OPERATION SANTA CLAUS: KAVILINA
The Alaska Air National Guard flew Santa Claus to Kivalina, Alaska today in a big C130 turboprop airplane. I was honored to tag along be a small part of this Operation Santa Claus. Some of the kids saw me and asked if were Santa. I said “No. I’m his brother” (if you can’t trust a politician, whom can you trust?).
Kivalina is a traditional Inupiat Eskimo village, where most of the food sources come from whaling, fishing, and hunting. It’s located above the Arctic Circle, at the tip of a barrier island, about 80 miles northwest of Kotzebue, Alaska. Some 380 Inupiat Eskimos live there. I think all of them came to McQueen School to see Santa Claus – and even Governor Sarah Palin!
Four star General Howie Chandler, Commander of the Pacific Air Force was also there, as well as Lt. General Craig Campbell, Alaska Adjutant General, and many other notables. We were entertained by the village choir, and traditional dancers. I wish some of the folks in urban areas could be as gracious and friendly as the Kivalina villagers.
There’s a stark Arctic beauty north of the Arctic Circle, and it’s breathtaking. The view of the Chukchi Sea, and the south December sun touching the horizon is awesome. But the high point of our visit to Kivalina was watching the children receive Christmas presents from Santa and Mrs. Claus,
assisted by Sarah Palin.
The top photo show the precarious location of Kivalena. The next photo shows me deplaning from the C130 at Kivalena. Gov. Sarah Palin is shown talking to the folks who came to visit Santa, and the children receiving gifts from Santa and Sarah. The last photo shows me indulging my photo hobby at the shore of the frozen Chukchi Sea at Kivalena.
Kivalina is a traditional Inupiat Eskimo village, where most of the food sources come from whaling, fishing, and hunting. It’s located above the Arctic Circle, at the tip of a barrier island, about 80 miles northwest of Kotzebue, Alaska. Some 380 Inupiat Eskimos live there. I think all of them came to McQueen School to see Santa Claus – and even Governor Sarah Palin!
Four star General Howie Chandler, Commander of the Pacific Air Force was also there, as well as Lt. General Craig Campbell, Alaska Adjutant General, and many other notables. We were entertained by the village choir, and traditional dancers. I wish some of the folks in urban areas could be as gracious and friendly as the Kivalina villagers.
There’s a stark Arctic beauty north of the Arctic Circle, and it’s breathtaking. The view of the Chukchi Sea, and the south December sun touching the horizon is awesome. But the high point of our visit to Kivalina was watching the children receive Christmas presents from Santa and Mrs. Claus,
assisted by Sarah Palin. The top photo show the precarious location of Kivalena. The next photo shows me deplaning from the C130 at Kivalena. Gov. Sarah Palin is shown talking to the folks who came to visit Santa, and the children receiving gifts from Santa and Sarah. The last photo shows me indulging my photo hobby at the shore of the frozen Chukchi Sea at Kivalena.
posted by Blogs by Rep Bob Lynn | 11:05 PM
1 Comments:
I want to thank you for the genuinely sincere article you included about my father-in-law, Ltc.V.B. Tranter. He was an incredible fellow, loving to family and stranger alike, and a man who knew how to love Christ.
When he slipped, he came to Christ in sincerity, with an humble heart, and went back to the business of living a life for Jesus.
His testimony and sincerity about the Lord made my conversion to Christ, and my steps toward living an honorable life, easier because of his example and support.
I have been married to his eldest daughter, Grace Diane, for almost 35 years. She loved her "Daddy" and so did I.
Thank you for loving him, too.
Rev. Bruce A. Jerome
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