A slight hiccup as we are short of space on container ships - if nothing goes to East timor we don't get free stransport - so please hang onto your shoe boxes until further notice. We may distribute them in areas of need in Australia.

Fill you box with something to:-

* play with - eg ball, game, activity, toy, skipping rope
* draw or write with book and or paper , eg pencils, chalk, crayons & colouring
* keep good hygeine, eg toothbrush & paste, soap
* eat (but not sticky sweets), eg muesli bars
* wear eg, hat, t-shirt, sunglasses .

Ken Nicholls has asked me to recommend the following rules:-
* Preferably no sweets as the dental problems in Timor are dramatic.
* Please fill the shoe box to capacity.Stuff another T-shirt in or a hankie to make it chokkers!!!!!
* Please!! Please!!! do not wrap the whole parcel up.
* Wrap the lid and then wrap the box - why? 'Cos we have to recheck every box before it goes to the container.
* Please be age specific.
* Please be boy/girl specific.
* Please take the time to mark on the box the age group and the
recommended gender.
* NO CANS OF DRINK.
* NO CANS OF HAIR SPRAY.

NOTE: NO guns, soft of sticky lollies/chocolate, medicine, second hand goods, play money, sharp or dangerous objects.

Include a photo of your family and your postal address (or Rotary club address if preferred)
Cover the bod and lid separately with colourful paper (as the children will love to keep the box too)
Label it with the age and sex of the desired recipient.

______________________________________________________________________________________________
letter regarding the shoe box project

People we have an absolute deadline of 1/11/07.Thats the date the container is shipped out.

So therefore we have 80 days to get it done.

So if your Rotary Club was involved last year in this project?
If you want to become involved this year?
If you have Girl Guides Groups close by?
If you have School contacts?
If you have Scout Groups?
If you have Air League Squadrons close by?

Remember that most of these youth organisations need to do a Community Service badge each year, we can arrange for Certificates to issue to those groups.

If you have family members then this is the time to search for shoe boxes and coloured paper and lots of love.

I have attached the specific instructions as distributed by Kerri Sweet last year.
They are specific.

Ken Nicholls has asked me to recommend the following rules:-
* Preferably no sweets as the dental problems in Timor are dramatic.
* Please fill the shoe box to capacity.Stuff another T-shirt in or a hankie to make it chokkers!!!!!
* Please!! Please!!! do not wrap the whole parcel up.
* Wrap the lid and then wrap the box - why? 'Cos we have to recheck every box before it goes to the container.
* Please be age specific.
* Please be boy/girl specific.
* Please take the time to mark on the box the age group and the
recommended gender.
* NO CANS OF DRINK.
* NO CANS OF HAIR SPRAY.

If you follow the role I did last year then you ask you Club for a sum of money.
Send someone to Go-Lo or similar.
Tell the Manager why you are there.
My wife was let loose in the shop and spent $250-00 which filled 48 shoe boxes.
She certainly got more than $250-00 worth of fillers.

You might all have your own contacts let us know if the system works for you.If you think we can do it differently send me an e-mail.
I have had indications from a couple of you that you would like to be on the Committee - thats sensational and all offers are accepted.I think I have copied those people in.

Sadly there are about 7 clubs with no e-mail contacts but I will write to them directly.

Please give me contant feed back on your achievements.

IN ABOUT 60 DAYS I WILL LOOK TO ARRANGE FOR REGIONAL DROP OFF POINTS AND ASK FOR ROTARIAN FAMILIES TO UNPACK/CHECK/REPACK THE BOXES SO THAT WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT DIK, KEN CAN BE ASSURED THAT WE HAVE DONE THE JOB AND ALL WE NEED TO DO IS PACK AND STACK IN THE CONTAINER.

Please if there are any questions my details are listed below, have fun and enjoy the moment.

"remember the pleasure you have in packing up the parcel can only be ten fold when the lucky child unwraps the parcel"

Yours in Rotary Service

Peter Clothier
Christmas Shoe Box Project Chairman.
Email: peter.clothier@admfp.com.au