Volunteers Brandon Athen and Candy Taylor help organize the OCC boxes.

Atchison County volunteers showed the true meaning of giving back during the holiday season through Operation Christmas Child this year. Volunteers assembled 1,191 boxes that will be sent to children in need this holiday season in Mexico.

The Northwest Missouri area collected a total of 8,676 boxes.

Thank you to everyone who donated items, collected toys and assembled boxes. Operation Christmas Child is in its 25th year. It is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, and has delivered 157 million shoeboxes around the world.