Airmen help Santa answer letters Published Nov. 9, 2004 EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFPN) -- Air Force volunteers from the combat weather flight here will once again help Santa send out thousands of signed, North Pole-post marked letters to children worldwide.The Santa’s Mailbag program started 50 years ago by 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Airmen, and it has been carried on by those of the 354th Operations Support Squadron. Each year, the unit receives thousands of Dear Santa Claus letters and Christmas-wish lists. Volunteers in the weather flight sort and read the letters, select an appropriate reply from Santa Claus and mail the letters with an official North Pole postmark. Last year, the program received about 4,000 letters.“This program is a very important local tradition which has been carried on by weather Airmen along the years,” said 2nd Lt. Pedro Gonzalez, weather flight volunteer. “We take a lot of pride in running it. The kids get a lot of joy in receiving a letter from Santa with a North Pole stamp, and the parents get a great memento.”The volunteers start processing letters in late November and will continue through Christmas. The flight must receive letters to Santa by mid-December to ensure a reply before Christmas. Children whose letters arrive too late will get a special “after Christmas” letter from Santa. “We are hoping to start getting letters right after Thanksgiving,” said Lieutenant Gonzalez. “Since the post office can get swamped during the holidays, people should try to send the letters as early as possible.”Children can write to Santa at: Santa’s Mailbag, 354th OSS/OSW, 2827 Flightline Ave. Suite 100B, Eielson AFB AK 99702-1520. There is no cost for the letters, but self-addressed stamped envelopes or donations made out to “Santa’s Mailbag” to help defray the cost of postage and supplies are accepted.