The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Milan Area in Action brings cheer to needy
Volunteers help repair homes of elderly as part of one-day blitz
By Jeremy Allen, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: May 3, 2007
Christmas came early this year for the seven property owners throughout the Milan and Saline area as Christmas in Action, a volunteer based nonprofit organization, made some much needed upgrades and renovations to the homes of people who are elderly, sick and financially or physically unable to do so themselves.
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On Saturday, more than 100 volunteers took part in this 16th annual Christmas in Action program, which has made repairs for 66 homes and properties in the area since it began in 1991.
David Potter, president and founder of the Saline and Milan chapter of Christmas in Action, said it has been a very successful program and has improved the quality of living for many people in the area.
"Back in 1991, Paul Tull, the past owner of The Reporter, and I were invited to a luncheon to hear about a program that would help out the elderly, handicapped and people with low income," Potter said. "After we left there, I said, 'Paul, that's something we can do for the people in Saline and Milan, don't you think?' He said yes and that's when it started."
Each year, the day begins with a large breakfast for the volunteers and, for the past 10 years, the Saline American Legion has sponsored that breakfast.
"We started at about 5:30 in the morning with doughnuts. Then we cooked eggs, potatoes, sausage links, corned-beef hash, biscuits and gravy, a fruit salad and then coffee, juice and milk," said Charlie Frey, one of the many volunteers from the Legion who cooked breakfast Saturday for the Christmas in Action volunteers.
"It's a big group effort and I couldn't do (the breakfast) without all the other people who help out, because it's definitely not just me," he said. "We have some members (of the Legion) who they've helped out, and it just seemed like a great service they are doing for the community. That's why we support them and do the breakfasts."
In appreciation of Frey and the rest of the members of the Legion, the Christmas in Action team gave back to them this year as the volunteers planted flowers, completed other landscape upgrades and rebuilt a wheelchair ramp that was no longer up to code.
"(The Legion) has been so gracious to us with the breakfasts and everything else they do, that we felt it was time to give something back to them," said Lester Rowe, project leader and Christmas in Action board member.
Murrey and Mary Ellen Sanders of Saline were also helped by the program. Murrey, 89, is a World War II veteran and a blood cancer patient, while Mary Ellen, 87, spends most of her days caring for her sickly husband. The only source of income for the Sanders is Murrey's small pension from his old paper mill job, their Social Security benefits and the money they earn from selling their homegrown pumpkins in the fall.
The Christmas in Action volunteers aren't strangers to the Sanders family as they've helped them before by replacing a floor, a furnace, and the window and pane in the living room. This year, the volunteers replaced the stove, kitchen and bathroom floors, and because of the Sanders' inability to easily get in and out of the bathtub, they put a shower in place of the tub.
"The kitchen floor was starting to rise again and my wife would trip and fall sometimes," Murrey said. "The Christmas in Action people really helped us out because we needed to get some of these repairs done, but we only get Social Security money and $146 a month from my pension. We just couldn't do it if it weren't for people like David Potter and the Christmas in Action people."
Jack Winchester is another project leader for the Saline and Milan chapter and was overseeing the upgrades done at the Sanders home.
"We review the cases of the people who need some assistance and upgrades, and we inspect the homes to see if the upgrades are feasible with the staff we have. In this case, these guys are sick, elderly and don't really have the money to do repairs that have to be done," he said. "It's a pleasure to volunteer our services to people like this."
Volunteers also worked on two other homes in Saline and three others in Milan, completing bathroom renovations, yard cleanup, flower planting and other projects.
Potter said that some of the upgrades range from $1,800 to $9,000 in material costs.
"We raise most of our funds through donations, whether its money or materials," Potter said. "We also have our annual golf outing, which will be Aug. 11, at Rustic Glen Golf Course this year. We have an entry fee for that and we have auctions. We use that money for all the upgrades."
Potter, Rowe and Winchester wanted to give special thanks for the many volunteers and donors who not only helped out with time, but also money, food, and landscaping and building materials.
"It's just amazing to see some of the conditions that these families are under, and it's great that all these people get together to go in and help them," Rowe said.
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