Thanksgiving in Alaska "Turkey Bomber" supplies families on the holiday

Those who live in Alaska far away from towns and villages don't have to miss out on the traditional turkey on Thanksgiving: thanks to the Alaska Turkey Bomb.

Esther Keim's propeller plane roars low over the snow-covered and almost deserted Alaskan forests. Again and again, black garbage bags fly out of the belly of the plane and land muffled in the sometimes deep snow. Nearby, local residents are already eagerly awaiting the delivery, as this will ensure their feast for the American Thanksgiving holiday.

Keim transports frozen turkeys in the sacks, which are traditionally cooked in the oven on the Thanksgiving table in the USA. However, in remote parts of Alaska, where there are no supermarkets for miles around, they are not exactly easy to come by. That's why Keim has taken over delivery for the third time this year with its Alaska Turkey Bomb.

Turkey airline

Only 20 percent of Alaska is accessible by road and in winter, many residents who live away from larger towns rely on small airplanes or snowmobiles.

Esther Keim herself grew up on a farm in Alaska and her family received many things by plane back then. At Thanksgiving, a turkey was always included, she says. Even though her family has long since moved to the city, she thought of it again when she heard about a family in the country who didn't have much to eat at Thanksgiving. She started her turkey deliveries with an airplane, which she and her father made airworthy again.

Through word of mouth and the internet, the initiative has grown steadily. This year, she delivered 32 frozen turkeys, including to Dave and Christina Luce, who live on the Yentna River around 70 kilometers from the capital Anchorage. The view from their house is spectacular, but in winter it takes 90 minutes by snowmobile to get to the nearest town. They still make the trip once a month, says Dave Luce. "I'm 80 years old, so we're making fewer and fewer trips."

"It's going to be a great Thanksgiving"

With the five and a half kilo turkey that Keim delivered to them, they also want to feed some of their neighbors. "It's going to be a great Thanksgiving," says Luce, who has known Keim since he was a child.

From the airfield in Anchorage, the radius of Keim's turkey flights extends up to 160 kilometers north to the foothills of Denali, the largest mountain in Alaska.

Delivery is not always easy. One person on the plane steers, the other drops off the turkeys. Keim has to contact the families in advance via portals such as Facebook or Instagram so that they are at the door at the right time. "We only drop the turkey when we see them coming out of the house or cabin, because if they don't see it drop, they don't know where to look."

Timing when dropping is crucial

On one occasion, a turkey was not found in deep snow for five days, says Keim. However, a ham was the only delivery that was completely lost.

The right timing when dropping the heavy turkeys is everything. Keim jokes that she herself is not necessarily accurate. "But I've never hit a house, a building, a person or a dog."

She buys the turkeys in supermarkets and receives donations from supporters. Her reward is the joy of the families who send her videos and photos of their feasts, says Keim. The next step for the young woman is to found a non-profit organization with which she wants to reach other parts of Alaska. And perhaps she will then deliver something other than turkeys. "There are so many children living out there in the villages. It would be cool if you could give them a cuddly toy or something similar."

dpa