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Alaska National Guard brings Santa to remote Yup'ik Eskimo village
• KWETHLUK, Alaska (AP) -- Christmas in Alaska came early this week to nearly 300 students attending school in the Yup'ik Eskimo village of Kwethluk.
• Thanks to the volunteer program coordinated by the Alaska National Guard, Santa and Mrs. Claus greeted children in the western Alaska community and took pictures with them before helper elves handed out gifts.
• "Santa and Mrs. Claus is not something that normally happens out there for them. It's commonplace for us here in Anchorage or the bigger towns to be able to go to the malls and see Santa," said Jo Katkus, the chairwoman of Operation Santa Claus, as she and 24 other volunteers waited early Wednesday morning at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to load a military C130 cargo plane for the 300 mile flight.
• "For them, it's a real extra treat," she said.
• The fact the visit even happened is a testament to the adaptability of Alaskans, whose flight plans change at any given moment because of weather or mechanical issues. Flying -- oftentimes in bad weather -- is required in Alaska since most of communities are off the state's limited road system.
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Today in History
The Associated Press
• Today is Friday, Dec. 13, the 347th day of 2013. There are 18 days left in the year.
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• Today's Highlight in History:
• On Dec. 13, 2000, Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore conceded to Republican George W. Bush, a day after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down further recounts in Florida.
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• On this date:
• In 1642, Dutch navigator Abel Tasman sighted present-day New Zealand.
• In 1769, Dartmouth College in New Hampshire received its charter.
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