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CALUMET - It often takes more than hired or elected officials to run a community. To recognize people who volunteered their time and talents to make Calumet a better place, members of Main Street Calumet presented three Community Service Awards Friday at the Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne's.

To explain how important volunteerism is, Jean Ellis, KHC board member, said that 15 years ago when it was decided the St. Anne's building would become the KHC, it was in sad shape with bushes growing all around it, broken windows and animals, including pigeons, living inside it.

It took a great effort by volunteers just to clean out the building, Ellis said.

"Ten tons of debris were removed from the building," she said.

Ellis said Main Street Calumet and the KHC are dedicated to the improvement of Calumet, and it's the volunteers for both organizations which make that happen.

"Both Calumet and the Heritage Center have gone a long way," she said.

After Ellis' introduction, Tom Tikkanen, Main Street Calumet executive director, said he was very pleased there was such a large crowd in attendance for the awards ceremony.

"It shows it's a growing tradition," he said.

Tikkanen said Main Street Calumet is reviewed by both the Michigan Main Street and national Main Street organizations, which is an important responsibility.

"If we don't measure up to their standards, we don't stay affiliated," he said.

Only the Calumet and Marshall Main Street organizations have national accreditation in MIchigan, Tikkanen said.

The first award given out Friday was the Russell R. Erkkila Community Service Award, which Tikkanen said was named after a Calumet business man, and former village president, who also served other boards and organizations.

Tikkanen said Erkkila was active in the community after the copper mines closed, which was a very difficult time for the Calumet area, but he remained optimistic.

"Often, when you talked to him you would not know times were bad," Tikkanen said.

Presenting the Erkkila Award to attorney Jerry Vairo was Joe Goletto, who said Vairo has lived in the area his whole life. He was active in high school athletics as a student at Calumet High School, and he's still involved, having created the All Sports Booster Club.

"When Calumet High School was having trouble funding their athletics, he created the All Sports Booster Club," Goletto said.

Goletto said Vairo has also been active in community organizations and boards, and has done other community-oriented efforts.

"He and two other Notre Dame graduates recently finished the restoration of the George Gipp Memorial," Goletto said.

Vairo said he appreciated the fact the awards ceremony was in St. Anne's because the building is a good example of what volunteerism is about.

Although he was grateful for the Erkkila Award, Vairo said it takes a group effort to make a community work.

"It's all the people," he said.

The next award presented to Phyllis Locatelli was the Rita Finch Community Service Award, which Tikkanen said was named in honor of the woman who was the first, and so far only female village president. She was a founder of the Calumet Downtown Development Authority.

Finch was from Traverse City, but Tikkanen said she cared very much about Calumet.

"Rita was a Calumet resident by choice," he said.

Locatelli is the secretary of the Board of Education of the Public Schools of Calumet, Laurium & Keweenaw, and C-L-K Superintendent Darryl Pierce, who introduced her, said Locatelli has been involved with community efforts for awhile.

"Even as a teenager, community service was a big part of her life," Pierce said.

Pierce said Locatelli began teaching in Lake Linden in 1966, and has taught at C-L-K for 25 years. She's also involved with the KHC.

"It was a wonderful day for the Keweenaw Heritage Center when Phyllis volunteered to serve on the board," he said.

Locatelli said she was honored to get the Finch Award, but it was unexpected.

"When I learned I was going to get this award, I was very embarrassed," she said.

The final award presentation for the night went to Nancy McCabe, who received the John Perona Copper Country Traditions Award, which Tikkanen said was named in honor of local musician Giovanni Batista Perona.

Although Perona was Italian, Tikkanen said he wasn't limited to just Italian music.

"He played music of many ethnic groups," he said.

Ellis introduced McCabe, and said she was an art teacher for both the Hancock and Calumet schools at the same time.

"Traveling between the two of them must have been a challenge," Ellis said.

McCabe is a working artist, and was the chairwoman of the Eagle Harbor Art Show.

Ellis said on her 80th birthday, McCabe went on a kayak trip with her daughters.

"Everybody who knows her knows what a character she is," Ellis said.

McCabe said she appreciated the award, but it takes many people to make a community work.

"If you're lucky enough to live in a small town and good friends, you're truly blessed," she said.

Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com.