Rich Owens, owner of the Alaska Tastee-Freez restaurant and an Operation Santa Claus volunteer, offers free ice cream to Patty Matuklook and her grandson Raphael, 11. A long-time supporter of the Alaska National Guard, Rich is known unofficially as commander of the 176th Ice Cream Squadron. The Alaska Air and Army National Guard were in Gambell, on remote St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, with a group of civilian volunteers on Dec. 16, 2009 as part of Operation Santa Claus. Now in its 53rd year, Operation Santa Claus is a program of the Alaska National Guard to bring toys, food, supplies and Christmas cheer to isolated villages around the state. Alaska Air National Guard photo by 1st. Lt. John Callahan.