Sponsored by Champions Sunrise Rotary Club, members of the Eiland Elementary EarlyAct FirstKnight Student Council visited the Port of Houston Saturday December 10, to deliver 83 christmas care packages to the Intenational Seafarers' Center.

The Student Council, all 5th graders, as part of the EAFK charter, must lead the entire school in two service projects throughout the school year. The students chose visiting seamen as the international recipients by collecting empty shoe boxes, filling them with a set of  "comfort" supplies, gift wrapping the 83 boxes, and finally delivering them to the Port for distribution by Mission Ministers.

On arrival the kids were further recruited into service by repacking hundreds more boxes into distribution packs for delivery to the individual ships currently in port. A great welcome was given by the Center's staff who recorded their gifts into the Donor register. Eiland's efforts brought the total received to that date to 6,123 gift boxes since ThanksGiving! On average 10,000 boxes are distributed each season.

The Eiland Student Council, Advisors and all schoolchildren are to be congratulated on a hugely successful project. Everyone worked hard from the initial planning and selection meeting, through the multiple publicity events, sorting, packing, and final delivery of the boxes. A great deal of fun, learning and valuable service experience was gained over the semester. A huge project in true Rotary spirit of "Service above Self", culminating in a great, late lunch at McDonalds.