After a difficult year for the Northwest Territories, Tracy Cross Gauthier is hoping Hay RiverSA国际影视传媒檚 annual Secret Santa tradition will be extra special.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a tremendous amount of support for this program,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭here always has been, but people are aware of the losses that some people have felt and continue to feel, so they want to make it a bit more special.SA国际影视传媒�

Cross Gauthier has been organizing Hay RiverSA国际影视传媒檚 Secret Santa program since 2020, when she took over the role from Michelle Schaub.

The program has been operating since the 1990s. It solicits donations from community members and local organizations, which are then used to purchase toys for children in Hay River, on KSA国际影视传媒檃tlSA国际影视传媒檕deeche First Nation, and as of this year, also in Enterprise.

All three communities were evacuated during this summerSA国际影视传媒檚 wildfires. The majority of buildings in Enterprise burned down, and many community members have still not returned.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been an incredibly devastating year for the Hamlet of Enterprise and we want to extend whatever help we can,SA国际影视传媒� Cross Gauthier said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e absolutely including them this year.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 the first time that theySA国际影视传媒檝e been included, and for obvious reasons,SA国际影视传媒� she added. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a lot of people that have been displaced.SA国际影视传媒�

Cross Gauthier and her team, which includes her husband, began accepting donations for this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 Secret Santa in mid-November. Donations can be made by e-transfer, by mail or in person, and support has already been pouring in.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a lot of interest to help this year, obviously due to the trauma that the community has been through over the last year, particularly this past summer,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Donation efforts will reach a crescendo with a toy drive on Dec. 9. Toys will then be distributed by a volunteer team of emergency personnel on Dec. 16.

A portion of donated funds will also be used to purchase grocery gift cards for local families SA国际影视传媒� a detail Cross Gauthier added to the program when she took up the mantle as facilitator in 2020.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a few changes that ISA国际影视传媒檝e implemented over the last two or three years and itSA国际影视传媒檚 kind of streamlined things a little bit,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淔or example, we used to give out frozen turkeys and things like that, but we found that there was a duplication of services and some people didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want a turkey. So weSA国际影视传媒檝e gone to gift cards for their local grocery stores, which helps the local economy, and it gives the recipients the option of how they want to cook their Christmas dinner.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think two years ago we started using the gift cards, and we used some from the Ehdah Cho Store on the reserve, so that spreads the donation dollars across the river as well.SA国际影视传媒�

The focus of the donations will be on families with children up to 17 years old, but SA国际影视传媒渁nyone can put anyoneSA国际影视传媒檚 name down,SA国际影视传媒� according to Cross Gauthier.

SA国际影视传媒淲e gather names anonymously and we have a variety of sources that provide us with families that need a helping hand during Christmas, including schools, government agencies and friends and family of these folks,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Community SA国际影视传媒榲ery generousSA国际影视传媒�

Last year, roughly 100 homes received $60 grocery cards, and close to 200 children received gifts.

Cross Gauthier admits facilitating Hay RiverSA国际影视传媒檚 beloved Secret Santa tradition takes SA国际影视传媒渜uite a bit of workSA国际影视传媒� but noted that itSA国际影视传媒檚 a concentrated effort.

SA国际影视传媒淚 started probably a week or so ago, and itSA国际影视传媒檒l be over pretty close towards the 16th of December,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 when the majority of the gifts will be delivered by the emergency personnel. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 always a few leftover things that my husband and I need to take care, but by the 16th, 17th, 18th, somewhere in there, itSA国际影视传媒檚 pretty much over. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 an intense time frame, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 only for four or five weeks, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 manageable.SA国际影视传媒�

Despite a busy few weeks every December, Cross Gauthier continues to be motivated by the SA国际影视传媒渘eedSA国际影视传媒� for the program in the region, and is filled with pride in her community when it concludes each year.

SA国际影视传媒淭his community has always been very generous,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎s long as somebodySA国际影视传媒檚 willing to run this program, I think it will be successful in the sense that theySA国际影视传媒檙e able to help out and bring a little Christmas cheer from the rest of the community to the families in need.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 mind saying that I was a little scared when I took the program on. I wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 quite sure what I was doing, so I kind of fumbled through it a little bit, but the satisfaction and the sense of pride in Hay River and the supporters of this program was instant when I started, so when itSA国际影视传媒檚 all over, instead of being tired and going SA国际影视传媒業SA国际影视传媒檓 glad itSA国际影视传媒檚 over,SA国际影视传媒� ISA国际影视传媒檓 actually rejuvenated and have ideas for next year.SA国际影视传媒�