Pirates of the Carrot Bean coming ashore

Photo courtesy of UMD School of Fine Arts The community is invited to a UMD production, Pirates of the Carrot Bean at the Cook County Schools Community Ed. gym at 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.on Tuesday, January 26.

Is healthy eating boring? Does the idea of instituting an exercise plan make you yawn? Batten down the hatches, because an upcoming production at Cook County schools may make you think again! The community is invited to a dynamic presentation of Pirates of the Carrot Bean
at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26 in the Community Education gym at Cook County Schools

There will also be a “Wellness Warmup” open house with healthy snacks and nutrition information from local grocers, family fitness tips and more, starting at 4:00 p.m.

Just before the play, the community is invited to a taco dinner at the school cafeteria from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Thisis a fundraiser for the Middle School student council.

Kristin DeArruda Wharton, School District 166 school nurse and coordinator of the State Health Improvement Program (SHIP) grant, is happy to announce the visit of this troupe of UMD School of Fine Arts students. The students are the UMD graduate music students, the Voyageurs, and they use music, comedy, drama, and high energy to promote healthy living.

Topics such as eating fruits and veggies, keeping your body and mind fit, and limiting “screen time” are explored through song, movement, and interactive participation. TheCaptain and her crew are on a quest for the elusive Pirate Cookbook. The good ship, Carrot Bean,
visits exotic places such as the golden shores of Bayshore Bay, the Green Leafy Lagoon, and the Berry Straights. From examining their not so healthy diet of moldy bacon and rusty nails to discovering the benefits of beta carotene, the crew and audience engage in an interactive voyage.

Initiated by the School of Fine Arts at the University of Minnesota Duluth, UMD Voyageurs is supported by the University of Minnesota Duluth, SMDC Health System and Duluth Children’s Museum, HealthPartners, and the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation. For selected schools in the region, Pirates of the Carrot Bean is sponsored by the Northeast Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) and UCare.