With the Christmas season still two months away, Tooele City is already making preparations to help spread cheer to parts of the world where despair is more the norm.

For the past seven years, the city has diligently helped in bringing small treasures to needy children under a national program called Operation Christmas Child. It has proven to be a successful project every year, bringing together schools, businesses, clubs and family members of all ages.

"We have something called the 'Shoebox Project,'" said Tooele City Recorder Sharon Dawson. "Take a shoebox or a small container and fill it with basic necessities. We send out letters to all the schools, requesting items. Then we let the schools decide the needs."

Dawson described the unique roles played by 10 different schools in the area, with everything noted from Step Ahead Preschool's donation of candy, to Willow Elementary's gift of washcloths and soap.

"Middle Canyon is very big with donating pairs of socks," Dawson said.

While the schools are a major part of the project, anybody can get involved. The city has asked businesses to donate, and clubs have also been valuable supporters, with the Boys and Girls Club having donated many items, for example. Families and individuals can also become involved, according to Dawson.

"It's great for family night," she said. "Kids, parents, grandparents. We've even had children raising money through lemonade stands or hot chocolate stands. It's kids helping kids."

Shoebox donations can include basic hygiene kits, such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, bar of soap, and washcloth. It can also involve school supplies such as a pen and pencil, crayons, and eraser. It can also contain small toys and candy. Certain items are discouraged, however, including sharp objects, liquids or lotions, and any war-related toys. Many of the items are sent to war-torn countries.

The donations can be taken to City Hall where they will be stored and organized until being delivered to Calvary Chapel in Salt Lake City. From there, they are taken to a processing center in Denver, Colo., and then on to their final destinations.

"Many boxes will go to Iraq, Iran, Russia and South America," Dawson said. "Most boxes from the intermountain region go to Mexico."

She added that whatever is left over will be saved for next year, or will be used for the Children's Justice Center.

Those who want to get involved can pick up a brochure at City Hall, which includes labels for each gender, as well as age-specific labels, ranging from 2 to 4, 5 to 9, or 10 to 14 years old. The labels will be included with any shoebox donation. The donations can then be dropped off at City Hall. The program gets underway in October, and the deadline is Nov. 2.

"I would love to see the faces on the kids when they receive their shoebox gifts," said Dawson. "Imagine kids getting socks for the first time, or candy for the first time. These are things we take for granted."

Operation Christmas Child started 13 years ago under the organization Samaritan's Purse, which is presided over by Franklin Graham, the son of the Reverend Billy Graham.