Staff at Mecosta County Probation and Parole has chosen to use their lunch hour to volunteer with the elderly from the Senior Meals Center at the Parkview Assisted Living Apartments in Big Rapids. As a special project the residents of Parkview Apartments are allowed to select an outing and the residents picked the John Ball Zoo Park in Grand Rapids. The staff of Mecosta County Probation and Parole set upon the task of securing funds to make this happen. They were able to raise a total of $360 to pay for 20 seniors to spend an afternoon at the John Ball Park Zoo and to go to lunch. Employees of the Mecosta County Courthouse and Ice Mountain Corporation were major contributors to the trip. "Even when times are very busy for everyone staff has taken their time to provide a quality outing for others. This speaks very well of the quality people who work for the Department of Corrections. I am proud of their actions," said Supervisor Terry Wildfong.

Michigan Department of Corrections FYI 09/22/03