Club Awards $2,500 for Homeless Children
Shelly Penzien of the Macomb Charitable Foundation was presented with a check for $2,500 to assist with helping homeless children in Macomb County. These funds were in part from the annual St. Patrick’s Day party.
Shelly commended the Central Macomb Optimist Club for their continued support of her organization that assists many of the 877 homeless school-age children in our county.
President Kelley and Elaine thanked Shelly for the updates we receive from MCF on how these funds make a difference in life of so many local children.
Shelly, Kelley and Elaine: $2,500
Kids of the County:
For the third straight year Cindie Szarek has chaired this event as the CMOC partnered with the Meijer store on 26 mile and Van Dyke and the Macomb County Sheriff’s department to take 100 children shopping for essentials items such as school clothes, books, food, etc.
Macomb Township Tree Lighting:
This is the fourth year that the CMOC participated as a sponsor at the Macomb Township Tree Lighting. On December 3rd, after the official tree lighting ceremony, several hundred children visited Santa to give him their list. They also munched on cookies that were donated by Andiamos and stopped by our coloring table.
Mitten Tree:
Again this year, Richard Paul put up the Mitten Tree at Ebeling School in Shelby Township. The tree was decorated by the students throughout the month of December with mittens, hats and scarves. These items were then given to the Macomb Charitable Foundation to be distributed to needy families.
Pantry Shower:
In February, the CMOC held its second pantry shower to benefit the Macomb Charitable Foundation.
Members brought armloads of food, paper and cleaning products to the meeting that were picked up by the MCF and distributed to the families that they help.
The CMOC also donated $250 towards the pantry’s needs.
Boy & Girls Club:
The club took a tour of the Shelby Township Boys & Girls Club. Members got to see the air hockey table that our club donated to the center. We also donated $100 that night to their art department. In August, members helped sponsor a picnic and fun day for 300 kids at the center. Kids were treated to a Mexican buffet and played games on a beautiful afternoon.
Magic Hug Squares:
The Beanie Babies have arrived!!! The CMOC started this project and the results have been phenomenal! We have collected donations of Beanie Babies and have found helpers to knit or crochet swaddles for them. The Beanie Babies are then donated to children with cancer or other sick children.
