In the most remote area of Alaska, where shopping is inconvenient and Thanksgiving cannot rely on takeout meal delivery, some fortunate residents are still able to enjoy a turkey feast at home without stepping out, all thanks to a compassionate local woman who goes the extra mile to help them.
According to a report by the Associated Press, for the third consecutive year, Esther Keim, a local woman, has been piloting a small aircraft at low altitude over the rural areas in the central and southern parts of Alaska, air-dropping frozen turkeys for residents who are unable to easily reach grocery stores.
Dave Luce and Christina Luce are among the beneficiaries. Knowing Keim for years, she delivered a 12-pound turkey, enough for them and a few neighbors to enjoy a meal together.
“This made our Thanksgiving really special,” Dave said. “She is truly a kind-hearted person and a genuine friend.”
Most parts of Alaska are wilderness, with only about 20% of the area accessible by roads. In winter, many residents in remote areas can only travel by small aircraft or snowmobiles, as the roads are frozen rivers beneath the wheels.
The Luces live about 45 miles northwest of Anchorage along the Yentna River. Surrounded by stunning mountain views, including North America’s highest peak, Denali, it takes a 90-minute snowmobile ride to reach the nearest town in winter, which they do about once a month.
“I’m 80 years old now, so we’re traveling less and less,” Dave said. “The thrill of adventure is no longer there.”
Keim grew up on a homestead in Alaska. A friend of her family would always air-drop turkeys to their home and neighbors during the holidays. Other times, this “pilot” would deliver newspapers to Keim, sometimes with a pack of gum tucked inside.
About 25 years ago, she and her family moved to the urban area of Alaska. Years later, Keim learned that a resident near her old homestead had almost nothing on their Thanksgiving dinner table, leading her to begin her turkey air-dropping journey with a small aircraft she and her father rebuilt.
“At that moment, I thought… ‘I’ll air-drop a turkey for them,'” Keim recalled, but she didn’t stop there.
Through word of mouth and social media, her air-drop list grew longer. This year, she air-dropped 32 frozen turkeys to residents around her neighborhood who are “off the grid” year-round.
Keim air-drops 30 to 40 turkeys each year, some bought with donations from other kind-hearted individuals. Flying from a base north of Anchorage to the foothills of Denali, she travels up to 100 miles. Each time before the air-drop, she notifies them to prepare for delivery.
Ultimately, she hopes to establish a non-profit organization to raise more donations and benefit more areas across the state, not limited to turkeys.
“There are many children in the village,” she said. “If I can bring along a stuffed animal or something, that would be awesome.”