SPECIAL DELIVERY
Job Lot donates 6,000 books to city schools
WOONSOCKET – Anybody want books?
That was the question posed by David Sarlitto, the executive director of Ocean State Job Lot, when he was in town a few weeks ago to give away some winter coats to the needy and talk to city officials about the scope of the company’s charitable work. And when Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt heard it, her hand shot up in the air like a rocket.
It was the beginning of a journey for 6,000 free books from Ocean State Job Lot’s shipping depot at Quonset Point to the city, where officials began distributing them at Globe Park Elementary School Thursday. About 50 second- and third-graders were the first recipients of the gifts during a ceremony in which Baldelli-Hunt emphasized the role of teamwork in making good things happen.
“When you’re a team you can accomplish so much more than when you’re an individual,” said the mayor. “We created a partnership with Ocean State Job Lot.”
To drive home the point, the mayor showed up with Detective Capt. Michael Lemoine – acting chief of police this week – and Fire Chief Paul Shatraw to help her hand out the books. Schools Supt. Patrick McGee and Principal Tina Silva also took part in the festivities.
“It’s a celebration today,” McGee told the children. “It’s a celebration of literacy and reading.”
During the next week or so, Baldelli-Hunt said, every elementary-grade student in the public school system would receive a free book, thanks to the generosity of Ocean State Job Lot. They’re currently stored at the River Street public works depot, where school principals will get a chance to look them over and reserve any titles that might be particularly suited to course work teachers are covering.
Six thousand books is more than enough for every pupil, but the rest will go to Woonsocket Harris Public Library, said the mayor.
The youngsters at Globe Park cheered as they reached out for shiny-jacketed and kid-friendly tomes on subjects that would fit nicely into a lesson on geography or
social studies. Some carried unambiguous, one-word titles, like “Istanbul” and “Madagascar.”
Victoria Tetreault was among a handful of parents on hand for the occasion. She was so pleased by her nineyear-old daughter Alesaundra’s good fortune to receive a book about the Iriquois Indians: It’s a subject that comes up from time to time at home because some of their ancestors in Canada were Iriquois Indians, said Tetreault.
Her daughter cracked open the book as soon as she got it and her delight was obvious.
“She’s just grinning,” Tetreault said.
Sarlitto was apparently traveling on I-295 en route to the ceremony when a threevehicle crash snarled traffic ahead of him so badly he was unable to make it in time. But he provided a statement on Ocean State Job Lot’s longstanding Operation Book Drop, which the mayor read to the children.
“The foundation is aware of the void that often occurs with reading materials because many school systems do not have the discretionary dollars to purchase books and parents cannot afford to purchase books,” Sarlitto said. “Even in our increasingly digital age, literacy remains so important to a child’s development and educational success.”
Sarlitto said Ocean State hopes the excitement of a new book will encourage students to read more, which “opens their minds and imagina- tions.”
The mayor met Sarlitto for the first time last month at the Cumberland Street Fire Station, where he delivered dozens of high-quality winter coats destined for Sojourner House, a shelter for victims of domestic violence. With a few city officials on hand to listen, Sarlitto took advantage of the occasion to offer a briefing on the scale of Ocean State Job Lot’s charitable efforts, which includes food products, clothing – and books.
Job Lot acquires scores of books, many of which appear on the shelves of its stores, but some are donated to schools, libraries and other nonprofit endeavors. The company says the lion’s share of its charitable effort is focused on raising money for food banks and hospitals. The company has provided assistance to victims of natural disasters in several foreign countries, including Armenia, Central America and the Dominican Republic.
Founded in 1977, the North Kingstown-based merchandiser of closeout goods operates 126 stores in the Northeast, including one in Park Square and another in Walnut Hill Plaza.
“Ocean State Job Lot has teamed up with us,” said Baldelli-Hunt. “They don’t need to contribute to us. But what happens is you build relationships.”