From sleigh to Humvee: Operation Santa Claus 2024 wraps up in Yakutat

YAKUTAT, Alaska –Approximately 50 Alaska National Guard service members, volunteers from the Salvation Army, AKNG Child and Youth Program, and others visited the southeastern Alaskan city of Yakutat on Dec. 18.

Operation Santa Claus is an annual community outreach program to deliver holiday cheer to rural Alaskan communities.

“This is such an exciting time for all the kids who have been looking forward to seeing Santa,” said Velvet Ivers, a retired Yakutat educator and community schools grant coordinator who has lived in the Yakutat community for more than 40 years. “I wish we had something like this when I was a kid. This is such a treat.”

The group traveled to Yakutat on a C-17 Globemaster III, belonging to the Alaska Air Guard’s 144th Airlift Squadron. The aircraft carried two Alaska Army National Guard Humvees and one pickup truck loaded with gifts for the children.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus arrived at the Yakutat school aboard one of the Humvees. The local children warmly greeted them with a rendition of jingle bells in English and Tlingit, the indigenous language native to that region of Alaska.

“This is something that the community has been looking forward to for a long time and has brought so much Christmas spirit to the community,” said Reanna Brown, one of the Yakutat educators. “My daughter asked me why the military are the ones bringing Santa, and I told her because he needs their protection.”

The festivities moved inside the school, where Mrs. Claus read a book to the children before Guardsmen handed out presents to each child. The children also enjoyed ice cream delivered by Anchorage-based ice cream stores.

The AKNG Child and Youth Program brought three of its youth council members to the event this year to celebrate with the local children. The youth council volunteered their time to wrap the presents and put them in backpacks before the trip.

“I’m honored to be able to attend and give back to the community like this,” said Sean Kegan, the parliamentarian for the youth council, who oversees the group’s meetings and event planning. “It’s great to be able to travel and share in the festivities with all
these excited kids.”

The Guard’s partnership with the Salvation Army has been a crucial part of the operation since its inception.

“It takes an entire community to make this happen, and we couldn’t have done it without our partners in the Guard,” said Jenni Ragland, a service extension and disaster services director with The Salvation Army. “The community puts a lot of work into making this happen, and we’re happy to share in the celebration. I can’t wait to see where we go in the coming years.”

In 2022, 31 members of the Alaska Guardsmen took part in a crucial snow removal operation after a snowstorm nearly collapsed the local school’s roof in Yakutat. This year’s visit highlights the continued commitment that the Guard has to its communities in need.

This year, Operation Santa Claus 2024 was conducted in the towns of Circle, Crooked Creek, and Yakutat. The teams brought joy to more than 200 children and moved nearly 1,000 pounds of cargo and 60 passengers. On their way to a successful year, they overcame many challenges, including weather and logistical obstacles.

The joint mission of Operation Santa Claus showcased the strength of the Air and Army National Guard and the partnership with the Salvation Army, with contributions from the 297th Regional Support Group, 38th Troop Command, the 176th and 168th Wings, as well as the Air and Army headquarters staff.