Hancock Salvation Army coordinates local donations to help Calumet fire victims

By Michele Bourdieu

Hancock Salvation Army Director Pete Mackin, right, is assisted with sorting clothing donations on May 24 at the Salvation Army office in Hancock. Volunteers pictured here with Mackin are Joe Burglio of Hancock, left, and Cart Spicer, Salvation Army Service Extension Field representative from Crystal Falls. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- The Salvation Army in Hancock has received a great number of donations of clothing, water, food, finances and more for those displaced by the May 21 fire in Calumet. According to a Hancock Salvation Army Facebook post last week, the group is working closely with Calumet Village, the Red Cross and many other state and community leaders to coordinate this effort of assistance, relying mostly on volunteers.

"We’re all set on clothing. Toys, toiletries and financial contributions are still being collected," Pete Mackin, Hancock Salvation Army director, said recently.

According to their Web site now, the greatest need is monetary donations.*

A May 28 post on their Facebook page stated, "We had a great meeting with the Calumet residents displaced by the fire. We’re now steering all of your donations toward helping them rebuild and bless their lives. It is so humbling to be entrusted with stewarding your faithful gifts to help those suffering. This truly is God’s Country."

Last Monday, May 24, during Keweenaw Now's visit to the Hancock Salvation Army, Laurel Maki, president of 31 Backpacks, and her daughter, Melissa Maki, 31 Backpacks vice-president, delivered donations that had accumulated at the Americinn of Calumet. The motel had sheltered some of families left homeless by the fire and stored many of the donations, especially food, and had asked the public to take clothing donations to the Hancock Salvation Army.

Melissa Maki, center, vice-president of 31 Backpacks, delivers donations left at the Americinn in Calumet to Hancock Salvation Army Director Pete Mackin on May 24. Pictured in the doorway is Mimi Boley of Chicago, who recently moved to the Copper Country and works as a volunteer receptionist and secretary in the Hancock Salvation Army office. An unidentified donor, far left, drops off a large number of items.

31 Backpacks is a non-profit organization that provides food for at-risk children on weekends and school breaks. According to Laurel Maki, 31 Backpacks president, the group works with all the K-12 public schools in the Copper Country Intermediate School District. They deliver over 1700 meals a week.**  

Laurel Maki, right, and her daughter, Melissa Maki, of 31 Backpacks are pictured here with some of the donations they delivered to the Hancock Salvation Army on May 24 for the families displaced by the May 21 Calumet fire.

Another community organization that is assisting the Calumet families impacted by the fire is Love INC of the Copper Country. According to David A. Whitaker, Love INC executive director, this group has been collecting food, personal care items, household items, furniture, beds, couches, lamps and more for the 43 victims of the fire.

In a May 28 post on the Hancock Salvation Army Facebook page, Whitaker writes, "Love Inc is now collecting these items, but they must be approved and screened and must be by appointment. You are not permitted to just drop items off without permission. If you don’t have these items to donate, you can send a financial gift to 2801 W Sharon Ave, Houghton MI 49931. Write gift to Love Inc of the Copper Country and designate it Fire Victims."***

In his post, Whitaker also praised Mackin for his work, saying, "Team work makes the DREAM work!! Some awesome things are happening in the Copper Country! Peter Mackin is doing an amazing job coordinating efforts across the county."

Notes:

* To donate money for the fire victims through the Hancock Salvation Army, visit their Web site. You can also donate on their Facebook page. See also a TV-6 video report from the Americinn in Calumet recorded on May 22.

** Learn more about 31 Backpacks on their Facebook page or email 31backpacks@gmail.com.

*** Learn about Love INC of the Copper Country on their Web site.