Pratt students target better Christmas for all

E.W. Pratt High School students Molly Marquardt, left, and Jessica Rose are among the students in Colleen McAloon’s Grade 10 Social Studies classes to create posters for Operation Christmas Child.

Mac Olsen
South Peace News

Students in Colleen McAloon’s Grade 10 Social Studies classes at E.W. Pratt High School were busy last week getting ready for Christmas. However, they are not thinking of themselves, but of children around the world who go without many items in daily life. They are working on Operation Christmas Child and have created posters for High Prairie and surrounding communities. “Generally speaking, there’s a huge response from the community and we hope to send 500 boxes this year,” says McAloon. The posters have information about things that can be given like school supplies, toys and hygiene items. Things that should not be given are toothpaste, liquids that leak, melt or freeze, food, used items, breakable items or those that could scare or harm a child. Molly Marquardt and Jessica Rose worked on a large poster, drawing a Christmas tree and putting stickers on it. It reflects their spirit of giving. “We think it’s a really good idea to help children in other countries. It’s a fun way to help people,” says Marquardt. “It brings awareness to everybody,” says Rose. “Things we take for granted like school supplies, other children will like.” They also wrote a news release about Operation Christmas Child and sent it to the media. McAloon and the students will hold a major collection drive Nov. 17-21 and the final day Nov. 26. Items can be dropped off at the school, too. Once the items are collected, the students will wrap them in shoeboxes and Greyhound will ship them free of charge to a collection centre in Calgary. Samaritan’s Purse holds Operation Christmas Child each year. “Often, the shoeboxes open doors to provide other aid, allowing Samaritan’s Purse to provide resources for a better tomorrow,” reads the organization’s website. Franklin Graham, International President of Samaritan’s Purse, adopted Operation Christmas Child in 1993. That year, Samaritan’s Purse delivered its first gift-filled shoeboxes to children in war-torn Bosnia. It has provided 60 million shoebox gifts in over 100 countries since. Other schools in the region including St. Andrew’s School and High Prairie Elementary School also participate in the program.

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