Submitted photo Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child will be collecting shoe boxes and donations this week in multiple counties. Samaritan’s Purse area coordinator Patricia Parsons, right, presented Kessler Trucking owner Herk Kessler with an award for his contributions for the past 20 years.

ELKINS — Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child will begin collecting shoe boxes and donations at several locations spread across Randolph and surrounding counties beginning this week.

Last year marked the 30th straight year that Operation Christmas Child collected shoe boxes in the area. The boxes are gathered in multiple states and are distributed to needy children in more than 100 countries around the world.

Last year alone, 11,500 boxes were collected in Randolph, Tucker, Barbour, Upshur and Pocahontas counties.

“Collection week is starting and we are praying for 13,000 boxes this year,” Samaritan’s Purse area coordinator Patricia Parsons told The Inter-Mountain. “It’s possible because we have some new churches that are helping this year that have never packed before. Hopefully we can reach our goal.”

Shoe boxes can be filled with a variety of items including hygiene products, toys, games, clothes, shoes and a stuffed animal that the children can hold and hug. The organization also asks that one “Wow” item be placed in the box. The “Wow” item can be anything from a soccer ball with a pump, to an action figure.

Those making shoe box donations are asked to choose whether the recipient will be a boy or girl and in the age groups of 2 to 4 years-old, 5 to 9 years-old, or 10 to 14 years-old.

“The shoe boxes go out to over 120 different countries,” Parsons said. “There are actually some that are already on the ground for those who are in Jamaica. They sent some there already even though collection week hasn’t started. They wanted to bring a little bit of joy to those people who had everything destroyed by Hurricane Melissa.”

Earlier this year, Parsons presented Kessler Trucking owner Herk Kessler with an award for his contributions to Operation Christmas Child for more than 20 years.

“Herk (Kessler) delivers our shoe boxes every year to locations in North Carolina,” Parsons said. “He’s been doing that for us for 24 years, and Samaritan’s Purse awarded him with a bronze sculpture of the Samaritan out of the Bible.

“Herk pays for the gas, the drivers, and everything else involved – Samaritan’s Purse is not charged a thing by him. He has done this all these years and has not charged a dime. We greatly appreciate everything that he does.”

The First Baptist Church of Elkins will be accepting donations on Nov. 17 through Nov. 21. On Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, items can be dropped off from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. On Tuesday (Nov. 18) the church will take shoeboxes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Saturday (Nov. 22) 10 a.m. until noon. On Nov. 23 donations will be collected from noon to 2 p.m. and on Nov. 24, 8 a.m. until 10 a.m.

Donations can be dropped off at the Bowden Family Worship through Nov.  21 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The location will also be accepting boxes on Nov. 22 (12 p.m. to 7 p.m.), Nov. 23 ( 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and on Nov. 24 (9 a.m. to noon).

Tygarts Valley Ministries in Beverly will collect boxes through Nov. 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. TV Ministries will collect from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 22, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 23, and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Nov. 24.

The Montrose Community Building will acces donations from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. through Nov. 23. Items can also be dropped off on Nov. 24 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The Harrison Community Church in Mabie will collect boxes through Nov. 23 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The church will also accept donations on Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. until noon.

Philippi Southern Baptist Church will collect boxes on today, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Collections will also be taken on Wednesday from 5:30 pm. to 6:30 p.m. and on Nov. 22 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Boxes can also be dropped off at the location on Nov. 23 (3 p.m. to 5 p.m.) and Nov. 24 (8 a.m. to noon).

The Buckhannon First Baptist Church will accept donations on through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.. The church will also accept items on Saturday (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Sunday (noon to 5 p.m.), and Monday (8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to noon).

The Wayside Southern Baptist Church in Buckhannon will collect items through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The location will also accept items on Saturday (10 a.m. to noon), Sunday (1 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and Monday (9 a.m. to 11 a.m.).

The Marlinton Presbyterian Church will collect donations through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon, Sunday from noon to 2 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday.

For more information about Operation Christmas Child, visit samaritanspurse.org.