Area group is raising donations for Guatemala

A group from Winneshiek County is going to Guatemala in April to build Habitat for Humanity houses.

The mission group involves members of First Lutheran Church in Decorah, Ossian Lutheran Church and other county churches.

In Ossian, church members have been collecting school supplies and books to be taken to the rural towns of Guatemala. The donations will be given to a non-profit program called "Open Windows." Said local participant Peg Matter of Decorah, "This is a very needed service since there are virtually no public libraries in the rural towns of Guatemala and the public schools are lacking texts books and general school supplies."

In addition to collection donations of items for Guatemala, members of Ossian Lutheran Church and the Ossian community have raised $800 from a bake sale for the purchase of books for the "Open Windows" program.

There will be a second trip of volunteer builders going to Guatemala this August. Another collection of school supplies will take place at that time. Anyone wishing to contribute new or slightly used school supplies may bring them to First Lutheran Church office in Decorah. These can be contributed now or this summer.

(Pictured above, left to right): Jan Siefken, Dave Siefken, Janice Johnson, Gary Johnson, Linda Paulson and Arlan Paulson.