Falcon Fellowship helps with Operation Christmas Child
FOXBURG — The Falcon Fellowship Club at Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District is contributing to Operation Christmas Child.
The students have collected and packed items in shoeboxes. They will take the boxes to local churches that distribute them to areas such as Ukraine, Dominican Republic, and Colombia.
The collection, which began in early October, continues through Nov. 4.
“Putting these boxes together allows us all to be humbled and brought together over the true meaning of Christmas. It makes us all realize just how blessed we truly are to have presents under the tree each year,” said Gina Rhoades, a 10th-grade student and president of Falcon Fellowship.
Operation Christmas Child responds to the needs of millions of children in more than 170 countries, according to the project's website.
Anyone can help by giving gifts and items such as toys, school supplies, hats, gloves, soap, washcloths, small books, flashlights, crayons, markers, hairbrushes, combs, small games or whatever non-perishable items could fit in a small shoebox.
“I was inspired to participate in Operation Christmas Child by the thought of so many kids barely getting by and how much joy could come from this tiny, little shoebox,” said Brianna Schmidt, 10th-grade student and Falcon Fellowship treasurer.
Club adviser and science teacher Laura Jamison says that the club has been involved in this effort for the last five years.
“Not only are we able to bring joy to many children, but we are able to share the love of Jesus to others. I am so impressed with the care and concern our students have and how excited they are to be a part of this project,” Jamison said.
Last year, the club was able to pack only 25 to 30 boxes before it had to stop due to COVID-19, which sent students into distance learning.
Math teacher Luke Lavan, who is also a Falcon Fellowship club adviser, said he appreciates what the club does to reach out to the world.
“They're not just shoeboxes, they are gospel opportunities,” Lavan said.
In 1993, Franklin Graham, son of the Rev. Billy Graham, received a call from a man in England asking if he would be willing to head up an effort to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in war-torn Bosnia, according to the project's website. That Christmas, Samaritan's Purse distributed 28,000 shoeboxes of gifts that were sent to the Balkans.The effort has come to be known as Operation Christmas Child.For more information or to become involved with Operation Christmas Child, visit samaritanspurse.org.
