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BOUNTIFUL -- Jan Barking hopes to have over 1,000 shoe boxes full of Christmas gifts packed and ready to send out to children all over the world before Thanksgiving.
In order to do that, however, she needs the public's help.
Anyone can fill a normal size shoe box with hard candy, toys and hygiene items and drop them off at several locations across the Top of Utah. Barking said on Nov. 23, the boxes will be picked up and shipped to needy children. It's all part of Operation Christmas Child.
"I'm the coordinator at one of the relay centers, which is located at The First Southern Baptist Church of Bountiful," Barking said. "Anyone can participate. Last year we had around 700 and this year my goal is 1,000 boxes or more. We never quite have enough and there are always more children in need."
Barking said she is amazed at how children react when they receive their gifts.
"You have never seen such joy," she said. "It's just amazing. Some of their family members even get a bar of soap and to them that is a luxury item. It makes you realize how lucky you are."
Operation Christmas Child is the world's largest Christmas project, according to its Web site. The shoe box gifts help children in more than 100 countries suffering from famine, poverty, natural disasters, terrorism and war. The program also uses a tracking technology that allows donors to follow the box they donate to its destination.
Last year, 12,500 boxes were collected across the state of Utah, Barking said. The goal this year is to break that number.
"We are asking people to get a regular size shoe box, and not the large ones like for boots and things like that," Barking said. "You can fill them with as much as will fit, with things like school supplies, toys, necessity items, hard candy and a little note."
Boxes can be wrapped in Christmas paper and should be marked with instructions on whether it should go to a male or female and the age of the child, Barking said. Exact instructions can be found at www.samaritanspurse.org.
Drop offs can be made between Nov. 16 through Nov. 23 at First Southern Baptist Church of Bountiful, 696 N. 400 East or Community United Methodist Church, 163 W. 4800 South in Ogden.
Operation Christmas Box Locations and Hours
Community United Methodist Church
163 W. 4800 South, Ogden
(801) 510-9466
Nov. 16-23
Collection times:
Monday & Tuesday 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
First Southern Baptist Church of Bountiful
696 N. 400 East, Bountiful
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 7 days a week or call (801) 292-8095 or (801) 295-4747 to make arrangements
