Kinship's Cook-off is Cancelled for 2020

It is with heavy hearts that the Kinship of Morrison County Board of Directors decided to cancel the annual Soup and Chili Cookoff for Kids. Re-scheduled from the original “last Tuesday in March” date, the fundraiser was going to take place on Tuesday, October 13th.

The decision wasn’t made easily or lightly but was made due to the community impact of the increase & recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Morrison County. Working with Will at the Ballroom, the board was fully confident in the extensive and thorough safety precautions that were put in place, yet felt the most responsible thing to do at this time was not to hold this event that normally draws 400-500 people but was going to be limited at 250. Despite the modifications & precautions implemented, the inherent risk of a large group gathering and its potential impact on the community, area school attendance, and Kinship’s reputation overshadowed the positive message of mentoring that we strive to convey through the fundraiser. After communicating with local health experts and learning that local schools were going to hybrid learning, Kinship, dedicated to serving youth & adults in Morrison County, determined this was the best option for our area and the residents we represent.

The absence of our biggest annual fundraiser will be felt at Kinship. But, like the rest of our community, we will be resilient. Our volunteers are fully committed to the kids in the program and we look doubly forward to the 2021 Soup and Chili Cookoff!

One of the most painful parts of deciding to cancel (for the first time ever in 21 years!) is having to notify the sponsors and cookers who have committed to partnering with Kinship for this re-scheduled event. Words aren’t worthy to express our deep appreciation for the investment of time and money area businesses and individuals have committed to supporting Kinship’s 2020 Cookoff. So, in addition to asking you to consider becoming a Kinship volunteer, we invite area residents to please thank the following Cookoff sponsors and if you don’t already, consider patronizing their businesses. This has been a tough year for area businesses and we deeply appreciate, even during their own struggle to remain solvent, they were generous and willing partners. 

Listed below are the countless businesses & individuals who donated items for our auction & raffles, many of which will be included in an online auction benefiting the program opening up October 13th with the bidding closing on October 19th. To these donors, “Thank you!” Your donations are a huge part of our 2020 fundraising efforts! 

Please contact Kinship to learn more about enrolling a child or volunteer opportunities at (320) 632-8806 or info@kinshipofmc.org