Each year there is a drive to fill shoeboxes with small gifts to bring some Christmas cheer to a child who probably otherwise would have nothing.

Franklin Graham’s Operation Christmas Child Samaritan Purse Christmas Boxes are shipped worldwide each holiday season. They are filled with age appropriate gifts, and a Christian message of hope.

The Bainbridge area has a long history of supporting this effort, and this year isn’t any different. If anything, participation seems to be greater. Quite possibly the experience of Hurricane Michael has raised an awareness and kinship with those who have experienced loss.

At any rate, here at The Post Searchlight, reporter Jill Holloway and I have joined the drive. She created a box for a girl and I chose to fill one for a boy. The two of us made a trip to Dollar General where we sought out some of the gifts that were recommended on the website.

Anyone who knows me well knows I love to shop, but as all of my grandchildren are now grown, it has been many years since I bought toys or items for children. I had forgotten how much fun it could be. Sadly, many of the things I might have wanted to purchase would not fit inside a shoebox, or they would have taken up the whole box. Also, I must admit I have not kept up on the most popular toys for children now, so I hope I made wise choices for a boy age 4 to 9.

Not knowing where the boxes will go is somewhat of an obstacle as well. If they go overseas to underprivileged children in foreign lands, that is one thing; but if they are sent to children in this country who have experienced loss due to hurricanes, floods or fires, they may not be as appropriate.

The goal for me remains the same— to let a child somewhere know that he or she is loved and prayers have gone out for them.