Operation Christmas Child sets goal at 20,000 shoeboxes for Shenandoah Valley
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - This week is collection week for Operation Christmas Child. Volunteers say the hundreds of packed boxes, filled with items like toothbrushes and school supplies, put a smile on someone’s face.
“They go to a lot of times to children that do not have anything. I mean they don’t have anything — they think hair barrette pencil paper is something to get really excited about,” Operation Christmas Child Drop-Off Coordinator Don Tutwiler said.
The Harrisonburg drop-off already has a strong start with one person dropping off 645 fully loaded shoeboxes.
Don Tutwiler and his team want to have at least 20,000 shoeboxes packed up for this year.
“The last couple years we’ve gradually inched our way toward 20,000 we did hit it last year so we wanted to at least achieve that and go beyond,” Tutwiler said.
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Operation Christmas Child.
“There’s a Bible school type follow up 12 steps that the child is given a little biblical knowledge of what provokes people to have so much love to reach out,” Tutwiler said.
Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child can be packed, wrapped, and delivered to a drop-off spot until November 20. Operation Christmas Child’s collection week is going strong for the Shenandoah Valley.
“It not only impacts the child but the family because a lot of kids can’t go to school unless they have pencil and paper and they afford them the opportunity to go to schooling. It’s a big impact on a lot of people,” Tutwiler said.
Operation Christmas child has the goal to get the gift of essentials every year. The church of Nazarene has a goal to fill up this whole truck with someone’s dreams by the end of the collection.
Tutwiler said people can still take part, even though it’s collection week.
“Time is getting a little bit short but if someone wants to do that we can give them shoeboxes from here to church. You can come help us pack. The shoeboxes are put in cartons,” Tutwiler said.
Here are the drop-off locations for the Northern Shenandoah Valley for Operation Christmas Child:
Harrisonburg, VA - Church of the Nazarene (1871 Boyers Road Harrisonburg, VA 22801-9328)
Wed, Nov. 15: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Thu, Nov. 16: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sat, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sun, Nov. 19: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 20: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Shenandoah, VA - Shenandoah Pentecostal (300 Shenandoah Avenue Shenandoah, VA 22849-1633)
Wed, Nov. 15: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thu, Nov. 16: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Sat, Nov. 18: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sun, Nov. 19: 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 20: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Staunton, VA - Calvary Baptist Church (105 Garland Drive Staunton, VA 24401-2621)
Wed, Nov. 15: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Wed, Nov. 15: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Thu, Nov. 16: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Thu, Nov. 16: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sat, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sun, Nov. 19: 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 20: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Waynesboro, VA - Wayne Hills Baptist Church (877 Ladd Road Waynesboro, VA 22980)
Wed, Nov. 15: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Thu, Nov. 16: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Thu, Nov. 16: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sat, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sun, Nov. 19: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 20: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Luray, VA - Luray United Methodist Church (1 W Main Street Luray, VA 22835-7450)
Wed, Nov. 15: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Thu, Nov. 16: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sat, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sun, Nov. 19: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 20: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Ruckersville, VA - Spring Hill Baptist Church (2620 Frays Mill Road Ruckersville, VA 22968-1609)
Wed, Nov. 15: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thu, Nov. 16: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sat, Nov. 18: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sun, Nov. 19: 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 20: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Pratts, VA - The Flock (625 Orange Road Pratts, VA 22727)
Wed, Nov. 15: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Thu, Nov. 16: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sat, Nov. 18: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sun, Nov. 19: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Mon, Nov. 20: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Woodstock, VA - Shenandoah Community Fellowship (197 Patmos Road Woodstock, VA 22664-0803)
Wed, Nov. 15: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Thu, Nov. 16: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Fri, Nov. 17: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Sat, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sun, Nov. 19: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Mon, Nov. 20: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
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