One of Michigan’s oldest domestic violence shelters is teeing up community support Saturday as it faces an uncertain funding year.
The Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home, known as BKG, hosts its 13th annual golf scramble at Calumet Golf Club beginning at 10 a.m. For an organization that has served the Copper Country for 46 years, Executive Director Mary Niemela says events like this one are among the few chances staff and volunteers get to connect face-to-face with the people who support their mission.
“This year is one of those years,” Niemela said, describing the shelter’s financial picture. “We have three grants that we know are going to be the same amount, that is a result of cuts from years past. But our VOCA grant, the Victims of Crime Act grant, has not been determined yet.”
Niemela said state funding became a cornerstone of the shelter’s operations in 1980. “The state stepped in and said, could they help us out? And of course, that’s when they started to fund us. And that has grown over the years, and it’s also shrunk. Not the services we provide or our bed sizes or anything, but sometimes the funds do.”
Money raised through the golf scramble supports direct services for domestic violence victims and their children, including food, shelter and essentials while residents stay at the facility, as well as programming to help them transition into stable living situations.
Beyond funding, Niemela says the shelter depends on volunteers to deliver essential services.
“We’re just there to listen, basically,” she said. “All our staff are trained how to say, ‘mm-hmm,’ and our volunteers as well, because that’s basically what the victim needs to hear, is that somebody’s listening to them.”
Niemela is also calling on community members to consider volunteering or joining the shelter’s board of directors. She notes that volunteer hours carry real financial weight for the organization.
“It’s just a four-hour or maybe a six-hour shift,” she said. “Every hour that you volunteer at the shelter is worth around $36 plus change per hour — and that also is part of our match. So that’s a big donation if you’re there for a six-hour shift or a four-hour shift.”
The 13th annual BKG golf scramble begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Calumet Golf Club. For more information below. The scramble will bring together teams of four for a day on the course. The 50 dollar registration fee includes a meal during the event. Attendees can also participate in chance drawings, 50/50 drawing. The BKG Golf Scramble will also play mulligans and skins to help out those in need of a handicap. Those unable to attend and still want to support the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter can consider sponsoring the event before Saturday’s tee time. Contact Mary Niemela for more information at 906 – 337 – 5632. Call the Calumet Golf Club to register your golf scramble team at 906-337-3911.
Learn more about the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter here.
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