Efforts During National Collection Week; Seek to Reach Over 100 Million Children With Shoe Box Gifts Worldwide Since 1993
 While most people in the United States are preparing for holiday activities, California volunteers with Operation Christmas Child-the world's largest Christmas project of its kind-are filling shoe box gifts with toys, school supplies and hygiene items for needy children overseas. This year-round project of international Christian relief and evangelism organization Samaritan's Purse, headed by Franklin Graham, is ramping up as local businesses, churches and community groups prepare to collect 26,000 gift-filled shoe boxes during National Collection Week (Nov. 12 - 19).
 Anyone can drop off a packed shoe box at First Baptist Church, 208 S. Oak Street - a new collection point for Operation Christmas Child this season. Then, using whatever means necessary-trucks, trains, boats, bikes and even elephants-the shoe box gifts will be hand-delivered to hurting children in 100 countries around the world.
 In 2012, Operation Christmas Child expects to reach a milestone-collecting and delivering shoe boxes to more than 100 million children since 1993. During that time, Operation Christmas Child has collected more than 94 million shoe box gifts and hand-delivered them to suffering children in more than 130 countries. This year, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect another 9 million gift-filled shoe boxes. Through the power of a simple gift and the message of hope through Jesus Christ, children learn they are loved and not forgotten. For many children, the shoe box gift will be the first gift they have ever received.Â
Operation Christmas Child uses tracking technology to allow participants to "follow" their box to the destination country where it will be given to a child in need. To register shoe box gifts and find out the destination country, use the "Follow Your Box" donation form found at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call the local volunteer, Kyle Ward, at (573) 796-4452, or visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ. National Collection Week for gift-filled shoe boxes is Nov. 12-19; however, shoe box gifts are collected all year at the Samaritan's Purse headquarters in Boone, N.C.