| Operation Christmas Child Underway In Calhoun |
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By JOEL McNEECE Operation Christmas Child is underway in Calhoun County as organizers begin the push for hundreds of shoeboxes filled with Christmas treats for children around the world. Jimmy Cole, of Calhoun City, is chairman of the local effort that collected 773 boxes last year. “We’ve had great support for this project around the county that means so much to a child a world away,” Cole said. All are encouraged to pack a shoebox with school supplies, toys, hard candy, a letter of encouragement or other items and leave it with their local church. The boxes should then be delivered to Calhoun City First Baptist’s CARE?Center, which is serving as the county drop-off spot for the second straight year. The Calhoun County boxes will be delivered to Tupelo, then transported to Atlanta from which they will be distributed throughout the world to more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty. “We’re excited about the project this year,” Cole said. “We’ve already begun packing shoe box gifts. We hope to exceed last year’s total once the collections begin.” All boxes in the county should be delivered to the First Baptist Calhoun City CARE?Center on the following dates: •Nov. 16-20: 2-6 p.m. •Saturday, Nov. 21: 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. •Sunday, Nov. 22: 1-3 p.m. Operation Christmas Child uses tracking technology that allows donors to follow their box to the destination country where it will be hand-delivered to a child in need. To register shoe box gifts and find out what country they are delivered to, use the EZ Give donation form found at www.samaritans-purse.org For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call (770) 777-9342 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org. |