Call to prepare shoebox gifts
V
olunteers from an international charity organisation gathering momentum across the Wimmera want people to start working on their gift projects.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
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Ann Rohde from Samaratin’s Purse urged individuals and groups to start considering what they could place in shoeboxes for annual Operation Christmas Child.
Robert Goudie Dip FP, CFP
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Operation Christmas Child involves providing shoeboxes filled with ‘useful’ gifts to needy children in more than 100 countries worldwide. Ann said a first step for people keen to get involved would be to obtain a new brochure to gain an understanding about what could and couldn’t go into the gift boxes. “We want to try and get boxes by the end of September but of course people can start dropping them off right now. It’s important people gain information from new brochures,” she said. Each shoebox has to include something from six categories. These include: something for hygiene, such as a toothbrush, soap or face washer; something for school, such as pencils and exercise books; something to wear such as a hat or T-shirt; something to play with, such as a tennis ball, yo-yo or skipping rope; something to love, such as a soft toy; and something special which is open to imagination. There is a list of goods people can’t send such as food, damaged or breakable items, anything that might harm or frighten a child, gamblingrelated items or anything of a religious, racial or political nature. “I’ve been packing shoeboxes for about 12 years. It is an amazing way to show
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JOY: A Cambodian child enjoys a rare gift as part of Operation Christmas Child earlier this year. A group of Stawell students and teachers joined Ann Rohde from Samaritin’s Purse group on the Cambodia trip. Picture: ANN ROHDE
unconditional love to a child,” she said. “It also opens doors for Samaritan’s Purse to do further aid work.”
Students A group of Stawell Secondary College students went as far as joining Samaratin’s Purse volunteers including Ann on a Rotary-backed shoebox trip and Water for Kids project earlier this year. Merlyn McFarlane of Vectis also went to Vietnam. Last year Wimmera and Southern Mallee people supplied 2176 shoeboxes. They were among 54,687 from Victoria and 308,263 from Australia that went to children in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Fiji, Papua New Guinea or Vanuatu. The project started in 1993
and last year Samaratin’s Purse handed out the 100 millionth shoebox to a child in the Dominican Republic. People keen to find out more can get in touch with: Horsham, Ann Rohde 5381 2180 or 0467 239493; Nhill; Alison Creek 5391 5242; Edenhope, Linda Guthridge 0428513650; schools, Merlyn McFarlane 5384 0278. Drop off points where brochures and preprinted shoeboxes, available for 50 cents, and where filled boxes can be returned: Horsham, Horsham Disposals; large groups Cindy McMartin 5382 0101; Nhill, Earthly Treasures; Brim, Shirley McPherson; Warracknabeal, Christian Book Shop; Edenhope, Melindari Fashions; Stawell, Marie Mackie 5358 5587; Ararat, Evelyn Pickens 5352 1759; Kaniva, Heart Felt.
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