Operation Shoebox

For Tim Tudor, US History Teacher at Marco Island Charter Middle School (MICMS), the motto is, “Service above Self,”  a takeaway from Rotary member and Pastor Scott Kerens of Marco Island Presbyterian Church who spoke to the students during career day. 

Tudor led by example for his students when what started out as a bud of an idea blossomed into beautiful fruition when Operation Shoebox found a place within his classroom. 

Tudor first heard about the organization through his church, which ran a similar operation for children in Africa. Upon further research, he found that you could also pack boxes for the military. Appreciation for the troops and the sacrifices they make are values that he wishes to impart to his students and he leaped on the chance to bring this to his school. 

The option to select a specific branch and location of the military was there, but the cost of shipping would have been too great to tackle. Operation Shoebox instead offered the ability for the school to pack a generic box and leave it open and unmarked, allowing the organization to take the inventory necessary for the military themselves and distribute it directly. 

Originally, the donations trickled in slowly as the timing was not ideal shortly after Hurricane Milton and Helene. But soon enough, students began to bring in snacks and food items after receiving flyers. Parents sent in hygiene products along with practical items, members of the PTA offered their time to help organize, and the Marco Island Senior Softball League donated a large number of supplies. 

Additionally, Tudor made some cold calls to local businesses who were more than happy to answer the call. Among them was Marco Island Office Supply who donated paper and pens for the soldiers to write home with. Siegal Dental gave countless tubes of toothpaste, floss, and brushes. The UPS store sent over packing tape and envelopes. Jennifer Tenney Law brought warm socks, cards, and puzzle books. Marco Presbyterian Church sent can openers and sunglasses. The local 7/11 also pitched in items. (A full list of contributors is available on the school’s social media page). 

Another item included in each box is a book to pass the time. Every year the Collier County Library must make room for new inventory, and a decent stock of books either get sent back to headquarters, sold, or thrown away. In this case, they told Tudor to take as many as he wanted to add to the boxes. 

Ready with all the essential items necessary and fresh off a Veteran’s Day lesson, Tudor’s students were excited to each pack their own box for a solider to show their gratitude for our troops. The female students packed with a woman in mind and vice versa for the male students. Several tables full of donations allowed the students to customize and ‘shop’ to their liking. Though they packed with no expectation of receiving a return, a special ‘Dear Soldier’ letter written by the students in their Language Arts class is placed at the top of each box along with a postage-paid postcard. This gives the recipient soldier the ability and option of writing back, making a further lasting memory for the student. 

Once the over one hundred boxes are all filled, MICMS Principal Margo Heidenreich will drive them to the facility in The Villages around the Thanksgiving Holiday. Operation Shoebox will then decide which military branch and soldiers specifically receive each box. 

As Tudor watched his students, he smiled and shared that though his students may not remember all the history lessons they learned from him, if they grow up to become productive members of society, he did his job. Wanting them to contribute to their community, regardless of how small or large the task, his motto of ‘Service Above Self’ holds strong in his student’s hearts. He knows they will remember experiences like this and the life lessons that came with them.

In 2025, Tudor hopes to build the event and open it up to the community to become involved. He asks for those interested to keep an eye on the MICMS Social Media page for more information.