Operation Christmas Child celebrates 25 years in northeastern Ontario

It was 25 years ago that Peggy Bendell of Timmins brought Operation Christmas Child to the region.

That's a national program that aims to help struggling children in the developing world.

In 1994, Bendell decided she wanted to take part. She did some media interviews and to her surprise, more than 800 shoeboxes were filled from her area.

"I remember the first day it was in the local newspaper, that evening I came home and there were two shoeboxes on my doorstep," she said.

Bendell says in the early days, there were no restrictions on what could go in the boxes. She started receiving boxeswith chocolate bars, mugs and snowglobes.

Now, there's a clear list on what can be included.

"Nothing that can freeze or break," she said.

Suggested items include toys, hygiene items and school supplies. Bendell says notebooks and pens are especially encouraged.

"That's their ticket to go to school," she said."If they don't have a pen and notepaper, they cannot go to school so they can't get an education."

Bendell says in the last 25 years, more than 40,000 boxes from this region have been sent overseas. She's hoping to have 2,500 boxes filled this year to celebrate how long the program has been running in the northeast.

"That would really blow my mind," she said. "It's all in the hands of the people."

As for why she takes part? Bendell says it's simply because she can.

"We have so much," she said. "It's just a way to reach out to show those kids that somebody somewhere cares."