SASKATOON — A moment of frustration sparked something bigger for Shirley Greyeyes, leading her to rally community partners and grow Operation Santa into a major support network for families in need.
Greyeyes recalled when she got mad at work. The director of the non-profit group, which supports numerous charitable organizations, said a minor incident drove her to reach out to other community associations and businesses to assist those who are struggling and in need.
“I started talking to these organizations. They’re like: ‘You got mad’ and I said, ‘Yes, I did.’ I said these people who really need this extra help are not getting it. What are we going to do about it? So, we called all these organizations and invited them to a meeting,” said Greyeyes, during the launching of this year’s Operation Santa 2025 Adopt-A-Family, now in its third year, on Monday, Nov. 17, at the White Buffalo Youth Lodge.
“What can we do to make sure that the people who may be needed a little bit more than those who are already receiving get that extra help? And as the discussion started, it turned out it wasn't even about Christmas presents; it became about food security and the worries that come with the holidays. When schools are closed, and services aren't available. So, it came out that they needed those supports through the holiday season.”
She said they agreed to work as a team — an all-volunteer community group, fully committed and eager to find ways to make the holiday season a little better for families and individuals experiencing difficult times, helping them celebrate during the most joyous time of the year. She added that they plan throughout the year, meeting monthly to review and update progress and begin preparations for their golf fundraising tournament.
She said she’s passionate about Operation Santa and the message it conveys about helping families get through the holiday season, as they continue to find the right people and organizations to support their cause, which she hopes to turn into a bigger community event if the need arises.
“We'll find the people to help us. We'll go as big as we need to go to make this. Our future goal, as we move forward over the next few years, is to look at Easter and summer. Look at other times when those supports are gone and not as readily available, and maybe provide them throughout the year,” added Greyeyes.
She recalled an incident last year, when a young mother, who had just gotten a deposit for an apartment so they could have a roof over their heads, was telling her two kids that as the weather got colder, they wouldn’t have enough to buy gifts and food to celebrate Christmas.
“Understanding that heartbreak she was feeling, not being able to give her kids everything that she likes to. A couple of days later, an organization knocked on her door. They had this hamper, a bag of gifts, and a gift card. She broke down and cried because she had just told her children they were having nothing, and then someone showed up at their door with this gift for them,” said Greyeyes.
“This is not about the Christmas presents. It is about the fact that somebody cared enough to come to their door and recognize that they needed just a little bit of extra help to get them through. And that's what this is about. It's about being there, supporting, and understanding that we can all give back.”
Operation Santa works through its community partners, who support families and individuals by referring those who need it most, respecting their privacy and dignity regardless of their living conditions, and ensuring proper support reaches them. Donors can choose how many families they would like to support and select the family size they would like to adopt.
There are two ways to donate: purchase the food, gifts and other essentials yourself and add your personal touch to a hamper for your adopted family, dropping items off at designated locations between specified dates in early December, or make a cash donation and let the volunteer “elves” buy and prepare the hampers on your behalf.
