Close to 15,000 Shoeboxes Collected in Effingham

Close to 15,000 shoeboxes were collected at Cornerstone Christian Church in Effingham for Operation Christmas Child.

The collection effort closed Monday night. Local organizer Pat Berry said 14,647 shoeboxes were collected. Berry thought the total was significant in that the Effingham location lost five relay centers when Samaritan's Purse, the parent organization, decided to have a Collection Center in Mattoon because they felt 22,000 shoeboxes was too many for any center to handle. 

The shoeboxes full of toys, hygiene items, school supplies and more will be shipped to children across the globe.