by Matt Konkle
Torque Managing Editor
When you attend Detroit’s 4-Fest in the middle of September, you really can be overwhelmed by the amount of stuff to do. There are two days of off-roading, of course, to test your skills, a 4x4 vehicle show, workshops, winching demonstrations, tons of aftermarket Jeep vendors, recovery classes and plenty of time to check out all kinds of Jeep builds in the packed vendor village around the event.
But this year all that excitement jumped even more thanks to Quadratec and Tread Lightly’s! 50-for-50 Clean-Up Initiative at Holly Oaks ORV Park in Holly, Michigan.
That’s right, not only did this year’s 4-Fest event have plenty of stuff to do, but it also offered a chance for attendees to help clean up the local off-road park.
And help they did. Twenty-five volunteers pulled over 4,000 pounds of trash and 48 discarded tires from the park during the cleanup effort. An amazing amount of rubbish that will help keep the park open for years to come.
“It was very exciting to see so many Jeep enthusiasts come out and support the Holly Oaks ORV park while giving back,” said Quadratec CEO Ted Wentz. “Keeping our trails clean and supporting our local communities is paramount in ensuring we have fun and safe places to enjoy the hobby we all love. A huge thank you to Tread Lightly! and Z Performance for helping Quadratec host such a great event.”
Holly Oaks consists of former active sand and gravel mines, which makes for a unique off-road destination. The park, located about 50 minutes northwest of Detroit, first opened in September of 2020, and offers about 235 acres of trail adventures.
The park is maintained through entry fees, so the clean-up support from Quadratec’s 50 for 50 program goes a long way to help improve this area. Parks like Holly Oaks are an important part of the off-road lifestyle as you head eastward in the United States due to the limited amount of trail opportunities as compared to the western United States.
“Just another example of the off-road community coming together to accomplish positive work and give back to the community," said Matt Caldwell, Executive Director of Tread Lightly!. “It is always amazing to see the great things that can be done when organizations like Detroit 4Fest, Jeep and Quadratec, along with passionate off-roaders, come together.”
Quadratec’s ’50-for-50’ stewardship grant fund helps project managers pay for equipment, fees, volunteer support, food, fuel, signage and other miscellaneous costs.
Quadratec has been a supporting partner of Tread Lightly! for more than 20 years, and a longtime fundraiser for Tread Lightly!’s stewardship programs. The company has also promoted Tread Lightly! and other trail restoration efforts through its Quadratec Cares ‘Energize the Environment’ program.
Clubs and individuals are required to be active, supporting members of Tread Lightly! to be eligible to apply for ’50-for-50’ grant funding. To learn more about the Quadratec ’50-for-50 program, visit Quadratec's 50 for 50 Trails Stewardship Grant Initiative.
“Huge thank you to Quadratec for funding these efforts and making these cleanup events possible,” said Evan Robins, National Stewardship Manager for Tread Lightly!. “This is another great example of enthusiasts and industry leaders coming together to make a difference.”
