More Than 10,000 Shoeboxes Headed from the Effingham Area Around the World

More than 10,000 shoeboxes are headed around the world from the Effingham area, thanks to you who contributed the shoeboxes full of good things for kids and to Operation Christmas Child.

Local Operation Christmas Child Coordinator Sandy Wilson said a total of 10,429 shoeboxes were received over the past eight days at the headquarters at Cornerstone Christian Church on South Banker in Effingham. Wilson believes that's five more boxes than last year.

The boxes contain toys, hygiene items, socks and other items suitable for children. Operation Christmas Child is an outreach of Samaritan's Purse, an organization that helps people in disaster situations.

Wilson also thanked Effingham High School baseball coach Curran McNeely and members of the Hearts baseball team for their help Monday afternoon with loading a semi trailer full of crates for shipping. You can see the team members at work and hear a conversation our Wayne Moran conducted with Sandy Wilson on YouTube.