It’s *** bird. It’s *** plane. It’s both. That’s Esther Sanderlin loading frozen Thanksgiving turkeys onto her plane and dropping them off to her neighbors in Sna and others in the region who live off the road system during the freeze up. You can’t really get around so you can’t travel out there, but you can fly. This is Esther’s third year doing her turkey bombs, making sure those living off the grid aren’t left out for Thanksgiving one weekend. And I was visiting our newest neighbor and they were talking about splitting *** squirrel three ways for dinner and how that didn’t really go very far. And I just had *** thought at that moment, you know what I’m gonna, I’m gonna drop them *** turkey for Thanksgiving because I recently um rebuilt uh my first airplane with my dad and so I could do that really easily. She got the idea after growing up in Sna, we had *** friend, *** neighbor that would drop airdrop turkeys to my family and to other families in the neighborhood. Esther hopes to turn this mission into *** nonprofit. My vision with this is to reach farther parts of Alaska because there are so many families that live rural, that live off the grid this year, she is dropping about 30 to 40 turkeys. And for those wondering if this bruises the bird and they’re all frozen. So some people are like, uh, does this hurt the turkey? Is it like Tenderized or, you know, they’re all frozen? They literally just bounce off the ground or if it’s on the ice, they bounce off the ice or if we’re low, they’ll just roll like *** bowling ball. It’s all in an effort to ensure that no one is forgotten even when living off the grid. Cassandra Mansell Alaska’s new source.
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Video: Pilot drops turkeys from plane for neighbors in rural Alaska
With Thanksgiving approaching, Esther Sanderlin from Skwentna, Alaska, is air-dropping turkeys to her neighbors and others living in isolated areas. This year marks the third time Sanderlin has undertaken this mission, ensuring that those off the grid can enjoy a festive meal. “During the freeze-up, you can’t really get around, so you can’t travel out there, but you can fly,” Sanderlin told KTUU.The idea came to her after a visit with a new neighbor who mentioned splitting a squirrel between three people for dinner. “I just had a thought at that moment, you know what, I’m gonna 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 said.Sanderlin, who grew up in Skwentna, was inspired by a neighbor who used to air-drop turkeys to her family. She hopes to expand her efforts into a nonprofit organization to reach more rural families in Alaska. “My vision with this is to reach farther parts of Alaska, ’cause there are so many families that are rural, that live off the grid,” sheThis year, she plans to drop about 30 to 40 turkeys. When asked if the frozen turkeys get bruised during the drop, Sanderlin reassured, “They’re all frozen. They literally just bounce off the ground. Or if it’s on the ice, they bounce off the ice, or if we’re low, they’ll just roll like a bowling ball.” Her mission is to ensure that no one is forgotten during the holiday season, even those living outside of the road system.See more in the video player above.
With Thanksgiving approaching, Esther Sanderlin from Skwentna, Alaska, is air-dropping turkeys to her neighbors and others living in isolated areas.
This year marks the third time Sanderlin has undertaken this mission, ensuring that those off the grid can enjoy a festive meal.
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“During the freeze-up, you can’t really get around, so you can’t travel out there, but you can fly,” Sanderlin told KTUU.
The idea came to her after a visit with a new neighbor who mentioned splitting a squirrel between three people for dinner.
“I just had a thought at that moment, you know what, I’m gonna 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 said.
Sanderlin, who grew up in Skwentna, was inspired by a neighbor who used to air-drop turkeys to her family.
She hopes to expand her efforts into a nonprofit organization to reach more rural families in Alaska.
“My vision with this is to reach farther parts of Alaska, ’cause there are so many families that are rural, that live off the grid,” she
This year, she plans to drop about 30 to 40 turkeys.
When asked if the frozen turkeys get bruised during the drop, Sanderlin reassured, “They’re all frozen. They literally just bounce off the ground. Or if it’s on the ice, they bounce off the ice, or if we’re low, they’ll just roll like a bowling ball.”
Her mission is to ensure that no one is forgotten during the holiday season, even those living outside of the road system.
See more in the video player above.