Shoeboxes

Boxcar of Christmas cheer!

THE term ‘Christmas boxes’ will take on an extra-special meaning for 220 deserving recipients in Eastern Europe – courtesy of the Rotary Club of Dunfermline.

For that is the number of shoeboxes crammed with gifts and household goods which the club has delivered to Rotary District 1010’s Perth collection depot for onward transmission to Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

It represents a “ton” of Christmas cheer from the Fife staff of the Child Support Agency who filled exactly 100 boxes to top their previous highest-ever total.

Their record annual tally was this year augmented by shoeboxes filled by Rotary club members as well as by pupils of Limekilns Primary School, The Rainbows and the congregation of Holy Trinity Church.

Rotarian David Chalmers, the club’s international convener, explained, “At each of the country destinations, local Rotarians will ensure that the shoeboxes are delivered to where they are needed most.

“The shoeboxes containing gifts will go to children’s homes and kindergartens, as well as to hospitals and deprived communities where Christmas presents would otherwise be more or less non-existent.

“The shoeboxes containing household goods will be delivered to communities where there is considerable poverty and social deprivation.”

President Tom Sunter (right) is pictured loading the Dunfermline club’s consignment with Past-President Eric Keenan and daughter Claire, who each year co-ordinates the collection among her CSA colleagues.