By Carnell Hawthorne Jr., Reporter
The yearly holiday event Operation Christmas Child is celebrating another successful year of collecting shoe boxes filled with gifts, personal hygiene items and lots of love for needy children overseas, says area coordinator Colleen Ruehl. Today marks the final day of collection in Live Oak. Shoeboxes will be gathered until 5 p.m.
"It has gone exceptionally well, even as bad as the economy is people have continued to give from their hearts," Ruehl said.
Shoeboxes collected this year will be sent to India, the Ukraine and a “sensitive” country that went unnamed.
"Our goal is 17,100" shoeboxes, Ruehl said.
It appears that number may just be reached.
So, far 13,075 shoeboxes have been collected at 11 locations across north Florida and south Georgia, Ruehl said.
In Live Oak, Suwannee Station Baptist Church has served as the local collection site.
Other sites have been located in Mayo, Lake City, Trenton, Old Town, Chiefland, Glenn St. Mary, Fort White, High Springs and Bainbridge, Ga.
"It's been wonderful," Ruehl said. "We've had so many volunteers come forward. There's been no less than 35 volunteers a day."
Last year, Samaritan's Purse through Operation Christmas Child collected a total of 16,650 shoeboxes areawide.
"The heartbeat of the project is sharing the message of Jesus Christ and the support of volunteers. That's the message of it all," Ruehl said. "Every shoebox is an opportunity to share the gospel."
Ruehl and the Samaritan's Purse organization would like to thank all who have participated.
Local sponsors, especially those involved with the Shoe Box Run, which took place Nov. 14, have included Suwannee Station Baptist Church, Emmanuel Riders, Christian Motorcycle Association; Power County 102 radio station, The Big 98 and numerous others.
"We just really appreciate the support and people seeing the need to spread the Gospel," Ruehl said.
