Operation Shoebox takes on additional meaning this year

By Lois Mittino Gray

As the holiday season approaches, it is time to start thinking about filling a Christmas shoebox for an eligible young person who will delight in opening the special container. Operation Christmas Child, offered through the Samaritan’s Purse organization, is a popular charity for Posey County residents who have fun buying and assembling a gift shoebox to send overseas.

Collection Week is November 17 through 24 at the two Posey County drop-off locations. Sarah Pierce coordinates the program for the Mount Zion General Baptist Church, located at 1425 Oliver Road North, in Wadesville and Marcia Schneider coordinates the program for First Methodist Church, 601 Main Street, in Mount Vernon. Both ladies are avid supporters of the giveaway program and have been leading it locally for years.

To participate, get a shoebox, preferably plastic, and fill it with either a boy or girl in mind. Suggested items include pens and pencils, sharpeners, notebooks, post it notes, erasers, stickers, playing cards, chalk and crayons, watercolors, small games and puzzles, tape, rulers, and activity or coloring books. Toiletries are popular items including combs and brushes, toothbrush (but not toothpaste), nail clippers and files, solid stick deodorant, hair bows and head bands, and water bottles.

No liquids, weapons, food and candies are allowed in the boxes to ensure they can all get past customs. One of the most popular items is not allowed any more as of this year, according to Schneider. “We are no longer allowed to put in a bar of soap. People used to put in a washcloth with a bar of soap wrapped around it with a rubber band. This caused some delays in the boxes at custom borders and it is requested not to do that this year,” she noted.

Washcloths and small towels are still on the list, as are hats, gloves, sunglasses, socks, and underwear. Craft kits and small first aid kits are, too.

Toys are always a fun choice. Donors are urged to pack one “gee whiz” gift to take the child’s breath away. It may be things like a doll, a truck or matchbox car, an action figure, a small soccer ball or hacky sack, or a collapsible fishing pole. You will be surprised how much you can stuff into one box.

Hours for the Mount Vernon dropoff site are 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Wadesville locations hours are more varied and include Monday, November 17 from 1 to 5 p.m.; Tuesday 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday 19 from 1 to 4 p.m.; Thursday 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Friday 21 from 1 to 7 p.m,; Saturday 22 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday 23 from 1 to 6:30 p.m. and Monday 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers at both sites will load the boxes onto trucks on Monday, November 24 and ship them to a clearing house in Evansville.

When a donor delivers a box, a label will be available at the drop-off site. It will designate whether the box is for a boy or girl and whether it is for the young or older available age group. A ten dollar fee is collected with each box to cover costs of shipping. “The ten dollar fee defrays some of the expense to ship it,” explained Schneider “However, it doesn’t even come close to covering it all.” People may track where their box was delivered by registering online.

Since 1993, over 232 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. “Don’t forget to pray over the gifts for the child when you pack them,” encouraged Sarah Pierce.