The public is invited to a “Shoebox Celebration” on Saturday, March 12 at 1 p.m. at the Buncombe Baptist Association, located at 227 Hazel Mill Road in Asheville, N.C.

Operation Christmas Child participation has grown to the point of having to split the Western North Carolina area of 14 counties into two areas, each with seven counties. The seven westernmost counties of N.C. will remain the Western N.C. Area and the seven counties including Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell, Madison, Transylvania, Polk and Rutherford, are now the Blue Ridge Area, with Nicole Smith of Marion, N.C., as area coordinator of OCC volunteers.

This celebration is a time to reflect on the accomplishments of 2010, share ideas and inspire new volunteers for 2011. Last year the 14 counties of Western N.C. collected 39,240 shoeboxes. Of that, 27,702 came from what is now the new seven-county Blue Ridge Area.

There will be snacks, activities and fellowship. Anyone who has an interest in Operation Christmas Child or has been involved packing shoeboxes is welcome to attend. For more information, visit “OCC Blue Ridge (NC)” on Facebook. To RSVP, contact Nicole Smith at shoeboxblessings@gmail.com or 828-738-0267 by Wednesday, March 9.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, the international relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has hand-delivered shoebox gifts in over 130 countries to more than 86 million children suffering from poverty, disaster, disease, and war.