Santa Claus may come just once a year, but Ms. Christmas lives in Cloquet year-round. Paula Maki, aka Ms. Christmas, founded her own nonprofit to give gifts and a little Christmas caring to people in adult foster homes, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Maki solicits donations of gift items from local and national companies (see photo below) which she passes on in December.

Although it's been a challenging year for Maki healthwise, she still gave presents to residents of numerous local senior living facilities, including Cloquet's Sunnyside Care Center, Larson Commons and much...