Local Church Collects Clothing for Afghanistan

The desire to help those in need is driving a local church's effort to clothe children in Afghanistan.

Seven Locks Baptist Church, 11845 Seven Locks Road, welcomes donations of clothing, shoes and small children's toys on the last Sunday of the month from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. The donations, which are accepted from church members and Potomac residents, are sent to Afghanistan.

The church pays for the donations to be shipped to and APO box in New Jersey, then men and women on active military duty assist by volunteering to distribute the items to the needy children, schools and communities in Afghanistan, said Pastor of the Seven Locks Baptist Church, Greg Wolfe.

Generally, the church ships between three to six 50-pound boxes each month.  The donations are accepted throughout the year. September's shipment is about 4 boxes totaling more than 100 pounds, said Sandy Diederich, a church employee.

At the core of the clothing drive is the desire to help people in need, Wolfe said.

"This is an absolutely nonsectarian activity designed to simply help people," Wolfe said. "There is no religious agenda involved."

Church members Virginia and Rudolph Engelmann were the driving force behind this project, which started about 3 years ago with contributions from church members only.

Since the project began, more than 3,000 pounds of children's clothing, blankets, school supplies and small toys have been shipped to Afghanistan, Rudolph said.

About a year ago the clothing drive expanded when the church hung a banner outside soliciting donations for clothing from the entire community, Wolfe said. Also, the Engelmanns ask for donations from local yard sales as an effort to increase the contribution, Rudolph said.

The banner has been successful in attracting contributions from the diverse religious and international community that lives in the greater Washington, D.C. area, Wolfe said.

Some of the donations that do not go to Afghanistan are donated to Stepping Stones Shelter located in Rockville and other local organizations.