GIVE CHILDREN A GIFT: Margaret Scully from Beaufort and Josie Real from Park Road, are the faces behind organising the south Kerry collections for charity Team Hope. Photo: Michelle Crean

By Michelle Crean

Thousands of vulnerable children will have a wonderful Christmas thanks to two kind-hearted Killarney ladies who are organising this year’s shoebox appeal.

Margaret Scully from Beaufort and Josie Real from Park Road, are the faces behind organising the south Kerry collections for charity Team Hope. And because of their good work and the generosity of people in Killarney and south Kerry – thousands who wouldn’t have had a Christmas present – will receive gifts this year.

With the November 8 deadline approaching, the ladies are hoping to exceed last year’s collection of 4,100 boxes.

They have drop off points here at the Killarney Advertiser office on High Street, Dealz also on High Street and also at their Deerpark Store, Joe O’Sheas Toymaster in Killorglin and the Youth Resource Centre in Cahersiveen.

“People are always welcome to drop boxes into any of these locations,” Margaret told the Killarney Advertiser this week.

“We are appealing to parents, children, everybody really to give the gift of a shoebox for a vulnerable child abroad.”

Team Hope is an Irish, Christian international development organisation working to help children affected by poverty in Africa and Eastern Europe.

All you do is get a simple shoebox, cover it with paper and put in items for writing, washing, wear and wow. Do not include large clothing items, liquids, sharp objects, breakables, war related toys or medicines.

She added that many of these families are trying to survive on less than €1 a day.

“For every shoebox it means that one needy child will get a gift. They might never have gotten a gift in their life.”