By Kris Leonhardt

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – A local seven year old is touching lives around the world after collecting a packing gift boxes that will be shipped to children in countries affected by war, poverty, disaster, famine, and disease, as well as those on United States reservations.

Caleb Borgwardt was inspired by a family friend who held a swim-a-thon where shoeboxes were packed and money was raised as part of Operation Christmas Child – an international relief organization that works with partners around the world to fill shoeboxes with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies.

Caleb decided he wanted to participate in the program and set a goal of packing and collecting 50 shoeboxes.

“Caleb promoted the shoeboxes to his family, through his mom’s Facebook page, at Liberty Bible Church of Wisconsin Rapids, where he and his family attends, and by putting pamphlets on mailboxes in his neighborhood,” stated Caleb’s mom Tricia Borgwardt. “He purchased and handed out pre-printed shoeboxes to the people that committed to packing them and made sure they were all returned to him on a certain date. Caleb had an original goal of collecting 50 shoeboxes, and with the overwhelming support of his church and from the people he reached out to; he ended up with 133 packed shoeboxes.”

Caleb said that the experience was very rewarding and already has plans to do it again next year.

“I felt so happy for the children around the world that were going to get the gifts that I helped with,” Caleb said, adding that he felt “joyful and amazing.”

“He is already talking about next year and has set a goal of collecting 150 shoeboxes,” said Tricia. “He is someday looking forward to visiting and working at the closest shoebox Processing Center in Minneapolis where the shoeboxes are collected from neighboring states, sorted, and then sent off to children in more than 150 countries.”

For more on Operation Christmas Child, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child.