HANCOCK — The Keweenaw Heartlands Community Advisory Committee and Keweenaw Community Foundation are partnering to host “For the Heartlands,” a fundraiser dinner and concert on Friday, June 5, at the Hidden Pines Barn in Calumet.

The event supports the Keweenaw Heartlands Forest Fund, held by the Keweenaw Community Foundation, to establish the Keweenaw Heartlands Community Forest. The fund covers costs related to the early governance and management of this future publicly owned, locally governed forest–one of the first of its kind in Michigan. Established in 1994, the Keweenaw Community Foundation is a community resource dedicated to the people and places of the Keweenaw

Since late 2022, the Keweenaw Heartlands Community Advisory Committee has worked to advance the project in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The committee has spent over 1,900 volunteer hours working to ensure sustained public access to the roughly 20,000 acres in Keweenaw County that make up the Heartlands.

“We joined the advisory committee because of our club’s mission to support outdoor recreation in the Keweenaw. One of our main trails is on the Heartlands property,” said Daryl St. John, Keweenaw ATV club president. “For us, it’s about continued access to off-road trails, hunting, fishing, camping–and everything else we love about living in this area.”

With more than $324,000 already secured, this event celebrates the final phase of fundraising needed to reach the campaign target of $600,000. Achieving this goal will enable the early planning and start-up of the Keweenaw Heartlands Community Forest once a local, publicly elected authority board is established.

Event tickets are available now and expected to sell fast! Tickets are $125 each and include a sit-down dinner, one drink token (cash bar also available), and live music from The Go Rounds. The event will also feature a silent auction showcasing Keweenaw experiences. Purchase tickets online: http://bit.ly/4heartlands-tickets

For questions or inquiries, contact them via email at mail@keweenawgives.org or call 906-482-9673. Visit them online www.keweenawgives.org.