Brodie Thomas
Northern News Services
Published Monday, January 14, 2008

TUKTOYAKTUK - A Christmas tradition in Tuktoyaktuk was almost cancelled this past year, but local businesses stepped in at the last minute to save Christmas for deserving families.

For the past 34 years, the Kiwanis Club of Summerland, B.C. has collected Christmas presents for residents of Tuk in a project they call "Operation Santa Claus." The RCMP and Social Services helped to distribute the presents once they arrived.

In past years the gifts were sent to Edmonton by WestJet, and then on to Tuk by Canadian North and Aklak Air. Unfortunately, WestJet was unable to provide free shipping this year, according to Ann Condon, a member of the Kiwanis club of Summerland, B.C.

"I was desperately upset about it," said Condon. The presents had already been collected, but without the support of WestJet, the Kiwanis Club had no way of getting the presents to Tuk.

When word reached Tuk that the presents would not be arriving in time for Christmas, local community members had only a week to save Operation Santa Claus. Lorrie Meissner, the detachment assistant at the RCMP office, set to work on a solution. She began contacting local businesses to explain the situation. All were quick to respond.

"We were all for it," said Marius Driscol, the manager of Stanton's Store. The store donated 25 teddy bears for the operation.

The RCMP detachment purchased presents out of what they call their "t-shirt fund."

The Northern Store and E. Gruben's Transport also donated gifts.

Students from Aurora college got together to help wrap and address the gifts on the Friday before Christmas.

In the end, Operation Santa Claus provided gifts to 180 children and 100 adults.

"Some are struggling, some are single parents, and some may have had tragedy in the past year," said Meissner.

The gifts were delivered on Christmas Eve by volunteers.

As for next year's Operation Santa Claus, Ann Condon says she has been speaking with a new company that may be able to deliver the gifts to Tuk as early as August.