Members of the FORK Board of Directors presented Jackie Coghlan (center) with the prestigious Crimson FORK Award recently for her assistance with local programs to aid children in food-insecure homes.
—Contributed Photo
Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) has announced that Jackie Coghlan of Eagle River as the winner of the 2023 Crimson FORK award.
Coghlan’s background of caring for, teaching, and feeding children spans a lifetime.
For the last 20-plus years, she has served as a volunteer with the Vilas Food Pantry in Eagle River, where she has served as the president of the pantry’s board of directors since 2005. Other pantry volunteers describe Coghlan as “dedicated and committed.”
Additionally, Coghlan has served as secretary on FORK’s Board of Directors since 2019. For the last five years she has helped to direct the course of FORK and its efforts to feed area kids.
“This announcement comes with great joy and a level of sadness,” said FORK President Perry Pokrandt. “As effective Jan. 11, Jackie will be retiring from the FORK Board of Directors.”
The Crimson FORK was created to be an expression of FORK’s gratitude for the non-monetary contributions of an individual, organization, or business to mitigate childhood food insecurity across the Northland Pines, Phelps and Three Lakes school districts.
“Jackie truly deserves this recognition for all that she has done to support kids within our community since the first day she joined the staff at Northland Pines,” added FORK Vice President Scott Foster.
Additionally, Coghlan was awarded Wisconsin Middle School Principal of the year in 2013. She served as Northland Pines Middle School principal from 1998 until her retirement in 2014. Before coming to Eagle River, she was a classroom teacher in southern Wisconsin, starting in 1975.
Individuals wishing to financially support her continued work at the Vilas Food Pantry can mail a contribution to: Vilas Food Pantry, P.O. Box 761, Eagle River, WI 54521.
Individuals wishing to volunteer to help at the Vilas Food Pantry can contact Sandy Weber at gandsweb@charter.net.
Feed Our Rural Kids is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. To learn more about FORK’s efforts to support children from food insecure homes, visit feedourruralkids.org.
