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It’s the season of the Spirit, and the message if we hear it, is to make it last all year. Christmas day is this weekend, and for Little Brother Friends of the Elderly, volunteering in the community makes this time of year a very special occasion. This weekend the Upper Peninsula Chapter plans to have their on site meal locations set up throughout the region. And brave whatever weather may come to deliver meals to seniors.
“We started Little Brothers up here in 1982, and I became staff, and I did the same thing. And I retired in 2015. But I’ve been a volunteer ever since. And the holiday are a big part of my life. I was just trying to convince my kids, to come up, and to help. And they’re coming up, one child was coming up to on Friday to help with the parties on Sunday, because they know what it’s meant in their lives.” – Mike Aten, Volunteer
Christmas dinner volunteers are especially needed at their locations in Calumet, Ontonagon and Baraga. Those sites need delivery drivers to help get Christmas dinner out to some remote locations too. Little brothers is also asking for volunteers with musical talent, to keep their friends entertained and fill the hall with Christmas music.
“We have eight sites locally and one in Marquette. For local needs, we need delivery drivers in Ontonagon, Baraga, and Calumet still. And we also need help for clean up at most of our sites. Were people can come in and relieve the cooks and let them go home to their families. So we usually ask them to come in around 1:30 to help with the clean up.” – Pam Lowney, Program Manager
You can sign up to volunteer this weekend at any number of meal site locations with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. Meal sites will begin serving seniors at 1pm, and in Marquette at 2 pm. Please contact Pam with Little Brothers at 906 482 6944. Little Brothers has also asked the community for home made Christmas cookies for their senior’s meals. They plan to serve five cookies alongside dinner at each meal site, and with each delivery. Cookies should be dropped off to the non-profit’s Hancock Office by Friday. Find links below to registration, and the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly website.
