COBDEN — Derek McLaughlin is pleased with how this year’s Operation Christmas Child boxes went this year, considering he just took it over a few weeks before the deadline for submitting the boxes.
Last week the boxes began arriving at Cobden Pentecostal Church, which was the collection depot.
As of Saturday afternoon, just over 1,300 boxes had been collected. Mr. McLaughlin was hopeful of reaching the 2,000 mark. In past years, the box numbers have reached more than 2,000, but this year, the difference was the person who had been looking after the project, was just not able to do it.
When Mr. McLaughlin realized no one had taken on the project, he decided to. And, instead of handing out the boxes, as had been done in previous years, the people had to come to him.
The Christmas boxes are the size of large shoe boxes and are filled with a variety of things, such as school supplies, socks, toys, books, or whatever else is listed on a special form that can fit in the box.
On Saturday afternoon, Mr. McLaughlin said while children are the main recipients of the boxes, some people gear their boxes towards adults.
When asked what was in the boxes, he said each one is different. He noted one was filled with tools while others with just school supplies. One of the main things in many of the boxes are stuffed toys, he said.
“The stuffies give the children companionship,” he said.
Mr. McLaughlin said he was happy with how this year’s project went, noting most people came in with a smile as they handed in the boxes.
Looking to future years with the project, he said, “I hope to do this for a few years. We want to reach out to the community. Many people don’t realize we do this anymore.”
Mr. McLaughlin said the large boxes were to be loaded into the tractor-trailer by auxiliary police officers. When the boxes arrive at the Toronto warehouse, each one is opened to ensure nothing is in them that shouldn’t be.
