Arviat Northern Store employee Rajat Verma, right, hands out turkeys to two unidentified men on Friday. (Photo courtesy of Northern Stores / Facebook)
Thousands of turkeys served up in 3 Nunavut hamlets
Stores’ donations mean turkey galore for people in Baker Lake, Arviat and Rankin Inlet
The smell of fresh-cooked turkey will float through the air in three Nunavut communities over the next little while as thousands of the frozen birds are being donated to residents.
Northern Stores partnered with the hamlets of Arviat, Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet to hand out the turkeys.
On Tuesday in Rankin Inlet, with about 2,700 residents, 1,040 turkeys will be distributed from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Community Hall, the hamlet announced last week.
“It will really help the community,” Rankin Inlet Mayor Harry Towtongie said Monday, adding he will be there to help hand out the turkeys.
To receive one of the birds, community members are asked to line up in their cars starting downhill in front of Mary Our Mother Catholic Church at 102 Sivulliq Ave.
Darren’s Taxi has offered to pick up and deliver 40 turkeys to community members in Rankin Inlet, free of charge to elders or those who don’t have vehicles.
Last Friday, as many as 800 turkeys were distributed in Arviat.
There were eight pallets of the frozen birds, some of which were delivered directly to elders in their homes, said Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr.
“I’m very thankful, because it’s food and that’s what we need. We’re very happy to see food going out to the people that need it and at a very good price,” Savikataaq said.
And in Baker Lake, close to 400 turkeys were handed out, said the hamlet’s senior administrative officer Sheldon Dorey.
In an interview, he noted Friday was a workday and some community members didn’t have a chance to pick up a turkey. Dorey said another 500 turkeys will be handed out in Baker Lake sometime in the next few weeks.
Even so, the hamlet still managed to give turkeys to half of the homes in the community, including personally delivering some to elders who were unable to pick to make it to the community hall to pick them up.
“Our Northern Store team worked closely with hamlet staff … to ensure the supply of turkeys was adequate for all families in each community,” said Brent Smith, manager of communications and media at the North West Co.
He couldn’t provide an exact number of the turkeys that were donated but said “food security is a priority for Northern Stores with food waste reduction as just one element of that focus.”
Sounds like northern just ordered more turkey than they could sell. It would be nice if they did more than a free old turkey from Christmas sale.
Hey Northerner, I’m sure they could have sold them, they wouldn’t have been allowed to give them away if they were outdated. Just enjoy another free handout and stop whining about it. With soooo many free handouts up here in the north, there always seems to be a lot of whining.
The statement made by Northerner. To be critical of the Northern giving away free turkeys. Is an example of a ungrateful and ignorant
human. Any of the food banks in the south would have been. More than pleased to receive such. A generous donation.
Just think how the citizens of Gaza would react. To a gift like this.
Northern perten to give them away for free because the hamlet paid for them and my Turkey dinner was not that great because you can taste the freezer burn and the smell that is why they gave them out!
How can we find out if Nutrition North subsidized the freight for this PR stunt?
Give it a rest all ready !!!!
Thank You Northern, this helps a lot.
Very interesting on what gets filtered and not on these sites, I wish Nunavut had a real Investigative News outlet not this joke.
100% agreed…..like to know what is happening with the fraud case of the Gill sister’s and their mother.
Would like to know what is happening with the alcohol situation in Rankin Inlet. If the reduction on beers sales made an impact
Would like to know lots of things Nunatsiaq News sensors too much in some cases and not enough in others.
Be grateful for what?! Highway robbery since they setup their first trading post?! Rakkng in millions and millions from the poor to working class? I bet you’re a scammer before this sir or madam
Northern by your comments. I know realize you acquired your vast incite and knowledge. By attending the Arctic Colleges esteemed School of Business. With all of your expertise. You should be a guest speaker. At the next years Davous meeting in Switzerland. I am certain that Warren Buffet and Charlie Monger. Would be unlighted by you views. On how the Northern Stores should be operating their stores in Nunavut.
It’s government owned dumbasses. Delbert. What makes you think I’d travel to switzerland? A major gold prospecting company wanted to hire me to look after their land claim in Latvia. But I turned it down because I’m no dumbass. Anything you appoint me to, I’ll leave you hanging. Wanna give me father of The year award? I’d say stick it up your arse. My friend threatened to sue northern store manager because he thought my friends checks were fake. I showed him the gold seals on the checks. He was still hesitant on cashing them but I told the manager, me and him here are partners. Working on land claims, trying to sell land to miners. We ride the chopper over the store everyday you can hear it. Than the manager was scared stiff.
It is a waste of time . Why do we live in these conditions. Why is there Nunavut when there’s no work, what a boring horrible territory to live in.
KUDOS Northern Store.🥳💖
I’m sure there were single moms💖 and children that really appreciate this.