Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is an important worldwide ministry of Samaritan's Purse in which Lake Tulloch Bible Church actively participates. LTBC has a team working on a new plan for filling shoe boxes for OCC. Each month starting in April, we will collect items in categories and based on Age Groups. We are setting up a table in the Fellowship Hall with bins to drop the donations in. Suggested gifts are listed below and will also be available at the table. Each month, there will be a new category and a new list of suggested gifts. At the end of October, we will set up all of the donated items and have a packing party. We are excited to see how well we can do when we work together as a church to spread the gospel through this program.
OCC 2025
Carole Pisio and Debby Hill have been year-round-connect volunteers for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) for ten years and LTBC has been a Drop off Center. Because only 3 churches delivered the individual boxes to us, they handled the collection and processing by themselves.
In 2024 two things happened. First, LTBC became a Central Drop off Center. This meant that not only did we collect individual boxes from more churches, we also received filled shipping cartons from other Drop Off Centers in the Central Sierra Team (from Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties).
Second, for the first time in many years, the LTBC church family became engaged in collecting items to fill shoeboxes. We were able to collect enough items to fill 149 boxes. Others in the church chose to fill their own boxes so that the total from our church was 313 boxes. In addition, we had enough cash donations to pay for all the shipping costs.
The combination of the church family donations, plus the volunteer help with the packing party and during collection week was energizing to us and made the whole process a lot of fun. We received a lot of feedback about how fun it was for others.
So, starting March 2, 2025, we will start collecting again and have set a goal to fill 200 boxes. This means buying in bulk. While there are basic items that will go into every box, we also need to consider buying in quantity items based on gender (male/female) and age groups (2-4, 5-9 and 10-14).
We will start with Personal Care items. Copies of suggested items and places to buy in bulk will be available at the OCC table in the social hall, that information is also available at the end of this email.
As a side note, OCC has been in operation since 1993. Last year (2024) was the most successful year in the history of the program. 11,927.439 boxes were collected from the eleven countries that collect boxes. Of that amount, 10.574,.805 boxes came from the United States. So, almost 12 million gospel opportunities will be sent out to children in 170 countries. This is a powerful way to serve God!!!
We thank you again for your past participation and pray for a successful 2025.
Debby Hill
Carole Pisio
March 31, 2025 Announcement
To our Church Family,
Last year was our first year collecting as a church, and each month we set out a list of suggested items by category: Hygiene and Personal Care, Clothing and Accessories, Toys, Games & Activities, School Supplies and WOW items. Although the response was good for the basics that we include in every box (personal care and school supplies), we came up short on additional items for age and gender specific items. As a result, we didn’t reach our goal to fill 200 boxes.
So, this year we are trying something a little different. For the month of April, our list will focus on items for boys and girls ages 2 to 4. The list has suggestions in each of the categories but the idea is to purchase items that are geared for that age group/gender. Two bins will be on our table, one for boy items and one for girl items.
In May and June, we will have a similar list for boy/girl 5 to 9 and 10 to 14 respectively. We will save the School Supplies category for July/Aug when the best sales take place.
For those of you who want to participate but hate to shop, we will have a donation jar on the table and volunteers on our team will do the shopping for you. Funds left over, will go towards the shipping costs ($10/shoebox). Any checks should be made out to LTBC with a reference in the notes “OCC Shoeboxes”.
We are grateful to all of you for your enthusiasm and your generosity.
Deb Hill and Carole Pisio
Places to Purchase in Bulk
Amazon (go to Amazon.com then enter "Operation Christmas Child" in the search bar for OCC bulk purchase items through Amazon)
Dollar Tree (dollartree.com)
Hobby Lobby (hobbylobby.com)
MD Supplies (https://www.msdupplies.com/shoebox)
Oriental Trading Company (orientaltrading.com)
Walmart (late July and early August for school supplies)
Do Not Include Any of the Following Items
Food, candy or gum, Toothpaste, Soap
Used or damaged items, Scary or war-related items such as toy knives or military figures
Wearable traditional camouflage, Seeds or organic matter
Liquids or lotions , Medications or vitamins
Breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers
Aerosol cans, Matches, fire starters or aerosols
Knives, saws, or razor blades , Money
NOTE: Inclusion of any of these items could cause a whole shipment of shoeboxes to be held up in customs.
Monthy Suggested Gift Lists
March
Hygiene & Personal Care Items
Adhesive bandages - Colorful ones can help a child be more willing to use them.
Please, no bandages that include liquid antibiotic ointment.
Bar Soap (packaged or in a container)
Comb
Hairbrush
Compact mirror
Flashlight; Solar powered or crank preferred. If battery operated, be sure to include extra batteries.
Nail clippers and file.
Non-liquid Lip Balm
Re-useable plastic containers
(cup, water bottle, plate, bowl, blunt-edged utensils)
Stick deodorant
Toothbrush
Washcloth
Consider filling an empty container with non-liquid items such as:
hair bows, bracelets, sunglasses,
or washcloths to maximize the space.
DO NOT INCLUDE Toothpaste or Soap
Ask your personal dentist if he/she would donate toothbrushes.
April
Boys & Girls Ages 2 - 4
A "Wow" Item
Doll, Stuffed animal, An outfit of clothing to wear
Small musical instrument (such as a harmonica or woodwind recorder) .
Clothing Accessories
Flip-flops, Shoes and socks
Friendship bracelets (woven with yarn or embroidery thread)
Hair bows, Hat/scarf/mittens
Pillowcase dress (loose-fitting sundress)
Shirts and pants, Sunglasses
Tote bag/purse/backpack, Underwear
Toys
Etch A Sketch, Finger puppets
Foam ball, Plastic dinosaurs,Plastic tools
Interactive toys that include push buttons, lights, noise (Include extra batteries)
Kickball (make sure to include a manual air pump so that the ball can be reinflated.)
Play cars/trucks/boats, Slinky , Tennis ball
Games & Activities
Puzzles, Coloring books or pads, Stickers
Dry water color set
Chalkboard and chalk
May
Boys & Girls Ages 5-9
A "Wow" Item
Doll (Consider including accessories such as doll clothes or a small doll bed). , Soccer ball (Make sure to include a manual air pump so that the ball can be reinflated). Stuffed animal, An outfit of clothing to wear
Small musical instrument (such as a harmonica or woodwind recorder), Backpack
Clothing Accessories
Flip-flops, Friendship bracelets (woven with yarn or embroidery thread), Hair bows, Hat/scarf/mittens Pillowcase dress (loose-fitting sundress)
Shirts and pants, Shoes and socks, Sunglasses
Tote bag/purse/backpack, Underwear, Wrist watch
Toys
Baseball and mitt, Costume items to play dress-up, such as crowns and costume jewelry, Etch A Sketch, Foam ball
Hacky sack, Kickball (make sure to include a manual air pump so that the ball can be reinflated.) Plastic toys and toy figures, Small Frisbee, Small kite, Tennis ball, Toy cars, Slinky or Yo-Yo
Crafts & Activities
Binoculars, Building blocks, Chalkboard and chalk, Coloring books, Flashlights, Puzzles, Sewing kit, Skipping rope/Jump rope, Stickers, Tool set
June
Boys & Girls Ages 10 to 14
"Wow" Item
Doll (Consider including accessories such as doll clothes or a small doll bed), Backpack
Soccer ball (Make sure to include a manual air pump so that the ball can be reinflated)., Stuffed animal
An outfit of clothing to wear
Small musical instrument (such as a harmonica or woodwind recorder) .
Clothing and Accessories
Bandana , Bead jewelry/bead kit , Decorative hat
Flip-flops , Friendship bracelets (woven with yarn or embroidery thread)
Hair accessories (hair clips, hair ribbons, elastic hair bands, etc.), Wrist watch, Hair bows , Hat/scarf/mittens
Pillowcase dress (loose-fitting sundress)
Shirts and pants , Shoes and socks , Sunglasses
Tote bag/purse/backpack , Underwear , Wallet
Toys
Baseball and mitt , Etch A Sketch , Foam ball
Hacky sack , Kaleidoscope, Toy cars , Yo-Yo
Kickball (make sure to include a manual air pump so that the ball can be reinflated.)
Marbles , Small Frisbee , Small kite , Tennis ball
Crafts and Activities
Binoculars , Building blocks , Chalkboard and chalk
Coloring books , Puzzles , Sewing kit
Skipping rope/Jump rope , Stickers , Tool set
July
School Supplies - Ages to Be Annouced
August
School Supplies - Ages to be Announced
********************************* SPECIAL MESSAGE - 2024 OCC *********************************
From Debbie Hill and Carole Pizio......
Carole and I would like to thank the church for their support of Operation Christmas Child this year. With the items collected, we were able to fill 149 boxes at the packing party. Others chose to fill their own boxes and the total for the church came to 313 gospel opportunities. Cash donations covered all of the shipping costs. And we were blessed by those who were able to help during collection week. As the Central Collection Center serving Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, we loaded shipping cartons filled with 4,284 shoeboxes onto the transport trailer and sent them on their way to the next step in the journey. Carole and I were blessed by your support but more importantly, the children receiving these boxes will be greatly blessed.
Thank you! Debbie & Carole
An important note to make is that LTBC was the area collection location for Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties for the first time this year with two large truck containers getting packed here. Debbie and Carole, along with the support of Mike Avecilla did a TREMENDOUS job in coordination, communication and execution of this important ministry. Anyone who was involved in any way knows what a blessing it was to participate. Please let them know how much they are appreciated!
