Dying wish granted in western Md. county race
By The Associated Press • November 4, 2010
OAKLAND, Md. — Garrett County voters have fulfilled the wish of a county commissioner candidate who passed away 12 days before the election.
The local election board said Thursday that Republican Bob Gatto won a write-in campaign to succeed the late Dennis Glotfelty on the board of commissioners.
Glotfelty was a Republican whose name remained on the ballot despite his death. Local GOP officials initially urged people to vote for Glotfelty so the party could nominate his successor after the election.
The party later endorsed write-in candidate Gatto, the runner-up in the GOP primary. Glotfelty’s family says that was what Glotfelty wanted.
Gatto got more than 4,000 votes, Democrat Bill Welch got about 2,600 and Glotfelty got nearly 1,800.
Winter arrives in western Maryland, W. Va.
Accumulating snow possible mainly tonight into tomorrow
By Jason Samenow November 5, 2010; 10:30 AM ET
Areas shaded in purple are under a Winter Weather Advisory through Saturday due to the potential for 2-6″ of snow.No sooner than a day after the release of our winter outlook does the first accumulating snow event arrive in the mid-Atlantic region.
A winter weather advisory is in effect for Garrett County in western Maryland, which includes Deep Creek Lake. A second winter weather advisory covers the highlands of West Virginia, including extreme western Allegany, Highland, Pendleton, and western Grant and Mineral counties.
In western Maryland, at least 4 inches of snow is forecast by Saturday afternoon, with 6″+ in the high elevations. In the West Virginia highlands 2-5″ is expected.
Accumulating snow has not yet begun around Deep Creek Lake but you can watch the landscape whiten mainly tonight and tomorrow at DeepCreekCam.com.
Snow is not at all unusual in these areas during November. Oakland, Maryland — in Garrett County – averages about 9 inches of snow during the month. Four inches fell there last November.
The cause of the snow is an area of upper level low pressure moving through the region that will probably just produce scattered cloud cover east of the mountains. The D.C. Lake Blog offers a great discussion as to why this region gets so much snow.
Deep Creek Discovery Center - November 2010
Here is the full schedule of events for December at the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6 8:00 A.M. LET’S GO BIRDING THIS MAY BE EARLY, BUT IT IS THE BEST TIME TO HEAR AND SPOT SONGBIRDS. JOIN NATURALIST AARON, ONE OF GARRETT COUNTY’S MOST AVID BIRDERS, ON A WALK AROUND THE PARK. EXPERIENCED AND BEGINNER BIRDERS ARE WELCOMED! PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BINOCULARS. MEET AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER.
1:00 P.M. NOVELTY NOSE ATTENTION, KIDS OF ALL AGES! COME TO THE DISCOVERY CENTER AND EXPLORE THE LIFE OF A BLACK BEAR. ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTING FACTS WILL BE PRESENTED BY OUR PARK NATURALIST. GET THE CHANCE TO TOUCH REAL BEAR FUR AND SEE AN ACTUAL SKULL!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7 11:00 P.M. HIKE TO THE BRANT MINE THIS PROGRAM IS A GUIDED HIKE WITH THE NATURALIST TO THE HISTORIC BRANT MINE. YOU WILL SEE THE REMNANTS OF A COAL MINE THAT WAS OPERATED IN THE 1920’S. PLUS, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON THE WAY!
2:00 P.M. OWL VS. HAWK DISCOVER THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR BIRDS OF PREY AS THEY ARE PERCHED OUTSIDE THEIR MEW’S FOR CLEAR VIEWING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. THE PARK NATURALIST WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND RELAY HOW THE BIRDS CAME TO BE AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER. 1 HOUR.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13 8:00 A.M. LET’S GO BIRDING THIS MAY BE EARLY, BUT IT IS THE BEST TIME TO HEAR AND SPOT SONGBIRDS. JOIN NATURALIST AARON, ONE OF GARRETT COUNTY’S MOST AVID BIRDERS, ON A WALK AROUND THE PARK. EXPERIENCED AND BEGINNER BIRDERS ARE WELCOMED! PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BINOCULARS. MEET AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER.
1:00 P.M. SMOOTH N’ SCALES KIDS OF ALL AGES! SLITHER YOUR WAY OVER TO THE DISCOVERY CENTER FOR AN AFTERNOON OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS! LEARN ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO. ALSO, GET THE CHANCE TO BE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL BY HELPING THE NATURALIST FEED!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14 11:00 A.M. WINTER WOODS. OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE CHANGING SEASONS BY ENJOYING A RELAXING HIKE. WHAT DO PLANTS AND ANIMALS DO TO SURVIVE IN COLD WEATHER? LEARN ABOUT HOW NATURE PREPARES FOR WINTER! REMEMBER TO DRESS APPROPRIATE!
2:00 P.M. OWL VS. HAWK DISCOVER THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR BIRDS OF PREY AS THEY ARE PERCHED OUTSIDE THEIR MEW’S FOR CLEAR VIEWING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. THE PARK NATURALIST WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND RELAY HOW THE BIRDS CAME TO BE AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER. 1 HOUR.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 8:00 A.M. LET’S GO BIRDING THIS MAY BE EARLY, BUT IT IS THE BEST TIME TO HEAR AND SPOT SONGBIRDS. JOIN NATURALIST AARON, ONE OF GARRETT COUNTY’S MOST AVID BIRDERS, ON A WALK AROUND THE PARK. EXPERIENCED AND BEGINNER BIRDERS ARE WELCOMED! PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BINOCULARS. MEET AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER.
1:00 P.M. STORY N’ CRAFT JOIN OUR PARK NATURALIST FOR A SEASONAL STORY AND CRAFT. THE PROGRAM IS $2.00 PER CHILD. APPROPRIATE FOR AGES 2-5
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21 11:00 P.M. HIKE TO THE BRANT MINE THIS PROGRAM IS A GUIDED HIKE WITH THE PARK NATURALIST TO THE HISTORIC BRANT MINE. YOU WILL SEE THE REMNANTS OF A COAL MINE THAT WAS OPERATED IN THE 1920’S. PLUS, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON THE WAY!
2:00 P.M. OWL VS. HAWK DISCOVER THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR BIRDS OF PREY AS THEY ARE PERCHED OUTSIDE THEIR MEW’S FOR CLEAR VIEWING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. THE PARK NATURALIST WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND RELAY HOW THE BIRDS CAME TO BE AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER. 1 HOUR.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26 CRITTER ENCOUNTERS EVERY HOUR ON THE HOUR, YOU WILL GET THE CHANCE TO MEET A DIFFERENT CRITTER. JOIN OUR NATURALIST TO DISOVER NEW FACTS AND WATCH FEEDINGS! ALL AGES ARE WELCOMED!
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27 8:00 A.M. LET’S GO BIRDING THIS MAY BE EARLY, BUT IT IS THE BEST TIME TO HEAR AND SPOT SONGBIRDS. JOIN NATURALIST AARON, ONE OF GARRETT COUNTY’S MOST AVID BIRDERS, ON A WALK AROUND THE PARK. EXPERIENCED AND BEGINNER BIRDERS ARE WELCOMED! PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BINOCULARS. MEET AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER.
1:00 P.M. A TURKEY’S TALE COME TO THE DISCOVERY CENTER FOR A GOBBLING GOOD TIME! LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE OF THE WILD TURKEY. KIDS OF ALL AGES CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28 11:00 A.M. WINTER WOODS. OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE CHANGING SEASONS BY ENJOYING A RELAXING HIKE. WHAT DO PLANTS AND ANIMALS DO TO SURVIVE IN COLD WEATHER? LEARN ABOUT HOW NATURE PREPARES FOR WINTER! REMEMBER TO DRESS APPROPRIATELY.
2:00 P.M. OWL VS. HAWK DISCOVER THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR BIRDS OF PREY AS THEY ARE PERCHED OUTSIDE THEIR MEW’S FOR CLEAR VIEWING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. THE PARK NATURALIST WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND RELAY HOW THE BIRDS CAME TO BE AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER. 1 HOUR.
EVERY SATURDAY THERE WILL BE A TANK TOUR AT 11:00 A.M. -DON’T PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF THE DISCOVERY CENTER. HEAR STORIES, LEARN FACTS, AND GET A CHANCE TO TOUCH DIFFERENT CRITTERS. APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES
Find us on FACEBOOK and www.discoverycenterdcl.com
Programs and Center hours are subject to change without notice. 301-387-7067
School board seat in flux after Raley victory
Megan Miller
The Cumberland Times-News Thu Nov 04, 2010, 07:48 AM EDT
— OAKLAND — Jim Raley’s election to the county commission means that a seat on the school board is now in flux, at an already uncertain time for Garrett County schools.
Raley will resign from the school board to take his new office, creating a vacancy that will be filled, by law, through an appointment by the county commission. The appointee will serve out the remaining two years of his term, through 2012.
The appointee could be a person from any political party and any part of the county, because Raley’s seat is designated for a member-at-large.
O’Malley: Budget without new taxes
From Staff Reports
Associated Press Thu Nov 04, 2010, 07:41 AM EDT
— ANNAPOLIS — Looking ahead to his second term, Gov. Martin O’Malley said Wednesday his first budget proposal will reflect another challenging year with more cuts, but that no new tax proposals will be included in his January budget.
The Democrat said any increase in state revenue will come from more people landing jobs, not taxes.
“I’m looking for cuts — and a constant diet of cuts — until our economy comes back so that the revenues come back, and we’ve seen our revenues start to bump up because we’ve seen job creation actually in the positive zone for the first time in a long time,” O’Malley said.
Write-ins will determine Garrett commission outcome
Megan Miller
The Cumberland Times-News Thu Nov 04, 2010, 07:49 AM EDT
— OAKLAND — Today at 10 a.m. Garrett County election officials will begin sifting through thousands of write-in votes to name the next county commissioner for District 3.
A total of 4,352 write-in votes were cast in the race, and could potentially be divided among three registered write-in candidates: Republicans Bob Gatto and Tim Thomas and Democrat George Falter.
Deceased Candidate Loses Western Md. County Race
Dennis Glotfelty Died Of Cancer Days Before Election
POSTED: 11:32 am EDT November 3, 2010
OAKLAND, Md. — A candidate who died while seeking re-election to the Garrett County Commissioners lost the race.
County election officials said they’ll count write-in votes Thursday to determine whether any of three Republicans got enough support to beat the 2,603 votes cast for Democrat Bill Welch.
The late Republican incumbent Dennis Glotfelty received 1,755 votes even though he died of lung cancer 12 days before the election.
NWS plans fewer winter weather alerts in Allegany
November 4, 2010 – Baltimore Sun weblog
Hardy Allegany County residents just seem to deal with wintry weather without paying much attention to the stuff, much less caring about how the weather forecasters choose to define it.
But the National Weather Service is acknowledging the frequency of bad winter weather in Western Maryland’s mountain stronghold by requiring slightly more dire forecasts before they’ll issue winter weather watches and warnings. The change puts the county into the same class as Garrett County just to the west.
Until now, the forecast for Allegany County – and for the rest of Maryland east of there – had to call for 2 inches of snow in 12 hours before the folks in Sterling would issue a Winter Weather Advisory. As of 10 a.m. Thursday, the criterion for Allegany (also Grant, Mineral and Pendleton counties in W. Va., and Highland County in Va.) will be 3 inches in 12 hours.
Election results online at garrettcounty.org
Results of the general election can be found here:
http://garrettcounty.org/Elections/2010General.aspx
FULL RESULTS:
Election Summary Report
Gubernatorial General Elections
State of Maryland, Garrett County
November 2, 2010
Summary For Jurisdiction Wide, All Counters, All Races
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Absentee 1 11/04/10
14:43:08
Registered Voters 18434 – Cards Cast 9739 52.83% Num. Reporting 21
GOVERNOR / LT. GOVERNOR
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
O’Malley-Brown DEM 2493 25.90%
Ehrlich-Kane REP 6902 71.71%
Gaztanaga-McNeil LIB 85 0.88%
Allwine-Eidel GRN 58 0.60%
Knowles-Hargadon CON 78 0.81%
Write-in Votes 9 0.09%
COMPTROLLER
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Franchot, Peter DEM 2649 29.46%
Campbell, William H. REP 6340 70.51%
Write-in Votes 2 0.02%
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Gansler, Douglas F. DEM 4955 98.29%
Write-in Votes 86 1.71%
U.S. SENATOR
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Mikulski, Barbara A. DEM 3324 35.73%
Wargotz, Eric REP 5693 61.20%
Henry, Kenniss GRN 117 1.26%
Shawver, Richard Ala CON 160 1.72%
Write-in Votes 8 0.09%
U.S. CONGRESS 6
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Duck, Andrew DEM 2252 23.88%
Bartlett, Roscoe G. REP 6804 72.16%
Massey, Dan LIB 197 2.09%
Reed, Michael CON 176 1.87%
Write-in Votes 0 0.00%
STATE SENATOR 1
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Edwards, George C. REP 8545 99.58%
Write-in Votes 36 0.42%
HOUSE OF DELEGATES 1A
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Stanton, James R. DEM 2835 29.91%
Beitzel, Wendell R. REP 6629 69.93%
Write-in Votes 16 0.17%
COUNTY COMMISSIONER 1
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Robison, Eric V DEM 2119 23.06%
Crawford, Gregan T. REP 7013 76.30%
Write-in Votes 59 0.64%
COUNTY COMMISSIONER 2
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Raley, James M. REP 7847 98.17%
Write-in Votes 146 1.83%
COUNTY COMMISSIONER 3
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Welch, Bill DEM 2810 30.69%
Glotflety, Denny REP 1924 21.01%
Falter, George (Write-In) 92 1.01%
Gatto, Bob (Write-In) 4092 44.70%
Thomas, Tim (Write-In) 76 0.84%
Write-in Votes 162 1.77%
JUDGE SPEC APPEAL AT LG
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
YES Krauser, Peter B 5840 80.93%
NO Krauser, Peter B. 1376 19.07%
JUDGE SPEC APPEAL AT LG
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
YES Matricciani, Alb 5586 79.75%
NO Matricciani, Albe 1418 20.25%
JUDGE SPEC APPEAL AT LG
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
YES Wright, Alexande 5639 80.97%
NO Wright, Alexander 1325 19.03%
JUDGE SPEC APPEALS 3
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
YES Graeff, Kathryn 5584 81.29%
NO Graeff, Kathryn G 1285 18.71%
STATE’S ATTORNEY
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Welch, Lisa Thayer REP 7284 97.97%
Write-in Votes 151 2.03%
CLERK CIRCUIT COURT
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Buckel, Sondra R REP 8350 99.78%
Write-in Votes 18 0.22%
REGISTER OF WILLS
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Watson, Rita L REP 8348 98.47%
Write-in Votes 130 1.53%
JUDGE ORPHANS COURT
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Deberry, Everett B DEM 2792 13.08%
DeWitt, Clifford C. REP 6752 31.63%
Margroff, James F. REP 6004 28.13%
Wilt, Wayne REP 5787 27.11%
Write-in Votes 12 0.06%
SHERIFF
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Hebden, Skyler John DEM 1458 15.60%
Corley, Robert E. REP 7847 83.98%
Write-in Votes 39 0.42%
BOARD OF EDUCATION 1
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Forrester, Donald D. 7009 99.62%
Write-in Votes 27 0.38%
BOARD OF EDUCATION 2
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Carr, Thomas 6799 99.81%
Write-in Votes 13 0.19%
BOARD OF EDUCATION 3
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
Durst, Rodney 5770 73.50%
Reckart, Rodney A. 2060 26.24%
Write-in Votes 20 0.25%
STATE QUESTION 1
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
For a Convention 3990 50.39%
Against a Convention 3929 49.61%
STATE QUESTION 2
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
For the Constitution 4476 56.94%
Against the Constitu 3385 43.06%
STATE QUESTION 3
Total
Precincts Reporting 21
——————————————————————————–
For the Constitution 5489 71.48%
Against the Constitu 2190 28.52%
Area Residents Join In Preparations For Operation Christmas Child Deliveries
Support the Republican Newspaper! It’s only $9.95/year for the online edition!
Oct. 28, 2010
by Brenda Ruggiero
In Garrett County as well as across the nation, gifts are being chosen, purchased, and packed into shoe boxes in preparation for Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, which is planned for Nov. 15 to 22.
For Mary Damron, who serves as the organization’s spokesperson, one shoe box gift was not enough. This year marks her 17th season with Operation Christmas Child. Her involvement was first sparked by the war in Bosnia.
“I had actually just prayed for the children of Bosnia for four months, and I caught a glimpse of Franklin Graham’s program where he was taking shoebox gifts into an orphanage in Bosnia,” she explained. “I went around to all my neighbors. I live in the southern part of West Virginia where people do live below the poverty line, but I went to them and asked them to help me to take gifts to children who had never received gifts before.”
The neighbors responded in a big way, bringing 1,258 shoe boxes to Damron’s home in 13 days.
“I borrowed a truck and found Franklin Graham in North Carolina and asked him if he would take the boxes to Bosnia, and he immediately asked me to go with him and deliver them,” she explained. “So I’ve been with him ever since. I couldn’t be in anything that blesses me any more. I’m the one who ends up blessed by seeing the children. Their entire lives are changed through a simple shoe box. It’s just fascinating…amaz-ing to me.”
Damron explained that in many of the countries where the boxes are delivered, the economy is so low that the average annual income is the equivalent of 400 American dollars.
“Because of that, only the very, very wealthy children have crayons, because a box of eight crayons costs $5. Well, I love to watch the children open the crayons, and they’re just amazed. Imagine an 8-year-old girl, and for the first time she’s holding a crayon. It blows your mind. She’ll take it and she’ll color it on the coloring book, and then she’ll turn it back and look at it, get another color, and look at it again.
“If she has any parents available, she’ll take off running to show them the gift, and the men always cry…the men always cry. They can’t imagine that someone would give their child such a valuable gift – she doesn’t just have an eight-pack, she’s got a 24-pack. And you’re standing there knowing that you bought it for 22 cents when they were on sale. So that kinda puts it into perspective.”
Another image that remains in Damron’s mind is of children on garbage dumps.
“We have children on the garbage dumps all over this world who live there because people throw out their rotten food,” she said. “We can’t comprehend it, but every single thing they own, including the food that goes in their mouths, is someone else’s trash. When someone gives them a beautiful box, and everything in it is theirs, it changes how the children feel about themselves.
“I’ve watched little girls on the garbage dump put on necklaces and just start blowing kisses and pretending like they’re a princess or something. Before, they had been so ashamed of what they looked like when we came to the dump. You realize it changes how they feel about themselves inside. It’s a very powerful program that costs us so little to do, and yet it impacts children’s lives for eternity.”
Damron stresses that the most important gift that is given is the knowledge of God’s love for everyone.
“Once the children figure out that they have some kind of human value, which is actually what the boxes do – they tell children that they are a part of the human race – then they’re opened up to believe that God Almighty can love them,” she said
Since she first got involved, Damron has been on about 30 distributions to different countries. Currently, deliveries are made to 128 countries, and the number continues to grow.
Last year, a total of 8.2 million boxes were delivered, and the goal for this year has increased to 8.5 million.
Garrett County is part of the West Virginia Panhandle area for Operation Christmas Child. A total of seven counties are included: Garrett and Allegany in Maryland and Hardy, Grant, Hampshire, Mineral, and Pendleton counties in W.Va.
There are a total of 12 relays, or drop-off locations in the Panhandle area. They are as follows, including the name of the coordinator at each site:
Cherry Glade Mennonite Church, Accident, Diane Yoder; Pleasant View Baptist Church, Oakland, Debbie Welch; Grace Memorial Church, Cumberland, Shirley McKinney; God’s Ark of Safety, Frostburg, Patty Dubit; Fountain United Brethren Church, Keyser, W.Va. (which is the collection center), Trina Kesner; Locust Grove Church of the Brethren, Mt. Storm, W.Va., Paul Pacella.
South Branch Inn, Moorefield, W.Va., Kristy Stump; Christ Community Church, Augusta, W.Va., Myra Kesner; Living Faith Church, Franklin, W.Va., JoLynn Mitchell; Basagic Funeral Home, Petersburg, W.Va., Cindy Sites; Romney First United Methodist Church, Romney, W.Va., Gerald Lewis; and Paw Paw Church of God, Paw Paw, W.Va., Rose Mary Shrout.
Another opportunity to contribute has been arranged by students at Southern High School who are nominees for induction into the National Honor Society (NHS). Their service project, required by the NHS, consists of collecting new and “gently used” Beanie Babies for inclusion in the boxes. Catherine Baker, a junior at Southern, is spearheading the effort.
She and other inductees have placed collection boxes for the Beanies at the following locations: All county middle and high schools; St. Peter’s Church and parish office, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, all in Oakland; St. Peter’s at the Lake; the Swanton Otterbein United Methodist; McHenry United Methodist Church; the Dollar Tree; and Oakland City Hall. For more information on this part of the project, persons may contact Baker at 240-321-5204 or beanierescue-@gmail.com.
Additional drop-off centers in any area can by located by visiting www.sa-maritanspurse.org, going to the Operation Christmas Child link, and typing in the ZIP code.
Last year, over 12,000 shoe boxes were packed from the West Virginia Panhandle area. This year’s goal from this area is 15,000.
In Garrett County alone, between 50 and 60 churches and groups regularly participate.
Volunteers in the area include Debbie Welch, area coordinator; Carolyn Livengood, community relations coordinator; Linda Glotfelty, church relations coordinator; Maria Upperman, prayer coordinator; Ross Glotfelty, media coordinator; and Trina Kesner, collection center coordinator.
“When you fill a shoe box for a needy child, even the smallest things mean so much,” Welch said. “School supplies are very important. When you send a box of 24 crayons, you might be sending them a color that they have never seen before. Toothbrushes and toothpaste are also something that the children often do not have. Often, families will share tooth-brushes.”
Welch explained that the age category that receives the least gifts is boys ages 10 to 14. For older boys, she suggested including flashlights or screwdriver sets.
“Include a stuffed animal for each child, no matter what gender or age,” she said. (This will be complemented by Baker and her project.)
In addition, Welch noted that each shoebox becomes a “gospel opportunity,” since each child also re
ceives a small booklet in his or her language telling about Jesus Christ.
“Long after the crayons are used and the toothpaste is gone, children will still have the hope of a future in Jesus,” Welch said. “They will remember that someone cares about them and that they are loved.”
Besides shoebox donations, volunteers are needed year-round for Operation Christmas Child. The areas where service is needed include community, church, media, prayer, and relay centers. Anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer can contact Welch at 301-334-9648.
Welch noted that a bus trip is planned to the Operation Christmas Child pro-cessing center in Charlotte, N.C., from Sunday, Nov. 23, through Friday, Dec. 3.
“During our time there, we will be examining the boxes to make sure that no inappropriate items are sent,” she said. “We will also be visiting the Billy Graham Library while we are there.”
The cost for the trip will be $115 for the bus and around the same amount for lodging. Interested persons may contact Welch for more information.
Damron will speak at Christ Community Church in Augusta, W.Va., on Sunday, Oct. 31, at the 11 a.m. service. The public is welcome to attend.
“I would love to have a thousand languages to say thank you on behalf of the children,” Damron said. “I’d just like to tell the people thank you and God bless you. Keep doing this and touching the little ones and changing their lives.”
