Palin helps play Santa in northwest Alaska village
Published Monday, December 8, 2008
Digg
delicious
Facebook
Mixx
Reddit
Stumble It!
FAIRBANKS -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin paid a surprise visit to the northwest Alaska village of Kivalina on Saturday as part of the Alaska Army and Air National Guard's Operation Santa Claus 2008.
Kivalina, in Alaska’s Northwest Arctic Borough, was the second to last city visited during the 52nd annual Operation Santa Claus, which also included visits to other rural Alaskan communities including Ruby, Newtok, Stebbins, Teller, Brevig Mission and Chalkyitsik. A visit to Metlakatla is planned for this week, according to an Alaska National Guard news release.
The 125 children who attend Kivalina's McQueen School received books, presents, a holiday meal and ice cream and could get their pictures taken with Santa. Palin was accompanied by her 7-year-old daughter, Piper.
Other guests included Gen. Carrol H. Chandler, Pacific Air Forces commander, Lt. Gen. (Alaska) Craig E. Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, Alaskan Command commander and Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Katkus, Alaska Army National Guard commander.
Operation Santa Claus has been an annual Alaska tradition for more than 50 years.
Community Discussion
Newsminer.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full user's agreement.
I remember as a child ,Santa would come to our village and it would be nice to see that he would go there again. I am sure the village children there in Huslia would be so excited.
A great Alaska tradition continues.
Why can't the DNM, in its headlines, refer to her as Gov. Palin?
native babies are cute- that's all I have to say about this article.
What adorable kids, and how nice of her.
Oh, and Rascal, generally headlines refer to the politician/sports figure/leader etc by their last name because the large point size for the headline type face takes up more room than does the point size of the article itself. I thought it was a very nice holiday-theme story, and I'm somewhat sorry that you felt that once again Mrs. Palin was somehow slighted. Well actually, I'm not at all sorry, just not surprised. ;)
Really, does Piper ever go to school?
Don't ya know, Piper's worldly travels will benefit her much more than class room studies?! And who is footin' this bill???
Is that part of the governor's job? I don't ever remember any other governor going on these trips-at least the last 20 years.
I am glad to see the Operation Santa tradition survives...the kids in the villages (and the community)look forward to these visits and gifts.
Someone please explain why our military, our governor, and our governor's child are doing this. Why does our society construct this elaborate Santa Claus tale, and then spend so much resources to perpetuate it? Flying the governor and one of her kids around has to be expensive... Who is paying for this? The state? The National Guard? It was bad enough to read that the North Pole fire department was carting Santa around, but that was cheap compared to flying the governor and her entourage around. Yes, the children are cute, and yes it's great that the governor has some face time in the villages. But how much is this costing, and who is paying the bill?
Glow, are you new to AK? The NG has been flying out to the Bush with a Christmas plane for many years. The villages enjoy it as do the NG members who participate. Regardless of who the passengers are, two extra packed in don't add any cost to an already planned activity.
I have known pilots who participated in this event & always looked forward to it.
http://www.ak-prepared.com/dmva/Press_Re...
The story says that this took place on Saturday. Do schools have classes on Saturday in Alaska? They don't in this neck of the woods so i see no problem with Piper going. And yes the Weekend Warriors, Jarheads and the Squids all participate in this kind of community service. It's called public relations, supporting the local community. It gives children that may have a poor Christmas at least some gifts. We all pay. That's part of life. And I gladly contribute something to all their toy drives. Toys for Tots (the Marines Toy drive) happens to be my favorite
It is a recruiting tool.
your slamming the governor, military and santa claus in the same post? wow! denying native kids santa claus. man you are cold!!!
glow---
It's a Christian military-industrial complex plot to undermine secular humanism in the villages. The whole idea is to stop unlimited abortions and gay marriages in the villages. They use Santa as a dupe. Now, the gig is up, and through your outrage maybe we can stop this Christmas tradition, and end this kind of wastefulness.
Bah, humbug!
Which one got the Nieman Marcus dress?
Seriously though, it's nice to see these Operation Santa articles. They always bring a smile to my face that's almost as big as the ones in the pictures.
who is nieman marcus? i doubt sarah knows either.
No, Virginia, there is no Santa Clause.
why can't the easter bunny visit the bush too?
Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.