Fulton starting Christmas celebrations April 19

The Christmas spirit is coming to Fulton early this year. On April 19, the Fulton Alliance Church will host an Operation Christmas Child celebration at 7 p.m. Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is an evangelical outreach program that takes shoe box gifts filled with hygiene items, school supplies, small toys and the gospel message to children in need around the world. The project is a mission of Samaritan’s Purse led by Franklin Graham.

The Fulton program will recognize those who packed shoe boxes last year to help the New York North Central region of OCC set a new giving record with 10, 216 gifts. One local family prepared 30 boxes.

OCC Area Coordinator Patty Jennings will also share her experiences of presenting the boxes to children in African, South American and Caribbean countries. She tells of the dramatic impact the gifts can have on children and their families.

How to pack a shoe box information will be provided at the free program at the church at 1044 State Route 48.

Operation Christmas Child is supported by more than 140,000 volunteers in the United States. Learn more online at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ