The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth, or SPY’s as we are more commonly known, serves the village of Sunfield and surrounding area. We are a vital, active, service organization. The SPY’s are a Michigan non-profit corporation, and are an IRS registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity. The purpose of the SPY’s , (quoting our by-laws) “…shall be civic service through organized efforts of the young men and women of the community to promote the welfare of the community and its citizens through active, constructive, youth-oriented projects…as well as provide members experience in leadership and civic consciousness.”
The SPY’s were founded in 1975. We currently have over 75 active members. The main focus of the SPY organization is to provide opportunities, both athletic and scholastic, for area youth. To that end the SPY’s totally fund virtually every boys and girls sports activity currently offered. We provide uniforms, equipment, league fees, and all other associated costs involved for youth football l; boys and girls basketball (4th through 6th grades); boys baseball (all age levels); girls softball (all age levels); boys and girls soccer; wrestling; youth golf, and floor hockey. In addition, the SPY’s do a minimum of two major projects a year at the Sunfield Elementary School to enhance the learning environment. The most significant have been the placing a new computer system and software in every classroom at the school, the complete underwriting of the “March Is Reading Month” that provides free books to kids, and five major construction projects at the playground facility. In 1987, the SPY’s launched their “Scholarship Fund” and started making awards to deserving graduating High School seniors. To date, we have made awards totaling over $100,000.
The SPY’s have been instrumental in a wide variety of other community projects as well. We were responsible for major construction projects such as the community pavilion in VanBuren Park; the Foltz Field athletic facility; three new soccer fields; and three little league baseball practice fields. In addition, we have done a vast number of other community betterment projects that run the gamut from buying new books for the community library, to spearheading the SHARE and Community Christmas Basket food programs, to handicapper aid and senior citizen projects, to Eagle Scout project assistance, to purchasing band uniforms and instruments, to annually sponsoring the Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby, to underwriting some of the costs for Project Graduation, and on and on.
