The Campbell River Coordinators of the Shoebox Project extended thanks everyone who participated in the Shoebox Project for women in Campbell River who have accessed shelter services this past year.
They more than doubled their goal of 72 by filling 155 shoeboxes with personal items that women having a difficult time in their lives may not be able to buy for themselves. All the brightly decorated shoeboxes for the women were delivered to the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society by Dec. 17. The response to the project was much greater than expected and so besides providing the gifts to the women who have accessed shelter services this past year, shoeboxes were distributed to other women in need in our community.
This was the first year for the Shoebox Project in Campbell River, coordinated by Alison Skrepneck and Susan Dyson.
“We are amazed and overwhelmed by the response. This has been so heart-warming to see the love, thought and care people put into making the shoeboxes for the women,” said Skrepneck.
Susan Dyson said “I didn’t think it would be so emotional. This is so positive for the women receiving the gifts, those filling the shoeboxes with personal items, the drop off locations and ourselves as coordinators. It has such a ripple effect.”
It has been wonderful to see such generosity and the community pulling together.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to those who filled the shoeboxes with personal items and donated the extras for the women, and to all the staff at our 3 drop-off locations for their support especially Cheryl Lagos and Cary Ann Crowther at Coastal Credit Union, Tara Nelson at Serendipity in the Garden, and Kathy and Tracy Plato at Sundance Java Bar. It was exciting to hear their stories and enthusiasm as more and more shoeboxes arrived at their locations. We’d also like to thank those in the community who promoted the project, the Shoebox Project volunteers, and staff of Campbell River and North Island Transition Society with special mention to Valery Puetz, Susan Trayler, Melanie Towle, and Sonja Mussenden for their words of encouragement and all their help along the way to make this project such a huge success!
The Shoebox Project for Shelters is a non-profit initiative and believes that a small gesture can make a big difference. It was begun in Toronto by four sisters-in-law in 2011 and now operates in many cities across Canada. The project was new to Campbell River this year. For more information about the Shoebox Project go to www.shoeboxproject.com.