Prince Of Peace Presented 2021 Crimson Fork Award

Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) presented its 2022 Crimson FORK Award to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Eagle River. Pictured are, front row, from left, church vice president Lisa Kohlman, church treasurer Mike Bishop, Prince of Peace backpack program coordinator Sandy Bishop, FORK executive director Perry Pokrandt and FORK treasurer Dan Beihoff; and back row, Prince of Peace interim pastor Rev. Paul Heykes, Eagle River Pick ‘n Save manager Trevor Barth, FORK board member Jessica Allen, FORK endowment committee member and Prince of Peace backpack program volunteer Nancy Schuller and FORK secretary Jackie Coghlan. —Staff Photo By ERIC JOHNSON

In recognition of their support of food insecure children, the board of directors for Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) has announced that the recipient of the 2021 Crimson FORK award will be Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Eagle River.

“Prince of Peace first created the Weekend Backpack Program in 2015 to support one hungry third-grader within Eagle River’s elementary school,” explained Sandy Bishop, Weekend Backpack Program coordinator. “Today the Weekend Backpack Program in Eagle River, Phelps and Land O Lakes, still run by Prince of Peace, serves over 100 children a week from those communities. We are humbled to be recognized for our program’s effort to help kids, but the success of our program was not achieved without the support of the entire community. Only through everyone’s support were we able to build a program with the impact that the Weekend Backpack Program has today.”

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 central and eastern Vilas County.

“I’ve seen firsthand the difference the Weekend Backpack Program has made in the lives of our school district’s children,” said FORK Vice President Scott Foster, who also serves as district administrator for the Northland Pines School District. “The program has grown consistently since day one. As a school district, Northland Pines is grateful for this commitment to the success of our children.”

“The Board of Directors for Feed Our Rural Kids is honored to recognize Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for their ongoing efforts to mitigate the challenge of childhood food insecurity,” added FORK President Perry Pokrandt. “In recognition of, and in appreciation for their ongoing effort, FORK presents the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church with the Crimson Fork.”

Individuals wishing to financially support the Weekend Backpack Program at Prince of Peace can mail a contribution to Prince of Peace at P.O. Box 535, Eagle River, WI 54521, adding “Weekend Backpack Program” to the memo line of their check.

Individuals wishing to volunteer to help with the Weekend Backpack Program can contact Bishop at sandybarberbishop@gmail.com.

Feed Our Rural Kids is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.