Each summer, Copper Shores brings its community picnic to a new town. The first year, the group set up an afternoon of fun in Chassell Centennial Park, then moved to the L’Anse Waterfront. Before last year, Copper Shores organized a picnic in Ahmeek. This Sunday, the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation invites the Copper Country to Greenland Township and the Ontonagon County fairgrounds.
It’s a community we’ve done a lot of grants in, especially at the fairgrounds. We’ve done a lot of work to help them make their ski sled or their sledding hill a lot better, as well as a couple of other projects with them at the fire departments over the years. And this is a chance just to get in that community, get to know those people a little bit. And we had a name change a couple of years ago, and a lot of people might not have heard of us. They might not realize that we’re the ones who have done some of the grants we’ve made on these projects. – Michael Babcock, Donor Relations Manager, Copper Shores Community Health Foundation
Each edition of the community picnic has invited old and new non-profit friends to join the community in a park. Copper Shores Donor Relations Manager Michael Babcock adds that the group looks forward to bringing even more fun for families.
It’s the biggest inflatable thing we’ve had at any of our events. It should be a lot of fun to see the kids do that. We’ll also have a fishpond that’s stocked with rainbow trout, thanks to the KBIC. And the final new thing we’re going to have that makes me very excited will be some llamas and goats as part of a petting zoo. So, all these things will just make it more fun for families to come out to, more memories for kids to make, more opportunities for families just to go out there and have some fun at an event that is free. – Michael Babcock, Donor Relations Manager, Copper Shores Community Health Foundation
While kids, parents, seniors, and everyone will have plenty of fun at the community picnic. The day also invites non-profits from the local area to connect with individuals in a relaxed environment. Which, Babcock says, can help people feel more comfortable asking for help.
The four closest volunteer fire departments will all be there. That’ll be exciting. We’ll also have some visitors from people we haven’t worked with, like the Ontonagon County Historical Society, who will be there. We’re looking forward to working with MI-TRALE. They’ll be there. But there’ll also be some partners that we’ve spent a lot of time with over the last 10-plus years of Copper Shores’ existence, including the Ontonagon County Cancer Association, a wonderful group that we’ve raised a lot of money for over the years. We’re going to see a very large presence from our friends with Camp Josh. – Michael Babcock, Donor Relations Manager, Copper Shores Community Health Foundation.
The Copper Shores 2025 Community Picnic will begin at noon in Greenland Township at the Ontonagon County Fairgrounds. The one-day festival of fun and connection with the community will include a free lunch for attendees, more than 20 non-profit organizations, and Copper Shores programs, as well as plenty of fun in the sun.
When you meet a non-profit group, make sure to collect a ticket to enter prize drawings during the community picnic. Non-profits also plan to bring their fun activities for a full day in Greenland. Learn more about the Community Picnic with Copper Shores Community Health Foundation here.
