Operation St. Nick celebrates a milestone in its Military Program

For the last 15 years, Operation St. Nick has aided military personnel and veterans with improving their family situations by giving them financial aid in their time of need, and this year’s program just wrapped up.

Kathy Lambros, the Chairman of the Military Program, said in a Friday news release that financial need alone is not the only criterion that needs to be met.

“We have always followed our founder, Joe Schmitz’s dream of saluting military men and women along with veterans who made our country the land of the free because of the brave by granting them any wish they hold in their hearts,” Lambros said in the release.

The program aided 14 veterans this year, granting their wishes and bringing the total for the program’s existence to over $500,000.

Guy Christensen, who will become President of Operation St. Nick in 2026, said the program’s success is due in large part to a sizable donation from Gerry and Loraine Davidson’s family in their memory, with instructions to help military veterans. He said with this donation and the funds raised through the St. Nick auction, Operation St. Nick has aided 198 veterans and military personnel since 2011.

This year’s military program helped an army veteran from Gardner with two months of rent due and helped them catch up on other bills; a Marine veteran from Minooka who requested help with his mortgage and assistance sending his two children to preschool; a disabled veteran in Morris who needed help moving into a larger apartment; a woman veteran from Morris who was struggling to pay her real estate taxes; a veteran from Gardner who needed a new septic system; an Army veteran from Braceville who needed help catching up on bills; and a disabled Army veteran from Diamond with four children who found themselves needing a new air conditioner in July.

Operation St. Nick granted these wishes along with eight more, including helping a Navy veteran who needed some home repairs.

“Helping our veterans is one of the most rewarding parts of Operation St. Nick’s seven programs, and I feel truly blessed to help these veterans improve their lives, granting them their wishes,” Lambros said.