Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, on behalf of the Tu Nedhe residents, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a few people for the kind contributions and selfless acts during Christmas holidays.
Mr. Speaker, Christmas can be a trying time for families, particularly elders living alone or single mothers in small communities. For some of these, the Christmas Hamper Program provides the only opportunity to have a nice Christmas dinner with their family.
Mr. Speaker, each Christmas the Salvation Army here in Yellowknife runs a Christmas Hamper Program in collaboration with Air Tindi. They send over 25 Christmas food and toy hampers to the community of Lutselk’e.
Mr. Speaker, since being elected MLA for Tu Nedhe, I have assisted with getting the Christmas Hamper Program into Fort Resolution. This would not be possible without the tremendous effort of Donna Beaulieu in Fort Resolution. Donna singlehandedly takes on the task of identifying those in need and completes all the necessary paperwork or assists the people with paperwork and then, on top of all that, her and her spouse and children deliver the hampers to each household.
Mr. Speaker, the Christmas Hamper Program is an important program for some families in Tu Nedhe and is only made possible by the kind generosity and acts of these people.
I would like to take this opportunity recognize and thank those people; first and foremost the staff with the Christmas Hamper Program at the Salvation Army here in Yellowknife. Each year they work long hours making sure the hampers get to all the families in need. Secondly, I would like to thank Air Tindi for flying the hampers into Lutselk’e at no charge, and to North Best Foods for storing and assisting with loading the hampers for delivery to Fort Resolution and, of course, Donna and her family in Fort Resolution for getting the hampers to each household.
Mr. Speaker, because of the generous efforts of these people, Christmas for some residents of Tu Nedhe is much happier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
