Friesen center exceeds goal for Operation Christmas Child drive

Huntington University’s Friesen Center for Volunteer Service collected 47 boxes for the 2014 Operation Christmas Child drive.

“Operation Christmas Child is a fun way for HU students to give their time and money to brighten the lives of children in other parts of the world,” said Clarissa Hunter, program coordinator and a junior communication studies major from Fairland, Ind. “It provides an opportunity for them to look outside themselves and do something personal for others.”

Operation Christmas Child provides impoverished children with clothes, toiletries and toys during the holiday season. Operation Christmas Child is a program through Samaritan’s Purse, a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization which provides spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.

The Friesen center covered the cost of wrapping the boxes and hosted a wrapping party in the Huntington Union Building on Nov. 13 to encourage students to participate.

“When planning, I set the goal of getting at least 40 boxes. We met and surpassed that goal,” Hunter said. “I really appreciated seeing students come to wrap their box and write a letter to their child. It was just an early little taste of Christmas.”   

Since 1938, the Huntington University Foundation has assisted Huntington County residents who attend Huntington University through the annual Huntington County Grant and endowed scholarships. Learn more about the foundation and ways to support its goals at www.huntington.edu/hu-foundation.