to Lakewood High School Project Graduation. We have helped sponsor this event ever since it’s inception almost 40 years ago.
● Our first Texas Hold ‘Em event of the year was held. Thank you to Seth DeMott for chairing this event and for the volunteers. We partnered with the Mulliken Masons. This is a profitable event for us throughout the year!
In April:
● We did Adopt-A-Highway cleanup. Thank you to Derek Desgranges for chairing this initiative, his “secretary” Christina Grosshans and all the volunteers!
● We donated $250 for a sponsor sign at the Picklebowl in Lake Odessa.
In May:
● We participated in the Lakewood High School Honors Night presenting our annual scholarships and awards, which totaled over $16,000 this year. We presented our first ever Trades scholarship that evening to Emil Meyers! The 2024 scholarship and award winners were Jolee Gardner, Elizabeth Eldridge, Jessica Warner, Aiden Roth, Austin Coan and Mackenzie St. Laurent. We also presented one military honorarium to Allison Slater who has joined the Michigan Air National Guard. Thank you to John Fisher for his leadership of the Scholarship Review Committee!
In June:
● Derek Desgranges & Steve Grosshans co-chaired the annual Centennial Acres / SPY Shootout Golf Tournament that helps raise funding for our youth programs. We had 46 teams! There was also a fine group of volunteers that make this event possible. Mark your calendars for June 8th, 2025 for this year’s tournament. Thank you to Derek & Steve!
● We held our 2nd Texas Hold ‘Em of the year…again partnering with the Mulliken Masons.
In July:
● We donated $500 to the Sunfield Library’s Summer Reading program.
In August:
● We donated a total of $1,000 to help support the annual Farmer's Picnic Open Class Craft Competition and other areas as needed.
● Craig Cappon was again “The Commissioner” of the annual “SPY’s Charities Softball Tournament” held during Farmer’s Picnic weekend. There were a total of 7 Men’s Teams and 5 Co-Ed Teams.
● Rosie Best continued her role of running the SPY's annual Celebration Calendar project this year. Thank you, Rosie! The Calendar has been part of the community for over 60 years. The calendar started before the SPY’s organization.
● The Dime Pitch Booth was again in action at the Farmer’s Picnic. It is a major source of summer activities funding. Thank you Zeke & Samantha Cappon for chairing this event and a special thank you to Oren & Rosie Best for washing and storing glassware and stuffed animals. A big THANK YOU goes out to all the volunteers from set up to tear down and working the booth! Also, we would like to thank the donors of the glassware and stuffed animals…without you this booth would not be possible!
In September:
● Our final Texas Hold ‘Em was held. Craig Cappon stepped in to chair this event. Craig, you are much appreciated!
In November:
● We again participated in the Lakewood Community Council's Christmas Basket program which helps nearly 200 families in the Lakewood area, including a number locally, with food and gifts. This year we contributed $500, as well as provided a crew in December to handle all of the deliveries in the Sunfield / Mulliken / Woodbury areas. John Fisher coordinates this activity for us.
● We sponsored two weight classes for the LHS Wrestling Team for a total of $100.
Other:
* In 2024 there were 44 editions of the “SPY’s Community Newsletter” published and sent out to over 250 recipients.
*Throughout the year, numerous sport reimbursements were paid, amounting to over an additional $1,500. Please remind family and friends of this opportunity. Information is available on our website!
*2024 saw the successful continuation of our "Corporate Sponsor" program. This is a specially designed program that allows us to form a more effective partnership with community and youth concerned businesses that provide benefits for all.
The corporate sponsors are:
Corporate Sponsors |
A&D Haskin |
AMI |
APEC |
Centennial Acres |
Bee Line Concrete Pumping |
Best Tax Service |
Brace Financial Services |
Brodbeck Seed Sales |
Buddy's On The Beach |
Campbell & Sons |
Davis Construction |
Hanna - Davis Fine Meats |
Downing Well Drilling |
Haskin Farms |
Hazel Bros Drainage |
HSV |
High Caliber Karting of Okemos |
Klotz Family Farms LLC |
Klotz Family Farms Snow Removal |
C & H Klotz Family Farms LLC |
Mapes |
Mark Woodman Plumbing & Heating |
Marko's |
Musgrove Grain |
Portland Federal Credit Union |
Precision Grade Excavating |
Quality Hardwoods |
Roundhead Cornhole |
Sabersmith, Inc |
Shattuck Great Outdoors |
Simtob Management & Investment |
Sunfield Cycle Shop |
We are so grateful for the continued support of these businesses.
Our “Platinum Sponsor” program is designed to be like the Corporate Sponsor program, but is set-up for private individuals that wish to contribute annually to help our efforts.
This year’s Platinum Sponsors are:
Platinum Sponsors |
Anonymous |
Conrad Beeler |
Eric Brummette |
Mark Davis |
John & Sandra Fisher |
Jack Griffin |
Mark & Mary Hanna |
Mark & Shari Woodman |
Ron & Marlene McDiarmid |
Jim & Diny Peabody |
Wayne Simmons |
David Taylor |
Bill & Patti Weller |
Pete & Becky Weller |
We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all these fine community minded individuals.
COMMENT
The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (S.P.Y.'s) continue to be an active, vital organization. Our primary purpose is community betterment through helping kids, but as you can see, our efforts go far beyond that.
To all of you S.P.Y.'s---to your helpmates---our Corporate Sponsors---our Platinum Sponsors---and to everyone that supported us in 2024, and in years past--- We thank you for your help, support, contributions of any kind, hard work, dedication, and acceptance. The community, and this area in general, are a better place because of all of us working together!
Kommentare