Bean Bag Toss Tournament Benefits Families of Children with Life-Threatening Illnesses

Adolfson & Peterson Construction Held Its Third Annual Tournament to Fundraise for the Northern Lights Foundation

DULUTH, Minn. — This afternoon saw the Third Annual Charity Bean Bag Tournament at Clyde Iron Works, all to benefit families in need.

Sixty four teams entered the bracket-style tournament today. The mission? To fundraise for the Northern Lights Foundation, an organization which provides grants to the families of children with life-threatening illnesses. Some previous grant recipients were even there today, participating and supporting the cause.

“In 2021, our daughter was born and she had some pretty significant medical issues,” said previous grant recipient Zach Schneider. “She was two and a half months premature. When she was about a year old we learned that she had three paralyzed nerves in her brain, which are going to continue with her for the rest of her life. We don’t know what those challenges might be, but we know it’s going to be a lifetime thing for her. So we were recipients of a Northern Lights Foundation grant in 2021 and now I’m on the board of directors. It’s kind of come full circle for me, which is a great thing because we know this is going to happen to more families.”

The tournament is put on by Adolfson & Peterson Construction. Director of Operations Patrick Sims says they wanted to do something a little different to fundraise and “everybody likes to throw bags.”

“I think at the end of the day, everyone is coming here to have fun, for sure,” Sims said. “But its also heartwarming to see everybody pull together for a cause that does such great things in the community, like Northern Lights Foundation. It’s really, really fun to see.”

In the event’s three years, AP Construction says it has only grown. Last year, they raised $11,000 for the Foundation. This year, they hope to contribute even more.