The Olsen Christmas Wish
Donation protected
The Fraternal Order of Police (Lodge 75), Rudy’s Bar, and the Jeff Olsen, Doug Knowles, and K9 Niko Families invite you to help with providing eight families in Monroe County the Christmas of their dreams. Each of these families have been through hardship and deserve a helping hand this Christmas. In the coming weeks of December we will gather the money we raised from the Olsen Event and this GoFundMe to purchase numerous Christmas presents for these families. We also provide food gift cards to the parents and guardians. On December 7th 2017, we will invite these families and anyone who donates to Lehigh Valley Hospital Pocono. Santa Clause will deliver these presents with a police escort while we get to enjoy watching the children open them. We have done this over the past several years and because of your generosity this continues to grow. Please make a donation even if only $5, it will all add up in the end. Thank you to the Monroe County community, businesses and all friends and families that have helped to support this incredible cause. Please read the stories below of the families we want to help this year.
My Name is Chris Shelly and I am nthe event organizer. I and have been a police Officer for 15 years. We will use this money raised to buy 36 kids Christmas presents. We will also be purchasing varios gift cards for the families.
The Voelker Family:
Five year old Alex was born with a rare liver disease called Biliary Atresia, which is a blockage in the tubes (ducts) that carry a liquid called bile from the liver to the gallbladder. Alex had a Kasai procedure in July 2012 in an attempt to save his natural liver and recreate the undeveloped ducts. This surgery unfortunately failed and on February 4, 2013, Alex had a liver transplant (the donated liver was from his mother). During the transplant. Alex suffered a moderate Stroke which caused permanent brain damage to his undeveloped brain. He is an amazing kid and an incredible big brother to his little sister Rosie.
The Alpaugh Family:
Kevin Alpaugh was an East Stroudsburg High School South wrestler, living in a car. .He was orphaned at 16 and had nowhere to go. Judy Molyneaux was an ESHSS cheerleader who fell in love with Kevin. The two got married and had four children, Johanna, Kevin, Savannah, and Taylor. In 2014, Kevin was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer of the plasma cells found in the bone marrow. At the time, he fractured his spine, and was forced to undergo surgical repair with metal rods placed into his back. He received care at a facility in Philadelphia for over a month, and came home unable to work while getting treatment. .Judy took care of him.
Last March Judy went to the hospital for a car accident. The Doctors found carcinoma formed in her lungs and it had already reached her brain. The accident was caused by confusion, due to tumors in her brain. .Seventeen large tumors were removed from Judy’s brain — including one behind her eye — in surgery that followed shortly after the discovery. Doctors then gave radiation treatment to her brain and began several rounds of chemotherapy, but it wasn’t taking. As Judy worsened, her children stopped their activities in their life to help Mom. Judy was recently moved to care at Pocono VNA-Hospice and passed away. Kevin is still fighting his cancer while trying to raise four children.
The Johnson Family:
Craig and Liz Johnson and their family are Pastors of Christian Life Assembly in Stroudsburg. (CLALIFE.ORG) they have 6 children right now. Kelsey and Caleb are 12 year old Twins, Michaela is 8, Lillie is 5 (adopted by the Johnsons through Foster Care), Gabe is 2 and was just recently adopted through Foster Care and is a special needs child; he has spent countless days and nights in the children’s hospital in Philadelphia, and Anthony, a foster child who is 6 mo. The Johnsons have provided a temporary and permanent home for many children. The Johnsons are also responsible for a community meal to homeless and less fortunate families every Wednesday night at CLA and the Nehemiah Center helping to clothe the less fortunate in our community.
The Gehring Family:
Rick Gehring was a 27 year veteran of the Stroud Area Regional Police Department. Rick has been with Misty for 25 years and they have four children, Corissa, Theresa, Abby, and Ricky Jr. After 27 years of service as a Police Officer Rick retired. Rick was on a family vacation and passed away at the age of 53 yrs old. Rick had an amazing sense of humor and his passing has left a huge hole in the Stroud Regional Family.
The Onydonnov Family:
Aleksandra and Andriy have eight children, Juliya age 11, Jennifer age 10, Tatyana age 9, Elizabeth age 8, Katarina age 5, Eva age 4, Maksim, age 1. Aleksandra is also pregnant with an eighth child. The family resides in Tobyhanna. The family has been battling an unexpected condition in the house which makes it unlivable. The home is in the final steps of being fixed. Unfortunately these children have been placed into four different foster homes, and have been split up from each other. All of the children are exceedingly bright and are doing well in school.
The Taddo Family:
Theresa has a 1yr old daughter, Violet. She was homeless 6 months ago and recently was accepted into public housing. She said that she is so thankful to have a roof over Violet and her head. Money is very limited to be able to give Violet an amazing Christmas.
Two additional Families:
We also have two additional families, but due to privacy issues we cannot add their photos or names.
Family 1: A mother passes away at a young age leaving behind four children, ages 16, 12, 8, and 2. The grandmother is now raising these children with limited means.
Family 2: A grandmother recently had to start raising her four grandchildren ages 12, 7, 5, and 3. Due to a medical issue the grandmother has taken on raising these four children with limited economic means.
My Name is Chris Shelly and I am nthe event organizer. I and have been a police Officer for 15 years. We will use this money raised to buy 36 kids Christmas presents. We will also be purchasing varios gift cards for the families.
The Voelker Family:
Five year old Alex was born with a rare liver disease called Biliary Atresia, which is a blockage in the tubes (ducts) that carry a liquid called bile from the liver to the gallbladder. Alex had a Kasai procedure in July 2012 in an attempt to save his natural liver and recreate the undeveloped ducts. This surgery unfortunately failed and on February 4, 2013, Alex had a liver transplant (the donated liver was from his mother). During the transplant. Alex suffered a moderate Stroke which caused permanent brain damage to his undeveloped brain. He is an amazing kid and an incredible big brother to his little sister Rosie.
The Alpaugh Family:
Kevin Alpaugh was an East Stroudsburg High School South wrestler, living in a car. .He was orphaned at 16 and had nowhere to go. Judy Molyneaux was an ESHSS cheerleader who fell in love with Kevin. The two got married and had four children, Johanna, Kevin, Savannah, and Taylor. In 2014, Kevin was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer of the plasma cells found in the bone marrow. At the time, he fractured his spine, and was forced to undergo surgical repair with metal rods placed into his back. He received care at a facility in Philadelphia for over a month, and came home unable to work while getting treatment. .Judy took care of him.
Last March Judy went to the hospital for a car accident. The Doctors found carcinoma formed in her lungs and it had already reached her brain. The accident was caused by confusion, due to tumors in her brain. .Seventeen large tumors were removed from Judy’s brain — including one behind her eye — in surgery that followed shortly after the discovery. Doctors then gave radiation treatment to her brain and began several rounds of chemotherapy, but it wasn’t taking. As Judy worsened, her children stopped their activities in their life to help Mom. Judy was recently moved to care at Pocono VNA-Hospice and passed away. Kevin is still fighting his cancer while trying to raise four children.
The Johnson Family:
Craig and Liz Johnson and their family are Pastors of Christian Life Assembly in Stroudsburg. (CLALIFE.ORG) they have 6 children right now. Kelsey and Caleb are 12 year old Twins, Michaela is 8, Lillie is 5 (adopted by the Johnsons through Foster Care), Gabe is 2 and was just recently adopted through Foster Care and is a special needs child; he has spent countless days and nights in the children’s hospital in Philadelphia, and Anthony, a foster child who is 6 mo. The Johnsons have provided a temporary and permanent home for many children. The Johnsons are also responsible for a community meal to homeless and less fortunate families every Wednesday night at CLA and the Nehemiah Center helping to clothe the less fortunate in our community.
The Gehring Family:
Rick Gehring was a 27 year veteran of the Stroud Area Regional Police Department. Rick has been with Misty for 25 years and they have four children, Corissa, Theresa, Abby, and Ricky Jr. After 27 years of service as a Police Officer Rick retired. Rick was on a family vacation and passed away at the age of 53 yrs old. Rick had an amazing sense of humor and his passing has left a huge hole in the Stroud Regional Family.
The Onydonnov Family:
Aleksandra and Andriy have eight children, Juliya age 11, Jennifer age 10, Tatyana age 9, Elizabeth age 8, Katarina age 5, Eva age 4, Maksim, age 1. Aleksandra is also pregnant with an eighth child. The family resides in Tobyhanna. The family has been battling an unexpected condition in the house which makes it unlivable. The home is in the final steps of being fixed. Unfortunately these children have been placed into four different foster homes, and have been split up from each other. All of the children are exceedingly bright and are doing well in school.
The Taddo Family:
Theresa has a 1yr old daughter, Violet. She was homeless 6 months ago and recently was accepted into public housing. She said that she is so thankful to have a roof over Violet and her head. Money is very limited to be able to give Violet an amazing Christmas.
Two additional Families:
We also have two additional families, but due to privacy issues we cannot add their photos or names.
Family 1: A mother passes away at a young age leaving behind four children, ages 16, 12, 8, and 2. The grandmother is now raising these children with limited means.
Family 2: A grandmother recently had to start raising her four grandchildren ages 12, 7, 5, and 3. Due to a medical issue the grandmother has taken on raising these four children with limited economic means.
Organizer
Chris Shelly
Organizer
East Stroudsburg, PA
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