Alaska National Guard delivers gifts to remote villages during 66th annual Operation Santa Claus

WASILLA— The Alaska National Guard carried on an important mission and holiday tradition by delivering hundreds of gifts to children in remote villages during the 66th annual Operation Santa Claus campaign.

According to a recent press release, the National Guard partnered with the Salvation Army to deliver nearly 650 gifts, taking the necessary COVID-19 precautions to ensure safety, but “remained committed to sharing in the holiday spirit” with the Alaskan communities.

“It’s important for Operation Santa to continue because this is an opportunity for the Alaska National Guard to reach into rural Alaska and really demonstrate our ability to be there to support the communities,” Air National Guard Maj. Chelsea Aspelund, the 176th Wing chief of public affairs stated in the press release.

Operation Santa began in 1956 after the Alaska National Guard responded to a request for assistance following extreme flooding and draught that impacted subsistence fishing and hunting in the community of St. Mary’s.

Villages chosen to participate in Op Santa are selected based on several factors, including hardships that the community has faced, in a remote or isolated location, and whether the community has requested support.

“It’s kind of hard for [the villages] to enjoy a Christmas like it used to be with all that’s going on,” said Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Sallaffie, facility attendant at Bethel’s National Guard armory. “It makes a difference.”

The gifts in this year’s holiday delivery totaled 4,420 pounds of backpacks, books, school supplies, snacks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and gifts categorized by age.

Pallets of boxes were loaded onto an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft here, and transported to Bethel and Nome Dec. 2 where they were staged for further delivery to the two remote villages.

The fixed-wing aircraft is used first because of its capability to carry more cargo faster, which allows the transport to multiple locations in one day-trip. The gifts are then transported from the staging locations to the villages via helicopters because they can land in the villages in challenging winter conditions.

Buckland received their gifts after they were transported 139 miles northeast from Nome on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter Dec. 14. A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is staged to fly the gifts 118 miles northwest of Bethel to the village of Chevak once weather permits.

The Alaska National Guard and Salvation Army continue to maintain a strong commitment to Operation Santa Claus, hoping to share neighborly joy with rural communities in Alaska.

“[Op Santa] is an important community engagement for the Alaska National Guard to help maintain and build trust and partnership with others throughout the state,” said Aspelund.

“It means a whole lot [to the children],” said Sallaffie. “Bringing presents out to the villages in these tough times, it’s pretty awesome.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com