Michigan Mangalitsa heritage pork, Mediterranean squid with red wine risotto and wild mushrooms, foie gras with lingonberry gastrique and warm pumpkin crepe with cinnamon ice cream and spun sugar were among the eight featured courses at this year's OSF St. Francis "Heart of Gold" dinner. The annual event benefits the OSF St. Francis Foundation and raised more than $33,000, which will be used to purchase new equipment and provide needed services to benefit OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group patients.

Chefs from across the Upper Peninsula - all members of the Upper Peninsula Chapter of the American Culinary Federation - prepared the eight-course dinner, with a variety of fine wines, chosen to compliment several of the courses, served throughout the evening. OSF employees, friends and family members, along with wait staff from Pacino's Restaurant and members of the Delta County Chamber Ambassadors, volunteered their time as servers.

"The dinner is a one-of-the-kind event featuring unique, mouth-watering cuisine and fine wine," Lanna Scannell, community relations and development manager at OSF St. Francis. "It's an evening to socialize, relax and enjoy a dining experience like no other."

The evening began with a social hour that featured an octet of musicians led by Ann Wood. Sponsors were Garceau, Wenick-Kutz, Magowan Insurance Agency; Drs. Stephen Manier and Leon Kinasiewicz, board-certified radiology and nuclear medicine specialists diagnosing radiology services; Stewart Manufacturing; Dr. Michael Connor, board-certified adult and pediatric anesthesiologist; BellinHealth; Cal-Ray Inc; OSF Home Care Services; Emergency Consultants Inc.; and JessEvent.

The OSF St. Francis Foundation was formed in 1992 for the purpose of raising money for OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group. Since its inception, nearly $11 million has been raised to provided needed new services and technology, including: