Geneva church drop site for Operation Christmas Child campaign
Submitted by Rejoice Lutheran Church
Geneva now has its own drop-off site for the annual international Operation Christmas Child campaign, and it's at Rejoice Lutheran Church within the Mill Creek subdivision. Local churches, organizations and individuals can bring completed shoe boxes to Rejoice during National Collection Week, Nov. 14-21.
Operation Christmas Child, an outreach sponsored by the Christian group Samaritan's Purse, gives shoe boxes filled with gift items to some of the neediest children around the world. The project collected more than 8 million shoe box gifts in 2010, which were distributed to children in 108 countries.
Rejoice will accept shoe boxes during the these times: noon to 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15 and Wednesday, Nov. 16; noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 and Friday, Nov. 18; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20; and 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21.
Shoe boxes may be wrapped and decorated, but the top must be wrapped separately and then rubberbanded to the bottom. Ideal items to pack inside include hygiene products, such as toothpaste and soap, toys, school supplies, T-shirts, socks and hard candy. Samaritan's Purse asks donors to also pitch in $7 per box for shipping. If donors pay online and print a pre-marked label for the box, Samaritan's Purse will email donors the name of the country to which their box was sent.
“Instead of using shoe boxes,” says Julie Douglas, Rejoice's Operation Christmas Child coordinator, “it's a great idea to use a rectangular plastic container with a lid. Recipient families appreciate having the containers to store food and keep out bugs.” Rejoice does, however, have predecorated boxes on hand that are free upon request.
In addition to filled shoe boxes, Operation Christmas Child also accepts cash donations to cover shipping costs, as well as individual items, such as toothbrushes, pens/paper and small toys, which could be added to others' shoe boxes.
For complete instructions on how to pack a box or to make an online donation, visit samaritanspurse.org.
Rejoice Lutheran Church is at 0N377 N. Mill Creek Drive, Geneva. For information, visit rejoiceinthemission.org or call (630) 262-0596.