NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The holiday season reminds us to spread joy, help where we can, and give back to the communities that help grow the giving culture in the UP. St. Vincent de Paul, along with partners like the Negaunee Elks, Super One, and other organizations, were putting together Christmas baskets Monday morning at the United Steel Workers Union Hall for families in need.
“We’ll put a basket full of food for Christmas including breakfast cereal, if there’s a family with about 3 or more they’ll get a turkey otherwise they’ll get a canned ham,” commented the President of St. Vincent de Paul Steven Perucco.
“A lot of people need help and we’ve also been in that position earlier in our lives where we’ve needed help and other people have stepped up to help us,” St. Vincent de Paul Volunteer and Treasurer Theresa Rinehart.
Each table with a corresponding number serves a single family, bringing Christmas dinners, presents, and even toys for tots donations. Volunteers anticipate they’ll be serving over 50 families tomorrow morning and for those families who aren’t able to make it to the Union Hall, the volunteers will also be hand-delivering the baskets as well.
“Well, they’ll let us know in advance so they know where they’re going and they’ll be delivering to the people,” continued Perucco.
As a purely volunteer-based event, those helping out say seeing the gratification firsthand opens their eyes to the hardships that are present in the community, they say the family’s reactions are a priceless gift that they hold dear.
“Oh they’re happy, some of them are in tears ’cause you know they’re getting stuff for kids that they couldn’t afford,” continued Perucco.
“It’s emotionally hard to see what some people are going through and you know we’re all in our old little world and we do our own shopping and we do our own baking and we don’t see what people are struggling with until you come to something like this and they get cereal and cookies,” continued Rinehart.
