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Collection season for the national Operation Christmas Child has begun in Erie.<\/p>\n
During the 2025 holiday season, Operation Christmas Child, a national project created by Samaritan\u2019s Purse<\/a>, will be hosting around 5,000 drop-off locations across the country. Several of those locations are in Erie County for a week.<\/p>\n This season, Operation Christmas Child will be creating shoeboxes filled with gifts to deliver to children worldwide. The organization’s goal for 2025 is to globally reach 12 million children.<\/p>\n Coming up: Polar Plunge splashes way back to Presque Isle to support Special Olympics<\/a><\/p>\n Which churches in Erie County are collecting for Operation Christmas Child?<\/p>\n Below are the churches that will be partnering with Operation Christmas Child as a designated drop-off donation site.<\/p>\n Collections will take place at these churches during select hours from Nov. 17 through Nov. 24. All hours can be found at samaritanspurse.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Flagship Free Will Baptist Church: 1959 E. 36th St.<\/p>\n First Baptist Church, North East: 43 S. Lake St.<\/p>\n First Alliance Church: 2939 Zimmerly Road<\/p>\n First Baptists Church of Edinboro: 12472 Edinboro Road<\/p>\n Faith Evangelical Church, Corry: 13444 W. Washington St. Ext.<\/p>\n What items can I donate to Operation Christmas Child?<\/p>\n According to samaritanspurse.org<\/a>, donors are encouraged to create a shoebox package filled with any of the following categories:<\/p>\n A \u201cwow\u201d item: doll, large toy, soccer ball and pump, stuffed animal or musical instrument.<\/p>\n Clothing and accessories;<\/p>\n Crafts and activities: puzzles, binoculars, compass, chalkboard, fishing kit, jump rope, coloring books, playdough, stickers and books.<\/p>\n Toys: ball, frisbee, blocks, slinky, yo-yo, magnets, interactive toys or other small toys and figures.<\/p>\n What items should you not include in an Operation Christmas Child box?<\/p>\n Donors are encouraged to stray away from any of the following objects:<\/p>\n Scary or war-related items;<\/p>\n Wearable traditional camouflage;<\/p>\n Matches, fire starters or aerosols;<\/p>\n Knives, saws or razor blades.<\/p>\n Back from the North Pole: Santa’s Castle makes nostalgic return to Erie. When and where to see it<\/a><\/p>\n For more guidance on donations, check out samaritanspurse.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nicholas Sorensen can be contacted at Nsorensen@gannett.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n