“Maple Gap Volunteers Assemble Care Packages for Missionary Children”

MAPLE GAP - The fellowship hall at Maple Gap Community Church was a busy scene on Saturday as volunteers from the church’s Women’s Ministry partnered with the well-known Mason Jar Mafia to assemble care packages for missionary children overseas.

What began as a plan to prepare twelve boxes quickly expanded to twenty-four as additional donations arrived throughout the morning. Organizers say the increase came from an unexpected surplus of supplies and the enthusiasm of volunteers who wanted to reach as many children as possible.

“We started with a simple list,” said Eunice Whitford, chair of the project. “But every time someone unpacked a new bag of items, another child got added to the total. We weren’t about to leave anyone out.”

The care packages included school supplies, hygiene items, small toys, knitted hats, stickers, candy, and handwritten notes of encouragement. Items were donated by church members, local businesses, and several Maple Gap residents who heard about the project earlier in the week.

Shannon Ingles, who helped coordinate the packing line, said the response exceeded expectations. “Our goal was to bless kids who don’t always have access to these basics,” Ingles explained. “When people hear that, they show up. Maple Gap is good at that.”

Volunteers representing all age groups participated, from church ladies sorting crayons by color to the Mason Jar Mafia taping and labeling final boxes. Pastor Samuel Miller, who will deliver the packages to the partnering missionary organization next week, praised the teamwork.

“It was encouraging to see so many hands working together,” Miller said. “Every box reflects the heart of this community.”

Additional moments of lightheartedness kept spirits high during the long packing session. At one point, Blessing, the pastor’s golden retriever and unofficial church mascot, trotted off with a donated stuffed animal, prompting a brief pause in activity. “She thought it was hers,” Miller said with a laugh. “We eventually convinced her otherwise.”

By mid-afternoon, all twenty-four care packages were sealed and stacked for transport. Volunteers ended the day by praying over the completed boxes, asking for safety in transit and joy for the children who will receive them.

Organizers say they hope to repeat the effort next year.

“Our town may be small,” Ingles added, “but Maple Gap cares in big ways. Days like this prove it.”