June 3, 2022 – The North Shore Health Care Foundation (NSHCF) will be hosting the 2nd Annual Taste of the Trail Picnic Adventure in support of its Justine Kerfoot Memorial Endowment Fund, on Sunday, June 26. The event is a culinary scavenger hunt of sorts, starting in Grand Marais and making your way up the legendary Gunflint Trail collecting courses at iconic Trail venues, ending at the Gunflint Lodge to collect your main course.
“This is such a fun and unique Cook County experience and an easy way to support a variety of health and emergency services programs locally,” said Valerie Marasco Eliasen, Executive Director. “We encourage participants to make a day of it, explore various areas along the way. People can eat their courses whenever they like, maybe each one in a different beautiful location or stay at our generous partner venues and enjoy refreshments before moving on, save them all to bring home as takeout or enjoy them on the patio of the gorgeous Gunflint Lodge at the end of the adventure. It’s such a flexible event that supports our mission and vision to achieve a healthy community for all in Cook County.”
Ticket sales are now live at www.NorthShoreHealthCareFoundation.org or by calling the NSHCF office at 218-387-9076. The event also includes prize draws.
The event is a fundraiser for the North Shore Health Care Foundation and the Foundation’s Justine Kerfoot Memorial Endowment Fund which supports operations and grants given locally for programs that contribute to health care, healthy living and emergency services in Cook County. Since 1995, the NSHCF has given over $1.1 million in grants to local organizations working toward the vision of a healthy community for all. Historically, the Foundation held a sit-down barbeque event at the Gunflint Lodge to honor former Lodge owner Justine Kerfoot and the memorial endowment fund that was set up in her legacy. Since COVID-19 has become a factor in hosting congregate events, the Foundation created this unique outdoor takeout-style adventure in 2021. This format also includes additional Trail partner venues to celebrate more locations along the Gunflint Trail.
“We heard such positive feedback from participants last year at the first event asking to keep doing it this way, so we are excited for the second time around,” said Marasco Eliasen. “We are so grateful to our generous sponsors for partnering in this event to support health and emergency services in Cook County. It’s also a way to incorporate Trail history. The culinary adventure starts with a fresh course already packed in your picnic bag from the Fisherman’s Daughter & Dockside Fish Market, who was the anchor of the old Gunflint Trail, then on to Trail Center, the Poplar Haus and ending at the Gunflint Lodge. It’s a fantastic way to get out and explore this part of the county for a great cause.”
The North Shore Health Care Foundation is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization benefiting health care and emergency services in Cook County, Minnesota. The Foundation proactively identifies opportunities to expand equitable health care and healthy living locally and champions solutions through funding, education, and advocacy. NSHCF works to address health care gaps and needs and serves as a program incubator. Care Partners of Cook County and the Oral Health Task Force both grew out of NSHCF. Currently, NSHCF is developing the Cook County MN Restorative Justice.
Volunteers are needed for this event to staff each of the tour stops or at the starting line. To volunteer, contact the Foundation at NSHCF@boreal.org or call 218-387-9076.
Tickets are $75/person or $125/couple and will be on sale until June 22. For more information, go to: www.NorthShoreHealthCareFoundation.org
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Contact: Valerie Marasco Eliasen, Executive Director – North Shore Health Care Foundation, 218-387-5700
or nshcf@boreal.org