Calumet Free Fridge

11/22/2025

This is the last Farmers Market for the year. Thank you to Gina Kerr for her generous donation today!

11/19/2025

✨ BIG NEWS IN THE COPPER COUNTRY! ✨

We are overjoyed to announce that Al's All-Around General Contracting has joined The Calumet Free Fridge in offering HOPE to hundreds of people in need each and every month! 💛

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

In a time when so many are struggling, our local small businesses continue to step up in powerful and inspiring ways. The generosity of Al's All Around General Contracting will help keep freezers full, shelves stocked, and hearts lifted. 🙌

To Al and his amazing team—THANK YOU for believing in community, compassion, and caring for our neighbors. Your commitment will bring real relief and real meals to real families right here in the Copper Country. 🥫🥰

Together, we are stronger.
Together, we offer HOPE.

If your business or organization would like to join this movement of love, please reach out. Every act of kindness makes a difference! ❤️

The Calumet Free Fridge — Powered by Community • Fueled by HOPE!

Thank you for donating what you can as often as you can!!!

The Calumet Free Fridge accepts cash, checks, All Major Credit Cards, Paypal and Venmo!

The Calumet Free Fridge accepts almost items from cars, boats, snowmobiles, ATV's, Household Furniture and Appliances, Coin Collections, Bitcoin, Stamp Collections and just about EVERYTHING ELSE!!

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

The Calumet Free Fridge continues to send out information to EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT in our area to help raise money for their local food pantries!

If you want to learn more about how our schools can make a DIFFERENCE in our community, please read the last post that has the plans laid out to make it happen!

Thank you!

Ron Rea

11/18/2025

Last week My UP News did a television story about The Calumet Free Fridge located inside The Office Shop at 25703 Scott Street in Calumet.

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

During the interview we talked about all of the local schools supporting their local charities with the following idea.....

Please share this idea with everyone you know!

I will be contacting every school and sending this plan to them for their consideration!

A copy of this idea will also be sent to The Daily Mining Gazette and Jeff Harju manager of Queen Bees LLC who runs 4 local radio stations.

Thank you for sharing the idea and Sparking a CONVERSATION and BEGINNING THE ACTION that offers HOPE to so many!

Ron Rea

Here is the idea..........

My name is Ron Rea, and I run the Calumet Free Fridge. I’m reaching out to share a simple, meaningful volunteer opportunity that I believe could be a great fit for students who need community-service hours through groups such as National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Student Council, or other service-oriented organizations at your school.

Interest in the free fridge programs in Calumet has grown quickly, especially with the recent media attention. To keep meeting the needs of local families, I’m hoping to partner with area schools on a student-led service project that can easily fit into what you already have in place.

The Idea
Students would:

Gather donated items from the community

Organize and sell those items (rummage-style or similar)

Direct the proceeds to support the local free fridge in their own community

Funds raised would support the Calumet Free Fridge. If multiple schools are interested, there could be the possibility of a friendly competition!

This opportunity can:

Count as volunteer/service hours

Fit within existing clubs or groups

Be run as a short-term project or something ongoing

Be adapted to the size and capacity of your school

Local news outlets have already shown interest, and there is strong momentum behind these community-driven efforts. Students also tend to really enjoy projects where they can see the impact of their work right away.

If this is something your school might be interested in, I’d be happy to talk through the details and help make the process as simple as possible for your staff and students.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I appreciate everything you do for our community’s young people.

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

Warm regards,

Ron Rea

Send a message to learn more

11/17/2025

🥊 KNOCKOUT NEWS FOR OUR COMMUNITY! 🥊

Today, The Calumet Free Fridge was blessed in a HUGE way—

UPCAP, and the Food Bank Council of Michigan; purchased from Frozen Farms located on Fifth Street in Calumet, 104 POUNDS of meat to help feed families right here in our community! 💙❄️

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

We are beyond grateful for their kindness and commitment to making sure no one goes without. Donations like this keep our shelves, refrigerators, and freezers stocked—and keep HOPE alive every single day!

You can check out Frozen Farms on Facebook at.....



And speaking of champions…

🏆 The Keweenaw Boxing Club in Calumet continues to deliver powerful knockout blows to food insecurity in our area! Their ongoing support and partnership are truly inspiring. They continue to fight for our community both inside and outside the ring!

To everyone who donates, volunteers, shares our mission, or simply cares—THANK YOU. Together we are proving that LOVE WINS and COMMUNITY MATTERS. 💪❤️

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

The Calumet Free Fridge — Take what you need. Give what you can.
Located inside The Office Shop in Calumet.

Thank you!

Ron Rea

11/15/2025

For Sale: 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Convertible - 3.0L V6 SOHC (Bad Transmission)

Price: $1,500.00 Firm!

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge

Details:

Model Year: 2001

Make/Model: Mitsubishi Eclipse Convertible

Engine: 3.0L V6 SOHC

Mileage: 108,000 miles

Transmission: Bad (needs replacement or repair)

Exterior Color: Burgundy

Interior Color: Black

Condition:

The car starts, but the transmission is faulty and needs to be replaced.

Engine runs very well with 108,000 miles!!!

Body and interior are in good shape for the age of the car, but there are some signs of wear typical for a 2001 model.

Convertible top is in working condition.

Tires are in decent shape, and the car is a great project for someone who’s comfortable working on cars or looking for parts.

Ideal for:

Someone looking for a project car

Mechanic or car enthusiast who can replace the transmission

Parts car (if you’re looking for spare parts, this car has valuable components)

100 Percent of the sale of this Beauty supports The Calumet Free Fridge and offers HOPE. LOVE and COMPASSION to HUNDREDS of people in need in our Community!

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge

Thank you for supporting The Calumet Free Fridge with your purchases and Donations!!!

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge

Ron Rea

11/12/2025

🌟 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 🌟

We’re excited to announce The Thinking Cap Movement — a new community effort right here in Calumet to help stock the freezers, shelves, and refrigerators at The Calumet Free Fridge, located inside The Office Shop! 💚

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

This movement is all about neighbors helping neighbors — thinking with our hearts 💭❤️ to make sure no one in our community goes without food or HOPE.

🎥 Tune in this Thursday night at 6:00 PM on MY UP NEWS to learn more about The Thinking Cap Movement and how YOU can take part in this inspiring Community Journey!

Together, we can make a real difference — one thoughtful act at a time. 🧢💚

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

Thank you for sharing this post and wearing your Thinking Caps and making a Huge Difference in our COMMUNITY!

Ron Rea

11/10/2025

Thanksgiving Meal Distribution
November 22 - 9 am - Noon
Faith Lutheran Church

11/09/2025

Turning food insecurity into Food Security takes a total commitment from a COMMUNITY!

The Calumet Free Fridge would like to offer the following idea to offer HOPE to HUNDREDS of people in need.....Each and Every Month!

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge

What if Calumet Public Schools and Lake Linden Schools start a Afternoon Club that Benefits The Calumet Free Fridge and the local Food Pantry that is located in Lake Linden!

The Afternoon Club would work like this.....

Several people get together from their schools and work on creating a Facebook or Marketplace or Instagram or Tik Tok page that would offer DONATED items from our community which they go out and find and sell them on their pages to support their local food pantries!

Let's say we can get this off the ground by November 20, 2025?

After 30 days both schools announce how many THOUSANDS of POUNDS of food was raised for their local food Pantries!

The Calumet Theater has a Pizza and Desert diner in the ballroom to recognize their Amazing CONTRIBUTION to our community!

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge

After the social Dinner everyone is invited to watch the movie.....Its a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart!

Other schools can have a challenge with the same program!

Hancock can go against Houghton!

Dollar Bay can go against Jefferies!

Chassell can go against Eweing!

Michigan Tech can rumble with Northern!

Businesses can have fun and Benefit our COMMUNITY as well!

Aspirus versus Portgage!

Calumet Electronics versus Coppers!

Coffee shops take on each other to help our COMMUNITY!

Local Banks and Credit Unions can offer to help to getting in on the FUN!

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge

When the local television station comes later this week to talk about The Calumet Free Fridge we will FOCUS a lot of attention on the above plan to make sure our local food pantries offer HOPE to HUNDREDS of people in need....For Years to come!

Please share this idea with everyone you can!

Let's make this idea be a LIGHTHOUSE for many states to follow!!!

https://www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge

Thank you!

Ron Rea

Send a message to learn more

11/07/2025

The Power of that 8-Year-Old boy and his Eighty-Six Cents!!!

One morning a 8-Year-Old boy entered The Office Shop without his mother. He was usually by her side when they collected food for their family to eat for 4 days! Many times, he would ask her why she was crying? She would look down with a huge smile and say....Honey I am just so Grateful for the food that we are picking up!!!

As that boy walked to the counter with change in his hand and a Huge Smile on his face, he laid the change on the counter and asked if I would count it?

The total was 86 CENTS!

He looked me straight in the eys and with so much Love and Tenderness in his voice he said.......I want to Thank you for the food my family enjoyed last night!!!

Every Donation matters to offer HOPE to those in need!

When you shop at The Office Shop please consider Rounding UP when checking out to support The Calumet Free Fridge.

Calumet Free Fridge

In the United States during 2022, point-of-sale “round-up” campaigns (where shoppers are asked to round their purchase up to support charities) raised approximately US $749 MILLION DOLLARS!!!

I would like to ask EVERY BUSINESS in our Loving Community to offer a ROUND UP option to their customers to offer HOPE to so many in our COMMUNITY in need!

Each business can choose their favorite Charity to make a DIFFERENCE!!!

Calumet Free Fridge

Thank you!

Ron Rea

Send a message to learn more

11/06/2025

🦃 Keweenaw Health Foundation donates $5,000 to food pantry's Thanksgiving drive-thru meal site

The funds from KHF are allowing the CLK Council of Churches Food Pantry to step up their annual Thanksgiving dinner and feed the community in times of uncertainty.

In years past Faith Lutheran Church provided thanksgiving meal coupons for people to purchase items on their own. The five-thousand-dollar gift from the Keweenaw Health Foundation will help the CLK pantry offer meals at a drive thru distribution on November 22nd.

Those interested in volunteering with the CLK pantry or want to donate items before the 22nd should contact Brian Hirvela. Find more information online.

CLK Food Pantry will host the Thanksgiving meal drive thru on November 22nd. The meal site will run from 9am to 12 pm at the Faith Lutheran Church in Calumet on Depot Street.

Once again, Our loving and Giving Community offers Love and HOPE to so many!!!

Calumet Free Fridge

The Calumet Free Fridge is open Monday through Friday 7:30 am until 4:00 pm. It is located inside The Office Shop, and we are here to help and offer HOPE to anyone in need!!!

Thank you!

Ron Rea

11/05/2025

🦃 HOPE and THANKFULNESS in the Copper Country! 🧡

This Thanksgiving, our Loving Copper Country Community is once again coming together to make sure no table is empty and no heart is forgotten! 💛

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

We’ve received so many beautiful offers from generous neighbors who want to help provide complete Thanksgiving Meals for large families — filled with turkey, all the trimmings, and most importantly… LOVE.

If you know of a large family with 4 or more children, please drop that information off at The Office Shop in Calumet at 25703 Scott Street Monday through Friday 7:30 am until 4:00 pm.

Families of 4 or more children will be drawn from a hat and connected with Loving Community Members who want to make sure that they have a Complete Thanksgiving dinner!

If you or someone you know could use a little extra help this holiday season, please reach out. Together, we’ll make sure every family can gather, give thanks, and share in the blessings of our amazing community.

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

🍂 Thank you, Copper Country, for proving once again that HOPE is alive and well right here at home! 🙏

Our goal is to match up as many families in need with people that want to help!

To carry this forward for years to come.... Maybe people in our community will sponser a family to feed one Sunday a month every Month!

To make that Sunday meal even SPECIAL for the Family who receives it but the person who donates.....Imagine that family that receives the meal has it Delivered to their house!!!

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

This idea of people cooking Complete meals with Desert will change so many lives in our area!

Maybe this Sunday and for many Sundays to follow, this idea can be discussed in Every Church in our area!

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of so many MIRACLES and HOPE for so MANY!!!

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

Ron Rea

Send a message to learn more

11/04/2025

Our community continues to reach out and offer HOPE in MANY WAYS!

This BEAUTIFUL ROCKY MOUNTAIN FAT TIRE BIKE was just donated to raise money for The Calumet Free Fridge!

The price of this AMAZING BIKE DONATION is $900.

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

100 PERCENT of the $900 from the sale of this bike buys food for HUNDREDS of people in need in our COMMUNITY!

Please share this post and consider donating whatever you can to continue to offer HOPE to those in need!

The cost per month is currently $5000 and continues to rise!

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of something so AMAZING and LOVING for so many!

www.facebook.com/calumetfreefridge/

Ron Rea