The Road Your Donations Takes:

We are ongoing contributors to Northwoods Partners of Ely.

Over the years we have donated several thousand dollars to support their different programs and events. In addition to directly underwriting specific community outreach programs, our gifts to Northwoods Partners help fuel their own fund raising efforts - creating a 'loaves and fishes' phenomenon...gifts that keep on giving. Our Foundation has: Sponsored speakers for their annual Elder Expos - paid for educational sessions with staff at the hospital and clinic, funded a Northwoods Memory Care Program module, contributed to their Caregiver Support programs. We have also created gift baskets and wreaths to be used in their silent auctions, raffles, and as door prizes for their annual theme dinners.

We are honored to be considered a 'fund-raising arm' of Northwoods Partners.

In 2018 our Foundation committed to donate $1500 quarterly to Northwoods Partners for their caregiver programs.

Dear Spiritwood Foundation:

Your generous donations are allowing us to offer more life-changing programs for Ely area seniors than ever before! please accept our HEARTFELT GRATITUDE for your gift to Northwoods Partners.

With your wonderful support, we will continue to spark positive change in the lives of so many in our community.

God Bless,

Lisa Porthan, Director

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give - Winston Churchill

Minnesota Veterans Homes

The Spiritwood Foundation is proud to be supporters of the Minnesota Veterans Homes and their programs for Vets and families.

We have committed to sponsoring the Summer Concert Series at Veterans Home Silver Bay each year - for the veterans, staff, families, and community

The annual event lasts all day. During the afternoon, Pat and Donna with Marina Whight and the Boundary Water Boys tour the Memory Care wings and perform acoustically for the residents - and then perform on stage for the main event in the evening.

Minnesota Veterans Home Photos.

We have donated funds to Minnesota Veterans Home Minneapolis for their fishing and riverboat outings.

We donated the funds to fix the hoist equipment at Veterans On The Lake in Ely that enabled veterans using wheelchairs to board the boats.

Our Foundation has donated funds to Minnesota Veterans Home Fergus Falls for their annual activities (more than 250 activities a year)

Pat and Donna perform at the Veterans Home in Fergus Falls.

UNDER THE BIG TOP

Thank you to everyone who attended our 1st and 2nd Annual Spiritwood Foundation Concert at Veterans On The Lake - Under The Big Top.

Net proceeds from these events funded programs for seniors and veterans.

So many expressed excitement and appreciation that an actual Big Top appeared on the grounds of Veterans On The Lake - where joyful sounds rose to honor our veterans.

Thank you so much for your support of our events, and our veterans.

Spiritwood Senior Living Network

Our new Senior Living Network is a subscription service for senior living communities - providing a variety of pre-recorded, live performances designed to engage, entertain, and spark memories. Like Netflix for seniors. Learn more here.

Remember When Magical Musical Happening

Written by Pat and Donna Surface, this is an entertaining whirlwind that is so much fun you forget the serious cause it benefits. Audiences are treated to a trip back in time not only in sound but visually. In our first show, an unprecedented cosmic event occurs and music is magically transported in time and space - and so are you. Bam! You are with Moonbeam in her WGRV (GROOVE Radio) dj booth in the 60s, then wham! You are back to the future with Pat and his band. In the 2018 version of the Remember When Musical, Moonbeam is now a 1970s TV star - with her all new dance/music show Moonbeam's American Top 40 - once again featuring the songs of the 60s and 70s, dynamic videos, hippie flower children, special effects and more. The show benefits the Spiritwood Foundation.

In 2018 we performed a sequel to Remember When - Moonbeam's American Top 40...also raising funds for the Foundation. In this new show Moonbeam is now a TV star hosting a music/variety show. Check out some cool photos here.

Jukebox Time Machine

Written by Pat and Donna Surface, this multi-media musical celebrates the jukebox hits through the decades.

In 2022 we peformed this musical with our band, American Pie, at the Historic Ely State Theater to a sold-out crowd - kicking off a Summer performance season that raised thousands for our Foundation.

The Incredible Alzheimer's Hoops for Hope Basketball Tournament.

In December, 2014, The Ely Timberwolves Girl's Basketball Team held their first annual Hoops For Hope Basketball Tournament. They decided to donate 100% of what they raised to the Spiritwood Foundation - $3313.00!. We, in turn, gifted the entire amount to Northwoods Partners for their Powerful Tools for Caregivers class - a 6-week educational series designed to help unpaid family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a relative or family friend. It gives caregivers the tools to: help reduce stress - communicate effectively with other family members, doctors, and paid help - take care of themselves, reduce guilt, anger, depression - and help them relax, make tough decisions, set goals, and problem-solve. Because of our gift there was no cost to the caregivers participating in the class. It also covered the cost of the books for each participant, and all other printed materials.

Hoops For Hope 2023  $2,211.00

The Spiritwood 'Forget Me Not' Foundation of Ely wishes to thank the Ely Timberwolves Girl's Basketball team for donating all of the proceeds from their Hoops For Hope tournaments to our Foundation. Each year, dating back to their 1st Annual Hoops For Hope Tournament in 2014, they have donated all the money they raise to our Foundation. Our Foundation in turn gifts those funds to other non-profit organizations dealing with Alzheimer's and Dementia to support their programs. These organizations include Northwoods Partners of Ely, and the Minnesota Veterans Homes.

Go Timberwolves!

WELY Alzheimer’s Radio Show hosted by Donna Surface

A special show featured on Donna's popular local radio program, Remember When, centered on Alzheimer's Disease. With poignant songs by Pat Surface, this show also featured tributes by celebrities and friends, along with stories and remembrances of Donna's dad.

Our Minnesota Memory Care Tour 

Pat and Donna Surface, (sometimes joined by other Spiritwood musicians), perform at assisted-living communities, nursing homes, and senior residences in Minnesota - bringing uplifting music and Performance Signing to residents, their families, and staff. They call it the Memory Care Tour. Pat and Donna donate their time and sound equipment, and the Foundation pays the gas.

Click here for more on the Minnesota Memory Care Tours

Our Sensational Sheet Sales

Since 2010, the Spiritwood Foundation has had a booth at both Blueberry Arts Festival and Harvest Moon Festival in Ely. We have raised thousands of dollars from the sale of our sensational sheets that feel like silk. These sheets are so popular they provide a large portion of the money that we gift - including $3000 to Northwoods Partners.

Visit us at our Foundation booth at the Blueberry Arts Festival the last weekend of July and see what all the fuss is about!       

Our Chairman, Sheri Dochat, presenting a $3000 check to Lisa Porthan, Executive Director of Northwoods Partner

The Rocco Michael Passaretti Grant Program

We award grants to non-profits working with Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

Benefit for Michael and Joyce Gallo and their Battle with Alzheimer's Disease

“Remember When” - Songs of the 60s and 70s & Silent Auction.

It was held at Minnesota State University Moorhead - Comstock Memorial Union Ballroom - Saturday, October 4, 2014.

A Night of Caring for Michael and Joyce Gallo - it began with a Silent Auction followed by a concert by Pat and Donna Surface  This event was sponsored by the Spiritwood “Forget Me Not” Foundation.  Pat and Donna donated their time and sound equipment. Every dime that was raised went directly to pay for caregiver support for Michael and Joyce Gallo. We were able to gift nearly $10.000.

Art & Jewelry Auction and Benefit Concert in Florida

Pat and Donna traveled to Stuart, Florida and together with Diamonds By Terry of Stuart staged an elegant and magical evening - transforming the Diamonds by Terry's parking lot into a chic open-air bistro complete with gourmet food and champagne. The event featured an auction of world-class original art donated by renowned artists such as Joe LaPierre, and beautiful diamond-studded jewelry donated by Diamonds By Terry. Pat and Donna performed a concert joined by local musicians. The place was packed, and generosity flowed like the champagne.

The event was co-sponsored by the Spiritwood Foundation and Diamonds By Terry. Pat and Donna donated their time and sound equipment. 100% of the proceeds went to the Alzheimer's Association for research, and the Spiritwood Foundation for caregivers. Several thousand dollars was raised.    

Raffle Fundraiser - Blueberry Festival 2009, Harvest Moon 2009, Tuesday Nite Live 2009.

Lots of art work, services, and more were donated and we had a great time with these raffles. We raised money for non-profit organizations that supply home-care assistance to families who want to keep afflicted loved-ones at home, and for non-profit assisted-living and nursing homes for upgrades (like gazebos for residents).

JC Hormel Alzheimer's Awareness Concert  - Thanks For The Memories

In August 2014 Pat and Donna (along with the Boundary Water Boys) traveled to Austin MN for a special fund-raising event presented by the JC Hormel Nature Center. The proceeds were split between the Alzheimer's Association for research, and the Spiritwood Foundation for caregiver assistance.

Gifts That Give 2014

An annual event held at Grace Lutheran Church that offers area non-profit organizations a venue to sell items for holiday gift-giving, with the monies raised going to support their individual organizations.

St. Anthony Christmas Boutique 2014

An annual event held in October that offers craft and gift items for sale and a soup luncheon served by the Youth Group, along with a raffle for items donated by participating vendors. We sold items there to raise money to donate.

There are many other fund-raisers that Pat and Donna and the Foundation have participated (and continue to participate) in.

Additional funds have been donated to and then flowed through the Foundation back into the Ely community and others.

We always ear-mark a portion of funds raised for caregiver assistance. There is no place like home.