Christmas charity program collection planned for next week

The week of Nov. 12 is the official collection week for Operation Christmas Child, a program that allows individuals to send a gift-filled shoe box to a child in another part of the world.

Operation Christmas Child was started by the Christian international relief organization Samaritan's Purse in 1993. Collection sites are located throughout the Southeast Missouri area.

Coordinators in the region hope to collect 12,500 shoe boxes, which will be packed by volunteers in the community. The gifts will be sorted and sent by whatever means necessary -- sea containers, trucks, buses, planes, boats, camels, even dog sleds -- to children in need.

To participate, put items such as toiletries, candy, toys, school supplies and a letter in a shoe box, wrap it and deliver it to a drop-off location. No money is required, but a donation of $7 helps cover shipping expenses.

"The neat thing about the boxes being wrapped is that the children use that for decorating their walls with," said area coordinator Birdie Casebolt. "It is amazing how these children will use everything in their box and they appreciate the littlest of things, including the wrapping paper."

She also said packing items in a plastic tub works well because it can be reused to carry water or for safe storage.

Drop-offs can be made at First Baptist Church in Millersville or to Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau.

Other Missouri Relay Centers are located throughout Southeast Missouri in Benton, Charleston, Dexter, Fredericktown, Kennett, Malden, Park Hills, Perkins, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston. National Collection week is Nov. 12 to 19, but locations may not be open all days.

A complete list of drop-off locations, as well as days and hours of operation, is available at the organization's Web site, www.samaritanpurse.com or by phone at 800-678-7561.

Samaritan's Purse staff and partners plan to hand-deliver eight million shoe box gifts to children in more than 100 countries. For many of these children, the shoe box gift will be the first gift they have ever received.

The shoe box gifts will be donated by individuals in 11 countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Germany, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan has packed an Operation Christmas Child shoe box gift.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133