Tech football program does it part to extend holiday spirit

Rallying behind student Elizabeth Henry, players and coaches packed shoeboxes Thursday as part of Operation Christmas Child in hopes of changing lives around the world

By Jimmy Robertson

BLACKSBURG – Christmas doesn’t occur on the calendar for another six weeks, but the Virginia Tech football team already is in the holiday spirit.

The players and coaches took time after Thursday’s practice to pack small toys, school supplies and toiletries into shoeboxes as part of Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan’s Purse, a faith-based relief organization, sponsors the initiative and ships the shoeboxes to underprivileged children all over the world. Each Tech player and coach also slipped a handwritten…