From Care Partners of Cook County - May 9, 2026


MAY NEWS

Many thanks to ISD 166 for the opportunity to participate in this year’s Career Fair. We had a GREAT time engaging with the next generation about the many benefits of a career related to aging!!  

…for selecting Care Partners as their Round-Up Program Recipient for the month of May – and to everyone who rounds up on our behalf this month! We are proud of the many ways our community supports friends and neighbors on the journey of aging and end-of-life.

“Waawaate – Northern Lights/Joyful Dancing Spirits” is a stunning creation from quilt artists Carol Morgen and Nancy Backlund. It’s intricately-pieced bargello-patterned front, exquisite back panel, and graceful, curved stitching truly capture the magic of our stunning Northern Lights. Quilt raffle tickets are $5 each and currently available for sale at Drury Lane Books, Care Partners offices and other area locations. The raffle drawing will be held at our annual Ice Cream Social Fundraiser on Sunday, August 30th. Click here to see photos and more details!

in observance of Memorial Day

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.

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 “The Thursday Murder Club: A Novel” by Richard Osman. This first installment in a popular mystery series (adapted into a Netflix movie) features four septuagenarians who meet weekly at their retirement village to discuss unsolved crimes…until they find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Visit our website for more information about the Reframe Aging Monthly Roundtable, including upcoming book selections!

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 take place the third Monday of the month and are facilitated by Care Partners Executive Director Julie Wilson. 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! In May, Master Gardener Gine Meissner will bring along her green thumb and something lovely to plant and take home!  Join us the third Thursday of the month from April through October, 1:00- 2:30pm at The Hub. No pre-registration needed, just stop in!

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!

Located in the entrance-way to the Hub (10 Broadway, Grand Marais.) Take what you want, donate what you don’t. Open 9am to 4pm for all who need it. Talk to Chris or Kay at The Hub if you have any questions, 218-387-2660.

Do you have an Arrowhead Library System library card and Internet access? Great! You now have unlimited access to more than 1,000 award-winning arts and crafts video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. There are creative projects for every occasion with downloadable patterns, templates, and recipes.  The easy-to-navigate website features classes on topics in art and design, sewing, paperwork, holidays and parties, knitting and crochet, quilting, jewelry, and more! Browse by skill difficulty levels, quick or multi-part classes, specialty techniques, or those video tutorials best suited for children. Click here to check it out!

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 volunteer Kay Costello and Care Coordinator Barb Bernardy Rose, 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!

Donations cheerfully accepted at the door!

Get your dancing shoes on! :)

Special thank you to Carl Solander, the Splints, and Up Yonder for helping us support our Cook County friends and neighbors on the journey of aging and end-of-life!

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.