In a photo provided by the US Marine Corps, US Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Federico Gomez, disguised as Santa Claus, presents a gift to a student in Shungnak, Alaska on December 8, 2021. Marines on snowmobiles delivered toys to boys and girls in the Alaskan Arctic.
In a photo provided by the US Marine Corps, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jake Paolucci rides a snow machine on the Noatak River on a trip from Noatak, Alaska to Kotzebue, Alaska on December 14, 2021. Marines on snowmobiles delivered toys to boys and girls in the Arctic Alaska.
In a photo provided by the US Marine Corps, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jake Paolucci punches a child dressed as Santa Claus in Kotzebue, Alaska, December 11, 2021. The half-dozen Marines who participated were primarily from Delta Company, 4th Law Enforcement Battalion, a reserve unit.
Empire of Juneau (Alaska)
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Snowmobile Marines helped Santa this month by delivering toys to boys and girls in the Alaskan Arctic.
The Marines traveled to Kotzebue, 884 kilometers northwest of Anchorage and 42 kilometers above the Arctic Circle, aboard a KC-130 operated by Okinawa-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 , in Japan.
From there, they took commercial flights and snowmobiles to bring toys to 2,500 children in 11 villages, the Juneau Empire reported.
Cpl. Brendan Mullin, who took photos of the event, could hear the children panting as a sailor Santa walked into a preschool class.
“When you can see the smile through the mask, you know it’s a big, genuine smile,” Mullin said.
Their joyous work was part of the Toys for Tots program run by the Marine Corps and a nonprofit foundation. Launched in 1947, the program now provides 18 million toys each year to 7 million less fortunate children.
“It’s really just for the benefit of the kids. The sparkle in the children’s eyes, it’s worth it, ”said Captain Keith G. Lowell, a Marine stationed in Anchorage who oversaw the mission in Alaska’s Northwestern Arctic Ward.
