Saluting a community that cares …

Dear Editor:
Thanks to the generosity of the residents of Clarendon County, many children around the world had something to smile about this past Christmas. Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project, collected 1,785 gift-filled shoeboxes from local residents during the 2007 collection season.

With the donation of shoebox gifts from churches, individuals, businesses and community groups, Operation Christmas Child delivered over 7.6 million gifts to children in more than 100 countries.

Some totals of shoeboxes collected:
Clarendon County – 1,785
South Carolina – 145,000
USA – 4.6 million
Worldwide –7.6 million

To everyone in Clarendon County who packed a shoebox or donated money for shipping, please be encouraged that these simple gifts will serve as powerful messages of joy and hope to needy children around the world.

Thank you for joining this amazing outreach and for giving to others at Christmas.  We look forward to seeing you in 2008.

Sincerely,
Sheila and Ed Strack
Clarendon County Coordinators
Operation Christmas Child