Catawba has goal to send 500 boxes to Operation Christmas Child
Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 5, 2015
- Catawba College is once again participating in Operation Christmas Child. Last year, the college community sent 423 boxes to children around the world. This year's goal is 500 boxes. Submitted photo
Catawba College will once again participate in the Operation Christmas Child shoe box project. This project sends gift-filled shoe boxes to needy children around the world.
Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have received simple shoe box gifts from Operation Christmas Child.
For most of the children receiving a shoe box, the shoe box gift is the only gift they have ever received, and their first opportunity to learn of God’s love. Last year, thanks to the generosity of the Catawba community, 423 shoeboxes were sent from campus to hurting children around the world. The goal this year is to send 500 gift-filled shoeboxes.
There are several ways for Catawba faculty and staff to be involved in this worthy project. For those who would like to pack a shoe box, empty OCC shoe boxes are available in the Student Affairs Office and the Registrar’s Office. A brochure with details on how to pack a box accompanies each empty box. The gift-filled boxes should be returned to the Student Affairs Office during the week of Nov. 16-20.
On Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., a Packing Party is scheduled in the Leonard Lounge of Catawba’s Cannon Student Center. Students and other members of the campus community will plan to pack 500 shoeboxes that night, and volunteers are needed to help with getting supplies into the boxes. Those willing to contribute small toys, school supplies, hard candy and gum, etc., should bring those items to the Student Affairs Office by Nov. 10 and are also invited to participate in the packing party.
This year, there is a new opportunity for individuals to sponsor a box in memory or in honor of someone. For a donation of $15, a box will be packed at the packing party and a card with a photograph of a gift-filled shoebox will be sent to the recipient, acknowledging the gift that your donation provided.
If you are interested in sponsoring a box or boxes, contact Jan Gillean in Catawba’s Student Affairs office at 704-637-4410.
For more information on the OCC project and suggestions for items to pack in the shoeboxes, go to www.samaritanspurse.org and click on Operation Christmas Child.
