All of Cook County is encouraged to participate in the Grand Portage Alzheimer’s Awareness Walk on Saturday, September 12th! For the past several years an additional Walk was offered in Grand Marais – this time we’re all walking together to raise awareness and support those who have been affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. There
Do you have a heart for walking alongside people living with memory loss, and the family and friends who lovingly provide care for them? Care Partners is looking for a compassionate Dementia Specialist/Care Coordinator to offer guidance, encouragement, and practical support to individuals and families navigating dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and caregivers. This part-time, flexible
Thanks to the overwhelming success of last year’s Intergenerational Pen Pal pilot program, plans are now underway to continue the program for the 2026-2027 school year! The program is a collaboration between Sawtooth Mountain Elementary School’s fourth grade classes and Care Partners, and is designed to help bridge the gap between generations through handwritten letters
We’re excited to announce that the 2026 raffle quilt has been completed and is on display at Drury Lane Books! “Waawaate” (Northern Lights – Joyful Dancing Spirits) is another amazing creation from quilt artists Carol Morgen and Nancy Backlund. The intricately-pieced bargello-patterned front, exquisite back panel, and graceful, curved stitching truly capture the magic of
What a night! As always, The Splints delivered FABULOUS music, the dance floor was HOPPING, and (drum roll, please) – our generous community donated $3,150 in support of Care Partners!!!!! We are OVER-THE-MOON grateful to The Splints, Up Yonder, all who made a donation, and to Carl Solander who offered to organize this amazing party!
The Cook County Age Friendly Initiative invites you to enjoy light refreshments, engaging conversation, and updates about the good work we’ve accomplished together! Gatherings are being held throughout the county to review the Age Friendly Action Plan, celebrate all that has happened, and brainstorm ideas for continuing to make our community a great place to
Care Partners of Cook County is excited to announce our 2026 Spring Chore Days! This event connects groups or individual volunteers with older adults in our county to help with spring chores such as raking leaves, planting flowers, and general yard or garage cleanup. Projects will be scheduled for Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May
Care Partners of Cook County and Cook County Higher Education (CCHE) are pleased to present “Caring With Compassion: Effective End-of-Life Conversations with Patients & Clients”, a free, four-part professional development series. Classes will be held quarterly on Wednesdays from 8:15-9:45am and may be attended in person at CCHE or online via Zoom. The goal of
WOW! On March 21 the Cook County Potters held a WONDERFUL seconds sale to benefit Care Partners! Shoppers browsed a selection of not-quite-perfect pottery and wood-turned treasures and took them home for a donation in any amount. We are thrilled to report that over $2200 dollars was raised to help us support the journey of
Come to the Hub on Saturday, March 21 from 10am to 2pm for the Cook County Potters Annual Seconds Sale and purchase beautiful but not-quite-perfect pottery treasures from local artists for whatever amount you choose to donate. It’s a win for the potters…a win for you…and a win for Care Partners and the friends and
Reframe Aging Roundtable – Care Partners’ monthly community conversation about aging and ageism – has moved to a new time and location. The discussion now takes place on the third Monday of each month from 12:15-1:45pm at The Hub (10 Broadway, Grand Marais.) “We hope that meeting during the day will make it easier for
In December, Care Partners teamed up with Empty Bowls and the Wolf Class at Great Expectations School to provide Winter Cheer bags for Cook County older adults. The students created hand-drawn greeting cards, added beautiful decorations to shopping bags, and helped fill the bags with healthy, comforting food. Care Partners staff and volunteers delivered them
The season of challenging winter weather is upon us! Although our office is typically open from 10am to 3pm, Monday through Friday, we may need to close the office – or close early – due to inclement weather. Our staff are generally able to work remotely from home, and we do our best to answer
It is said that all of us will be caregivers at some point in our lives—some of us, many times over. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six-week class that gives participants the skills to take care of themselves while caring for a friend or family member – either in their home or from a
Care Partners Grief Group takes place on the 3rd Monday of each month from 5-6:30pm at the Care Partners offices, 615 East Highway 61 in Grand Marais. The Grief Group is facilitated by Care Partners Executive Director Julie Wilson, and is open for individuals to drop in as often as they would like – no
Care Partners of Cook County is pleased to announce our 2025 Fall Chore Days! This event connects groups or individual volunteers with older adults in our county to help with fall chores such as firewood stacking, raking leaves, and general yard or garage cleanup. Projects will be scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 24th and
Care Partners is pleased to offer a free Caregiver Appreciation Retreat on Tuesday, September 16 from noon to 3pm at the Cook County Community Center, 317 West 5th Street in Grand Marais. Anyone who is providing care—whether in the home or from a distance—for a friend or family member who is aging or has a chronic illness
Care Partners’ Annual Ice Cream Social Fundraiser will be held on Sunday, August 24 from 2-4pm at Sydney’s Frozen Custard, 14 Broadway Avenue in Grand Marais. Make a donation, enjoy a delicious frozen custard sundae, say “hello” to friends and neighbors, get the scoop on volunteering at Care Partners, see our beautiful raffle quilt, and
Have you seen our 2025 Auction Quilt in person yet?? Wonderful quilt artists Carol Morgen and Nancy Backlund have again outdone themselves – we are so grateful to them for donating their amazing talents. This year’s quilt measures 84″ square and features the stunning yellow and green center panel “Fantasia” surrounded by piecework in purple
AARP research consistently finds that the vast majority of people age 50 and older want to stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible. The AARP “HomeFit Guide” was created to help people stay in the homes they love by turning where they live into a “lifelong home,” suitable for themselves and
Splints concert to benefit Care Partners! Thursday, June 26 | 6:30 – 9:00 pm | Up Yonder, 1615 East Highway 61, Grand Marais Suggested donation: $10 per ticket Tickets sold in advance beginning May 27 at the Care Partners office, 615 East Highway 61, Grand Marais OR use the link below. A HUGE thank you
Our April 2025 issue includes an introduction to our newest board members, a snapshot of the services we provided in 2024, info about our upcoming open house, and more!
Thanks to everyone for a wonderful fair!!!! What an amazing day! The weather cooperated, the lake sparkled, and lots of people learned more about caring for our incredible brains! Thanks to everyone who visited and a special HUGE thank you to our community partners, booth hosts, and group demonstration leaders for their creativity and inspiration!
03/05/25 Final Update: After lots of work by lots of WONDERFUL people, we are finally in our new location! We are incredibly grateful for the many talented tradespeople and dedicated volunteers who have transformed our space into an efficient and welcoming office, and those who generously gave of their time and energy to haul our
In-person workshop coming to Grand Marais this fall! You are invited to a free, in-person advance care planning community workshop led by Kristin Parendo, lead elder law attorney with Justice North. This workshop is part of the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging’s Get Your Ducks In a Row campaign, designed to help Minnesotans create a
The rain held off this year (YAY!!!) and we enjoyed a windy but wonderful 2nd Annual Team Grand Marais Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, October 5th! A HUGE thank you to:
We envision a community that is fully supported to navigate our shared journeys of aging and end-of-life. What Makes Volunteering with Care Partners So Rewarding? Julie Wilson, Executive Director Care Partners’ Volunteers! You are amazing, compassionate, living-it humans! Our effort to connect neighbor to neighbor continues to grow – and volunteers make it happen. We
It is with love and sadness in our hearts that we share of the passing of our former Executive Director, Kay Grindland. How does one put to words the beauty of this kind spirited woman? As you can read in her obituary, Kay’s reach and impact was broader than Cook County. Yet, we in this
Words cannot express our gratitude for everyone who joined us at the big, happy 2024 Ice Cream Social Fundraiser at Sydney’s Frozen Custard on Sunday, August 25th! Your generous donations will help us support community members on the journey of aging and end-of-life!!!! A HUGE thanks to Sydney’s Frozen Custard, North Shore Swing Band, quilters
At their April 16 meeting, the Cook County Public Health and Human Services Board voted unanimously to join the Age Friendly Communities Network. On Tuesday, June 25 from 10:00 -11:30 a.m., there will be a recognition celebration of the County’s induction to the Age-Friendly Network at the Grand Marais Art Colony’s Studio 21. Community members
Thank you to the Cook County Local Energy Project for organizing Saturday’s wonderful 2024 Cook County Earth Day Fair! Thanks also to everyone who participated – and especially those who stopped by the Care Partners booth to say “hello” and share some great sustainability wisdom! Here is what we heard from our earth-wise community! I
We want to give a huge SHOUT OUT of appreciation to all who helped make the March 9th Second Chance Art Sale such a wonderful success…including our artists friends who donated their wonderful art, North Shore Artists League, The Hub and everyone who shopped and donated! Approximately $4,000 was raised to help Care Partners support
We envision a community that is fully supported to navigate our shared journeys of aging and end-of-life. Age-Friendly Community Listening Sessions So Much to be Grateful For… Julie Wilson, Executive Director Gratitude… I am overflowing with it! Your support of Care Partners and our mission made a BIG impact in 2023. The enclosed celebration insert
Through funding from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and St. Louis County Public Health, the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging (AAAA) has just released 10 infographics which provide a snapshot of demographic and access data for older adults. These profiles represent the State of Minnesota, the Arrowhead Region collectively, and each of the Arrowhead’s
A huge thank you to everyone who made Light Up a Life 2023 such a meaningful event. Over 40 people gathered at Johnson Heritage post to remember loved ones with gratitude and hope. We are so very thankful for: Click the button below to view the 2023 Memory Book with the names of those who
A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped to make our first annual Team Grand Marais Community Walk to End Alzheimer’s such an incredible success!!! It was a (purple) rain-y day to be sure, but spirits were high and MANY people braved the wet to walk in memory or honor of loved ones who have
Envisioning a community that is fully supported to navigate our shared journeys of aging well and end of life. We All Scream… …for ice cream! It’s that time of year again—join us on Sunday, August 27th from 2 – 4pm at Sydney’s new downtown location as we celebrate our shared journey of aging, our amazing
The 2023 Auction Quilt is on display at Drury Lane Books! Stop by any time during store hours – 10am to 5pm to see this beauty and perhaps purchase a $5 raffle ticket (or two or three!) This year’s raffle drawing will be held at the Care Partners office on August 31, 2023 at 3pm.
Journeying With Care Partners by outgoing Executive Director, Kay Grindland – I love that both Care Partners’ mission and vision— a community that is fully supported to navigate through our shared journeys of aging, chronic illness, and end-of-life—use the word journey. The road…
April was a wonderfully busy month at Care Partners, filled with opportunities to connect with people throughout Cook County. Many thanks to the folks who attended our events, and to those who stopped by to visit while we were “out and about.” April 12 – Elders & Caregivers Gathering, Grand PortageA wonderful event presented by
Our next Lunch & Learn – “Dementia Conversations” – will take place on Wednesday, April 26 from noon to 1pm at Cook County Higher Education or online via Zoom. We are excited to welcome guest presenter Jenna Pogorels from the Alzheimer’s Association! AND – thanks to our generous lunch sponsor, Hamilton Habitat, Inc. – the
Our next Lunch & Learn – “Finding Your ‘A’ Team: Planning Ahead for Aging Well” – will take place on Wednesday, February 22 from noon to 1pm at Cook County Higher Education (weather permitting) or online via Zoom. AND – thanks to a generous anonymous donor – the first 20 people who register for the
Care Partners of Cook County and Cook County Higher Education are pleased to announce a 2023 Lunch & Learn series designed to support aging well in our community. Presented the fourth Wednesday of the month from noon to 1pm at Cook County Higher Ed, the sessions will feature speakers from area organizations including the Arrowhead
A guide and checklist for emergency preparation at home and in your community from Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging Eldercare Development Partnership Program Developer Coordinator and Transportation Specialist Gavin Bukovich What is an emergency preparedness checklist? After an emergency, you and your family may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared
A huge thank you to everyone who made Light Up a Life 2022 so special! It was wonderful to gather via technology AND in person to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us and to express our gratitude for what they have meant to us. We are so very thankful for: All
Support & companionship on the journey of aging and serious illness Community Engagement By Executive Director Julie Wilson I love the rich sense of community found here in Cook County. It is something that many communities strive for—yet seems woven into the fabric of this place and its people—whether native or transplant—wherever you came from—it
Care Partner’s annual “Light up a Life” offers community members the opportunity to celebrate the life of a loved one during the holiday season. Each donation lights one bulb in memory of one person on our memory tree, which will be located downtown in front of the Johnson Heritage Post. Donation forms are available at
Care Partners of Cook County is hiring! Perhaps you are recently retired or want to take on a very part time position while serving your community? Care Partners of Cook County provides vital support and services to help clients and their families address the transitions of aging, serious illness and end of life with safety,
All of Cook County is encouraged to participate in the Grand Portage Alzheimer’s Awareness Walk on Saturday, September 12th! For the past several years an additional Walk was offered in Grand Marais – this time we’re all walking together to raise awareness and support those who have been affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. There
Do you have a heart for walking alongside people living with memory loss, and the family and friends who lovingly provide care for them? Care Partners is looking for a compassionate Dementia Specialist/Care Coordinator to offer guidance, encouragement, and practical support to individuals and families navigating dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and caregivers. This part-time, flexible
Thanks to the overwhelming success of last year’s Intergenerational Pen Pal pilot program, plans are now underway to continue the program for the 2026-2027 school year! The program is a collaboration between Sawtooth Mountain Elementary School’s fourth grade classes and Care Partners, and is designed to help bridge the gap between generations through handwritten letters
We’re excited to announce that the 2026 raffle quilt has been completed and is on display at Drury Lane Books! “Waawaate” (Northern Lights – Joyful Dancing Spirits) is another amazing creation from quilt artists Carol Morgen and Nancy Backlund. The intricately-pieced bargello-patterned front, exquisite back panel, and graceful, curved stitching truly capture the magic of
What a night! As always, The Splints delivered FABULOUS music, the dance floor was HOPPING, and (drum roll, please) – our generous community donated $3,150 in support of Care Partners!!!!! We are OVER-THE-MOON grateful to The Splints, Up Yonder, all who made a donation, and to Carl Solander who offered to organize this amazing party!
The Cook County Age Friendly Initiative invites you to enjoy light refreshments, engaging conversation, and updates about the good work we’ve accomplished together! Gatherings are being held throughout the county to review the Age Friendly Action Plan, celebrate all that has happened, and brainstorm ideas for continuing to make our community a great place to
Care Partners of Cook County is excited to announce our 2026 Spring Chore Days! This event connects groups or individual volunteers with older adults in our county to help with spring chores such as raking leaves, planting flowers, and general yard or garage cleanup. Projects will be scheduled for Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May
Care Partners of Cook County and Cook County Higher Education (CCHE) are pleased to present “Caring With Compassion: Effective End-of-Life Conversations with Patients & Clients”, a free, four-part professional development series. Classes will be held quarterly on Wednesdays from 8:15-9:45am and may be attended in person at CCHE or online via Zoom. The goal of
WOW! On March 21 the Cook County Potters held a WONDERFUL seconds sale to benefit Care Partners! Shoppers browsed a selection of not-quite-perfect pottery and wood-turned treasures and took them home for a donation in any amount. We are thrilled to report that over $2200 dollars was raised to help us support the journey of
Come to the Hub on Saturday, March 21 from 10am to 2pm for the Cook County Potters Annual Seconds Sale and purchase beautiful but not-quite-perfect pottery treasures from local artists for whatever amount you choose to donate. It’s a win for the potters…a win for you…and a win for Care Partners and the friends and
Reframe Aging Roundtable – Care Partners’ monthly community conversation about aging and ageism – has moved to a new time and location. The discussion now takes place on the third Monday of each month from 12:15-1:45pm at The Hub (10 Broadway, Grand Marais.) “We hope that meeting during the day will make it easier for
In December, Care Partners teamed up with Empty Bowls and the Wolf Class at Great Expectations School to provide Winter Cheer bags for Cook County older adults. The students created hand-drawn greeting cards, added beautiful decorations to shopping bags, and helped fill the bags with healthy, comforting food. Care Partners staff and volunteers delivered them
The season of challenging winter weather is upon us! Although our office is typically open from 10am to 3pm, Monday through Friday, we may need to close the office – or close early – due to inclement weather. Our staff are generally able to work remotely from home, and we do our best to answer
It is said that all of us will be caregivers at some point in our lives—some of us, many times over. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six-week class that gives participants the skills to take care of themselves while caring for a friend or family member – either in their home or from a
Care Partners Grief Group takes place on the 3rd Monday of each month from 5-6:30pm at the Care Partners offices, 615 East Highway 61 in Grand Marais. The Grief Group is facilitated by Care Partners Executive Director Julie Wilson, and is open for individuals to drop in as often as they would like – no
Care Partners of Cook County is pleased to announce our 2025 Fall Chore Days! This event connects groups or individual volunteers with older adults in our county to help with fall chores such as firewood stacking, raking leaves, and general yard or garage cleanup. Projects will be scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 24th and
Care Partners is pleased to offer a free Caregiver Appreciation Retreat on Tuesday, September 16 from noon to 3pm at the Cook County Community Center, 317 West 5th Street in Grand Marais. Anyone who is providing care—whether in the home or from a distance—for a friend or family member who is aging or has a chronic illness
Care Partners’ Annual Ice Cream Social Fundraiser will be held on Sunday, August 24 from 2-4pm at Sydney’s Frozen Custard, 14 Broadway Avenue in Grand Marais. Make a donation, enjoy a delicious frozen custard sundae, say “hello” to friends and neighbors, get the scoop on volunteering at Care Partners, see our beautiful raffle quilt, and
Have you seen our 2025 Auction Quilt in person yet?? Wonderful quilt artists Carol Morgen and Nancy Backlund have again outdone themselves – we are so grateful to them for donating their amazing talents. This year’s quilt measures 84″ square and features the stunning yellow and green center panel “Fantasia” surrounded by piecework in purple
AARP research consistently finds that the vast majority of people age 50 and older want to stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible. The AARP “HomeFit Guide” was created to help people stay in the homes they love by turning where they live into a “lifelong home,” suitable for themselves and
Our April 2025 issue includes an introduction to our newest board members, a snapshot of the services we provided in 2024, info about our upcoming open house, and more!
Thanks to everyone for a wonderful fair!!!! What an amazing day! The weather cooperated, the lake sparkled, and lots of people learned more about caring for our incredible brains! Thanks to everyone who visited and a special HUGE thank you to our community partners, booth hosts, and group demonstration leaders for their creativity and inspiration!
We hope you will join us to celebrate our 10th Anniversary as an independent non-profit AND to see our new offices!
03/05/25 Final Update: After lots of work by lots of WONDERFUL people, we are finally in our new location! We are incredibly grateful for the many talented tradespeople and dedicated volunteers who have transformed our space into an efficient and welcoming office, and those who generously gave of their time and energy to haul our
In-person workshop coming to Grand Marais this fall! You are invited to a free, in-person advance care planning community workshop led by Kristin Parendo, lead elder law attorney with Justice North. This workshop is part of the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging’s Get Your Ducks In a Row campaign, designed to help Minnesotans create a
The rain held off this year (YAY!!!) and we enjoyed a windy but wonderful 2nd Annual Team Grand Marais Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, October 5th! A HUGE thank you to:
We envision a community that is fully supported to navigate our shared journeys of aging and end-of-life. What Makes Volunteering with Care Partners So Rewarding? Julie Wilson, Executive Director Care Partners’ Volunteers! You are amazing, compassionate, living-it humans! Our effort to connect neighbor to neighbor continues to grow – and volunteers make it happen. We
It is with love and sadness in our hearts that we share of the passing of our former Executive Director, Kay Grindland. How does one put to words the beauty of this kind spirited woman? As you can read in her obituary, Kay’s reach and impact was broader than Cook County. Yet, we in this
Words cannot express our gratitude for everyone who joined us at the big, happy 2024 Ice Cream Social Fundraiser at Sydney’s Frozen Custard on Sunday, August 25th! Your generous donations will help us support community members on the journey of aging and end-of-life!!!! A HUGE thanks to Sydney’s Frozen Custard, North Shore Swing Band, quilters
Thank you to the Cook County Local Energy Project for organizing Saturday’s wonderful 2024 Cook County Earth Day Fair! Thanks also to everyone who participated – and especially those who stopped by the Care Partners booth to say “hello” and share some great sustainability wisdom! Here is what we heard from our earth-wise community! I
We want to give a huge SHOUT OUT of appreciation to all who helped make the March 9th Second Chance Art Sale such a wonderful success…including our artists friends who donated their wonderful art, North Shore Artists League, The Hub and everyone who shopped and donated! Approximately $4,000 was raised to help Care Partners support
Through funding from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and St. Louis County Public Health, the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging (AAAA) has just released 10 infographics which provide a snapshot of demographic and access data for older adults. These profiles represent the State of Minnesota, the Arrowhead Region collectively, and each of the Arrowhead’s
A huge thank you to everyone who made Light Up a Life 2023 such a meaningful event. Over 40 people gathered at Johnson Heritage post to remember loved ones with gratitude and hope. We are so very thankful for: Click the button below to view the 2023 Memory Book with the names of those who
A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped to make our first annual Team Grand Marais Community Walk to End Alzheimer’s such an incredible success!!! It was a (purple) rain-y day to be sure, but spirits were high and MANY people braved the wet to walk in memory or honor of loved ones who have
The 2023 Auction Quilt is on display at Drury Lane Books! Stop by any time during store hours – 10am to 5pm to see this beauty and perhaps purchase a $5 raffle ticket (or two or three!) This year’s raffle drawing will be held at the Care Partners office on August 31, 2023 at 3pm.
April was a wonderfully busy month at Care Partners, filled with opportunities to connect with people throughout Cook County. Many thanks to the folks who attended our events, and to those who stopped by to visit while we were “out and about.” April 12 – Elders & Caregivers Gathering, Grand PortageA wonderful event presented by
Our next Lunch & Learn – “Dementia Conversations” – will take place on Wednesday, April 26 from noon to 1pm at Cook County Higher Education or online via Zoom. We are excited to welcome guest presenter Jenna Pogorels from the Alzheimer’s Association! AND – thanks to our generous lunch sponsor, Hamilton Habitat, Inc. – the
Our next Lunch & Learn – “Finding Your ‘A’ Team: Planning Ahead for Aging Well” – will take place on Wednesday, February 22 from noon to 1pm at Cook County Higher Education (weather permitting) or online via Zoom. AND – thanks to a generous anonymous donor – the first 20 people who register for the
Care Partners of Cook County and Cook County Higher Education are pleased to announce a 2023 Lunch & Learn series designed to support aging well in our community. Presented the fourth Wednesday of the month from noon to 1pm at Cook County Higher Ed, the sessions will feature speakers from area organizations including the Arrowhead
A guide and checklist for emergency preparation at home and in your community from Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging Eldercare Development Partnership Program Developer Coordinator and Transportation Specialist Gavin Bukovich What is an emergency preparedness checklist? After an emergency, you and your family may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared
A huge thank you to everyone who made Light Up a Life 2022 so special! It was wonderful to gather via technology AND in person to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us and to express our gratitude for what they have meant to us. We are so very thankful for: All