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MGM-Detroit Hardhats rock; roll in dough for homeless

Date Posted: December 8 2006

A tip of the hard hat to the men and women in the building trades constructing the new MGM Grand Casino in Detroit.

At a jobsite luncheon served on Nov. 21, construction workers and their contractors contributed an astounding $21,600 and an additional $5,000 in toys and gifts, with proceeds earmarked for the Salvation Army's Christmas for Families program.

MGM Grand previously announced that they would provide lunch for the 800-plus workers on site that day, and asked for $10 donations and/or an unwrapped toy for the Salvation Army.

"Our goal was to collect $10,000 or so, but to get over $21,000 in cash, plus a lot of really nice toys? The outpouring of generosity was incredible," said Gary Wolfe, general superintendent for MGM-Grand Detroit Casino. "It never fails that with construction people, they always go the extra mile. It's nice to know we helped do our part to make sure a lot of families will have a nice Christmas."

In addition to the individual contributions from workers, more than 40 contractors working the project chipped in generously, some matching the donations of their employees.

The idea for the fundraiser started with Joan Wolfe of 3LK Construction and Kathy Short of Colasanti, who wanted to adopt a family for Christmas using proceeds from empty bottle returns on the site. After calling charitable organizations to find a family that needed help, they found the Salvation Army feeds and shelters homeless families, but didn't allow for adopting a single family. So the effort to help needy families expanded, to say the least.

Major Donna Miller, the pastoral care administrator for the Ellen A. Thompson Booth Center, a homeless shelter in Detroit, said a portion of the money has already been spent at the shelter. The shelter usually operates at capacity, which is about 220 people. They bought new bikes, tricycles and wagons and new winter coats for use of the kids at the shelter. The Salvation Army also spent a portion on new dining room chairs and a dining room table.

"We have always made do with second-hand, broken-down bikes and trikes, so it was nice to be able to get these," Major Miller said. "The kids were unbelievably excited. And we will have plenty left over for Christmas.

"It's so rare that we get a contribution of this size. I just want to say that the donation from the guys and gals there was just fabulous. Let me put it this way: construction workers rock."