CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan University students, faculty and staff met a goal to make Christmas a little brighter[cointent_lockedcontent] for youngsters around

Southern Wesleyan University missions mobilizer Dave Tolan grimaces as Katherine Hanson, university’s residence life coordin-ator, shaves off his hair after students, faculty and staff met his challenge to donate 525 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

the world, doing their part to support Operation Christmas Child from Samaritan’s Purse.

“Community service and generosity are part of our DNA at Southern Wesleyan University, said Dave Tolan, missions mobilizer for the university.

As part of a challenge Tolan made to Southern Wesleyan’s campus community, he agreed to have his head shaved if 525 shoeboxes could be donated. During a Nov. 30 chapel, university chaplain Ken Dill announced that the goal had been met, thanks to the efforts of students, faculty and staff.

Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that annually distributes shoeboxes to more than 100 countries and territories where local churches distribute the boxes to children in need and the Gospel message is shared. Details can be found at operationchristmaschild.org.[/cointent_lockedcontent]