For several years in a row, Utah First Credit Union has donated over 300 brand new pairs of shoes to Guadalupe Charter School students a couple of weeks before the holiday break. This is an incredible service, that provokes a lot of gratitude from students who suddenly know they will have at least one pair of shoes to take them through the cold months of winter, and one extra holiday gift, which can be a huge plus if the family gift budget is tight. 

Each year, Utah First Credit Union collects the shoe sizes of each of our charter students, sends employees out to shop for shoes, and wraps every individual shoe box in a large wrapping party. They then send a team of happy staff members to stake out at Guadalupe School, and other schools and organizations around the community, in order to distribute the gifts and watch students open their presents with glee. 

Guadalupe School is very appreciative of this amazing service project. We know it can't be cheap to provide over 300 pairs of shoes, and we thank Utah First Credit Union for the energy and time spent, as well as the money spent on such a large endeavor. The price of seeing the facial expressions of Guadalupe students as they open their shoe boxes, however, cannot be quantified. Check out the photos below to enjoy their priceless reactions.

   Last week fourth graders had the unique experience of touring a local woodworking production company. Fetzer started as a small cabinet workshop over 100 years ago, downtown Salt Lake City. It has grown into a behemoth, boasting storefronts in China and New Zealand, and manning projects like the interior woodwork of  Salt Lake's own beautiful LDS Conference Center.
  
   Guadalupe students were fortunate to receive a personal tour that began in the corporate office space, and moved through the shop floor, in order to give them a feel for the various elements that make up a company like Fetzer. The fourth graders had step-by-step processes explained, including receiving a customer's order, digitally designing wood pieces that will fulfill it, and then physically creating those pieces through various methods of machine operation and hand labor. They wore safety glasses as they looked on with awe at the large cutting and sanding machines, as well as the spaces used for staining and sealing the wood.