Posts tagged ‘Love In A Box’

Gananoque Ontario Joins Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child officially started last October 23, 2009 and loving as we are, the residents of Gananoque Ontario and its surrounding areas in Kingston, Napanee and Westport are once again at the forefront of the activity.

Gananoque Ontario Joins Operation Christmas Child

Gananoque Ontario Joins Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

Simply described as “Love in a Box”, Operation Christmas Child volunteers are now collecting thousands of shoeboxes in the Gananoque Ontario area filled with school supplies, small toys, hygiene items, clothes, ball caps, socks, sunglasses and other trinkets that children from lesser fortunate countries would benefit from. These countries include 15 nations throughout Central and South America.

Gail Shillington, regional coordinator of Operation Christmas Child, along with other volunteers is now calling on Gananoque residents to have their shoeboxes filled in support to Operation Christmas Child, which has been hand-delivering shoeboxes filled with gifts to more than 68 million children in 125 countries since 1993.

Making a difference

“These children have no hope and this brings some hope and shows that someone cares,” says Shillington who joined the Christian relief organization headed by Samaritan’s purse because she wanted to make a difference.

“Most of us never have the opportunity to do great things in a great way, but we all have opportunities to do small things in a great way,” she adds.

According to Shillington who had taken part in the delivery of the boxes in Nicaragua and Mexico, the smiles on the children’s faces and great appreciation from the parents are enough to motivate her and the other volunteers to keep on working for Operation Christmas Child every year.

It all started with 500 boxes, 5 volunteers and one church. Now, they have around 200 groups from churches, businesses, service clubs, families and 60 volunteers.

Collection dates

Everyone in Gananoque Ontario should expect Shillington and her volunteers to go around the area distributing the shoeboxes. Collection dates are from November 16-19, 2009 so mark your calendars to show you care.