Three years ago when Penny Burns, Joanne Buie and Barb Baldwin started The Muskoka Shoebox Project they never imagined what an incredible success the project would be.
This year was the third annual Shoebox Drive and the number of donations was the highest its ever been; 1092 shoeboxes of hope were delivered to women in need in the Muskoka area.
“Working with accredited agencies, our belief was that by giving local women in need a special gift at Christmas, we would give them hope and their own reason to believe during the holidays,” said Burns.
Teachers, daycare leaders, friends, dads, moms and children all around the community came together as families to fill their own shoebox to give women in need a gift for this holiday season. ‘Shoebox parties’ were even held all across Muskoka where groups of friends came together to make their boxes.
On Friday, December 8 the boxes were counted and donated to shelters around the Muskoka area, such as the Salvation Army in Huntsville, to be given to women in time for Christmas.
“We believe the success is due to the friends, the families, the groups who filled boxes together and the individuals who quietly did a shoebox because they too believed in this cause. Wrapping all these efforts up with finesse were our dedicated volunteers who checked, sorted, wrapped and helped deliver,” said Burns.
The Muskoka Shoebox Drive team is extremely proud of their community and cannot wait for next year in hopes of even more donations.
See related story – Shoebox project organizers hope to collect 750 wrapped boxes this year
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It is so heartening to read about the generosity and kindness that these women are showing to women locally! There is so much need right here in our own community!