RANKIN INLET/CHESTERFIELD INLET
Hundreds of students in Chesterfield Inlet and Rankin Inlet enjoyed some early holiday cheer when the 14th annual Calm Air and Arctic Co-operatives Christmas Dinner was held in their communities this past week.

Calm Air's Tonya Dnistransky of Thompson, Man., and Arctic Cooperative's Fred Pennell of Winnipeg, Man., were among the corporate team members to take part in the annual Calm Air and Arctic Cooperatives Christmas Dinner at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik in Rankin Inlet on Dec. 9. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Dinner was held at Victor Sammurtok School in Chester on Dec. 8 and Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik in Rankin on Dec. 9.

Calm Air started rotating the Christmas dinner around the Kivalliq in Chesterfield Inlet in 2001.

The airline's vice-president of marketing, Sandra Ross-Hitch, said Calm Air partnered with Arctic Co-operatives in 2014 so the Christmas dinner could be held in two communities each year.

She said the double-up feasts began with Arviat and Sanikiluaq, before moving to Rankin and Chester this holiday season.

"We'll be going to Baker Lake and Coral Harbour in 2016 and Repulse Bay and Whale Cove in 2017, before starting over again in 2018," said Ross-Hitch.

"This was our third visit to Chester since it all began, and our second to Rankin, and it's just as popular as when we first started.

"The communities really appreciate us doing this for them.

"We still bring presents along to be drawn for, which makes it even more fun for the kids, because this time of year is supposed to be about kids and community."

Ross-Hitch said Calm Air has always appreciated the communities allowing it to hold the annual dinners.

She said the airline can reach out to the communities but it's up to them to say yes or no.

"We always do the elementary school and the middle school in the morning, so our team arrives the night before to get everything ready.

"The turkeys are cooked by community members - whether they be teachers, our staff members or, on occasion, parents - before being brought to the school in the morning to be carved.

"The turkeys are served cold, but everything else on the dinner plate - potatoes, gravy, stuffing and corn - is served hot."

A corporate team of five from Calm Air and two from Arctic Co-operatives flew to Chester to help with the meal, while a team of eight from Calm and four from the Co-operatives helped in Rankin.

Ross-Hitch said two teams have been needed since a second community was added to host the dinner.

She said that approach has worked well and it will, in all probability, remain that way going forward.

"We served about 250 in Chester and another 800 or so in Rankin Inlet.

"It was a great time and we'd really like to thank the two communities involved this year for their hospitality.

"The annual Christmas dinner is our way of giving a little something back to the communities we serve."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.