Shoebox International Collection Drive Begins in Armstrong County

by David Croyle

Yesterday began an annual tradition as churches throughout Armstrong County brought shoeboxes filled with toys and practical items for children in third world countries.

The event headed by the Samaritan’s Purse relief organization in North Carolina is dubbed “Operation Christmas Child.”

In Armstrong County, the local relay center has been operated as a missions ministry of Family-Life Church. Its job is to serve as a collection center for all the boxes packed by local civic organizations and churches and arrange transportation to Indiana, PA, where they are joined by thousands of other boxes at that county collection center. Together, they are hauled via tractor trailer to the international processing center in Boone, North Carolina.

Locally, the church began by promoting the event on its Sunday night cable television program in 2000. Since then, it has grown to include approximately 80 churches of all denominations.

The local relay center, operated in the Family-Life Social Hall, averages approximately 3,000 boxes each year. During the first day of collection, 817 boxes were brought in by car, van, truck, and personal carry-in.

Bonnie Arbuckle, a volunteer at Harvest Community Church in East Frankin Township, brought in a total of 236 boxes yesterday with plans for more to come this week. The church bought the plastic containers and made them available to their congregation.

“We passed them out on a Sunday and then gave the church (members) four weeks to return them,” Arbuckle said.

She summed up why their church has participated in the project:

“To spread Jesus and His love for everyone and to reach children in the world that haven’t heard of Him.”

Collection will continue all this week between 9AM and 4PM. Collection will finish on Sunday, November 23, at 4PM. The volunteers are also available to receive boxes during evening hours by appointment.

More information about collection efforts and how to pack a shoe box is available on the Internet at: www.operationchristmaschild.org, or by calling Jan Pennington at 724-548-8000, ext. 8500.