IRON RIVER—Dream is a one-word mantra for Bates Township’s Nick Baumgartner as he prepares for his first Olympics as a member of the four-member U.S. snowboardcross team in Vancouver this week.

“Follow your dreams and dream big,” Nick said, taking a quick break for short interview at Sach’s Rendezvous on Friday night.

Just like Thursday’s fundraiser at Alice’s Supper Club, Sach’s was a busy place and the crowds showed up early, stayed late, giving both financial and emotional support to Nick and his family for the big event in Vancouver.

Nick caught Olympic fever as a youngster who began to dream that there just might be a chance to be a part of what he calls the “biggest stage in the world.”

The distance to making that dream a reality got a lot closer the past several years, and he dared himself to dream big.

“I was just starting my career and I was so far down. That’s when I set my goals, to do whatever I can to make the dream come true,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, you dream big first and as long as you’re willing to do the work, nothing’s impossible if you stay dedicated.”

During the past week, he’s been busy showing up at schools, fundraisers around his hometown. There was also his “debut” on NBC’s Today Show to model the U.S. team’s outfit for the opening ceremonies.

It was a very special moment, he said, to be selected to reveal the outfit the U.S. athletes will be wearing for the opening ceremonies. That special TV moment, seen and re-seen by many of us, came about thanks to the persistence and ability of Nick’s agent whose pitch to the Polo Ralph Lauren, which designed the outfits, brought Nick to national attention.

At Alice’s Supper Club on Feb. 4, the chicken and spaghetti dinner, complete with a lot of tasty additions to the menu, raised some $4,000 for the county’s Olympian to help fund the journey.

At Sach’s Rendezvous the following night, some $6,000 was raised.

Both events featured 50/50 drawings, raffle prizes, donation canisters, and he came equipped with enough pens for the autograph table.

There were also numerous donations from individuals and from local organizations. The total proceeds from all the fundraisers and contributions will be matched by Boss Snow Plow of Iron Mountain.

Everyone wanted a chance to meet with Nick and to wish him luck. The younger generation needed little prodding from their parents to make their way to the autograph table where Nick obliged their requests for autographs on paper and, in many instances, on their T-shirts, which are still available at www.llsportswear.com, said Nick.

The outpouring of support hasn’t surprised Nick, he said.

“I totally expected it. When something good happens, people here just rally. I’m often asked, ‘What’s a Yooper?’ I tell them, ‘You won’t know until you come here.’”

If the support hasn’t surprised Nick, it also hasn’t surprised his parents, Mary and Bob. Mom’s smile might be a familiar sight to many who know her, but over the past few days, that smile has been beaming.

“It’s just awesome,” said Mary. And a little hectic, she admits.

“But it’s always been that way, just at a little higher level. It’s never been boring,” said Mary.

“We knew Nick was going to the Olympics. We knew how good Nick was,” said Mary. “He’s a good kid. I think he’s did an awesome job.”

Nick left for the Olympics on Monday. He was leaving from the West Iron County High School and was escorted by the local fire departments.

The Iron River and Caspian-Gaastra Fire Departments escorted him to the Lake Emily area where the Crystal Falls and Alpha-Mastodon Fire Departments took over, escorting him to the Wisconsin border. There, the Florence Fire Department escorted Nick back to the Michigan border in Dickinson County as he continued on the U.S. 141 route to Appleton, Wis., where his plane departed early Tuesday morning.

Mom, dad and some members of the family, were scheduled to leave Feb. 17 from Appleton, meeting up with other relatives on the West Coast for the final leg of the journey to Vancouver, said Mary.

“There’s been a lot of support,” said Mary. “Unbelievable support. And the community, it’s just unbelievable.”