This past year, Operation Christmas Child saw a total of 517,437 shoeboxes packed up by loving Canadians, and residents of Okotoks contributed 1,627 boxes to that total.

The shoeboxes, which were filled with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and many other items, will be hand delivered to children in the developing world, and distribution of the shoeboxes has already begun.

During the next few weeks, children in Central America, Haiti, Western Africa, and Ukraine will receive the shoeboxes collected from Canadians.

A world wide effort from countries like Canada, The United States, The United Kingdom, Spain, Finland, Japan, Germany, and Australia had a total number of boxes collected at 10,623,776.

"We are extremely thankful to Canadians, many of whom are unemployed or facing significant economic uncertainty, for their generosity in continuing to support this vital program year after year," said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child Canada.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and distributed more than 167 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 130 countries hurt by war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine.

There is a year round option for Canadians to continue to donate shoeboxes, if they choose, and that can be found at https://www.samaritanspurse.ca/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

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