Once again, Simpson Creek Baptist Church is serving as a collection center for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. Staffed by a host of volunteers, the church’s family life center is a Santa’s workshop, of sorts, as shoeboxes full of toys, novelties, school supplies and personal care items are dropped off and thereafter packed in semis to be delivered to a processing center in Charlotte, NC and eventually distributed to children in need throughout the globe.

 

The headquarters was set up Saturday. In the days to follow, churches, schools, organizations and individuals throughout Harrison, Taylor and Lewis counties have stopped by with their filled shoeboxes.

 

“Tuesday was kind of slow, but Monday was very busy,” said Debbie Mount of Simpson Creek Baptist Church. “You never know from day to day. The BHS Key Club came (Tuesday) afternoon and brought a bunch of boxes they filled and a church group named Prayerful Packers brought in between 400 and 500 filled boxes.”

 

In its first two days of operation, the collection center has received 2,467 boxes. In 2017, a total of 10,313 boxes were dropped off.

 

“We collect filled shoeboxes from both individuals and groups,” Mount said. “We carton them 15 to 18 per box to ship to the processing center in Charlotte and they go to 100 different countries.”

 

It’s a work of faith, Mount said, and year after year, volunteers are blessed through the project. Although several volunteers are on board this year, some manpower is needed.

 

“We need more strong people to lift boxes up in the trailers – mostly men,” she said. “If they could come in late in the afternoon, we could use their help.”

 

The center is open 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. through today and 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, hours will be 12-4 p.m.

 

“Sunday is kind of an exciting day here because there are big collection centers from Salem, Weston, Buckhannon and Shinnston, which will bring cartons and cartons and we’ll load them directly into the trailer,” Mount said.

 

Also on Sunday, a dedication will be held. Church members will circle the trailers and pray over the boxes inside. As is proven over and over, the filled boxes are not only a happy surprise to children who receive them, but also serve to lead those children and their families to Christ, organizers said. Sometimes, a box may contain an unusual item, but as is documented through OCC, that item usually winds up in the hands of someone who needs or really wants it.

 

The last day to donate is the morning of Monday, Nov. 19. Doors will be open beginning at 9 a.m.

 

“We’ll be packing up the trailers at noon that day,” Mount said.

 

Volunteers are also filling additional shoeboxes with loose items brought in. Individuals who don’t have the time or resources to fill an entire box are welcome to drop off little toys, pencils, stickers or any other items on the wish list. Specific instructions on how to pack a shoebox can be found at the Samaritan's Purse Web site HERE.