Two Individuals Receive Kiwanis Community Appreciation Awards
Rita Orlowski (left with her grand-daughter Joelle Beaudoin and Mary Helen Riggle (Right) pictured with her sons, Jim John and his wife Rose were honored by the Charlevoix Kiwanis Club with the Kiwanis Community Appreciation award. They were selected by the Club’s Humane and Spiritual Committee. Rita an Mary Helen are first recipients of this award.
Rita Orlowski was a Founder and on the first Board of Directors of the Rainbow Shoppe since its inception in 1983. She still is active with them today. She has been active with St. Maary’s Catholic Church, the Diocese in Gaylord, the American Red Cross, the Charlevoix Historical Society, Charlevoix Hospital Guild, Grandview Facility, American Legion Auxiliary, the Charlevoix Senior Center, the Congregational Church Food Pantry, the Community Christmas Project and of course the planting of petunias.
Mary Helen Riggle was instrumental in starting the food pantry at the First Congregational Church. With some assistance from the Department of Social Services and area churches it grew into a Pantry that has served hundreds of families over the course of twenty-eight years and is still going strong today.The story told is that she started the pantry with one can of pineapple and then the area churches stepped in with providing food items as well.
Mary Helen has also been a big supporter of the Community Christmas project which helps families in need in our area. She also was instrumental in the creation of and finishing the quilt which still hangs today in the First Congregational Church Fellowship Hall.