Volunteers pack Christmas shoebox gifts for children across the world | Local News | claremoreprogress.com

Bob Steeley, left, assists Lorrie Fullmer as she drops off several Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes she has packed with small gifts for children in need.

Hundreds of individuals in Rogers County have worked for months, packing shoeboxes for kids for Operation Christmas Child.

National Collection Week begins Monday and will continue through Nov. 25.

More than 1,200 gift-filled shoeboxes packed by area residents are expected to be received this year during collection week, according to local leaders. The gift boxes will be processed and delivered to children aged 2 to 14 around the globe before Christmas.

Community groups and churches are partnering with OCC teams worldwide to pack shoeboxes containing small toys, hygiene items and school supplies for children in need.

OCC has become a global Christmas project phenomenon, said local OCC leader Linda Harrison.

“Since the organization began in 1993, volunteers have prepared and packed more than 220 million shoeboxes to children in 170 countries and territories,” Harrison said.

Assisting Harrison on the area collection team are local residents Bob and Brenda Steeley, Charlie Atzbach, Carol Jackson, Mary Dudley and Linda Pennington, among others.

Harrison has served as the area’s OCC shoebox drop-off coordinator for the past 10 years. Claremore’s First Baptist Church, located at 107 E. Will Rogers Blvd, is the local collection center.

Signs will be placed at the front door entrance of the chapel to indicate the drop-off point, said Bob Steeley, collection team member.

Drop-off times during the collection week are as follows: Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to noon; Nov. 19, 2 to 4 p.m.; Nov. 20, 2 to 4 p.m.; Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to noon; Nov. 22, 2 to 4 p.m.; Nov. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Nov. 24, 3 to 5 p.m.; and Nov. 25, 9 to 11 a.m.

Individuals and groups who want to prepare and pack shoebox gifts still have time to participate, Harrison said.

Donors are asked to label standard-size cardboard or plastic shoeboxes and mark each box for either a boy or girl. Each box also must be labeled for one of the following age categories: ages 2-4, 5-9, or 10 -14.

Age-appropriate items might include crayons, pencils, small pencil sharpeners, erasers, packages of colored pencils or washable markers, glue sticks, pads of paper and scissors.

Personal care basics for the shoeboxes might include washcloths, toothbrushes and holders, bars of soap and holders, small tissue packs, adhesive bandages, combs and brushes.

“Another important gift for each child is a ‘wow’ item that will bring happy smiles to children," Harrison said.

This might be a quality toy such as a doll, stuffed animal, toy truck, jump rope, yo-yo or deflated soccer ball with a pump.

Guidance on gift ideas is available on the website samaritanpurse.org/occ-gift. The website also lists items that aren't acceptable due to safety or customs regulations.

To help with shipping and processing fees, gifts amounting to $10 per box also are needed, local leaders said. Checks may be written to Operation Christmas Child.

Another option is to “build a shoebox” online by visiting samaritanpurse.org/buildonline. This website allows individuals to provide shoebox gift options that will be packed and delivered for them, for a $25 donation.

After collection week, Harrison’s local team will organize and send the gift boxes to a national OCC process center in Dallas. Eight OCC national processing centers check shoeboxes and their contents, inspecting them for safety and compliance with customs requirements. Then the boxes are shipped in response to requests from local partners around the world.

Harrison said shoebox gifts demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children around the world.

"These simple gifts are powerful tools for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ," Harrison said. "A shoebox Christmas gift seems like a small thing for us to do, but it can make a big impact."

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