Our area has four active Rotary groups - Lake Forest Park, Shoreline (breakfast), Shoreline (lunch), and Rain City (SCC).
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| Rotary volunteers pack books for shipping to South Africa |
A group of 118 volunteers recently gathered at Northwest Harvest in Seattle to box up an estimated 30,000 donated books for Rotary Books for the World. The books will be sent to Texas where Rotarians will pack them into cargo containers along with other book donations from across the United States. These will be shipped to South Africa, where South African Rotarians will distribute them to schools, libraries and other organizations.
Rotary Books for the World began when a Texas Rotarian was volunteering in South Africa. According to Seattle organizer Judy Ginn, the Rotarian was horrified to see a teacher take out a large pair of shears and begin cutting a book. When he asked why she was doing so, she replied, “We don’t have enough books. I cut them so everyone has a little bit to read.”
The Rotarian quickly told the teacher to stop, promising to send her all the books she needed. Upon returning home, he started Rotary Books for the World.
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| King County Rotary volunteers and 30 pallets of books |
Surprised at their success, Ginn reported that the group’s initial goal of 24 pallets of books was surpassed by six pallets.
Donations of used books came from Rotarians as well as schools and individuals. Other Rotary clubs donated money for shipping expenses.
“It’s a big deal in South Africa that teachers get to choose the books they want for their classrooms once these arrive,” said Ginn. “They couldn’t do that during Apartheid.”
Learn more about Rotary Books for the World.
Donations can be made with checks made payable to Rotary District 5030 Service Fund, sent to 7815 85th Pl SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040.
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