In a longstanding holiday tradition, Perimeter Aviation and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) teamed up once again this year to help bring Santa Claus to remote and northern First Nations in Manitoba.
Perimeter gave jolly old St. Nick a free ride from Winnipeg to Oxford House, God’s River and Shamattawa Nov. 30, then took him into Brochet, Lac Brochet and South Indian Lake the following day. Kris Kringle was also scheduled to touch down in Cross Lake and Norway House Dec. 2-3.
“Many of the youth throughout MKO territory do not have the opportunity to travel to urban centres to see Santa Claus during the holiday season,” said Perimeter Aviation president Nick Vodden in a press release. “So we are pleased to partner with MKO and other organizations for 10 years now to make this program a success.”
MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said he was thankful for Perimeter’s participation in making the Santa Express a reality.
“This is all to bring a smile to the faces of little kids and an opportunity to see Santa in their hometown,” said Settee. “We are very thankful that the Santa Express Initiative is there for the north.”
Founded in 1960 and based in Winnipeg, Perimeter Aviation provides passenger and cargo services as well as medevac operations to 33 communities in Manitoba and Northern Ontario, many of which are isolated and difficult or impossible to reach by ground transportation outside of the winter ice road season. Perimeter has 750 employees, about 150 of whom are of Indigenous descent.
