9,400 shoeboxes sent to children in Congo and Albania
THE organisers of this year’s Team Hope Christmas shoebox appeal were delighted with the response the initiative received from people across Co Wexford.
The committee behind the initiative made an appeal in this newspaper for volunteers to help out with organising the boxes and they received a great reaction.
In total 9,402 boxes were collected and of those 7,775 were sent to the Congo from the shoebox appeal warehouse at Celtic Linen.
The remaining consignment was sent to Albania.
One of the organisers, Lorna Burt, expressed delight at the success of the campaign and commented to this newspaper: ‘We were delighted with the response from everyone in the county once again.’
‘We received a great reaction from around the county and we think nearly all of the primary schools took part,’ she said.
However, the appeal also attracted support from individuals and community organ- isations like active retirement associations and the ICA whose members also contributed boxes through drop-off centres in the towns around the county.
Each of the boxes submitted had to be checked, sealed and packed before being shipped and that was the reason the committee requested the help of volunteers.
Wexford has traditionally been a great county to support the appeal each year and this year that fact was reaffirmed.
‘It was very successful and we’re very grateful to everyone who supported it and who helped out in any way,’ said Ms Burt.