It’s time to paint the town red…no pink!… again. The 2013 Mush for a Cure will be held Friday and Saturday, March 8-9 on the Gunflint Trail. Shake your cabin fever and come out for fun at this amazing fundraiser for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
There will be delicious pasta and dancing at Windigo Lodge on Friday night. The theme is back to the ’80s, so find those parachute pants or leggings, pouf up your hair and get ready to party like a pop star—in pink, of course!
Part of the hilarity will be The Bald, The Brave and The Beautiful event. Three Cook County businessmen have put their heads on the line. There is a competition to see which man can raise the most money to fight breast cancer. If enough money is raised, all three will have their head shaved—in front of the partying crowd. Taking part in the crazy spring fever event is Bruce Kerfoot of Gunflint Lodge who is in the lead at press time with $825 in donations. Forrest Parson of Hungry Jack was next with $170 and Scott Harrison of Lutsen Resort was trailing with only $40 in pledges.
The participants in The Bald, The Brave and the Beautiful competition are putting their head—or hair, rather—on the line to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. If enough money is raised, losing their hair will be (L-R) Bruce Kerfoot of Gunflint Lodge, Forrest Parson of Hungry Jack Lodge and Scott Harrison of Lutsen Resort.
If you’d like to push the men over the line to baldness, consider donating today. You can do it quickly and easily online at www.mushforacure.com—click on “Donate” and look for the name of whom you want to see shaved.
Or you can select your favorite musher to donate to. At press time, MFAC has already raised $20,640. Organizers are hoping to top what was raised last year, $41,000. Since the event began in 2008, approximately $148,000 has been raised for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
And a lot of fun has been had. Watching pink-clad mushers and dogs travel from Gunflint to Poplar Lake is a sight sure to cure cabin fever. There are prizes for the participants who raise the most pledges, the most money, the first team to the Gunflint Trail, the not-so-coveted pink lantern (last team in) and the crowd-pleasing best-dressed dog team.
For folks who are not mushers but still want to take part, there are also competitions— such as the human dog sled races on Poplar Lake. And there is a chance to win the most outrageous pink outfit award. It will be hard to top winner Ashlin Woodley who donned a pink bathing suit in 2012. How will you get your pink on?
There is definitely a serious side to all the fun. Each year someone who has faced the challenge of breast cancer is named as the Mush for a Cure honoree. This year, the community is recognizing Pam Taylor of Grand Marais, teacher and athletic director at Cook County High School, who is undergoing treatment now. Best wishes to Pam from all of the MFAC participants!
On Friday and Saturday, in addition to fun MFAC gear, there will be pink sky balloons for sale. Write a memorial or an honorarium of a friend or relative who has been affected by breast cancer. Then, be at Poplar Lake at dusk to see the lighted balloons soar into the night. A beautiful end to a wonderful community event.
Schedule of events
Friday, March 8
Windigo Lodge
5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Mushers pre-registration
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Pink Pasta Party Meet the mushers and enjoy a delicious pasta dinner! Cost $6.00, MFA participants eat free!
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Pink ’80s Party! Get out your leggings, parachute pants, big hair and even bigger shoulder pads for the ’80s extravaganza.
8:00 p.m. Grand March & dance to Audio To Go Show off your ’80s style!
9:00 p.m. The crowning of the King and Queen of the Party! 2012 King Adam and Queen Sally will be passing the crown to someone new!
9:30 p.m. The Bald, The Brave and The Beautiful HEAD SHAVIN G! If enough money is raised, the three BBB volunteers will have their heads shaved .
Saturday, March 9
9:00 a.m. Mushers check-in and pancake and sausage feed at Gunflint Pines. Open to the public, goodwill donation requested.
10:00 a.m. Start for short course Teams of five dogs or less and skijor teams start at the Cross River on the Gunflint Trail. The finish is at Gunflint Pines.
11:00 a.m. Musher meeting on Gunflint Lake.
12:00 p.m. Mass sourdough start for the sled teams on Gunflint Lake.
Noon – 3:00 p.m. Opportunities to see the dog teams along the trail.
3:00 p.m. Human Sled Dog Races Get your teams of 4-6 people together and give sled dog racing a try on Poplar Lake in front of Trail Center. “Booby Prize” for fastest team. $10/ person.
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. (approx.) Teams finishing at Trail Center Lodge. Finisher’s bonfire, hot dog/marshmallow roast and party tent sponsored by Sarah and the gang at Trail Center Lodge.
5:00-6:00 (approximate) Awarding of prizes
7:00 p.m. (or Dusk) Release of Memorial Sky Lanterns
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