Operation Christmas Child is a hands-on project that brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes packed by Canadians. It is one way to remind children suffering as a result of war, poverty, famine, disease, and disaster that they are loved and not forgotten.

Logistics Coordinator Jillian Ursu started organizing people as they came in to pick up boxes, "We have all the shoe boxes and everything you will need at the collection center in Estevan, at the Estevan Alliance Church 140 King Street. During the day you can pick up your box from Tuesday through Friday."

Fill up your shoe box or boxes and bring them in as Ursu adds, "Collection Week is November 12th to the 18th this year, so that's kind of the official week to bring in your shoe boxes, but you can bring them in before that too."

As for what items to put in your shoe boxes, "We always encourage people to include hygiene items, your soaps, hairbrushes and different things like that. No tooth past though and school supplies are another good option and toys of course or wow items. Like a soccer ball that has been squished down that you can include a pump with, ya different things like that."

"And they ask for a $10.00 donation to help with the shipping of the shoe boxes, to get them where they need to go."

To keep things organized, "There are three separate age groups that you can choose from, boy or girl and then ages 2 through 4, 5 to 9, and then 10 to 14."

Ursu adds a fun new way to help out and get involved, "This year they have a new feature that their doing, for people that don't have the opportunity to get out and pack their shoe boxes. They can pack their shoe boxes online, which has been around for a while, but actually this year they have included an option where you can actually follow your shoe box. So you can go online and if you check off the box that says I'd like to know where its going, you can get a notification later on knowing exactly which country your shoe box has gone."

"It is the 25th year, Operation Christmas Child has been running since 1993. This year is the 25th Anniversary, and we have some people who have been packing since the beginning so its quite neat to celebrate that anniversary this year."

With one month to get your shoe box and fill it, and if you would like to track it to see where it is going. A great way to celebrate 25 years with Operation Christmas Child.