Serving some great tasting chicken wings that came with raspberry chips at the EATS fundraiser was Hunter from Voyageur Brewing. Despite some bad winter weather the fundraiser drew a great crowd. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
Not even several inches of mushy mealy-mouthed March snow, slick roads, and howling winds could keep people away from the Thursday evening March 5 EATS event.
The high school hallway from the Eagle Doors to the high school gymnasium was abuzz with splendid smells of cooking food, tables filled with auction items, the sounds of music, laughter and happy chatter as folks from throughout the county gathered to enjoy the annual camaraderie spurred by the fundraiser.
Thirteen area restaurants and the high school culinary arts program served a wide variety of delicious foods and desserts for people to peruse and partake. Six restaurants (closed for the season) and a variety of individuals and businesses donated silent auction items.
Sponsored by the Cook County School District 166 Education Foundation, the 2020 Enriching Academics Through Sustenance (EATS) program grossed thousands of dollars for programs not traditionally funded by I.S.D. 166. Just how much money was taken in wasn’t known by press time because not all of the money from the silent auction and expenses had been fully tabulated.
If someone needed relief from the racket and ruckus of the hectic hallways, all they had to do was duck into the high school cafeteria and sit at tables dressed in yellow linen and listen as the high school band performed. It was a welcome respite for many and a chance to recharge.
“We sold 149 of the 150 tickets, and 109 ticket holders were present, plus 28 restaurant owners/managers/ servers and high school culinary arts students and their teacher. There was also ten board members working. That is pretty good, given the weather,” said EATS coordinator Ann Sullivan, who is also the I.S.D. 166 Education Foundation board president.
Some of the school groups and activities awarded grants throughout the years by the I.S.D. 166 Education Foundation include the Clay Club, Ice Storm Robotics, Laptops for Learning, CCHS Book Project, the Common Ground Summit, Fifth grade Wolf Ridge trip, boating safety class, art supplies, etc.
Once again, only 150 tickets at $25 each were offered for EATS. Many participants also bid on silent auction items donated by local businesses and individuals, which boosted the income generated by this fundraiser.
While people strolled about the halls they had their choice of walleye cakes with lemon aioli (by Moguls); Swedish crème (Lutsen Resort); tater tot hot dish (Poplar Haus); Rueben sliders (Skyport); chicken wings with raspberry chips (Voyageur); vegetarian quiche and raspberry pie (Bluewater); crab mousse (Coho Café); Jamaican jerk (Cook County Whole Foods); meat and cheese tray (Gunflint Lodge); assorted chocolates (Gunflint Mercantile); coffee (Java Moose); walleye chowder (Justine’s at Gunflint Lodge), and finally, the high school culinary arts class served wild rice cake with herring pate.
At the end of the night, said Sullivan, “Literally, there were a total of five six-inch plates of food samples left at 7:30 p.m. We were right on with the food.”
Serving on the 2020 I.S.D. 166 Educational Foundation are Myron Bursheim, Doug Sanders, Emma Spoon, Karen Obinger, Dave Hansen, Leslie Conden, Marcie MacIntire, Autumn Hood, John Oberholtzer, Gene Erickson, Ann Sullivan, and Sharon Van Ruiswyk.
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