Postville FCCLA students help children have a happy holiday

Earlier this month, The Gazette published a notice asking Eastern Iowa schools to nominate school holiday community services projects. A group of reporters voted on the submissions, selecting three projects for publication in the newspaper. The following is one of the nominations we received.

Postville High School's chapter of FCCLA (Families, Career, Community Leaders of America) sponsored Operation Shoebox this holiday season.

This the group's fifth year for the project.

The 35-member group splits up into teams of four. Each team buys gifts for a younger, less privileged elementary child. Items include toys, coloring books, pencil and paper, crayons, markers, books, hair items, socks, and mittens.

The items are put in a shoebox along with a gift card and wrapped for delivery.

"Since the ICE raid in Postville, there has been a greater need and our members have been graciously been helping out," said Cici Mueller, the high school's family and consumer science instructor. Mueller is the FCCLA advisor. 

The group will help 10 children this year.