BARRHEAD - Sometimes, a small, seemingly insignificant item can make all the difference in a person's life.
Derra Mantey firmly believes that. That is why she and her husband Herb have been involved in Operation Christmas Child for over 20 years and now lead the Barrhead's efforts through the Alliance Church.
Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is a project run by Samaritan's Purse Canada, a non-denominational evangelical Christian organization founded in 1970 which delivers shoeboxes of Christmas gifts for needy children in all corners of the world.
Depending on the year and what is happening worldwide, Canadian-filled boxes can go to various countries almost anywhere. In recent years, Canadian boxes have gone to Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua and Africa (Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Sierra Leone).
The Manteys filled their first shoebox, or in their case, an oversized boot box, shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
The Manteys, as a family, which included two young daughters, were looking for a way to help the children of Afghanistan following the military action in the country led by the U.S. but included nations such as Britain, Germany and Canada.
As it happened, OCC and Samaritan's Purse was one of the first non-governmental organizations helping at the newly formed refugee camps in the war-torn country.
However, Mantey quickly points out that Barrhead's OCC effort predates their own, saying former Barrhead Leader publisher Al Blackmere brought the program to the community in 1995.
OCC recommends toys and other small gifts such as dolls, soccer balls (with needle and pump), stuffed animals and musical instruments. Other popular items include school supplies, pens, crayons, notebooks, and colouring books. Clothing, such as T-shirts, socks, and personal hygiene items, like toothbrushes, hairbrushes and combs, are also welcome.
Restricted items include foodstuffs, such as hard candy, playing cards, poker chips, and anything that could leak or melt, including toothpaste and shampoo. War toys are also not allowed.
Mantey said Barrhead's efforts have been fortunate to include multiple groups of hardworking knitters, crocheters, and sewers quilters making everything from mittens, scarves, toques, T-shirts, drawstring bags, dresses, woollen and cloth dolls.
The donations of handmade winter items started in 2015 when OCC asked Canadians to donate an extra 20,000 boxes for the children of Eastern Ukraine.
"Which is still happening," Mantey said, adding she did not know the logistics of how it happened. "I'm not sure if the boxes are given out in the country, or at a refugee centre, or both."
Since its inception, Samaritan's Purse has given out more than 200 million shoeboxes worldwide.
Last year, Barrhead-area residents donated 1,010 shoeboxes, not including the ones packed online, setting a new record.
"Barrhead always amazes me," Mantey said. "It has been a tough few years for a lot of people with the pandemic, and now, with inflation and the costs of everything going up, but year after year, Barrhead residents just keep giving."
For those who might not be able to contribute a shoebox but still want to contribute, she said they also accept handmade crafts, toys, et cetera that can fit into a shoebox.
"I have one Grade 10 girl who asked if she could make bracelets," Mantey said, adding that she accepted the offer. "Those of the things that we can include during our box packing party"
Where to pick up and deliver completed shoeboxes
Boxes are available at Everyday Values, Barb's Sewing and Your Dollar Store With More. Once filled, shoeboxes can be dropped off at the Barrhead Alliance Church starting Nov. 14 to Nov. 18, from 9 a.m. to noon from Tuesday to Friday.
On Saturday, Nov. 18, the church extends its hours until 3 p.m. Recycled shoeboxes are also available at Barrhead Shoes. That day, the church also hosts a box-packing party from 6:30 p.m. to about 9:30 p.m., which is open to the public.
To help cover shipping costs, OCC asks people to include a $10 donation placed inside the top of each box.
People can also pack a shoebox online at www.packabox.ca.
One of the benefits of packing a shoebox online is that you can do it any time of the year, and donors can see what country their box is going to.
For more information about the Barrhead OCC effort or to donate knitted or other homemade items, contact Derra or Herb Mantey at 780-674-4630 or 780-305-6268.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
