Paul Nelson of Grand Marais has received one of seven 2025 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honors from the McKnight Foundation in partnership with the Minnesota Coalition of Foundations. According to the foundation’s press release, Nelson, Chair of Cook County’s Oral Health Task Force (OHTF), is honored for making it possible for every person in Cook County and the Grand Portage Reservation, regardless of income, to access good dental care. As a result, Cook County now has the lowest rate of children’s cavities in the state. Nelson has been a tireless advocate for the task force since its inception, working to raise awareness and secure funding. He helped shift the focus from simply fixing cavities to a model that emphasizes prevention through education and ongoing outreach. He helped lead the transition of the OHTF from an initial program under the North Shore Health Care Foundation to its current home as a program of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic in Grand Marais.
The OHTF is an award-winning, collaborative “homegrown solution” focused on breaking down barriers to dental care. Its core program was initially focused on children, but has successfully expanded to cover children and youth up to age 26, expectant mothers, and uninsured or underinsured seniors (age 65 and over). The Task Force employs an Oral Health Educator/Hygienist who performs universal, regular checkups and screenings directly in local schools, daycares, and Head Start programs. It provides financial assistance (including a generous sliding fee payment program) to ensure low-income residents can afford dental care, covering up to 90% of treatment costs for those who qualify. Since its beginning in 2012, the OHTF has helped over 1,000 children and youth access care. The cavity rate for children in ISD 166 is reported at 4.7%, significantly below the state average. The OHTF is a multi-agency committee that includes the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, Grand Marais Family Dentistry, Cook County Public Health & Human Services, Grand Portage Health Services, and local school representatives.
The Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honor is a prestigious award given annually by the McKnight Foundation in partnership with the Minnesota Council on Foundations. It is one of the most significant honors for community service in Minnesota. The award celebrates individuals who have had a considerable positive impact on the state of Minnesota and its communities but have not been widely recognized for their work. The honor is named for Virginia McKnight Binger, the daughter of the McKnight Foundation’s founders and the foundation’s first board chair. It celebrates her enduring values of compassion, humility, and generosity. The annual award has been presented since 1985. The foundation typically selects between four and seven individuals each year, often ensuring regional representation across the Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota.
The McKnight Foundation has its roots on the North Shore. In 1907, a young man named William L. McKnight began his career at a small, struggling sandpaper company in Two Harbors, earning a modest $11.55 per week as an assistant bookkeeper. That company grew into the global powerhouse known as 3M, and after rising to the position of Chairman of 3M, William and his wife, Maude, created the McKnight Foundation in 1953 as an extension of their personal charity. Following the death of his wife and, later, William himself, their estates poured hundreds of millions into the Foundation. Faced with the sudden responsibility of giving away massive wealth, their only child, Virginia McKnight Binger, stepped up. She professionalized the Foundation, turning it into the powerful, mission-driven organization known today. It continues under the guidance of the fourth generation of the family.
The Northshore Journal joins our community in recognizing Paul Nelson and thanking him for his commitment to the Oral Health Task Force.
