By Chandler Inions

chandler.inions@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Every year, Operation Christmas Child sends packages all over the world to needy children around the holidays. This year, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center got in on the spirited giving.

“One of the local churches did this, and we had participated in the past,” President and COO Gary Blabon said. “Our community engagement (partner) brought it to our hospital and our community engagement committee to see if this was something they would want to do. It was an overwhelming yes.”

That community engagement partner, Kristen Trexler, said that they turned the campaign to raise donations for the event into a competition around the hospital’s campus to encourage participation from various departments.

“We made it the first annual Operation Christmas Child,” Trexler said. “We had a kickoff event in October where people could come and get information, and then we had a shoebox collection competition between departments.”

Trexler explained that the shoeboxes are stuffed with different kinds of items and then turned into a local place of worship.

“Life Church is a big distribution point for the county,” Trexler said. “So, they gather all of the boxes that we put together, pack and ship them to Charlotte where you have people who go through the boxes to make sure that everything that needs to be in there is.”

To prepare the boxes, several Novant Health staff members were championing Henry Ford’s innovative assembly line method in one of the hospital’s conference rooms.

One of those packers, Emily Shepherd, is no stranger to Operation Christmas Child, as she has participated in shoebox-packing enterprises in years past. For her, knowing that she is making a difference in a child’s life is compensation enough.

“It gives to children who don’t have anything,” Shepherd said. “It’s just a little something like a ball or car. They may have never seen that before. It makes them smile.”

The entire effort is coordinated internationally by Samaritan’s Purse. The missionary element of the project also appeals to Shepherd.

“In the process, Samaritan’s Purse also shares the gospel,” Shepherd said. “They have these boxes, and then they have these classes, and they teach them about God.”

Inside the shoeboxes are all sorts of items.

“We have a ball, a slinky, Hot Wheels, socks and a tic-tac-toe game, markers and toothbrushes,” Shepherd said. “If something comes like a smaller size flip flop or socks, it may go to a sibling or something. It’s good for the whole family.”

Trexler described items like a ball or Hot Wheels as a “wow” item.

“Then, we put personal care items, school supplies, crafts activities and all of that in there,” Trexler said.

With it being the advent of the holiday season, Blabon said staff were excited about making a difference.

“This time of year, it’s an opportunity for our team members to be able to give back not only in our community but to be able to give across seas as well,” Blabon said. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity.”

In addition to packing the boxes, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center will also cover the cost of shipping 300 boxes overseas. Each shoebox costs $10.

Clara Edenburn is the area coordinator for Operation Christmas Child. She has organized several events similar to the packing project at the hospital.

“I love this partnership we have established with Novant,” Edenburn said.

To find out how to participate, go to https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child.