Fredericktown, Missouri, November 25, 2008 - Collection site Coordinator Sharon Settle has just announced that thanks to the cooperative efforts of area businesses and residents the shoe box collection for Operation Christmas Child has completed a very successful season with 1301 shoe boxes collected.  She feels that the success is due to the cooperation of Fredericktown Mayor Danny Kemp for his support of the project,  Century 21-Statler Realty who provided the truck to transport the boxes to the site at Millersville, Missouri where they will be loaded into tractor trailers to begin their journey, to SMTS, Inc. for providing the location for the local collection site and the many area businesses and organizations who made the Operation Christmas Child brochures and shoe boxes available to the public .  Sharon says "None of this would have been accomplished without the wonderful people who filled each individual box."

Operation Christmas Child will hand deliver about 8 million shoe boxes in 100 countries to needy children who are suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, poverty, and famine.

Sharon also suggests, “Start early for next year by saving your shoe boxes all year and tossing in a few items as you go along: pick up a small toy, buy some hair bows or a comb, how about an extra bar or soap and a colorful washcloth, a jump rope or a pair of socks.”