Thanks to the generosity of Weyburn and area residents, 1800 children around the world will receive an Operation Christmas Child shoe box gift. When the area collection center closed on Sunday, November 25, we had seen our total increase 10% over 2011.
The boxes were taken from Weyburn to the Regional Collection in Regina and then were shipped to the Processing Center in Calgary. Twelve Weyburn and area residents travelled to Calgary to volunteer at the Processing Center from November 28 to 30.
At the processing center, the shipping money is removed and every box is inspected. Items that should not have been included in the box are removed and extra items are added to boxes that need some improvement. Boxes that have been packed according to instructions are not changed. The items you put in the box stay in the box - items are not taken from a well packed box and moved to a poorly packed box. Extra donated items are used to improve the boxes that need additional items. Once a box has been inspected and sealed with Samaritan's Purse tape it is ready for shipping to the destination countries. The Calgary processing center inspects approximately 13,000 shoe boxes per day.
Four Weyburn and area residents have been chosen to go on an Operation Christmas Child shoe box distribution team to Nicaragua in 2013.
It's not too late to visit samaritanspurse.ca, follow the link to Operation Christmas Child and pack a shoe box online.
