Kelowna residents pack almost 2,000 shoeboxes for kids around the world

Kelowna residents packed 1,963 shoeboxes and Penticton residents 2,757 in Samaritan’s Purse Canada’s annual Operation Christmas Child campaign.

Canadians fill shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies and other items. The boxes are then distributed to children around the world.

In total, Canadians packed 373,188 shoeboxes, including tens of thousands packed online at packabox.ca.

“Given the tremendous pandemic challenges all of us faced in 2020, we are extremely thankful to Canadians … for their generosity in continuing to support this program,” said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child Canada, in a release.

People don’t have to pack shoeboxes just at Christmas. Go to packabox.ca and do it online anytime.

Photo contributed Children in Costa Rica open their shoebox-size gifts from Operation Christmas Child.