They come in all shapes and sizes, but what is important for these children is just simply that they come at all.
Operation Christmas Child provides gifts to children who in many cases, may not have received a gift this Christmas season.
The program was brought to Barrhead in 1995, where it started out of the Barrhead Leader office.
Since then it has moved several locations, but has finally settled down at the Alliance Church, a location that has been coordinating the project for the past seven years.
Shoeboxes can be found at a number of locations, and don’t necessarily have to be the ones provided by the program.
In fact, according to area coordinator, Derra Mantey, it doesn’t have to be a shoebox at all.
Another option is for the items to be packed into a small children’s backpack, Mantey said.
Once a person has their shoebox they are welcome to fill it with items of their choice for either a boy or a girl, between the ages of two to four, five to nine, or 10-14.
Mantey said that when their family brought the boxes into their home it was used as more than just a way to give.
“It was almost like a teaching tool, like we are going to give this box to a child who has never had a Barbie doll, who maybe doesn’t even have a toothbrush, or a pencil, or school supplies,” she said. “In that sense to make our own children think, wow.”
“If we don’t pass the baton, and if we don’t teach our children to give, then we will become a very self-centered world,” Mantey said. “These children have nothing, they have never received a gift before.”
Mantey said that often times the shoeboxes are the first gifts the children have ever been given.
“It changes their world, it really does,” she said.
According to Mantey, there was several impact stories that include children who are blind receiving a box that seemed almost made specifically for them.
“It’s just the perfect gift for that child… We can’t explain that,” Mantey said. “Often these gifts seemed directed personally at that child. When we pack it we don’t have that knowing. We just pack it.”
This year the special project boxes will all be sent to the children who are displaced in Ukraine, who according to Mantey, are probably living in a refugee camp.
“They probably left their country with nothing except for what they had on,” Mantey said. “This is the first kind of gift they will get to start rebuilding their lives.”
Mantey suggested sending scarves, socks, gloves and hats in shoeboxes for the Ukraine because of the cold climate, and also asked if anyone is willing to knit fresh pairs of socks, hats, and so on, it would be greatly appreciated.
The boxes collected throughout Canada are sent to countries such as West Africa, and Central and South America.
Items that can be packed into the boxes or backpacks include hygiene items, toys, clothes, a personal note, and a photo, however Mantey said the most important things to send are school supplies.
“Often we hear that the children have nothing and that they can’t even go to school because they don’t have school supplies,” Mantey said. “Paper, notebooks, pencils. Anything they can think of that will help them with their schooling.”
“They can also put in a personal note to the child, and a photo of their family,” Mantey said.
Candy is also allowed, as long as it won’t crumble or melt, and is sealed in a Ziploc bag.
Other useful items include soap, and even crayons.
Often the boxes may be sent to a much warmer climate.
“Don’t forget a little toy for them too,” Mantey said, adding that there are rules to which toys can and cannot be sent.
Some of those rules include no war-related toys, no knives, no toy guns, and no items that can scare or harm a child.
Stuffed animals, balls, hair clips, small musical instruments and even toy jewelry are items encouraged.
Certain toys given can benefit everyone, Mantey said, with balls being one of those items.
“That would benefit a whole village,” Mantey said.
Along with the list of items that are permitted, there is also a list of things not to send. This includes items such as decks of cards, toothpaste, used items, or liquids.
Boxes can be picked up at the Barrhead Alliance Church, Barb’s Sewing/Sears, or Your Dollar Store With More. Another great location to pick up recycled boxes of all shapes and sizes is Barrhead Shoes.
Once the box is filled with items and the label has been placed on the box, it can be dropped off at any of those locations by collection week, which is Nov. 17 to Nov. 23.
It costs $7 per shoebox to cover the costs of shipping and other project expenses. The money can be placed in the envelope provided and packed into the unsealed box.
Last year the Barrhead community gave a total of 713 gifts to children in another country through Operation Christmas Child.
According to Mantey, those who live in the communities that receive the shoeboxes have a celebration the day they arrive.
“In a lot of cases they all hold their box, then they do a count down, then they all open them all at the same time,” Mantey said, adding that the joy the children have that day is overflowing.
