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Dear Friend of Reader To Reader, I hope you enjoy this newsletter about the Reader To Reader Book Project. Our success is very much due to your donations of books, postage money, and most of all your generous spirit. Please forward this newsletter and help us spread the word. I have been reflecting on what makes Reader To Reader so successful and clearly one of the key elements is the long-term relationship we forge with each school. Our project is not based on shipping a bunch of books to a school and then moving on, but rather fostering a relationship that allows each school to continually add to their resources. It's a process that involves lots of shipments over weeks, months and years that add up to a revitalized school library that is a critical resource hub for the school. On that note, we do lots of shipping to schools on Native-American tribal reservations, including Navajo Pine High in Navajo, New Mexico, Wyoming Indian School in Ethete, Wyoming, and the Pine Ridge School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. These schools, in some of the very poorest areas, receive weekly book shipments. Their resources are so sparse and antiquated that their would be little hope for them without that level of effort. But there is hope, as this note from Navajo Pine High School illustrates.
With Reader To Reader now in over 110 schools in 20 states we are shipping a lot of books. Thankfully, our resources keep expanding. One area that is growing quickly is Reader To Reader book drives. This month, Blessed Sacrament School in Walpole, Massachusetts gathered, sorted and donated 1,700 children's books, all in excellent condition. Also doing a book drive was Colonel Shepherd Montessori School in Milford, NH, which collected and donated 200 children’s books. These are a wonderful boost to our resources as much of our expansion this year is in the elementary grades. Kudos to them both for all their efforts. Speaking of kudos and book drives, kudos to the University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Team, which will host a book drive for Reader To Reader at their Saturday, December 4 home game versus Syracuse. The Minutewomen and Orange will meet for the third annual "Rage In The Cage" at 2:00 PM in the Curry Hicks Cage. The Reader To Reader book drive was organized by the UMASS Sport Management Graduate Program, which has worked closely with area elementary schools to spread the word about the book drive. The total number of books donated by each elementary school will be tracked at the game, with each school involved receiving an award depending on the number of books donated. Individual donators will be entered into a random drawing to compete in a competition during halftime on the basketball court. The 1st place winner will win a trip for five to Boston, including hotel accommodations, spending cash, Celtics tickets for a Friday night game, and Saturday passes to either the Museum of Science or the Boston Aquarium. And, every person donating a book at the game will be issued one voucher good for admittance into any future 2004.2005 UMASS Women's Basketball game. The pre-game will have a special focus on kids with opportunities for pictures with the cheerleaders and the mascot, along with face-painting. It should be quite a celebration. While we're on the topic of celebrations, if you live in the Amherst area you can buy a new children's book to be donated to a needy school at two locations this year. We again have a display at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Hadley, and this year we have added a display at the LAOS Interfaith Bookshop, which is located within the Emmanuel Lutheran Church at 867 North Pleasant Street in Amherst, close to UMASS. The LAOS bookshop is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 11-5. If it is difficult for you to come into the bookshop you may call the bookshop and donate over the phone by calling 413-548-3909. And if you would prefer to donate a particular book LAOS is able to special order books for you as well. Donating is easy. After purchasing your book at LAOS simply hand the book to the cashier, fill out a donation slip [with or without your name listed]and your purchase will be donated on your behalf to a poor school. Our thanks to Barnes & Noble Booksellers and LAOS Interfaith Bookshop for making these displays possible. Lastly, as you do your end of year giving, please remember a tax-deductible contribution to Reader To Reader. Your donation will do a world of good in helping pay postage for shipping, special books purchases, and all our other expenses all year long. You can donate by mailing your check to:
Reader To Reader, Inc. Or donate online via PayPal. On behalf of everyone at Reader to Reader, I wish you a happy holiday and a prosperous and fulfilling New Year. Until next month, Sincerely,
David Mazor Please help us with a tax-deductible donation. Here are just a few of our recent book shipments: Navajo Pine High School, Navajo, NM
Port Gibson High School, Port Gibson, MS
SAGE Alternative Program, Springfield, MA
Akron High School, Akron, AL
Anderson Elementary, Compton, CA
Leland High School, Leland, MS
Monticello High School, Lake Providence, LA
Putnam Technical High School, Springfield, MA
Pine Ridge High School, Pine Ridge, SD
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