Share This Article
The North Central Arkansas Area Team with Operation Christmas Child will hold its annual Celebration Event on Saturday, April 11, at First Baptist Church Christian Life Center, 1205 Spring Street, Mountain Home, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, the North Carolina-based international relief organization founded by evangelist Bob Pierce in 1970. Since 1993, the program has delivered more than 232 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 170 countries. For many recipients, the shoebox is the first gift they have ever received. Beyond the gifts, Samaritan’s Purse uses the program as an entry point for The Greatest Journey, a 12-lesson discipleship program that has enrolled more than 46 million children since 2009. North Central Arkansas area churches have contributed nearly 217,000 shoeboxes to the effort since local collection began in 2006.
This year’s celebration theme is SCORE with OCC — Shoeboxes, Create Opportunities to Reach the Ends of the Earth. The event will be staged like a sporting event, complete with referees, commentators, cheerleaders and a sideline coach interview. Organizers will share final shoebox totals from 2025 at the local, regional and national level and recognize the year’s standout volunteers. Hot dogs, popcorn and peanuts will be served.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required but appreciated for planning purposes. To register, visit forms.gle/ULNFGS2rgZB62hDp6. For more information, call Shari Alexander at 870-404-1030.
