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| Attendees of last year's Christmas in July event packed more than 300 boxes and raised more than a $1,000 for Operation Christmas Child. |
Members of Walnut Creek Church are teaming up with Operation Christmas Child to throw a Christmas party for children all over the world. The event, dubbed “Christmas in July,” will take place tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Walnut Creek Downtown. The fourth annual event is free and open to the public.
Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, partners with local churches worldwide to deliver gift-filled shoeboxes to hurting children in impoverished and war-torn countries. Walnut Creek Church’s Christmas in July event will provide attendees with an opportunity to pack shoeboxes for children around the world. A meal will also be served to help defray the cost of shipping the shoeboxes overseas. Each shoebox costs $7 to ship.
The event will close with a concert featuring Christian hip-hop artists Beautiful Eulogy, who will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. Proceeds from the concert tickets, which are on sale now, will also go toward the cost of shipping the shoeboxes.
“Our goal for this year’s Christmas in July event is to pack 1,000 shoeboxes and raise $7,000,” said event organizer Jed Johnson of Walnut Creek Downtown. “This is a significant increase from years past because our boxes will be going to limited-access countries, which have an even greater need.”
Christmas in July attendees are encouraged to bring items to include in the gift boxes, such as school supplies, small toys, and hygiene items (no liquids or gels). Attendees are also encouraged to consider a cash donation to help cover the cost of shipping the boxes they pack.
Samaritan’s Purse is an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has hand-delivered more than 100 million gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children in more than 130 countries. To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ/.
By Tim Laehn
Walnut Creek Downtown