Elizabeth Cain thinks every child should find something under their Christmas tree.
At six, the Grade 1 students at St. Paul School is still excited for Santa Claus’s annual visit, but smart enough to realize he doesn’t always make it to every home in the world.
She and her school mates hope their efforts will help at least 111 underprivileged children around the globe.
Elizabeth and her family helped fill two shoeboxes, their contribution to Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan Purse Canada’s campaign to teach Canadian children about the importance of being charitable and helping those in need. “We filled up two, for a boy and a girl, because my family thought it would be fair for a boy and a girl to get one, so they can both be happy and enjoy shoe boxes full of toys and fun games,” the youngster said. “We put in games, toys, T-shirts, lip balms and a tooth brush.”
It’s made her feel warm inside. “I feel happy because I got to help people who don’t get any stuff for Christmas,” she said.
Lucas McCullough and his family also provided two boxes, adding school supplies to the fun stuff in the collection.
Like Elizabeth, he understands not everyone is as fortunate as he is at Christmastime. “They don’t get things that we usually get. It would be better for them because it’s something that they would really like,” he said. “I’m very, very happy because if this program didn’t happen, then kids couldn’t exactly get gifts that they would really like.”
Classmate Reese Beegin, also 10 years old, filled up a box for a little girl.
She too is happy to help out another family whose
Christmases might be a little sparser than hers. “They deserve this stuff that we get and sometimes we’re not grateful for what we get. But often when they get stuff we don’t think is good, they’ll love it and think it’s awesome.”
Grade 2 teacher Norma Chataway said the project is important for the entire school community. “It gives the children an opportunity to share what they have and it gives them a feeling of social inclusion. It helps them realize there are children in the world that do not have everything that we have,” she said. “The boxes go to children that have been affected by disease or disaster or hunger.”
Along with the boxes, each recipient child also receives The Greatest Gift, Ann Voskamp’s look at the celebration and timeless meaning of Christmas.
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