Ed and Sheila Strack ran the Manning leg of Operation Christmas Child for more than a decade.
After 13 years, the couple stepped down in 2013, and now Chris Landrum leads the way. The charity is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, which is headed by Franklin Graham, famous evangelist Billy Graham’s son.
“We seek to glorify God by collecting shoe boxes that are filled with gifts,” Landrum said. “The boxes are sent to children all over the world.
This year, collection will take place through Monday in two Clarendon locations, including
Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1794 Old Georgetown Road in Manning, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, noon to 3 p.m. Sunday and 1-3 p.m. Monday; and Horse Branch Free Will Baptist Church, 1097 Horse Branch Road in Turbeville, from 4-6 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday and 9-11 a.m. Monday.
Boxes may be filled with just about anything for children, though liquids, gun-type toys and food are prohibited. Most folks pack different types of toys, crayons, markers, coloring books and even toiletries.
After many years of taking the collected Clarendon County boxes to Florence, this year Landrum and other volunteers will take them to Sumter. From there, they will be taken to Charlotte to be shipped around the world.
For more information, call Landrum at (864) 706-5523 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org.
