More than 900 shoeboxes packed with toys, school supplies, toiletries and other items for young people left the Evangelical Free Church in Terrace on Nov. 23, bound for destinations around the world in time to be distributed as Christmas gifts.
Called Operation Christmas Child and organized through the Samaritan's Purse charity, the 936 boxes from individuals and groups in Kitimat and Terrace were packed on a Bandstra Transportation truck with a Samaritan's Purse facility in Calgary as a first stop for processing and repacking for their onward journey.
"Operation Christmas Child has been a cherished tradition in Terrace-Kitimat for over 30 years, and the Terrace Evangelical Church has now become the designated drop-off location," explained regional coordinator Jennifer Forde.
Students from Centennial Christian School, Mountainview Christian Academy and Terrace Pentecostal Assembly and Terrace Evangelical Free Church youth groups all provided assistance.
"Additionally, many community members, seniors' groups in Terrace and Kitimat contributed their time and effort," Forde said.
The Your Dollar Store was the location where empty shoeboxes could be picked up and volunteers from the Terrace Evangelical Free Church helped load the Bandstra truck.
The shoeboxes are bound for El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Cape Verde, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bisssau, Ukraine and The Philippines.
