Operation Christmas Child

I am organizing an Operation Christmas Child drive for my church this year and I am SO EXCITED about it!  We just finished our initial push "Christmas in July" and I can't wait to see what August brings!

Conner & I made a much needed trip to Wal-Mart this morning and the Mansfield location always has great deals and sales on toys.  I was able to get 5 sticky hands, 5 sets of jacks, 4 finger bowling sets, and 5 24-count boxes of crayons for $7.95!!  The crayons were only $0.19 a box and the rest was $0.50 a piece - dirt cheap!

Please consider while you are out doing your back to school shopping or regular shopping to pick up one or two items per trip to send to child in need at Christmas time.  Drop off for the boxes is late October so by starting early you could pack a shoebox each month!!  I included a link in the first sentence but here is one more - click here - for the official website.  They have lots of great ideas of what to pack in the shoeboxes and some things not to pack (liquids, war related toys, etc.).

Other ways to help would be donating standard sized shoeboxes (any excuse for new shoes, right?), wrapping supplies, and/or $7 for shipping.  My very BIG goal is 100 boxes and that would be $700 in shipping costs - good thing my God is very BIG!!

I will be happy to pick up any donations you may have and add them to our donation box or if you would like to do this yourself I would love for you to come to our packing party in mid-October - food, fun, games, and packing & wrapping!

My family sent a shoebox last year and I felt like it was a great opportunity to talk to my children about those who have less and to try to make them a little less "me" centered.  You can even track your shoebox if you pay for shipping online!

Can't wait to pack these goodies up for some children somewhere! I've also took all the complimentary soaps from our condo to send too!  Other free/cheap ideas - save your unwrapped Kids Meals toys or party favor bags to donate.  You know your kids only play with them for 5 minutes anyway!!

This was only $7.95!! Get to shopping!!