By Patrick Massey
COVE – Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Collection Week is now fully underway to bring Christmas to less-fortunate children across the world.
Local volunteers will be transforming empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and articles of clothing for children in need worldwide. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and bring joy to children in struggling communities across the world. It all starts with the help of a shoebox filled with gifts.
This year’s collection week began Nov. 13 and continues through Monday, Nov. 20.
As in previous years, local organizers will host a drop-off and volunteer site at Cove First Baptist Church, located at 114 N. Middle Street in Cove. Collection hours for the week:
-Monday, Nov. 13, through Friday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 4-6 p.m.
-Saturday, Nov. 18, through Monday, Nov. 20, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Mountain View Methodist in Mena is participating in the project for the first year. They put together 250 boxes donated by members of their own congregation and will be dropping them off to the Cove First Baptist Church.
Anyone interested in participating is asked to fill out a standard-sized shoebox with gifts for a girl or boy in certain age categories. Operation Christmas Child provides a full step-by-step guide on what and how to pack. That guide can be found online at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.
That website also includes more detailed dates and times for when and where shoeboxes can be dropped off near Polk County, such as in Waldron, Pencil Bluff, Glenwood, Horatio, and Murfreesboro, Arkansas as well as Poteau and Broken Bow, Oklahoma. Simply click the “Find Your Location” link and input your zip code at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/.
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