Lee Students Pack Boxes At OCC Pack ‘N’ Stack

  • Friday, November 17, 2023
  • EllieAnn McDonald, Lee University

Six hundred and eighty-five new Lee University students, Gateway class instructors, and peer leaders participated in the annual Operation Christmas Child Pack ‘n’ Stack service event in the Paul Dana Walker Arena.

During the event, students packed shoeboxes filled with items that they purchased in the weeks leading up to Pack ‘n’ Stack. Over the past 26 years, Lee has collected 47,237 boxes for OCC. This year, students packed over 750 boxes.

“Lee University is grateful for the opportunity to support the work of Operation Christmas Child for the past 25 years,” said Alex Staup, director of student engagement. “Thanks to the passion and efforts of our students, staff, and faculty during that time, we have been blessed to play a part in bringing good news and great joy to children around the world."

Dr. Lorinda Roberts, coordinator of First Year Programs at Lee, opened Pack ‘n’ Stack by congratulating the students for a successful first semester at Lee and introducing Santa and Mrs. Claus, who were available for pictures during the event. Participants also heard from Edouard Ndecky, who received an OCC shoebox as a child growing up in Senegal and encouraged the students as they prepared to pack their boxes.

During the week of Pack ‘n’ Stack, Mr. Ndecky spoke at a chapel service. His family was committed to ministry and was often only able to afford one meal per day, slept on floors, and worked many side jobs to make ends meet. When he was 14, he received his OCC box, complete with a bar of soap, a toothbrush, and a yo-yo. During the service, Mr. Ndecky explained how the box changed his life as it opened the door for him to grow in his faith and share that faith with everyone around him.

“Lee's First Year Programs and Gateway classes love partnering with the Operation Christmas Child organization for our final service project of the year,” said Dr. Roberts. “It has become a tradition for freshmen students to gather to provide hope and the love of Christ through the simple packing of a shoebox filled with goodies. The energy and excitement cannot be contained as new students gather
to celebrate this joyous occasion.”

The mission of Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child is to fill as many shoebox-sized boxes as possible with Christmas gifts to be distributed to children in need around the world.

For more information about Operation Christmas Child, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/.

Student Scene
GNTC Receives National Certification
  • 12/1/2023

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) has been named Georgia’s first National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) Leadership School. All GNTC program areas with applicable NC3 ... more

Morning Pointe Foundation And Roane State Announce Scholarship Partnership
Morning Pointe Foundation And Roane State Announce Scholarship Partnership
  • 12/1/2023

The Morning Pointe Foundation and Roane State Community College in Roane County announced a new partnership involving scholarships for physical and occupational therapy students. The Morning ... more

GPS Band And Orchestra Director Commended During UTK Homecoming
GPS Band And Orchestra Director Commended During UTK Homecoming
  • 11/30/2023

When Kelly Ballard, GPS band and orchestra director, ventured to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for undergrad, she knew she wanted to study music. In fact, she received her degree in ... more