Standing in front of just a few of the bags of gifts distributed throughout the county for Christmas are (L-R, front) Paige and Taylor Everson. (L-R, back) Anna Sandstrom, Andrea Everson and MaeAnna LaFavor. (Not pictured, Lindsay Mielke.)
When the Cook County unit of the Salvation Army announced it wouldn’t be collecting and distributing Christmas gifts in Cook County this year, Operation Family Christmas (OFC) was born.
Three local women, Andrea Everson, Anna Sandstrom, and Lindsay Mielke formed OFC and asked the community and businesses for donations so that every family in Cook County (that celebrates Christmas) would receive gifts.
“We only spent a week and a half on this and we were amazed at how many donations we received,” said Everson.
All told 47 children and 13 families from throughout the county received presents because of OFC.
“We had a ton of extra toys left over, and if anyone wants one, they can be picked up at the Cook County Food Shelf in Grand Marais,” said Everson.
Helping the three organizers bag and drop off the presents were Everson’s daughters Paige and Taylor, MaeAnna LaFavor, and Orvis Lunke.
Businesses donating to OFC include Java Moose, Mike’s Holiday, Johnson’s Foods, Buck’s, Beth’s Fudge & Gifts, Birchbark Gallery, Studio 61 and the First and Second Thrift Store.
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