A little gift with a very big message

Posted By Lori Penner

Posted 17 days ago

Operation Christmas Child area representative Mary Bartsch is excited to launch another season of bringing hope and joy to needy children around the world.

As the Christmas decorations slowly make their way back onto the scene, so do the now-familiar red and green shoeboxes.

The 2009 Operation Christmas Child campaign is well underway. The Samaritan's Purse project delivers shoeboxes filled with small gifts to needy children around the world.

Altona and area representative Mary Barstch says this year, the boxes will go to children in South America and Northwest Africa.

While they don't have a specific goal in mind, she says it would be nice to match the over 800 boxes collected last year.

Participants can pick up and drop off their boxes in the Altona Mall, near The Source, at Emerson Bigway Foods, or Mom's Bigway Foods.

Collection week is Nov. 16 to 21 in the Altona Mall, Mon. to Fri. between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Sat. from 1 to 4 p.m. "From here, they're shipped to Calgary and sorted, and then are distributed to children in other countries during December," Bartsch says.

Participants may choose the recipient of their special gift to be a boy or girl from one of three age groups. There's no limit to how many boxes you can fill. So what can you put in a shoebox? "Things like toys, school supplies, colouring books and crayons. Some people buy brushes or combs or flashlights," she says. Due to customs regulations, toothpaste, liquids like shampoo, food or soft candy and used items should not be included. Decks of cards are also not acceptable.

For those who don't have time to fill a shoebox, pre-filled boxes can be purchased at The Source and at The Party and Gift Shop. "Just pick up a box and pay for it and you're ready to go," she says.

And if you happen to miss collection week, a Greyhound bus will ship late boxes for free until the end of November. Local depots are at Tempo in Winkler and at The Healthy Herb in Morris. Operation Christmas Child also accepts donations. "They can be dropped off during collection week and will be forwarded to Calgary and used toward shoe boxes or shipping." Donations can also be mailed to Samaritan's Purse, 20 Hopewell Way NE, Calgary, Alberta, T3J 5H5.

Since the inception in 1990, more than 68 million shoebox gifts have gone to children in over 130 countries. Last year, 713,294 boxes were collected in Canada alone.

"It's just such a rewarding thing to do," Bartsch says.