The season of giving is almost here and you can now pick up a shoe box to fill for a child in need.
Team lead for Operation Christmas Child in our area, Sharon Allan Riives was the latest guest at the Rotary Club of Dryden’s virtual meeting on Wednesday to provide information about the project and share her involvement.
Riives says she’s seen first hand on a Canadian distribution trip to Guatemala, just how much the shoe boxes mean to those recieving them.
“These gifts are such a blessing, not only to the children but for their parents. Their happy faces, they’re so excited to peak inside those boxes.”
Riives got involved with Samaritans Purse-Operation Christmas Child 20 years ago, after she visited a third world country on a missionary trip and learned about the harsh living conditions people are faced with.
“Good thing I was living alone in a three bedroom condo because I had boxes around the walls of every room. For the first two years, I managed to do 15 hundred boxes each year.”
Years later, Riives continues to be passionate about this project, taking on the lead in our community, contributing roughly a thousand dollars and packing at least 125 boxes every year.
Riives talks about where local residents can grab a shoe box to fill.
“Both dollar stores in Dryden, out in the hallway of Hong Kong House and they can even be taking to Four Seasons Footwear once you’ve filled them, they don’t mind collecting them and bringing them to drop off day(s).”
Drop off is November 19, 20 and 21 from 9am-12pm at Dryden’s Full Gospel Church.
Shoe boxes have a brochure inside them with information on age groups they look to give gifts to, as well as gift ideas.
Some of the suggestions for what to include in boxes include hygiene products, a toy and school supplies.
Riives adds a timely gift you can add to boxes this year are cloth face masks.
BACKGROUND:
Since 1993 Samaritans Purse-Operation Christmas Child has gifted millions of children in need across the world.
Last year, 10.5 million shoe boxes filled with gifts were collected world wide.
The Canadian goal for 2020 is to fill 500 thousand boxes and the world wide collection goal is 11 million.
To learn more click here.
