Jeff Foster and his staff are concerned about the health of their employees and past employees. They are bringing awareness to Superior and across the United States with their trucks.
Circle of Hope was the first truck they came out with in August of 2013 to raise awareness of breast cancer, in honor of specific people, and to help Circle of Hope, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves breast cancer patients in northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota. This organization has helped by paying bills for those currently going through breast cancer treatment to the tune of over $106,000.00 . They have other missions as well. Circle of Hope is listed on many national websites as well. http://www.circleofhopeduluth.org
This pink truck transports typically between Superior, Wisconsin and the Chicago area. It hauls liquid bulk including asphalt cement, petroleum products, and general chemicals. It has traveled other places as well. George is typically the driver. He is asked about breast cancer all the time: Yes, he is told stories of other people’s experiences or family experiences with the disease. George calls the truck, “Pinkie.” He enjoys promoting the cause.
Everyone is touched by this disease, the second leading cause of cancer in women in the United States. 1 out of 8 women get breast cancer in the United States and increasing age puts women at risk.
Men can get breast cancer too. This is especially true if the BRCA1/2 runs in a family. This same gene also increases their risk for prostate cancer. (Peggy Anderson, the coordinator talked about this at an US Too Support group in Cloquet this winter. She tries to bring awareness to prostate cancer by writing about it, as her husband, Jim is a survivor.) Circle of Hope coordinator: peggy@circleofhopeduluth.org
Jeff Foster Trucking has a Pancreatic Cancer truck, and they are coming out with a third truck in the next couple weeks. It is top secret, and I can’t wait to see what kind of truck it is.
The Circle of Hope truck was in the Christmas City of the North Parade. UMD Pharmacy students decorated the float for Circle of Hope. It will be in two other parades this summer. It is also seen at local events that Circle of Hope has fundraisers at and at patient benefits.
The most memorable experiences were when it was at Julie Peterson’s benefit at Mr. D’s, the Get ER Done event in Gordon, Wisconsin, the dragon boat races, and the Christmas City of North Parade.
Circle of Hope Board members gave George (Jeff Foster Driver) and Tom Porter (Sunrise Funeral Home and Cemetery owner) Santa Caps to put on as they rode in the parade. Neither had been in the parade nor been to it. They were awed at the event and the hordes of people, as they turned the corner.
Board members were disappointed that the video clips were not on KBJR/Northland News website this year. This event impacted George and Tom’s life forever. Two wishes granted. See there is a Santa Claus. We will soon see if there is an Easter Bunny with all this snow.
Wow, Peggy, that’s great!!!