Christmas storybook made for LDS family of murdered school principal

Sam LaCara, principal of Louisiana Schnell Elementary School in Placerville, Calif., was shot and killed at work in February of this year. Extended family members hope a Christmas storybook will help his family.

“I can’t imagine how we’re going to move forward in the next few weeks. To lose someone whose heart is really in education at a time when we really need superior people — this will rock our community," Kelli Wessman, a friend and longtime co-worker of LaCara, told the Mountain Democrat in February.

The same newspaper provided a recent update on the family: LaCara's wife, Lisa, and three daughters, who are all LDS. Annie Cechini, LaCara's niece, spearheaded a project to compile a book of stories and poems, illustrated by friends and family, into a book called "Christmas Wishes."

"I wanted to do something to make this Christmas happier for Lisa and the girls,” Cechini told the paper. ”Initially, the book was going to be a gift for the family. It was later in the process that we thought perhaps we could do something with 'Christmas Wishes' that would benefit them beyond this Christmas season.”

The paperback version of the book is $18 on Amazon.com and the Kindle version is available for $3.99. All proceeds go to the LaCara family.

For more information visit the Facebook page for the book or visit Cechini's website, www.annielauriecechini.com.

Email: hbowler@desnews.com