“Santa is a rock star” says Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief Garrison Settee.
“It’s a massive undertaking, to bring gifts and toys and Santa into the communities. Its exhausting, but to see the kids with their smiles makes it all worthwhile. Its a collaborative effort,” says (MKO) Grand Chief Settee.
Settee presented a plaque to Carlos Castillo of Perimetre Aviation, and Custom Helicopters November 13 to acknowledge their support and participation in a whirlwind tour to get to 26 northern communities that are a part of their membership.

A large crew of volunteers help to assemble gifts for several weeks in advance, and then a crew with Santa will arrive either by plane or helicopter to meet community members once they land. As far as he knows, said Settee, their organization is the only one to deliver Christmas gifts to First Nation communities in this manner.
However, he explained, communities bring their own excitement and creativity to each landing.
“The kids scream and yell they want to see Santa. Santa is a rock star,” says Settee. Communities visited on the tour may have a small population or may have several thousand children who are waiting for a chance to meet Santa.
Settee said that communities may also have a plan of ther own. “One time we had the grinch trying to take the toys away from Santa and then the RCMP managed to apprehend the grinch before he got to Santa and they put him in a paddy wagon.” Often community members come out to light up the landing area.
Santa’s visit “is electrifying,” to children explains Settee, but their visits have also impacted adults. “I remember going to a small community and this older man asked “do you think I could sit on Santas lap? He wanted us to take a picture. ‘I’ve never done it before, he said.’ ”
The tour will take five days, and can be affected by the weather, said Settee. The trip will cover about 4000 miles, said Castillo. “It’s our pleasure to be a part of this amazing program,” said Castillo.