Many Many thanks to everyone that helped make our 2009 shoebox drive for Operation Christmas Child a HUGE success. Once again the Lord proved little is much when HE is in it. Who would have thought a challenge from a 7 year old boy could lead to something so exciting. Caleb watched the shoebox video last year during Children's Church and said "Miss Betsy we didn't do enough we need to do MORE...let's do 100!" Knowing that the 70+ boxes we did last year was a stretch, but God could do it said "Let's go for it!" Little did I know it was the beginning of something much bigger.
I wasn't even sure where to start collecting supplies for that many boxes. I should have know though that a way would be provided! First I was contacted by the Scrapbook Expo and asked if I wanted to run the baggage check as a fundraiser. After contacting some local Fiskateers and some other scrapbooking friends to see if they would help me, I asked if SB expo if could have Operation Christmas Child as our charity this year. Scrapbook Expo loved the idea of OCC and even promoted it on their website for us.
If that wasn't enough, Craftwell heard what we were doing and then they got onboard and donated one of their new "Ecraft" diecutting machines to use as a doorprize for those that donated to items or money towards shoeboxes. Over 1000 items were collected and $150+ in money and gift cards in just two days at the expo. Plus one lady knew we needed to wrap the shoeboxes and donated an entire case of wrapping paper to help us out.
As if that wasn't enough people kept bringing items to church. Members from a local pantry donated items. People from Fiskateers heard what was going on and sent me stuff. 3 local dentists even gave us many many tubes of toothpaste! The Louis Joliet Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution even helped us out by creating "boo-boo" bunnies out of washrags to put in the shoeboxes. It was amazing to see how many people gave what they could and how God kept multiplying it!
Supplies kept piling up and we kept having to have work day after work day just to organize things. Not to mention how many people took home boxes to wrap! It was awesome to see the Lord at work! When all was said and done our goal of 100 boxes was blown away by the reality of 235 boxes being sent to Operation Christmas Child!
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