The Loon Lake RCMP loaded up their trucks and handed up toys and food items to families in Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation and Ministikwan First Nation in northern Saskatchewan.

Loon Lake RCMP officer loaded up the truck filled with food hampers and toys to deliver to families from Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation and Ministikwan First Nation – which is part of their annual Secret Santa program. Photo supplied by Loon Lake RCMP.

For the past several years, the Loon Lake Detachment members made the local Secret Santa program a holiday tradition. A number of organizations and citizens donated toys and food items, which started coming in November and flooded the upstairs of the Detachment with toys. Community members identified six families who could benefit from some extra Christmas cheer during the holiday season.

This year, families were picked from Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation and the Ministikwan First Nation.

Food hampers and toys were sorted and prepared specifically for each family ready for Santa’s special delivery on December 20.

“It’s a great day when we get to accompany Santa and deliver all the special packages to the selected families,” said Loon Lake Detachment Commander Sgt. Phil DeGruchy in a media release. “All the families are very thankful for the food hampers, which are brought in by detachment members. To see the joy on the children’s faces when the man in the red suit shows up highlights the true spirit of the holiday season!”

The Loon Lake RCMP are pleased to report that all the families received three large food hampers each and a very large box of assorted toys for the children. Any remaining toys were donated to the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, which has a similar Secret Santa program.

The Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation Store helped with the Christmas efforts by supplying hampers and the Ernie Studer School in the Village of Loon Lake put together eight large containers of food and toys donated by the students, staff and families.