It’s still over four months away, but Operation Christmas Child is already gearing up in Nevada County and elsewhere. It’s a project of Samaritan’s Purse and delivers gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 100 countries each year. Melisa Agnes heads up the Gold Country Area Team at Sierra Presbyterian Church in Nevada City, where shoeboxes filled with items will be received the week before Thanksgiving. Placer, El Dorado, and Sierra counties are also included. She says right now the focus is on school supplies, with many sales going on this time of year…

click to listen to Melisa Agnes

Agnes says other important things include toys and personal care items. There are three age groups: two to four years old, five to nine years old, and 10 to 14 years old…

click to listen to Melisa Agnes

Agnes says this year’s collection goal for the Gold Country Area is 13-thousand shoeboxes. But, nationally, it’s 11-million, or half-a-million more than last year. For more information, visit the Samaritan’s Purse website. Participants can also donate 10 dollars per shoebox gift online, through “Follow Your Box”, and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.