Operation Christmas Child Party November 5; locals combine for United Outreach

An Operation Christmas Child Party will be held Friday, November 5 at the Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank Community room from 12:30 to 8 p.m. The public is invited to bring new items to be packed in shoe boxes and to help fill the boxes.
Individuals, as well as local church groups or organizations, are invited to participate at any level by donating gifts of volunteer time, praying for the outreach, bringing shoeboxes to the party, bringing items to be packed in the boxes, or sponsoring the shipping of a box with a monetary gift.
Boxes can be filled with a variety of new gifts that will make a child happy. Gift suggestions include:
• School supplies - pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or markers, stamps and inkpad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
• Toys: small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch-A-Sketch, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky, etc.
• Hygiene items: toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth
• Other: hard candy and lollipops, mints, gum (place all candy in Ziploc bag) tee-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights and extra batteries
• A personal note: A note to the child may be enclosed, as well as a photo of the donor and/or family. (The child may write back if a name and address are included.)
DO NOT INCLUDE: Used or damaged items, war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out of date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
Donations are accepted to help the project. A donation of $7 or more per box is used to help cover shipping costs. Monetary gifts to Samaritan’s Purse, the sponsoring organization for OCC, are tax deductible and receipted by the organization.
After the boxes are filled and labeled, they are taken to a drop-off center. The boxes are then transported to regional processing centers. Tractor trailers haul boxes to seven regional centers in the U.S. Volunteers inspect the boxes and pack them into cartons for overseas delivery.
Locally, the regional center is in the Minneapolis metro area. Opportunities are available for people to volunteer at these centers. Several groups from the local area have traveled to Minneapolis and helped in the distribution center in previous years. Those interested may call 800-353-5949 to reach Samaritan’s Purse headquarters for further information.
More information will be available at the Operation Christmas Child open house to be held November 5 in Waukon or by calling Gloria Jackson at 563-568-6113.