Church part of international effort

This holiday season, Libby residents are working to brighten the lives of millions of needy children around the world. 

Right now, volunteers are preparing for the collection of gift-filled shoe boxes to the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, Operation Christmas Child.

From Nov. 12 to 19, Kootenai Valley Church in Libby will be bustling with activity as shoe boxes packed full of goodies for needy kids overseas are dropped off by local individuals and families.

 The collection center will be transformed into a Christmas workshop as it is filled with colorfully wrapped gifts from Libby residents bound for hurting children worldwide.

 Local volunteers and kids can talk about their passion for helping kids overseas and the reasons they volunteer each year.

 Jonathan Laflin is the collection site coordinator.

Libby residents join Operation Christmas Child Efforts during National Collection Week as they seek to reach more than 100 million children with shoe box gifts.

Anyone can drop off a packed shoe box at the Libby-area collection site.

 Then, using whatever means necessary — trucks, trains, boats, bikes and even elephants—the shoe box gifts will be hand-delivered to hurting children in 100 countries around the world.

The Libby collection site is Kootenai Valley Church from Monday, Nov. 12 to 16 from 4 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to noon, and Sunday, Nov. 18 from noon to 2 p.m. and then Monday from 8 to 9 a.m.

 Additional local collection sites can be found using the online Zip Code locator at www.samaritanspurse.org.