Most people in our area have heard of the Marji Ge

sik Mountain Bike Race. While some of us are interest in biking, others may not, this race shuts down the main street of Ishpeming in late September. To our businesses, it may seem like a hardship. Their Customers will have to find alternative parking that is not on the main street and yes, the area will be busy. There are also great benefits to this race. I had the opportunity to sit down with one of the race coordinators, Tara Gluski, to learn more about the race and their organization.

“This race is actually a fundraiser for our local youth program, The 906 Adventure Team,” Tara told me with excitement. “This program supports 260 local youth from ages 5-17”

In mid June each year, 906 Adventure Team begins their summer program. Each week on Monday nights several volunteer coaches take out 130 kids ages 5-8 years old, and the same happens on Thursdays with the 9-17 year age group. Each coach is responsible for teaching their team not only bike skills, but life skills too.

“We as a group want to teach the youth resiliency and empower them to be the best versions of themselves through outdoor adventure,” Tara said. “There are four main pillars to

our program which we like to teach the kids. They are respect, effort, consistency, and grit. With these foundations, our hope is to set these kids up for life even outside of biking.”

While biking is essentially an individual sport. The kids who participate on the 906 Adventure Team learn how to work as a group. They support one another and push each other to work harder and achieve their goals. Kids learn the power of yet! One may not be able to complete ten miles… YET, but they can do it in the future using the pillars the coaches teach.

To learn more about 906 Adventure Team and the races that support them, visit https://906adventureteam.com/ .

EDITORS NOTE: Samantha LaJeunesse is the Executive Director the GINCC. She currently resides in Ishpeming with her boyfriend Curt and their fur babies, Beaver, Shadow, and Bowser. Sam enjoys golf, crafting, and music in her spare time.