Sarene Bellamy, Clark Calvert, Brenda Calvert, and Sara Lewis with some of the 1,687 shoe boxes collected last year. (Provided photo)
Submitted News
TheWest 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. Everyday 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 though shoe boxes 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 shoe boxes for over 18 years.
This is the eighth year that the church will be the Collection Center for Adams County. They invite your church, youth group, school group, club or any individual to join in filling a box. You can use any cardboard shoebox wrapped in Christmas paper (lid and box wrapped seperately) , plastic tote box or they 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 a 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. If at all possible, try to use a standard size shoe box (5 in by 7 in by 12 in.) as they are easier to pack into the shipping boxes. However, the church will take whatever size you bring.
After you have filled your shoeboxes you can drop them off at the Collection Center in West Union Christian Union Church Fellowship Hall at 542 East Main Street beginning November 15 at any of the following times:
Monday – Wednesday: Nov.. 15,16, 17- 2 – 6 p.m.
Thursday and Friday: Nov. 18, 19 – 2 – 5 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 20: 9 a.m. – noon
Sunday, Nov. 21: Noon – 3 p.m.
For a listing of what and what not to put in a shoebox and to see shoebox distribution stories, pictures and videos, visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.
This year the church will have in-person drop off where you can bring your boxes into the Fellowship Hall or if you have COVID concerns, simply pull into the parking lot, blow the horn and our masked staff will come to your car to get your boxes while you remain in your car.
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.
