INUVIK - It's going to be a brighter Christmas for some children in Inuvik thanks to the RCMP.

Standing in from of a few of the crates of toys flown into Yellowknife, from left, "G" Division Commanding Officer Wade Blake, Deputy Commanding Officer of Western Canada Gary Bass, Santa Claus, Safety Bear, and First Air's Katie Heaphy, Kim Poulter and Mike Olson. - Kira Curtis/NNSL photo

Sgt. Wayne Norris and Cpl. Wes Heron, with the RCMP's G Division, have helped organized close to 800 toys arriving in the NWT as part of the "Toys for the North" initiative.

Those donations, made during the Toronto Santa Claus Parade, will be delivered to 21 different communities. Around 300 of the toys are being shipped to the Beaufort Delta, making their way to homes in Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Aklavik and Fort McPherson. Another 30 to 50 gifts will be flown into Ulukhaktok to surprise kids Christmas morning.

This is the first year of this campaign to make sure underprivileged kids in the North have a gift this Christmas. RCMP from Ontario worked with members in the Northern territories to find families in need of toys this holiday season.

Norris said because RCMP officers are in so many communities in the North, they were ideal to seek out what toys were needed in the communities and deliver them for Christmas.

"It made sense for us to be involved in this adventure," Norris said, "We're the one federal agency in most of the communities."

On Nov. 21, during the 106th annual Toronto Santa Claus Parade, Ontario RCMP collected toys from spectators who were donating them for the campaign. The goods were then sent north and distributed between the Yukon, NWT and Nunavut.

To help make sure the donations find their way safely into the many homes across Canada's North, First Air has covered the shipping costs into the communities. They will work with the RCMP to fly the gifts to RCMP officers who can deliver them.

"(We'll deliver) within the next few days," said Mike Olsen with First Air. "Certainly before Christmas we will have these toys delivered."

Other sponsors chipped in along the way, including batteries from Duracell Canada to provide power for all battery operated toys come Christmas morning.

"Duracell stepped up and said: 'You know, we've got to get you guys batteries,'" said Norris.

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