Optimist Club of St. Clair Shores honors tradition, gives back

Thanksgiving is a time for giving and to celebrate the people around us. For the Optimist Club of St. Clair Shores, it means carrying on a long-standing tradition of giving to families in need by making baskets of food.

Debbie DePape, president of the Optimist Club of St. Clair Shores, said their Thanksgiving basket-making tradition has been around for over 25 years. They provide food for a full week for families in need that can include eggs, cereal, potatoes, a turkey and more.

“It’s not just the Thanksgiving dinner. It's enough food and treats along with cookies and a bag of candy, pop for the kids throughout the week,” DePape said.

In the beginning, when the club was still new, they serviced four families. That number has increased to 12, servicing four families from each school district in St. Clair Shores. DePape said the basket-making has always been hosted the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

“This year, we actually got a donation of 12 of the turkeys from Paul Doppke,” DePape said.

Doppke is the owner of Landscape Services Inc. and DePape said he’s always been very generous in the community.

Joe Wielgot, a board member for the Optimist Club of St. Clair Shores, works for Value Fresh Marketplace and he receives help from the man he works for.

“We buy at his cost and then he helps us out a little. He is a very generous man,” Wielgot said of his boss.

The whole basket-making process from the food pick up to the last person leaving with a basket to deliver took an hour and a half, Wielgot said.

“It goes quick. Everybody does it. We have fun and you feel really good when you get done,” Wielgot said. “And it’s even more fun delivering the baskets because you get to see the people’s expression when you come up.”

He went on to say the families know they are receiving a food basket, but they don’t know what they’re getting.

Different families are helped every year. The club receives names of families from the school districts.

“Usually, four (or) five days ahead of time they give me their (the families’) phone numbers. I'll call them and let them know that there’s somebody going to deliver a food basket on Sunday,” Wielgot said. “And that way there’s somebody home to accept it.”

He went on to say the number of families serviced all depends on how much money they have to help. The club hosts fundraisers such as golf outings and poker throughout the year.

Wielgot said they do what they can to help the community.

“(We) can’t do everything, but if everybody does a little bit, then, you know, you can help the people in our community that are less fortunate than we are,” Wielgot said. “Because there are people in St. Clair Shores that are less fortunate.”

DePape said Wielgot has a list he’s created over the years for the food items. At 2 p.m. this year, they started assembling the boxes. Exactly at 3 p.m., they start filling the baskets with food and they finish packaging food 10 minutes later. DePape said they had around 26 volunteers this year.

The club held the event at the Senior Activity Center and DePape would like to thank them for giving the club the space to assemble the baskets. 

“It’s not only our club. Members of the community step up and help us also,” DePape said.

DePape said they have members who originally started the club called charter members who still help out with the baskets. 

 

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DePape said at their first “no-sew” blanket-making party on Nov. 21, they had over 40 community members attend, and they made 79 blankets. She said it’s the most volunteers they’ve had show up. 

“We’ve had people in the community that don’t show up to those evenings except for knocking on the door and dropping off bags of blankets,” DePape said. 

The two junior Optimist Club groups at Lakeview High School and Jefferson Middle School also make blankets at school.

All blankets are donated to the Macomb Foster Closet. DePape said with the next party on Dec. 3, she anticipated around 125 blankets would be made. 

The St. Clair Shores Optimist Club is still accepting members. To volunteer, contact DePape by email at deb216@aol.com or by phone at (586) 291-1271.

Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.