Last year, more than 200 guests attended the inaugural It's All in the Bag! fundraiser which, with a bounty of beautiful and unique handbags, was geared towards women of all ages and raised more than $8,000 for scholarships. This year to grow the purse even larger, the event will host quest speaker Jim Klobuchar, a longtime figure in Minnesota journalism and an adventurer, in an effort to attract more men. To suit the men in attendance, golf bags, backpacks, computer bags, etc. will be auctioned along with the women’s handbags to raise scholarship funds for Coon Rapids Campus students.

Women will still have plenty of handbags to bid on, however, as well as the opportunity to chat with the emcee, Cheryl Karpen, a local motivational speaker, entrepreneur and author of the popular “Eat Your Peas” gift book collection.

The action will begin with hors d'oeuvres and the silent auction of bags. At 7:30 p.m., Karpen is scheduled to open the program and introduce Jim Klobuchar, who is sure to delight all those in attendance with his light-hearted insights. Finally, around 8:15 p.m., Col. Tony Elfelt will conduct the live auction of bags.

Along with the Coon Rapids Campus Foundation, NAU Country Insurance is sponsoring the event.

Call the Foundation Office at 763-433-1220 for tickets: $25 through May 22 and $30 after May 22.

Admission guarantees an evening of entertainment provided by Jim Klobuchar and Cheryl Karpen, and the chance to bid on spectacular bags.

More about Klobuchar
Klobuchar, a native of Minnesota, retired several years ago after 44 years in daily newspapers, radio and television. He was a daily columnist for the Star Tribune for 30 years and was named the country’s outstanding columnist for newspapers with more than 100,000 circulation by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists in 1984. His writing has appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, which nominated him for a Pulitzer Prize in 2003, and he was a finalist in NASA’s journalist-in-space program before the project was postponed due to a shuttle accident. Additionally, Klobuchar is known for conducting women’s football clinics and leading Minnesota bicycle tours.

Klobuchar recently published his twenty-first book, “Walking Briskly toward the Sunset,” a collection of essays, commentary, adventure, accounts from the Olympics and reflections on the hazards and blessings of aging. His other recent books include “60 Minutes with God” and “The Miracles of Barefoot Capitalism,” a book he co-authored with his wife, Susan Wilkes.

His daughters both work for the federal government. Amy Klobuchar was elected to the U.S. Senate from Minnesota in 2006, and Meagan McGlade of Des Moines, Iowa, is an auditor-accountant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

More about Cheryl Karpen
After five years in the New York fashion industry followed by ten years in Mexico as director of public relations for a resort developer, Karpen traveled to twelve countries before returning to Minnesota in 1992 to open a retail store called, Something Different. In 1995, she opened a tandem store called Pure Bliss, which was recognized as "The Most Romantic Store in the Twin Cities" by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

In 1997, Karpen wrote her first book, “To Let You Know I Care,” and created her own publishing company, Gently Spoken. In 2001, she launched the “Eat Your Peas” gift book collection, which now includes 21 titles. Today, her goal to touch a million hearts is becoming reality in specialty gift and major department stores across the country.