A very popular international charity is returning to Wetaskiwin and Millet for another campaign.
Operation Christmas Child involves the famous “shoe boxes” which generous donors fill with gifts for less fortunate children overseas.
“Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian International Relief Organization which delivered 11,213,010 million shoeboxes Internationally in 2015,” stated a press release from Wetaskiwin volunteer Gail Maugaun.
“There were 10 sending countries going into approximately 130 third world countries. Canadians provided 730,577 shoeboxes (30,000 more than 2014), and out of those Wetaskiwin and area provided 2,960 boxes (some were later delivered so we were very close to the goal of 3,000). In 2016 Canadian shoeboxes will be going into Uruguay, El Salvador, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Costa Rica, Haiti, Guinea, Chile (including Easter Island), Senegal, Venezuela, and the Ukraine.”
Maugaun also noted shoeboxes should be filled with school items such as pencils, pencil crayons, sharpeners, erasers, small scribblers, note paper etc. Hygiene items might include soap, wash cloth, small towel, comb, toothbrush (no toothpaste/shampoo or liquids). Other items might include toys, T-shirts, flip-flops, socks, underwear, stuffed animals etc. Remember: No candy or food items, no used items, no items that would melt or freeze, no items that might leak or break and nothing that will scare or harm a child. Samaritan’s Purse suggests a $7 donation be included to cover postage costs.
Shoeboxes are available from Wetaskiwin businesses, including Copy Kats, The Dollar Store, Smitty’s Family Restaurant, Wetaskiwin Public Library, Safeway and Tim Horton’s, also Millet Fresh Market and Millet Public Library during their business hours.
After shoeboxes are ready, they should be dropped off at the Wetaskiwin Mall during the following hours: Nov. 14 to 19 for Wetaskiwin and area, Tuesday and Wednesday November 14, 15, 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, November 17, 18, from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday November 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For information contact Maughan at 780-352-2038 or e-mail to gmaughan@telusplanet.net. Further information is available at 1-800-303-1269 or www.samaritanspurse.ca.