CHRISTMAS spirit is flourishing at Victoria Point's Adventist Retirement Village, where, for the third consecutive year, residents have been busy packing shoeboxes with gifts for underprivileged children in South East Asia.
Their efforts are contributing to Operation Christmas Child; a special project of international relief agency Samaritan's Purse.
The project aims to bring joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes.
Facility chaplain Judy Fua said staff and residents had been fundraising for the project for months, raising $3000 through a white elephant stall, donations, cake and sweets sales, a high tea and more.
Combined with donated gifts, the money purchased enough items to help fill 200 boxes with treasures such as colouring books, small toys, pens, pencils, toothbrushes, underwear and more for boys and girls aged six to 10.
"This is something that even those who can't go out can do to help somebody else," Judy said.
Facility resident Lorna Hutton said the project was important as "there are a lot of people worse off than we are".
"The world is full of hungry children," she said. "This is a way of helping them have a bit of happiness at Christmas. Everybody here helps."
For more information about the Operation Christmas Child project go to www.operationchristmaschild.org.a u or phone 1800 684 300.
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