Motorcyclists Bring Over 6,000 Gifts for Children in Need

By   •   October 15, 2022

On October 15, more than 1,100 motorcyclists rode their bikes to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina, to deliver Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoeboxes—gifts for children in need—at the 15th annual Bikers With Boxes event.
Bikers dropped off their boxes containing gifts like school supplies, hygiene items, and toys for kids between the ages 2-14 years old.
Jon Micah Sumrall, lead singer of Christian rock band Kutless, led worship and shared how man cannot find success in the things of this world, but only by God. "We’re one of the richest, wealthiest countries in the world," Sumrall said. "We enjoy countless wonderful things and yet, it’s never enough."
Stacks and stacks of OCC boxes given by many local churches totaled over 6,600 at the event. One woman (not pictured) said that she gave up smoking and is using the money she spent on cigarettes to fill OCC shoeboxes.
Zac Vakadewatabua shared how he received an OCC box when he was a young boy in Fiji.
Crisis-trained chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team offered prayer and encouragement to bikers at the event. Find out about their recent deployment to Raleigh, N.C.
Bikers Jim and Lynn Marshall enjoyed singing along with Kutless at Bikers With Boxes. See what biking means to the couple—and how they have involved their church in OCC's ministry.
The thousands of shoeboxes were compiled into large cardboard boxes, and will be taken to a warehouse to be processed before heading overseas.
Each year, OCC boxes are collected in the U.S., Australia, Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Spain, and the U.K.
The Light FM offered music and a fun photo op for bikers.
Although the Billy Graham Library is temporarily closed for renovations, bikers could visit Billy and Ruth Graham's gravesite and shop at the Library's bookstore. Make plans to attend Christmas at the Library.
Bikers enjoyed fellowship while having Chick-fil-A sandwiches for lunch.
Melissa Lookabill hopped on the back of her friend's motorcycle in Mooresville, North Carolina, with four shoeboxes in tow. Part of a group called The Cove Riders, the pair rode among 50 bikers. While most bikers wore leather jackets, Lookabill stood out from the crowd, clad with a Santa outfit that she'd pulled down from her attic. "Bikers have a bad name, but they have a big heart, especially for children who do not have or are in a bad situation," Lookabill said. "It’s a blessing to be able to serve in this way."
The occasion was a time to see old friends—and make new ones.
Since 1993, OCC has delivered shoeboxes to children in over 170 countries and territories. In 2022, OCC expects to collect its 200 millionth gift-filled shoebox.