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Operation Christmas Child underway in Elk Valley
It’s full steam ahead for the Operation Christmas Child Campaign in the Elk Valley.
After delays in finding new committee volunteers to take charge of distributing Christmas Child Shoeboxes in the Elk Valley, Operation Christmas Child local media spokesperson Gary Cavers announced the locations for pick-up and drop-off centres in Fernie and Elkford. This year only, Sparwood residents will need to pick-and drop-off their boxes at a Fernie location.
Extra Foods in Fernie is back again as a pick-up and drop-off centre and Kootenay Custom Interiors at 402, Highway 3 in Fernie has been added to the list.
Overwaitea Foods in Fernie will be a drop-off centre and the EK Community Credit Union in Elkford is a distribution and drop-off business.
Some local churches will also have boxes available.
A new committee needed to be formed in the East Kootenay. Most of the former group retired or stepped down due to health, job and personal obligations that prevented them from continuing. Their tireless enthusiastic efforts over the years have been appreciated by the community. Thousands of gift filled shoeboxes have been collected locally and delivered to children in need.
As a result of the slow start-up, families in the Elk Valley will have to hurry to pick up their Christmas Child Shoeboxes and fill the boxes with gifts for needy children living in poorer countries around the globe.
The deadline for returning your shoebox to a drop-off location near you, is between November 17 and 24.
Remember to enclose a $7 donation in each shoebox you send. The money is used to help towards the expense of getting your shoebox into the hands of a needy child. In your box you can place cash in a sealed envelope or make a cheque or money order payable to Samaritans Purse.
Operation Christmas Child was started in 1993 by Samaritans Purse and is the largest Children’s Christmas Charity in the world. Since that date, over one hundred million gift filled shoeboxes worldwide have been collected and delivered to needy children around the world.
For additional information you can contact Pamela Berry 1-250-919-0655 or Gary Cavers at 1-250-426-1948.
