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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, September 12, 2014 | 10 The Oakville Chamber of Commerce presents The 60th Annual Chair's Dinner with Special Guest Speaker Kindness delivered to Costa Rica in a shoebox by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Peter Mansbridge Tuesday September 16, 2014 5pm Network Reception; 6pm Dinner Gala Oakville Conference Centre 2515 Wyecroft Rd Members: $125; Non-Members: $175 Tickets now on sale! www.oakvillechamber.com or call (905) 845-6613 Thank you to our Partners They were small packages filled with toys, candy and school supplies, but to a few hundred children in Costa Rica they meant the world. Oakville resident Ingrid Kyriacopoulos helped distribute gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children in an expedition to the Central American country with Samaritan's Purse Canada. Last year, the Christian charity oversaw the packing of 664,000 shoeboxes with gifts destined for children in 14 countries during its Operation Christmas Card. Kyriacopoulos helped deliver a few hundred of these boxes during the Aug. 2-9 trek. "For the children we saw, this was probably the only gift they have ever received and they seemed so thrilled that strangers would come and bring a gift for them personally. They were just beyond excited," said Kyriacopoulos. "It was quite amazing to see their faces." Kyriacopoulos, who works as an administrative assistant at the Royal York Baptist Church in Etobicoke, said she has been involved with Samaritan's Purse Canada for some time and has packed gift shoeboxes for them for the past several years. She also organized shoebox packing drives at her church and was responsible for getting them to Samaritan's Purse collection centres in Mississauga and Kitchener-Waterloo. Writing Homework Math French Oakville's Ingrid Kyriacopoulos delivers a shoebox of gifts to a child in Costa Rica. | submitted photo Recently, Kyriacopoulos went on a trip to Costa Rica with Samaritan's Purse. "It was quite an experience, having packed the boxes for so many years and then actually giving the boxes to the children," she said. The Oakville resident's group travelled to the city of Cartago to deliver the shoeboxes. Many of the homes they visited had one room and were the size of a kitchen. Families slept on the floor. Many of the shoebox distributions were preceded by face painting and crafts and lunch, which Kyriacopoulos was shocked to learn was the first time many ate that day. Shoeboxes were also distributed at an orphanage, where children had been rescued from the streets where they were involved in prostitution and drug dealing. "It's very hard to see how children live there compared to most of the children we see here," said Kyriacopoulos. Kyriacopoulos said the children were delighted with their shoebox gifts and especially photos and letters from the senders. Samaritan's Purse had translators present to tell the children what the letters said. "Each of these children seemed to appreciate that someone cared for them. Here's this group of people from a far away country bringing them gifts and showing them that they are loved, they are not forgotten and that they are special," said Kyriacopoulos. Kyriacopoulos said a young man approached her at her hotel and told her about how, as a child, he had been the recipient of a Samaritan's Purse shoebox. "He received a box when he was seven and in the box there was a tape measure and he still carries the tape measure," said Kyriacopoulos. "He's 20 years old now. This just meant so much to him." For more information, visit www. samaritanspurse.ca. Pre-K to Grade 12 Grammar The Best s Come From Understanding Approach the process of learning properly and you wind up creating more than hard-working students with good marks. You build motivated, self-assured, independent thinkers who really understand what they learn. That means better grades...on every test, in every subject, and on every report card. A' Reading Study Skills September 18-21 F R E E PA N D O R A B R A C E L E T WITH $125 PURCHASE OF PANDORA JEWELLERY.* Call today, or visit oxfordlearning.com Oakville South 905.849.4027 oakvillesouth@oxfordlearning.com Oakville North East 905.469.1929 905.257.1207 oakville@oxfordlearning.com oakvillene@oxfordlearning.com Oakville North East 905.616.9444 Oakville North 905.469.1929 oakvillene@oxfordlearning.com oakville@oxfordlearning.com Sterling silver charms from $29 Ancaster · 1090 Wilson St West · 905.304.3044 Burlington · 2435 Appleby Line · 905.331.4477 Oakville · 275 Hays Blvd · 905.275.0067 *Receive a free sterling silver PANDORA Clasp or Bangle bracelet ($75 CA retail value). Prices before taxes. While supplies last, limit one per customer. Charms sold separately. See store for details.