Christmas giving goes a long way
Maria Canton
Northern News Services
Arctic Bay (Dec 18/00) - There's a major airlift on its way to Arctic Bay.
It's not emergency fuel or medical supplies, but a gift from the hearts of miners at Nanisivik.
It's an annual event for the workers at Nanisivik Mine who show their Christmas spirit by helping out the residents of Arctic Bay.
Usually, they hand-deliver baskets of fresh fruit to households in nearby Arctic Bay. This year they'll be bringing in turkeys.
"We thought the people in Arctic Bay would appreciate the change," said Ron Light, general manager at the mine.
"We have between 125 and 150 turkeys coming up for delivery this week."
It's just a one of the many ways people around the territory do their part to help their neighbours.
In Hall Beach food hampers, per se, don't exist, but the annual Christmas community feast, organized by the recreation department, doesn't leave anyone wanting turkey, caribou, seal or whale.
"Almost the whole community turns out for the feast," said Jessie Innuksuk.
"We don't really have food hampers or a food bank, but you can eat as much as you want at the feast."
Iqaluit, however, does have a food hamper program to serve the capital's growing population.
Businesses and organizations donate their time, energy and a whole lot of food to making the program a success.
The town's RCMP play a major role in the distribution of the hampers in the week leading up to Christmas.
"It takes about two days for us to deliver the hampers to the different houses," said Sgt. Mike O'Malley. "In their everyday duties, the officers can see who needs hampers or a little extra help."
The members of the Iqaluit RCMP also do their share by donating the proceeds from their canteen sales to non-profit groups. Already this season they've given $2,000 to the women's shelter, the emergency shelter, the John Howard Society and the Elder's Centre.
"We like to try and put something back into the community, something that goes a little above and beyond what they normally get," said O'Malley.
And as Christmas is the season of giving, people always come through to spread the cheer far and wide, alleviating the hunger pangs for some families.
