Christmas is a time of giving, yet there are many children around the globe left untouched by its joy.

For close to four decades, the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child has strived to bring a bit of Christmas happiness to children with the help of tens of thousands of volunteers around the globe, including those in the Cochrane area.

Each year, specially-designed shoeboxes are filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, then delivered to children at Christmas.

The Cochrane Alliance Church is the drop-off location here in Cochrane for Operation Christmas Child. You can pick up boxes there and return them when filled. They are then delivered to Calgary to be sorted and prepared to ship abroad. 

The shoeboxes are also available at the Dollar Store and Bow Valley Baptist Church.

Nicqueline Shakotko is a long-time volunteer for the program. She offers a few tips on what to include.

This year, she included a lightweight, fabric backpack with drawstrings.

"The one thing I learned this year is that some of these children walk quite a distance to pick up their shoeboxes, so when they are going home with this box with all these goodies in it, they still have to carry it. Having this backpack is just a great idea."

Samaritan's Purse asks for a 'wow' gift to be included.

She says they could such items as a doll or soccer balls with a pump. A deflated soccer ball and pump fit comfortably into a box. Stuffed animals are also popular.

Beyond that, items like sunglasses, flip-flops, underwear, socks, hygiene items, and school supplies are popular gifts to include.

There are other ideas online at Samaritan's Purse on what the kids are excited to receive, and some may surprise you. You can find that information here.

When you pick up your empty box, you'll receive a concise instructional pamphlet to assist in your preparations.

Time is running out, though. Drop-off week is just around the corner and runs from Nov. 15 to 21.

"After Nov. 21, we crate up all the boxes, and we ship them to the sorting facility, so it's really important we get the boxes back between the 15th and 21st."

Those contributing boxes are asked to include a minimum donation of $10 to help cover shipping costs. Tax-deductible receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more.

Involved with the charity for years, Shakotkon has heard many touching stories of what these shoeboxes mean to the children.

One story, in particular, is that of a young girl who had ratty runners with holes in them, and she didn't want to go to school because she was so embarrassed.

"Her toes were sticking out, and her dad was sewing them up all the time. She went to one of the places where they were handing out these shoeboxes. When she got her shoebox, she opened it up and, lo and behold, it was a new pair of runners.

"It's just amazing how it touches the lives of these kids."

Operation Christmas Child has provided gifts to over 188 million children in more than 170 countries since 1983.