CALLS TO SANTA
Greystone Heights School kindergarten students got a chance to talk to Santa Claus himself over military radio.
Eyes were wide and faces intent as children from Greystone Heights School kindergarten watched their classmates talking to Santa Claus on a military radio.
The five-year-olds waited patiently in line for their turn to learn how to use the tricky two-way-radio so they could hear the cheery, “Ho ho ho” from the man himself.
There were polite inquiries about the health of Mrs. Claus, reindeer Rudolph and the helpful elves.
Fresh off the phone with Santa, Felicity Adam said she was glad to talk to the man who makes Christmas deliveries.
“Who would drop off presents if he wasn’t real?” she said.
“It takes him 101 minutes.”
She also liked talking with the soldiers, who she said were just the same as the ones she’s seen on TV.
While excitement and sugary candy canes appeared to contribute to some spontaneous bouncing and hopping over wire radio cables that snaked across the school library, the children’s behaviour would surely have earned check marks besides names on the nice and naughty list.
Shelley Muir smiled as she watched her daughter, Kate, having a few words with Santa. Kate was “extremely excited” when she learned the class would get to talk to him.
“She said the whole class was screaming when they heard,” Muir said.
On Thursday afternoon, big green army trucks were parked outside the Main Street school, where kindergartners were allowed to climb on board and explore. They also checked out a radio-equipped truck and chatted with soldiers wearing camouflage uniforms.
Reservists from 38 Signal Regiment’s 4 Squadron in Saskatoon are taking Operation Radio Santa to four schools this week and next. They will visit Bishop Pocock School and Bishop Roborecki School Friday and KCC Brunskill School on Monday.
Santa Claus has a longstanding, excellent working relationship with the mili- tary, said Sgt. Ray Jacobs, who helped conduct Thursday’s operation.
Operation Radio Santa is a fairly recent tradition established by the army reserves, said Capt. Donna Riguidel, a military spokesperson.
“This is the first year we’re calling attention to it because it is such a sweet thing and the kids really get into it,” she said.
“They get to talk one on one with Santa. How good is that?”
The operation gives reservists active experience setting up equipment in unfamiliar situations and raises the profile of the military in the community, she said.
Cpl. Andrew Marek said he was glad to participate in an event that makes the military’s presence in Saskatoon more noticeable.
Marek, who was deployed to Afghanistan for 10 months in 2009, recalled the pleasure of returning home just a few weeks before Christmas
“It was good timing,” he said.
About 1,300 Canadian soldiers will remain deployed outside Canada this Christmas.