Great joy worldwide in small boxes from Yakima

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Even a toothbrush is cause for excitement.

Then, throw in a box of crayons, a rubber ball and some lollipops, and there's absolute joy.

Children around the world will once more be delighted by small, simple gifts this season, courtesy of Operation Christmas Child.

Hundreds of people in Yakima are again joining the national effort to send shoe boxes filled with toys, school supplies and toiletries to needy children around the world.

Operation Christmas Child, which organizers say is the world's largest Christmas project, began in the United States in 1993, with families working together to collect thousands of gift-filled shoe boxes.

Last year, the Yakima area contributed nearly 3,500 shoe boxes to the charitable effort. This year, volunteers hope to collect more than 4,000 gift-filled boxes from families, children, churches, schools and civic organizations in the area.

"They bring light to a child," explains Cindy Lane, area coordinator. "These are something children can look forward to."

In her first year as area coordinator, a volunteer position, Lane is running the primary collection center at her church, Christian Life Center, with help from dozens of volunteers, including husband Ed.

Operation Christmas Child is part of the international Christian relief and evangelism organization called Samaritan's Purse, headed by Franklin Graham.

In its 16 years of existence, Operation Christmas Child has provided more than 69 million gift-filled shoe boxes to needy children in some 130 countries.

Suggested items to pack are small toys, school supplies, hygiene items and hard candy, gum, socks, hair accessories and toy jewelry.

Pencils are among the most popular gifts, says Lane, because children aren't allowed to attend school in some locales without them.

Small drinking cups and toothbrushes are also in high demand.

Anyone who wants to join in the effort and fill a box with gifts is asked to:

* Determine whether the box will be for a boy or girl, ages 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14. (Most needed right now, says Lane, are supplies for the 10-14 year age group.) Label the target age and gender on the box.

* Cover the box and lid separately with wrapping paper. Fill it with little gifts, and enclose a $7 donation, if possible, to help with shipping.

* Many people also send along a personal greeting to the child.

* People may also make the $7 donation on line at www.samaritanspurse.org and print out a label, which will track the box to the country where it's delivered.

Nita Reinmuth is part of a six-couple group -- all grandparents -- from Wesley United Methodist Church who have been filling shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child for 10 years.

"This is fun, and it benefits others," Reinmuth explains. "We gather school supplies all year, then come together and eat and pack."

After helping her group fill nine boxes this year, Reinmuth notes, "There are always needs around the world."

That's true, agrees Lane. "In some countries, there are constant problems from war, disease and famine," she says. "These boxes bring hope."

Lane underscores that a religious message offers a sense of hope. A pamphlet describing the works of Jesus Christ is inserted in each shoe box at one of six processing centers in the United States, before distribution begins. Those messages are printed in the language of the country to where the box is being shipped.

Operation Christmas Child's goals are threefold, Lane explains: First, to give the gift of the Gospel. Second, to fill a need for basic supplies. Third, to show children that Americans care about them.

Nikki Reeves, youth pastor at Central Assembly of God, combined the shoe box project with a progressive dinner, called Grub and Go.

After dining on dishes at four different houses, youth group members, themselves presumably full, filled shoe boxes with little trinkets they purchased.

By Monday, when the local drive ends, Lane hopes they will have collected not just 4,000 boxes but about 500 more. That would be about 30 percent above last year.

And last year's amount -- 3,497 -- was "awesome," says Sarah Perrott from Aurora, Colo., a national spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child.

Even during the recession, Perrott still expects that Yakima, as well as many cities around the country, will exceed their goals.

"Our project is rooted in churches in the community, and people there are very generous," she explains.

"Once people do it, they're kind of hooked," she adds.

Lane, too, believes that the weak economy isn't going to affect the numbers of boxes collected here.

"If everyone does just one more box than last year, we'll make it.

"Just one more box."

* Jane Gargas can be reached at 509-577-7690 or jgargas@yakimaherald.com.

Fill a shoe box

There are only three days left to pack a shoe box with gifts for Operation Christmas Child.

Fill boxes with school supplies, toys, personal hygiene items, hard candy and a letter of encouragement. Packing instructions are available at www.samaritanspurse.org. Information: 1-800-353-5949.

Local collection sites for filled boxes:

Yakima

* Christian Life Center, 716 N. 40th Ave., today, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; Monday, 1 to 5:30 p.m.

* Inklings Bookstore, 5629 Summitview Ave., today, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.; Monday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

* Also, the Bimore store, 1606 N. First St., has a bin where shoppers can donate purchased items that will be added to shoe boxes.

Sunnyside

* Sunnyside Neighborhood Church, 385 E. Allen Road, today, 2 to 4 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m.; Monday, 11 a.m. to noon.

Ellensburg

* 2606 N. Ellington, today, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.

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