Drop-off for Operation Christmas Child starts Monday

Published 11:30 am Thursday, November 9, 2017

SALISBURY — Several locations in the multicounty South Piedmont N.C. Area Team will serve as drop-off sites for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child, joining nearly 5,000 U.S. locations collecting gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need around the world.
During the project’s National Collection Week on Monday through Nov. 20, Salisbury residents will transform empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys. Operation Christmas Child will deliver the shoebox gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.
This year, the South Piedmont team hopes to contribute more than 33,500 shoebox gifts toward the 2017 global goal of reaching 12 million children.
“We are honored to join the nationwide effort to collect gift-filled shoeboxes for children who may have never experienced the true meaning of Christmas,” said regional director Lindsay Tunnell. “Through these simple gifts and a message of hope, children learn that God loves them and has not forgotten them.”          
Collection sites are:
• Kannapolis: Central Baptist Church, 1810 Moose Road9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m.-noon Tuesday-Nov. 18; 1-5 p.m. Nov. 19; and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 20.
• Faith: Shiloh Reformed Church, 100 S. Main St. 5-7 p.m. Monday-Nov. 17; 9 a.m.- noon Nov. 18; 1-3 p.m. Nov. 19; and 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Nov. 20.
• Mount Ulla: Back Creek Presbyterian Church, 2145 Back Creek Church Road. 4-6 p.m. Monday-Nov. 17; 3-6 p.m. Nov.18-19; and 4-6 p.m. Nov. 20.
• Mooresville: Broad Street United Methodist Church, 355 S. Broad St. Noon-6 p.m. Monday-Nov. 19 and 7:30-9:30 a.m. Nov. 20.
• Salisbury: St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St. 12:30-3 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 3-5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 9:30 a.m.-noon Nov. 17; 1-3 p.m. Nov. 18-19; and 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 20.
• Woodleaf: South River United Methodist Church, 2880 Ss River Church Road. 10 a.m.-noon Monday-Nov. 18; noon-2 p.m.
Nov. 19; and 8-10 a.m. Nov. 20.