STANDISH, Maine – For the 12th annual event, members of the Saint Joseph's College Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) gathered and packed items for Operation Christmas Child, a global Christmas gift exchange project operated by Samaritan's Purse.

The Saint Joseph's SAAC, which features representatives from each of the Monks' athletic teams, gathered on Monday, November 13th to fill shoeboxes with toys and other items that will be shipped to less fortunate children, ages 2-14, in multiple countries around the world.

The student-athletes assembled the boxes, which were filled with items such as washcloths, socks, hair accessories, toy cars, stuffed animals, pencils, crayons, coloring books, bouncy balls, and various other items – with every item having been donated by SAAC members and SJC athletic programs.

With the help of Committee Advisor Megan Levesque and Committee Assistant Advisor Tiffany Miller-Gagnon, the SJC SAAC members assembled 100 total boxes (19 more than last year). Their contribution was added to the shipment made by Royal Ridge Church of God in Scarborough, Maine. Samaritan's Purse provides a tracking feature so the SJC SAAC members will learn where each package was sent. These boxes were counted in the 13,603 shoeboxes here in southern Maine.

Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan's Purse, provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in simple, hands-on mission projects. According to the Samaritan's Purse website, the mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

Operation Christmas Child