BOOK DRIVE 2011
The need for books in school libraries throughout South Africa remains high. “The governments of Southern Africa can not yet underwrite the costs of all
the books needed for the rapidly growing public and private school systems,” explains the Rotary Books for the World Organization.
For this reason, I decided to do a fifth book drive this year. I thought that if we could try and alleviate a little of the shortage of books in South Africa by
giving them the books that we have already read and have no further use for, it could make a significant impact on the lives of so many who have so little.
Even before the official start of the book drive, I received many donations from individuals in Arkansas and further afield. I also received support from the
Bentonville/Bella Vista Daybreak Rotary Club as well as from other local Rotary Clubs and the Interact Club at Bentonville High School.
I again contacted principals and teachers at schools in the Bentonville area to ask for their continued support. Once again, many of the schools agreed to
help.
I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT 24,819 BOOKS WERE DONATED TO THE 2011 Books2Africa BOOK DRIVE !!!
Thank you so much to everybody who was involved in the book drive in any way for making this year's book drive the most successful ever! From the
students, teachers and individuals who donated all these books; to everyone who helped me to spread the word about the need for books in Africa; to
everyone who helped me to label, count and pack the books; to United Way for allowing me to use their warehouse to pack the last books and to ship the
books from there; to the company who helped me to transport the 10 pallets of books to Houston.
The following Bentonville Schools donated books to this year's book drive:
I also received books from a neighboring school district:
The following groups and individuals also donated books to the book drive:
They arranged for a storage unit where I could store all the donated books until I was ready to pack them.
They arranged with a company to transport all the books down to Houston.
They arranged with United Way that I could use their warehouse to pack the last of the books and that I could use the
warehouse as a place where the books could be palletised and picked up by the trucking company.
They volunteered to help to label and pack the last few thousand of the books at the United Way warehouse.
If I have left anyone off the list, I apologise. Just let me know and I will gladly add your name.
The Rotary Books for the World Project has once again agreed that our books may form part of their regular shipment to South Africa. They already
have everything in place to ensure our books will arrive in South Africa safely and that they will be distributed to schools and organizations where they are
needed the most. Our books left Bentonville during the middle of July to start their long journey to South Africa. It is now only a matter of time before our
books will arrive in South Africa and the children of Africa will start benefiting from the books.
The need for books in school libraries throughout South Africa remains high. “The governments of Southern Africa can not yet underwrite the costs of all
the books needed for the rapidly growing public and private school systems,” explains the Rotary Books for the World Organization.
For this reason, I decided to do a fifth book drive this year. I thought that if we could try and alleviate a little of the shortage of books in South Africa by
giving them the books that we have already read and have no further use for, it could make a significant impact on the lives of so many who have so little.
Even before the official start of the book drive, I received many donations from individuals in Arkansas and further afield. I also received support from the
Bentonville/Bella Vista Daybreak Rotary Club as well as from other local Rotary Clubs and the Interact Club at Bentonville High School.
I again contacted principals and teachers at schools in the Bentonville area to ask for their continued support. Once again, many of the schools agreed to
help.
I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT 24,819 BOOKS WERE DONATED TO THE 2011 Books2Africa BOOK DRIVE !!!
Thank you so much to everybody who was involved in the book drive in any way for making this year's book drive the most successful ever! From the
students, teachers and individuals who donated all these books; to everyone who helped me to spread the word about the need for books in Africa; to
everyone who helped me to label, count and pack the books; to United Way for allowing me to use their warehouse to pack the last books and to ship the
books from there; to the company who helped me to transport the 10 pallets of books to Houston.
The following Bentonville Schools donated books to this year's book drive:
- APPLE GLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL supported the book drive again by donating many boxes of books to the book drive.
- At BENTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, the Interact Club again got involved and placed collection boxes in all the English classrooms throughout the
school. Many teachers and students contributed to the book drive, with the English Department donating thousands of old reading books thereby
giving them a new lease on life. Fellow BHS students helped me during the summer holidays to take the books to the United Way warehouse and
helped me to label, pack and weigh the books.
- CENTERTON-GAMBLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL supported the book drive by incorporating it into a week of fun and reading activities at school.
Thousands of books were donated.
- CENTRAL PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL asked their students to donate books and the students and teachers generously donated many boxes
of books.
- At ELM TREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, the students were encouraged to donate books and they responded generously and with great
enthusiasm.
- LINCOLN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL donated many boxes of books.
- At MARY MAE JONES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, a competition was held to see which class could donate the most books. The winning class was
rewarded with a pizza party. The student who donated the most books was a boy who donated 654 books. In the end, thousands of books were
donated.
- At OLD HIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL, the students generously supported the book drive by donating many boxes of books.
- At R.E. BAKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, the librarian gave some books a new lease on life by donating them to the book drive in stead of sending
them to a recycling center.
- RUTH BARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL once again donated many boxes of books.
- At SPRING HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL, the Student Council once again encouraged the students to donate as many books as possible by having a
contest to see which grade and class donated the most books. In the end, thousands of books were donated.
- SUGAR CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL donated many boxes of books to the book drive.
- At THOMAS JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL a request was made to the students for donations and they responded enthusiastically and
generously.
I also received books from a neighboring school district:
- The GRAVETTE SCHOOL DISTRICT donated retired school textbooks thereby giving the books a new lease on life.
The following groups and individuals also donated books to the book drive:
- The Bentonville/Bella Vista Daybreak Rotary Club. Not only did their members donate a lot of books, but they gave the project unbelievable
support this year.
They arranged for a storage unit where I could store all the donated books until I was ready to pack them.
They arranged with a company to transport all the books down to Houston.
They arranged with United Way that I could use their warehouse to pack the last of the books and that I could use the
warehouse as a place where the books could be palletised and picked up by the trucking company.
They volunteered to help to label and pack the last few thousand of the books at the United Way warehouse.
- The Rogers Earlyrisers Rotary Club
- Amy Paulson from California
- Anderson Publishers from Bentonville, Arkansas
- Clinton Eoff from Rogers, Arkansas
- Dawn Hill from Bella Vista, Arkansas
- First Presbyterian Church of Bentonville, Arkansas not only donated a lot of books. They also labeled and packed the books themselves.
- Helping Hands from Bentonville, Arkansas
- Judith Hammond from Rogers, Arkansas
- Karen Gilpin from Iola, Kansas
- Melissa Udouj and her children from Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Melinda Murphy from Muskogee, Oklahoma
- Walmart associates from Global Travel, ISD and Transportation
If I have left anyone off the list, I apologise. Just let me know and I will gladly add your name.
The Rotary Books for the World Project has once again agreed that our books may form part of their regular shipment to South Africa. They already
have everything in place to ensure our books will arrive in South Africa safely and that they will be distributed to schools and organizations where they are
needed the most. Our books left Bentonville during the middle of July to start their long journey to South Africa. It is now only a matter of time before our
books will arrive in South Africa and the children of Africa will start benefiting from the books.
Books 2 Africa
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This Rotary Club is proof that many hands
make light work!
make light work!
The end product: 10 pallets full of the most wonderful books !!
Thanks everybody !!
Thanks everybody !!
Above: The 10 pallets of books are being loaded on
the truck that took them down to Houston
the truck that took them down to Houston