Ask Haans and Anita Mulder about family, and their faces light up. From their initial introduction as family friends, to their current relationship as husband and wife, family has played a meaningful role each step of the way. Their engagement with the local community is another nod to family – both were raised by faithful parents who emphasized the responsibility of giving back.
The Mulders share a strong connection to the Holland-area. Haans has lived here since the age of two. Anita’s family split their time between Grand Rapids during the school year, and a cottage in Holland during the summer. As fate would have it, Haans’s family also had a summer cottage in the same association. The two families frequently got together for baseball and beach volleyball games.
“When people ask how we met, I often feel like I’m describing two different worlds,” says Anita. “There’s the time when we were childhood friends; and then there’s the time since college graduation.” After college, a challenging family event for Haans led to Anita offering to drive him across the country to law school in Oregon. “Three days camping in different KOA campgrounds, and the rest is history,” Haans tells us.
The Mulders settled back in Holland after Haans finished law school. He’s currently a partner at Cunningham & Dalman. Together, he and Anita are raising three young daughters. Guided by their faith, and continuing the example set by each of their families, they believe in looking at the ‘big picture’ of need in the community and seeking out organizations working to meet that need. One adjustment they’ve made along the way – seeking out more personal connection. “We are realizing the importance of relationships,” says Haans, “and the impact we can make on a personal level alongside our investment at the community level. That’s certainly something we want to instill in our girls.”
The desire to blend community-level leadership and personal impact led the Mulders to their involvement with the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area. They appreciate the ability to make large-scale impact now, plan for the community’s future, and become more closely involved with organizations tackling issues close to their hearts. They also cite the transparency provided by the Foundation, and the ability to see impact, as a reason why they continue to support CFHZ.
Haans in particular is encouraged by the focus on empowering the next generation. “It’s a quiet thing that the Foundation does, but arguably one of the most important. We need people being intentional about the future leadership in this community.” It’s clear the Mulders are committed to continuing the legacy of their families and answering the call to serve their community. Anita states simply, “I think ordinary people do extraordinary things, but sometimes they don’t realize it. We all, collectively, can help move the needle on the issues that matter most.”
