LETTERS: Great support
To the Editor:
Thanks to the generosity of our neighbors in Burdick, Marion, Hope, Herington, and the surrounding areas, many children around the world have something to smile about.
Operation Christmas Child, the world's largest Christmas project, collected 396 gift-filled shoe boxes from local residents during the collection season. These gifts from right here in our community are now on their way to helping children around the world.
With the donations of shoe box gifts from churches, individuals, businesses, and community groups, Operation Christmas Child will be able to hand-deliver some 7.6 million gifts to children in more than 90 countries. On behalf of our community, I would like to thank Burdick United Methodist Church for providing a location for collection of the gifts, and all the volunteers who served with this amazing project.
Everyone who packed a shoe box gift should be encouraged by the fact that these simple gifts will serve as powerful messages of joy and hope to needy children around the world.
Though the Burdick drop-off location is closed until November, it is not too late to send gifts to children overseas. Gifts are received year-round at Samaritan's Purse, 801 Bamboo Road, Boone NC 28607. For more information on packing a shoe box, go online to www.samaritanpurse.org or call 1-800-353-5949.
Sandra Garrard
Relay center coordinator
Operation Christmas Child
