(Press release)

WACO, Texas, Nov. 10, 2008—Local volunteers are collecting simple shoe box gifts personally packed by children, families, and individuals here in Waco. From Waco, the shoe box gifts will be sorted and sent using whatever means necessary—sea containers, trucks, buses, trains, airplanes, helicopters, boats, camels, even dog sleds—to reach suffering children around the world.

“Operation Christmas Child is a unique opportunity to do something as simple as packing a shoe box that will have a lasting impact on a child across the world,” said Keri Pribble, Operation Christmas Child regional manager. “We are excited about the 2008 collection season as community members have already begun packing shoe box gifts.”

LOCAL COLLECTION SITE, NOV 17-24:
Highland Baptist Church
3014 Maple Ave
Waco
(800) 910-2498

Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Sat: 10:00am - 2:00pm
Sun: 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Mon: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Right now you can join the effort to help the world’s largest Christmas project hand-deliver some 8 million gift-filled shoe boxes to children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine, and poverty.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO GET INVOLVED:

PREPARE—Enlist families, churches, scout troops, community groups and businesses to take part in creating shoe box gifts for needy children worldwide.

PACK—Fill shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, candy and a letter of encouragement. Step-by-step shoe box packing instructions are available at www.samaritanspurse.org.

PROCESS—Sign up to join Operation Christmas Child volunteers at collection sites in Waco as part of the effort to prepare millions of shoe box gifts for delivery to underprivileged kids on six continents.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, a project of international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse headed by Franklin Graham, has delivered more than 61 million gift-filled shoe boxes to needy children in some 130 countries.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call (254) 855-2908 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org. National Collection Week is Nov. 17-24.