The annual Operation Christmas Child shoebox collection, missionary outreach of Samaritan’s Purse, was held this year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but on a limited, somewhat scaled back basis.

Even though the program, designed to send shoeboxes of gifts to underprivileged children in over 100 countries, was scaled back drastically due to the virus outbreak, local event coordinator Kathy Conner was well pleased with the number of boxes collected during such a trying time.

OCC shoebox collection week officially ended Sunday night, November 22, and when all was said and done, a total of 1,196 boxes had been collected and loaded to be shipped to those children in need.

The number was down from 2,062 boxes collected last year, but Conner noted that due to the COVID outbreak, the almost 1,200 boxes collected here in Clinton County was a “pleasant surprise” and she was pleased with the high number of boxes collected.

Bob Talbott, who also helps with the Operation Christmas Child effort, reported to the Clinton County News this week that he had learned that some 11,447 shoeboxes were collected in the Lake Cumberland Area.

About a dozen churches participated in collecting boxes this year, but Conner noted some churches, due to the pandemic, were unable to participate as much as in the past, but those who did really stepped up, she noted.

Boxes are filled with small items such as soap, school supplies, hygiene type items and small toys and shipped around the world from various ports here in the U.S. and other countries.

Conner thanked Albany Building Center, and their employees for helping load the boxes and for the use of their truck to haul those items to Somerset on Monday of this week.

From Somerset, they will once again head to Charlottesville, North Carolina, to be shipped to their final destinations.

She also thanked the some 14 volunteers who helped, during the night of the collection or at some point during the OCC collection drive.

Conner did acknowledge it was an unusual year due to the COVID-19 situation and things were scaled back from previous years due to the health mandates.

One example, an annual kick-off was held at Albany First Baptist Church, the annual collection point for the drive, in mid-September, but churches were asked to limit the number of representatives they sent to two or three people.

Collecting and filling items for the shoeboxes, which is a Christian ministry to reach people, especially children around the world, can be an ongoing project year around.

Conner also thanked the churches and everyone individually who took the time to fill a shoebox to help those children around the world who are less fortunate and hopes things will return to some normalcy by next year.

Two volunteers are shown with a loaded truck full of boxes for the Operation Christmas Child collection effort from Clinton County.