For children who have nothing to look forward to on the holidays, all it takes is a few small gifts -- small enough to fit in a shoebox -- to make their Christmas bright.
Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a project of the international Christian relief organization known as Samaritan's Purse, sends millions of small gifts to the less fortunate each holiday season.
Last year, the Grace Lutheran Church, 205 S. Garner St., donated more than 2,000 shoeboxes filled with gifts to children around the world at Christmas.
This year, the Grace Lutheran Church hopes to collect more than double the number of boxes it collected last year with a goal of 5,000 boxes.
The church will be collecting boxes from today to next Monday. The drop-off center at the church will be in operation weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. and next Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The shoeboxes are wrapped, stuffed with toys and sent to orphanages, hospitals and families in poverty in 95 countries across the world. In 2003, 6.6 million shoebox gifts were given.
Marilyn Peterson, a member of Grace Lutheran Church, first brought the project to State College with help from her family.
Peterson has been the collection center coordinator for OCC in Centre County for the past two years. She decided to bring the project to town because the closest drop-off site outside State College was an hour away in Hollidaysburg.
Rachel Griel, OCC community relations coordinator, said reaching this year's goal is going to take the efforts of the entire community.
Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity, helped pre-wrap unfilled shoeboxes and pack donated items.
The pre-wrapped boxes can be picked up at the church for those who want to contribute but cannot find their own shoeboxes to fill.
Penn State's Athletes in Action will help load trucks with the shoebox gifts so they can be shipped to Hollidaysburg and make their way into the hands of the children who need them by Christmas.
Members of Gamma Sigma Sigma sorority are also participating in OCC by working at the collection center.
The sorority will sort the shoeboxes and make sure the gift makers indicate the intended gender and age group of the children who will be receiving their presents.
The Pasquerilla Spiritual Center is spreading the word about OCC to several on-campus organizations.
Penn State's Campus Crusade for Christ pledged to donate 100 shoeboxes to the cause this year.
The boxes should be filled with stuffed animals, coloring books, crayons, candy and other such items. Many contributors also like to include necessities such as combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste and flashlights.
"We encourage people to put their address in the box with a personal letter or photo so that the children can contact their gift giver," Griel said.
Five families from Grace Lutheran received letters back from the children who received their presents last year.
Ruth Eckley, another member of Grace Lutheran who is heading the project, said she thinks Penn State is "a huge resource for Operation Christmas Child."
Griel said students could collaborate and make boxes together.
"We all believe in the project so much," she said.
"We'll do anything to get just one more box," she added.
