Shoeboxes filled with gifts are collected by Operation Christmas Child in October 2014. (Enterprise photo — Matthew Turner)

SARANAC LAKE — This village will be among 5,000 locations throughout the U.S. collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 18 to 25.

Saranac Lake families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into presents filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items.

The Saranac Lake collection center is High Peaks Church, 97 Will Rogers Drive.

This year, Saranac Lake-area residents hope to collect more than 10,000 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

The Saranac Lake collection dates and times are as follows:

¯ Monday Nov. 18: 3 to 5 p.m.

¯ Tuesday, Nov. 19: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

¯ Wednesday, Nov. 20: Noon to 3 p.m.

¯ Thursday, Nov. 21: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

¯ Friday, Nov. 22: 2 to 5 p.m.

¯ Saturday, Nov. 23: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

¯ Sunday Nov. 24: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

¯ Mon, Nov. 25: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

North Country donations to Operation Christmas Child will also be collected in Plattsburgh, Westport, Ogdensburg, Winthrop, Schroon Lake, Malone, Governeur and Champlain.

Operation Christmas Child is run by Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelical Christian international aid organization led by Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham. Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.