About Us
Our Story
In the 1940’s, Father Leibler, an Episcopal priest at St. Christopher’s Mission outside Bluff, Utah, began a program of gathering Christmas presents and gifts of food for the Utah Navajo. Even though this ended in the 1960’s, the feeling of community and joy engendered through this program continued to live in the memories of the locals. Kenneth Maryboy, a local Navajo, reinstituted this program in the 1980’s. By the mid-1990’s additional volunteers helped add more programs and by the early 2000’s this had grown into what Navajo Santa is today.
Our Mission
Ya’at’eeh Keshmish, a non-profit organization known as Navajo Santa, strives to enhance the lives of indigenous peoples. We acknowledge the strengths and the needs of the Navajo people living in and around the Utah Strip of the Navajo Nation through the spirit of giving while fostering trust and respect between cultures.
Volunteer Supported
Since its inception, Navajo Santa has been entirely volunteer-supported. Ninety-eight percent of funds go directly to program support. Year-round we carry out strategic planning, fundraising, promotion, administrative duties, research, community outreach, procurement and distribution of items.
Our Supporters
- American Express
- George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation
- Emma Eccles Jones Foundation
- Adcentives West
- Amazon Smile
- Archer Mechanical
- Bureau of Reclamation
- Cache Valley Electric
- Engineers Without Borders
- Ensign Engineering
- Eye Care For Kids
- Ken Garff Automotive
- Roger Hansen
- Lowell Construction
- Patterson Dental
- Peterson Plumbing
- Phillips Marble Shop
- Ponds Plumbing, Heating & Air
- Stringham Lumber
- Sunpro Building Supply
- Usbourne Books
- Wasatch Container
- Xmission Internet
- Plus, our many individual
contributors and volunteers.
Board of Trustees
- Marcia Thompson, Chair
- Mike Dahl, Vice Chair
- Jonathan Toone, Treasurer
- Ann Johnson, Historian
- Julie Marple, Secretary
- Marianne Felt, Founding Member
- Vicky Hoagland
- Nathan Johnson
- Patrick Juhlin
- Eric Kankainen
- Kathy Kankainen, Founding Member
- John McHugh
- Giles Wallace
- Kenneth Maryboy, Emeritus
- Toni Dee, Liaison
- Randall Dee, Liaison
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