Great healthcare is about more than what happens inside our walls. It is about showing up for the people and places that make the eastern Upper Peninsula home. This year, Helen Newberry Joy Hospital did exactly that, all across Luce County and beyond, and none of it would have been possible without you.
Last year we looked back on a summer of community. This year we have so much more to celebrate, so we are recapping the whole year, from a cozy winter matinee to a fall full of giving. Here is a look at 2026, month by month, and the neighbors who made each moment possible.
January: A Family Matinee at the Tahqua Theater
We kicked off the year by warming up a cold January. On January 24, families gathered for a free matinee at the Tahqua Theater, the first in a winter series created to give local families a fun, cozy, no-cost way to spend a snowy day together. It was a simple idea with a big heart: community, close to home, when the UP winter settles in.
All Year Long: Community Blood Drives
Few things say “neighbors helping neighbors” like rolling up a sleeve. In 2026, HNJH hosted community blood drives on January 26, March 23, May 18, and July 13, welcoming walk-in donors right here at the hospital. Our July drive partnered with the UP Regional Blood Center, whose donations stay in the Upper Peninsula and supply all 13 UP hospitals, so every pint given in Newberry helped patients across the region.
May: The Women’s Resource Fair
On May 16, the Erickson Center for the Arts in Curtis filled up for a day built entirely around the women of our community. The free event brought together local vendors, health and wellness education, and free balance checks from our care team, plus plenty of time to connect. No registration, no cost, just a welcoming space focused on women’s health at every stage of life.
Summer: Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures
For the 9th year running, our Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures campaign, presented with Upper Peninsula Health Plan, encouraged families to make children’s health a year-round priority. Families who completed a ticket after a well-child or immunization visit were entered into a prize drawing, and we loved celebrating our winner, Rylan.
As part of the campaign, we also shared a free Parent and Guardian Resource Guide, filled with trusted, practical information on immunizations, mental health, lead screening, tobacco and vaping prevention, healthy media use, and more. It is an easy way for parents and caregivers to find the small steps that help their children thrive. You can explore the 2026 Community Toolkit and schedule your child’s well-child visit anytime. A healthy future really does start with healthy kids.
July: The HNJH Foundation Golf Outing
On July 17, golfers took to the greens at the Newberry Country Club for our 16th annual Foundation Golf Outing. It is one of our favorite days of the year, and it does real good: every team and sponsor helps fund the Health Careers Scholarship Program, investing in the next generation of local healthcare workers right here at home.
August: The Run for Joy 5K and Walk
On Saturday, August 22, runners and walkers of every pace laced up for the Run for Joy 5K and Walk, a scenic morning from 9 a.m. to noon that ended with a light lunch, live music, and an awards ceremony. Every registration supported athletics programs at Tahquamenon Area Schools and Engadine Consolidated Schools, an investment in our kids and their futures.
The race finished at the Logging Museum, where participants had the option to enjoy one of the museum’s famous lumberjack breakfasts!
October: The Dig Pink Volleyball Game
On October 8, our community turned out in pink for the annual Dig Pink game, standing together for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and for the friends, mothers, sisters, and neighbors who have faced breast cancer. It is a powerful reminder that early detection saves lives, and that mammograms and screening are always close to home.
October: The Luce County Resource Fair
Together with Upper Peninsula Health Plan and the LMAS District Health Department, HNJH was proud to sponsor the Luce County Resource Fair at the American Legion in Newberry. On October 22, the evening offered free food, health services, community resources, and prizes, all in one place and all for our neighbors. Find the event on Facebook.
November: Annual Purse Bingo
On November 5, the American Legion filled up for one of our most-loved nights of the year, our Annual Purse Bingo. For a $35 admission, guests enjoyed a night of fun that supported a cause close to home: the residents of our Golden Leaves Living Center. See the event on Facebook.
Giving Back, All Season Long
Beyond the big events, HNJH looked for everyday ways to care for Luce County throughout the year. From Walk for Warmth and our Neighbors Helping Neighbors food drive to a Pay It Forward Friday, a craft silent auction, and a free Narcan box installed with the LMAS District Health Department and Luce County Communities That Care, the goal was always the same: make sure no neighbor goes without.
Looking Ahead
None of this happens without you, the volunteers, the sponsors, the families, and the familiar faces who show up year after year. This is what it looks like when a community takes care of its own, and we are already looking forward to doing it all again next year.
Thank you, Newberry. Your Health. Our Passion.
