From staff reports
Local churches are collecting shoeboxes full of gifts for children around the world for the annual Operation Christmas Child program.
Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child is next week from Monday until Monday, Nov. 22.
Operation Christmas Child is supported through Samartian’s Purse, an evangelical Christian humanitarian aid organization that provides aid to people in physical need as a key part of its Christian missionary work. The organization’s president is Franklin Graham, son of Christian evangelist Billy Graham.
Throughout the United States and abroad, individuals, families, churches and groups fill empty shoeboxes with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys, such as dolls or soccer balls. The boxes are collected and given to Samaritan’s Purse, which takes care of the distribution of the boxes.
Items that should not be included in the boxes include candy, toothpaste, used or damaged items, toy guns or knives, military figures, seeds, chocolate or food, liquids or lotions, medications or vitamins, breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers, and aerosol cans.
To learn how to pack a shoebox, view gift suggestions, get your Follow Your Box label and find the nearest drop‑off location, people can go online to www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.
Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through Follow Your Box and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.
The Heckathorn United Methodist Church, located 369 Heckathorn Church Road, Seneca, will be open for collections from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, and 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Nov. 22.
New Zion Evangelical Congregational Church, 1195 Airport Road, Emlenton, will accepting shoeboxes from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, and 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 22.
Trinity Point Church of God at 180 W. Trinity Drive, Clarion, will be open for shoebox collection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, and 7 to 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 22.
