'Ms. Christmas' has passion for giving

Even in a year that included a flooded apartment and moving into a new building, Cloquet's Paula Maki is still doing all she can to fulfill her mission of bringing Christmas gifts and joy to residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult foster homes in Carlton County and beyond.

For that, she has both a nonprofit organization and an alias, with the same name: Ms. Christmas.

Now living at Larson Commons, Maki held a Christmas party Monday for the assisted care residents, giving each one a bag with thoughtful Christmas presents and one person an electric wheelchair that Maki originally bought for herself.

That's the way she rolls. Disabled herself, suffering from chronic Lyme disease and polyneuropathy, Maki knows from personal experience - her own, and watching her father's struggles in a nursing home - what kind of things might help.

And then she asks. Whether it's handmade gifts, slippers, shoes, toiletries, candies or mattresses, Maki tracks down the CEOs of companies large and small and makes her request.

"I get things and I find a home for them," Maki said in an interview earlier this month. (Tempur-Pedic is donating 128 queen mattresses and bases to Disabled American Veterans camps in Carlton County and St. Croix next month, thanks to Maki.)

Two Fridays ago, Judy Marciniak-Flynn was wrapping gifts at the table in Maki's apartment, which is crowded with presents and bags filled with items yet to be wrapped.

Cost Cutters donated $700 worth of body care items, and Colorful Creations donated items worth $300. Flynn speaks about Maki's singular determination to help people with admiration.

"She sees this woman in need, nobody can help, and Paula takes it on, contacts the companies and got her a scooter, this machine that's worth a lot of money," said Marciniak-Flynn, who is Maki's home care aide.

Maki also has Giving Trees - covered with tags requesting certain items be purchased and donated - at the Holiday Center in Duluth and the Sunnyside Kwik Trip store where she works part-time. She said she's on the second round of tags for the Duluth tree already.

Of course, she gets help. Volunteers, friends, and now St. Matthews Church in Esko and Pastor Jeff Walthers, do what they can to assist the determined Ms. Christmas.

As of last week, Maki had already delivered gifts to all the residents of Sunnyside Health Care Center and the New Perspective senior living community in Cloquet. She was organizing more gifts for the various adult foster care homes in the area, as well as items for the children and families that end up at the Carlton Youth Shelter.

"What she does is pretty amazing," said Esko's Patty Murto. "She just never quits."

Maki said she's happy to have more help, and invited people to call her at 218-213-5399 if they want to get involved.

"Even when I didn't have my job, I used my time and energy," she said. "There are other things people can do besides give money.

"People in this world just need to stop and slow down," she added, noting that her increasing health problems have troubled her this year, but she decided to keep on doing what she does so well until the end. "They need to realize that sometimes just a phone call can help someone get through the day."

When apartment neighbors stop her in the hallway at Larson Commons after Monday's party to thank her, Maki's often-worried face lights up.

Mission accomplished.