Edna Dow of Hay River's Secret Santa stands amid some of the donations made to the annual food and gift drive. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Each year, many groups make sure no one goes without at Christmas by collecting and distributing gifts and food to the needy.

In Hay River, the annual Christmas effort is called Secret Santa.

Donations over the years have impressed organizer Betty Dow, who has been involved for eight years.

Some donated gifts have been very expensive, she says. "One year, a Nintendo outfit was donated brand new."

Another year, a man dropped in with a huge box of children's mitts, hats and scarves, apparently purchased somewhere in the South. Dow estimates the donation was worth $400.

"That was incredible."

She says many people buy new toys to donate to Secret Santa. "Oh my, you should see the toys that come in here."

Secret Santa usually helps over 100 needy families each year, she says. "It's a community thing. It's wonderful."

Some Hay River groups also make financial donations to help Secret Santa. Last year, the town's volleyball association raised $1,000 for the effort.

Dow also notes that last year, Secret Santa helped two families which had delays in getting paycheques before Christmas. This year, the families remembered the help and donated $500 each.

Dow recalls there was even one gift donated especially for her several years ago. In a big pile of food was a beer can with a note that read, "Edna, sit down and have a Blue."

In Fort Smith, the Extended Hand's Food and Toy Drive helps needy families at Christmas.

"The whole town just pitches in and does a great job," says Myrna Emerson, one of the drive's organizers.

The people of Fort Smith are very generous, she says. "It's just incredible."

The drive also gets a helping hand each year from the Fort Smith Volunteer Fire Department, which goes door-to-door picking up donations.

In Inuvik, donations are collected and distributed to needy people by Santa's Elves, a group of volunteers.

A spokesperson for the group, whose members wish to remain anonymous, says Santa's elves help up to 120 families each Christmas with food and gifts. "Over the years, it just grew and grew."

This year, the effort received a special donation -- 200 toys from the Alberta Christmas Bureau in Edmonton.

Speaking last week, the Santa's elves spokesperson said there was a lot of excitement and activity around the food and gift collection. "It's like Santa's workshop in Inuvik."