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Apr 27, 2024

Guests of Poyer’s 80th birthday party pack Christmas Shoebox gifts

Jo Ann Poyer, left, and Linda Harrison, right, celebrated Poyer’s 80th birthday where party guests provided 80 gift-filled shoeboxes to be shipped overseas as Christmas presents for children in need.

Jo Ann Poyer, left, and Linda Harrison, right, celebrated Poyer’s 80th birthday where party guests provided 80 gift-filled shoeboxes to be shipped overseas as Christmas presents for children in need.

CLAREMORE — When Claremore resident Jo Ann Poyer celebrated her 80th birthday earlier this year, more than 50 friends and family members made her greatest wish come true. She wanted no gifts for herself. Instead, she asked that party guests pack 80 shoeboxes with small Christmas gifts they had purchased for children in need around the world.

Poyer’s children, Kristi and Reed, spearheaded this event to fulfill their mother’s birthday wish. Poyer explained these fun-filled shoeboxes will be counted in this year’s totals for Claremore volunteers who are organizing the 2023 Operation Christmas Child (OCC).

OCC is sponsored by the international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. Since 1993, more than 209 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received shoebox gifts prepared by volunteers across the globe. In 2022, more than 10 million shoeboxes were prepared by 76,000 groups and churches.

The donating of gift-filled shoeboxes that bring hope and joy to children has been a long-time mission of love for Poyer. For her 75th birthday in 2018, Poyer’s children also organized an OCC packing party, assisting their mother’s birthday guests in filling 75 shoeboxes for children.

Locally, volunteers have begun working to exceed last year’s totals that provided almost 1,200 shoeboxes (plus 300 purchased online), according to Linda Harrison, Claremore volunteer. Harrison has served as the area’s OCC shoebox drop-off coordinator for the past nine years, with First Baptist Church serving as the local collection center.

“Although this year’s national collection week for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is November 13-20, the month of August is a good month for shoebox gift donors to begin purchasing essential items,” Harrison said.

Volunteers in 25 local churches and community groups are expected to participate again this year in the OCC shoebox project, she said. Donors who purchase and pack small gifts are asked to label standard-size cardboard or plastic shoeboxes—designating for either boys or girls—and categorizing for ages two through four; five through nine; or ten through fourteen.

Essential items to begin purchasing now are school supplies and personal care articles. “School supplies at discounted prices are so readily available this month,” Harrison said. Some of these age-appropriate items might include crayons; pencils; small pencil sharpeners; erasers; packages of colored pencils; glue sticks; pads of paper; and scissors.

Personal care basics include washcloths; toothbrushes and holders; bars of soap and holders; small tissue packs; adhesive bandages; combs; and brushes. Poyer expressed gratitude that her dentist, Dr. Clay Algeo, donated more than 100 toothbrushes for her 80th birthday shoebox packing party.

“Another important gift for each child,” according to Harrison, “is a ‘wow’ item that will bring happy smiles to the children.” This gift might be a quality toy such as a doll, stuffed animal, toy truck, or deflated soccer ball with a pump.

Harrison recommends that donors seek age-related gift ideas on the website samaritanspurse.org/occ-gift-suggestions. The website also lists gifts to avoid because of safety or customs regulations. Since shipping and processing fees amount to $10 per box, financial assistance with this cost also is appreciated.

“The shoeboxes, left unsealed, may be dropped off at our local collection center at First Baptist Church during November 13-20. A local team will organize and send the gift boxes to the OCC processing center in Dallas, Texas,” Harrison explained. Eight OCC national processing centers check shoeboxes and their contents, inspecting them for safety and compliance with customs requirements. Then the boxes are shipped overseas in response to requests from local partners around the world.

Poyer and Harrison agree that shoebox gifts demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need. “These simple gifts are powerful tools for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Providing the gifts seems like a small thing for us to do,” Harrison continued, “but the shoeboxes make a big impact, and local ministry partners are often able to form caring relationships with children and families.”

Harrison added that volunteers are encouraged to pray over the boxes, asking that God bless the recipients and guide local believers in each country as they present the Gospel message in a child-friendly manner. A 12-lesson discipleship program for the children also may be offered to shoebox gift recipients.

Prior to the OCC national collection week on November 13-20, specific times will be posted at www.claremorefirst.com for dropping off gift-filled shoeboxes at First Baptist Church, chapel entrance at 107 E. Will Rogers Blvd.

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