Help Us Help Kids With Operation Christmas Child in North Carolina

Here's hoping you're having the best day ever.  I might blow your mind with what I am about to say, but we are just a little over nine weeks away from Christmas Day 2023. Honestly, it blows my mind just saying those words.  It might be a good idea to start planning and shopping now, don't you agree?

For many of us, Christmas is our favorite time of the year.  With cooler weather, Christmas music, decorations, and the celebration of the birth of Jesus, it’s no wonder why we love Christmas.

Let me ask, do you and your family have any annual traditions that you look forward to each Christmas?  Debbie, my wife, and I kick off our holiday season during the month of October thanks to Operation Christmas Child.

Each year we take a few minutes to pack a shoebox and include useful items for a young boy or girl aged 2 to 14.  Then, we drop the box off at a certain location and then it’s on its way to a child in a remote part of the world.  These boxes help spread the love of Jesus to kids around the world.

You may be asking how did such a ministry ever get off the ground?  Great question.  A group started Operation Christmas Child in Great Britain in 1990 at the end of the Cold War.  The inspiration to help was fueled by a desire to help orphans from Romania who desperately needed assistance.

Then in 1993, things really kicked into high gear when the U.K. group partnered with Pastor Franklin Graham and his non-profit Samaritan’s Purse.  Today, Operation Christmas Child has delivered hundreds of millions of shoeboxes to kids in over 170 countries in some of the most remote areas on planet Earth.

Here in Cumberland County, North Carolina, the shoebox program is in full swing.  This year’s goal is 22,000 shoeboxes.

How can you help?  Just click here.  It will take you to the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child website.  Here you will find info on how to pack a shoebox, what items can and cannot go inside, etc.

Earlier, I mentioned the 2023 Cumberland County goal of 20,000 shoeboxes.  Collection week for the boxes is November 13-20, 2023.  The official drop-off sites will be Northwood Temple Church located at 4250 Ramsey Street in Fayetteville and Faymont Baptist Church located at 3663 Cumberland Road in Fayetteville.

Also, when you log onto the Samaritans Purse link above, you will see a locator.  Just type in your zip code to find the nearest drop-off location.

One final thing.  On Friday, October 20, 2023, a young man named Zach will speak at Northwood Temple Church at 9:00am.  Zach grew up in Fiji and will share his incredible story about receiving a shoebox as a child and the impact it has had on his life.

Listen as WKML's Don Chase talks with Nicole Nelson, Area Coordinator for Operation Christmas Child.

'Tis the season for haunted houses in America. I love the spooky season, even though I'm more of a spring girl. I actually wish Halloween fell in the spring. But, fall is a good time for all things haunted. America has some incredible haunted attractions. Getting scared is definitely an American thing. So, what are the best haunted houses in America?

What's neat about haunted houses is that they are popular across American, not just in one part of the country. In a sense, a love for Halloween and spooky things brings Americans together. Often, folks overseas haven't celebrated Halloween much until recently, though. In fact, I was shocked to learn that my friends in Europe have never heard of or tried candy corn. What's wrong with this world?

Even though Europeans may not be as familiar with Halloween, or at least the Europeans I know, it's worth noting that Borley Rectory, in England, was widely considered the most haunted house in the world. "This particular rectory was built on the same site as a Cistercian priory perhaps several hundred years older in what is now Borley, Essex, United Kingdom," according to Skeptoid.com. Is it still haunted today? Who really knows, right?

When it comes to haunted houses in America, different outlets have their favorite picks. I've decided to do some research and pick five must-see haunted attractions across the U.S. that I think you should visit this year. I picked a selection of haunted attractions geographically across the country, so hopefully you live near one. I would love to visit all of these at some point, but truth be told, I'm easily scared, so maybe I'm best to try kiddie haunted houses. Reach out to me with your favorite haunted houses and attractions across America here.

Netherworld is known around the country as being a super popular haunted house in Atlanta. It's extra scary, offering special effects, live actors, lots of blood and gore and more. Not for the faint!

https://www.fearworld.com/

Pennhurst Asylum is a super scary haunted house in America. It an institute for the mentally and physically disabled back to 1908. It closed in 1987, and today, it's a famed haunted house that draws people from all over the state and beyond.

https://www.pennhurstasylum.com/

Scream-A-Geddon Horror Park offers six attractions that are perfect for the spooky season. You can even add on Zombie Paintball, in addition to all the typical thrills and chills. This one can be fun for the whole family. Just do your research on the attractions before you go.

https://www.screamageddon.com/

Everyone in Michigan knows about Erebus Haunted Attraction. It's the biggest haunted attraction in the state and one of the biggest in the country. Detroit folks, especially, flock to this spot, as do people from Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing and beyond.

The Asylum and Hotel Fear is a very popular and terrifying haunted house duo in Las Vegas. It's a favorite for Las Vegas tourists and natives, too. Get ready to get your scare on.

https://www.vegashauntedhouses.com/halloween/asylumhotel-fear-ny.html