Fort St. John residents pack nearly 1,500 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John residents packed 1,438 shoeboxes full of school supplies, toys and more for children in need through Operation Christmas Child.

British Columbians packed a total of 53,945 shoeboxes in 2023 — a three per cent increase over 2022.

Fort St. John’s Crystal Holden says she has been packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) since the initiative was established through Samaritan’s Purse in 1993.

“I love this simple, easy and fun way to help others, especially children and their families,” Holden said. 

“I collect gift items all year long and then, with the help of family and friends, put together 100 to 200 Shoeboxes every fall during National Collection Week.”

When her children were school-aged, Holden says she helped organize school events to pack shoe boxes, once packing about 600 boxes at one school.

Holden became the volunteer Fort St. John and Area Regional coordinator for the OOC Event several years ago to pack boxes in the community. 

She then worked to prepare boxes for delivery in Calgary, the western Samaritan’s Purse processing centre.

“It is always an absolute joy and pleasure to help in Calgary at the Processing Centre,” Holden said. 

“Every shoebox is delicately and carefully looked through for items that cannot be shipped overseas.”

Holden says that due to border regulations and safety reasons, some items cannot be packed in a shoebox, such as breakable, liquid, used, war-related items, or any items that could scare a child.

For more information on Samaritan’s Purse and to donate to OCC, visit its website.