The students waited eagerly in line for the brightly wrapped shoebox, each taking their turn placing donated items inside the box that will travel overseas to a child in need.

“We started out with a goal of 55 shoeboxes, but had so many donated items we filled five extra shoeboxes, for a total of 60 this year,” said Duran South teacher Sue Bliss.

Bliss said the annual community service project for Team C at Duran South went very well. Each year, the students participate in Operation Christmas Child, a part of the Samaritan’s Purse, an organization founded by Franklin Graham. Shoeboxes full of items are collected and sent to children all over the world.

Bliss said students in her class, Heather King’s class and Donna Igo’s class made up Team C.

“We had some students from Chad Smith’s class (Team B) who also participated,” she said.

Bliss said more than 100 total students participated. The students, their parents, and a few local businesses donated a wide variety of items to fill the shoeboxes.

The items included candy, toys, pencils, erasers, pens, puzzles, stuffed animals, chalk, Play-Doh, coloring books, socks, gloves, soap, washcloths, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss and more.

“The boxes are designated for either a boy or a girl, and we try to pack the boy boxes with items a boy would like and the girl boxes with things a girl would like,” she said.

Bliss said the shoeboxes will be taken to a church in Ragland that is taking care of the shipping costs.

“We aren’t sure where the shoeboxes will go, but they will go overseas to a foreign country,” she said.

Bliss said the students really enjoy the yearly project.

“They can’t wait to take their turn in line to pack the shoeboxes with items that will to go to children who need them,” she said.