by Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Dec 12/97) - While it might be a long way from the North Pole to Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake and Jean Marie River, an area company will ensure the big fellow doesn't miss three of the Deh Cho's smallest communities.

As he has for the fifth year running, Santa Claus is set to board a Wolverine Air Cessna Dec. 19 to make a pre-Christmas visit to the three communities.

"They (children in some of the smaller communities) never get to see Santa Claus so we bring him in," says Wolverine Air president Chris Pinckard. "He'll have an individually wrapped present for each kid."

With a busy assembly-line at the top of the Arctic to oversee, Pinckard says that Santa will only be in each of the communities for an hour or so.

However, it is to his credit -- and Wolverine's for picking him up -- that Mr. Claus will be taking time away from the shop at such a busy time of the year.