‘Tis the season to care and give back, and DTE volunteers have been making the most of it around the state. From kicking things off with Trunk-or-Treats in October and pitching in at food pantries in November, to helping spread holiday cheer throughout December, the team has been finding ways to make things brighter for those in need.
It’s all part of a culture of caring that provides DTE employees the chance to give back to their friends and neighbors.
“It’s an important thing for me and my team to support Operation Good Cheer each year,” said Jackie Wellman, communications planner and volunteer. “Giving back to kids who would not have a Christmas without these gifts and putting a smile on their faces is a heartwarming feeling that can’t be replaced.”
Here are some ways DTE has been volunteering in your community:
Volunteers hand out candy at the Saline Trunk-or-Treat.
- Saline Trunk-or-Treat: The seventh year of this event welcomed thousands of children and their families for an evening of fun without the frights. DTE joined with a decorated bucket truck and Louie the Lightning Bug to hand out candy and spread joy.
- Milan High School Tree Planting: DTE partnered with ReLeaf and Milan Area Schools to plant 20 new trees at Milan High School. These trees beautify the high school campus, enhance biodiversity, and provide educational benefits to the students.
- Forgotten Harvest: Dozens of DTE volunteers came out throughout the season to sort food and pack boxes and bags of supplies for local families at this Oak Park food bank.
- Thanksgiving lunch at the Monroe Senior Center: A group of DTE volunteers helped out at the Monroe Senior Citizens Center to serve a Thanksgiving lunch to attendees.
A volunteer serves lunch at the Monroe Senior Center.
- Gilda’s Club Holiday Decorating: Volunteers decorated Gilda’s Club in Royal Oak inside and out to get it ready for all the holiday season programming, including the arrival of Santa! The club is a free cancer support community for anyone impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
- Monroe Day of Service: DTE spent a day at the Arthur Leslow Community Center and the Salvation Army Family Shelter – both in Monroe – serving lunch and dinner to those in need, giving stockings and toys to children at the shelter, handing out winter gear like gloves and hats and decorating trees to bring holiday cheer.
Volunteers organize food at Forgotten Harvest.
- Operation Good Cheer: In support of the entirely volunteer gift-giving program by Child and Family Charities of Michigan, DTE employees sponsored hundreds of children around the state. Recipients include infants, children, teenagers and adults with disabilities in foster care, with thousands of gifts delivered on the Spirit of Good Cheer flights from Oakland County International Airport.
All these efforts and more have made for a warm holiday season for volunteers and the community alike.
“I like to see people happy,” said Robert Shook, a journeyman at the Ann Arbor Service Center and DTE volunteer. “It makes me feel good to help out in the community and let people know that DTE is here for them.”