metro >> around town Cookies A 'GoGo' Cookie decorating party a tribute to a beautiful soul. E very Chanukah, Golda Shapiro would throw a cookie decorat- ing bash for family and friends, and they'd have a ball creating colorful and yummy dreidels, Jewish stars and menorot. Although Golda, or "GoGo" as she was affectionately known, passed away from ovarian cancer in 2010, her husband, Ed Shapiro of West Bloomfield, has seen to it that her loving tradition lives on at the Karmanos Cancer Institute's Weisberg Treatment Center in Farmington Hills. Along with Ed, Cheryl Gastwirth of L - West Bloomfield, a Karmanos volunteer and a fellow member of a bereavement support group at Weisberg, baked dozens of holiday cookies for a cookie decorat- ing party there on Dec. 6. Ed and Golds granddaughter Rebecca Shapiro, 19, of West Bloomfield lent a hand. At the party, Karmanos social worker Kathleen Hardy was presented with a check for $50,000 to the Janet Lynn Ripper Medical Oncology Fund from Janet's surviving spouse, Jack, to help fund support services at the cancer cen- ter. ❑ The late Golda "GoGo" Shapiro 4111k Laurence Jacobs of Farmington Hills, who leads a caregivers support group Charles Atlas Gorcyca of Farmington Hills, a friend of Ed's family Volunteer Cheryl Gastwirth shows off her decorated dreidel cookie. Ed Shapiro and granddaughter Rebecca at the Karmanos Weisberg Treatment Center party Mitzvah Day! Jewish and Muslim volunteers help out around Detroit on Christmas Day. Sarah Crane Special to the Jewish News or nearly 20 years, members of Metro Detroit's Jewish commu- nity have come together on Christmas to volunteer for Mitzvah Day. This year's event, organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council and co-chaired by Janet Berman, Micki Grossman and Hy Safran, brought out 800 volunteers to 40 different sites around Metro Detroit. Volunteers helped out with Meals on Wheels, played bingo with seniors, served lunch at homeless shelters and much more. While the original purpose — replacing Christian staff and volunteers so they can spend the day with their families — still rings true, the event has become a tradition that families look forward to every year. Many people have volunteered for Mitzvah Day for years, and they feel a very close connection to sites they have gone to repeatedly. "Volunteering on Mitzvah Day has very special meaning," said Nancy Handelman, team captain for the Fleischman Residence site in West Bloomfield. "My mother now lives at Fleischman Residence. It gives me great comfort knowing that I can spend the afternoon at Fleischman playing bingo with the residents. They feel like my extended family" For the past four years, Muslim volunteers have worked alongside Jewish volunteers at several Mitzvah Day sites. "I think it sends an important message to everybody out there that we can all work together well to make Metro Detroit a better place for all people," said Sumayyah Ahmed, a volunteer who delivered gifts to children with Jimmy's Kids in Clawson. ❑ 18 January 17 • 2013 Volunteers at Jimmy's Kids preparing to deliver gifts to children: Stephanie Gooel, Michelle Gooel, Matthew Kash, Lauren Gooel, Jenna Gooel, Lisa Gooel, Jim Tuman, Brendan Bradley, Diana Bradley, Scott Bradley, Dylan Bradley and Bruce Gooel. Barb Rosenthal, Dick Rosenthal and Harry Gruenberg at Gleaners in Pontiac Interfaith group members at Beth Shalom make a meal for the South Oakland Shelter.