The job of reading will be enhanced by the goodwill of local residents again this Christmas as IMAGINATIONink is co-ordinating its Books for Children campaign.
Patricia Weaver Blonde said the group collects and purchases new and gently used books, which are distributed to children via the Christmas boxes delivered by such groups as the Salvation Army and Chatham Goodfellows.
“We’ve been able to distribute nearly 1,000 books in each of the last two years and we’re hoping to do as well or better this time around,” she said.
She has already received a donation of 100 books from a local resident and is accepting donations of books and money.
“We wait as long as we can for donations to come in and then we place bulk orders with publishers,” she said. “We get up to 50% discount and it really stretches the donations.”
Blonde said the titles are co-ordinated with libraries in the Chatham-Kent system to as to be relevant for children of all age groups.
“We ask for recommendations and we check to see what books are being loaned by the various branches,” she said.
Last year, the community-wide program delivered books to children in Wallaceburg, Dresden, Ridgetown, as well as the Merlin area, Blenheim, Tilbury and Chatham.
To make a donation of books or money, contact IMAGINATIONink at 519-676-8140 or 519-360-9631.
The organization has been promoting literacy in the community for more than 10 years.
