WEST GARDINER -- Gift-filled shoe boxes destined for children overseas are being collected this week at churches and a radio station in central Maine.

The shoe boxes donated to Operation Christmas Child will be stacked with thousands of others, hauled to North Carolina, and then shipped overseas to children in the Congo, the Philippines, Russia and anywhere people need physical and spiritual aid.

The shoe box relief effort is a program of Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelization group.

This is the second year Grace Community Chapel has served as a relay center for the gifts. The collection center in Maine is Calvary Bible Baptist Church, 39 East River Road, Whitefield.

Christine Rolfe, who is coordinating the collection in West Gardiner, said the church received more than 140 filled shoe boxes last year, and expects more this year.

Samantha Heyns, secretary at Worship Radio Network, part of Light of Life Ministries in Augusta, said the radio station received 994 shoe boxes last year.

"If we had room in our vehicle, we would have had 1,000," she said. "People are excited about this."

Information about Project Christmas Child can be found online through www.samaritanspurse.org. Heyns said a new feature at the Web site this year allows a donor to track their shoe box.

Every shoe box is packed for children in a specific age range. Rolfe said people are cautioned against packing breakables, liquids, guns or war-related toys. She said boxes contain toys, games and hard candies and are labeled for a child's age and gender.

Samaritan's Purse requests a $7 donation per box to cover shipping costs. Rolfe said sometimes the money is packed with the box; other times people bring the boxes but donate shipping costs online.

She also said the organization asks that the gifts be able to withstand long and unusual journeys.

"We've seen videos where they trek them in on donkeys to very remote areas," Rolfe, of Farmingdale, said. "It's amazing to see the kids pull out a yo-yo."

She said Grace Community Chapel is located on Route 126, near exits for the Maine Turnpike and Interstate 295, which should make it convenient for donors.

"We put up a banner in hopes people would see it and bring us the shoe boxes," Rolfe said. She said the goal for the state is to fill a tractor-trailer.

Those staffing collection hours, including Rolfe, are volunteers.

"It's only for a week, and it's for such a good cause," Rolfe said. She also said anyone wishing to drop off boxes when the church is closed can call her at 624-1193.

"Our job is to smile and take the boxes," she said.

Shoe boxes are checked and sorted in North Carolina, where the organization also adds Gospel tracts.

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com