ST. MARTINS, Mo. -- Over the past three years, Eddie Mulholland, principal at St. Martin Catholic School, has become known for showing his appreciation to his staff by giving them a personal gift made with love.
This Christmas, Mulholland gave all 24 St. Martin educators and staff wooden baskets, made from the wood of a 100-year-old barn.
"I wanted to give something personal made of love to the educators and the staff," Mulholland said. "Putting sweat equity and love into a gift means a lot to my wife and I."
The first year Mulholland decided to give the wooden gifts, he made stockings. He said he has to thank his wife, Annie, and his friend Steve Mueller, a true carpenter, for making this project a reality. The second year, he made wooden tables.
The wood comes from a 100-year-old barn that was a part of the Vanderfeltz farm, a significant part of his wife's family history.
"It is a blessing to be able to take on this project with my wife," Mulholland said.
It takes him 1-2 hours to complete a single basket. Mulholland said he has invested time in this unique project to live his life through St. Martin's mission.
"Our mission, he says, is to teach a life of prayer, leadership, love, service and kindness," Mulholland explained.
Despite undertaking the ambitious project, Mulholland does not credit himself as a carpenter. He said Mueller has helped him along the way by providing the tools and sometimes the woodshop tutorials.
Leann Higgins, Janice Smith and Kelly Carrender are among the group who received the wooden baskets this year.
The ladies agree the handmade wooden gifts are special because of the time he takes to build them.
"He is a very busy man, and for him to take time to make each faculty member a gift, it shows he truly cares about his staff," Higgins said.
Smith added: "They're really an exceptional gift, and they match the decor of my house perfectly."
"You can tell that it is definitely from the heart," Carrender said.
Mulholland said his goal was to meet with every educator and staff member individually to share his thankfulness and appreciation for their hard work.
"I love them, I appreciate them, and the gift is an example of how Christ wanted us to live our life like his," he said.