ISHPEMING, Mich. (WLUC) – A nonprofit helped Marquette County senior citizens celebrate with a festive meal before Christmas.
What might be a typical ham dinner to some is really an opportunity for senior citizens in Ishpeming to come together and socialize.
The Salvation Army of Marquette County hosted an early Christmas dinner at the Ishpeming Multipurpose Senior Center Thursday.
Executive Director Bill Brutto, his staff and volunteers served over 150 seniors.
“Going to be giving them gifts,” Brutto said. “We will play some games and just celebrate the Christmas spirit season. We are excited about this opportunity and just able to share some Christmas joy and cheer this year.”
The meal had ham, yams, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, biscuits and a wide variety of desserts.
The center’s program coordinator, Maria Stanaway says the news of the event excited a large portion of the senior community.
“Once everybody found out that the Salvation Army was going to collaborate with us, they were extremely excited to participate,” Stanaway said. “It just felt like it was sparking the Christmas cheer a little bit more. Everybody was really happy.”
People in the Ishpeming community say they came for their own reasons. They say this meal and the time to connect was just something they couldn’t pass up.
“It’s not the food exactly,” Ishpeming Resident Carol Palmer said. “It’s being around the people and talking and enjoying their company.”
“There’s a lot of different getting together,” Ishpeming resident Wayne Charbonneau said. “You get to see a lot of people you haven’t seen for a while. It’s nice of the Salvation Army to do something like this for us.”
Brutto thanks all the volunteers. He says next week, he and his staff will give out food baskets to over 700 kids and their families as part of their Christmas distribution.
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