Making sure that children around the world have a bright Christmas is the goal behind the Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign.
Beginning Monday morning and running through Nov. 25, North Greenwood Baptist Church, located at 615 Grand Blvd., will be Leflore County’s relay center for Operation Christmas Child during its National Collection Week.
The church has served as a relay center for seven years and has been involved with Operation Christmas Child for nine, said Ricky Wheat, North Greenwood’s student pastor.
Wheat said the effort in 2012 collected close to 1,000 shoeboxes for children around the world.
The shoeboxes are filled with toys, school supplies, hard candy and hygiene items and bound for some of the 9.8 million impoverished children around the globe.
This year, it is hoped that residents of Greenwood and Leflore County will contribute as many as 5,000 gifts. A list of approved items is available at www.samaritanpurse.org.
Wheat said liquids and items containing glass as well as any military-related toys, such as soldiers or toy guns, should not be included.
He said donations may be dropped off at the church’s main office.
Donations may be accepted from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday and Sunday and from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Nov. 25.
For more information, call Wheat at 453-2801.
