A nonprofit known for delivering Christmas gifts around the world is hosting a local leader event to kick off one of the signature holiday events worldwide.

Samaritan’s Purse, a global nonprofit that serves people around the world, is hosting its sixth annual kickoff event in Collin County for Operation Christmas Child from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 27. The event will be held at Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen.

Operation Christmas Child began in 1993 with the collection of gift-filled shoeboxes for children in Bosnia. In the first year, the project collected 28,000 shoeboxes, and has since grown to send over 198 million to over 170 countries.

Susan Seibert, area coordinator for southern Collin County, said Operation Christmas Child will likely celebrate the collection of its 200 millionth shoebox this year. It is also the 29th year for the annual shoebox drive.

To commemorate the occasion, Seibert said, the organization is planning a major event.

“In anticipation of both these events, we are planning a global conference in Orlando, FL,” Seibert said. “Our volunteers from across the United States and around the world will be coming together to celebrate.”

Globally, Operation Christmas Child has 15,000 volunteers. Of the 15,000, nine-thousand are based in the United States and 6,000 are based in countries across the globe.

The southern Collin County area that Seibert oversees includes areas such as Wylie, Murphy, Sachse, Plano and Allen. Her area extends north to the McKinney border, she said, serving most areas south of US 380.

To get involved with Operation Christmas Child, visit their website.

For the full story, see the Aug. 25 issue of The Princeton Herald.