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Hill Country volunteers have taken it upon themselves to let the public know that a Texas State University student from the Houston area remains missing.
Jason Landry was 21 years old on Dec. 13, 2020, when he went missing while driving home to San Marcos to Missouri City to visit his family.
According to a report from Austin FOX affiliate KTBC, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Buda Post #12161 saw an opportunity to help after the City of Luling – the purported last place where Landry was at – ordered banners for him to come down just before the summer.
The volunteers transformed the two banners into handbags to raise awareness, per KTBC.
San Marcos resident Catherine Shellman spearheaded the effort.
"So I thought, 'what about some handbags?'" Shellman recalled to the station. "Why don't we up-cycle Jason's banners into something that people can be a part of?"
According to KTBC, the Buda VFW produced 50 handbags out of the banners.
The station reported that a different piece of each banner was used to make a bag, which includes a missing flier, a tag with the attorney general’s number and a letter written by Landry’s mother.
The volunteers said that proceeds from the bag sales – they are requesting donations ranging from $25 to $40 – will go toward ongoing efforts to find Landry.
"You know that old saying, 'It takes a village to raise a child,' well it's taking an entire community to bring one home," Shellman, who is planning more ways to aid the search, told KTBC.
Anyone looking to purchase a bag can contact Shellman by emailing her at catherineshellman@gmail.com, the station reported.
Citing Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, Houston Daily reported in March that at least seven searches were conducted since authorities informed Landry's parents of his disappearance.
Individuals with information on Landry are urged to call (726) 777-1359.