Koen Scott helps with last year’s Operation Christmas Child drop off at FUMC-Russellville.

National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child is November 17-24, 2014. This year, Samaritan’s Purse hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 10 million children through the Operation Christmas Child Project.

Individuals, families, churches, businesses and groups fill empty shoeboxes with gifts of toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and notes of encouragement. Samaritan’s Purse will deliver these gifts to children in more than 100 countries on six continents.

The Russellville First United Methodist Church is again serving as a Relay/Collection Center drop off for the boxes. The boxes are placed in cartons and then shipped to the Atlanta, Ga. This year the shoeboxes that come through the Atlanta Processing Center will be sent to one of the following countries: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, India, Jamaica, Mali, Mauritius, South Sudan, and sensitive countries that cannot be named because of possible danger to those involved.

Shoebox Drop Off times for the Russellville First United Methodist Church Ministry Center will be:

>Nov. 17, Monday – 9 a.m. – Noon

>Nov. 18, Tuesday – 9 a.m. – Noon

>Nov. 19, Wednesday – 9 a.m. – Noon; 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

>Nov. 20, Thursday – 9 a.m. – Noon

>Nov. 21, Friday – 9 a.m. – Noon

>Nov. 22, Saturday – 9 a.m. – Noon

>Nov. 23, Sunday – 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.; 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

>Nov. 24, Monday – 9 a.m. – Noon

Call Kathy Archer at 256-412-8520 for additional information.