ELIZABETHTOWN — Next month, several locations in the multi-county Cape Fear area — including in Elizabethtown — will serve as drop-off sites for the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child, joining nearly 5,000 U.S. locations collecting gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need around the world.
During the project’s National Collection Week, Nov. 13-20, Elizabethtown residents will transform empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys. Operation Christmas Child will deliver these shoebox gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.
This year, the Cape Fear, Area Team hopes to contribute more than 36,000 shoebox gifts toward the 2017 global goal of reaching 12 million children.
“We are honored to join the nationwide effort to collect gift-filled shoeboxes for children who may have never experienced the true meaning of Christmas,” said Regional Director Lindsay Tunnell. “Through these simple gifts and a message of hope, children learn that God loves them and has not forgotten them.”
In Elizabethtown, the collection site will be set up at Fellowship Bible Church, located at 2503 Waddell St. The hours for collection will be:
— Monday, Nov. 13: 4 to 7 p.m.
— Tuesday, Nov. 14: 4 to 7 p.m.
— Wednesday, Nov. 15: 4 to 7 p.m.
— Thursday, Nov. 16: 4 to 7 p.m.
— Friday, Nov. 17: 4 to 7 p.m.
— Saturday, Nov. 18: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
— Sunday, Nov. 19: 2 to 6 p.m.
— Monday, Nov. 20: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.