By SHERRI KOLADE
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — Operation Christmas Child has a big goal — to donate 10 million gift-filled shoe boxes to needy children across the world by the end of November.
During National Collection Week, Nov. 12 to 19, collection sites throughout metropolitan Detroit will gather items such as hygiene products and toys and send them off to places such as Zambia, Mexico, Haiti, Russia, China and other countries.
Jenna Lupo, Operation Christmas Child Area coordinator for the Southeast Michigan region, said OCC needs volun-
teers and donations to make 10 million children’s dreams come true.
“A simple shoe box gift will impact a child,” Lupo said. “That gift box is sharing love to a child and letting those kids know that somebody loves them.”
Since 1993, about 90 million gift boxes have gone out to needy children in the most war-torn, impoverished countries.
Penny Kulik, collection center coordinator for Dearborn Fairlane Alliance Church, said anyone can bring a shoe box and drop off items for donation.
“There are dozens of jobs for anybody who wants to come and work,” Kulik said. “A whole lot of work goes into it but it is an amazing project.”
Fairlane Alliance Church, 925 Mason, is one of the collection sites. The site hours are from noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 14 to 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov 17, 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov 19.
Other area sites include Calvary Baptist Church, 15221 Eureka Road in Southgate, and Faith Lutheran Church, 25402 Arsenal Road in Brownstown.
For more information about Operation Christmas Child call 800-353-5949 or go to www.samaritanspurse.com.
(Sherri Kolade can be reached at [email protected].)