 Students participate in Samaritan's Purse-sponsored Operation Christmas Child relay during halftime at Tuesday's men's basketball game. Photo by Casey Gahagan
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by MARY ELIZABETH ROBERTSON
Lifestyles Reporter
The directions are simple.
Pack a shoebox with a few items and turn them into collection bins on campus.
According to samaritanspurse.org, to compile a shoebox, one should fill a standard-size shoebox with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, clothing and a personal note for a child of the gender and age you choose.
The process was
developed by Samaritan’s Purse, a nondenominational evangelical
Christian organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to
people around the world, according to samaritanspurse.org.
Most of the boxes from the East coast head to South America and thereabouts, Kim A. Forren said.
Forren is a Samaritan’s Purse employee and responsible for Northeast U.S. media relations.
Samaritan’s
Purse sponsors Operation Christmas Child (OCC), and because OCC is
headquartered in Boone, many clubs and organizations at Appalachian
State University are now collecting boxes.
This week marks National Collection Week.
“I think
it’s great – just the fact that we have [16,968] students on campus and
[are] able to impact third world countries in that way,” Jared B.
Korver, junior accounting major said.
Korver organizes OCC shoeboxes for Campus Crusade for Christ.
Packing shoeboxes allows him appreciate what he has.
“When
you are putting a toothbrush and toothpaste in a box, it really puts it
into perspective,” Korver said. “We have so much [and] we are going to
make a difference in a child’s life.”
OCC’s current international goal is to collect over 8.2 million shoeboxes by Thanksgiving, according to demossnespond.com.
“We are trying to collect 5.2 million [shoeboxes] in the U.S.,” Forren said.
Forren said this is the first year OCC has not set a campus wide goal.
“We didn’t want to create a limitation or, at the same time, overshoot,” Forren said.
This way, any amount would be a welcome surprise, she said.
Because
Samaritan’s Purse is headquartered in Boone, Sam W. Stroup, freshman
marketing major, believes students have a responsibility to help the
cause.
After
the Walker College of Business of Walker Fellows approached the
American Marketing Association (AMA) for help, Stroup organized OCC
marketing.
“They
asked each of us to do our own box,” Stroup said. “[Additionally,] we
are more or less trying to get the word out about Operation Christmas
Child to get more boxes.”
As part
of their marketing strategy, AMA spray painted the tunnels under Rivers
Street, e-mailed all campus clubs and created a residence hall
competition. Whichever residence hall collects the most shoeboxes will
receive a free breakfast to Panera Bread.
Tuesday
was OCC night at the basketball game against Lees McRae University,
where a table was set up in the concourse for shoebox collection.
In the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom of Plemmons Student Union Thursday, shoeboxes were dropped off from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Shoeboxes were also collected in the Grandfather Ballroom from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
During
Saturday’s football game against Western Carolina University, a trailer
will be available during tailgate for shoebox drop off.
Forren was excited by the Appalachian’s involvement.
“We should get at least, hopefully, over 500 [shoeboxes],” she said.
WHAT TO PACK IN THE BOX:
TOYS
small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos,
jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise
(with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad
sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture
books, etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS
toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.
OTHER
hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum,
T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry,
watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
A PERSONAL NOTE
In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo
of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the
child may write back.)
DO NOT INCLUDE:
Used or damaged items, war-related items such as toy guns, knives or
military figures, chocolate or food, out-of-date candy, liquids or
lotions, medications or vitamins, breakable items such as snow globes
or glass containers, aerosol cans
Photo by Casey Gahagon | The Appalachian
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