his article was originally published by Press and Guide, authored by Jodi Rempala and can be found on their website here.

While winter has been pretty nice to Michigan this year, Mother Nature certainly reminded residents that cold temperatures are still here for a few more weeks, even if the groundhog did predict an early spring.

This year’s annual Dearborn Mitten Drive sponsored by MemberFocus Credit Union accumulated over 200 pairs of new gloves and mittens to help fend off the lingering cold weather.

“Once the groundhog’s winter weather gets here, these mittens are really going to come into good use,” said Evan Kingsbury, the credit union’s marketing director.

“This is the fifth straight year that we have partnered with the Dearborn Goodfellows in distributing mittens to the less fortunate and needy. The employees and customers of MemberFocus donate the mittens and the Goodfellows put them to good use.”

Karl Fava, treasurer of the Goodfellows, and Larry Johnson, executive director of the Goodfellows, accepted this year’s mittens.

“You would really be surprised as to how many kids do not have proper mittens, hats and jackets,” Johnson said. “A mitten drive like this may not seem that big of a deal, but it really comes in handy to the children and family that the Goodfellows support.”

MemberFocus, which has two branches in Dearborn, has been serving the community since 1935 with a full line of financial products and services. The credit union has a long history of supporting the Goodfellows, Coats for Kids, the American Diabetes Association and other charitable causes.

The roots of the Dearborn Goodfellows date back to 1922 when it was The Good Cheer Club. Its motto is “no child without a christmas”. Over the years, the organization has become a go-to resource for families and children in need. Annually, the Goodfellows conduct a December newspaper sale and the Smoke on the Grill in conjunction with the Dearborn Schools PTSA. In 2015, the Goodfellows assisted more than 1,000 children and families in need.

“We are very fortunate that the citizens of Dearborn and surrounding communities support the Goodfellows,” Fava said. “It is evident that the community realizes the huge benefit and impact the Goodfellows play in making Dearborn such a great place.”