Alaska Pilot Spreads Holiday Cheer With Turkey Drops
Esther Sanderlin has been delivering turkeys via aircraft to remote parts of Alaska for three years.
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An Alaskan pilot has been making headlines for her unique Thanksgiving tradition— air dropping turkeys to her neighbors who live off the grid.
Esther Sanderlin says she’s been dropping “turkey bombs” for the last three years. Sanderlin told local news station KTUU that the idea came to her after hearing one of her new neighbors say they planned to serve squirrel meat as their protein for Thanksgiving dinner.
"I just had a thought at that moment, you know what, I'm gonna drop them a turkey for Thanksgiving, 'cause I recently rebuilt my first airplane with my dad, and so I can do that really easily," Sanderlin told KTUU.
Growing up in a remote part of Alaska, Sanderlin had a family friend who would deliver turkeys to her family, which also sparked her interest to pay it forward. With only 20% of the state accessible by road, Alaskans heavily rely on aircraft for necessities—especially during the harsh winter months.
Sanderlin says she plans to drop around 30 to 40 frozen turkeys this Thanksgiving. Ultimately, she says her goal is to turn her annual tradition into a nonprofit organization to reach more rural communities throughout Alaska.
