Weiser joins Christmas project to send joy to children overseas

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, Weiser families are expressing their gratitude by giving back. Residents are filling shoeboxes with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items to send to children in need around the world. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.

 During Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week Nov. 12-19, local residents will collect shoebox gifts at seven drop-off locations in Boise and southwest Idaho, including Weiser. The Samaritan’s Purse project, partnering with churches worldwide, will deliver these gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. 

 Weiser residents are not alone in their effort to help children around the world. More than 150,000 U.S. volunteers including families, churches and other groups are joining forces to contribute to the largest Christmas project of its kind. 

 In 2018, Samaritan’s Purse hopes to collect enough Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to reach 11 million children, with 17,000 coming from the Boise/SW Idaho area.

 Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.

 Every year, Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week takes place the third week in November when nearly 5,000 drop-off locations are open across the country.

 The drop-off location in Weiser is the Weiser Community Church, located at 240 E. Main St. The dates are Nov. 13-16 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.