We thoroughly enjoyed being on board for the Grand Portage Brain Train event on March 14th! There were terrific speakers, fun games, and LOTS of great information about brain health and dementia care. Care Partners hosted a “station” with brain quizzes and info about how good volunteering is for our brains! Thanks so much to the folks at Grand Portage for inviting us to participate, and to all who stopped by our station!  Learn Fun Facts About Your Brain!

On March 21nd the Cook County Potters held a WONDERFUL seconds sale to benefit Care Partners! We are thrilled to report that over $2200 dollars was raised to help us support the journey of aging and end of life in Cook County! Thank you to our wonderful arts community and to everyone who stopped by and made a donation!! See more photos from the sale.

Grief is not a disease or a sign of weakness, it is a normal reaction to the loss of someone you had a relationship with, whether complicated or easy. Join others who are on the journey of grief for conversation and mutual support. Gatherings are facilitated by Care Partners staff. No pre-registration is required, drop in whenever you’d like. Learn more here.

The Memory Café is a free monthly gathering for people who are living with memory loss and those who are caring for them. The Café offers a safe, supportive, relaxed environment to enjoy light refreshments, casual conversation and friendly connections with others who know the memory loss journey first-hand. Each month we are also joined by a special guest who will share stories, offer their talents, or perhaps encourage us to try our hand at a fun, easy activity! Join us the third Thursday of the month from April through October, 1:00- 2:30pm at The Hub. No preregistration needed, just stop in!

You are cordially invited to a lively monthly conversation about aging and ageism facilitated by Care Partners staff on the third Monday of each month from 12:15-1:45pm at The Hub!  Drop in any time and enjoy your lunch while we converse (you are welcome to brown-bag it or call The Hub before 9:30am on Monday to order the best meal deal in town.) OR simply grab a cup of coffee or tea and join us.  A specially-selected book of the month serves as a springboard for our discussion – although you are always welcome to join in the conversation whether you’ve read the book or not! Our friends at Drury Lane offer the book at a 15% discount and the wonderful Grand Marais Public Library does its best to make sure it’s available to borrow. This month’s selection is “No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Really Matters” by Ursula Le Guin. Published shortly before her death in 2018, this collection of blog posts from legendary author Ursula Le Guin offers sharp, witty, and profound reflections on aging, writing, politics, gender, and more. Visit our website for more information about the Reframe Aging Monthly Roundtable, including upcoming book selections!

Care Partners and Cook County Higher Education are pleased to present a free monthly Lunch & Learn series designed to support aging well in Cook County! You can join us in person at CCHE or online via Zoom. Thanks to our generous donors, those who attend in person can enjoy a free, light lunch!  Our lives are made of stories, from childhood games to holiday traditions, to grand adventures. In April, writer and storyteller Rose Arrowsmith will use prompts, guided visualization, and paired sharing techniques to help you tap into and start crafting your memories. This short workshop is a great way to kickstart recording family history or writing memoir, all while connecting with others through thoughtful conversation. Register here!

Our older years are often deemed successful if we stay busy, banish physical signs of aging, and somehow die quickly with little fuss or drain on resources. But our sense of identity and worth often shift as our physical and mental capacities diminish. Who are we when we are no longer productive in former ways? How do we face the challenges of this loss? Are there potential blessings in our aging? Join us as we welcome Rev. Dr. Anne Sallow Gillis, who will invite us to explore some of the inner work around aging and dying. “Meeting the Spiritual and Emotional Challenges of Aging” is the final session in a 5-part educational series offered monthly from November 2025 through April 2026. The series was organized into interconnected modules, each addressing a vital aspect of the end-of-life journey. Register here.

In her thoughtful memoir “Ghosts of Fourth Street,” author Laurie Hertzel paints a vivid portrait of 1960s Duluth as she poignantly examines a family contending with grief and the fact that life steadily goes on - snow and school buses, Christmases and Thanksgivings, ice skating and tobogganing - with ghosts always lingering at the edges.  You are welcome to join us at the Grand Marais Public Library to meet Laurie, hear her read segments from her book, and enjoy a time for questions and discussion. She will also be available afterwards to sign books! This event is free, mobility aid accessible, and open to the public. More information from Drury Lane.

Exams | Fluoride | Cleaning  | X-rays

For uninsured patients: 18 months - 26 years | 65+ years | pregnant people of any age

Call Grand Marais Family Dentistry for your appointment today! 

218-387-2774

Meet with others who share the caregiving journey for a cup of coffee, a moment of rest, and the gift of connection. Led by Care Partners volunteers Kathy Reeves and Kay Costello, this group gathers at 1pm on the first Wednesday of each month at The Hub. Come when you can and be encouraged by those who understand the joys and challenges of caring for older friends or family members near or far. No preregistration is needed - just stop by!

Care Partners and Cook County Higher Education are pleased to present a free monthly Lunch & Learn series designed to support aging well in Cook County! You can join us in person at CCHE or online via Zoom. Thanks to our generous donors, those who attend in person can enjoy a free, light lunch! For Healthy Vision Month we are pleased to be joined by Patty Stockdale from the UMD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Neurosciences. Patty will help us learn about the Lion’s Gift of Sight Program and provide a glimpse into current vision-related research. Cathy Everett from the Grand Marais Lion’s Club will also share her own special experience with the Gift of Sight Program. Register here.

Connecting Cook County volunteers with older adult neighbors to help with spring chores such as raking leaves, planting flowers, and general yard or garage cleanup! Contact Care Partners at 218-387-3788 or use this link by May 15 to get more info, find out how you or your group can volunteer, or ask about getting help with a spring chore.

Get involved and make a difference!  Our volunteers assist Cook County older adults with light housekeeping and outdoor chores, transportation, companionship and more! Choose the activities, time, level of commitment and circumstances that meet your needs. For more information, call us 218-387-3788 or use this link.