Edith, or Edee, Falan has been volunteering at our main pantry for the past five years. She volunteers on Mondays and Thursdays helping to bag the client’s groceries, assist in stocking shelves and any other task at hand. She started volunteering with her husband, Gordon, who was diagnosed with cancer and was advised by his doctor that doing something productive is good for you. They volunteered at the pantry together for about a year until he passed away. After his passing, Edee took some time off but came back to volunteer once again at the pantry. When asked what her favorite part of volunteering is, a sincere smile stretches across her face, “the people,” she says, “the people here are so nice, they are such good people.” She goes on say that everyone gets along so well, they make you feel at home and you really get to know each other and the clients that come in.
Edee has lived in Michigan for much of her life, growing up in the Comstock Park area with her parents and two sisters, whom now both live in Florida. Edee met her husband Gord and they had 4 children together. Edee worked as the control manager for a manufacturing company for years before retiring. When the Michigan economy took a bad turn in the 70’s, Edee and Gord moved to Texas, at the urging from family who lived there, for better jobs and raised their kids there for 12 years before returning back to Michigan to be closer to Edee’s mother. Now, her kids are somewhat scattered around, some living nearby in White Cloud and Muskegon and one in Utah. Edee also has 12 grandchildren and more great grandchildren that she loves to spend time with as much as she can. She has family around Grand Rapids to see and visit with on weekends and holidays, of course.
When talking about volunteering at the pantry, Edee describes the feeling that is so rewarding and warms your heart when you are able to provide a service, of serving food, to people who need it most. Danielle Simmons, Pantry Manager, also shared her appreciation for Edee at the pantry, “She is always willing to come in and help on a different day when we are shorthanded and has done so on several occasions. Edee always helps at other pantry events as well. She is a regular volunteer for the pantry garage sale that is held in September and a volunteer for the Christmas gift giveaway every year. She is a wonderful volunteer and we are grateful to have her on our team.”
We are so thankful for Edee’s commitment to our program and so grateful to have her as a part of our team. We appreciate her, and others like her who give so generously of their time to reach homebound seniors in our community. Thank you, Edee! 
