The Empire Area Community Center (EACC) is a 501 (c)(3) public charity based in Empire, Michigan.
| Purpose | The Empire Area Community Center operates as a charitable, community service and educational nonprofit organization to serve Empire, Michigan and the surrounding geographic area; to develop, support, and provide community services, activities, and facilities; and to generate funds to support the community center and its programs. |
| Meetings | Regular EACC meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Glen Lake Community Library in Empire. Meetings are open to the public, and participants are encouraged to become EACC members with regular meeting attendence, volunteer work, or other contributions. Meeting minutes are available from the EACC secretary (see Contacts). |
| Funding | EACC is funded solely by generous donors — refer to the Donations page for more information. |
Recent annual reports and bylaws
History
The Empire Area Community Center informally started in the early 1990s as a yearly Halloween party that evolved into other fun community events for local children and adults. The informal group of Empire residents that hosted these events became a legal organization, the Empire Community Center, in 1997, after obtaining grants from local government agencies that provided financial support to community organizations (e.g., the Leelanau County Family Coordinating Council and Family Independence Agency).
The new Empire Community Center occupied an office in the basement of the Masonic Temple on the corner of Union and Front Streets for a short time. Sue Carpenter Deering volunteered 10–15 hours per week at that office to coordinate work between local residents and governmental agencies, and Jan Sikorski joined her to help process the paperwork. When government funding sources ran out, the office was closed. Donation canisters were set out around the community, and local businesses and individuals donated funds to keep the community programs going. Community events at that time included weekly potluck dinners, teen nights at Tiffany’s, game nights at the Empire Township Hall, and holiday activities like the Halloween party, the Christmas party, and the Winterfest Ball.
Local participation in community event planning eventually began to falter, however, and in early 2012, Jan Sikorski made a plea for more formal organizational help. A board was formed, and new President Jim Sills, Secretary Jan Sikorski, and Board Member Beryl Skrocki obtained official 501(c)(3) public charity status for the organization with donated assistance from local attorney Lea Ann Sterling. Gerry Shiffman and Chris Skellenger joined the Empire Community Center shortly thereafter and initiated its emergency fund program with free fundraising concerts to benefit area residents. The Empire Community Center was renamed the Empire Area Community Center in May of 2012, as it has been known ever since.
