Operation Christmas Shoebox

Some parents located within the metro area struggle to
make ends meet and often don’t have money to provide Christmas presents and
toys for their own children. Edmond nonprofit No Boundaries International and the
Edmond Outdoor Ice Rink have partnered together in “Operation Christmas
Shoebox” to make sure that doesn’t happen this holiday season.

Several years ago, No Boundaries International discovered
a school on the south side of Oklahoma City where many students told their
teachers that they would not receive Christmas presents due to their parent’s
economic hardships.

As a response, the nonprofit started Operation Christmas
Shoebox: a program that collects and distributes new toys, school supplies,
candy and gifts to these students. Toys are prioritized according to age and
gender and then redistributed into the children’s hands at their school in
early December.

“Last year,” states Dr. Lori Basey, president of No
Boundaries International, “an 11 year old girl opened her box and began to
scream. We thought something was wrong-but she was screaming because in the box
was the exact doll that she had been hoping for the last 2 years.”

This year, the Edmond Outdoor Ice Rink, owned by Express
Ice Inc, has partnered in this program by offering customers $1 off the regular
ticket prices of $8 if a new toy is brought at the time of ticket purchase at
the rink. The holiday ice skating rink, located at the Edmond Festival Market
Place on First Street just West of Broadway in downtown Edmond, will be open
November 25 through January 3 from 12 noon to 10pm.

No Boundaries International is an Edmond based 501(c)3
nonprofit devoted to crossing any border to bring good news after devestation
through training, inner healing, medical and evangelism.