News : Saying thanks to firemen, with notes and cookies

Brynn Staab writes a note to her dad as part of a VSMS project to thank firemen for their many hours of work during the recent downtown fire. Lizzie Noe made cookies to share with a Vinton firefighter and wrote a decorative thank-you note. About 25 Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School students spent their RTI time on Wednesday, writing notes and packaging cookies to share with area firefighters as a thank you for the long hours they spent fighting the recent downtown fire. Teacher Kris Howes-Vonstein says the students are packaging cookies in an equal amount of hours the firefighters spent at the scene between Thursday and Sunday. Many spent as much as 24 hours at at time at the site, she said. One of the students involved in the project is Brynn Staab, whose dad, Chris, was there 22 hours, said the teacher. Brynn wrote a comical note addressed to "Old Man," a VFD firefighters who frequently teases her. She also wrote a serious one to her dad, writing: "Some people say they got to meet their hero. I get to say I live with mine." The students wrote notes to individual firefighters on the Vinton and Garrison departments. Many of the students at VSMS are the children or grandchildren of firefighters. Mrs. H-V was inspired to initiate this project after reading a Facebook post by Brynn's mom, Lisa, which read: "It is 5 p.m. (Friday), 22 hours into this fire scene. Chris has still not been home. He has not slept nor has the rest of the VFD. These menare relentless. I couldn't be more proud of him, my brother, and every other fireman." The teacher said she realized on Friday morning, that as she saw photos of the fire and firefighters on the news and social media, that many of those firemen had been up all night while most of the rest of Vinton slept. Brynn will deliver the cookies to her father, who will distribute them to others during tomorrow evening's VFD meeting. See more photos HERE.