Macomb Township's Goodfellows Face Extinction After Roughly 60 Years of Helping Families

The Macomb Township Goodfellows may cease to exist if someone doesn't step up and volunteer to take over the organization, which started in the township in the 1950s. 

The Goodfellows, whose motto is “no kiddie without a Christmas," raises money by selling the Razzleberry newspaper on Macomb Township streetcorners in December. The funds are used to provide Christmas gifts for needy children.  

The group consists of aging volunteers who are getting too old to manage the organization, according to Joe Witluski, who is 74 years old. "The guys, the officers, they are in their 60s and 70s... they can't handle it anymore. We're running out of money; we've been in the red for the past three or four years," Witluski said. "Someone needs to take over." 

Typically, the Macomb Township Goodfellows stand at intersections, such as M-59 and Heindenrich or 23 Mile and Romeo Plank, for three to four hours one Saturday in December.  In 2010, the Goodfellows collected $3,693.57. 

Witluski, who has been a Goodfellow since the 1960s, said that the Goodfellows won't sell Razzelberry newspapers this year because there's not enough volunteers. However, if someone takes over, perhaps the Goodfellows can start new next year. "It would be a shame to see it go, but somebody has to take over, we can't do this forever," he said.

If someone is interested in becoming a Goodfellow, contact Roger Krzeminski at 586-247-6736.