BOOKS WANTED
The Journal Pioneer/ Rotary Book Drive for Literacy starts this Thursday.
What’s better than sitting down with a good book? How about sitting down with multiple good books that were purchased in aid of literacy on P.E.I.?
That’s right, it’s time again. The annual Journal Pioneer/Rotary Book Drive for Literacy is fast approaching and it will soon be time to collect and sort hundreds of paperbacks, hard covers and reference books.
The book drive will start this Thursday and runs until Saturday, while the sale will begin next week.
“Last year was an extremely successful event,” said Sandy Rundle, the chairman of the Book Drive, which is run in partnership with the Rotary Club of Summerside.
Rundle, a Rotarian and former publisher of the Journal Pioneer, has been helping with the drive and book sale since its inception a decade ago.
Last year, the initiative raised over $11,000. This year the goal is $12,000 that will go to support literacy projects in Prince County.
“The drive and sale really fit the mandate of the club, as part of rotary is community service. But rotary clubs around the world are also involved in literacy initiatives and run their own programs. And this is a great opportunity.”
Rundle says his favourite part is the drive and sale itself.
“During the sale there is opportunity to chat with new and old faces. The community always really steps up.”
Speaking of stepping up, volunteer co-ordinator Anna MacDonald is looking for people interested in volunteering for the book drive to help sorting the books in genres and authors.
“It went well. It was one of those years you know you’re going to get so many books, but volunteers really stepped up. We had a nice contingent last year, but we’d always like to see more,” she said. “Last year we had a real crew of dedicated people who would work multiple shifts. This year we have at least six slots of availability for each day of the drive. There’s lots of room for volunteers.”
She encourages any book lovers out there interested in helping or students who are seeking community service bursary hours to come out to the events.
MacDonald can be reached at 902-439-2983.
While organizers are calling for donations of books for the sale, they will not accept Readers Digest (hard or soft cover), National Geographic, Encyclopedias, Text Books or Magazines.
The sale will also be held at a new location this year in Slemon Park at 14 Oakwood Avenue.
For more information contact Sandy Rundle at srundle64@ gmail.com or 902-439-6604.