A pair of key corporate entities have stepped up in the greater Marquette area in support of major wintertime events.

mBank, it was revealed last week, has earmarked $10,000 for the 30th annual Upper Peninsula 200 sled dog races, joining The Mining Journal and Eagle Mine as major sponsors of the weekend of events.

And then UP Health System donated $10,000 to the Noquemanon Trail Network to support the maintenance of the central U.P.’s non-motorized trails that are home to various outdoor activities, including: hiking, trail running, mountain biking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and walking.

The U.P. 200 weekend is Feb. 15-17 while the Noquemanon is this coming weekend

We believe donations at this level represent significant commitments from these major players in our communities.

The U.P. 200 and associated events have “turned into more than just a sled dog race for this community. The sled dog race is important and we all love the race and the mushers and the dogs, but it’s something that the community has pulled together,” mBank employee Ross Anthony said for a Mining Journal story on the matter. “When you look at the amount of community support and the sponsors and the events, the volunteers, I don’t know of an event that pulls the community together as much as the U.P. 200.”

About UPHS’s support of the Noquemanon Trail Network, hospital spokesman Victor Harrington observed, “Not only does the event lend to making communities healthier and encouraging an active lifestyle, but we’re also bringing in a lot of people to Marquette from out of town. As we know, Marquette is booming right now, tourism is good and there is ton of economic development. Partnering with big events like this that draw people to our community and show off all the great assets that we have, continues to allow us to thrive.”

We applaud these corporate sponsors for, quite literally, putting their money where their mouths are.

The events supported are important to the economic well-being of the area, on multiple levels. Their support will help ensure that they will continue well into the future.