HANCOCK - Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly's Easter meals provide a social activity not only for the elderly people that participate, but also for the volunteers.
"We're kind of looking at two things, if there is an elderly person at home and they're over 60 and they're going to be at home for the holidays, they might as well come and join us and be with people for the holiday," said Executive Director Mike Aten. "The other nice thing about volunteers in the community, if they're going to be alone, if they're a Tech student or moved up here and don't have family, if they want to do something and be with people on Easter day, it's a nice way to get involved."
Volunteers are needed to make desserts and donate Easter baskets. Pies and cakes are needed, Aten said.
"We like to have all the baked goods actually by Thursday if we can so we know what we have or at least people can call us," he said. "If they call us by Thursday, that would be great."
Easter baskets should also be turned in by Thursday.
"We still need lots of candy and other homemade Easter baskets," he said. "I think we need about 200 of those yet, we do about 700 baskets so it's been great. We have quite a bit in now and that's what's so cool because many people help two weeks before Easter by doing this stuff."
Volunteers on Easter day are needed to deliver meals to elderly members at home from the Houghton Elementary School or the Apostolic Lutheran Church at the corner of Third and Tamarack Streets in Laurium. Aten said volunteers should come at 11:30 a.m. to pick out where they will deliver, with the hot meal distribution starting at noon.
The Easter dinner sites, located at eight community halls and churches throughout Houghton, Baraga and Ontonagon counties, also need people of all ages to help anytime between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., with the meals served at 2 p.m.
"These dinners, we really gear them up to be a family dinner, a family celebration, so people will really feel at home," he said. "There's all kind of options, but one thing we really need that we don't get a lot of volunteers for is cleanup at the end of the parties."
The Calumet hot meal site at Scared Heart Church and the Copper City site at the Copper Community Hall are in particular need of volunteers, Aten said.
For more information, or to volunteer, call Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly at 482-6944.
Layla Aslani can be reached at laslani @mininggazette.com.
