Seafood Boil Fundraiser in Cook
Volunteer chefs continuously moved from boiling pot to boiling pot set up behind the VFW in Cook Saturday afternoon, reaching into clouds of steam with pliers to grab baskets filled with shrimp, crab legs, sweet corn, and red potatoes all for a good cause.
The Cook Lions Club and the Angel Fund teamed up for a seafood boil fundraiser that brought together good food and fun for a great cause.
“We wanted to put together an event that’s fun, a little different, and gives people a great reason to come together,” said Colette Huisenga, event organizer with the Cook Lions Club.
“The Lions are all about serving our communities, and partnering with Angel Fund gives us the opportunity to have a good time while supporting people right here in our region who are going through cancer treatment. We hope people come hungry to help us make it a great night!”
Proceeds from the event benefit Angel Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to Northeast Minnesota residents undergoing cancer treatment. Angel Fund helps patients with expenses such as transportation, groceries, and other everyday needs that can become difficult to manage during treatment.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Cook Lion Club for partnering with us on this event,” Said Carolyn Pohjonen, Angel Fund Board President. “There is something pretty special about one community organization reaching out to another and saying, “Let’s do something together to help our neighbors.” And when something involves snow crab legs and shrimp, it’s pretty hard to say no!”
In addition to the mountains of fresh seafood, guests could browse and bid on a variety of silent auction items, with proceeds also going to the Angel Fund.
“Every ticket purchased, and every auction bid ultimately helps us say “yes” when a local cancer patient reaches out for assistance,” Pohjonen added. “That’s what makes evenings like this so meaningful”.
The Angel Fund is a nonprofit organization based in Hibbing that provides financial assistance to residents in Northeastern Minnesota who are battling cancer. Their core mission is to ease the financial burden and stress of cancer treatment by helping cover out-of-pocket expenses not covered by health insurance. This helps ensure patients don’t have to choose between basic necessities-like buying groceries or paying for gas to travel to treatment centers for their medical care.
The fund originated in 2010 through the Women’s Innovative Network, a Hibbing Chamber of Commerce group that hosted a fundraiser event. It officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2016.
The group operates entirely through community donations, local fundraisers, grants, memorials, and private contributions.
Since its inception, the Angel Fund has provided more than 3,200 financial gifts, totaling over $1.18 million to cancer patients throughout Northeastern Minnesota.
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