Only Five Days Left To Make A Difference

I didn’t see Christina Blizzard’s original column on this back in December, but the Ontario Lt. Governor, the Honourable James K. Bartleman is asking Ontario residents to donate children’s and young adult books for the native communities in Northern Ontario, Yukon, Nunavut and northern Quebec. The empty library shelves and 3rd world literacy rates in some areas can really use a boost from those of us who have better opportunities and well stocked libraries.

The drive ends January 31st, but you can drop off new and gently used books at any OPP or Toronto Police Services detachment in Ontario.

With the support and assistance of the Canadian Forces, other voluntary organizations, and shipping companies, these books will be shipped and distributed to aboriginal communities.

It sounds like a great cause to me. Time to raid the kids bookshelves!!

H/T to my friend Sandy

ADDENDUM: I want to commend my children because I mentioned this cause to them and T-Bone pulled out over 40 books by R.L. Stein’s Goosebumps series and told me that he loved these books and figured someone else may love them as much. Cookie dug through books she has had sitting on her shelf since she started reading so there were books ranging from Bugs Bunny learn to read books all the way up to some Judy Blume and various Lizzy McGuire and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen books she has gone through.

As a dad, I am proud that a) my kids appreciate how important reading is and b) how compassionate they were in giving them up.

I took the three bagfuls over to the Teron Rd. OPP dispatch here in Kanata and was pleased to see dozens of bags and several boxes of books waiting to be picked up.