Sherwood football helps with Operation Christmas Child
Joe Whitfield
By Joe Whitfield
Staff Correspondent
ALBANY — School was out Monday morning for the students of Sherwood Christian Academy because of the approaching Thanksgiving holiday and the football team is preparing for Friday night’s state football championship.
But the members of the team got a little extra work in by loading and unloading boxes for Operation Christmas Child.
The Sherwood Christian Academy Eagles are one step away from claiming the GAPPS Class AA state championship but before weightlifting and practice scheduled for Monday afternoon, the team was at the Hope Center in downtown Albany helping unload and load into another truck thousands of gift boxes for children around the world.
Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that collects shoe boxes full of small gifts that are sent to children around the world Since its inception in 1993, more than 198 million children in 170 countries around the world have received shoebox gifts.
This week is “National Collection Week” for Operation Christmas Child and Sherwood’s head coach Kenny Roberts volunteered his team to help move the boxes onto a semi-truck that will go to an Atlanta processing center.
“Thank you all so much,” said Operation Christmas Child volunteer Connie Thomas told the boys. “What you did in just a few minutes would have taken me hours. And my back thanks you as well.”
Thousands of boxes from Albany churches such as Sherwood Baptist, Byne Baptist, and other organizations all collected gift boxes that were loaded up Monday to send to Atlanta and then around the world.
“It is an effort to put a smile on a child’s face and let them hear the message of the gospel,” said Thomas. “It’s just a small gift but it can really make a difference.”
“The boys are happy to help,” said Coach Roberts. “These boys have been raised right and they are happy to be able to give back and do something for other people.”
Those interested in helping prepare boxes for children next year can learn more at www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child.
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