By Stephanie Webster

The spirit of the season swept over the Montréal region as 1 600 packages were assembled for Operation SANTA CLAUS. Designed to enhance morale of deployed CF personnel, during the holiday season, Op SANTA CLAUS is organized by the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency (CFPSA) and collects corporate donations and distributes packages.

The packages, put together with assistance from a group of local elementary school children, are filled with candies, chips, peanuts, reading materials and other “goodies”.

The success of Op SANTA CLAUS relies on contributions from corporate donors, support of volunteers and elementary school children. It also depends on shipping and handling co-ordination from Personnel Support Programs at CFPSA. In order for parcels to arrive on time in December, “Santa”, in conjunction with 25 CF Supply Depot Montréal, organizes an assembly line of student volunteers. The school children spend hours wrapping boxes with festive paper and putting all of the goodies together.

A unique part of the gift box is they all contain a handmade holiday card from home. “All 42 MFRCs are requested to send in letters from children attending their MFRC children’s activities or by school children,” says Linda Tyrrell, Directorate of Military Family Services, Policy and Program Development Manager. MFRC staff also approach local schools and invite them to have their students make greeting cards to send in the packages. Ms. Tyrrell notes, “The letters are very much appreciated by those far from home at Christmas time.”

After all of the organizing is done in Canada and the care packages are received overseas, Op ATHENA Welfare Manager, Alex Motuzas says, “Everyone (in camp) will receive their gift boxes all on Christmas Day.”

Op SANTA CLAUS enables soldiers, sailors and air personnel to celebrate the holiday season with a feeling of support from home.

Ms. Webster is the media relations co-ordinator at CFPSA.