Operation Christmas Child

The year-round project of international Christian relief and evangelism organization, Samaritan's Purse, is ramping up as local businesses, churches and community groups prepare to collect 10,000 gift-filled shoe boxes during National Collection Week, which is Nov. 11 - 19. Anyone can drop off a packed shoe box at one of four locations in Washington County. The shoe box gifts will be hand-delivered to children in 100 countries around the world. Local collection sites:   Pro Pools , 325 E. Wilson Blvd., Hagerstown Operating hours: Monday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 17, 1 to 3 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 18, 1 to 3 p.m.   Four Seasons Florist ,  22024 Jefferson Blvd., Smithsburg Operating hours: Monday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 17, 9 a.m. to noon; and Sunday, Nov. 18, noon to 2 p.m.    Downsville Church of the Brethren , 8228 Dam 4 Road, Williamsport Operating hours: Monday, Nov. 12, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 13, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 15, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 16, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 18,...

On Thursday, the Hagerstown Chick-fil-A restaurant will open its doors to local residents to pick up Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes to fill and send to needy children all around the world this Christmas season. On Nov. 8, Chick-fil-A will collect those gift-filled shoe boxes in exchange for a coupon for a free chicken sandwich at its local participating locations. This year, the Hagerstown community will gather more than 8,000 gift-filled shoe boxes to include in this year's global collection goal of 9 million filled shoe boxes sent to more than 100 international countries.

Carletta Leather said that at age 76, she has everything she needs. For birthdays and Christmas she asks her children to give her packing tape, a testament to how important her involvement with Operation Christmas Child has become to her. “They didn't like the idea at first,” she said. The packing tape is used to completely cover the decorated shoeboxes, that will hold gifts for needy children across the globe. Carletta has heard that the boxes are prized by the children as much as the contents inside.

Valery Bianco, 18, enjoys packing shoe box gifts with his family every year for Operation Christmas Child. However, several years ago his life was very different. Bianco grew up in an orphanage in Russia.  “As an orphan, I felt abandoned and hopeless because no one cared for me or encouraged me,” he said. When he was about 10 years old, he received something special that changed his life - a gift-filled shoe box. “When I received the shoe box gift, I remember feeling so happy that someone in the world loved me,” he said.

The auditorium at Broadfording Christian Academy was full of parents, relatives and other visitors Dec. 6 when the preschool, kindergarten and elementary music classes performed "Operation Christmas Child" for their audience. Fort Faithful was the setting where Cpl. Christie (Laikyn Cook), Sgt. Smarter (Nathan Smith), Private Eye (Kaitlyn Blankenship), Private Elvis Presby (Austin Miller), Private Gomer Smyler (Kyle Martin), Col. Sanders (Brandon Haupt) and Maj. Minor (Carly Hill)

Hagerstown volunteers are packing shoe box gifts for children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty through Operation Christmas Child. The program uses tracking technology that allows donors to follow their boxes to destination countries where they will be hand-delivered to children in need. To register shoe box gifts and find out what country they are delivered to, go to www.samaritanspurse.org . Solliday Oil Company, 325 E. Wilson Blvd, Hagerstown, will serve as a local collection site.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com Editor's note: This is one in a series of stories running on the 12 days before Christmas to recognize individuals and groups who make the holidays better for others. This Christmas isn't even here yet, but Loretta Tharp is already thinking ahead to Christmas 2003. As the coordinator of the Waynesboro collection center for Operation Christmas Child, Tharp gathers shoe boxes filled with toys and health care supplies that are later shipped to children around the world.

The children of St. John's Preschool learned the power of a simple gift as they collected, sorted and wrapped more than 27 shoeboxes filled with school supplies, toys and treats for children around the world. A generous donor from St. John's Episcopal Church offered to pay the $7 postage for each of the collected boxes. Lisa Appleby, school director, believes in the importance of teaching her students community service and include a way of doing so in the curriculum throughout the school year.

This past fall, the preschool and elementary chapel students at Broadfording Christian Academy were presented with a Christmas challenge by their chapel leader, Michelle Snodderly, and the students more than met her expectations. Each class was challenged to pick a project from the Samaritan's Purse catalog and raise money toward the project. A total of $910 was raised. Some students did extra chores around their homes just so they could earn money to put toward their school project.

Carletta Leather said that at age 76, she has everything she needs. For birthdays and Christmas she asks her children to give her packing tape, a testament to how important her involvement with Operation Christmas Child has become to her. “They didn't like the idea at first,” she said. The packing tape is used to completely cover the decorated shoeboxes, that will hold gifts for needy children across the globe. Carletta has heard that the boxes are prized by the children as much as the contents inside.

The Top Five Hot holiday barbecue Buffalo wing cook-off on Saturday, Dec. 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; barbecue samples all day, barbecue items sold. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mason Dixon BBQ Services, 1542 Buchanan Trail East, Greencastle, Pa. Free admission; 50 cents per wing to judge entries. Go to www.mdbbqservices.com . Blue(grass) Christmas The Scott Brannon Band and Buck and Paul The Bluegrass Travelers will perform. 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at Beck & Benedict Hardware Music Theatre, 118 Walnut St., Waynesboro, Pa. $13; free for children younger than 12. Call 717-762-4711 or go to www.beck-benedicthardware.com . 'The Nutcracker' The City Ballet School and Western Maryland City Ballet Company will present “The Nutcracker.” 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8; 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9. The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., downtown Hagerstown.

The year-round project of international Christian relief and evangelism organization, Samaritan's Purse, is ramping up as local businesses, churches and community groups prepare to collect 10,000 gift-filled shoe boxes during National Collection Week, which is Nov. 11 - 19. Anyone can drop off a packed shoe box at one of four locations in Washington County. The shoe box gifts will be hand-delivered to children in 100 countries around the world. Local collection sites:   Pro Pools , 325 E. Wilson Blvd., Hagerstown Operating hours: Monday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 17, 1 to 3 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 18, 1 to 3 p.m.   Four Seasons Florist ,  22024 Jefferson Blvd., Smithsburg Operating hours: Monday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 17, 9 a.m. to noon; and Sunday, Nov. 18, noon to 2 p.m.    Downsville Church of the Brethren , 8228 Dam 4 Road, Williamsport Operating hours: Monday, Nov. 12, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 13, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 15, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 16, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 18,...

On Thursday, the Hagerstown Chick-fil-A restaurant will open its doors to local residents to pick up Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes to fill and send to needy children all around the world this Christmas season. On Nov. 8, Chick-fil-A will collect those gift-filled shoe boxes in exchange for a coupon for a free chicken sandwich at its local participating locations. This year, the Hagerstown community will gather more than 8,000 gift-filled shoe boxes to include in this year's global collection goal of 9 million filled shoe boxes sent to more than 100 international countries.

Valery Bianco, 18, enjoys packing shoe box gifts with his family every year for Operation Christmas Child. However, several years ago his life was very different. Bianco grew up in an orphanage in Russia.  “As an orphan, I felt abandoned and hopeless because no one cared for me or encouraged me,” he said. When he was about 10 years old, he received something special that changed his life - a gift-filled shoe box. “When I received the shoe box gift, I remember feeling so happy that someone in the world loved me,” he said.

In a few months, Deana Cordell will be making a trip to North Carolina. There's no vacation or luxury beach house involved. Instead, she and her husband, Rick, will be working in a processing center preparing shoe boxes for shipment overseas. Cordell, a Smithsburg native who now lives in Greencastle, Pa., is a yearlong volunteer with Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse. A member of OCC's South Central Pennsylvania group, she gives of her time freely, both as a hands-on volunteer and a member of the media relations team.

The children of St. John's Preschool learned the power of a simple gift as they collected, sorted and wrapped more than 27 shoeboxes filled with school supplies, toys and treats for children around the world. A generous donor from St. John's Episcopal Church offered to pay the $7 postage for each of the collected boxes. Lisa Appleby, school director, believes in the importance of teaching her students community service and include a way of doing so in the curriculum throughout the school year.

Holiday season means lots of things, including people looking to help others. Here's a roundup of holiday drives in the area: o Solliday Oil Co. in Hagerstown is collecting shoe boxes full of items for children around the world through Operation Christmas Child. The operation delivers gifts packed in shoe boxes to children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty. Items to include in shoe boxes, or boxes of that size, are school supplies, toys, necessity items, hard candy and a letter of encouragement.