Christmas shoeboxes due back next week

With Christmas only a little over a month away, the deadline to return shoebox gift packages as part of “Operation Christmas Child” is next week (Nov. 24-29).
Volunteer Evelyn Rawn, who has been spreading word of the campaign along with Linda Weir at local churches and schools to get them to participate, said she’s expecting an excellent response from the community once again this year.

“It’s something that they do every year, and it seems to get bigger,” Rawn noted. “You hardly have to remind people. Because it’s been going on for like 10 years, it’s just something people do.”
Area churches, schools, and residents all have contributed to the success of the program in the past, with students at some schools here participating nearly every year, said Rawn.
She couldn’t guess as to how many participants there will be this year, but was confident they would number in the hundreds.
It’s not too late to make up a care package, added Rawn. Those interested still can pick up an “Operation Christmas Child” shoebox at Safeway, or use any shoebox or reusable container that’s roughly the same size.
Information pamphlets also are available at local churches and schools, as well as at the customer service counter at Safeway.
The campaign, conducted by Samaritan’s Purse, sends shoeboxes full of small gifts to children in countries ravaged by war, famine, and natural disasters.
The process to put together a shoebox to send is simple: Take a regular shoebox with a lid, wrap it in Christmas paper or decorate it (optional), fill it with gifts, and put a cheque for $7 on top to cover project costs, including shipping.
Some suggested gifts include toys like small cars, balls, stuffed animals, jump ropes, and yo-yos, as well as small musical instruments like harmonicas and kazoos.
The children also can use practical items like pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or pencil crayons, colouring books, and writing pads, as well as hygiene items like toothbrushes, combs, washcloths, and mild bar soap in plastic.
Other appropriate items to send are hard-wrapped candy, ball caps, socks, hair clips, T-shirts, and small picture books.
It’s important not to include toothpaste (due to Customs regulations), any food items (except hard-wrapped candy), any used items, or anything that could melt, freeze, leak, break, or scare or harm a child.
Using a label, you also can indicate whether the box is intended for a girl or a boy, and whether the gifts inside are intended for a child aged two-four, five-nine, or 10-14.
As mentioned above, prepared boxes can be dropped off at Safeway next week (Nov. 24-29).
For more information, contact Rawn at 274-9462 or Weir at 274-6691. You also can learn more at www.samaritanspurse.ca