Submitted by Corbett Phipps – 

The West Union Christian Union Church is happy to announce that this year they will again be the collection center for “Operation Christmas Child” Shoeboxes for Adams County. Operation Christmas Child is a worldwide children’s project of Samaritan’s Purse, an International Christian Relief Organization headed by Franklin Graham, that collects gift filled shoeboxes and delivers them to children living in desperate situations around the world.
Every day boys and girls worldwide suffer from war, poverty, disease and natural disasters. Operation Christmas Child makes it possible for millions of these children to experience joy through shoeboxes filled with gifts. Last year nearly 11.5 million shoeboxes were delivered to children in over 100 countries.
The West Union Christian Union Church has been packing shoeboxes for 15 years. This is the fourth year that the churchwill be the collection center for all of Adams County. We invite your church, youth group, school group, club, or any individual to join us in filling a box. You can use any cardboard shoebox wrapped in Christmas paper (lid and box wrapped separately), plastic tote box or we have gospel opportunity boxes (Go box) available. A “Go” box is already decorated, ready to be filled. Choose to make a box for a boy or girl, select the age category 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14, and fill the boxes with a blend of school supplies, hygiene items, and toys such as dolls or soccer balls. Do not put in any liquids, breakables, food, candy toothpaste, or war- related toys.
After you have filled your shoeboxes you can drop them off at the collection center in the West Union Christian Union Church Fellowship Hall at 542 East Main Street, beginning Nov. 13th at any of the following times:
• Nov.13,14, 15- 2–6 p.m.
• Nov.16 and 17- 2–5 p.m.
• Nov. 18 – 9 a.m- noon
• Nov. 19- Noon–3 p.m.
For a listing of what and what not to put in a shoebox and to see Shoebox Distrubution stories, pictures and videos, visit: samaritanspurse.org/occ.
For more information or if you need boxes, brochures, box labels, or posters, please call or text Angela Horvath, Collection Center Coordinator at (937) 217-6620.