08.02.17

Shoulak BreastFest Music Festival

Raising money for breast cancer awareness, research, education, support, treatment, and, hopefully, a cure, is a vitally important mission. Add live local music, delicious food, family fun, live and silent auctions, llamas, and a beautiful setting – all on a Minnesota fall day – and what do you get? The Shoulak Breastfest Music Festival!

It all started in 2011 when Judy Shoulak was diagnosed with breast cancer. As a previously healthy woman who exercised, ate well, and took excellent care of herself, Judy was taken aback by her diagnosis. She feels fortunate her cancer was caught early, her treatment was successful, and she had great support from family and friends. Judy knew, however, this isn’t the case for all women, and she wanted to use her experience as the impetus for action.

Judy is a member of a very musically talented family. Having hosted a couple of music festivals on their property in rural Corcoran in the past, she and her husband, Jim, her biggest supporter, decided to host one less than a year after Judy’s diagnosis. Their 3 children, Jake, Sarah, and Joe, were all in. This time, the focus of the festival was to support breast cancer research and education. The music fest was a hit with family and friends and raised $15,000!

It’s been, in Judy’s words, “a labor of love” every year since, with Judy, Jim and their children actively involved in all aspects of the event. The Shoulaks have a very large extended family, and nearly everyone joins in the effort, along with over 100 volunteers on the day of the festival. With 8 hours of terrific live, local bands playing music (including members of the family!), the hundreds of guests who go each year keep coming back and bringing more people to join in the fun and support excellent causes.

Judy and Jim have added more charitable partners each year, all of whom have special meaning to the Shoulaks. Judy learned about Firefly Sisterhood, for example, after meeting executive director, Kris Newcomer. “For me, the Firefly support was just missing. I would have loved to have had someone to ask questions and talk to after I was diagnosed. It fills such a need, I love it!” Firefly is incredibly grateful to be receiving funds from the music festival for the second year in a row. With increasing amounts of money raised each year and 100% of profits going to the festival’s charitable partners, the Shoulaks are hoping to raise more and more each year!

For more information about this year’s festival coming up on September 16th, visit www.shoubf.com. Perhaps a selfie with a llama while getting your groove on is in your future??

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