Surf Internet presents a $100,000 donation to Five Star Life following the inaugural Surf Internet Charity Golf Classic on Sept. 24 at Bent Oak Golf Club in Elkhart. The event brought together Surf employees and business partners from across the country to raise funds supporting Five Star Life’s work with young people and families throughout the region.
ELKHART, Ind. (Sept. 24, 2026) — Surf Internet® turned the strength of its business relationships into local impact this week, raising $100,000 for Five Star Life through its inaugural Surf Internet Charity Golf Classic. The Sept. 24 event brought 148 golfers to Bent Oak Golf Club in Elkhart, including Surf business partners from across the country.
Five Star Life is a regional nonprofit that serves approximately 20,000 people annually through programs designed to help young people succeed in school, at home, and in their communities. Its programs include experiential learning, leadership development, athletics, and family programming, with its Summit campus located in Union, Michigan.
“We are incredibly honored that Surf Internet has selected Five Star Life as the beneficiary of its Charity Golf Classic,” said Seth Maust, president and co-founder of Five Star Life. “Their investment will have a lasting impact on the thousands of students we serve, helping us expand hands-on learning through a new greenhouse, provide scholarships so more kids can access Five Star Life programs, and complete a critical new entrance to our campus that will allow school buses to safely enter and exit from Baldwin Prairie Road rather than US Highway 12. We’re deeply grateful to Surf for believing in our mission and investing in opportunities that will impact kids for years to come.”
The Charity Golf Classic is one part of Surf Internet’s broader commitment to the communities it serves in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. The company supports nonprofits, schools, and community initiatives through financial contributions, connectivity projects, and employee involvement.
“A lot of the good work Surf is doing happens quietly,” said Gene Crusie, CEO of Surf Internet. “We have some incredible partnerships with organizations doing great things throughout the Great Lakes region, and we’re always looking for ways we can support them. As Surf grows, we want to keep finding meaningful ways to invest in the places we call home.”
Festivities began with a Sept. 23 welcome reception at Jackson Rooftop in downtown Elkhart, where sponsors and guests gathered ahead of the tournament and participated in a raffle benefiting Five Star Life. Golf followed the next day at Bent Oak Golf Club, concluding with a reception and check presentation.
The event drew support from 53 sponsors, with Netceed serving as presenting sponsor. Other lead sponsors included CommScope, Engenuity Fiber, Lighthouse Technologies, New-Gen Unlimited, RLM Underground, Techcom LLC, and VETRO.
“When we started planning this event, we knew we had an incredible network of partners who would get behind a cause like Five Star Life,” said Surf Internet Chief Operating Officer Brent Williams. “But to see the response to our first Charity Golf Classic was pretty incredible. We’re grateful to every sponsor and golfer who helped make it happen and proud of what their support will mean for Five Star Life.”
About Surf Internet
Surf Internet is an innovative fiber-optic internet company that serves as the essential gateway to connectivity across the Great Lakes region of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The company is building a bridge to the wide-open future by delivering high-speed, reliable internet to homes and businesses in underserved, rural communities. Surf’s 350-plus-person team is local, giving them an edge when it comes to customer care and advocacy for the region. Headquartered in Elkhart, Ind., Surf also has offices in La Porte, Ind., Byron Center and Fowlerville, Mich., and Coal City, Naperville, and Rock Falls, Ill. Learn more at https://surfinternet.com.
