The parking lot of Ridge Church was filled with thousands of cans and bottles on Sept. 7 as locals hauled their empties down to the Operation Christmas Child bottle drive fundraiser.
This is one of many fundraisers that happen throughout the year to help pay for the hundreds of shoeboxes that get sent out each year to children all around the world.
Inside these shoeboxes are toys, school supplies, and personal hygiene items, with these packages being delivered to children in West Africa, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Ukraine, and wherever else they are needed.
But to pay for all of this stuff, events like the recent bottle drive must be held throughout the community in order to raise funds.
Local organizer Barb Gustafson said that the bottle drive fundraiser was a big success, calling the outpour of support from the community quite overwhelming.
"The residents of Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge gave wonderful support in dropping off their refundable recyclables," said Gustafson.
She said that once the bottles were all sorted and the money was counted, the final tally reached $1,230.
For years, Maple Ridge families have packed shoebox gifts for boys and girls around the world. One of these gifts reached Elena Nicholson in the former Soviet Union when she was a young girl. Nicholson is now visiting Maple Ridge residents to share how the simple gift had a life-changing impact.
Nicholson will be telling her story to local groups and churches. She wants to encourage residents as they kick off the upcoming collection season to fill more shoeboxes with fun toys, school supplies and personal care items—contributing to the global goal of reaching 12 million children in Jesus’ Name. She will speak on Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at Ridge Church (22155 Lougheed Hwy.).
The actual filling of the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes will take place from Nov. 18 to 24, with more details available at www.samaritanspurse.ca.
