For the third year running, members of how a small Harrisville group known as Operation Foster Smiles wrap gifts to foster children in the region's adoption exchange program.

HARRISVILLE — Volunteers gathered Saturday in Mercer to wrap gifts for 40 teenagers in foster care throughout the region.

On Tuesday, the fruits of their labor arrived at Children's Aid Society of Mercer County. It took seven vehicles to deliver all of the gifts.

For the third year running, a small Harrisville group known as Operation Foster Smiles has given gifts to foster children in the region's adoption exchange program. The Children's Aid Society has gathered gifts for foster kids for about 10 years, but it was coming up short on funds and gifts three years ago. At that point, Michelle and Don Marlowe, two foster parents, stepped up to help out.

Today, they continue to expand the program.

“We have grown,” Michelle Marlowe said. “When we first started, we had 32 members. We now have nearly 200. We are getting donations from about seven states.”

Read more about the group in Wednesday's Eagle.