Shoeboxes aim to bring Christmas to children worldwide

     One local church has spearheaded efforts with hopes of making Christmastime a little merrier for impoverished children throughout the world.

     St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hampton is in its second year as a designated drop-off area for Operation Christmas Child. The program is a religious-based initiative that brings shoeboxes filled with donated items to needy children in underprivileged countries across the globe. Brenda Van Wert, who co-chairs the project with Colleen Moritz, said church members have participated in the shoebox program for four years and it keeps growing.

     "Last year, they delivered their 1,000,000th shoebox, and we broke 100 here for the first time, so we hope we can get that again plus more," Van Wert said.

Read the full article in the Nov. 6 edition of the Hampton Chronicle.