Operation Christmas Child helps children around the world

Jennifer Bach wants to help children around the world have a brighter holiday.

Bach is a local organizer for Operation Christmas Child. The goal of Operation Christmas Child is to change as many lives as possible with a very simple gift, Bach said.

This is her fifth year volunteering with the project.

Those who want to participate can pick up a shoebox at one of four local banks: Glacier, Flathead, First Interstate and Rocky Mountain. After the boxes are filled with children’s items, the boxes can be returned to the bank or Bigfork Drug.

Bach notes that Bigfork Drug will have an aisle set aside specificially for children’s items that can be inserted into shoeboxes. The boxes can be filled with small toys, hygiene items and school supplies, for example.

Participants can pay for shipping online at samaritanspurse.org. When the boxes are filled and the shipping is paid, the boxes can be dropped off at First Baptist Church of Bigfork, Nov. 18-25, which has been named “Collection Week.”

Dropoff times are as follows: Nov. 18, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.; Nov. 19., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Nov. 20, 4 to 6 p.m.; Nov. 21, 5 to 7 p.m.; Nov. 22, 2 to 4 p.m.; Nov. 23, 1 to 3 p.m.; Nov. 24, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; and Nov. 25, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Samaritan’s Purse has been helping make children’s lives brighter since 1993. This year’s operation will reach more than nine million children in over six continents.

“Once again there is another thing in Bigfork to help those who are in need,” said Diane Kautzman of Rocky Mountain Bank.

For more information, call Bach at 250-8262.