The "Santa to the Villages" outreach program once again stopped into Ouzinkie, continuing their annual journey of spreading Christmas cheer to the remote villages around Kodiak Island.

“But, Santa Clause IS real,” I exclaimed to my childhood friend while sitting in the Ouzinkie School bleachers in my homemade, green velvet and white,frilled holiday dress.

“No,” my childhood friend protested, her brown, curled, pig tails swaying as she shook her head. “Everyone else is saying he isn’t real.”

Hearing this shocking news broke my 8-year-old heart, especially since the reason we were sitting in the bleachers in the first place, along with the rest of our classmates, was to welcome Santa Clause’s visit to our school.

Before I could continue the argument with my friend, my teacher piped in.

“Santa is waiting outside!” she exclaimed with energy, making her glasses dip down along the bridge of her nose. Her frizzy, curled, hair was bulged up, as if it stood up from all the excitement. While fixing her glasses, she turned back around, and started the carol we would all sing along to, to welcome in Santa: “Here Comes Santa Clause.”

I attempted to sing along.

After Santa was welcomed in, he began calling each kid from my hometown, one by one. He gestured them to sit on his lap and asked them what they wanted for Christmas, as he did so, he would, in turn, hand each one a present.

When it was my turn, I brushed my messy bangs out of my face and looked up at him.

“Is it him?” I asked myself.

“Well, what do you want my dear?” Santa asked me, his blue eyes full of warm Christmas spirit… It HAD to be him.

“I want a Purr Kitten.” I said timidly, attempting to regain my hopes that he was, in fact, the real Santa.

Santa smiled, and said he would do his best to get me a Purr Kitten. The Purr Kitten was a popular stuffed animal cat that was sought after by all girls my age. The toy had marbles in it, making the cat appear to be purring once it was shaken. I saw it on a commercial and had fallen in love with the toy.

I ran back to my friend to ask her what she wished for.

Once we shared our Christmas toy wishes, we started ripping open our presents. And behold, my present from Santa was… a Calico colored, Purr Kitten.

“SANTA IS REAL!” I exclaimed as I jumped up and ran to show my parents that Santa had gotten me exactly what I wished for.

My friend looked at my toy in bewilderment; her eyes slowly filling back up with the innocent belief of the magic of Christmas.

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Santa to the Villages (STV) is what helped me believe in Santa Clause as I growing up, and for the majority of other kidschildren in rural villages all over Kodiak Island.

Early morning on December 13th, the community of Ouzinkie welcomed Santa Clause to their hometown. The “Santa to the Villages” program, brought Santa on their annual event, as theytraveled to the eight different villages around Kodiak Island. Santa and his entourage arrived in Ouzinkie by Coast Guard helicopter; making the experience even more exciting for the children anticipating the arrival of Santa.

The program, founded in 1974, has been traveling to villages throughout Kodiak Island, making sure each child in every community, ages 0-18, receives a gift. In all, the program gives about 300 gifts each year.

Santa to the Villages was formed by the Kodiak Officers’ Wives Club, now known as Coast Guard Spouses’ Association of Kodiak. It was formed because the club and the Coast Guard community believes strongly in helping their Kodiak Island neighbors.

“The relationship between the Coast Guard and the communities of Kodiak is a special one, and helping to strengthen that relationship is important,” stated STV co-Chair Julie Jones. “Bringing joy to the children of the villages is one way we are able to show how much we care about the people of our community.”

In order to bring this Christmas fairytale to reality for the children in each community, the program has a volunteer to dress up as Santa to hand out the gifts. Also, each volunteer that travels with the program dresses up as an elf; putting on the persona of being Santa’s true “little helper.” In order to make sure every child receives a present, a contact from each rural school provides STV with an updated list of children in their village and the program also keeps a record of what each child got in previous years to make sure each child never receives the same gift.

“Sometimes we’re even able to accommodate a special request for a coveted item that next year,” stated Jones. “Santa and his elves are always making lists and checking them twice!”

The program receives the majority of its funds through the Stiles-Clark Auction each year in October. The auction is named after two important couples who helped build the success of STV. With the deep persistence of the late LT JIm Stiles and his wife Linda and also Captain Charles Clark and his wife Jane, the program is still running 40 years later. In fact, up until 2011 Jane Clark served as a contact point in Seattle for the program; purchasing gifts and shipping them to Kodiak. Other than the Coast Guard community, local charities and good samaritans also donate to the program from all over the United States.

“We beginning shopping the day after Christmas,” stated Jones. “the process takes a full year from start to finish.”

So far this year, STV has traveled to only seven villages: Ouzinkie, Old Harbor, Port Lions, Chiniak, Karluk, Larsen Bay and Akhiok. The program travels to each village by either boat or helicopter. The United States Coast Guard Air Station of Kodiak is the program’s major contributor in transportation.

Now, with Ouzinkie checked off of Santa’s Christmas list again this year, STV has pretty much completed their journey; sharing presents in celebration of the big holiday of Christmas. Perhaps the biggest gift of all is giving each of these children memories that will last a lifetime.

“We are always running into people who tell us their stories of growing up in the remote villages and how they always looked forward to Santa’s visit,” stated Jones. “Its very humbling to be a part of another person’s cherished Christmas memories.”

If you wish to donate to the Santa to the Villages program or gain more information please contact:

Mail:

Santa to the Villages

P.O Box 190690

Kodiak, AK 99619

Phone:

Santa to the Villages 2012/2013 Chairs

Julie Jones: (504) 330-4023

Heather Combs: (503) 791-6330

Email: santatothevillages@gmail.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-to-the-Villages/379212152172406?sk=info