JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 29, 2022) – Student pharmacists at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy are helping children in need across the world.
The college’s Christian Pharmacist Fellowship International (CPFI) chapter filled 47 shoeboxes as part of Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. Since 1993, more than 168 million Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes have been distributed to children in more than 160 countries and territories.
“That's 47 lives touched all the way across the ocean from a small organization in East Tennessee,” said Kathryn Cifelli (’24), President of ETSU CPFI. “It's absolutely amazing to think about, and I'm so thankful for everyone's participation.”
Cifelli said that the boxes were a good balance of practical and fun items for kids between the ages of 2-14 years old.
The boxes included a variety of items meant for hygiene like washcloths, bar soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair ties, combs, socks; educational items like pencils, pencil sharpeners, notebooks, and stickers; and toys like coloring supplies, cars, Slinkies, dolls, and action figures.
Gatton College of Pharmacy was founded in 2005 by the community to train student pharmacists in order to fill a need in the region. Since then, the college has grown and matured into a national presence and enrolled high-quality students from across the country. The college’s faculty, student pharmacists and student organizations are the proud recipients of national awards and accolades for service, scholastic achievement and clinical training. Learn more at etsu.edu/pharmacy.